The Amber Trees
The Amber Trees are three sacred trees gifted by The Sentinel to the Gods and the people of Vitallia after The Great War. The properties of each tree are considered divine, and the power contained within their seeds is immense. Although most of their nature remains unknown, it is said that consuming one of these seeds can grant an individual immortality.
The Trees were planted by the Sentinel and given to the Vitallians as a token of peace following the battle with Nedel. Their purpose was to convey their creator's power on the land, while it remained dormant.
Each tree was later named after a hero or God who fought in the Great War.
The Three Amber Trees
The Tree of Lekrafta — located in Dragoria
The Tree of Laira — located in Exotia
The Nature of the Amber Trees
The trunks of the Amber Trees are colossal, wider than any known tree, and their roots are formed of solid amber. Amber flows through their branches like veins and seeps into the very flesh of their fruit. These trees are indestructible by Vitallian magic and most known means; to uproot an Amber Tree would require immense strength and powers beyond mortal capability.
However, the essence of their fruit lures powerful monsters. Over long periods, constant attacks and bestial strength could potentially harm a tree.
The First Guardians
Those who first took up the protection of the Trees were three Vitallians of different nature: a Luvar, an Amar, and a Lahar. From them arose three distinct druidic orders, each dedicated to protecting one of the Trees and maintaining a dormant connection with the Sentinel.
These druids study their respective Trees across generations, seeking to decipher their properties and unlock their mysteries. Despite centuries of study, the full extent of the Trees’ powers remains unknown.
Known Properties Recorded by the Druids
Some properties known to the druids include the following:
A fruit from an Amber Tree may render an individual immortal, greatly extend their lifespan, or heal even the most severe diseases.
The Trees heal the land around them across vast expanses. The soil becomes fertile and prosperous; the desert of Dragoria was transformed after the planting of the Tree of Lekrafta. It is believed that a reversed effect would occur if a Tree were destroyed. Although Vitallia existed before the Amber Trees, its survival after the Sentinel’s great weakening following the Great War remains uncertain.
Attempts to forcibly harvest seeds or sap without proper ritual preparation have reportedly resulted in madness, petrification within amber, or spontaneous combustion.
Time may behave differently near the Trees. Long-term guardians have been known to age more slowly, dream for extended periods, or suffer fractured memories.
The Sylva Trees and the Birth of the Fay
The Fay were born of Sylva Trees, which druids claim are the “children” of the Amber Trees. The Sylva Trees began to appear throughout the world after the Amber Trees were established.
The Sylva are living tree-shepherds who guide the Fay and other woodland beings, speaking the Sahri language of the Sentinel. They appear to possess the power to create new races, acting as extensions of the Sentinel’s will.
When the Fay were born through the Sylva Trees, the Amber Trees were greatly strained. Vitallia suffered earthquakes and other phenomena that subsided only after the birthing process was complete. The Fay then spread across the world and began reproducing beyond their original tree-lines.
The Sylva Trees and the Amber Trees are said to be interconnected. Druids do not yet know whether this bond is formed through an unseen force similar to magic or through a vast subterranean network of amber veins deep within the foundations of the world. While Amber Trees have never been destroyed, Sylva Trees have, their roots retreating into the earth like living vines.
The Druidic Orders
Each Amber Tree is protected by a Druidic Order, a community of druids of various ranks tasked with its protection. These Orders operate outside political factions and gather annually to share knowledge and discuss the condition and secrets of the Trees.
The Druids have established strict laws regarding the Trees and their fruit. The fruit are not to be consumed. While an Archdruid technically holds the authority to permit such an act, the Council of Archdruids has ruled that such power must never be exercised by mortals. The fruit of each Tree are few, slow to grow, and carefully numbered, and the druids do not know whether fruit will continue to grow once a Tree is depleted.
The true properties of the Trees are kept secret. The druids are charged not only with uncovering these truths, but also with safeguarding them for the greater good of Vitallia. To the common people, the Trees are known only as sacred gifts of the Sentinel, protected by the Druids; their deeper nature remains undisclosed.
The Druidic Orders are numerous, and their power and influence are significant. Their revered origins—linked to Maldagar, Lekrafta, Laira, and later figures such as Moldegarion and Meriel Roserise—have established the Druids as a force capable of advising monarchs and shaping unified policies regarding the Trees across Vitallia.
Conflict and the Shadow of Nedel
It is said that Nedel’s assaults on Goualekir, resulting in the First and Second Sieges and culminating in the Battle of the Four Daughters, were driven by the presence of the Tree of Laira in Exotia. Nedel sought to destroy the Tree and render the land barren, weakening Vitallian influence. Both attempts were ultimately repelled.
The Lost Fourth Seed
Ancient druidic texts suggest that a fourth seed was never planted, having been hidden or lost before the Sentinel’s withdrawal. If true, its existence remains one of the greatest unresolved mysteries of Vitallia.
Across generations, the Druids have shared a sacred calling: to locate the lost fourth seed and restore the barren western lands, the Darklands of Nedel, now occupied by the Caranti and the Orkandians. Though the texts hint at possible locations, all pursuits thus far have proven fruitless.
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