Havenwood

The product of ancient sorcery, the Havenwood are colonies of trees that stretch for miles. Often, these groves form the core of floating islands atop the oceans of Mangal. The oldest, referred to as Elder Trees or Mother Trees are the massive trees that tower above even the canopy of their descendants. A typical grove would consist of an Elder tree at the center and many smaller trees radiating out. The Elder trees' gnarled, branching trunks appear as several smaller trunks woven together in a spiraling pattern. Roots sprawl several miles in every direction, come together into a column up to a mile in diameter, and then spiral back outward into branches between 100 and 150 feet from the average level of their surrounding Wilds.   Mosses and undergrowth coat the Havenwood roots above the waterline. Bushes, vines, and other plants root in the debris these root networks collect.

Physical Properties

Havenwood leaves are waxy and ovular light green leaves that grow in large bunches. Individual leaves seldom reach more than 1 ft in length and 1/2 ft in width. The outer layers of Havenwood bark are thin and brittle reddish bark, flaking off regularly in rectangular scales. Underneath this bark is a denser protective layer, which can reach as much as a meter thick. The wood of Elder Havenwood trees is nearly indestructible, and the only known way to effectively shape it is through the Woodsong of the Durari.   Underneath the bark of Havenwood trees is a layer of thick deep amber sap. This sap can be extracted through ritual magic and hardened into enchanted amber.

Magical Abilities

Havenwood have several mystical properties, many of which grow in potency in proximity to an Elder tree.

• Soul Beacons. Havenwood groves draw in the souls of mortals that die within their borders. This pull is exponentially stronger the closer to the grove's center. The Havenwood renders the deceased's spirit into magical energy, storing it to power the Worldfast. This process makes contacting or reviving the dead impossible. It also prevents Wise Beasts and others who consume souls from feeding near the center of the grove.
• Planar Isolation. The network of Havenwood trees forms the magical barrier of the Worldfast which prevents extraplanar beings from entering Mangal.
• Awakening Divinity. The Durari believe the energies pooling in the trees will eventually grant them awareness. The oldest Elder trees exhibit strange magical effects. They calm the weather, maintain a warm moist climate, and even interweave branches as they grow to make more suitable places for settlement.