Beneath the Wishing Tree By Ziva McPhearson
Instruments: Tarot Deck
Game Description
Deep in the enchanted forest, passed all the dangers, there is an enchanted tree said to grant any wish, guarded by a herd of magical unicorns. You must venture into this forest, clear the trials and tribulations and seek out the unicorns to fulfill your heart's desire.
Game Content Warnings
These are content warnings that are from the game prompts and have the potential of being present in all playthroughs.Playthrough Content Warnings
These are content warnings specific to this playthrough only.
Word Count: 729 Played: Nov 21, 2023
A victim of a curse, wishing for a cure. I was cursed to never have animals near me. Every single one runs and flees at the sight of me no matter what I do.
You see an old beggar woman on the side of the road. Do you help the old beggar woman?
Card: Ace of Pentacles, you find a copper coin, do you give it to her?
Refuse
What was an old woman doing out in the forest? There were stories of fae that could steal your identity if they had something of yours. Was she one of them? The coins had been in my possession for a while, did it count as one of mine? It had touched my fingers, and felt the warmth of my leg.
I couldn't give it to her.
She transformed herself to be twice in size and towered over me pointing with a gnarled finger.
“Selfish, selfish, selfish,” she shrieked and lightning struck through the clear blue sky and she was gone in a puff of smoke.
Draw a Card and reflect upon it. What curse has she bestowed upon you?
5 of Wands
I have been cursed with holes. Everything I carry now has a hole worn through and spills and cannot carry anything. My pockets leak coins, my feet touch the ground through the shoes, and my waterskin is cracked and spills everywhere.
A large swan offers you a way to cross the river for a token.
3 of Pentacles: You have something deep in your bag, what do you give her?
A silk handkerchief
It was the only thing that had not fallen out of the bag, but instead got stuck in the hole. I handed it out to her, she accepted, and tucked it deep into her feathers where I could no longer see it.
She created a bridge for me to step onto her back with her wing and I was hesitant at first, but she laughed again and said there was no need to worry. I climbed on her and she paddled her webbed feet underneath the waters and guided me to the other side.
Once I was upon the far shore I turned around to face her and she had vanished.
You find yourself at the start of an underground maze. Do you try to solve it?
Yes
All mazes have an exit, they all must lead somewhere. This wasn’t a place of logic, so you cannot solve a fairy maze by using logical tricks. I closed my eyes and traced my hand along the wall, turning and twisting for what seemed like hours.
6 of Wands
Inside was a worn scroll, sealed with wax and a bright blue ribbon. I broke it open and read the ancient symbol on the paper. It looked like a stone rubbing, made with charcoal and sealed somehow to not fade or smear.
The wind in the tunnels picked up suddenly and swirled around me to the point where I could not see and when I opened my eyes I was at the exit above ground.
What effect did the spell have on you?
10 of Wands
I feel heavy, like something is on my shoulders. Another curse I suspected. I could hardly stand and wanted to crawl the rest of the way through the forest. I felt that if I rested that I would not be able to stand and my chest was too heavy I had to think to breathe.
They grant wishes to childless parents, and farmers whose fields have grown barren.
POINTS:
Pentacle Cards: 3
Queens: 0
Wedding: No
Feast: No
Roses: No
Journal: No
I approached them and begged them to remove my now many curses that have been laid upon me. They shook their large head and turned away from me.
They were not the one who could help me, and I was tired. The grass beneath their feet had begun to wither and around us a snow started to fall.
I sat down underneath the tree, closed my eyes, and concentrated on breathing through the heavy weight on my chest.