Unwithering Crown

Overview

The Unwithering Crown is the Rhyldralethan monarch's crown that has been the badge of office since the Third Age. It is made of twisted branches with flawless white flowers that are kept alive with the magic of the first queen of Rhyldraleth. The crown has been passed down through every monarch who has ever ruled Rhyldraleth. Many believe that a piece of Queen Arnethaena's soul lingers within the crown, keeping it alive throughout the ages. If the crown accepts the monarch who wears it, the people accept them as their leader. If the crown rejects the wearer, they are seen as unfit for the position.

History

The Unwithering Crown was worn by Forest-Queen Arnethaena, the first queen to rule over the Heartwood. She was a fierce but benevolent leader whose axe felled many foes, but she was young and inexperienced. Early on in her reign, an army of thousands of rebels threatened the peace of the Heartwood. They had come from diseased trees who were driven by a mindless hatred for their queen. Arnethaena led her people to victory, though to the Rhyldralethans' horror, it came at the cost of many lives. Whispers of another rebellion trickled through the forest.
To quell the uprising before it began, Arnethaena gathered branches from each of the dead trees that had once been the bodies of the rebellion leaders. She wove them into a crown and gathered her people in the capital city to celebrate their victory. With an audience of thousands, she used her magic to bring the branches back to life and sprout beautiful white flowers from their twisted limbs. "As long as this crown remains in bloom," she declared in triumph, "I shall be the mother, guardian, and queen of the Heartwood." Creating flowers was no unordinary feat, as any Rhyldralethan could do so, but all flowers died in time. It would be the ultimate test of their young queen's power. The crown was guarded day and night, displayed out of reach where no additional magic could be infused into it. Three hundred years later, the flowers on the crown remained as full of life as the day they had first bloomed. Rhyldraleth had enjoyed a golden age and many peaceful years under Queen Arnethaena's rule. She departed from life in the center of the capital city and her body sprouted into a massive tree that bloomed with white flowers. To this day, her tree provides shade for the people and her flowers line the streets. Thousands of years later, the Unwithering Crown is still in full bloom.

Abilities

Whether the crown is sentient or simply teems with magic is up for debate, but it appears to have a mind of its own. In the Fifth Age, a bloody coup led to a usurper taking control of the Heartwood. He placed the crown upon his head and it seemed to awaken. Thorny branches unfurled from the crown and pierced straight through his skull, killing him in a brief moment of agony. The crown was nearly discarded, but it gained a new respect from the people. It has only taken four lives in 12,000 years, but it has deterred many would-be usurpers. Perhaps Queen Arnethaena still watches over her people, as she promised years ago.

Item type

Clothing / Accessory

Creation Date

3:59

Rarity

One of a kind

Weight

8 oz

Dimensions

12 inches in diameter