Giant Flying Tree

Written by Pookas Kreations

This plant is a species of a giant tree that lives in the Skylands. One of the main characteristics of a Flying Tree is that instead of laying on the ground, its "fallen" detritus (branches and leave) float around it in a cloud. This cloud drifts around it in the wind currents with the home tree in the center. Bumping together and ricocheting off of each other in their travels. the farther away from the home tree they go the weaker the pull to it. they still float but are no longer attracted to it.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The most common type of this tree looks like a giant version of a sequoia. There are various other types, but the sequoias yield the straightest planks. Other types include mountain ash, chestnut, cedar, mahogany, red pine, black oak, and many others. All of the trees that were on the mountains before the raising of the Skylands, were altered during the wild magic storm.

Ecology and Habitats

These trees have evolved to live in the high altitudes of the Skylands. Most of their water is absorbed through the atmosphere instead of from the ground. They don't lack sunlight and the low gravity lets them reach astounding heights.

Additional Information

Social Structure

All flying trees have a telepathic connection to each other and their mother World Tree Gaia in Sylvania far below. It is more of communion than true communication, although emotions, concepts, and pictures can be shared. Gaia is more intelligent than most of her offspring, there are exceptions of course.

Domestication

People have tried to "farm" these trees, but they never grow or produce as well then if they grew in the wild. The seeds that drift on the wind seem to sense the perfect location to plant themselves so they can thrive.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

These are the trees that Lightwood comes from. The Sky Gnome use this wood almost exclusively in the building of Skyships, and other items that need to be made of strong and with light materials. 

Certain birds and Fae-like using the discarded branches as nesting material as they are attracted together, so are less likely to fall apart in high winds. Also, when attached to high trees or cliffs strong attachments are not needed to stop these instructions from falling from the heights.

Icarans specifically prefer this building material over all others because of these specific qualities. They are able to create lofty floating towers that are only lightly secured to the mountain crags of their homeland. 

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Skylands archipelago.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They can sense all that is happening around them. Since they are the children of the World Tree Gaia, they can talk to her and each other telepathically.

Civilization and Culture

History

Their special abilities came to be during the creation of the Skylands Continent. Originally, these trees were the normal children of the World Tree Gaia. Some of her offspring have the potential to become Treekin, but most live their lives as normal if large and long-lived trees.

Scientific Name

Arbor volantes caelum

Lifespan

Unknown

Conservation Status

Since this tree is so important in the building of skyships and similar technology, Sky gnomes are careful to never harvest too much that the trees can't survive.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

This varies, depending on the species of tree portrayed as Gaia is the mother of all trees on Aquatica.

Geographic Distribution

• Skylands Continent

Related Ethnicities

• Treekin

Discovered by

Dieter Brightstone