A forbidding manor rises starkly from the landscape. It is a dark Gothic construction, with soaring towers, arched windows, and carefully ornamented walls. Entering the manor reinforces the feeling, as the many windows and twisting hallways cast long shadows. It's hard to tell where a room begins and ends, and ... is that a hidden passageway, or a trick of the light? Many doors are locked, or blocked off, or even missing handles, but the dimness of the interior discourages many wanderers.
In contrast, a garden grows cheerfully outside of the manor. Walking in a straight line away from the manor will eventually lead to the opposite side of the manor, and flowers grow at every step of the way. A brick pathway leads to gravel leads to dirt, and flat rocks lead through lush green lawns. Delicately welded steel blooms into white-painted floral decorations. They wind around white arbors and colorful glass pottery and contrast brightly against verdant growths. The landscape varies between flower bushes and herb gardens and fruit orchards, and in Flower Manor, they are always in season.
Inside the manor, the white double doors to the Tea Room are often propped open wide. In stark contrast to the rest of the manor, the inside of the room is almost blinding, as bright sunlight streams in from ceiling-to-floor windows. White gauze curtains gently billow in a light breeze, and the outdoor light makes the cream walls seem to glow. The tables and chairs, sturdy wood and steel, are detailed with plant etchings and painted over in bright white. The china sets are decorated with riotously coloured flowers, and the selection of finger foods seems almost endless. Warmly colored couches and settees line the walls, encouraging travelers to sit and rest.
An accidental wrong turn while exiting the washroom leads a wanderer into a room, lit sparsely by grimy oil lamps. Heavy tapestries and thick carpet muffle the sound of footsteps. Large curio cabinets filled with mysterious souvenirs cast much of the room into darkness. Squinting into the gloom ... there may be something alive in one of those jars ... It may be better not to look too closely.
At one side of the manor, a lush green hedge maze invites the traveler to a challenge. The bushes are thick and pathways shift in the blink of an eye, and the hedges are high enough to block off most light from entering, making maze travel a truly shady road. Nonetheless, following the dirt pathway into the center of the maze leads to a stone pool built around a large tree. Small white flowers, tinted pink, bloom on the tree, and as the blossoms fall they float gently on the pool's still and clear surface. Take a break here - it will be as hard to leave as it was to enter.
At another side, a flat stone path leads to a round white structure, not unlike a strange over-sized bird cage, surrounded as always by blooming flowers. Thick, creamy linen cloth drapes over the top and spills over the sides, casting the paved ground under the gazebo into a warm shade. Inside, a single white table and four white chairs, not unlike those found in the Tea Room, await any visitors. A small tinted glass vase rests on the table, with a single brilliant pink flower inside.
the lady of the house.ALYENNE has a sweet and spoiled personality. She welcomes guests with the grace of any proper hostess, but her temper is mercurial and her grudges long-lasting. Just be careful not to break anything, and everything will be fine! Her nightmare realm is a good physical manifestation of her personality: bright, cheery, and colorful, but with some shadowed areas here and there.
Alyenne can mostly be found in the Tea Room or the Gazebo; rarely, she can be found in the Garden Maze's center. (No one has seen her traverse the twisting hedges, though.) And though her gardens are perfectly tended, she would never deign to get a speck of dirt under her manicured nails.
Alyenne is often accompanied by the mischievous ADI, who would break things endlessly if not for Alyenne's sharp glares and silent threat of punishment. Who knows why they stick together.
LUOYING can often be seen visiting. They're a solemn figure, somewhat reticent, and not very expressive, but when with Alyenne a careful watcher might see a small smile cross their face.
Do some exploring in Alyenne's realm. In the manor, feel free to stop by the tea room, explore the shadowy passageways, maybe try a closed door (or two, or three, or four). Outside, wander the lush gardens and orchards, always in season, always in bloom.
REWARD (ONE TIME ONLY): As you stop to catch your breath in whatever location you may be, Alyenne glides by. She stops when she sees you, smiles brightly, and presses a key into your hands. She winks, pressing her index finger to her lips, promising you to secrecy. What was that all about ... ?
REWARD (secondary): Mysterious sparkles trail behind you for the remainder of your visit, like stars twinkling in the sky at night.
Enter the garden maze. Do you get stuck in a moving hedge? How lost do you get, and how long does it take you to escape? Or perhaps you've made it through to the center of the maze, and are now taking a break.
REWARD (ONE TIME ONLY): Before you leave the maze for good (whether you reached the center or not), a glimmer of bright blue catches your eye. You pick it up and realize it's a key.
REWARD (secondary): Whether you've reached the center or not, a small white blossom seems to have gotten stuck in your hair for the remainder of your visit.
You must complete "Exploring Flower Manor" or "Challenge the Maze" at least once before attempting this quest. You decide to find out what this key business is all about. You return to the inside of the manor and search out the door that this lock matches ...
It's surprisingly easy to find. At the end of a hallway you've never seen before, a door practically glows with the same blue light as the key in your hands. You search for a keyhole, to no avail; you poke at the door with your key in desperation and to your surprise, the key is absorbed into the door. You touch the door and it silently swings open. Inside ...
Complete the TCG battle and draw any part of this encounter (the door, the boss, or the aftermath) in order to complete this quest.
REWARD: The faint scent of roses follows you wherever you go. Adi seems to have taken a liking to you, bringing you snacks and flowers when in the same area.
Upon completion of any of these quests,
please add this stamp to your passport.