Solace Garden

The Solace Garden is a plane provided by the god Agonis to provide relief and aid to his most dedicated followers.  

Access

Only the god Agonis allows entry to the Solace Garden, and he allows only a select and faithful few, those who demonstrates supreme dedication and selflessness in his name and are themselves in great need of relief. Such people are priests, knights, monks or other devout worshipers of Agonis, and they have to be in a crisis or grim situation, such as facing overwhelming odds or too many people in need of help. Some examples are of an the faithful defending helpless people against an enormous force, or exhausting themself and expending all their magic to heal a plague, or standing against powerful followers of Ella'li, or travelling the length of Theras in a kind and just quest, all without regard for danger or self-advancement. At such rare times, Agonis provides them with relief and sanctuary in the Garden, though ultimately no release from their task.   For the blessed Agonisi, to be invited into the Solace Garden is a tremendous honor as well a great responsibility. Agonis does not choose them at whim or by chance, and no one is ever chosen twice.   The companions of the chosen Agonisi are allowed into the Solace Garden with them, even if they themselves do not worship Agoinis, as Agonis rarely separated his faithful from their allies. But, in most cases, the group as a whole have to perform good deeds in aid of the chosen Agonisi. If one among their number is deemed unworthy, however, then none of them are invited, including the Agonosi. If, while in the garden, anyone offends Agonis' faith by deed or spell, then the entire band is instantly expelled.   Entry and invitation to the garden is provided by a temporary portal appearing beside the chosen one. This can occur anywhere, whatever the environment, even if there is immediate peril nearby. The portal appears as a regular garden path leading through a hedge-arch before disappearing into a thick mist that glowed with warm, inviting light, as if from an afternoon sun. The group have the free choice to step through or not. Once one of them did, they are soon transported to the garden.   Upon arrival, visitors instantly know the garden was a place of safety, and that this side-trip is for the greater good, and all that all was right and well with the place. The Solace Garden is a place of essential serenity and soothing. The garden seems perfect and peaceful. It is a sunny day with cloudless blue skies, but the temperate is mild and the light wisas not harsh. A gentle breeze softly rustles the leaves.   The garden is square, ~75 feet (22.8 meters) to a side, and bordered by a thick, 10-foot-high (3 meters) hedge. At the center of each side, in the direction of the four compass points, is a hedge-arch forming an entrance or exit, filled with the same thick, impenetrable mist as the portal. Peering over the hedge will show an endless mist beyond, giving the impression of sitting atop a mountain peak above the clouds.   Crossing the grassy ground and linking the four gates is a path of soft, loamy soil, leading to the ring of statues and the fountain in the center. The Statues of Lamentation are of white blue-veined marble and depicted humans, common folk in plain clothes, four female and four male, with genders alternating at the compass directions.   In each corner of the garden is a fruit tree, large and hale. Rather than a single kind of fruit or tree, however, they produce any and every kind of fruit that the guests might desire. Thus, they appear as a veritable cornucopia, overloaded with myriad fruits. They provide a healthy meal.  

Effects

Anyone who both eats the fruit of the trees and drinks the water of the fountain gained the benefits of a heroes' feast spell: for half a day, they are cured of all sickness and disease, immune to all poison, made healthy, their morale improve, and made fearless. Partaking only of water or fruit gives the understanding that both must be consumed for to gain the full benefit.   For as long as the guests stayed within the garden, all their magic and abilities are enhanced, especially for devotees of Agonsi, provided such magic or abilities are in accordance with Agonis' faith.   Once they are ready to leave via the gateways, the guests are blessed with a greater heroism spell. They are made healthy, their morale improved, and they are made fearless, as well made resistant to many spells. This also lasted half a day.   Upon returning, they found that time pass differently in the Solace Garden than on the Material Plane. It is a timeless place: no matter how long they stayed, not a moment passed where they have been before.  

Leaving

However they leave, the portal deposits the guests right back they have been before, and at the same time. This would leave them in the exact same peril or crisis as they have been in previously, though now they are well rested, rejuvenated and strengthened for the task ahead. The portal disappears behind them.   Those who survived their subsequent ordeal always remember the Solace Garden. But a sense of privacy surrounded their memories, and they will not openly speak of it, except quietly to close companions.  

History

The history of the Weeping Garden is little known, for only Agonis knows how long he had been allowing his chosen few to step inside, and those who visits the garden rarely spoke of it.  

Rumors and legends

Very little about the Solace Garden was actually widely known beyond those who'd been there and Agonis himself, with only the most general facts a certainty.   According to legend, on very rare occasions, the gates out of the garden did not return guests to their original location. Instead, they clear of mists and lead out into the plane of the Celestia. However, these claims were not verified by any who'd been to the Garden and spoken of it.