There is a story told throughout Mythoss about a mysterious Crossroads, and those who are brave enough, or perhaps foolish enough, to seek it out. It is unclear whether this tale refers to a specific crossroads or if the exact location of this intersection of pathways is less important than the seeker’s intent. What is known is that the Crossroads are said to be a gateway to one’s deepest desires. Of course, to receive a boon you must do more than find the Crossroads and select a path. You must also best the Keeper that stands upon the road you have chosen.
This is the tale, as it was first told to me, many years ago. I relate it to you now without prejudice or judgement and allow you to choose for yourself what you will believe.
It is said that there is an ancient place in Mythoss known as Dhú Fiarthrasana, or the “Dark Pathways.” More commonly referred to simply as “The Crossroads”, this area does not appear on any map of the Realm, and most believe it to be nothing more than a legend passed down since the earliest days of Mythoss.
The tale of the Crossroads states that finding this hidden place is only the first step of one’s journey. Once you have found Dhú Fiarthrasana, you must select which path you will walk, and which Keeper you will face.
For one who seeks power, there is the way of the Warrior. Powerful and unforgiving, he must be bested in combat by those who hope to achieve victory in battle and enjoy the spoils of a conqueror. Lose to the Warrior and your blood will forever stain the pathway where he stands as a reminder that he who reaches for glory all too often find that this road ends in the dirt.
For those whose hearts are softer and who seek the love of another, the path of the Nymph should be chosen. Solve her riddles without going mad and the boon she will grant can win the heart of any you so desire. Fail to escape from the Nymph’s challenges, however, and you will forever be in her thrall as one of the mindlessly besotted followers. Transformed into a mouse, you will trail in the Nymph’s shadow forever, hoping for a glimpse of that which you love, but can never have.
Opposite of the Nymph is her terrible sister, the Churel. This creature does not promise love, but retribution, and those who seek vengeance must walk in her footsteps. Like her sister, to best the Churel one must master the puzzles she presents. Those who fail do not give their heart to her, but rather their flesh. The Churel consumes those she defeats, their souls forever tethered to the unending pain of this monster’s existence while she carries their head in her cage as a warning to others who choose the road of revenge.
Finally, the darkest of the paths leads to the Revenant. Any who are foolish enough to wish for immortality must face this dreaded apparition. No one knows what horrors await those who tread upon the Revenant’s road, for it is said that one who escapes this spirit finds that the immortality they seek is a not a gift, but a curse. There is no defeating the Revenant, for death can never be bested.
There is an old rhyme that is whispered by those who wish to find the Crossroads. It acts as a reminder, and perhaps a warning, of what it is they seek. It goes like this:
Have you heard the tale of the Crossroads, and the Keepers who stand upon its aisles? They will grant a boon to those who seek them out, but first you must pass their trials.
4 choices lie before you. Which road shall you select? Which Keeper will you face? Which prize do you wish to collect?
Fail to defeat the Warrior and your blood shall forever stain the ground where you fall.
If you are unable to solve the Nymph’s riddles, you will be hopefully lost in her thrall.
Lose to the Churel and the games that she constructs with her rage, and your soul she will devour while she carries your head inside a cage.
Dare to face to the Revenant and with your final breath, you will realize that immortality is lost to you, and there is fate that is truly worse than death.
These are the paths before you now. Which road will you choose? Your boon is waiting to be claimed, so long as you do not lose.
Make your choice, play their games, and pray you survive the day. The Keepers are waiting for you now, at the place called Dhú Fiarthrasana.
Published on 05.02.25