The Great Tree

In it's shade we are safe, in its fruit we find life, and in its wood we find shelter, praise be the great tree.

Description

The great tree is approximately 1.2 miles or 1.9k metres tall and it's crown almost covers the entire city blanketing the ground below in a kind of perpetual twilight, it has silver almost iridescent outer bark and dark red leaves. It's inner core of wood is nearly black so fades from silver to black as you go deeper into the tree's core, though none have seen the true center of the tree. It's branches reach out across and above the city they criss cross over each other and almost are like a highway system making it possible to become lost above the city in the branches.

Native Fauna

The trees branches are home to a number of creatures though no one alive has catalogued them all, only the The great tree workers have seen a small handful of what lives in the lower branches and no one is really sure what could live in the upper boughs. An excerpt from a worker who got lost had this to say about the darkest parts... "I saw something up there or maybe I didn't, I... don't know, I know that we are the intruders. It lets us scurry about in the lower branches like, ants. Because that's what we are to it like vermin and I think we only live because it lets us... one day it might decide not to." The worker had been lost for days in the upper branches, he was half starved, dehydrated and quite possibly driven mad by what he had seen. Still everyone who works in the tree knew he was telling the truth because they had all felt the same shiver down their spine when they went up a little too high.

Effects

The Great Tree is the assumed source of magic within Arbor and possibly the world. As such there are many rumors as to the source of effects upon the city of Arbor that might originate from the Great Tree.

Confirmed Phenomenon

• The Curse of Decent - The name given to a host of maladies resulting from the traversal of the great tree and it's expected descent from the heights above, it should be noted that these maladies only manifest when descending from the great tree and no observed effect has ever been recorded or witnessed during an assent.
• Absorption - The Great Tree will absorb any dead flesh into itself from nearly any surface. This presents a problem when attempting certain resurrection spells but so long as the body does not make contact with any of the Great Tree's roots it is easily surmounted. In addition due to this property most of the populace is buried in a ceremony called Sylvalay

Unconfirmed Phenomenon

• Memoria intra objectum - No direct link has ever been made between the great tree and the strange occurances of memories replaying themselves... but every object thus far has had some piece of the Great Tree embedded inside it what that means no one is sure.
• The Draw - Not so much a phenomenon but simply a rather strange feeling many get when viewing the Great Tree from a far. They report a sense of longing or want about the tree and find themselves compelled to travel to Arbor. No is sure if this is simply a result of the tree's magnificence or some other arcane/divine thing.

 

History

The Great Tree predates Arbor by at least a few centuries though no one is exactly certain when it first sprouted or even if it simply appeared one day. The first people who found it settled there because of the great and wondrous gifts the tree provided. Over time the tree grew to truly mythical heights and with it the city grew as well.

Produce

Common Materials

Great Tree Leaves
Dream Fruit
Great Tree Bark

Uncommon Materials

Great Tree Seed
Great Tree Sap
Great Tree Wood

Rare Materials

Heart Wood
Star Rose
Great Tree Amber

Parent Location

Inner Ring

Owning Organization

The Silver Council