DMs Only: Tree of Parting
Contents
Overview
Tree of Parting The Tree of Parting sits halfway between the Emerald Kingdom and the Kingdom of New Elenna. Beginning as a Way House for those travelling from one to the other, it got its name from the strange looking little tree that marked the side trail leading to the house. When two elves, were slain at the “House of Parting” and the site burned as well by Orcs, their great grandfather, Ilyndrathyl, made the site a memorial. Traveling north, he beseeched the Culver, a grove of ancient treants who are the heart of the Culverwood forest, to give him a seedling for his memorial and told them the tragic story of his great-grandchildren.
So moved was Deeproot, one of the elder trees, that he followed the Druid to see this place, knowing at his age, that this would last journey. The Greenmage of Culverwood has forever since taken on the surname of Deeproot in honor of the great Elder tree so that he shall never be forgotten. There he rooted himself and entered the eternal sleep. Ilyndrathyl gathered family and built a grand treehouse in Deeproot’s branches to keep the new Way House out of the reach of those who would harm travelers upon the road.
Making this his new family home, The Tree of Parting has stood for generations. Ilyndrathyl’s descendants still manage what has grown from being a small bed and breakfast on a dangerous road into the most important waystation for all east-west trade on the peninsula of Elenna. No price is ever quoted to any visitor. The Ilyndrathyl family instead lets visitors pay or not according to the service they feel they have received. Usually, their generosity is reciprocated far and beyond what would have been charged.
Ilyndrathyl, who is ancient even for an elf, is still alive, but is not the active manager, having retired years ago. However, the greenmage can still be seen daily walking among the branches of the tree each morning examining all the supports as well as the health of the tree.
The manager and very much the man in charge is Folbre, Ilyndrathyl’s son. Folbre is blind. Only the family knows the story behind this. However, do not mistake his abilities. As with many blind folk, his other senses have expanded to make up for his lack of sight. Many rumors abound that he enhances his other senses with magic. Many more rumors are told as to why he can’t have his blindness cured. A fastidious person, he craves neatness and organization. He is very esteemed among all elves everywhere and has served in various capacities of elven leadership both in the Emerald Kingdom and Culverwood. However, as with many things involving Folbre, the story of how he became so revered with the Culverwood elves is a cultural and racial secret. Before he took over for his father in the Tree, he was served by a dozen elven maidens, each from a different elven village. However, by his request, only one remains with him unless he chooses to travel.
The staff numbers around 25 people, mostly descendants of Ilyndrathyl. Each is cross-trained to work in more than one area of the tree. There are also between 7-10 permanent residents present at any time, renting stalls in the tiny market or staying in the Tree for other reasons. 5-10 wagons of traders stop here each night to rest and have a safe place to stay, recover from the road, and make important repairs to wagons and other equipment. The Tree’s Inn and Tavern are large enough to cram them in, but there are times that late arrivals must bunk in the common room.
Ciyradyl, the oldest of Ilyndrathyl’s great-grandchildren, is sweet of heart and a shrewd judge of character. She manages the inn and pub. The pub is known for catering to all manner of guests, the inn has both fine wines and the stoutest ales. The food is first rate and the prices reasonable. One can order a common meal or a 5 star feast to compete with the best pubs in the Floating City. Rooms of varying style and luxury are available, all with a view.
Hiflanyl, one of the younger grand-grandchildren, is in charge of the warehouse and stables. He runs the “lifts” to raise up the trade wagons into the tree and is the lead repairman for anything that needs fixed. He is a virtuoso at repairing anything and has both blacksmithing and leatherworking skills. Hiflanyl has designed a stairway that circles the trunk of the tree, which can be lifted and compacted when the denizens of Izen or the Red Hills come calling. He also has several lifts that can lift anything from a pile of crates, to livestock, to an entire wagon up into the safety of the tree for the evening. More profit is collected from the storage of caravans than any other venture within the tree. He makes it clear to each and every traveler that chooses to camp next to the tree, that the tree cannot come to their rescue if attack comes.
Laughingwater, Hiflanyl’s best friend, runs the Free Trade Post at the top of the stairs. Here, traders and travelers alike make arrangements to store their wagons, livestock, and other travelling supplies in the tree for the night. He also is the one to see if you desire to set up a shop within the tree. Businesses come and go, but Laughingwater sees that there is always a bowyer on site as the defenses of the tree are mostly missile based. There is also a branch of the Catacombs present in the Tree.
The “Head of Security” is a friend of the family named Miles Raynor. He and his assistant, coordinate all defense efforts for the Tree. Miles was a career officer with the Emerald Armed Forces until he saved the life of Laughingwater during a trip to Emerald City. Miles was hired on the spot and though aging faster than the elves he works for, is very effective at his job. He is on hand with every “lift” to explain the behavior expected of all guests of the inn, much to the consternation of Ciyradyl, who thinks it harms her hospitality. He also runs regular drills for all able-bodied residents of the Tree as everyone, “And I mean everyone,” will help defend the tree if attacked.
The Tree of Parting is considered “neutral ground” and is not part of either the Emerald Kingdom, nor the Kingdom of New Elenna. It is known as a site of negotiations, even among the vile and ignoble. There have been formal meetings in the Tree of Parting between feuding orcs, between giants and halflings, and even between dragon and adventurer. Thus most kingdoms, tribes, and organizations do not consider ruining their ability to parley at the tree by attacking it. However, this “neutral ground” does not seem to apply to the rest of the East-West Road. There is a tale that orcs came to the rescue of the tree against another orc tribe to keep their ability to parley from being removed.
There are two other forts on the East-West Road that leads from New Elenna through northern Izen to Aisildur. They are more traditional in nature, being built on the ground with walls for protection. The road stays just south of the dangerous Culverwood. Most traders travel in groups of two-five wagons and carry a few guards for protection. In addition, the Emerald Horsemen patrol the road between the three outposts. New Elenna has hired “adventurers” that patrol the road east of the Tree of Parting all the way to Edenmoor.
The Tree of Parting is considered by many to be one of the Wonders of the Wold. It is known far and wide for its hospitality as well as the incredible beauty of its views in all directions. From the tree, one can see Culverwood, Izen, The Red Hills, the Emerald Kingdom, and on a clear day offer a far off view of the plateaus of the Kingdom of New Elenna.
Official Items
Past descriptions used for the Tree in game ---The Tree of Parting looms ahead of you as late afternoon approaches. Reaching higher than any castle spire you have ever seen. Its great canopy stretches out and seems to help support the sky itself. You can see lights, torches, magic or lanterns is hard to tell, but they shine about the upper branches. As the party draws closer, you begin to make out structures built and blended artfully into the great boughs.
---You need to get to TreeTops Inn and see Captain VonKlempt" His arm pointing skyward nearly 500' to a building in the great tree.
--The party wakes and cleans up and gathers about the one of the lifts. The lifts themselves, unlike the large one that came down last night, are unmanned. Ropes at each corner secure them with a mid chest high dual rallied fence surrounds it. A small built in gate easily swings open and locks back into place as everyone steps aboard. A second or two pass and then the lift begins climbing into the sky. The platform feels completely steady and you can barely feel it move. Soon enough, the platform comes to stop at a great bough in the tree, nearly 120' up, the branch is almost 15' wide. A man greets you as you step off and directs you towards the trunk and the winding staircase you took the previous evening to get to TreeTops.
You pass only a few merchants at this early hour and see no one that you would consider a guard or watchman. With the great canopy of the tree, the sunlight is very filtered and streams through in very select places. To illuminate a piece of art, or branching of some path, a water fountain or other specific thing. Hooded lanterns hang in many other locations from stout poles attached to the path, or hang from a convenient branch above. None of the lanterns give off any heat.
If the tree looked wondrous in the night it looks even more majestic in the daylight. Its great branches, now so clearly visible twisting and turning about in what seems to be the only way they could so as that the buildings and paths built within could exist. Below about the trunk, the bark appeared to be thick, coarse brown with grey highlighting. Here above, though, the branches are wrapped in a smooth grey with white highlights and slivers of tan.
The trip from exiting the lift to the upper reaches of the tree where Tree Tops sits takes nearly an hour and somewhere around 500, you stopped counting stairs. At last you have reached Tree Tops Inn. The great oaken double doors are open, soft string music is within and the quiet tones of a few guests in private conversation.
--Maltius leads the group across the room and up a side flight of stairs and down a hall. The walls are open, granting more pristine views of the beauty of the Tree. The covered walk has several other paths that lead to other rooms situated about. Looking to only be accessible by the walkway or, of course magic. At the end of the walkway, about 250' from the main room, is a short 8 steps to a beautiful cherry wood door highlighted with red and gold trim. Maltius walks up and kisses an engraved circle and then opens the door.. After the party enters, he closes it.
The suite consists of 3 rooms and a wash room. 2 sleeping rooms with 2 large beds each, separated by a communal room of about 300 square feet. The suite is pleasantly furnished, but not extravagently so, a fire place is located in each room and a pair of filled water pitchers with glasses sits on a small table backed by chairs and a couch. A third large sized chair is just to the side by a window looking out to the west.
Creatures
NPC'S
The Tree of Parting Full Time residents
- Laughingwater - Male Human, runs the Free Trade Post at the top of the stairs.
- Moana - Female Human, runs Moana's Fortunes and is not aware she is an actual fortune teller. ie most of the times it is like fortune tellers of today, entertaining, so broad as to fit nearly anything the listener wishes it to and a complete scam so to speak. Does not make her a bad person, just trying to make a living after all and most leave feeling better about themselves and their lot in life. But every now and then, one of the gods steps in and uses her to communicate true providence.
- Dungarth - Male Human, runs Dungarth's Leatherworking Shop
- Saide Silvergraft - Female Half elf, runs The Big Nest a general store.
- Lorifir Lorhalien - Male Elf, runs the Fletcher
- Liliput Muffinbubble - Female Halfling, Caretaker of The Leafy Chapel [a shrine to Alemi as well as a memorial to Ilyndrethyl and Deeproot.]
- Boolia - Female Half-Orc, runs Studs and Gems
- Miles Raynor - Male Human, Head of Security
- Folbre Ilyndrathyl - Male Elf, Tree of Parting Manager. Folbre is blind though only his family knows this. DC Local 35
- Ciyradyl Ilyndrathyl - Female Elf, Runs Treetop Tavern
- Hiflanyl Ilyndrathyl - Male Elf, Runs the warehouse and stables
- The Ilyndrathyl family– overseers non public behind the scenes DC Local 35
Other NPCS
- Garret VonKlempt – Caravan captain of the Guard (Agent of the Fist)
- Dubrin – older dwarf merchant from Module 1
- Korbiss – older dwarf merchant from Module 1
- Boy – teenaged carpenter from Module 1
- Gaston Laroutte - Human Male, wealthy noble trying to get into The Chancers Club. Boistrous, loud, extravagant and self superior. Gaston talks a good game, has good fighting skills, but is a bit full of himself. Gaston failed the test and found his courage lacking against the strange denizens of the Eastern Wood. The party sided against Gaston and he has been denied entrance to the Chancers Club. He is a nephew to Quason Thesk, Duke in Plateau City. He is hostile towards the party. Gaston particularly hates Cameron and wants to cause the halfling as much grief as he can. Gaston will be spending some time researching Cameron. He will start with the Mailed Fist and go from there. If Gaston has the opportunity to thwart any plans Cameron partakes in for himself, Gaston will do so. he is not so much interested in killing any of the party. He wants to make their lives harder, much harder either directly or indirectly to friends and associates. Possible ideas of barring memberships to other organizations in the Wold. Pulling permits and trade franchises. Spreading rumors to gain a negative reputation.
Gaston has dozens of people in direct employ, a strong level of political and business influence and a tremendous amount of cash to apply Gaston wants to humiliate the party, making the Tree kick them out, disband as friends basically all but ruin them Gaston has learned of how Cameron left the group through his network and the dwarf merchants Durbin and Korbiss (Mod 5) He has learned the family history and backgrounds of Atlas, Mack, Carver, and Owen
- Mikalus Dragonspell - Human Male, Silver Bishop of The Chancer Club Questor Committee. Self made nobleman of Plateau City. One of the key figures in blocking Gaston from gaining entrance into the Chancers Club. Worked behind the scenes to accomplish this by bringing the party into the testing. Module 2 He has a neutral if not slightly favorable towards the party. As a former adventurer Mikalus is rooting for the party. He was a well thought of member of the WLA, holding the rank of Lt Commander, before joining the Chancers about 10 years ago. He has been the Silver Bishop for 6 years.
- Lady Dragonspell - Human Female, married to Mikalus, holds the rank of Master Mage in Plateau City Star Mage Guild. the Dragonspell's live in Gold Quarter of Plateau City
- Quason Thesk - Human Male, wealthy noble of the rank of Duke in Plateau City. His position towards the party is neutral. He considers himself and all noble born at the top of the pecking order and demands respect for that fact. He consider's the group beneath his notice. He feels it is a slight to him from the Council that his nephew was not granted acceptance to the Chancers Club. He did not know Gaston was his nephew though until only this year. If he crosses paths with the party again he will be indifferent.
- Lord Bezel - Human Male, Silver Board of Selections Member. Worked with Mikalus Dragonspell behind the scenes and holds a Neutral position towards the party.
Geography
Red Hills North of the Tree of Parting
New Elenna to the East of The Tree of Parting
Life in the Tree
- The Suite of Rooms -From the Main room in Tree Tops Inn, across the room and up a side flight of stairs and down a hall. The walls are open, granting more pristine views of the beauty of the Tree. The covered walk has several other paths that lead to other rooms situated about. Looking to only be accessible by the walkway or, of course, magic. At the end of the walkway, about 250' from the main room, is a short 8 steps to a beautiful cherry wood door highlighted with red and gold trim. The suite consists of 3 rooms and a wash room. 2 sleeping rooms with 2 large beds each, separated by a communal room of about 300 square feet. The suite is pleasantly furnished, but not extravagantly so, a fire place is located in each room and a pair of filled water pitchers with glasses sits on a small table backed by chairs and a couch. A third large sized chair is just to the side by a window looking out to the west.
Adventures
- The Eastern Woods - (Module 2) A subset of woods from Culverwood. It has a low sentience about it. It is generally neutral in disposition, but wants to be left undisturbed. It becomes violent if violence is acted within. Vegepygmies are the main defenses in dealing with violent intruders. The Wood can alter game trails, trees and bushes can move some to aid in misdirection. Other inhabitants include several dryad, nymphs, small fairey folk and a treant. Animals abound including giant varieties. The wood encompasses approximately 1200 square miles
- Teucri Outpost - Just inside the Red Hills, 30 miles northeast of the Tree is a Teucri outpost (Module 3) At the end of Module 3 'The Beacon' a missing key piece will still be required to access deeper secrets at this exotic location. One possible out come is the activation of an Air City, sister and companion of Floating City. In this Dragon Consortium event the Air City activates and begins heading towards Floating City where upon discovering an infestation will begin cleansing Floating City before the final linage is completed. Cleansing would kill all life in Floating City. Inevitables and various powerful constructs would deploy to do so.
Brainstorming and other unofficial items
Trophy requirements
- Trophies Link to guidelines and requirements of the available trophies that can be earned by characters and the party as a whole
