The Lifewood
Purpose / Function
The Lifewood is the gigantic tree at the centre of Ewrorin, tended to by Elvish druids and Chantry mages alike, which acts as the origin for the Elves' ability to commune with nature. It firmly established the region around it as Elvish territory, dating back to before even the Rune Wars, and perhaps being much older still. No elf alive can recall when the tree was a sapling, and few can recall it being much smaller than it currently is. It is only the most wise and revered of Elvish druids that can begin to understand the vast history that follows the Lifewood.
The Lifewood, once every few decades, expels around a dozen saplings from its branches. These saplings are treated with sacred care by only the most experienced and respected of Elves, and are usually planted within Elvish territory. The forests surrounding Ewrorin are said to be made almost entirely of the Lifewood's offspring, and chopping wood from these forests is something that requires explicit written permission from Ewrorin's druidic order. It is an expensive and lengthy process, but Elvish wood is uncannily strong and possesses an innate resistance to natural magic, making it a prized material for the construction of shields for soldiers or staves for druids and mages from the College and beyond due to its conductivity of magic. Some of these saplings are sometimes planted in other settlements to form pockets of Elvish territory; somewhere a travelling druid commune with nature and meditate if they are away from Elvish lands for a long period of time. One such grove exists in Greenwall.
The Lifewood, once every few decades, expels around a dozen saplings from its branches. These saplings are treated with sacred care by only the most experienced and respected of Elves, and are usually planted within Elvish territory. The forests surrounding Ewrorin are said to be made almost entirely of the Lifewood's offspring, and chopping wood from these forests is something that requires explicit written permission from Ewrorin's druidic order. It is an expensive and lengthy process, but Elvish wood is uncannily strong and possesses an innate resistance to natural magic, making it a prized material for the construction of shields for soldiers or staves for druids and mages from the College and beyond due to its conductivity of magic. Some of these saplings are sometimes planted in other settlements to form pockets of Elvish territory; somewhere a travelling druid commune with nature and meditate if they are away from Elvish lands for a long period of time. One such grove exists in Greenwall.
History
The Lifewood's origin may be unknown, but at least since the Rune Wars, interactions and altercations with the tree have been well-documented. Elves congregated in the region around the tree for centuries before the Rune Wars, and the natural magics of the land and the tree made it an appealing target for mages seeking power during the tumultuous times when the Runestones were possessed by rogue magic users. In one such assault, an ancient mage sought to use his runestone to corrupt the natural magics and absorb them into himself. Doing so would have destroyed the Lifewood, and the forests surrounding it. In return, he would've likely gained a total dominion over nature, and a serious edge against his rivals.
The Spellbreakers learned of his plan and sought to warn the previously neutral and aloof Elves. Whilst they initially were suspect of the Spellbreakers, they allowed them to station a small garrison nearby as a precaution. When, as they suspected, the mage turned up along with a formidable army, the Divine herself marshalled forces alongside two of the three Spellbreaker Generals of the era, along with many Petricite Golems, to defend the Lifewood. The elves, too, mustered their forces, and so ensued one of the largest battles in the entire Rune War. Dozens of golems were destroyed; thousands died on both sides of the conflict; but in the end, the Divine slayed the mage responsible, spelling an end to his plans in the region and dealing a serious blow against the rogue magic users that threatened the continent. In light of their sacrifice to protect their crucial cultural focus, the Elves renounced their neutrality and fought alongside the Spellbreakers for the rest of the Rune Wars. Meanwhile, the Elves and Spellbreakers formed a pact - the latter would forever be allowed free reign within Elvish land and would govern it equally alongside the Elves. In return, the Spellbreakers would protect the Lifewood for as long as their order existed.
Since this time, the Elves and Spellbreakers have enjoyed close ties and Elvish druids are one of the few non-Chantry-sanctioned mages that are allowed to practice magic openly within Eidos.
The Spellbreakers learned of his plan and sought to warn the previously neutral and aloof Elves. Whilst they initially were suspect of the Spellbreakers, they allowed them to station a small garrison nearby as a precaution. When, as they suspected, the mage turned up along with a formidable army, the Divine herself marshalled forces alongside two of the three Spellbreaker Generals of the era, along with many Petricite Golems, to defend the Lifewood. The elves, too, mustered their forces, and so ensued one of the largest battles in the entire Rune War. Dozens of golems were destroyed; thousands died on both sides of the conflict; but in the end, the Divine slayed the mage responsible, spelling an end to his plans in the region and dealing a serious blow against the rogue magic users that threatened the continent. In light of their sacrifice to protect their crucial cultural focus, the Elves renounced their neutrality and fought alongside the Spellbreakers for the rest of the Rune Wars. Meanwhile, the Elves and Spellbreakers formed a pact - the latter would forever be allowed free reign within Elvish land and would govern it equally alongside the Elves. In return, the Spellbreakers would protect the Lifewood for as long as their order existed.
Since this time, the Elves and Spellbreakers have enjoyed close ties and Elvish druids are one of the few non-Chantry-sanctioned mages that are allowed to practice magic openly within Eidos.
Tourism
Elvish druids-in-training must complete a pilgrimage to the Lifewood before being accepted formally as members of the druidic orders. They must commune with the tree successfully and gain an increased understanding of the forces of nature that govern Elvish land. Some druids of other species do not complete this pilgrimage and are noticeably less able in their powers; those who are accepted by the Elves to complete a journey to the Lifewood are often venerated by their peers for their understanding of nature.
The pinnacle of the Lifewood at the very top of Ewrorin
Alternative Names
The Mother Tree, Mamondrassil
Type
Natural Wonder
Parent Location
Owning Organization
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