[LOCKED LOCATION] The Bardic Conservatory

[Fox]

The Bardic Henge lay nestled in the deep recesses of the woodland surrounding Natura. For a long time; indeed for as long as the inhabitants of the town could remember, the bards had hidden themselves away from the prying eyes of the local populace. Why they had done this was not for any great dislike of the Naturans, but merely for the protection of their own secrets to which they made a habit of passing only to those who had endeavored to find their great home.

But then something had changed and the Bards had stripped away the illusion that sheltered them, exposing the grand hall of their home to those who restlessly wandered the forest. They made no great announcement of this sudden decision, but allowed others to find them first and from there the word spread quickly. The Bardic Hall was once more open to be seen.

This was a building of white-streaked stone in the forest, a structure of great beauty, and from it emanated music of a lilting, haunting variety. Those who dared approach soon found out the source of those melodies. This was the hall of the Bards, the great hidden place that many had long since given up searching for.

It was a large facility, some two stories tall and completely structured of solid, gray stone veined with streaks of white and black. For all its clunky exterior, it was still a graceful thing, its ends boasting a pair of rounded towers that peeked up to the tall heights of the forest canopy and overlooked the small clearing in which the building stood. Columns flanked a double-doored, wooden and arched entryway, vines snaking their way up from here and smattering across the front, breaking up the dismal gray with romantic greens that burst with vibrant flowers in spring and summer. The aspect of the Bardic Conservatory spoke of strength, of purpose and of fragile beauty enmeshed together in an eternal dance.

A large garden sprawled out before the building, arrayed with a variety of exotic blooms and bushes. There were hedges, too, lining meandering, stone pathways. Some of the hedges had been shaped to resemble animals and even people, giving life to the place even in the depths of winter and the dying months of autumn.

Benches scattered the gardens here and there, smooth seats of cold stone carved with images of blossoms and ivy. In the center of this expansive garden was a ring of large stones each with a snowy white hue. Their crystalline structures glittered even in the sunlight and within them a small stage, also of stone, seemed to have been upraised, doubtlessly for performances of one sort or another.

To enter, individuals had only to stride out from the beneath the canopy of the forest and walk across the exposed path that led straight to the front door. These were open, usually slightly ajar, and led into a massive stone hallway and reception area with high, vaulted ceilings rising up the full length of the two stories. The walls were lined with candelabras, their curling designs boasting upwards five candles that cast their warm light across the stone walls and tapestries. There was a sparse amount of furniture in this room, but flowers and vines continued to snake their way around the columns that supported the high ceiling at odd intervals. Many rooms branched off of this main hall, all of which stood open for inspection should a person pop their head inside of one, while just ahead of the entrance was a grand staircase of stone that lead to the second level. Music trickled through the area, ranging from horns to woodwinds to percussion to stringed instruments, with the occasional voice thrown in the mix. Despite the odd variety playing their own tunes, it was a beautiful intermingling of noise and lent the place its peace as visitors permeated the place.

This location is permanently locked. If you have reason to post at this location please begin a new thread with [Conservatory] in front of the title. Please note that you must first post in the Moderation Needs thread as this is a moderated location

Originally posted by Nimh and minor minor tweaks by me!