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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 19:08:46
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Anyone have a idea how I can make an NPC that specialized in making elven treehomes with 3.5 rules? I can't seem to find the 2nd edition woodshape spell in the spell list of the PHB, and warpwood seems to ruin the woods structure and strength.
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 21:12:02
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I think the focus in 3e was for useful (in-game) material. That sort of thing doesn't seem like something a PC would bother with, so it never made it into 3e (AFAIK).
Which means it is left for the DM to flesh-out, since it became an NPC-only thing.
I always wanted to do something along the lines of the Lillianrill (wood-lore) and Rhadhamaerl (stone-lore) as presented in the Thomas covenant novels. The Stonedowners used their craft to 'hum' (or chant) stone into shapes, while the Woodhelvennin sang wood into shapes, both to create useful items. Since The Land has no Elves or Dwarves, those humans are their equivalents, and I found that aspect fascinating.
I always stopped myself from bothering, though, because I had to ask myself just how much use would those rules be in-game? Just as easy to describe NPCs doing those things and not worry about creating rules for them.
Not that I'm saying you shouldn't - I would be interested to see what anyone comes up with. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 27 Oct 2010 21:13:18 |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 00:22:51
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While I agree with Markustay, and never bothered to convert the 2E spell Woodshape, in one of my 3x campaigns, I had a player who wanted to do exact what Bladewind describes. I made up a couple of rulings on the fly.
1) The ability to Woodshape is given to a number of elven clerics by their dieties when they reach specific levels. For example, clerics of Rillifane Rallathil got the ability at 6th level, while clerics of Corellon Larethian had to wait until 11th. Some elven gods, like Aerdrie Faenya and Deep Sashelas never gave the spell out to any cleric.
2) Like a mythal, other spell casters could add aditional abilities to the spell of the primary caster, and then the tree dwelling would have those abilities. In the case of the PC in my camapign, he added the Whispering Wind spell (usable once per day at his current level) and convinced another caster in the party to add the Endure Elements to the treehouse.
The PC's had done a series of favors for an elven tribe in the Border Forest, and asked for the tribes assistance in creating the treehouse just north of Dagger Falls. Since that location was no where near the tribes range, the cleric agreed. |
Edited by - Halidan on 28 Oct 2010 04:35:30 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 00:48:01
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I like the Mythal-like idea. 
Reminds me of the house-defenses (Spell webs) of the Drow, and of Ed's 'Spell-mantles' (which would be a single-person variation of that magic). Once the initial casting/creation was complete, it could be augmented in many ways by other mages.
I use the old-school ruling that permanency requires a loss of constitution on the part of the weaver (which could be 'healed' in certain cases - ie., Cadderly), though a casting-circle could offset this as well (spreading the required 'lifeforce' sacrifice around so as to be negligible).
Oh, and I didn't mention it above, but my idea of stealing those two 'disciplines' from the Thomas Covenant novels was to use them as race-specific feats for Elves and Dwarves. Theoretically, some human druids may have learned them, after earning the Elves' respect. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 02:03:12
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Elven High Magic made tree homes. See the "Cormanthyr" accessory and the section on High Magic rituals.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Gavinfoxx
Learned Scribe
USA
132 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 08:09:00
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Alright, crafting in 3.Xe!
This is generally best done with access to spells that can massively increase crafting checks and options, and have access to lots of skills as well. I would say an Archivist 20 is probably the best . That would give you the capability of accessing all the Divine spells, and most of the spells that affect wood are Divine spells.
Wood Shape is the obvious, and Core/SRD spell Also in the PHB is Warp Wood, Ironwood, and Repel Wood. In the Spell Compendium is Wood Rot, Animate Wood, and Wood Wose. There is also Fabricate, which the Archivist can get as a Divine Spell (it's in a few Domains). Anyway, be a Sun Elf for the bonus to intelligence, and get lots of spells that improve your crafting ability (there are a ton!)
Anyway, get some of the higher up Summon Nature's Ally spells, and Summon Genies -- the vegetable matter they make is permanent, and with Fabricate, and Wood Shape, you can get that wood to be whatever shape you want. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 13:42:57
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Awesome. Some great suggestions here.
I looked up the High Magic Rituals and Oacil'Quevan creates those mega-collosal Elven Great Trees that houses thousands in its branches. If I merely want to create a single home then Elaorman the Home of Summoning ritual fits the bill. The Cormanthyr tome even explains the human spell Construction (2nd editions Fabricate) behaves similarly to Elaorman.
So this NPC is likely to be a wizard, possibly a high mage... I'd figure woodshape apprentices would go about training in the small. Bonsai-like tending skills combined with building maquettes or small scale wooden elven trees would give structural insight needed for later woodshaping. Sun elven engineers look and behave like plantloving sages or hermits.
So green elves are likely to not have acces to woodshaping skills as they rely less on mages, aye? For them I had a more hands-on impression for woodcraft. Lots of rope-binded and branch-twisted platforms and semi-permanent homes with retractable ropeladders. These green elven engineers are more of the rugged, corded muscled caloused hands types. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 15:02:16
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| IMC, elves performing these rituals *never* cut the trees. While using Elven High Magic rituals, the elves involved in home construction use rounded, as opposed to edged, tools to 'sing' (shape) the living wood/stone/crystal. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 15:15:49
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Considering the nature of Wood Elves, I would personally think it was a disservice to give these abilities to high Elves and not them.
However, in the case of Sylvan Elves, I would use the same kind of ritual, and give it to a highly specialized druid-like class of Woodshapers.
BTW, since the crystal the elves also use in construction are organic and grown, I would assume that that was also a sub-genre of the woodshapers - consider them specialists (and THAT I wouldn't give to Wood Elves). I can't recall the name of the crystal though - its in Elves of Faerūn. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 28 Oct 2010 15:52:30 |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 15:59:42
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IMC, I don't demarcate down racial lines. All elves, regardless of race, can tap into the ancient powers of elven woodshaping.
Also, IMC, elves weave netwoks of fungi throughout their home. In real life, fungi are capable of communication transcellular communication over MILES. IMC, elves use this for everything from fungi light switches, fungi security systems, fungi communication networks, etc. |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 16:04:34
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IMC, I don't demarcate down racial lines. All elves, regardless of race, can tap into the ancient powers of elven woodshaping.
Also, IMC, elves weave netwoks of fungi throughout their home. In real life, fungi are capable of communication transcellular communication over MILES. IMC, elves use this for everything from fungi light switches, fungi security systems, fungi communication networks, etc.
And fungi is neat looking, too! |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 16:52:32
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personally, as I stated above, I would just make a basic Woodshaping Feat, and perhaps turn it into a racial Feat-tree (no pun intended).
Lesser Woodshaping: Prereq.= Must be of Elven or Fey blood
Create very basic, small hand-held objects and tools for use, like bowls or a wooden mallet.
Woodshaping: Prereq.= Must have Lesser Woodshaping
Create furniture up to the size of a sofa. Can be used to create fairly ornate pieces, like beautifully carved cupboards, tables, and beds. can be used to create ornate small objects (see lesser Woodshaping) like fancy bowls, tools, and plaques.
Greater Woodshaping: Prereq. = Must have Woodshaping
Create vehicles (like carts or coaches) or a small domicile (like a cottage). Can be used to construct smaller pieces (see Woodshaping above) with high artisitic value.
Advanced Woodshaping Prereq. = Must have Greater Woodshaping
Can create grand structures from an entire tree, which could include separate dwellings and/or community buildings. Can also be used to create very ornate single-family dwellings of larger size (equivalent to a mansion). If the magic of Oacil'Quevan is used in conjunction with this Feat, a structure may have a Magic Web (minor mythal) included in the making. Additional magics can then be laid unto the structure, and if a Circle (multiple-Mages) is used to perform the ritual, each may contribute a permanent spell to the structure created.
Note that the use of this Feat-tree over-writes previous rules on the matter, and the old high-magic Ritual is now only used to apply magic to the finished product (and at least one mage must have the Advanced Woodshaping Feat). Time to complete an item with any of the above feats = 1 minute per pound of material shaped. For each additional mage up to twelve (13 total) one extra pound of material may be handled per minute. After 13, only a 10% bonus is applied per participating magic User (1.6 ounce).
Ergo, it is possible to grow an entire elven Tree-city in an hour, but you are going to need an enormous number of elven High-mages to pull that off.
And here I said I couldn't be bothered writing rules.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 28 Oct 2010 17:28:09 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 19:09:07
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Aye, those feats work for me as they mechanicly enable lowlevel woodshapers, the main problem of elven high magic is that its limited to the amount of available high mages, and I dont see that number being higher that 500 over all of Fearun.
Fungal communication networks, I wish I'd thought of that! Brilliant idea and highly appropriate for an (more sylvanlike) elven home. I can see it now: elven females constantly chattering into these overgrown mushrooms who respond in distorted elflike voices (long ditance gossip for between the north and south parts of a mighty treehome).
Those networks need to be nurtured aswell so perhaps certain elven engineers begin their carreers by specializing in the fungal architecture. They'd develope through song enhanced fungal growth, fungal crossbreeding and spore research.
What cost would you give a elven treehome? Given that the Elaorman ritual makes a permanent home in a few hours, it is an excellerated form of crafting. Where regular craftsmen would take several scores of tendays to make it an experienced elven architect-mage accomplishes the same at about thousand times the speed (that would be at about 10000 gp per hour). So those feats MT created also have a multiplier of 10 each in the time required to build a structure. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 19:40:16
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I go the opposite route re: time. Elvencraft takes years as opposed to months, months as opposed to days, and decades as opposed to years. For me, elfcraft is a gentle art, which requires special tools.
Oh, and back to fungus. No fungiphones. Sending spells for that... But imagine a 'home' with 'nerves'. What would a home need 'nerves' for? |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 19:45:16
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So, IMC, using elven high magic, you can raise a mythaled/mantled home in building in minutes. Or, craftsmen can build them very slow.
Did you know trees communicate with each other in Real Life? I think elves utilise this in their forest desmense! |
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Acolyte Thirteen
Seeker
93 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 19:53:58
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| Oh! I would also use a Skill Check, as opposed to a Feat-tree, for crafting. High-Magic for 'magical' dwellings. Feats are too hard to come by in 3.5! |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 20:12:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Aye, those feats work for me as they mechanicly enable lowlevel woodshapers, the main problem of elven high magic is that its limited to the amount of available high mages, and I dont see that number being higher that 500 over all of Fearun.
You know, after re-reading what I wrote, I thought I might have to add a clarification - High Mages in the circle are only necessary for the magical end of things. ANY Elf with the the Woodshapping Feat can lend their own power to the ritual for Shaping (but not the magic). Normally, this would mean 13 High Mages to create the necessary magical web, and as many Woodshapers as can be found for the physical shaping of the structure.
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Fungal communication networks, I wish I'd thought of that! Brilliant idea and highly appropriate for an (more sylvanlike) elven home. I can see it now: elven females constantly chattering into these overgrown mushrooms who respond in distorted elflike voices (long ditance gossip for between the north and south parts of a mighty treehome).
That is brilliant - I will definitely have to steal that.
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Those networks need to be nurtured aswell so perhaps certain elven engineers begin their carreers by specializing in the fungal architecture. They'd develope through song enhanced fungal growth, fungal crossbreeding and spore research.
I'm thinking of a new NPC class called 'Tree Warden for the enormous structures and tree-Cities. Larger settlements would require many of them, and probably organize themselves along the lines of a 'mystic brotherhood' or guild (like the Free Masons, which would actually make an excellent Dwarf/Stone variation on this theme).
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
What cost would you give a elven treehome? Given that the Elaorman ritual makes a permanent home in a few hours, it is an excellerated form of crafting. Where regular craftsmen would take several scores of tendays to make it an experienced elven architect-mage accomplishes the same at about thousand times the speed (that would be at about 10000 gp per hour). So those feats MT created also have a multiplier of 10 each in the time required to build a structure.
Perhaps use the normal rules for High mages, and apply that lesser multiplier (1/10 of a pound per minute) for non-mage Woodshapers (although technically they would all be mages, considering they are using magic, but you get the idea).
Another way to do this would be to assign material mass by level of Shaping learned (ie, for large, communal projects, each participant in the circle could possibly handle (1lb x Shaper-level) per minute for the ritual (and a High-Mage adds an additional +1, so you have a maximum of 5lbs per minute for a High Mage with the Advanced Woodshaper feat). In that way, a small community of Elves could create a truly epic structure over the course of years, or a very large group of elves could fashion a city for themselves in a matter of hours. I would also like to add that the more artistic the structure is to be rendered, the longer it will take.
Woodshapers and Woodwardens would become the Elven equivalent of human druids (which I really like, since I'm old-school and never really liked human-style druids for other races).
In truly ancient Elven Forests, an entire neural-network could have been sung into existance, so that anything strange happening within the wood is 'felt' by the Woodwardens, like Obi Wan when he said "I feel a great disturbance in the Force" - nothing specific, just a general idea of the direction of the trouble. The forest itself could be alive, like that fungus under the High Forest (which may have been an early attempt by Drow to re-create their surface homes).
Which leads me to think that Ents... errr... treants... are really just the 'Epic Tier' (4e) of an Elven Treewarden.
So much of this is going into my homebrew world - some really great ideas come from reading these CK threads. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 28 Oct 2010 20:15:16 |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2010 : 03:18:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Acolyte Thirteen
So, IMC, using elven high magic, you can raise a mythaled/mantled home in building in minutes. Or, craftsmen can build them very slow.
I didn't mention this in my earlier post, but when I used the woodshaping power in my 3x campaign, it did take months for the primary caster to complete the ritual. It didn't take his/her full attention during that time, but he/she did have to spend time with the tree every day.
The supplemental casters had more freedom. Their spells had to be cast at specific times, as determined by the primary cster. Otherwise, they were frr to leave the site and adventure, as long as they were back for their casting day.
I purposly kept the mechanics of this process behind the scenes, mostly because I was making it up as I went along. If I ever have another elven PC who wants such a tree, I'mm probably go with something based on what Markustay just outlined. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2010 : 12:30:15
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A mystic guild of Treewardens sounds like very essential for any self governing treecity. Excellent suggestion. And they fit very nicely for a "themed" elven druid. I agree elven druids could have totally different traditions and would likely have a more involved place in society than the usually rural and remote human druids. I would even be tempted to use the Adept class for Treewardens, but give them the required druidic spells and abilities/feats that fit a druid that taps into bardic like powers to shape nature.
Considering the time most elves have at hand, the proces of woodshaping by spellsong could understandably be very deliberate. Good observation. I see these woodshapers also at work throughout every household freely, going about their humming ways constantly guiding growth into the shapes the locals desire. Only the living matter is shapable this way, and as the Elaorman ritual fixes the plant forms into nonliving calcic matter, these parts can be avoided. A well built elven home would consist of parts of calcified matter that support the building (floors, walls, roofs), and part living matter where wear and tear would frequently be needed (doors, windows, furniture, movable platforms). For Treewardens the use of living matter would likely be a katalyst for enchantments, and manipulated properly could take on beautiful forms that go in bloom at spring or have pleasant aromas.
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 01:40:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
I like this idea for elven druids. Reminds me a little bit of the House Gardener and House Shaper(I think that's the one) ...
Very close. 'Tis House Woodshaper.  |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 01:52:23
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Weird, because I never really bothered to look into Krynn in all that much detail, and most especially not the Elves. All I ever read (aside from the MM's) was the Minotaur book and the Player's guide (which was more like a story, just like the old FR Player's Guide). The only thing I know for certain was that there were several different groups, and the wood elves were pretty damn stupid (from the Player's Guide, I got the idea that the other groups considered them 'mentally challenged'). Other then that, and the fact that their 'dark Elves' aren't Drow, I know nearly nothing about DL's Elves.
Yet I almost recreated exactly that with my own concept of Woodshapers. I guess certain things about Elves are always 'a given'; they like trees better then people. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 30 Oct 2010 01:54:04 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 02:09:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
The only thing I know for certain was that there were several different groups, and the wood elves were pretty damn stupid (from the Player's Guide, I got the idea that the other groups considered them 'mentally challenged').
I wouldn't say the Kagonesti are stupid. They're just generally stronger and bigger than their more civilised cousins [the Silvanesti and Qualinesti] and dislike the hustle and bustle of the big cities, preferring the quiet atmosphere of their forests. And I think that's reflected in their collective racial mindset. Thus, the more civilised races [like the arrogant Silvanesti] would tend to view them as "louts" or "under-educated brutes."
quote:
Other then that, and the fact that their 'dark Elves' aren't Drow, I know nearly nothing about DL's Elves.
Indeed. The "dark elves" of Krynn are simply Qualinesti or Silvanesti, etc. elves that have been cast out of elven society for evil deeds, or something similar. There's an entirely long and involved process for this however, and it's not a decision that's made lightly. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 02:17:51
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Sooooo...
"Going Dark" for just a wild weekend is out of the question, eh?
They must throw awfully boring bachelor parties. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 02:57:49
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You know... I'm thinking that with the number of elven homes grown from trees, either the elves tossed around huge amounts of magic for just single-family homes.
So maybe High Magic and elaborate rituals are not the right method. The character Redlance in the Elfquest series had the magical ability to coax plants to grow in particular fashions, to the point of having a tree sprout a yard-long spear in mere seconds. And that was his only magical ability.
And we know that in Ed's Realms, some characters have innate talents -- small, inborn uses of a single bit of magic.
Why not combine the two? Maybe treeshaping is an innate talent, one that could run in families and that could be improved by training. Taking it this way, one could adapt Eber-whatsit's dragonmark system into something that would work for treeshaping.
That gives us plenty of elves able to shape plants and trees, built on an existing mechanical system. And it doesn't require the huge numbers or huge amount of magic. A few families of skilled shapers -- or a Shaper's Guild -- could craft a lot of treehomes, but wouldn't unbalance things by requiring a lot of high-level spellslingers. |
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 30 Oct 2010 02:58:51 |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 02:59:19
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Actually, it doesn't even have to be evil deeds. It can be as simple as choosing a mate from the wrong House caste, or, in Dalamar's case, studying magic when you're not from the proper House to do so (this was BEFORE he went "evil". Also the reason for it...). Their rules for caste interactions were VERY strict, and the process Sage mentioned (and that I adapted for my Banishing of elves to become drow IMC) involves standing in a circle made of an enchanted chain for an entire night, in front of a mirror that shows the future outcome of one's current course, as well as what would happen if that course is changed. At the end of it, they are either wrapped tight in the chain("guilty"- and banished) or not ("innocent", and set free to do as they intended). This was all detailed in The Sylvan Veil supplement. Essentially, their idea of "going dark", is really just rebelling against the rigid structure of their society. Which is apperently far more lawful than the elves of other settings.
I altered the ceremony into something a bit more like a trial. One stands in front of a Tribunal in a zone of truth (VERY high level/DC!) while being judged for the alleged crimes. If found guilty of the charge(s), a circle of Seldarine high priests (one of each) casts the curse to change them into drow, they are pronounced N'Tel'Quess, and all lands, properties, ect but what they can physically carry are stripped, and they are escorted out of elven lands by armed guard (no magic allowed to them during the trip), with their crimes being announced to all along the way. Afterward, their names are stricken from all records and history as if they never lived, and they are killed on sight if they return. (The exile and expulsion of records part I took almost straight from the Krynn version.) No elf even speaks their names again.
Oh, MT- the only group I'd consider "mentally challenged" from DL is the Gully Dwarves! LOL!! |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 03:21:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And we know that in Ed's Realms, some characters have innate talents -- small, inborn uses of a single bit of magic.
Why not combine the two? Maybe treeshaping is an innate talent, one that could run in families and that could be improved by training. Taking it this way, one could adapt Eber-whatsit's dragonmark system into something that would work for treeshaping.
This is actually similar to what I've been considering for this.
However, I've started tinkering with the possibility that the innate woodshaping bloodline was the result of an inherited trait from an ancient union between families of elves and dryads. Essentially, the aspect of the dryad that ties them to a specific type of tree has carried over into the bloodline of the elven/dryad descendants and, coupled with the inherent arcane talents of all elves, has endowed these offspring with an ability to "shape" the woods they have an affinity for, into the structures they desire. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 05:18:16
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And we know that in Ed's Realms, some characters have innate talents -- small, inborn uses of a single bit of magic.
Why not combine the two? Maybe treeshaping is an innate talent, one that could run in families and that could be improved by training. Taking it this way, one could adapt Eber-whatsit's dragonmark system into something that would work for treeshaping.
This is actually similar to what I've been considering for this.
However, I've started tinkering with the possibility that the innate woodshaping bloodline was the result of an inherited trait from an ancient union between families of elves and dryads. Essentially, the aspect of the dryad that ties them to a specific type of tree has carried over into the bloodline of the elven/dryad descendants and, coupled with the inherent arcane talents of all elves, has endowed these offspring with an ability to "shape" the woods they have an affinity for, into the structures they desire.
I like that idea. And I don't see it as incompatible with my thoughts. This dryad heritage could be the source of the "dragonmark". Same idea, just a bit more background. |
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 30 Oct 2010 05:18:42 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 07:03:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And we know that in Ed's Realms, some characters have innate talents -- small, inborn uses of a single bit of magic.
Why not combine the two? Maybe treeshaping is an innate talent, one that could run in families and that could be improved by training. Taking it this way, one could adapt Eber-whatsit's dragonmark system into something that would work for treeshaping.
This is actually similar to what I've been considering for this.
However, I've started tinkering with the possibility that the innate woodshaping bloodline was the result of an inherited trait from an ancient union between families of elves and dryads. Essentially, the aspect of the dryad that ties them to a specific type of tree has carried over into the bloodline of the elven/dryad descendants and, coupled with the inherent arcane talents of all elves, has endowed these offspring with an ability to "shape" the woods they have an affinity for, into the structures they desire.
I like that idea. And I don't see it as incompatible with my thoughts. This dryad heritage could be the source of the "dragonmark". Same idea, just a bit more background.
Hmmm. Perhaps a more naturalist interpretation of EBERRON's Mark of Making? Though, instead of being granted the power to craft items from material/artificial goods, this "Mark of Woodshaping" [for lack of a better term at the moment], grants these elven/dryad offspring with the power to mend and shape natural materials, like wood, stone, etc. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 15:32:57
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hmmm. Perhaps a more naturalist interpretation of EBERRON's Mark of Making? Though, instead of being granted the power to craft items from material/artificial goods, this "Mark of Woodshaping" [for lack of a better term at the moment], grants these elven/dryad offspring with the power to mend and shape natural materials, like wood, stone, etc.
Exactly! Though with the dryad heritage, I'd expect it to be more plant-oriented than anything else.
And if it's not clear for anyone reading this: it's not an actual mark like the dragonmarks of Eber-whatsit. That's just a handy, existing mechanic that I think could be adapted. Though you could still go with some physical manifestation of the power -- maybe a single lock of green hair for those with a minor, untrained woodshaping power, going all the way up to all hair being a deep, deep green, for those most trained and talented (maybe even with a few leaves popping up here and there!). |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2010 : 15:52:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hmmm. Perhaps a more naturalist interpretation of EBERRON's Mark of Making? Though, instead of being granted the power to craft items from material/artificial goods, this "Mark of Woodshaping" [for lack of a better term at the moment], grants these elven/dryad offspring with the power to mend and shape natural materials, like wood, stone, etc.
Exactly! Though with the dryad heritage, I'd expect it to be more plant-oriented than anything else.
Well, I'd assume these elven/dryad hybrids would inherit some of the tree-sprite aspects of their ancestor dryads, which is why I stated "wood" specifically.
quote:
Though you could still go with some physical manifestation of the power -- maybe a single lock of green hair for those with a minor, untrained woodshaping power, going all the way up to all hair being a deep, deep green, for those most trained and talented (maybe even with a few leaves popping up here and there!).
I'd take it a step further, actually, and have these "el-yads" [elven-dryads] develop subtle tree-vein like physical attributes just beneath the skin as their command of the woodshaping ability, manifests. The complexity of the appearance of the veins could then potentially represent the overall level of power and speciality each el-yad has. |
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Elven woodcraft or woodshaping
