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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6354 Posts |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Aug 2014 : 23:32:25
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
The Grandfather Tree in the High Forest is an actual Arakhor.
The High Forest itself is the remains of a large forest that covered the entire Savage Frontier and Sword Coast.
Its origins probably date back to way before the Days of Thunder when the ice age of Toril ended.
Most of the forests of Faerun will date to a similar time. They formed as the planet warmed and the glaciers retreated. As far as i know the only thing that would have lived in them would be the creator races (fey, humans, batrachi - maybe aearee although it wouldnt be to their benefit).
When the dragons arrived thats when forests started getting destroyed.
dragonfire and the crown wars split up the large forests of the north and south (Keltormir, Aryvandaar, and Illythiir).
Arcorar remained largely untouched until after the crown wars but was split into smaller forests by falling meteors, wars with drow, and human activity.
Human activity has shrunk most of the remaining forests somewhat but in general if a large group of trees exists in unsettled land then it is probably quite old.
Pretty much all the forests that are around are the remnants of a great big giant forest that covered all over. One place at a time regions of forest have been cleared - be it by magic (the Crown Wars had a LOT of that), dragon fire, axes, meteors, whatever. Look at the Grand History; it talks about it a heap.
P.S. As he said above, the Grandfather Tree and the Tree of Knowledge are Arakhora (pretty sure I read that was the plural form somewhere). There are others, we just don't know where. I'd imagine deep in the depths of other forests. Anyhow, I imagine that they are all of different sizes. One might look oak-ish, but another might be a large willow, and still another the largest red-wood around.
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7974 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2014 : 22:55:06
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I think human activity accounts for more destruction to the forests than even dragons. Although orcs have been noted for wanton destruction of forests, to burn out those pesky elves if nothing else.
Look at old maps (like, circa Myth Drannor) which show Cormanthor, then notice that 2E/3E maps have significantly less woodland in proximity to human cities, roads, and habitats. Thay and much of the Shining South are sometimes described as once having lush forests, now cut back to isolated retreats (although other sources describe these regions as always been barren, arid, desert-like scrublands). |
[/Ayrik] |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2014 : 22:15:10
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Aye, typically a rise (or spike) in human population leads to eventual deforestation as housing and kindling for cooking and warmth dwindles the wood resources plenty quick. It seems little skirmishes with elves happen in modern Faerun, but during the rise of Jhaamdath times were probably significantly different. Whole civilisation scale wars have been faught over deforestation practises, culminating in a historically huge high-magic massacre.
On earth a living forest can claim territory for thousands of years if the environmental and geological conditions stay stable. For example in Yosemite park there is a population of bristlecone pines over ten thousand years old and near Utah one can find a stable forest colony made of Aspen trees that's over 80 000 years old. Japan has a sacred tree thats estimated to be over 7000 years old making it pre written history.
It seems to me treants make the best indicator of having a very old forest in Faerun, as they tend to protect their 'kin' as a father or motherlike figure... |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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silverwolfer
Senior Scribe
789 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2014 : 01:07:46
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Well you can have a forest of mushrooms underground...
Does that mean Araumycos is the oldest forest :) |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6648 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2014 : 18:28:39
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How about the Woventree in "Empires of the Shining Sea", p.137 or the Tree of Knowledge in Semberholme ("Cormanthyr", p.93)?
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2014 : 12:46:45
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Awesome catch there Krash! I managed to track down the source and read up on it a bit.
The size of the woventree might have increased, since the publication in Empires of the Shining Sea dates it to 1370 DR and claims the woventree has steadily grown its tangling branches since its discovery. In 1370 DR the tangling oak was 250 ft high and up to 100 ft wide, so it might have reached the size of the biggest tree on earth in the 15th century realms. I doubt it counts as a single tree though, as it has the stability to rise to its height and width because of the interwoven trunks and branches. It is probably not entirely natural either and under influence of some kind of elven high magic.
Interesting is another tree of Eiellur, a toppled petrified shadowtop, hollowed out to enable a home for several green elven families. Its ruined and defiled interior is large enough to encompass a hospital, barracks, library and several temples, dining rooms and living quarters. If it stood upright it might have been large enough to resemble a nine-storied tower! That would make it about 100 ft high and probably at least 25 ft wide at the base.
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The World Tree is the metaphysical construct along wich the local planes of Faerun were ordered. It must have been humongous, with its trunk standing in Dwarfhome and Arvandor, and its top breaching the silvery waters of the Gates of the Moon. this would make it many many many leagues high. The tree was destroyed by the Spellplague (I'd explain it by stating the winds of change broke the main trunk and toppled the tree into the silvery voids of the astral), but I have a suspicion that its roots still stand in Arvandor and/or Dwarfhome.
Yggdrasil's Child is a huge ancient oak on the isle of Ruathym on the Moonshea Isles, that is carved with runes that grow in size and power as the tree grows. It had a special connection to the World Tree, so those in the know could use it as a planar portal.
Another type of giant tree are the Guardian Trees on Evermeet (Elves of Evermeet), said to be able to reach heights of over 500ft tall! They usually are relativly slender (only 50 ft wide) and doubled as defence towers, stationing a gold elven garrison and giant eagle squadron each.
The city of Leuthilspar also has a very old tree called the Sacred Oak, that said to be the first tree of Evermeet and to have its roots originally in Arvandor. That would make it at least 10 000 years old if not older. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2014 : 14:46:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Interesting is another tree of Eiellur, a toppled petrified shadowtop, hollowed out to enable a home for several green elven families. Its ruined and defiled interior is large enough to encompass a hospital, barracks, library and several temples, dining rooms and living quarters. If it stood upright it might have been large enough to resemble a nine-storied tower! That would make it about 100 ft high and probably at least 25 ft wide at the base.
That is pretty normal for shadowtops, at least in the deep forests. They are big - as Ed put it "the soaring giants of Faerunian forests." |
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Largest tree / Oldest Forest in the Realms
