Treant
A species comprised of a wide variety of awakened trees.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Treants typically have face-like features on their bark, a division between their trunk that form legs, and long branches that serve as arms. Their wood appears to be solid like stone, but is actually filled with tubes that carry water from its roots to the areas where it is needed much like a vascular system found in humanoid races. Diseases such as tube wilt, a unique disease that only affects Treants, can affect these tubes and therefore the health of the treant.
Genetics and Reproduction
Trees destined to become treants meditate through a long cycle of seasons that can last decades or centuries, awakening only under special circumstances. Druids and other treants can sense this spark of potential within trees and will protect them as they drew near their moment of awakening. During this process a tree's body gradually morphs, taking on the features common among treants. After awakening, they continue to grow as they did when they were simply a tree.
Growth Rate & Stages
In their adolescence treants are often more energetic, rebellious, and reckless, but as they age treants tend to prefer days of quiet contemplation, rooted in place as though they were a normal tree.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Just like trees, treants sustain themselves by water and minerals absorbed through their roots. Sunlight is optional although many prefer it.
Behaviour
Treants are opposed to creatures that were careless with fire, poisoned trees, or destroyed great trees. Especially those that destroyed trees close to awakening into a treant.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
A variety of products and goods can be made from parts of the treant, however most are painful or only able to be made from a dead treant so they aren't very accommodating with being exploited.
Notably only the Díne elves have a symbiotic relationship that allows for outside use of treant goods. Their sap has an aroma of lemon and mint that can be used as a flavoring or perfume, and is used in cuisine or perfumes. The leaves of treants can be used as cures for certain fevers and plagues and is heavily utilized in the Díne culture. Their bark can be boiled to make either golden or black dyes depending on the treants appearance, but this is only done with discarded bark.
After a treants death the Díne will use the wood from a treant for its innate magical properties however they are strict about what can be used. A treant felled by any means other than a natural death may not be harvested, and is instead typically buried or given magic rites.
Notably only the Díne elves have a symbiotic relationship that allows for outside use of treant goods. Their sap has an aroma of lemon and mint that can be used as a flavoring or perfume, and is used in cuisine or perfumes. The leaves of treants can be used as cures for certain fevers and plagues and is heavily utilized in the Díne culture. Their bark can be boiled to make either golden or black dyes depending on the treants appearance, but this is only done with discarded bark.
After a treants death the Díne will use the wood from a treant for its innate magical properties however they are strict about what can be used. A treant felled by any means other than a natural death may not be harvested, and is instead typically buried or given magic rites.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Treants can potentially be found anywhere there are trees however the most common sightings tend to be in Taur-na-Chardhîn, Taur-en-Faroth, and the Feywood.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Senses
Treants remain aware of their surroundings while rooted in place. They can perceive the effects of events happening miles away based on subtle nearby changes.Magic
Treants that come from the mightiest of trees, or certain magically inclined woods, can develop innate magical powers, allowing them to animate plants and call upon woodland creatures, and use them either as protectors or messengers.Adaptation
Any treant that roots itself in a stand containing a particular sort of tree for at least a year can alter themselves to resemble and possess the physical properties of that type of tree. Certain elder treants are capable of doing this within half the time.Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Treants can became hosts for rot grubs, which live off rotting wood. If a treant is affected by tube wilt, it will open up a small crack and let the grubs in. The grubs will eat through all the rotten wood, eating the fungi causing the disease, and usually remain for good and tackle subsequent rot. This relationship does not harm either party, and older, larger treants might contain up to a hundred of these grubs.
In order to ward off predators such as woodchucks or other wood-eating species, some treants may surround their roots with up to six violet fungi, whose roots tap into the treant itself, using its sap as sustenance, and they will in turn use their tentacles to attempt to rot the flesh of any would-be predators.
In order to combat the threat of bark beetles and leaf ants, which could damage the treant, they encourage large bats and other aven species to make their homes in their branches.
Some treants also willingly allowed sprites to build little villages within their boughs. Their reasoning is unknown.
In order to ward off predators such as woodchucks or other wood-eating species, some treants may surround their roots with up to six violet fungi, whose roots tap into the treant itself, using its sap as sustenance, and they will in turn use their tentacles to attempt to rot the flesh of any would-be predators.
In order to combat the threat of bark beetles and leaf ants, which could damage the treant, they encourage large bats and other aven species to make their homes in their branches.
Some treants also willingly allowed sprites to build little villages within their boughs. Their reasoning is unknown.
Lifespan
?
Average Height
30 - 300 ft
Average Weight
4,500 - 1.6 million lbs
Related Organizations
Comments