The Holder of Safety

In the vast, high desert mountains of the south western United States is where I, the humble Holder of Safety, reside.

I am not in an asylum, or indeed in any business; the Object I keep must be used either on one's person, or kept in one's personal dwelling.

Indeed, you will be hard-pressed to find me, because you can not go to any enclosed four walls, ask for the Holder of Safety, and expect there to be an outlandish puzzle leading to some demonic beast-creature. I'm an ordinary human, just like you, who leads an ordinary life.

However, there is a way to approach this Holder, and begin the test. Turn back now if you do not wish to experience a real, live Holder.

As stated before, I live in a medium-sized city in the south west United States. You may be searching Arizona and New Mexico for the rest of your life, but if destiny is yours, Seeker, either during your first few tries or long after you have given up hope of finding me, you will see a person wearing headphones, stopped at an intersection, and you ask to speak to the Holder of Safety.

My response, if you have found me, will be to raise my eyebrow and say, "You're seriously looking for the Holder of Safety?"

If I lead you to any other place than my personal dwelling, I have deemed you unworthy of the Object that I Hold, and you'd better find a way to escape, because you do not want to see the bad side of me that will come out. Let's just leave it at that.

"Spaghetti?"

It is very spicy, because I used all the green chilli for the sauce. You would do well to at least have a bite. I may be in the grey area between savage and civilized, but I do have some manners left.

"So, why do you seek the Holder of Safety?"

You must answer truthfully. I will already know your intentions, and if you say anything other than what I already know, I will sense you're lying and deliver the appropriate punishment. Save yourself the trouble.

"You do know that these Objects must never be brought together, right? This is no small matter. They must be kept apart for all time."

If you fail to understand that, then I can only hope that you're used to being beaten down by that which is greater than you. I have many scruples, but they will go out the window if you mean to bring them together, and I will show no mercy.

Finally, you must endure my test. What the test will be is entirely up to me - I am the Holder, after all. It will not be easy, and you will want to give up. I am one of the few Holders - perhaps the only one - who will let you go free if you do not wish to endure the entire test. What happens to you afterwards, however, can not be my responsibility, for obvious reasons. In the near-impossible chance that you do manage to pass my test, I will place my pendant around your neck, give you a large stick with runes carved in it, and let you go free.

The pendant and branch together make up the 376 of 538 Objects, the Divine Charms of Protection. Even if you don't mean to go after the other Objects, the fact that you now possess these means you will never be safe again without them.

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