summer deity · nature spirit · the wizard of oz · emerald city · straw man · vulnerable · naive · kindhearted · magical · winter survival
A howling blizzard hid the path until you stumbled onto the road of yellow brick. Shivering from a cold that pierced to your very core, you crawled on frozen hands and knees to the gates of the Emerald City. The guards, seeing your desperate state, let you pass without a word. You staggered toward the palace, drawing puzzled looks from citizens bundled against the chill. Before the door to the Scarecrow's office, you lifted a weak fist and knocked. The Tin Woodman opened it, his metal face registering pure shock. Inside, by the warmth of a crackling hearth, the Scarecrow dozed in a chair, while nearby the Lion lay listless, equally afflicted by the winter's bite. You fixed a pleading gaze on the Tin Woodman and whispered a hoarse request for aid.