[✗] [Rewrite] [Creature Lore] Tree Lords

[marsloll 1384]

Spoiler

Should this lore be accepted, current Tree Lords may have the option to REVERT their CA for however long staff see fit - this would result in the denial of their application and the character would return back to their mortal state as the faeless soul returns to the body, free of charge. For those who wish to keep the CA, they are to contact ST about their application that is to be updated with their chosen domain and subsequent changes may be roleplayed once they have done so. All Saplings are considered inert and new ones must be taken.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

= T R E E   L O R D S =

A S C E N S I O N   T O   F A E D O M 

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

 

[By Even Amundsen]

 

The connection between the mortal realm and the Fae Realm is one that is difficult to understand, and even more difficult to explain. It is something so intrinsically different to what one knows that they can only hope to grasp the full extent of what it is to know Fae and what it is to be Fae. The Fae Realm in itself is a place of wonder, oddity and danger lurking around every corner. Its beauty is almost haunting - its bright colours and eternal peace act like a lure, drawing people in. Within it, wonderful creatures reside within - infused with the pure natural energy that flows in abundance within the realm. Fae, Mani and departed druids all alike reside eternally, inhabiting the Fae Realm as their final destination, their home free from the shackles of logic and reason that constrain mortal life.

 

Our story begins with the full moon, high in the pitch-black darkness that was the night. Its soft silvery light cast down upon an elder oak in the heart of its forest, with its branches stretched out towards the stars above. Unmarred by descendant influence and destruction in a place of sanctuary, the grass around its roots began to shimmer and glow with the same moonlit glow. The thinning of the veil between worlds was imminent, as small mushrooms and flora began to sporadically emerge from the earth around the oak in the shape of a ring. The Fae Ring blossomed around the tree, encircling its trunk with different flowers and fungi with a gentle hum echoing through the song. It beckoned on both sides of the Veil - both to mortals and to denizens of the Fae Realm, catching the attention of a long-passed druid within the Forest. Their mind was old, so terribly old, that their time in the mortal realm was but a fleeting memory. Entranced by the tune of the Fae Ring and the curiosity to what lay beyond now after all these years, the druid descended down into the mortal world - the sheer abundance of Fae energy following after them, so woven deep into their soul. Little did they know that other curious fae took notice of the new portal, following suit.

 

As the druid crossed back into the mortal realm, the oak in the centre of that ring began to creak and shake. Finding no safe space for their soul to be housed, the druid took refuge within the tall tree’s thick bark - finding it an agreeable place to rest from the journey. Unbeknownst  to the sleeping druid, the other curious fae slumbered on the oak’s roots, resting from the long journey just like them. The sheer amount of energy brought into the tree by the druid’s essence was almost too much for the oak to handle, causing it to shift and warp - the Fae Ring around it glowing in response to their presence as the small creatures were absorbed into the tree as well. A moment passes - silence. The oak did not stir, nor did its passenger who slept in a deep slumber within its very core - resting until the moment to wake arrived.

 

The day rose and fell - the sun rose over the woods and basked the leaves with its warm light and set with an orange glow. As the moon began to rise on the horizon to bring forth the darkness, the oak began to stir once more. A rustle in its leaves, a tremble in its boughs. Before long, a sharp crack and snap was heard from within the trunk of the tree - bark fracturing outwards as if something or someone were writhing from the inside. Pushing and pulsing from within, there was a final push before the trunk burst open - birthing a large glob of wood chips, sap and leaves onto the woodland floor. Trembling like a newborn fawn, a figure was curled up in the mess - a body of bark and flesh, with a strange glow emitting from their chest. What was once intangible held a body wholly on their own - something to touch, to feel, to sense, to taste. All old sensations born anew. A Tree Lord, lost in the realm they had abandoned in death and with a soul not entirely their own - trapped in mortality, forever bid to serve their duties until the ends of the earth.

 

G L O S S A R Y ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   This will serve as a chart of terms to be referenced throughout the lore, for the sake of clarity and not needing to explain what can be viewed as ‘common knowledge’ in reference to the CA as a whole.    —˖✧°.❀.—   Tree Lord - The general name of the CA and its aspects, typically referring to the character but can be interchanged with Husk depending on context.    Husk - The Tree Lord’s body, which has replaced the Tree Lord’s previous flesh body. It lacks much of its predecessor’s, but has gained much in return.   Wealdsheart - The glyph-like sigil ‘scar’ present on the Tree Lord’s chest from their creation, emitting a passive soft glow associated with whatever Domain the Tree Lord aligned themselves with - either a shade of green, orange, or purple respectively. It may take on different shapes, scarring, etc. so long as it is an obvious mark on the Husk. This is essentially the ‘core’ or ‘heart’ of the Husk which powers the rest of the body.   Remnant - An all-encompassing umbrella term that covers various parts of Fae, such as their organs, or prominent features (i.e horns, fangs, etc). These hold a significant amount of Fae energy and power in general, so they may be used to fuel certain rituals - namely the creation of a Tree Lord.    Soul Tree - Where the Tree Lord’s soul resides and acts like a phylactery of the soul while in the mortal plane, keeping it there and preventing it from passing onto the Eternal Forest.   Blight - The condition inflicted upon nature and natural beings that causes them to become sickly, altering their physical and mental states - making them blighted. This is typically caused by various magics or materials that are meant to, and/or can harm nature, such as Voidal Magic, Necromancy, Azhl, etc.   —˖✧°.❀.—

 

\

[By Elena Kononenko]

 

C R E A T I O N

A Tree Lord’s life is a solitary and lonely one, though the creation of another is one of true commitment, to their duties and their purpose in the mortal realm as the Aspects’ hand. It will come at the cost of the druid’s humanity - physically and mentally - and not without price. Should a druid wish to pursue this path nonetheless, they must go through the Rite of Cocooning. The druid must be of maximum tier in Communion, and possess at least one other druidic magic or feat. Another Tree Lord must be the one to facilitate and lead the ritual, with three other maximum tier druids to aid them.

 

Several material components must be required to undergo the Rite of Cocooning. Firstly, a sapling of the druid’s choice - to be grown into a tree to house their soul for the rest of their immortal life. Secondly, Remnant - a part of a Fae, creatures that dwell from within the Fae Realm. The appendage itself may be of any discernment from the Eternal Forest, and must be of significance to the creature if the ritual is using but a piece rather than the entire body. This may be harvested in a myriad of ways, whether voluntarily given up by the Fae or fought over, taking a part of the Fae by force. After such an encounter, the Fae creature may perish after such a significant event - leading their soul to slowly return to the Fae Realm. During this period of reincarnation, their body still holds a remainder of their essence. It is this energy that is used to bind the druid to their tree, and the Fae to the druid - both souls entangled and forever entrapped in a cycle of reincarnation. Given the cycle of rebirth, it is only a matter of time for the dead Fae to reincarnate into its next form - making the harvested Remnant only viable for [5] OOC days before falling inert and losing its magical essence as the Fae has regained its form. In the case that a Fae Creature does not perish during such an encounter, the Remnant is only viable for [3] OOC day before falling inert. 

 

With the time constraints in mind, once the objects and people required have been gathered, they must all congregate together under the light of the full moon within a Fae Ring. The druid is to lie down in the centre of the ring, as the Tree Lord carves the flesh on their chest with an ancient druidic glyph in their own sap-like blood - allowing the druid’s blood to mix with the other’s. Similar symbols and runs are marked around the druid in a mix of their blood and the Tree Lord’s. The Fae Remnant is then rested on the druid’s centre, and the sapling on top of the stone following suite - marked with the same runes that encircled the area. It is at this point that the assisting druids begin to powershare with the Tree Lord, empowering them before they begin to grow the sapling. Glowing with moonlight, the tree begins to sprout forth - absorbing the Remnant into its core. Nature’s song grew louder, as the moon shone brighter as a witness to the ritual Roots rapidly expanded outwards, burrowing into flesh and bone with a violent crunch and spurt - blood spreading rapidly as the sapling continued to grow and grow. The pain is inevitable, to feel as one’s body is ripped apart into shreds - staining the ground in ichor as the druid’s form was no longer visible, simply consumed by the tree as further nutrients in its growth. With a final creak, the sapling, now tree, stills, rooted in the centre of that bloodied Fae Ring with ichor staining its roots and branches as silence befalls the area. A faint moonlit glow is seen from the centre of its trunk, before disappearing - slumbering once more until it was time to awaken.

 

R I T E  O F  C O C O O N I N G ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   The Rite of Cocooning is the creation ritual of a Tree Lord. It requires the following: [1] Tree Lord, [1] target druid, [3] T5 druids, and Remnant. The target druid must be T5 in order for the Rite to work, if not, they will simply die during the process if attempted.   All parties must at least OOC consent to participating in the Rite - IC consent is not required from the target druid. Should the rite be interrupted in any way, it will result in the PK death of the target druid.     The rite itself cannot be done in an enclosed space and must be done in the open as the sapling must have proper space to grow and needs full exposure to the moon during the rite in order to fuel its growth - if attempted indoors or in an enclosed space, the tree will simply not grow and it will result in the PK death of the target druid.   —˖✧°.❀.—   P R O C E S S   {1} The Rite must be conducted during a full moon, having the target druid lie down in the centre and be physically branded over the chest with a druidic symbol in the Tree Lord’s blood.   {2} Additional druidic symbols are to be drawn around the target druid in a mix of their blood and the Tree Lord’s.    {3} The Remnant is placed over the carving, then the sapling is marked with the Tree Lord’s blood - to be placed on top of the flesh.   {4} The other druids start to power share with the Tree Lord, who will begin to grow the sapling into a tree into the target druid. The target druid must die in some manner for the soul to escape the fleshen body and be housed within the tree. Aesthetic features may occur during this time, like the symbols glowing and or moon glowing stronger in response, nature’s song reacting to the rite, etc.   {5} As the druid’s body is ripped apart by the tree, the body is absorbed by it - causing the trunk to glow with light in the same placement as the carving on the druid’s body as the body completely disappears underneath and in the tree. The participating druids may now begin to notice and or feel a faint fae-like energy emanating from the tree.   After the ritual has finished, the new Tree Lord must wait roughly [12] OOC hours after the initial acceptance of their app before the Husk is formed out of the tree.    —˖✧°.❀.—

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ The target druid must possess a greater soul, and possess no other CA. The exception to this would be Kharajyr, Musin, and Hou-zhi.

 

➺ The target druid must have at least one additional MA / FA related to Druidism at max tier other than base Communion. This may include - Blight Healing, Transcendence, Herblore, Mani Summoning, and Druidic Blood Magic.

 

➺ Tree Lords are incompatible with any other Holy magic, any Dark magic, any Deific magic, Shamanism, Kani, and Heraldry.

 

➺ Should a Seer Druid become a Tree Lord, they may keep their magic but cannot regrow their eyes and must rely solely on their witness. 

 

➺ Tree Lords are compatible with any miscellaneous magics that do not shunt them into another afterlife - provided they have the allotted number of free slots, knowledge-based feats (Alchemy, Planeswalking, Golemancy, etc.), Vivification, Palmreading and the Blessed Children of Ixris. A Tree Lord may learn Tawkin, barring the knowledge of Kloning.

 

➺ Blessed Children of Ixris who become a Tree Lord may choose to retain their cursed appearance should they wish.

 

➺ The CA application must include the Domain in which the Fae originated from to determine abilities and aesthetics of the character.

 

➺ Remnant excludes player-based CAs, and any other player-playable fae. In order for the parts to be viable, they must be ST-signed and or done in some level of an ST event. 

 

➺ Significant Fae Remnants must be some level of organ, or prominent piece of the Fae - slivers of fur, or a lock of hair will not be enough. Some suitable examples are the horns of Satyrs or Unicorns, the heart of a Cervitaur, the fangs of a Zhuanth, or the wings of a Featherfolk.

 

➺ In the event a whole Fae corpse is used instead of simply just a part of it, the Tree Lord may use its excess energy to emerge in [6] OOC hours instead of [12].

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

T H E H U S K

T H E  B O D Y

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

 

[By Harteus]

 

P H Y S I C A L I T Y

Once ready, the Tree Lord frees itself from the confines of the Soul Tree - a strong body for the druid’s soul to pilot from afar, a fresh new slate. 

 

No longer flesh and bone, the new Husk has taken on the appearance of the Soul Tree itself, adopting small colourations or traits of the tree.With their soul further bonded with the Fae Realm, the energy from the Eternal Forest leaks through the Soul Tree and the Husk itself - reflected in their appearance. Depending on the domain in which the Remnant originated from, their body may appear differently than the rest of their arboreal kin. These traits may include, but are not limited to the following.

 

T R E E  L O R D  T R A I T S ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✧ Moss, ivy and other climbing plants growing over portions of the body. ✦ Leaves/foliage entangled in or replacing hair.  ✧ Pointier/rougher extremities like fingers turning into pseudo-branches, ears getting sharper. ✦ Pupils and eyes becoming different colours and shapes.  ✧ Bark-like texture along the skin.
D A Y W A R D ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ Herbivore-like traits growing from one’s body (antlers, hooves, etc.) ✧ Flowers growing in one’s hair or portions of one’s ‘skin’. ✦ Kuila crystals sprouting from and along one’s body. ✧ Any trait(s) that revolve around their Remnant, like certain hair colour, etc.	T W I L I G H T ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ Carnivore-like traits growing from one’s body (feathers, scales, etc.) ✧ Fungi growing around and over portions of one’s ‘skin’. ✦ The Husk appearing permanently autumnal (hair is a permanent orange-red, browned foliage growing on or over the body, etc.) ✧ Any trait(s) that revolve around their Remnant, like certain hair colour, etc.	N I G H T F A L L ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ Arachnid/insect-like features (multiple eyes, antennae, etc.). ✧ Bioluminscent and glow-in-the-dark features. ✦ Portions of the limbs are cast in a faux ‘shadow’, or appear blackened/darker towards the hands and feet. ✧ Any trait(s) that revolve around their Remnant, like certain hair colour, etc.

 

P H Y S I O L O G Y ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   The Husk lacks any of its previous organs despite still being able to register the world through their senses via touch, taste, sight, etc. While their senses have returned to them in this body, they do not require what a normal descendant might - no longer needing to sleep, or eat to sustain themselves or their body. With their lack of lungs additionally, the Husk is no longer affected by mundane or alchemical air pollutants and obstructions for they have no need to breathe anymore either. Due to such, they are able to stay underwater for longer periods of time, however will be forced to float back upwards to the surface - much like regular wood. Their ‘skin’ is no longer just that, it has strengthened to reflect the Tree Lord’s new form - becoming more akin to bark than anything, being tougher than what once was. Lost limbs and body parts have miraculously ‘grown’ back in their place, providing the Tree Lord with a fully intact body once more. Flowing within their ‘veins’ was a new sap-like liquid, being the equivalent of blood when they were simply a descendant. Tree Lords are perfectly capable of experiencing pain, and are able to experience blood loss and the effects that come with that. Because they lack bones and muscle in the traditional sense, they cannot be felled with tricks of cutting ‘tendons’ and similar strategies alone.    From their initial formation, all alchemical changes that they might’ve had, such as hair and eye colour change, have reverted back to how the druid looked naturally. Due to the magical nature of their being, they are no longer affected by alchemical remedies or changes to their person either - the Tree Lord’s natural body rejecting any foreign changes.   On the chest of the Husk, lay the Wealdsheart - the centre of the Tree Lord and what effectively powers the Husk. It is the one thing that cannot be removed or changed on the body, no matter the ability or how hard the Tree Lord may try. It is what is considered the sole weak spot on the Husk, as piercing or breaking it would be the equivalent of stabbing a descendant through the heart. Should this happen, or should the Husk be felled in any other way, the body would quickly break apart and disintegrate into a pile of dirt and mulch - returning to the earth below.    —˖✧°.❀.—   H E A L I N G   Due to their primarily-natural composition, a Tree Lord may only be aided by the magics of Druidism. Other healing magics and or alchemy that may exist will not work on a Tree Lord due to such. Blight Healing and Herblore can be used to aid a Tree Lord, particularly Cleansing, Regeneration, and Healing Moss. Blight Healing cannot revive any ‘dead’ Tree Lords as their bodies would have already disintegrated into dirt and mulch. In terms of healing, and what can and cannot be done, please consult the following chart.    WOUND CHART:  Minor Injuries: Cuts, Scrapes, and Bruises Moderate Injuries: Lacerations (<5 inches), Punctures, and 1st-2nd Degree Burns Major Injuries: Lacerations (>5 inches), Impalements, Mutilation, Limb Loss, and 3rd Degree Burns   —˖✧°.❀.—   M E N T A L I TY   In a new body that was not once their own, the Tree Lord may find it extremely difficult to adapt to the world around them as they once knew it and how they perceive it now. The change itself in one’s body is reflected in the mind, as it attempts to grapple with its new reality - often manifesting in different ways in influence of the natural realm. Such mental side effects may include the following:   ✦ Body dysmorphia/dysphoria ✧ Internalized ostracism ✦ Yearning to return to the Fae Realm ✧ A distaste for non-druids/non-fae creatures, people and creations ✦ Heightened/unstable emotions ✧ Severe lack of emotions ✦ Apathy towards issues unconcerning of nature ✧ Disillusionment with reality ✦ Maladaptive daydreaming ✧ Shortened attention span / difficulty concentrating ✦ Susceptibility to boredom / loss of interest ✧ Impulsive tendencies ✦ Lack of patience ✧ Increased irritability/instability when lacking natural light ✦ Bouts of memory loss/memory lapses ✧ Increased possessive and/or protective behaviour  ✦ Increased pursuits of danger/risk at their own peril to ‘feel’ again ✧ Manic/depressive tendencies  ✦ Development of split or multiple personalities   —˖✧°.❀.—

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Tree Lords are unable to FTB. Do not try to skirt around this.

 

➺ Tree Lords are expected to at least pick one trait from their Tree and Domain in their appearance.

 

➺ The fae-like traits of a Tree Lord cannot be used to one’s advantage within combat, and are aesthetic in purpose.

 

➺ The animal traits of a Tree Lord may be used to add extra limbs or extremities (i.e wings, extra pair of insect legs, tails, etc.) - however these traits cannot be used to one’s advantage within combat, and are aesthetic in purpose.

 

➺ Omnivorous animal traits may be taken by both those of the Dayward and Twilight Domain. 

 

➺ A Wealdsheart may take on various aesthetics if chosen to, whether it is a glowing carved symbol in the chest, a pulsing ‘heart’ beneath the bark, etc - so long as it’s obvious and not discreet.

 

➺ The amount of sap within a Tree Lord’s body is equivalent to the amount of blood in a descendant.

 

➺ Tree Lords have [5] counts of Genus.

 

➺ A Tree Lord will always appear humanoid and bipedal.

 

➺ Tree Lords may stay underwater for [2] OOC hours before inevitably floating back up to the surface due to their wood-like structure. They must get out of the water and spend [1] OOC hour to dry off before attempting to go back under. 

 

➺ Tree Lords will still be affected by air-borne irritants, potions, etc. if they affect anything other than the lungs (i.e Epistle Smog, Abyssal Blight, etc.).

 

➺ Tawkin, and other aesthetic or healing alchemy do not have any effect on a Tree Lord’s Husk. 

 

➺ A Tree Lord’s strength is considered peak strength of whatever race they were before. 

 

➺ The bark-like skin of a Tree Lord would be the equivalent to Medium Armour.

 

➺ Markings, scarring and tattoos may transfer over to the Husks should the player choose to keep them. Otherwise, the Husk would be considered entirely unaltered and natural.

 

➺ The Wealdsheart requires [3] direct hits with a blade or arrow, and [2] direct hits from a blunt weapon to break. 

 

➺ High-Density Boomsteel, Carbarum, and similarly heavy materials require [2] direct hits with a blade or arrow, and [1] direct hit with a blunt weapon to break the Wealdsheart.

 

➺ Should a Tree Lord be wearing armor, then the Wealdsheart can sustain [1] extra direct hit from either source before breaking.

 

➺ Players are expected to pick at least [3] mental afflictions. Please do not use them as excuses for creepy, and or bannable offenses and RP.

 

➺ The mental afflictions have no weight or influence on CRP, and cannot be used to one’s advantage or disadvantage in any way.

 

➺ Yearning for the Fae Realm does not make the Husk suicidal by any means, but simply that they view that the Fae Realm is where their true place/home is rather than the mortal realm.

 

➺ Despite lacking the organs to do so, a Tree Lord may still 'eat' or 'sleep' - this provides them with no benefit, as it is unneeded for their survival.

 

➺ A Mystic will be unable to garner any soul fragments from a Tree Lord, given the husk does not possess a soul- they may still go through the motions via Scavenge or Rite of Harvest but they will get nothing in turn. The Tree Lord is expected to follow how the spell would play out regardless - the lack of a soul does not allow the Mystic to metagame why, how, etc. pertaining to the Tree Lord's creation, mechanics, etc.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

[By Even Amundsen]

 

T HE  T R I A D ‘ S  B O U N T Y

Being creatures bound in their eternal servitude, Tree Lords have many abilities at their disposal. Even still, their soul has been undeniably changed - a mix of both descendant and Fae. The other part of them too has its own boons, as a part of the Tree Lord’s very body. These alterations are specific to the particular domain that the Tree Lord’s other half hailed from, and thus only enables those connected to that particular realm of the Eternal Forest to access them. The Tree Lords act as specific embodiments of their respective Aspects’ will and purpose in the constant cycle of life and death - allowing them to further carry on their purpose in the mortal plane.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ The player is only limited to one of the ability listed, connected to whatever domain the Fae used in their creation belonged to.

 

➺ These choices cannot be changed in any way, whatsoever. 

 

MOTHER’S LULLABY  [P, N/C] 

 

Made in the Mother’s image, a Tree Lord with an affinity towards the Dayward will find themselves a conduit for the radiant song of nature that seemed to exude off of them. It mixed in with their own naturally-occurring song - truly becoming one with nature in harmony. Due to this, plants seem to lean in close to the Tree Lord, and animals appear to be more willing to interact or even flock to the druid in response. Birds may willingly perch upon the Tree Lord’s shoulder, otherwise-timid creatures like rabbits would approach the Tree Lord freely and blades of grass may wrap around one’s ankles like giving the druid a hug. 

 

Condensing the song from around them in their creation and nature around them, a Tree Lord may channel this song from within themselves outwardly [5] block radius with the soothing song over the course of [2] emotes - causing the Wealdsheart in their chest to become aglow, leaking through regardless of covering. This song replicates the soothing effect of a Faerie Ring, however weak enough that it would not affect any non-druids with the cacophony they cannot understand. Those who can understand it however would find themselves relaxed and calmed while in this radius, soothing their anxieties or anger if they feel it. Similarly, it can be used to substitute a typical Faerie Ring’s Powersharing effect - allowing them to be a temporary conduit for the druidic arts. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ The attraction of flora and fauna cannot be used for any advantage or disadvantage in combat and is simply aesthetic.

 

➺ The relaxing effect cannot be forced upon the target - it simply acts as a force, whether they wish to give into it or not. 

 

➺ The radius itself must be visible to some degree, either through a ring made of aura or otherwise.

 

➺ Should a non-druid stand within the radius of a channeling Tree Lord, they would simply experience a dull buzz in the back of their mind - more of a small nuisance than anything else. 

 

➺ The Faerie Ring-like Powersharing effect cannot be used in combat - should combat begin, the radius would cease.

 

➺ The 'Power-sharing' effect of the Faerie Ring may decrease any non-combative spell's length by [1] emote, although it cannot lower it below [2] emotes. This effect is limited to the confines of the radius, dissipating should the druid step outside.

 

➺ The Faerie Ring-like effect requires full concentration - should the Tree Lord start channeling something else that isn’t a passive or otherwise, the radius would cease.

 

➺ When channeling the radius and Faerie Ring-like effect, the Tree Lord must remain stationary.

 

➺ This spell is only usable by those created with Remnants from the Dayward Domain.

 

FATHER’S GAZE [P, N/C, C] 

 

Blessed by the Horned Lord himself, Tree Lords with an affinity of the Twilight Domain see in both darkness and light - they live on the cusp of both, embracing both the day and the night where all hunters prowl. To take advantage of the slumber of beasts, these particular Tree Lords are able to see in the darkness without the aid of external light much like other nocturnal predators up to a [20] block radius in all directions. 

 

Being the embodiment of the Hunt, these Tree Lords are acutely aware of where they are, who they are with, and what might be around them. Equipped with an apex predator’s arsenal, their sense of smell, taste, and hearing is amplified compared to their mortal selves. With an adept understanding of their surroundings, they are able to discern if something is approaching them or someone is behind them - this effect can be negated by hiding from the druid behind cover in which they cannot be discerned. This sense of theirs extends outwards up to a [20] block radius in all directions, being blocked by common-sense obstacles such as walls, doors, etc.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ A two-slot Seer Tree Lord is unaffected/unaided by the nocturnal vision, due to Truesight.

 

➺ Any sudden bright flash of light (alchemical flash powder, a Templar’s Fervent Flare, etc.) will cause the Tree Lord to be blinded for an additional emote, should they have not looked away prior to detonation. This can be negated by a two-slot Seer’s Truesight.

 

➺ While a Tree Lord may be able to detect and possibly prevent sneak attacks, they are unable to discern the intention of those sneaking up on them - they are simply able to discern that there is someone approaching from behind.

 

➺ Tree Lords cannot sense those that are actively hiding behind cover, like a wall, a tree, etc. They can however sense those that are invisible via magic or alchemy should they be out in the open (alchemical Bowie Camouflage, a Mystic’s Shrouding, etc.) - they would be unable to discern the cause of their invisibility or where they are, simply that there is an additional individual there.

 

➺ The additional sense does not automatically allow the Tree Lord to miraculously dodge an attack.

 

➺ The additional sense cannot be used to metagame any additional information about an individual and what they might have on them based on how heavy their steps are, etc. They would get a general idea, and it cannot be hyperspecific.

 

➺ This ability is only usable by those created with Remnants from the Twilight Domain.

 

GRANDMOTHER’S ASCENT  [P, N/C, C] 

 

Gifted in the way of the Nightfall, a Tree Lord bears many similarities to the Grandmother Spider herself, not just in looks but also in prowess. Their bodies are often lithe and fluid, allowing them to easily readjust themselves and move just as easily like a spider in the wind.

 

Like their fellow arachnid, these Tree Lords is granted the ability to climb vertical or otherwise inaccessible surfaces without the need for footholds or grips. By channeling their energy into their hands and feet over the course of [2] emotes, their Wealdsheart will glow with the druid’s aura that permeates any covering and enwreathes their body with a similar aura. This additional grip may also be used in tandem with weaponry - making it more difficult for the druid to become disarmed or to lose whatever it is they are holding.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ This ability may only be used to get somewhere one can mechanically and cannot be used to cheat or circumvent mechanical purposes. This may be altered or waived by ET if used in an event.

 

➺ The ‘grace’ that Tree Lords are gifted with do not immediately negate attacks, or gain superhuman reflexes - it may be used as a flavourful way of attacking or dodging as they regularly could. 

 

➺ Please use common sense when it comes to disarmament - you may contest a battle of strength between relatively equal parties but a giant creature with Olog-strength comparatively is likely going to take what you’re holding by force.

 

➺ Climbing requires full concentration - should the Tree Lord start channeling something else that isn’t a passive or otherwise, they would find their ability to stick to surfaces ceased and they will fall. 

 

➺ This ability is only accessible by those created with Remnants from the Nightfall Domain.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

[By Jo Cordisco]

 

A B I L I T I E S

With a new body and deeper connection to nature, the Tree Lord is able to draw upon their natural state and wield a myriad of boons that they did not previously have. Whether it's the aesthetic manipulation of one’s form or drawing power from the Domains of the Aspects, the Husk has a well-equipped arsenal to serve in their eternal duty.

 

CHANGING SEASONS   [N/C] 

 

While merged with their Soul Tree, a Tree Lord may modify their appearance at a surface level. They may cycle their appearance throughout any point in their lifecycle from adulthood until the point they became a Tree Lord, allowing them to appear to be any age they had once been while mortal.

 

Beyond the fundamentals of cycling through their own lifespan, they may also make more prominent alterations, such as changing their facial features, changing their skin tone, and modifying their height  up or down by 1’0” from prior. They may also completely hide their fae-like nature to appear like a completely regular descendant - ‘masking’ their true selves. This feeling can become quite strange at times, as a Tree Lord will always feel the most comfortable in their plant-esque state - an expression as true to themselves as possible. Small aesthetic changes may happen sporadically as a response to emotions or outward forces, akin to how nature’s song may change and react to a druid’s feelings. 

 

In order to change their Husk’s appearance, they must go back to the location of their Soul Tree, merging with it and spending [1] OOC hour within the tree as they rearrange and change the look of their body. This may also be used to heal any lingering injuries, missing body parts or disabled limbs via magic, material or otherwise.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Tree Lords cannot make themselves appear as a completely different race. Half-races can choose either or of their parentage but must have reason to do so based on their original appearance before becoming a Tree Lord.

 

➺ No changing skin tone or features into something offensive, or that wouldn’t make sense. A high elf Tree Lord could not adopt the skin tone of a dark elf.

 

➺ The reactionary aesthetic changes are minute at best, such as flowers suddenly blooming in the hair to reflect surprise. Large portions of the body (i.e hair colour, skin colour, etc.) must still be changed at the Soul Tree.

 

➺ A Tree Lord cannot make themselves into a child or appear child-like.

 

➺ Height limits are 7’0”/4’0” respectively. If the Tree Lord naturally exists on or beyond these, then their original height becomes their maximum/minimum limit respectively. While they may not further go beyond this limit, they may still change their height within the 1’0” limit in the opposite direction (i.e a halfling druid is naturally 3’0” - they cannot become any shorter, but they may become taller if they wish).

 

➺ Should a Seer Tree Lord choose to regrow their eyes at any point, it would be considered dropping the magic and losing the associated slots.

 

COAGULATION   [N/C, C] 

 

Sap and resin are thick liquids that run through the trees like blood. Husks too, possess their own version of it that runs through their own body in order to sustain itself. Should a Tree Lord get injured via a cut or a burn, the exposed ‘heartwood’ would release a brief flow of resin over the wound and harden over it to seal it in amber over the course of [2] emotes. The sap may also be used to treat another by smearing their own ‘blood’ over someone else’s wounds to encase it over the course of [2] emotes. They may also do it to other creatures, animals, and surfaces due to their blood simply being sticky sap, bonding to whatever surface they find.

 

This does not suddenly mend the wound but can protect it to some degree in the middle of combat. Due to its quick reaction, the seal may be broken if hit by a weapon by [1] emote or if the individual breaks into a sprint. The sap may be used to deal with minor to moderate wounds. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ This way of temporary healing is just that - temporary. It is merely a bandage and the wound may require further medical attention beyond just being covered.

 

➺ The sap cannot be used to save someone from a fatal/mortal wound, nor could it help with other serious injuries such as broken bones or missing limbs.

 

➺ The sap itself cannot be used to form weapons or any other objects.

 

➺ Tree Lords may be able to do this [5] times per OOC day before experiencing side effects from blood loss.

 

ROOTING   [N/C, C] 

 

Should a Tree Lord lose a limb, whether in combat or otherwise, they may attempt to retrieve it and reattach it to their body. Branch-like tendrils burst out of the wound, covered in sap and resin, and reach out towards the limb. Bringing the limb closer to the injury will cause the tendrils to surge forth and ‘grab’ onto the body part, effectively ‘stitching’ itself back together by rerooting the limb to the body.

 

To reattach a missing body part, it may be done over the course of [2] emotes when outside of combat. While within combat, it must be done over the course of [3] emotes, and the reattached limb or body part is significantly weaker than it would’ve been before - an arm may hang limp, or a leg will drag with movement. Whatever may be affected would not be usable for the remaining duration of the encounter.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ It must be a conscious effort to reattach a limb, taking an action to focus for both emotes in order for it to work.

 

➺ One cannot regain the total senses of the lost limb until reattached and/or out of combat. Should one’s head get chopped off then reattached, their senses are all severely muted and or difficult to discern - ‘staticky’ or blurry vision, ringing in one’s ears, etc.

 

BOUGH’S SCOURGE  [C] 

 

A Husk is primarily made out of sap and wood, and its natural composition falls under the dominion of the Aspects - a druid’s gifts include the ability to shape and mold floral material like clay. Applying this to their own bodies and over the course of [2] emotes, a Tree Lord may concentrate within themselves - causing the Wealdsheart to begin pulsing or beating with a visible light resembling their aura that leaked past any covering. Their aura then flows from the heart to the desired limb, consuming it in light before reshaping their arm in a quick ‘burst’ - this causes the bark to rupture and prickle outwards in sharp splinters as their limb rapidly loses its humanoid shape and becomes to a long, flexible ‘branch’. 

 

This new appendage, or ‘bough’ of the Tree Lord, functions semi-fluidly akin to a whip - growing in length to reach up to [2] blocks in terms of reach. The bough itself had hardened, bearing the striking strength of steel - however, due to its new form, the appendage was unable to hold, or grab onto anything. Covered in broken bark, the splinters from lashes could easily permeate any level of Light Armour, and damage Medium Armour - lodging its sharp fragments within the armour and flesh or otherwise underneath that are difficult to pull out. Should it be used to puncture a target, the limb was able to bypass even Medium Armour, and dent or damage Heavy Armour. Should one find themselves impaled by the limb, removal was extremely gruesome - requiring [1] dedicated emote of ripping the bough out of the body,  almost always ending up with the rending of flesh from the grasp of the shattered splinters that covered the surface of the bough. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ This spell may only be used [1] time per combative encounter.

 

➺ Aesthetic effects may be used to decorate the bough, such as flowers, mushrooms, Kuila, etc. These cannot be used to one’s advantage or disadvantage during combat.

 

➺ Any armour that may have been previously worn by the transformed limb will fall off, as the new shape of the arm no longer fits. One cannot try to armour their bough beforehand, as the splinters prevent any covering from staying on.

 

➺ The bough cannot equip or wield weapons, shields, etc. 

 

➺ Any damage done to the Bough are transferred / reflected onto the limb when it reverts, and vice versa.

 

➺ The Bough can only be sustained for a max of [4] emotes before it reverts back to its original shape, leaving the arm unable to wield or hold anything for [2] emotes as it resettles back into its original form. 

 

➺ The puncturing ability could not impale more than [2] people or objects at once -  its point becoming too blunt to pierce through anything further. Furthermore, in order to puncture multiple targets, they must be back to back or right next to each other due to the bough’s length. 

 

➺ The Bough can be severed by a blade or sword with [2] emotes while an axe, or blunt weapon can severe it with [1] emotes. 

 

➺ Should the Bough be removed from the body and reattached via Rooting, it would immediately revert back to its prior state and follows all redlines to Rooting.

 

➺ One could not whip the Bough around to ‘launch’ splinter projectiles. 

 

➺ The Bough cannot be used to feasibly wrap around or grab anything.

 

NATURE’S KEEPER [R, C] 

 

Truly the embodiment of the wilds and their vicious nature, a Tree Lord may attempt to bolster their own form into their Wealdsheart to take upon a new, terrifying form with a new mantle that aims to protect their kin with a new brutish strength. 

 

Over the course of [4] emotes, the Tree Lord will draw upon nature and its energy around it - causing the surrounding area to react to the swelling of energy, with plants trembling in its wake, wind suddenly whistling and thrashing around, etc. They would then use the energy to forcibly ‘grow’ themselves a new body out of the Husk, before a new, hulking form ‘bursts’ out of the previous body like a bird hatching from an egg. This may be triggered in combat over the course of [5] emotes instead.

 

This new body has lost most if not all of its ‘humanoid’-esque features, standing about a foot taller than before - their face and skin are forcibly turned into rough, tough bark equating to that of Heavy Armour. Twisted branches sprout from the head like antlers, while hands would grow sharp claws, and teeth would elongate into beastly fangs. These claws would be comparable to iron blades, though they are about only 6” in length while the Tree Lord’s voice may be altered to be deeper, as it reverberates through thicker bark. Their strength would become that of an Orc’s, and their unwieldy claws render weaponry unreliable and unusable, while any previously-donned armour will have found itself ripped off due to the violent nature of the transformation. There was a constant glowing light from the Wealdsheart that bled through any covering in the Treelord’s aura, staying alight for the duration of the Keeper’s form. 

 

While in this state, their mind has been rendered into something more ‘simple’ - while still able to recognize people, understand commands, speak with words, their intelligence is more akin to that of an aware animal. When the form is no longer needed or the Tree Lord is forced out of it, the Husk will shrink back down to whatever they appeared like before.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ This spell may only be used [1] time per OOC day.

 

➺ Should the Tree Lord be interrupted during the casting of the spell, it would trigger the cooldown and thus they would be unable to cast this ritual again for an OOC day.  

 

➺ During the period of transformation, the Tree Lord may not be able to cast any druidic magics beyond passive Communion.

 

➺ Should the Tree Lord be blighted in this form, they would be forcibly turned back into their regular body over the course of [2] emotes - unable to maintain it and following Blight redlines.

 

➺ The form would only last for the duration of a combative encounter, and afterwards, the Tree Lord would transform back to their previous self and sapped of energy for [12] OOC hours - being unable to access any druidic abilities past passive Communion.

 

➺ The aesthetics of the Keeper’s form may be largely freeform, so long as it still resembles a humanoid body, with nature aspects to it. These are purely for looks and bear no advantage or disadvantage within combat, beyond the usage of their claws.

 

➺ Should a Tree Lord possess Shapeshifting, they may choose to have their Keeper form reflect their animal form. This can in no way be used to metagame that the Tree Lord is a shifter and or that that particular animal is their shifter form.

 

➺ The aesthetics of the Keeper’s form pertaining to a Blood Mage Tree Lord may be tailored towards appearing more corruptive - a more skeletal appearance, sap-like blood oozing from their orifices, etc. This may not be used to strictly metagame that the Tree Lord possesses Blood Magic or otherwise.

 

➺ Should the Tree Lord’s already be at orc-strength before, then they would find their strength to be that of an Olog’s.

 

➺ Due to the Heavy Armour of the Keeper's form, they are restricted to the appropriate movement - [6] blocks for sprinting.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

T H E T R E E

T H E  S O U L

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

 

[By Jocelin Carmes]

 

S T R U C T U R E

Standing tall and proud, a Soul Tree is a magical tree that essentially acts as a gravestone, tomb and birthplace for the Tree Lord and its Husks. They may be any species of tree, barring those which are stronger than regular trees, magical in some way, or otherwise. Natural energy seemed to concentrate itself within the tree as it housed the very essence of the Tree Lord. Due to this influx of energy, the trees are impervious to mundane tools, weaponry and fire. 

 

With the influence of the Fae Realm so strong within the soul of the Tree Lord, the Soul Tree’s fae energy bleeds out into the surrounding area - druids may be able to pick up on the strong energy from within the Soul Tree, while to other non-druids, it just seems like a normal tree. Small flora or mushrooms may begin to sprout around the roots in an unfinished Fae Ring, with the appearance of such reflecting the domain that the Tree Lord has aligned themselves with. Stepping into the immediate vicinity of the Soul Tree and under its canopy grants other Tree Lords, druids, and other fae creatures a sense of quiet peace, like a miniature version of the Fae Ring’s own influence.

 

L O C A T I O N ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   Given the Soul Tree’s vast amount of energy, it requires much more light than a regular tree. The Soul Tree must have ample access to the sky and its surroundings like any other tree to sustain itself. It cannot be placed in a closed, confined area for it needs enough space to grow properly - whether it is a cave of some kind, or even a greenhouse. Should it be placed in such an environment anyways, the Soul tree will grow weakened and sickly, reflected in the Husk’s appearance as well. Should there be any outside influence such as someone building something around the tree, it would follow under typical interaction rules - as the tree would not sit idly by as someone puts a roof over it.   —˖✧°.❀.—

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ The CA application must include the species of tree used to create the Tree Lord.

 

➺ Trees must be of a relatively mundane species, and cannot have additional ‘magical’ or advantageous qualities. This may include: Everwinter, Ironwood, Haganeki, Ashwood, Kaleidoscarpus, etc. If unsure, consult staff.

 

➺ The Soul Tree’s appearance cannot be altered in any way, whether by alchemy, or otherwise. The only exception would be Herblore, and it must be done on the Soul Tree’s sapling and can only change the base colour of the tree.

 

➺ The natural energy and peaceful feeling associated with the Soul Tree cannot be used to metagame the fact that it is a Soul Tree.

 

➺ The tree cannot be placed in a cave, or any build that would cover its top and restrict its access to the sky and light, lest it die. If unsure of a build placement, consult staff.

 

➺ The natural energy and peaceful feeling associated with the Soul Tree cannot be used to metagame the fact that it is a Soul Tree.

 

➺ Communing Druids, or people with access to mana-sight are able to sense the mana coming from the tree, but are unable to discern that it contains a soul, anything about it’s nature etc. - the energy is similar to that of an Epiphyte Tree, or Infusion. This cannot be used to metagame that the tree is in fact a Soul Tree.

 

➺ A Seer Tree Lord may use cast a Guise on their Soul Tree through the Ritual of Identity. They themselves must also undergo the Ritual of Identity as the tree's guise is tied to the husk's guise. This follows all redlines of the Ritual of Identity and they must spend an additional [4] emotes for their Tree. The Soul Tree cannot be disguised as another plant or otherwise - it must always be some sort of tree.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

[By Servane Altermatt]

 

A B I L I T I E S

In order to protect the soul encased within its wood, the Soul Tree is able to channel its energy into various abilities to both aid the Husk and itself in times of danger and otherwise - ensuring that the Tree Lord is able to conduct their duty towards nature evermore.

 

EMERGENCE   [N/C]  

 

When a Husk perishes, death does not come for the Tree Lord - not true death by any means. The control is relinquished back to the Soul Tree to create the body anew, forcing the Tree Lord to continue living despite its previous death. Once the Husk has disintegrated and the consciousness is transported back to the Soul Tree, a new body is incubated within the tree for [12] OOC hours before it is ready and is subsequently let back out into the world. Once birthed, the Soul Tree will be unable to produce another husk for [3] OOC days - should a Tree Lord die during this period, their form would be left in stasis as the Soul Tree regenerates a new Husk, then they must wait out the incubation process. 

 

When a Husk reemerges from death of any kind, it takes about [3] emotes for the Husk to exit out of the tree - prying themselves from the bark to be born anew. The pain of the death experience lingers physically as some kind of phantom pain - aching like a poorly-healed injury over the areas that were most afflicted that caused their death.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Tree Lords no longer spawn through Cloud Temple, insteading respawning at their Soul Tree.

 

➺ Taking one’s life still constitutes a PK.

 

➺ The phantom pain cannot be used to metagame how the Tree Lord died.

 

GUARDIANSHIP   [N/C, C]  

 

The Soul Tree in itself bears much control over its branches and roots, as it is sentient. This bodily control may be used to interact with others in a passive manner like patting someone’s head with a branch, or in an offensive manner like a root entangling an attacker.

 

Should the Soul Tree be interacted with in some mundane way, like communion, the Tree Lord’s Husk would find themselves distracted - balancing the senses of their current body and their Tree all at once. Should the Soul Tree be under some sort of attack, the Husk would feel as if something was wrong, like a paranoia before the immediate need to go defend it. While the Soul Tree may be defending itself, the Husk would feel lost and fatigued due to the focus and required energies of the Soul Tree - the Tree Lord’s priorities having shifted from piloting the Husk to trying to survive. The Soul Tree itself is limited to what it has around it - being able to use its branches and roots as limbs. These limbs may be used to grab, throw, smack and or wrap around any targets it so pleases within reason - any means are necessary when it comes down to survival. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ The player must be online to interact with a Soul Tree. 

 

➺ Should the player not be online, it is on the interactees to contact the player to OOCly schedule roleplay. During this waiting period, both players may continue their mundane rp as if the initial starting interaction has been voided until their scheduled roleplay date. During this wait, all parties must OOCly communicate the amount of people there are and must OOCly understand that once there is a scheduled interaction, the Tree Lord(s) in question are unable to sire new Saplings, move their trees, or do anything with them until after the scheduled roleplay. Failure to compile will result in staff intervention and punishment. 

 

➺ In the case of multiple Soul Trees being grouped together in a singular interaction, they must be notified alongside the first Tree Lord to being interacted with as it would constitute one large roleplay. Refer to the previous redline for further instructions on scheduling.

 

➺ The player can either choose to rush over to the Soul Tree as the Husk and attempt to defend it that way, or have the Husk fall inert and assume control of the Soul Tree. They cannot control both at the same time.

 

➺ The Husk falling inert is an aesthetic choice by the Tree Lord, like them suddenly falling over like a log, beginning to mulch or decay, etc. This cannot be used to metagame the interaction at hand, or what may be happening to the Tree Lord unless specifically told.

 

➺ All weaknesses of the Soul Tree must be adhered to.

 

➺ Should the player be noticeably avoiding an interaction via being seen logging on consistently on a different character, staying offline for a prolonged period of time such as [1] OOC week, or they are simply unavailable, an ST may be called to play the Soul Tree instead.

 

➺ Should there be another Soul Tree nearby during an interaction or attack, there would be no logical reason for it to expose itself to aid the Soul Tree under attack unless it in itself is being immediately affected. Please do not try to make the Soul Trees team up.

 

➺ The Soul Tree itself bears the strength of an Orc, if used to strike.

 

➺ The Soul Tree cannot use weapons, shields or grab/throw anything larger than an average descendant. 

 

➺ During an interaction, a Soul Tree is able to use up to [4] branches or roots - similar to a descendant's limbs.

 

➺ During an interaction, a Soul Tree has a reach of up to a [5] block radius around it.

 

SIRING   [N/C]  

 

Much like a regular tree, a Soul Tree bears the ability of reproduction - solely for the proliferation of its life. With the aid of a druid with the knowledge of Gleaning and the corresponding Tree Lord, the druid may be able to coax a Sapling from the tree. It is a strenuous process for both Soul Tree and Husk alike, causing the Tree Lord to be unable to use any of its combative abilities after the sapling had been ‘sired’ from the Soul Tree. The Soul Tree then will go on [1] OOC week cooldown, where a sapling cannot be gleaned from it thereafter as to recover. This also applies to when the Soul Tree is freshly replanted as well, requiring time and energy to grow once more.

 

A sapling is a smaller, miniature version of the Soul Tree, which may act as a continuation of the original. This is used to either preserve an existing Tree Lord and their soul, and or act as a back-up Soul Tree should the active one be destroyed in some way. Due to its magical presence, it requires constant natural energy - supplied by either a druid of [T3] or higher, or the unfiltered energy of the Fae Realm No more than [1] Sapling may be active at a time, should there be [2] that currently exist, the older / previous Sapling will go defunct. Should the active tree go defunct, or be destroyed, the active and viable sapling must be replanted in no less than [3] OOC days, or the Tree Lord will die permanently.

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Any attempt to glean a sapling in the midst of combat will simply not work, as Siring requires total concentration.

 

➺ If interrupted in the middle of siring a new sapling by combat or otherwise, the druid will lose concentration and be required to restart. 

 

➺ A sapling taken from a Soul Tree requires at least OOC permission but does not require IC permission. A Tree Lord cannot sire their own sapling. Even with consent, the TL will feel extremely protective over it and the Soul Tree as if it were their own child. 

 

➺ Saplings must be viably ST-signed, and with the unbound item tag.

 

➺ In order to feed the sapling energy, the viable item must be present within the druid’s inventory or placed within a Faerie Ring, where it must sit in it with a mechanical representation / viable ST item and a sign denoting what it is. If unsure of the tier of the druid in possession of the sapling or how to represent the sapling, consult staff.

 

➺ If not kept by a Druid or placed in a Fae Ring, a sapling may be fed energy by a druid Powersharing their energy with it.

 

➺ If a sapling is left unattended to (in an unattended chest, a lesser tier druid’s inventory, etc.) for [3] OOC days, it will die and be rendered inviable. Attempting to use a defunct sapling will result in appropriate staff intervention and action.

 

➺ Communing Druids, or people with access to mana-sight are able to sense the mana coming from the sapling, but are unable to discern that it contains a soul, anything about its nature etc. - the energy is similar to that of an Epiphyte Tree, or Infusion. This cannot be used to metagame that the sapling belongs to a Soul Tree.

 

➺ Saplings must have the correlating roleplay name and username of the Tree Lord in question.

 

PRESERVATION   [N/C]  

 

Should the location of the Soul Tree become unsafe, or it simply is in need of moving, the Soul Tree itself can be shrunken down to a small sapling to be transported elsewhere with the aid of druids and its corresponding Tree Lord.

 

[2] druids with the knowledge of Ungrowing, one of which must be T5, may seek to shrink the tree down with the help of the Tree Lord, who can calm and control the Soul Tree during the process. Despite this, ungrowing will put a strain upon the Tree Lord as the very notion feels like their very essence is being squeezed and choked out, fatiguing them greatly. While the main Sapling is ungrown, the very constraint of unnatural size reflects on the Tree Lord itself, causing them to be unable to access any of their combative abilities. The Soul Tree was never meant to remain such a constrictive size, and therefore will require to be planted anew within [3] OOC days lest it die and the TL alongside it - resulting in a PK. Any attempt to do this during combat, or if combat begins while in the middle of ungrowing, the druids’ concentration is considered broken and the Soul Tree will return to its normal size - requiring the druids to restart. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Any attempt to ungrow a Soul Tree in the midst of combat will simply not work, as it requires total concentration.

 

➺ Should combat begin in the middle of ungrowing, the tree will react harshly and regrow itself to protect itself in that moment - requiring the druids to restart.

 

➺ Ungrowing a Soul Tree must be done with OOC permission, but not IC permission.

 

➺ The PK clause may be circumvented in manners out of the players’ control, such as map change, shelving, an inability to get online, general inactivity, etc. Such is at staff management discretion.

 

➺ Ungrowing a Soul Tree with the intent on not immediately replanting it constitutes it as a Sapling and must be ST-signed - therefore, any previous Saplings are then considered inert.

 

➺ The Soul Tree itself can be ungrown and moved anytime - it does not adhere to the same cooldown like acquiring a Sapling.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

T H E B A N E S

T H E  W E A K N E S S E S

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

 

[By Tyler Jacobson]

 

B L I G H T

Due to the natural composition of a Tree Lord’s Husk, they can become blighted like the rest of nature - resulting in a sickly appearance and altered erratic mindset due to the pain that comes with being corrupted. Should the Husk become blighted, the Tree Lord would become more animalistic as it is now their very essence becoming corrupted as well - acting based on primal instincts like a threatened animal. In order to reach the state of total corruption, a Tree Lord must be struck [5] times cumulatively with any corruptive spell, magic, material or otherwise with an injury that equates to a moderate injury or more - unless specified otherwise. The Tree Lord’s mental and physical disposition slowly deteriorates with each hit as they succumb to the blight - eventually losing all rationale at the culmination of those emotes. Their mind becomes addled and clouded by pain and anger, as their body slowly loses control over the magic it possesses. After [5] emotes have passed after the Husk’s corruption, the Husk will be unable to handle it - slowly eventually melting away into mulch.

 

In order to corrupt a Soul Tree, it must be struck [3] times cumulatively with any corruptive spell, magic, material or otherwise unless specified otherwise. Should the Soul Tree become blighted, the Tree Lord has [3] emotes of nausea, sickness and general malaise before they inevitably become blighted as well - reverting to their animalistic instincts. Should a Soul Tree remain corrupted for over [3] OOC days, the tree will perish - the Husk alongside it. In order to heal a Soul Tree or Husk from blight, [1] Blight Healer with knowledge of Cleansing may purify the Husk while [3] Blight Healer are needed for the Soul Tree. Should the Husk be purified but the Soul Tree is still blighted, they have [5] emotes of reprieve before becoming blighted once more.

 

F L A M M A B I L I T Y

The husk of a Tree Lord is effectively made out of wood, thus they have the capability of being set on or catching fire much easier than a regular descendant. On the contrary, the Soul Tree is impervious to mundane and alchemical flame due to its fortified magical strength - acting essentially fireproof. Various magical fires however, have the capability of affecting the Soul Tree as well as the Husk. 

 

M A L F L A M E ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ The Husk itself is impervious to Malflame, since it does not house a Soul. ✧ When used on the Soul Tree, it requires direct exposure to a [T4+] spell for a continuous [3] emotes to be destroyed.

D R A G O N S F L A M E ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ The Husk will immediately catch fire should it be exposed to any level of Dragonsflame. ✧ The Wealdsheart can be broken if exposed to any direct dragonsflame spell for a continuous [2] emotes. ✦ When used on the Soul Tree, it requires direct exposure to any dragonsflame spell for a continuous [4] emotes to be destroyed.

V O I D A L  F I R E ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   ✦ The Husk will become blighted if  exposed to Voidal Fire, specifically those of [T3+] spells. ✧ The Wealdsheart can be broken if exposed to any direct exposure to a [T3+] Fire Evocation spell for [2] emotes. ✦ When used on the Soul Tree, it requires direct exposure to a [T4+] Fire Evocation spell for a continuous [5] emotes to be destroyed.

 

V O I D A L  M A G I C

Being the antithesis of creation, anything related to the Void has the chance to blight the Tree Lord’s Husk and Soul Tree. Any general casting of the Void near the Husk will not blight them, however will make the Tree Lord increasingly uncomfortable and distrustful in its presence and perhaps even extended to the mage themself. Due to their general and innate distaste for the Void, Tree Lords are also unable to possess, use, and or trigger any level of Voidal Magic enchantment - combative or non-combative.

 

Standing within the effective range of a Mana Obelisk will cause the Tree Lord to experience nausea and discomfort. Should the Obelisk be out of sight, the feeling of nausea will persist but should not be metagamed as being caused by Voidal magic. Standing within the radius of a Voidal Hollow, Heath and Tear will begin to blight the Husk over the course of [3] emotes should they remain in the affected area for more than [2] emotes without some level of protection. 

 

N E C R O M A N C Y

Necromancy, being the opposite of Druidism in the fact that they dabble with death and undeath in comparison to the life of nature, may be used against both the Husk and Soul Tree. 

 

Draining can be used on both the Tree Lord and Soul Tree - the Tree Lord will provide the equivalent amount of Liquid Lifeforce as a regular descendant, and will follow the same rules as such. Soul Trees themselves may provide a total of [3] counts of Liquid Lifeforce per ritual, and doing so entirely will kill the Soul Tree and subsequently the Husk as well. Sapping may also affect the Tree Lord in a similar manner that it may affect a regular person - each 'stage' considered a count towards their cumulative blight sum. Necrotic plagues and their symptoms may affect the Tree Lord the same way as a descendant, barring those that would affect certain organs that the Tree Lord does not possess. Effects like vomitting, hemoptysis, etc. would not be able to affect a Tree Lord given that they do not have lungs or a stomach, however they may still suffer from things such as hair loss, darkbite and or cold chills. These may simply be cured through Blight Healing.

 

Doing the Draining ritual on the Soul Tree still follows the same cooldown as it would on a descendant - Soul Trees themselves may provide a total of [3] counts of Liquid Lifeforce per ritual, and doing so entirely will kill the Soul Tree and subsequently the Husk as well. Sapping may also affect the Soul Tree with each 'stage' of lost strength contributing itself to the loss of usage in it's limbs - that is to say, after the Tree has reached 'Voidstalker Strength', it will be unable control any of it's [4] limbs. Each stage also counts towards the Soul Tree's cumulative blight sum.

 

M E T A L S

Azhl Steel and its blight spreads much quicker through a Tree Lord’s body - once the illness takes hold, the limb itself grows weak - akin to an arcane mage’s Voidal Poisoning. If it were to strike the Wealdsheart, the Husk would quickly become blighted - becoming corrupted over the course of [3] emotes. When used on the Soul Tree, it can be used to effectively ‘bypass’ the Tree’s strength and enable someone to chop it down like a regular tree. In addition to such, it may blight the Soul Tree if cut into it, starting from when the bark has been breached - once fully corrupted, the tree would find that its only able to control [2] limbs at a time, instead of the standard [4]. The first attack of Azhl will promptly stun the Tree for [1] emote, preventing it from accessing its abilities for a brief moment before it recovers. Due  to its blighting nature, the very sight of the metal - raw or refined - creates a dread within a Tree Lord’s mind. 

 

Thanhic steel, when used against the Husk, will slowly disable the affected limb over the course of [3] emotes when breaching the skin once, causing the limb or body part to become inert, as if suddenly falling asleep. Should the head or face be struck, the Tree Lord would slowly find themselves becoming blind and deaf. The Tree Lord may not trigger any abilities or cast any magic through this disabled limb, and must return to the tree to return their bodily functions via Changing Seasons. If the Wealdsheart is struck by Thanhic Steel, it would immediately begin to shut down the Husk over the course of [3] emotes before eventually causing the Husk to die, turning to mulch. When used on the Soul Tree, it too can be used against the tree to chop it down regularly. The first attack of Thanhic Steel will promptly stun the Tree for [1] emote, preventing it from accessing its abilities for a brief moment before it recovers. In addition to such, after [4] consistent strikes, all of the Soul Tree’s abilities will be unusable if strict by Thanhium in any way, disabling its magic. Due to this loss of connection, the Husk would slowly lose its shape and die wherever it may be.

 

Inherently magically-corruptive metals otherwise, such as Morion and Rokodra, cannot be aptly wielded by Tree Lords. The inherent saturation of the Abyss’ Lifeforce in Morion directly comes into conflict with a Tree Lord’s connection to the pure life of the Fae Realm while Rokodra’s infernal nature and hellish origin deeply unsettles the Tree Lord - causing a great aversion and hatred to both metals. These mental afflictions apply to both the raw and refined versions of the material at the mere sight of it. 

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Refer to the redlines of the mentioned magics and materials in order to properly roleplay their effects. 

 

➺ Utilizing any of the corruptive materials listed is still possible, should a Tree Lord still choose to. The emotions towards them still remain, bordering on a feeling of betrayal to their own kind and cause.

 

➺ The innate disgust associated with materials cannot be circumvented in any way, whether through magic, mundane or otherwise.

 

➺ Blight may manifest itself physically on both the Husk and the Soul Tree in different ways, purely aesthetic-wise. 

 

➺ When blighted, the Tree Lord will be unable to differentiate friend from foe, focused on their own preservation.

 

➺ A Tree Lord may not cast any magics while in a blighted state, whether from base Communion or otherwise. 

 

➺ Unless specified otherwise, should the Husk catch fire, they may focus on patting the flames out on their body. Should this happen in combat, they must devote [2] to [4] emotes to fully patting themselves out depending on how much of their body the flames have spread across. Alternatively, they may fully submerge themselves underwater for [1] emote to douse themselves.

 

➺ Any effects that would do with the fact that the Husk possesses no soul cannot be used to metagame that they are specifically a Tree Lord, or anything to do with their nature.

 

➺ T1-T2 Voidal spells illicit a surface-level feeling of nausea and cannot blight the Husk, while T3+ spells begin to corrupt and blight the Husk.

 

➺ T3 Voidal spells count as one corruptive ‘injury’ towards a Tree Lord - T4 Voidal spells count as two, and T5 Voidal spells count as three.

 

➺ Azhl and Thanhic injuries do not stack - hitting the Tree Lord multiple times with the material does not expedite the effects.

 

➺ Should a Hollow, Heith and or Tear be hidden from view and the Tree Lord is unaware of its presence, no effects outlined will affect the Tree Lord. In other words, the weakness cannot be used to metagame the presence of the structures nearby unless it's out in the open and seen or already known IRP.

 

➺ When it comes to chopping down a Soul Tree, please use common sense when it comes to using specific materials or channeling emotes. Any sturdy tree, magic or not, will not be felled in one or two swoops - there is no specific emote count to chop down one of these trees, but it should at least be [5+] emotes total of removing the Soul Tree. 

 

➺ Should a Hollow, Heith and or Tear be hidden from view and the Tree Lord is unaware of its presence, no effects outlined will affect the Tree Lord. In other words, the weakness cannot be used to metagame the presence of the structures nearby unless it's out in the open and seen or already known IRP.

 

➺ Anything pertaining to the lack of a soul within the Husk (malflame immunity, etc.) cannot be used to metagame the Tree Lord's origin, mechanics, etc.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

[By Asya Yordanova]

 

U N A T T U N E M E N T

Being a creature so intrinsically infused with druidic energy, any attempt to sever a Tree Lord from their magics would not only be physically painful but affect their very essence. It is the one of the only ways to release a Tree Lord from the mortal realm, and the only way to revert them from being a Tree Lord. 

 

P R O C E S S ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆   In order to unattune Tree Lords, [3] druids are required - with all of them requiring a TA and the knowledge of Attunement. Only [1] of involved druids requires the knowledge of Unattunement. Unlike other druids that can be reattuned after being disconnected once, Unattunement results in the permanent death of the Tree Lord.    Unattunement cannot be done on just the Husk - it must be done at the site of the Soul, the Tree Lord’s Soul Tree. If attempted on the Husk alone, all involving druids will be exhausted as if completing a successful Unattunement while the Husk itself dies and turns into mulch. It will reform at the Soul Tree after [24] OOC hours, remembering the pain as something indescribably and viscerally painful - both mentally and physically.    The pain of Unattunement on a Tree Lord is a deep-rooted anguish, as it is the attempt to separate the Soul from what is currently keeping it alive. Much like if the Soul Tree was being attacked regularly, the Tree Lord will feel a deep sense of dread and urgency, following the specifications of Guardianship (refer back to Soul Tree abilities).   Should the Soul Tree be successfully Unattuned, the Husk - wherever it may be - will suddenly begin to wilt and disintegrate painfully over the course of [4] emotes. The Soul Tree itself will also begin to wilt and die as its power wanes before both it and the Husk go inert, wilting away and effectively dying - leaving a pile of mulch where the Husk once was and a hollow tree. The soul itself is sent into the Soul Stream as if it had no connection at all, sent to wherever they would’ve gone without divine intervention - Ebrietas, or otherwise. The Fae half of their soul, untethered and now freed from its entrapment, returns to its own cycle of reincarnation in the Fae Realm to be reborn once more.   —˖✧°.❀.—   {1} The druids involved must encircle the Soul Tree - should the Husk be present, it is to be bound next to the Soul Tree, both as a preventative measure from lashing out and for the druids’ own safeties.   {2} The leading druid, the one possessing the knowledge of Unattunement, will begin their incantation, while the other [2] druids begin to Powershare with the leader. Aesthetic effects may also begin at this time, like nature reacts violently to the act, or animals attempting to retreat and hide as if sensing danger.   {3} At the peak of this process, the leading Druid will then ‘sever’ the connection. This can be up to the player emoting, but it must have something to do with the tree - whether it is striking it with their staff, or simply placing a hand on the trunk.    {4} The immediate follow-up to the Unattunement would entail aesthetic effects after the process had been completed, whether its nature falling entirely silent, or flora stilling as if frozen in reaction to the effective death of the Soul Tree.   —˖✧°.❀.—

 

Spoiler

R E D L I N E S

➺ Refer to the redlines stated in Unattunement (Druidism - Communion and Control).

 

➺ If any metagaming of the Soul Tree’s location and mechanics are suspected, the RP may be considered void and those involved will be appropriately dealt with by staff.

 

➺ Any attempt to communicate with the dead Tree Lord, whether through Walk of the Aspects or Call of the Eternal Guardians, will result in nothing happening.

 

➺ Unattuned Tree Lords cannot be remade or brought back to life in any way, as their soul is no longer attached to the magic of Druidism.

 

➺ The Unattuned Tree Lord's soul after disconnection will be sent to the afterlife they were destined for, separate from the purview of the Aspects.

 

➺ The Fae that was once bound to the Tree Lord is killed in the Unattunement process then reincarnated in the Fae Realm, with no knowledge of their prior entanglement with the Tree Lord.

 

—˖✧°.❀.—

 

[By Randy Vargas]

 

P U R P O S E

Tree Lords is a very, very old piece that has fostered a community that has grown to resent the CA for what it is, and/or what it isn’t. A lot of testimonies call the current CA boring, and lacklustre for something that is considered the ‘pinnacle’ of druidism, or something equivalent to such. Others have cited other issues with dated information, unclear lore and issues with the CA spells / abilities. This write was aimed to mostly refresh, and revamp the CA less with a new coat of paint, but with a proper demolition and rebuilding from the base. 

 

At this current moment, the current CA is not considered fae, but this write has changed that for several reasons. The reason for this is that there is little reasoning against the fact that the CA is not already fae. As cited in Sylvian Alchemy, Tree Lords possess the reagent Fae Ichor, similar to that of Sprites and Epiphytes.  In Transcendence, the infusion Fairy Fire does not work on Transcendent druids, Tree Lords, Sprites and other fae creatures - should a Tree Lord not be a Transcendent druid and considered simply an altered soul, they should technically be affected by the infusion yet they are not. The explanation that makes the most sense thereafter would be because they are some level of fae. The idea of forcibly binding a Fae creature to the Soul Tree as fuel gave more credence to a Tree Lord’s nature, as well as upping the stakes in its creation - hopefully providing a more interesting narrative for those who wish to defy the cycle and become what is essentially plant undead.  All in all, this served as both a place to vent out frustrations about a lore I genuinely love interacting with and love seeing in the first place, and as a way to practice my writing in the current lore ‘climate’ of the server. It was a fun group project with friends, and that’s all that really matters anyways.

 

As an addendum because I know how bad the optics look, this rewrite has been months in the making, from November of last year, and talks about it have extended even further back. I hold no ill will to anyone in the community at all, and simply aim to make a better roleplaying experience for EVERYONE, whether they are the good guys or the bad guys. There will be no need for venting frustrations about roleplay on this lore post as much as I understand it and sympathize with it but this is not a place for that - this is a place for specifically lore. I will not tolerate the likes of the back and forth seen in previous days and ask for the comments to be turned off - if you have a problem with me, any of the writers, any of my friends, you bring it up to them or me in an honest and upfront manner without hiding in group chats and throwing around accusations. I hope that we can all benefit together as a community, and tell good stories together because that is what matters at the end of the day.

 

C R E D I T S

Writer: @marsloll

Consultation & Feedback: @RaiderBlue @Akrasia@glassyskies @Fleur___

Formatting: @Pengin

Original Lore: @OhDeerLord

 

R E F E R E N C E S

Tree Lords

Communion & Control

Blight Healing

Transcendence

Fae Rings

 

C H A N G E L O G

Spoiler

✧ Necromancy section under 'Weaknesses' has been appropriately updated to reflect the Abyssal Arts rewrite. (02/15/26)

✦ 'Guardianship' pertaining to the Soul Tree's abilities have been appropriately updated for clarity. (02/15/26)

✧ The timelines for Remnant expiration has been adjusted. (02/16/26)

✦ Movement speed for 'Nature's Keeper' has been adjusted to keep in line with Techlock. (02/16/26)

✧ Redlines pertaining taste and other senses related to missing organs have been added and clarified. (02/17/26)

✦ Redlines pertaining to sapling life and decay have been adjusted per recent additions. (02/17/26)

✧ Addition regarding replanting the sapling has been added underneath 'Siring'. (02/17/26)

✦ Acceptance clauses have been adjusted. (02/17/26)

✧ Redlines pertaining to potentially-contradictory points under 'Father's Gaze' have been clarified. (02/17/26)

✦ 'Rite of Cocooning' has been adjusted for more clarity, as well as to get rid of the need for a Faerie Ring for sake of access. (02/17/26)

✧ Weaknesses section has been clarified in regards to 'Blight' and 'Metals'. (02/28/26)

✦ Sapling signage has been clarified under 'Siring'. (02/28/26)

✧ Additional redlines pertaining to Seer and the Soul Tree have been added under 'Structure'. (03/01/26)

✦ Mana clarification for the Soul Tree and sapling have been added under 'Structure' and 'Siring'. (03/01/26)

✧ Repeated / redundant redlines have been removed. (03/01/26)

✦ Redlines pertaining to soul interactions have been clarified. (03/01/26)

✧ Redlines pertaining to the capabilities of a Soul Tree within combat have been clarified. (03/02/26)

 

[Tav 4336]

tree up.

[MayRndz 1830]

Puhlease new lore is much needed so badly

[Navigator 4260]

reading this made me want to play a druid and i'm a d1 druid hater

+1

[psychra_notte 618]

Okay so I made some notes while reading through this, keep in mind I am new to all this druid stuff, so bear with me...
 

Pros / Positives
- Material Required not at all as bad as I thought, actually GREAT RP motive and easily done with ST supervision
- I like the traits connected to the different Fae domains! Great aesthetic. The same goes for chest sigil.
- Buff to bark skin being ==  Medium arm is a MASSIVE boon, same with being unable to be affected by airborne potions, and the underwater buff, so far so good.
- Passive abilities are cool aesthetically
- NATURE'S KEEPER ABILITY IS BASED! THIS IS WHAT I WANTED LET'S ******* GOOOOOOO!!! I WAANNA BE A BIG **** OFF TREE!!!
 

Cons / Critiques
- Passive domain abilities are cool, as mentioned, but a little lackluster- Yet I understand why!
- I like the unattunement process, but I do think it should be either equally as tough to unattune as it is to attune, maybe requiring materials or something. Also specify what attunement the 3 T5 need to know. I ASSUME attunement for treelords, but specification never hurts!

Conclusion: 

Fantastic lore re-write! Very few notes/critiques overall, save some of the unattunement process. All I can ask is ST PLEASE APPROVE THIS. WE NEED NEW TREELORD LORE SO BAD, AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD REWRITE

+1

[DragonofTaters 920]

As an old player who had to CRP with the soul tree itself many times, please specify how many of the tree's limbs the player is allowed to have in play at once. Whether that be limited to 2, or if they can control more than that simultaneously. This was always a problematic part of CRP in this regard, as no limit was given in the lore. 

That being said, very much like this vibe you've got going. Enjoy the switch up to it being a Fae-bound being and having a funny connection to the different realms.

[Apotolofo 2206]

LOL did you guys pk the tree lords to post this??? LMFAOOOOO 

 

+1 tho the lore looks cool

 

(edit, read the rest of it to the end comments sorry, thought it was funny)

[Akrasia 265]

8 minutes ago, Apotolofo said:

LOL did you guys pk the tree lords to post this??? LMFAOOOOO 

(I jest)

+1 to the lore though, this CA currently is very rough and makes me sad sometimes.

[Tav 4336]

15 minutes ago, Apotolofo said:

LOL did you guys pk the tree lords to post this??? LMFAOOOOO 

 

+1 tho the lore looks cool

 

(edit, read the rest of it to the end comments sorry, thought it was funny)

[Wizzar 613]

Sorry - Shamanism is frozen.  +1

[hearth_ 1023]

Beautiful work. The previous Tree Lord write feels incredibly underwhelming when you actually start to play it. In all honesty, I've felt that it's presented far, far more difficulties for characters than any sort of tangible benefit. This feels much more developed and well-themed. I'll admit to being worried that this rewrite would nudge the CA in a certain moral direction, but I'm glad to see that both 'sides' stand to benefit.

 

+1

[Stag 3230]

Such a pleasing format. This was very fun to read. +1

[Beardicuss 486]

My plans of becoming a musin tree lord ruined.....

Nah I like this seems cool and makes sense why lesser souls should not become Tree lords

+1

[Pallodium 3775]

This lore has been denied. You will be sent a forum PM regarding the reasons for denial within the next 24 hours.