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Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:55 pm
by Zora
Image

Name: Arborshield Tree
Habitat: Forests, places where trees grow. Spread across Ransera.
Rarity: Rare
Threat: Medium - Deadly

Description: Arborshield Trees stand tall with an ethereal white bark, decorated with blue and green luminescent patterns that seem to shift and move, mimicking constellations on a clear night. These markings are believed to be a form of communication or perhaps a way to store the tree's memories. The leaves are silver, with a translucent property. This allows sunlight to filter through them which results in mesmerizing patterns being cast onto the forest floor.

In groups, the eldest and largest of these trees are always found at the center. This formation provides a natural defense. The elder trees, with their vast reservoir of stored magical energy, act as a beacon, drawing threats towards them first. This allows the younger trees on the outskirts to learn and develop their defensive capabilities while benefiting from the protection of their older kin.

Arborshield Trees possess a unique and astonishing ability to uproot themselves and move deliberately across the forest floor. This movement is facilitated by a complex system of fibrous tendrils that can retract and expand, allowing the tree to "walk" in a manner reminiscent of an octopus's fluid gait. The trees often shift their positions to optimize their exposure to sunlight, access richer soils, or communicate with their kin. Moving their roots inadvertently causes damage to the surrounding plant life so while they can relocate, they generally do not do so unless it's necessary.

More crucially, their mobility serves a significant defensive purpose. These trees act as defenders of their biome, and they will often move to defend each other or even other flora, forming dangerous barriers against unwelcome threats to the forest. Arborshields are intelligent enough to split up into smaller groups to distribute themselves where they are needed most.

Biome Role: Defenders of the forest

Diet: Sunlight

Aging & Reproduction: Reproduction is a long process, as Arborshields release magical spores once every decade. They can live for millennia, with the oldest known tree being around 5,000 years.

Size: Can grow up to 120 feet tall.

Abilities and Features:

Magically resilient - are difficult to set on fire or otherwise damage with magic.

Intelligent roots - can communicate with other fauna

Mobile - can lift their roots to move

Intelligence - can move their branches to attack and communicate with other arborshields

Bark expulsion - can fire sharp shards of wood with great precision.

Nurturing - plant life flourishes where these trees are present which can be useful in restoring areas affected by blight, deforestation, etc.

Cultural Significance (If applicable): These trees are seen as guardians of forests. Lumber companies will often avoid working in forests if these trees are suspected of being present. Arborshields are typically fine with mortals cutting down non-sentient trees so long as it's done reasonably.

Reasons to interact:

The bark, leaves, etc take on properties of the biome that are helpful for crafting. Trees that live in more wet climates would have parts that are useful for creating scrolls and potions that deal with water. Only the inner-most part of the trunks have material suitable for making wand/staves.

While these trees don't contain dragonshards, their presence can be a good indication that dragonshards are in the area.

Being around these trees can be one of the safest places to be so long as one doesn't pose an active threat to the environment.

Recommended Stats:
Expert botany to properly harvest
Journeyman to Master, depending on age and quantity of trees

Re: Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:01 am
by Mirage
Hello!

This write up is very interesting, but one note I would make is to remove the aspect of growing dragonshards. Instead I would suggest giving these trees bark, leaves, etc properties relegated to the elements in that particular biome. For instance trees growing in swamp areas might have bark that is very good for creating scrolls that hold water magic. Their roots and leaves would also retain elemental properties.

It is also possible these trees grow in areas with dense concentrations of elements, so spotting one would suggest that there's a good chance a dragonshard could be found in the area as well, but because of their moving around it can't be reliably used to pinpoint exact locations.

I would also recommend their thread level to range depending on their age. Younger trees may only be medium level threats, but fully grown adults would be deadly not just because of their large magic reserves but also because of their deep ties to the elements of their biome.

Re: Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 3:22 pm
by Zora
The bark, leaves, etc take on properties of the biome that are helpful for crafting. Trees that live in more wet climates would have parts that are useful for creating scrolls and potions that deal with water. Only the inner-most part of the trunks have material suitable for making wand/staves.

While these trees don't contain dragonshards, their presence can be a good indication that dragonshards are in the area.
how's this?

Re: Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2023 11:47 am
by Mirage
Update the threat level to Medium - Deadly depending on the age of the tree. The elder trees would be a deadly threat, while the younger ones are dangerous in their own right. I would also make sure to note that while they can move, its not something they do often and is only done when necessary. Trees by their very nature I think would prefer to be in the same place forever, but they would move toward places that need protection. For instance if a wildfire breaks out a grove may move split and move some of themselves into the now vulnerable area to help nurture it back to health. Same thing with areas that have some form of corruption or even imbalances.

That way they are not naturally aggressive or dangerous, but can pose a threat if you are doing something that intentionally would draw their attention such as causing mass destruction in a forest and what not. It should also be noted that while these trees can be considered intelligent, they are not sapient in the way some animals and the other races are. They cannot direct wildlife for instance, but a skilled druid could possibly commune with them and gather insight on the forest they inhabit.

These trees are likely to be spread across Ransera as well, with grove sizes being dependent on the environment in question. They may even be sacred in certain parts of Atinaw I'd imagine.

Keep developing this idea. I think there's still some more that can be drawn out here, and I would rather these trees bit more than just something to fight.

Re: Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 6:00 pm
by Zora
how's this?

Stats changed to: Journeyman to Master, depending on age and quantity of trees

Habitat includes the text “spread across Ransera”

Threat updated to Medium – Deadly

Changed sentience to intelligence

Added to abilities:

Nurturing - plant life flourishes where these trees are present which can be useful in restoring areas affected by blight, deforestation, etc.

Added to description:

Moving their roots inadvertently causes damage to the surrounding plant life so while they can relocate, they generally do not do so unless it's necessary.

Arborshields are intelligent enough to split up into smaller groups to distribute themselves where they are needed most.

I didn't put in anything about Atinaw because I don't really know anything about that place

Re: Arborshield Tree [Flora]

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:10 am
by Mirage
Approved!