Carven Oak (Magic Carving)

The Verdier Dan of elves left their clan tree behind when they emigrated from their homeland. Some say that tree was the inspiration for Ilsundal's later creation, the tree of life, familiar to so many mainland elves. However this may be, the Verdier elves arrived in the Minrothad Islands without any relic at all. Whatever sprig or offshoot of the clan tree went with them had perished during their long travels.
When these elves isolated themselves from their aquatic elf kin in the early days on Alfeisle, they withdrew into the forests, heartsick for the woodlands they had left behind. Alawyn Verdier was the keeper at that time, although no relic existed for her and her assistants to guard. Discontented with a useless existence, Alawyn and a few brave companions went on a quest to find a new relic for the Verdier Wood elves.
The keeper and her followers were gone for five years. After adventures that took them to the planes of the Immortals, Alawyn and her friends returned, much aged and fewer in number, but with a relic (of sorts) for their isolated clan. They had brought with them the carven oak, a powerful artifact given to the wood elves by the immortal they follow. The carven oak is a life-sized carving of an oak tree. It stands 30 feet tall and is made of solid wood—of a species not even the forest elves can identify. The trunk and branches are carved to look like bark, the leaves resemble leaves down to its finely detailed veins. Besides the leaf-covered branches, the carven oak was made with 100 separate branchlets standing starkly alone.
The carven oak stands in a heavily guarded, sacred grove not far from Verdun on Alfeisle. Mahogany grows in this island forest, but the carven oak stands alone in a clearing 200 feet across. The artificial tree is deeply rooted, originally with the base of its trunk set deeply in the ground. It appears that the trunk has actually taken root in the past century. Although the rest of the artifact is clearly dead wood, its keepers are hopeful that it may be turning into a living tree.
The carven oak is a greater artifact created by an Immortal of the Sphere of Time. It possesses none of the powers of traditional elf clan relics, although its powers are great enough in their own right. Only the current keeper, Rewen Verdier, and his senior assistant, Hani Oliwn, understand all the powers, uses, and dangers of the artifact.
The artifact is charged with 500 power points. It recharges at the rate of 20 points per turn, or 120 an hour. The artifact has the following powers: Control plants, control animals, turn wood, blight, speak with plants, find the path, pass plant, warp wood, create normal object, wish, cure serious wounds.
Handicaps and Penalties: Handicaps are permanent effects; penalties wear off when the duration has expired or the artifact is no longer possessed.
Handicaps: The junior immortal Oleyan is imbedded in the carven oak and bound to serve the wood elves, the result of a dispute he lost with the creator of the artifact. This is unknown to any but the keeper himself. It is because of Oleyan's presence that the carven oak has begun to take root. He has 1,500 years of service left, or until the artifact is destroyed. Oleyan helps anyone who comes to destroy the carven oak, for he has long since become bored with this existence. He can communicate telepathically with anyone touching the carven oak, but does not do so unless he senses that person may be sympathetic to his desire for freedom.
When control plants, speak with plants, or pass plant is used, there is a 20% chance that the user loses 1 hit point permanently.
If two powers are used in a single day, the user suffers -50% to attack ranges for missiles and spells for the next 24 hours.
Penalties: When a wish is invoked, there is a 90% chance that the user dies. There is no saving throw, and this effect does not reverse itself if the artifact is destroyed.
When using find path, control animals, or create normal object, there is a 60% chance that the user becomes compelled to serve the wood elves as if under a geas. This does not occur if the character is already serving the elves with his or her use of these powers. When warp wood or cure serious wounds is used, there is a 5% chance for the user to age 15 years.
For each power used, there is a 50% chance that the user's Dexterity drops by -3 for one day.
If a power costing more than 50 power points is used, there is a 50% chance that the user's next saving throw is penalized by -1dl2.
Activation: These powers can be activated in two ways. The most common is to touch the carven oak and invoke the name of the power. The second way is to break off one of the leafless branchlets of the artifact. At any later time, the user can break that branchlet in half and invoke the name of the desired power. The power then takes effect as if the user were touching the artifact. If a branchlet is broken without a power being named, it is not wasted; each lesser length retains its power until one artifact ability is invoked. This ability can only be used once per branchlet, no matter how many times it is broken.
This latter method of activation in effect makes each branchlet a one-time magical device that can be used at any distance from the carven oak. The branchlets are given on rare occasions to adventurers or heroes working in the cause of the Verdier clan. When the keeper gives a branchlet for this purpose, he tells the recipient what spell effect the branchlet has. He does not mention that the branchlet can invoke any power, nor what the full range of powers are. If a person receives more than one branchlet, they are painted or tied with colored string so that the supposedly separate spell effects can be told apart. There are currently 82 branchlets remaining on the carven oak. Once they are gone, they cannot be replaced. No other pieces of wood from this artifact have the same remote power effect.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Carvings