Blood of the World-Root

The first recorded mention of the Blood of the World-Root appears in a fragmented journal recovered from the ruins of a Veydralin temple-ship, wrecked off the coast of what is now Necai in year 61 HE. The text, written in an archaic form of High Eouman, describes a "grove of living madness" and a “root-veined god” whose sap cured the fever of a dying priestess—but bound her soul to the forest in return.   The passage is short and cryptic, barely a few sentences, but it’s the oldest surviving record with clear reference to the glowing green sap, divine price, and face-marked bark—key traits consistent with modern versions of the myth. Whether the account is firsthand, allegorical, or already a retelling of an older oral tradition is still debated by scholars. Some even believe the wreck was no accident, but the result of Vyrewood rejecting their theft.   More structured tales of the Blood emerge in Kalrosi oral history by 121 HE, especially among the Eláfi clans, who warn against trespassing too deep into the forest’s heart. Their version speaks of a scout who returned healed of a shattered spine, only to slowly turn to moss over the course of a season, vanishing into the roots during his tribe’s migration.

The myth of the Blood of the World-Root is not common knowledge, but it’s also not entirely obscure. It exists on the fringes of known history—half-believed by scholars, whispered by druids, and feared by those who've seen too much. In most of Tanaria, it sits somewhere between an arcane folktale and a cautionary legend.   In academic circles, particularly among the Aelvaren and the Order of Umbra, fragments of the myth are studied like riddles—curiosities tied to wild magic, divine punishment, or planar bleed. But even these scholars treat it as apocryphal, citing unreliable sources, dream-records, and secondhand accounts from mad explorers.   Among the Eláfi of Kalros, reclusive druids, and certain Fey-bound seers, however, the tale is considered deadly serious. They don’t just believe in the World-Root—they act as if it’s watching. Some clans mark maps with a blank space labeled simply “Do Not Drink.” Others keep vigil at the forest’s edge, warning travelers away, especially on nights when Callista and Umbriel both shine.   Rarely, the myth surfaces in song or oral tales—sailors tell of crews vanishing inland, adventurers claim to have seen “a bowl full of stars,” and a few warlocks swear their power came not from a pact but from a drink taken beneath living branches. These people are either gifted, twisted, or vanished within a year.   So, it's not pub gossip. But those who deal in magic, prophecy, or ancient power? They know the story—and they know to fear it.

Eláfi of Kalros – “The Turning”

To the Eláfi, the World-Root is sacred and feared. Their version of the myth is deeply spiritual: the sap is not a gift, but a test of one’s harmony with nature. If your soul is in balance, the sap heals and empowers. If not, the forest reclaims you. Their storytellers describe it as a rite of passage attempted only by those ready to sacrifice everything. The transformation into moss or bark isn’t viewed as a curse—it’s an honor, a return to Faethra.  

High Elves (Aelvaren) – “The Lie of Life”

The Aelvaren consider the Blood a trick of the Trickster God Igmut—a manifestation of chaos masquerading as salvation. In their version, the tree was meant to stabilize Vyrewood, but was corrupted by the mortals who sought to harvest it. The sap, to them, offers illusion: false healing, false wisdom, false life. They teach that drinking it damns the soul to be caught forever in the forest's shifting truth.  

Cult of the Root (Secretive Sect) – “The First Drop”

A shadowy group scattered across Tanaria claims the sap was the first drop of Faethra’s own blood, spilled in grief after learning of her curse. They believe the tree is a living shard of her essence, and that to drink is to commune directly with the Fae Mother. Their rituals are secret, but rumors suggest some deliberately offer themselves to the World-Root in return for whispered prophecy or unnatural offspring.