Cypress: the First Tree

The story of the first tree involves Cypress Queen and the gods Savassan, Mymlos and Esara. As the elves, under the vague direction of Savassan, began to travel across the world, some of the elves who traveled north found themselves in very hot, dry land. Turning to Savassan for aid, they begged for something that could provide them shade over their heads, something more permanent than their shelters.   Savassan vowed to find them a solution, deciding to seek out some of the founders for help. His first thought was to turn to Esara, the being who granted life to everything in the world. After finally tracking her down in the western continent, Savassan gave his plea. Because Esara is compassionate for all of her children, she felt that something had to be done, but it couldn't be a simple gift. Her children would need to learn how to take care of themselves, so she couldn't hand them everything. She offered him a seed that would provide the northern elves with everything they needed. "If you can keep this seed alive and cultivate it, your people will find themselves equipped with everything they need to survive. Find someone to help you care for the seed, to protect it, and to make sure it lives on. If the seed lives on, you and your people will live as well, for as long as the seed stays alive. Others will attempt to take advantage of the product of this seed, but you must ensure they never take it from you."   Savassan now had a decision to make: if he was to choose a leader for these elves in the north, he would have to be careful. He set up a trial to decide the elf he would bring to raise the seed with him, and the one who was chosen was a woman named Cypress. Her strength, compassion, and desire for the future of their people proved her as the best candidate for the northern elves. After conferring with the other northern elves, it was agreed that she would cultivate the seed and lead all of their people. Savassan also selected Lotus to be her protector and guard the seed against harm. His intelligence, bravery, and perseverance would make him a great warrior. Since the choice was Savassan's, it was hard for anyone to refute the decision.   As Cypress and Lotus worked to cultivate this seed, they realized it was far more difficult than they had thought. They could never get enough water from the sea to water the seed, no matter how quickly they traveled back and forth. Lotus left Cypress to do what she could for the seed while he went to petition another god, Mymlos, for aid. Traveling far and wide in search of a way to communicate with Mymlos, Lotus eventually found himself among the sea elves, who had previously established a connection with them. Lotus, under the guidance of Mymlos, was able to complete a trial to prove himself capable of harnessing a storm that would provide their seed with what it needed. Upon returning to the northern lands, Lotus journeyed into the mountains to the east with the Bottle of Storms. Before he could release it, though, he encountered Matamasumera, the first Dragon of Kumatori.   Matamasumera demanded he leave the mountains to the dragons, that it was no place for Lotus or his ilk. Fearing the might of a dragon, Lotus left to find aid among his people. Cypress suggested he go to Savassan for ideas, a decision that proved to be helpful. After outfitting the northern elves who were willing to fight with the best equipment available at the time, primarily made from stones and grasses, such as slings, the army set off into the mountains once again, with Lotus leading the charge. While the elves were victorious, pushing Matamasumera back across the mountains, Lotus was slain in the fighting, cut apart by Matamasumera's sharp teeth. His blood flowed down the mountain as he was finally able to unleash the storm that would create a river. Lotus's blood mixed with the river, empowering it and enabling it to flow faster, and it is said that his blood is what finally allowed the seed to grow.   As Cypress tended to her seed, she could see the river growing closer in the distance, and as it did, it flowed past the garden, suddenly filling the land with life. Grasslands gave way to bushes, and the seed grew into a massive, shady tree. Lotus's blood provided the northern elves with everything they would need. As the river flowed, Cypress noticed flowers that flowed along with the river. These flowers came to be called Lotus Flowers, in honor of the man who died to create them. Over time, more trees grew, and Cypress found herself able to communicate with them. Her people finally had the shade they desired, but it cost them the sacrifice of Lotus's life. Since then, the Festival of the Lotus Flower has been a celebration and memorial of his sacrifice and what he gave to the people.

There is a lot of evidence of the truth of this myth. The existence of Cypress and the Sylvan Enclave serves to support this story, as well as Cypress Queen's connection to the trees of her forest. Many people in other nations, though, call attention to the trees of the Sayale Archipelago and the Wyrd, claiming that these could not have been created by Cypress or anyone in the enclave. Others argue that elves from the Enclave could have moved to these places, spreading the trees.

This is a very well known legend within the Enclave, and many people of other nations know at least the basic details.