marslol

"’Men have forgotten this truth,’ said the fox. ’But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.’" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery [Source] “There was once a story, passed down from long ago. Where a fairy came into this world and befriended a fox. The fairy watched as the fox grew up and went on many adventures with it, all until it got old. Too old to play, too old to have adventures, and too old to keep up with its fairy friend. The immortal fairy grew worried and sad over the elder mortal fox, only capable of watching the fox slowly but surely perish. Upon the fox’s deathbed, it did not lament its mortal self for it was always going to happen - such was fate. In tears, the immortal fairy cried as its friend drew a final breath, and laid still. The fairy wept and wept for years, overcome with the unfamiliar grief of losing someone dear while wishing that there was more that could have been done. Its regret and tears watered the very soil where the fox’s spirit lay, giving birth to strange yet beautiful pods that grew in the silhouette of the creature. A century had passed now, as the fairy still cried at the grave of its friend. Incapacitated by grief, even the flowers and moss began to grow over the fairy, trapping it there. With a small wiggle, one of the pods began to flower, unfurling like an egg, revealing a small creature that resembled the fairy’s lost friend - a product of their deep care for each other. Its leafy snout snuffled as another pod bloomed, then another, and another. Pairs of innocent young eyes peered at the fairy, who could only peer back. Looking at the newborns that stared back with such love and wonder, the fairy finally dried its tears and recalled the words of its departed friend with an old smile - that such was fate. Time moves forward ever still, and in death, comes life anew.” Florvuls are verdant creatures of fox-like nature, to which their name has aptly been derived from ‘floral’ and ‘vulpine’ for something truly fitting. The mixture of floral and mammalian appearance has stumped zoologists on their true classification, folktales furthering such confusion with various stories as to how they came to be. Some proclaim them to be the descendants of a creature who’d been faetouched whilst others attribute it to a fox who over consumed vegetation until it became vegetation itself. While the true origin of the Florvul remains shrouded, they’ve firmly cemented their existence within the current era, having adapted to nearly every region within the continents of the world with an exception for the polar zones. While Florvuls tend to hold their own distinctive differences to the vulpines they are often associated with, they’re often witnessed displaying a myriad of behaviors similar to their non-floral counterparts within each region. Appearance A Florvul’s section-like fur is often said to resemble that of a succulent, or a small cactus. Appearances may differ from plant to place, but its leaf-like segmentations is one of the identifying traits. Flowers may bloom from the ends of their tail, and their ears may resemble flowers as well depending on where they were found. The more colourful they were, the more likely they were from southern climates, while more dull or muted colours are typically found in cooler climates. The young, called Florets, have buds that stick out of their tails and have a more uniform green-ish colour, while the adults, referred to as Blossoms, typically have fully-flowered tails and more developed coats as the tell-tale sign that they have grown up. In some rarer occasions may a Florvul develop multiple tails. While one is the most common, it is not unusual to spot a Florvul with two, or even three tails. There is a belief that these multi-tailed creatures are considered leaders of their group and develop due to mutations or exposure to natural energies. The multi-tailed Florvul is also believed to be the originator of various legends - powerful fox-deities that trick descendants in worship or they are to be cursed. While the Florvul itself has no magical powers that have been outwardly documented or known, these wild fox-like creatures will stumble into farms and towns for the sake of scavenging and attempt to stray from all descendant contact when possible. The idea that they ‘bless’ the land if appeased is not too far off either, as a Florvul’s remains make for excellent manure and fertiliser. Due to their exceedingly natural composition, they are more susceptible to illness and magical blights than the average animal, often perishing quickly without aid. Their remains remain hazardous long after their death, often spreading their disease or blight to whatever may absorb its corpse, whether it be the surroundings through decomposition or usage as fertilizer or entities through consumption. [Source] Habitat Florvuls may be found all over, except for the extreme cold. Such would kill any plant life, and thus them as well. While they are most commonly found in moderate to warm temperatures, some groups of Florvuls will branch out to the colder forests - this move may be caused by predators or other groups of Florvuls pushing them out of their territory. These ‘packs’ of Florvuls are called bouquets - groups that live in the cold are typically made up of [4-5] including the Florets, while southern groups are almost double that at the typical number of [10] within a group of Florvuls. Bouquets that reside within cooler temperatures will often migrate back down south to have their young, typically back to where they themselves were first born. Florvuls do not fully burrow like their non-plant counterparts, instead they pick a fertile place near water such as an oasis or riverbank. They will then bury themselves in the ground, leaving their tails and ears exposed for temperature regulation, resting whilst buried. Their plant-like appearances aids in their outwards camouflage in the foliage while they slumber and rest, appearing more like regular flowers in the ground. When they awaken, they merely dig themselves out of their holes and go about their day. Hunting & Diet Florvuls are considered omnivores, eating anything that they can catch and scavenge. They lean towards small animals and insects like caterpillars, small mice, and birds but will also eat plants like flowers, grass and leaves if able, so long as it does not resemble them in any way. A daisy-looking Florvul will not eat a daisy flower, a cactus-looking Florvul will not eat a cactus flower, etc. Bouquets will typically hunt together in a pack-like manner, save for their Florets. The adults will typically hunt for the young until they are large enough to hunt for themselves. Due to their plant-like appearance, they are prized prey by both herbivores and carnivores for their meaty texture yet planty taste. Behaviour These foxy creatures are extremely social and intelligent operating in their groups, much like a wolf pack. Just like foxes, they have the capacity to play and be mischievous just as well as be cunning and smart. There is a clear leader of the group, typically the oldest amongst them. It is a matriarchal system, where the leader is typically the mother of the young in the bouquet. The father is typically the one that stays behind to look after the Florets, while the other males go out with the female leader to hunt. The young Florvuls rely on the adults to bring them food until they are large and old enough to accompany the adults on hunts. Once they are adults, they may either split from their bouquet to form their own or stay in their pre-established group. It is not uncommon for scuffles and territorial fights to occur between bouquets. The losing group is typically forced to head towards colder and thus less ideal climates as they’re kicked out of their old territory. They are particularly protective of their pack, and of the Florets in particular. It is recommended to stay away if you find a bouquet with Florets, as there are bound to be several adults stalking the perimeters who will not hesitate to protect their young from a perceived threat. Once aggressive, they employ a hit-and-run tactic - jumping out of the bushes or from their hiding spot to attack then quickly retreating to reassess the situation to rinse and repeat until the threat has left or been defeated. Taming Taming a Floret is much easier than taming an adult, though it is rather rare to find a Floret on its own. Only in the cases of abandonment, or if its parents were killed, will a Floret be found on its own, or at least with other siblings. When approaching Florets, it’s important to not be imposing or threatening or they may run off and away. As if with all animals, trust is required as well as proof that there is no threat. In the instance that there are still other Florets around, the one that has trust will eventually bring the rest to meet - there it is possible to befriend the rest. In the case that there is an adult Florvul around, it is also the trust of the adult that must be gained to allow access to the Florets. While gaining the trust of the children, the adult is harder to sway and thus takes longer to form a bond with. This extended method also applies to Florvuls without kin, as gaining the trust of an adult is much more difficult than it is with a child. Packs at large are unable to be tamed as a whole, as no group of animals would willingly trust a descendent the same as their leader. Life Cycle and Reproduction The way Florvuls reproduce is arguably the most confusing part of their existence. There is no traditional mating involved, but rather it is wholly a plant-like system. In the height of summer, they will gather in warmer temperatures and release airborne spores from the platelets on their tails, much like a fern or mushroom. They will land in a nearby area that is suitable for growth, before slowly forming an egg-shaded flower called a ‘pod’. After [2] OOC days or [2] narrative months, the pod will unfurl to reveal the small Floret in the centre of its bloom. Once born, the young are able to walk around on their own innately, pulling themselves out of the flower and fully detaching the pod from the ground as the stalk and leaves wither away to leave the ‘pod’ as the Floret’s tail. Those born in this asexual matter are considered entirely new and unique individuals compared to the parent, and may often look different from the parent as well. Once the Florets are born, the parent will either stay and make a home in the area or return them and their young back to where their previous home was. Florvuls have been documented to live about fifty or sixty years out in the wild, and up to a hundred in captivity. Every ten years or so, they enter a state of ‘shedding’ in a cycle where their platelets fall from their body to reveal a skinny, fur-less Florvul. They then bury themselves much like they do when they go to sleep, however this time they fully submerge themselves in the ground. They will remain like this for [1] OOC day or a narrative month before they emerge from the dirt with a new coat of fur - on occasion after these hibernating periods, the Florvul will also develop other mutations, like an extra tail, or more colours in their coat. There are legends of great elder Florvuls who are rumoured to be agents of nature themselves, lingering around for about two hundred years though they are rumours without any claim. Cooking On the occasion that one finds themselves in that they have caught and decided to cook a Florval, they would find that cutting into the animal was like cutting up a raw vegetable. Its skin and platelet-like fur was bristly, like feeling a dull cactus, or hedgehog. Their bones resemble that of the hardened cores of stone fruit - strong, but susceptible to breakage and immense pressure. All of its organs bear a planty texture, and similar taste, with a hint of iron. Depending on the region and diet in which the animal consumed during its life, it would range from a variety of flavours. Those who resided in the cooler climates often have tougher, more bitter meat resembling the taste of a bitter melon or cruciferous vegetables like cabbage or kale. Florvuls from the south have more supple, softer, sweeter flesh which resembles the taste of berries or other sweet fruits. Many people tend to use Florvul parts as plant-based substitutes for meat to do its uncanny texture to real meat. It is said that the bitter flowers that blossom from a Florvul’s tail contain many powerful antioxidants and healing powers, such making them a delicacy to make into a dish or tea. At best however, it may be used to alleviate headaches and cold-like symptoms. Plucking these flowers from a Florvul causes no pain to them, and it will simply grow back in [1] OOC day or a narrative day. The shedded platelets from the Florval’s periodic hibernation may also be collected in a non-fatal way to consume parts of the creature. While it may be tempting to raise Florvuls as some form of livestock like cows or pigs, it's realistically unsustainable as they are partially-migratory animals and take a long time to mature and produce offspring. Purpose When I originally saw this on the artist’s Instagram page, I thought it was rather cute, and reminded of several magic systems that are currently present in LOTC. Also, I wanted an excuse to write about killing and eating certain animals in a creative sense - as there are plenty of animals in the bestiary that could be used for hunting but nobody really chooses them, and people do not enjoy the idea of killing and eating cute creatures. This is why I included an entire blurb on what one could expect when killing and eating them. In addendum, the artist’s kid also made a minecraft mod for Curseforge for those who wish to play with the Florvuls off of the server on their own time. The models and the breeding mechanics of the mod also heavily inspired how the creatures operate and work on LOTC, so please support their work here. Credits Author: @marslol Co-author: @Pengin

i can really included fire as that seems to be the most effective effective against an actual tree in comparison to air evocation for example (and is also mentioned as another effective deterrent and only stated voidal deterrent against fae wardens in the transcendence) - but i do now see your point. i'll edit some things alongside adding the greater corruptive forces like the builds etc.

i was writing it more on the base of voidal blight - as the void has had many iterations and references to making nature feel pain and be hurt. while i suppose i could understand that it would not be classically defined as inherently corruptive, most fae-based or nature-based cas and lore pieces DO in fact get corrupted by the mere presence of voidal magic (i.e epiphytes, sprites, tree lords, etc.)

“The amber in the tree and blood in my veins are the same.” - Magic: The Gathering [Source] “It is said there was a great forest. It was mighty and bountiful, filled with life and nature flourished. The wildlife stirred, and the trees swayed in the wind, and the Druids sang songs beneath the canopy. Greater still, are the tales of the trees flourishing here. Strong, mighty, and protected. It is said that the oldest tree of the forest had sprung them from its own seeds, and within its trunk its mind began to flourish. Some say that Cernunnos and Cerridwen slept beneath the tree in their travels to bless the land. Still some say these trees were the Aspects themselves in different form. Still, whatever the reason, something sparked thought beneath the bark, and the trees ascended into something more than just wood and leaf. And so after many millennia, these trees older than time became Elder, and gave wisdom to the Druii, and protected their forests with their Ent children. Some have given prophecies that were granted to them by the Aspects. Others served as homes for great groves, some even as cities. To speak with an Elder Tree is a rare and wonderful privilege. Cherish it, for the Aspects have deemed you special to hear such wisdoms.” ~Druii’ithirn, Arcanum of Ancient Secrets Elder Trees have long existed on the plane of existence, flourishing in the heart of forests that they have spawned - a mother to her children, that make up the jungles and greenlands across the realm. Due to their age and their influence by nature or upon nature, they have gained a higher level of sentience like one would expect from a Sentient Staff, but much stronger and unique to itself rather than reliant on a singular druid’s personality. Having seen much and experienced much in their lifetime, an Elder Tree was heavily relied upon in days past for their wisdom and guidance to the Druidic Groves that called them home. Some have been given names, titles, and reverence as true Elders of their communities. In the past, Elder Trees were known to create wandering sentient creatures of wood and bark - Ents. Creatures the size of houses and buildings, they bore unknown ferocity and unbordered strength when it came to defending the forests they too called their home. It had been some time since any true Elder Tree or Ent had been seen wandering the woodlands, but wiser and older Druids do cling onto the hope that someday, somewhere, an Elder Tree would awaken once more. Creation Natural Formation [Event-Only] Elder trees only get their name from that of their status, being Elders. Forebearers of their forest and keepers of natural knowledge, it is not uncommon for these goliaths of trees to become greater than what they were - to further extend their reach and might to the lands they inhabit. In such cases, there is often some sort of trigger for this sudden change in their demeanor and physical form whether it be a sudden influx of druidic presence around it by the means of a Grove, or even the influence of the Fae Realm itself may act as a catalyst - a reawakening in itself. With this sudden resurgence of energy, it is unable to be contained within and thus explodes outwards in a shockwave within the song as it too explodes in height and strength. Animals hold their breath, nature stands still and all those able to hear the song are overwhelmed with the change in the song within a [100 Block/Meter Radius] of the tree in question. In the coming days, it’s believed that the forest that surrounds the newly-birthed Elder Tree, explodes with abundance with the new presence amongst the trees. Animals from the very edges of the trees come to gather in the heart of the forest at the Elder Tree’s roots to receive even a sliver of wisdom from its leaves, or to find newfound safety within its branches. A new beacon had formed in the heart of its wood, with its roots spreading far and beyond to ensure the safety of its kin. Rite of Elderhood [Player Ritual] While druids do not possess the ability to create new elder trees through normal means, it is still possible for them to bring forth a new generation of elder trees through saplings gleaned from extant ones. Despite elder tree saplings being inherently dormant outside of particular conditions, a large gathering of competent druids can utilize a ritual to trigger the growth of an elder tree. Requirements: At least [9] [T5] Druids that know Infusion and are [T5] in Blight Healing, the likes of which will form [3] groups of [3] Druids. Each group will possess a leader who must know Awakening. In the case that an Elder Tree is required to move entirely and be ungrown to do so, the Rite of Elderhood may be done again but in reverse. With the rings of glyphs all set up, each group of druid must begin to draw out the energy from the markings, starting from the innermost ring and heading outwards. With each ring that is powered, the Elder Tree will shrink accordingly until it becomes that of an Elder Tree Sapling. Progression As the greatest influence over the forest, an Elder tree may still be young in terms of its awakening. Its consciousness not yet fully developed, the tree will require more time to grow and unfurl to truly be able to harness all that it can. Despite this, Druids and the forest around it are still extremely protective of the Elder Tree - for the children of the forest feel a sense of duty to protect their parent. This cultivation of its strength and abilities takes time, as much of nature requires patience and care in order to bear the most fruit. That is not to say that it is not formidable even in its smallest stage, but there is always more sky to claim with its bountiful branches and leaves. As the Elder Tree grows, so does its power and dominion of the forest around it. With it’s growing strength, those attuned to nature too grow in power within the presence of the Elder. Tier I At this budding state, the Elder Tree is still young despite its title - it is young in comparison to its other counterparts, and what it could be in turn. Despite its newly-acquired size and power, it has yet to truly understand how to use it at all. In this stage, the Elder Tree is but a giant centerpiece within the forest - able to upkeep its immediate lands but nothing more. Not yet. Tier II At this sprouting state, the Elder Tree has gotten stronger and grown taller to show for it. With its song bolstered and reaching even farther into the woods that surround it, druids and nature alike can hear the gentle song emanating from the Elder Tree’s core - soothing those near it. The peace of its presence reflects in the flora around it, as the plants within its vicinity appear to be brighter, livelier, even in the shade - just being near the tree is enough to keep them healthy. Due to its large size, an Elder Tree is typically only able to support itself and not continue its expansive growth. In these cases, Druids may help aid the Elder Tree into a final push. To do so, [9] separate Druids must come to ‘water’ the Elder Tree with infused energy, similar to Powersharing but with the tree itself instead. These may be the same druids that helped grow the Elder Tree in the first place, should it have come from a sapling. Tier III At this final state, the Elder Tree has gotten as big as it possibly could and truly cemented its role as the protectorate and heart of the forest. Its mind and song has matured and changed, allowing Druids to have full conversations with it as if it were another person. It’s trunk and roots had been bolstered with it’s own song, growing much stronger than the average tree, Saplings In order to keep and preserve the memory of an Elder Tree should it be in any amount of danger, a sapling may be grown from its branches which imparts a part of its consciousness within it for safekeeping. Its power and sentience is dormant while in this stage of infancy, though it does not mean that it is not an Elder Tree. In order to keep itself alive alongside its magic, it must be in the presence of consistent druidic energy, almost like watering a plant. To produce an Elder Tree sapling, three druids with mastery over their communion must band together to communicate to the Elder Tree. Establishing a link of communication between them and the Tree, the druids may be able to convince it to give up a part of itself for the sake of self-preservation or otherwise. Once such is granted, they can Glean a sapling from the Tree and take it under their care. The sapling itself bears a strong song despite its size, which can be detected by druids of all experience. There is the possibility of the sapling developing differently than its parent and such may be seen in its growth into a proper Elder Tree of its own. “Roam as you will, your roots remain in the strong earth of your rising.” - Magic: The Gathering [Source] Blight and destruction is an inevitable fate for those in nature, whether it be through deforestation, dark magics or corruption. In the heart of the forest, an Elder tree hears all, and feels all. The hurt and pain of its denizens, animal and plant alike, would not be allowed to continue - not under its watchful branches. It falls almost in a near-silent slumber, where winds could move not a leaf in sight. Over time, nature began to bend and anticipate something. Animals alike all gather at the sight of the Elder Tree in eagerness to bask within the thriving energy. Flora all around flourish and indulge in “... the presence of the Aspects themselves.” (Lost Druid, 1434). When the moment arrived and the Elder Tree was ready, the ground underneath its roots began to split and rumble with thunderous noise that rippled over the forest. Everything was quiet. The hollow earth was silent before a groan and creak of wood echoed from below. A gnarled mass of wood and branches shot out and grasped at the dirt, then came another. Slowly, a figure of giant proportions pulled itself out of the ground - wrought of roots, leaves and wood. Towering over the nearby trees and animals, the thing creaked with each movement - each marching step taken resulted in a shudder of the earth and a loud thud. A true Ent had been born. Formation Born from the heartfelt calling of an Elder Tree, whether by its own will or by the request of druids, an Ent is the incarnated will of an Elder Tree to defend its domain against dire threats. When deemed necessary to bring forth, an Ent will be formed from the warped, twisting roots of an Elder Tree, quaking the ground in its vicinity as it pries itself from its earthen cradle. These goliath guardians are not entities brought out upon mere whims, however, as they draw an immense amount of energy from the Elder Tree to form. This process causes the Elder Tree to fall dormant while the Ent is manifested, only reawakening should the Ent fulfill its duty or perish, both cases causing the ent’s form to fall apart and disperse into a shockwave of druidic energies which scatter across the region. This dormant period lasts [1 OOC Week] until an Ent is ready to be emerged. Ent Formation typically requires the forest around it to be in some modicum of imminent or present danger, though several adept Druids may convince an Elder Tree to create an Ent in preparation. The Elder Tree will be rendered unable to reawaken another Ent for [2 OOC Weeks] once it's summoned one, the tree left strained by the energy spent on its creation. The Elder Tree will temporarily receive a [Tier Debuff] for the duration of this cooldown, its various boons being treated as if it were [T2] rather than [T3] until the cooldown ends. If an Ent has yet to be deployed, the Elder Tree cannot be convinced or made to create another Ent until the current creation has been let out to do its duty. Should several master Druids find it needed that whatever duty outside of the forest calls for the Elder Tree’s assistance, at least [5] [T5] druids may summon that Ent from the earth with the Elder Tree’s permission in a ritual similar to how an Elder Tree sapling was cultivated. Rings of Kuila and glyphs are placed on the ground betwixt the large roots of the elder, while the druids begin to power the symbols in the ground. The sheer amount of energy funneled into the earth replicates the energy that the Elder Tree itself would use to power up the creature, allowing it to pry free out of the ground. Mentality Ents are creatures unique to their Elder Tree, being incarnations of the tree’s will to defend its domain and itself. This incarnation, however, is separate from the tree itself, although it derives several things from it. Ents bear intelligence on par with descendants, although they only learn effectively through actual experiences, theoretical or philosophical discussions serving as an ineffective means for them to learn. Each Ent bears a personality similar to that of their Elder Tree, although Ents bear far more diluted and rigid emotions. Ents progressively learn with each iteration of their summoning, retaining memories from the previous times they’ve awoken. That being said, an Elder Tree’s first Ent may be extremely crude and lacking in skill - requiring druids to guide it and command it around. More advanced forms of the Ent will be able to fully act on its own without instruction, and even develop the ability to speak or recall things as if it were accessing the Elder Tree’s own memories. Despite their capacity to learn, Ents still have a strong preference for straightforward behavior. Where they can help it, they will always attempt to use the simplest solution to achieve their goal, which tends to be utilizing brute force against whatever threat caused their awakening. This is furthered by the fact that ents lack any care for the concept of death, for their sole duty is to defend their host tree, granting them an inherent nature of being reckless and destructive in order to trample over their foe rather than temper their intents with strategy. Physiology Ents take on the appearance of goliath mass of gnarled roots, although they vary based on the tree they source from and the iteration of their creation. They often develop preferences for traits that work best in their environment or that have proven useful in prior lives, uptaking these traits upon their next formation such as eyes for better sight, or heavier limbs in the case of melee. While ents vary in size and weight, the most common proportions tend to put them on par with a two-story house, standing [10m-12m/33’-39’] tall and weighing [8-11 Metric Tons / 9-12 Tons]. Should an ent’s iteration reach the end of the line then its body will crack and splinter, crumbling away as a shockwave of druidic energies is released from it. The energies dispersed will carry a joyous, calming melody if the Ent has fulfilled their purpose, but they will inversely carry a sorrowful, despair-filled melody should it have fallen without achieving such. Regardless of success or failure in their objective, the corpse of the Ent’s body will degrade into a behemoth pile of nutrient-rich mulch, the remnants of an Ent’s body being able to easily supply a small forest with enough nutrients for years. Ents are blessed with an array of unique strengths to help them overcome whatever challenge they are tasked with handling. Their primary boon, their strength, lets them deliver punches with destructive capabilities on par with siege weapons, additionally able to lift mass equivalent to their own weight. Their durability is on par with an Elder Tree itself, although this comes at the cost of greatly inhibited mobility, an Ent typically moving at [4 Blocks/Meters per Emote] at most. Despite being an extension of its Elder tree, it does not bear all of its strengths. Blunt weapons are still able to break away at its bark to weaken the portion of the body after [5] continuous attacks, though mundane weaponry is wholly unable to do any extreme damage such as limb removal. The only exception to this would be Thanium - should a Thanic weapon be able to breach its bark, the Ent will slowly be unable to sustain its form and eventually disintegrate into mulch after [5] emotes. Siege weaponry, such as cannons or mounted arbalests, are also among the few things that can blast into the Ent’s toughened exterior. Magic is also considered rather potent, particularly that of most Voidal Fire and Dragonsflame, in which the targeted part of Ent's body will begin to catch flame after [5] continuous attacks. In the event an Ent sustains non-lethal injuries following a battle, druids capable of using Blight Healing may mend their form with Blooming. The mana exhausted from healing an Ent’s wounds is rather draining, a [T5] druid typically exhausting most of their energy in exchange each [Quarter-Limb] of an Ent that’s restored. This often leads to a large amount of druids being required to mend an Ent should it sustain large amounts of injuries during a battle. Corruption Like most natural things in the mortal realm, evil and dark magics can easily disrupt and wholly corrupt parts and beings of nature. Despite their prowess, Ents are not exempt from this foulness tainting their very being. Their mind and control are cut off from its Elder Tree in order to protect it, leaving them to their destructive lonesome. With its ties temporarily severed, the Ent would be unable to disintegrate even after its original duty was fulfilled - the Ent was kept alive against its will, with the darkness forcing it to stay. With their natural strength corrupted and in the hands of something that could not control themselves, it is an extremely dangerous situation for anyone involved. Once corrupted, the Ent’s mind is seized with irrational pain and anger, seeking to relieve itself of the agony by attacking those who it perceives may be the cause - friend or foe. Its once-majestic and healthy body becomes thorny, sickly and rotted with corruption, turning them into giants of dying flora depending on what it is that corrupted them. Blightsteel may develop in strangling red tendrils that snaked outwards from the initial wound, or a necromancer may cause the Ent to look blackened and skeletal in appearance. The very song that emitted from its body is crushed and warped into something strange and unnatural, in an eerie way that sends shivers down one’s spine. At this stage, it is near impossible to get their attention for more than a moment if it was for anything other than to destroy, rendering only two options: to heal it, or to kill it. Neither of which would be simple. In order to purge it of corruption, Blight Healing is required. [3] [T3] Blight Healers or a [T5] Blight Healer can cleanse the Ent and help it to return to its senses, allowing it to finally fall away and return its essence to the Elder Tree once its purpose is fulfilled. An average Ent, however, is ginormous and thus requires much more energy to fully get rid of all corruption in its wooden form. Those Blight Healers who helped in cleansing the Ent would find their bodies sapped of its energy thereafter, rendering them frail and exhausted as well as being unable to call upon any Druidic gift beyond passive communion for at least [1 OOC day]. Purpose Elder Trees have been a core lore piece to Druidism and their Groves, in which standard druidic roleplay hubs often have their own Elder tree as the centerpiece of their build and roleplay. The last lore piece concerning them had been shelved and not updated over the course of several years, despite Elder Trees still holding a level of relevance in current druidic culture and roleplay. With the addition of Elder Trees, it would only see fit that Ents were also renewed as well, as one of the main purposes of Elder Trees and being staple allies to the druids. Credits Author: @marslol Co-author: @Pengin Review: @DragonofTaters @Drusus @HazelWazel Citations https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/186715-%E2%9C%93-magic-lore-druidic-communion/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/227298-✓-magic-lore-druidic-blight-healing/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/164719-rewrite-ents/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/92342-lorethe-elder-tree/ Changelog

"... Must have been her father who taught her to write this neat. You'd never think it by her looks." Came the idle hum of that Sister Nightshade, perhaps too focused on the penmanship to care about the contents of the paper! "Actually, is this even by Phaedra? Where's the crayons?"

“The timeless, tireless laws of nature shall one day devour us all.” - Magic: The Gathering [Source] The realms are vast, in which there exists a multitude that one could ever hope of seeing. Some were utter wastelands, others were raging hells filled with danger and magma, while very few ever offered solace. Even then, there was not without danger when treading into planes beyond one’s comprehension. Many caution against the crossings of these otherworldly boundaries, but desperate times call for desperate actions. The Fae Realm is one such plane of existence where nature lives in the utmost harmony. Incredulous fae, animal demi-gods and nature sprouted amongst fertile ground and winding rivers that ran through all the Domains, tended to by the various deceased druids that called the realm home under the watchful hands of the Aspects. Natural energy coursed through the realm as readily and steady as blood and life itself, saturating everything that it came in touch with. About five hundred years ago in the age of Athera, the Fae Realm was visited by living Druids seeking guidance and aid from those who had passed before. Plucked from the flowing streams of life itself, were several stones of pure energy unlike anything ever seen in the mortal plane. These were given as both gifts, and objects of intent to those who visited the Realm that day. Since then, they’ve been scarcely seen in this world but perhaps they still linger elsewhere, shimmering and rippling in the endless ethereal light. Material Name and Description (Raw Form) Blightstones are found within the Fae Realm and Eternal Forest, within the separate domains correlating to each Aspect. About the size of one’s palm, they may be found within the streams and rivers that flow within the Realm - collecting the energy that runs through the Fae Realm through the water. A Blightstone is essentially a rock that had been completely saturated with natural energies, which would inevitably shatter after [5] direct hits from a blade, or crossbow. Blunt weapons like warhammers or maces would only require [3] direct hits to cause the Blightstone to break. Null Arcana would be able to 'deactivate' the stone for it's standard duration of [2] emotes, while Thanium would be able to break a Blightstone with [2] direct hits. Greater Dragonsflame is capable of melting the Blightstone down over the course of [2] emotes. The destruction would cause the Blightstone to explode into a flurry of harmless light and natural energy, immediately causing flora and plants to suddenly grow anywhere it could within a [5x5x5] radius. Depending which Domain that they’re found in, the Blightstones may take on different nature-based aesthetic effects that denote their original location. A Dayward Blightstone may be a vibrant green or yellow with a floral or leafy pattern, emitting a soft and healthy song within a [3x3x3] radius. A Twilight Blightstone would appear with rich autumnal hues such as red or orange, and be able to take on a more fossil-like appearance - able to radiate an energetic, excited song within a [3x3x3] radius. A Nightfall Blightstone could possess blues and purples that glowed faintly in the dark with bioluminescence, allowing an utterly peaceful and potentially unsettling song to radiate within a [3x3x3] radius. The influence these stones have upon the material plane are potent, acting akin to a perpetual Singing Infusion without the need for activation. Applications (Raw Form) Having been saturated with pure unfiltered natural energies, a Blightstone’s raw energy far exceeded that of a normal Druid. Infused with the Fae Realm’s energy, they have enough potency to strength to allow a Druid to strengthen their connection to magic despite their inexperience. Calling upon the Blighstone in this manner over the course of [2] emotes of connecting to the stone and activating it by a means of interaction or through will like that of an Infusion, the Blightstone will begin to pulse with its innate colour mixed with the druid’s aura. Once activated, a T1-T4 druid may perform known spells from Druidic Magics at a tier higher than their current tier (i.e a T3 druid may call upon the Blightstone and cast Cleansing [Druidic Blight Healing] as if they were T4 once it was active). Alternatively, if the druid is T5 or chooses not to temporarily increase their tier, they may instead double their effective radius for a singular spell. That being said, a druid will still be thoroughly exhausted afterwards as a cost of their bolstered strength - once used, the wielder would find themselves sapped for at least [1] OOC day, unable to cast any other Druidic spells other than passive communion. Living up to its namesake, a Blightstone was a particularly powerful conduit of Blight Healing mists. In the event that the Sealing Ritual is required, it may be used to replace one of the three druids needed to cast. That being said, if a T5 Blight Healing druid possessed a Blightstone and activated it over the course of [2] emotes, they would only require one other T5 druid to perform the ritual. Harvesting Stemming from the Fae Realm itself, it’s extraordinarily rare to see it outside the confines of the Aspects’ grasp. They appear to naturally spawn within the Fae Realm, specifically by or in the riverbanks that flow throughout the Forest as the water carries the natural energies in the most streamline and flowing way. To obtain one is no easy feat by any means, but the way forward may be closer than you think. Purpose Blightstones were introduced in a large eventline back in Athera, in which approximately six of them were handed out to the druid community back then. Ten years later after the eventline, there still has yet to be lore about these items that are supposedly still in the Fae Realm, while Blightstones are still held by active players to this day. This post is to further clarify and align the old lore and items to the current state of Druidism, as well as provide some more world lore to a frequented Deific Realm. Credits Author: @marslol Review: @DragonofTaters@glassyskies@HazelWazel Citations https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/186715-%E2%9C%93-magic-lore-druidic-communion/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/227298-✓-magic-lore-druidic-blight-healing/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/225732-%E2%9C%93-%C2%A0druidismfeat-druidic-transcendence/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/213242-✓-magic-lore-druidic-blood-magic/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/161000-✓-the-fae-realm/

A lone Dryad awoke with a shudder in the undergrowth of the Aevos Jungles, in the fleeting presence of flame engulfing and consuming the very trees around them. Emitting a guttural hiss from their maw, the lingering despair and desperation began to bleed away as they rose. In it's place, a retribution was vowed. No vision of this kind will make itself reality. A promise.

In crp and the new Techlock now, a regular Longbow and Crack Crossbow have very little differentiating them - besides their consistency and draw weight. Both cannot be used on horses and both are [4] emotes. They state in the Techlock that both are capable of piercing Medium-Heavy armour. With the ammendment as well, they'd able to use them on horses given it's adjusted size of a Shortbow, but will be unable to to move around while channeling as my compromise for regular Longbows being unusable on horseback. It is an unfortunate truth that the new Tecklock does actually break quite a bit of the thing's mechanics but I adjusted it where I could where it would still be even feasible in lore, rather than just dead in the water.

PREVIOUS Mechanics: Redlines: NEW Mechanics: Redlines: Purpose Doing some clean up to the lore to better align with the new techlock regarding Armaments and it's changes. Players are encouraged to update their item descriptions to be on par with this amendment, should it be accepted.

Behind red-tinged goggles, a lone 'ker read over the missive then - flicking at the edge of it's pages. A thoughtful hum escaped through the tubes of the gasmask they wore as they peeked out the window of the overgrown house they stayed in. Images briefly flashed through their mind then - melted blue shackles, matted white hair, and that unforgettable flash of purple smoke that took them from damp and dreary cells to the warmth that was the Lord. The Lord, they ruminated over. That warmth would never fade, even in memory. At least someone managed to find freedom in it all. Neatly folding the missive in a satchel, they quickly prepared some things for the long journey before slipping out of the quiet house for the road ahead.

PREVIOUS Mechanics: Redlines: NEW Mechanics: Redlines: Purpose I think cool faerie-like reskins of steeds would be really nice in terms of flavour, given that Father’s Wardens are meant to be whimsical, magical and sometimes amalgamations of other animals in the first place. There’s no real reason to not have a horse that fits into another archetype, like a Kelpie for the Shark Archetype if someone really wanted so in reality, there’s nothing barring another animal from becoming a steed. There are regular lore creatures that can do this already, such as Bokolos, Solar Stallions, etc.

Would you suggest changing the base for most of the potions from Liquid Lifeforce instead? At the moment, I view the niche of Black Alchemy as still using Lifeforce to some degree - and I'm unsure how well it would go over to change some of the actual recipes in their fundamental parts.