Temple of the World Tree
The temple is a masterpiece of wooden craftsmanship, built without a single nail. Its beams and pillars are carved from sacred oak, fitted together with such precision that they have withstood storms and earthquakes for generations. The main hall, Seirei-Den ("Hall of Spirits"), is perched on a platform wrapped around the tree’s trunk, accessible by a spiraling staircase carved into the wood. The floorboards are polished smooth by the feet of countless pilgrims, and the air is thick with the scent of incense: sandalwood, camphor, and the faint, sweet tang of the lake’s mist.
The temple’s roof curves gracefully, its eaves adorned with wind chimes of bamboo, their soft music blending with the rustling leaves and the distant lapping of the lake. At the center of the hall sits a stone basin, fed by a thin stream of water piped directly from the lake below. Pilgrims drink from it, wash their hands, or simply touch the water to their foreheads, believing it carries the tree’s blessing.
Purpose / Function
Travelers come from distant lands to seek the temple’s blessings. Some arrive with illnesses, others with broken hearts, and a rare few with secrets they dare not speak aloud. The journey is arduous: the path winds through a forest where the trees seem to watch, and the air hums with an energy both soothing and unsettling. Those who reach the temple must first ring the Bell of Truth, a bronze bell hung from the World Tree’s lowest branch. Its chime is said to reveal the purity of one’s intentions.
At the temple’s heart, pilgrims are invited to tie a strip of cloth to the tree’s roots, whispering their wishes to the wind. If the cloth remains after a week, the tree has accepted their prayer. If it is gone, the answer is no or the healing is already on its way.
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