The Grove

Deep, deep in the Hedge, there is a clearing. Enchanted and eerily lovely, the thorns thin and then clear away to reveal twisted trees standing bare save for odd fruits, and an empty spot in directly in the middle. It is silent here, and peaceful, and although the magical threads of the Wyrd seem even stronger than normal here, you somehow know that in this place, you will not be hurt.

Welcome to the Grove.

The Grove feels like it must have been cultivated - and perhaps it was. DeLand was originally named for its fruit trees, and did become well-known for its oranges. The turn-of-the-(last)century horticulturalist Lue Gim Gong was known as "The Citrus Wizard" - the mages claim him, of course, though nobody knows for sure. It's not unreasonable to think that he may have had a hand in creating this - a literal grove of Hedgefruit trees, growing together and easy to access, with at least some sort of blessing laid upon it to ensure peace within it. Dozens of tiny mirrors dangle from the branches of the trees, twinkling like faerie lights when they catch the light just right. And while not every variety of Hedge fruit grows within it, there's always a wide and varied selection, depending on the season.

However... this is not simply a free treasure trove. No violence can take place within the Grove, not even the "gentle" violence of binding or physical coercion - any who intend to try find that they simply can't will themselves to take such an action. The surrounding areas, however, are fair game - and the denizens of the Hedge know it. Anyone or anything looking for easy prey - hobgoblins, hedgebeasts, Loyalist raiding parties, even True Fae - might stalk the brambles just outside of the Grove, knowing that eventually a desperate or greedy Changeling will make his or her way towards them. Furthermore, there are no trods to the Grove. Although there are many ways to gain a general idea of where it is, in order to actually reach it you must throw yourself into the thorns and hope for the best. Finally, the Grove itself is very deep in the Hedge - even to reach it, one must travel a good ways along trods, with all the risks that entails.

It's not completely inaccessible, of course - if a character has enough stealth, enough guile, or enough combat prowess, combined with a good direction sense and something sharp to carve their way through the thick thorns, they may very well get through. (There's still the journey back, of course, but at least the Changeling has a chance to fortify themself with some Hedgefruit first!)  Still, for most Changelings the risks are too high to take the journey unless something truly monumental is at stake.

Back to Locations