Nai Mura occupies a bit of a unique place in the myths of the world. It is marked on every map just outside The Brambles, and several merchants make regularly scheduled stops there. There is even a school of swordcraft there. Yet ask anyone who visits regularly their trade contact or teacher is and you are met with a blank stare.
Nai Mura, little more than a hamlet, is avoided by even those who make an annual pilgrimage the The Merciful Labyrinth, which is why a shantytown emerges year after year. I think part of that has to do with the mirrors. They... they don't behave correctly. Sometimes your reflection doesn't appear at all, but the background is perfectly clear, other times your reflection shows up fine, but the background is different. Perhaps it is your childhood home, or perhaps a distant landscape.
The rumor, of course, is that the mirrors show your future, but that has most likely been proven false. More likely there is some lingering enchantment or another magical oddity that has bled over from the nearby labyrinth. There is precedent for that, most notably around the Annusi Necropolis.
Still, if you can get over, or avoid, the strangeness with the mirrors you will find a haven from the world. There is an inn and a small market square, but other than that the only thing of note is the Barracks. Founded in antiquity, it has passed down various sword styles and martial arts techniques to those willing to follow the strict training regiem. To finish the all the training awards one with a black-tassel sword. These swords are known the world over as a symbol of near unmatched martial prowess.
Well, thats what the rumors say, anyway. I haven't been able to confirm any of them, as despite the well documented nature of the villages location I have not been able locate the village. I have navigated both with maps and by the stars, and am sure that I am in the correct location. Still, Nai Mura eludes me. Perhaps that is why it is such a haven from the world.
Comments