Places of Inspiration
The Pathfinder's story is a treasure hunting adventure where the main characters have to find their way from one special place to another as they follow a path laid out a hundred years earlier. From as far back as I can remember, I've always held a reverence for how some places seem to have a magical quality about them--maybe it's because of people who visited these places or the history that has taken place there.
The power of place has been a part of writing back to my short story scribbles as a kid, so it was a joy to create the Pathfinders and take my love of places even further as inspiration for adventure. I thought I would share a few of those inspirations below, most from my local community that have given inspiration to the key places the Pathfinders visit.
The Mercer Museum
While developing the Pathfinders took many years and a variety of "wrong turns", everything changed when I took Francesco to the Mercer Museum, in Doylestown, PA. This is a mesmerizing museum of pre-Industrial tools in a one-of-a-kind concrete castle built by Henry Mercer: a fascinating historian, archaeologist, writer, and scientist. This place, and Henry himself, became instant inspirational, and our story traveled on a new and amazing new path after that visit.
This winding showcase of history and human experience is a fascinating place to learn more about American material culture. In addition to the amazing exhibits though, the space alone is worth a visit!
Crystal Cave
My reverence for the natural world and the wonders that it holds became a driver for our story. The town of Windrose is a character in its own right and pulsates with a magnetic energy that has attracted visitors throughout it's history. The kids in the story eventually follow their path underground and discover a vast, majestic cavern with amazing crystals. Is this one of the sources of Windrose's power? Possibly, but what I will say is that this aspect of the story was inspired by a real cave that you can visit in Pennsylvania and find out for yourself.
Ringing Rocks
Ringing Rocks, a geologically unique public park in Upper Black Eddy, PA, is unlike any other place on earth. In addition to being a lovely spot to hike and appreciate natural beauty, this destination features a boulder-field of "rocks that ring" when banged with a hammer. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own hammer and hit the rocks, which ring like bells when struck!
This park has been a magical place in my life and was a natural inspiration for a large set-piece in Pathfinder's book 3 where the rocks not only ring but can open a portal into space and time when "palyed" in the right sequnce.
Further inspirations
The world of the Pathfinder's is an endless source of inspiration to me. It's allowed Francesco and I to explore many of our interests in history, as well as fantasy. From Carl Jung's meditative Bollingen Tower which served as the inspiration of our Moontower, to the Pathfinder's call to action "Plus Ultra" which means "More Beyond" and was inscribed on early voyager maps (as well as "Ne Plus Ultra" which is legended to have been associated with The Pillars of Hercules). There are also sea monsters that have plagued explorers from venturing too far into the unknown. Or there's the invitation to "Know thyself" which was associated with the oracle at Delphi and is just a powerful invitation for any of us... especially a young person finding their path in the world...
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The Pathfinder world is growing and so are its inspirations which makes the story so exciting to share.
