Tree-Beast

Massive Plant-like Bear

A large bear with living branches and plantlife growing from its body. The tree-beast is a large species of bear commonly found in forests anywhere across Allegri. It is one of the largest members of the order Carnivora, overshadowed in size only by the species of bear with major metaphysical traits. The tree-beast isn't capable of photosynthesis but does derive nutrients from the unique ecosystems they cultivate on their bodies.

The creature most commonly referred to as a 'tree-beast' isn't actually part tree. They are mammals with phytogentic traits, likely an evolutionary offshoot of ursine origins. Tree-beasts only survive near vast quantities of verdant plant life due to the sheer volume of sustenance they must consume to support their bulky bodies and generally only eat non-sentient vegetation and small insects. Many tree-beasts cannot survive on their own and end up starving, their heart-seed eventually sprouting with their own corpse like a crysilis. A tree-beast is a micro-ecosystem of plants and insects that sustain each other and when one migrates from one biome to another, it often suffers a type of system shock while adapting to the new environment. During this period they also frequently introduce the species living with them to new ecosystems - potentially damaging them.

The species is incredibly rare in modern times and animals that have had any significant interaction with humanoids generally avoids them whenever possible. Small families of these bears live in dense forests scattered everywhere but the demand on the local fauna can be exhaustive, and during a drought or other extreme weather, a small group of tree-beasts can devastate an entire region. Although they are not fey, the tree-beasts seem to benefit from close proximity to fey - especially those with abilities tied to plants and nature. As the fey lost influence over Allegri and the humans spread across the land, it seems like most of the tree-beasts went with them.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

The tree-beasts have nearly limitless regenerative capability and will almost always leave a heart-seed nestled in their chests when something does finally manage to kill one. These heart-seeds are literally self-propogating clones with roughly half their original inherited characteristics. This 'loss' is actually necessary for the survival of the species due to their tendency to exist in closed-systems where interbreeding with their own genetic relative would result in extinction.

Scientific Name

Ursus Flora