Israkumke
Frost Tree Giants
Day 15.
I can see them, just on the horizon. Beautiful. Like shafts of light cutting up the horizon line. So many different colours. The wind is biting cold even in my parka, and just as they said. The forest of Israkumke looks like its dancing. I know they aren't but the wind, the distance and twilight grant an awakens majesty. I've been told it's another four days of constant travel for us to catch up. Four days of us ... weeks for the Israkumke. Even their name is majestic.
Day 18.
They are amazing. Completely and totally worth the effort, the cost, and the cold. We're a day away now, and even from this distance I begin to feel and understand why the Order of The Spear and the Engineers are working to protect them. I think I can hear the wind passing between them. Almost a song to accompany their constant light. Merak has told me that the wind song will be louder when we reach them.
Day 20.
I know I didn't make an entry for yesterday, but I couldn't. I mean I forgot. The first day, at the edge of the Israkumke was overwhelming. The sense of ancient and timeless power was overwhelming. They are so mystical. I can't explain. I've walked among them, slowly, as I've been told. And, we are not the only ones. There are other creatures here living with the Israkumke, all slow.
I asked about that, and if you are slow the Israkumke think you are not a threat. It's dangerous still, so you have to wear a ReflectSuit, because the Israkumke do get hungry, so you might be randomly hit by a beam. They eat. They dig and they feast on light. I could be years studying them.
Day 23.
They were attacked in the night. Not us, but the Israkumke. Our team couldn't help without risking being targeted ourselves. The Israkumke don't distinguish very well between threats and others. The corpses lay strewn through the forest and already the Israkumke are being to consume them... slowly. It's mix of human, gnome and a few dwarves. Clearly a harvesting party, but an ill informed and under skilled one. I can see why both the Order and the Engineers were hesitant to agree to my trip.
If I continue with my intention of studying these wonderful trees, my knowledge could be used to harm them. Hard to imagine, but even the beams of dozens of Iruakumke could be rendered ineffective with the right equipment. The is potentially a Divergent wisdom.
From the recovered notes of Eeriamis Blue, Teifling, Tourist.
I can see them, just on the horizon. Beautiful. Like shafts of light cutting up the horizon line. So many different colours. The wind is biting cold even in my parka, and just as they said. The forest of Israkumke looks like its dancing. I know they aren't but the wind, the distance and twilight grant an awakens majesty. I've been told it's another four days of constant travel for us to catch up. Four days of us ... weeks for the Israkumke. Even their name is majestic.
Day 18.
They are amazing. Completely and totally worth the effort, the cost, and the cold. We're a day away now, and even from this distance I begin to feel and understand why the Order of The Spear and the Engineers are working to protect them. I think I can hear the wind passing between them. Almost a song to accompany their constant light. Merak has told me that the wind song will be louder when we reach them.
Day 20.
I know I didn't make an entry for yesterday, but I couldn't. I mean I forgot. The first day, at the edge of the Israkumke was overwhelming. The sense of ancient and timeless power was overwhelming. They are so mystical. I can't explain. I've walked among them, slowly, as I've been told. And, we are not the only ones. There are other creatures here living with the Israkumke, all slow.
I asked about that, and if you are slow the Israkumke think you are not a threat. It's dangerous still, so you have to wear a ReflectSuit, because the Israkumke do get hungry, so you might be randomly hit by a beam. They eat. They dig and they feast on light. I could be years studying them.
Day 23.
They were attacked in the night. Not us, but the Israkumke. Our team couldn't help without risking being targeted ourselves. The Israkumke don't distinguish very well between threats and others. The corpses lay strewn through the forest and already the Israkumke are being to consume them... slowly. It's mix of human, gnome and a few dwarves. Clearly a harvesting party, but an ill informed and under skilled one. I can see why both the Order and the Engineers were hesitant to agree to my trip.
If I continue with my intention of studying these wonderful trees, my knowledge could be used to harm them. Hard to imagine, but even the beams of dozens of Iruakumke could be rendered ineffective with the right equipment. The is potentially a Divergent wisdom.
From the recovered notes of Eeriamis Blue, Teifling, Tourist.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Israkumke are your typical tree. All of the basic tree anatomical parts are present. However, how they are used and how they are arranged are a reflection of the adaptation needed to over come the barren and hostile environment of the very far north.
Genetics and Reproduction
Israkumke have a long reproductive cycle. Once every 5 years forest groups co mingle which allows the pollination of the then exposed flowers.
These gathering are saught by both citizens who wish to witness the beauty of the Israkumke to study them, or those Divergent who wish to harvest them. The locations of these larger forest group gatherings are kept secret.
During these gatherings every Israkumke flowers. They become towers of giant colour. The entire spectrum of light is possible. They flowers themselves can be as big at a meter across. And, the entire surface of the Israkumke become covered. This also means that they are more vulnerable to attack or environmental deprecations during this time as their protective layers of ice are breached to allow the holes from which the flowers bloom.
Once open, the flowers begin to release pollen. These creates an almost toxic cloud within the forest grouping. The pollen is covered in fine metal filaments to help it float and be dispersed. This of course means that when inhaled, the filaments tear through lung tissue and cause the pollen to be lodged in the lungs. It is a painful slow death once your lungs have been too compromised.
Fertilized seeds are dropped in the thousands onto the ground. Of those thousands only a small percentage survive.
These gathering are saught by both citizens who wish to witness the beauty of the Israkumke to study them, or those Divergent who wish to harvest them. The locations of these larger forest group gatherings are kept secret.
During these gatherings every Israkumke flowers. They become towers of giant colour. The entire spectrum of light is possible. They flowers themselves can be as big at a meter across. And, the entire surface of the Israkumke become covered. This also means that they are more vulnerable to attack or environmental deprecations during this time as their protective layers of ice are breached to allow the holes from which the flowers bloom.
Once open, the flowers begin to release pollen. These creates an almost toxic cloud within the forest grouping. The pollen is covered in fine metal filaments to help it float and be dispersed. This of course means that when inhaled, the filaments tear through lung tissue and cause the pollen to be lodged in the lungs. It is a painful slow death once your lungs have been too compromised.
Fertilized seeds are dropped in the thousands onto the ground. Of those thousands only a small percentage survive.
Growth Rate & Stages
From seedling to mature adult requires two years of growth. For these two years the Israkumke is unable to move. During this time they are very vulnerable. Some of the adult trees will remain on the perimeter of the growing fields to help protect them, slowing marching the perimeter, but many saplings will be eaten or killed.
The first two years of life is spent developing the outer ice shield. Through moderating the surface temperature of its bark, the Israkumke, allows layers of ice to form strategically and combine with mineral content it draws from the earth. At the end of this initial development of the ice shield. The majority of the mass of the Israkumke is crystal mineral ice. The trunk at the core is only six to ten inches in diameter, but the ice can be is deep as 40-60 cm in radius. The root and branch system split. The roots from a bulb at the base, and the branches crown near the top.
As the Israkumke grows the distance between the bulb and crown increases, and mass of the bulb and grows vertically. Ancient Israkumke, can be as wide as 5 meters in diameter and some 150-200 meters tall. In these cases the root bulb can be 25 meters tall and the crown can be as tall or taller. The trunk of an Israkumke remains thin in comparison, and should the ice shield break, or shatter that is a dire threat.
Israkumke typically live, until something breaks their ice shield. Historically, this tended to be an environmental factor. Winds can still topple them if they are alone or in smaller forest groups. Sudden changes in geography still pose at threat due to their slow movement. And, currently, there is a Divergent market for their harvest. As, it has be come more commonly known that the trunk wood is very temperature resistant and the shield ice frequently contains previous mineral veins to strengthen it and increase the IsraKumke's ability to focus its beam attacks.
The first two years of life is spent developing the outer ice shield. Through moderating the surface temperature of its bark, the Israkumke, allows layers of ice to form strategically and combine with mineral content it draws from the earth. At the end of this initial development of the ice shield. The majority of the mass of the Israkumke is crystal mineral ice. The trunk at the core is only six to ten inches in diameter, but the ice can be is deep as 40-60 cm in radius. The root and branch system split. The roots from a bulb at the base, and the branches crown near the top.
As the Israkumke grows the distance between the bulb and crown increases, and mass of the bulb and grows vertically. Ancient Israkumke, can be as wide as 5 meters in diameter and some 150-200 meters tall. In these cases the root bulb can be 25 meters tall and the crown can be as tall or taller. The trunk of an Israkumke remains thin in comparison, and should the ice shield break, or shatter that is a dire threat.
Israkumke typically live, until something breaks their ice shield. Historically, this tended to be an environmental factor. Winds can still topple them if they are alone or in smaller forest groups. Sudden changes in geography still pose at threat due to their slow movement. And, currently, there is a Divergent market for their harvest. As, it has be come more commonly known that the trunk wood is very temperature resistant and the shield ice frequently contains previous mineral veins to strengthen it and increase the IsraKumke's ability to focus its beam attacks.
Ecology and Habitats
They live in the deep north of the Realm in flats between Aut'tep'ko and Ti Sti'duram'iti. Where they benefit from the constant twilight, and where the brutally harsh weather isolates them.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The majority of what the Israkumke require comes from the light of the northern sky, however the minerals that it requires means that its roots must constantly move through the surface and deeper layers of the flats. This movement is how the Israkumke move.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Israkumke sense their environment through a combination of infrared, pheromones and vibration.
Information captured from the leaves adapted to detect infrared light allow the Iskarkumke to detect immediate threats or prey and target them.
Pheremones released from leaves in at the upper top of the Israkumke allow the trees to communicate about the general environment, weather, soil composition and allow the forest group to move together. There is some speculation that the pheromones also allow a more complicated communication supportive of some sort of social context for the Israkumke.
And, vibration is used to detect immediate issues near the base of the tree. Often wounded animals, or critical threats.
Information captured from the leaves adapted to detect infrared light allow the Iskarkumke to detect immediate threats or prey and target them.
Pheremones released from leaves in at the upper top of the Israkumke allow the trees to communicate about the general environment, weather, soil composition and allow the forest group to move together. There is some speculation that the pheromones also allow a more complicated communication supportive of some sort of social context for the Israkumke.
And, vibration is used to detect immediate issues near the base of the tree. Often wounded animals, or critical threats.
Conservation Status
Jade List - Near Threatened.
This species is very rare and has currently attracted attention from Divergent citizen poachers. Both the Dwarven Engineers and the Order of the Spear actively protect this species.
This species is very rare and has currently attracted attention from Divergent citizen poachers. Both the Dwarven Engineers and the Order of the Spear actively protect this species.
Geographic Distribution
Giant
Danger Level -
Low to Medium
Speed -
Relatively slow
Armour Class -
Very Good, because of a very thick coating of protective ice that is reenforced with threads of rock and metal deposits.
Attacks each round -
1 focus light beam strike, very painful and potentially crippling
or 1 root crush/grapple - very painful and most likely deadly. Having a large mass of roots crush you will be really inconvenient.
Reach -
Light beam - 200m
Crush - touch.
Special Qualities -
These plants use heat to track prey and enemies.
Treasure -
None, but the metals in their ice lattice can be harvested.
Tactics -
As they are not fast movers. Israkumke will attempt to cripple prey and enemies. They intention is that the prey will not be able to flea, and that enemies will wan to leave before they are killed.
"They are a majestic and beautiful species of tree. Only fools harass them. Slowly they walk across the ice fields of the north. Marching like an army of light beams relentlessly day or night. Yes, light beams. Each on glows faintly in the daylight and at night lights up like a solid beam reaching upwards longing to return to the sky. How is this possible? Ah, that it is the wonder of the Realm. How indeed. Come, let me tell you about the Israkumke, and why you should treat them with respect."
Kalsis WeirEsk, Dwarf Engineer and friend of the Order of The Spear.
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