What do you guys think of these places (trees)? They don't seem to be entirely fleshed out, but they strike me as very interesting and worthy of discussion, as I'm doing some 'Greyhawk woodlands' research and I'd ofcourse like to be well versed in such things. _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
I don't have any product pertaining to the Timeless Tree and Oakvein, but the Timeless Tree is in the Welkwood, and Oakvein is in the Vesve, right? _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
I cannot comment on the Timeless Tree - I have never heard of it until this post. But, I do like and agree with Mortellan's comment regarding it.
Oakvein, however, is a different story. Somehow, I have it in the Gnarley Forest. I'll have to check when I get home, but it borders the Welkwood, I think. Here are a few details from my personal notes:
- considered a part of the Welkwood rather than the Gnarley Forest, it is important because of the influence it exerts on the elves in both forests.
- Home to the six Loremasters of Clan Enlanefel, an enormous oak (that could be the Timeless Tree...?) stands 240 feet tall and has a breathtaking appearance. All around its thick bark, great knotted veins pulse with life.
- High in its silver and green branches, vine ropes and ladders lead to lofty elven abodes.
- There are only two-dozen elves here and they have powerful defenses; unicorns, owls, and fey creatures (brownies, pixies, satyrs, etc.).
- Enlanefel's resident elves are powerful; druids, sorcerers, wizards and priests of Corellon and Sehanine (elves of 12th or higher level [v.3.5] in their respective classes).
- Oakvein is very difficult to find; near-impenetrable hallucinatory terrains, veils and illusions enshroud it, Like Gondolin from Tolkein's Silmarillion. Non-elves only find the mystic place when the elves in Oakvein want them to find it.
- Elves of other tribes do not visit Oakvein unless their need is great, or unless they seek The Leaving (a reference to preperations to go to Lendore).
I can post some more when I get home, if you are interested. I might have "stats" on the Tree. I will also try to find citations for the above. _________________ Don (Greyson)
Timeless Tree is in the Vesve, paraphrased f/ 'Marklands'
The Timeless Tree is both a community and a shrine of grey elves.
A vast oak in Central Vesve, 160' high 55' w trunk, 200' radius spanning branches.
Within the branches are a network of elven houses, connected by rope bridges and vines.
High Priestess Calandryen of Labelas Enoreth holds court inside a glittering crystal chamber within the roots of the oak. The chamber may only be reached from above by a dimension door effect.
The oak is said to be grown from the same tiny group of acorns which gave rise to OAKVEIN.
Timeless Tree keeps in communication with Oakvein.
Defenses are aided by sylvan folk, illusions, walls of force, 'Philidor's Globes' and a ring of grey elf mages. Calandryen can see anywhere within her domain. No one of non-good is permited in.
-interesting. So the two trees are related from a small acorn group. This would lead me to speculate that there would be a similar tree in Lendore and maybe farther afield. Perhaps in a fading land? Perhaps each major elven forest at one time had one of these trees and some have fallen since the migrations.
This post is most intersing as I have been trying to find some informatino on this as well. What the differences between the two trees are? and also Where did these acorns come from? The exerpt above is the only info I have found as well. From what I know it is in the Wlkwood but borders the Gnarly.
Has any info come up in old modules in the past?
btw: foudn this stie a few weeks ago and I give it a thumbs up! :)
I'm having a terrible time tracking down any information on Oakvein. Does anybody have any references other than the minor one listed above? Most specifically, I'm wondering how Oakvein would have to be altered in order to accommodate a modified version of "Forest of Doom" from Dragon #73.
That brings to mind the OD&D/Mystaran conceit of the elven Trees of Life. Module CM7 Tree of Life was about a quest to one of the earlier elven homelands to save the Tree of Life that the modern trees were the offsprings of; as the original tree died, so did the younger ones. I can see that adventure fitting into this.
-interesting. So the two trees are related from a small acorn group. This would lead me to speculate that there would be a similar tree in Lendore and maybe farther afield. Perhaps in a fading land? Perhaps each major elven forest at one time had one of these trees and some have fallen since the migrations.
And where did this group of acorns come from? An older tree (in which case they are not the oldest trees, but perhaps the oldest extant).
OR, and I think more interestingly, perhaps this first group of acorns was brought to Oerth by the first elves on Oerth, when they came from another world. All of the acorns were, say, from a tree in the lands of the Seldarine, a divine gift to the elven transworld "pioneers". Each acorn would produce an oak that could care for and guide an elven community, an oak that would become one of the elven kingdoms. The trees would also allow communication between the kingdoms themselves, and between the kingdoms and the Seldarine. They would serve as "stele", but in a central sense rather and a boundary sense. _________________ My campaigns are multilayered tapestries upon which I texture themes and subject matter which, quite frankly, would simply be too strong for your hobbyist gamer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mp7Ikko8SI
-interesting. So the two trees are related from a small acorn group. This would lead me to speculate that there would be a similar tree in Lendore and maybe farther afield. Perhaps in a fading land? Perhaps each major elven forest at one time had one of these trees and some have fallen since the migrations.
And where did this group of acorns come from? An older tree (in which case they are not the oldest trees, but perhaps the oldest extant).
OR, and I think more interestingly, perhaps this first group of acorns was brought to Oerth by the first elves on Oerth, when they came from another world. All of the acorns were, say, from a tree in the lands of the Seldarine, a divine gift to the elven transworld "pioneers". Each acorn would produce an oak that could care for and guide an elven community, an oak that would become one of the elven kingdoms. The trees would also allow communication between the kingdoms themselves, and between the kingdoms and the Seldarine. They would serve as "stele", but in a central sense rather and a boundary sense.
Grandfather Oak, the "oldest tree of Arvandor" (Planes of Chaos p. 44) could well fit the bill as the tree Kirt refers to. Of course so would Rillifane Rallathil in his tree form who sits in the center of Arvandor. That would tie in nicely with the Trees of Life that Rip pointed out, which are descended from a tree avatar of the elven god Ilsundal in Mystara.
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