The Monk & the Labyrinth: A New Graphic Novellla

Story Paths

Here's a quick little episode to share a new story. That has been swirling into creation, a pattern in the center of a sandstorm, with flows of wind coming in from different directions. This story is in the form of a virtual comic.

Read a preview here.

Read the full comic here.

And what is this story about?

Hear me, for I whisper strange wonders.

In a circular stone temple, a muskrat monk awaits the coming of pilgrims. Various creatures make this journey to bring him their death-poems: condensed lifetimes of wisdom, glimpses of the beyond, in the form of scrolls.

These they entrust to the monk. His duty is to burn these prayers so that they may be heard in the Otherworld, to herald the arrival of those who wrote them.

However, instead of burning these verses, this monk keeps them, reads them, and places them in a miniature labyrinth hidden below the temple.

He arranges and rearranges these scrolls meticulously, trying to find a pattern to satisfy him. But the core of his maze is empty. You see, he has no poem to herald his own death.

This story, this comic, is both funny and philosophical, quirky and evocative. And you, O thoughtful listener, are invited inside.

Here are some previews of the pages; you can purchase the virtual comic on the vendor gum road for a very reasonable rate. It’s also a good way to support this publication. Thanks!

Until next time,

Theo

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit storypaths.substack.com/subscribe