Living Wood
Magical wood commonly used in elven buildings
Introduction
"The wood is part of our lives. Even though I haven't had much contact with my own due to the life I've taken, I can still... feel a certain connection between these people to their wood."
The material known as Living Wood is a common timber, usually oak and birch, treated with aether since the seed's germination for it to acquire magical properties, a process known as Spellfarming. Invented by the Wood Elves, living wood is largely used for the production of durable and ecological houses.
Properties
Physical Characteristics
The wood still retains all of its normal physical characteristics when treated with magic, and one can hardly tell them apart. The best way to tell living wood from common wood is by testing its magical properties, which may prove to be a slow method, but the only other way is to have a skilled mage detect the presence of aether.Properties
Timbers made from living wood are known for their resilience to breaking, self-repairing, and natural molding capabilities. They can adapt and mold themselves around other trees that might grow through them, which is why they are so commonly used by the elves for building the homes.Life & Expiration
Being the material much more difficult to damage both thanks to its resistance and the fact it isn't exposed to degradation as much, living woods' properties last much longer than other spellfarmed materials. The effects for houses and buildings more often than not last for decades, while other daily use items retain them for 5 to 10 years.History & Usage
Discovery
Due to the nomadic culture of the wood elves, it was a matter of time until they encountered an aether-rich environment. Through observation and trial and error, they found out that it was magic that was allowing plants and animals to acquire special characteristics, and then developed a technique to reproduce this to their advantage.Everyday use
As it is difficult to produce, living wood is much more expensive, and rare, than common timber. It is hard to find it being used by anyone except for the elves themselves, who build their homes entirely out of this material. Wood elves have a special bond to the living wood they produce, which is why they earned this name. In the few times that this material is seen used by anyone else, it is almost always a gift by the elves, rather than a product made from purchased woodCultural Significance
Not only living wood, but all spellfarmed materials are of great importance to the wood elves. Most of their crafts are made from such materials, as they are the ultimate manifestation of their culture that mixes nature and magic. The wood especially is important to the person who cultivates it, as every individual is responsible for growing the wood they will use through their lives - the reason why it is so hard for them to part with it.Manufacturing & Products
It is uncontested that the main use of living wood is to build elven homes. Still, it may also be used for nearly every single piece of crafting they work on, such as furniture, sculptures, utensils, musical instruments, painting frames, brushes, engagement rings, pieces of decoration, and even weapons, such as bows and knives. Some of them are made for the practical use of the wood's properties, and some simply for the cultural meaning it carries.Distribution
Trade & Market
As the creators of the technique, wood elves are the main producers of living wood. Not many people know the exact details of the process, which guarantees the elves' dominance over the market. In the Kingdom of Archana, Springdrop is the only source of spellfarmed products.
Type
Wood
Rarity
Rare
Color
Same as the normal wood
Related Locations
Related Species
Related Technologies
Related Articles
/*Wood Elves*/
/*Spellfarming*/
/*Springdrop*/
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