The Arbormonde

The Arbormonde is a colossal tree found in the south east of Excaria. It is the second of the Seven Natural Wonders of Anu, its branches casting a gentile shadow on the forests surrounding it. The name Arbormonde was taken from the Feyed Eladrin tongue by imperial scholars. Its original meaning could roughly be translated to "The Great Mother" or "The All Mother".

In the days before the Old Empire, the Feyed Eladrin, split into circles, loosely organised themselves into the Tel'Ar Mil, roughly translating to "The Great Accord". Under this system the different circles promoted the circle of life, both in their environment as well as their societies, going through periods of growth and deliberate decline to stay in balance with Arbormonde and the surrounding Evergreen Woods.

The Feyed Eladrin, born from Arbormonde, lived amongst its branches, roots and shadow, tending to it and the surrounding flora and fauna. They usually lived in small villages or nomadic tribes but their capital, Radh'enial, was a city to rival any other it its time. Constructed over many years, slowly and deliberately, it sits on a branch of Arbormonde and its streets and buildings are grown from living wood.

The Feyed Eladrin had little interest in the outside world. They were content with protecting Arbormonde and the Evergreen Woods. One day however this peace was broken when a large army of Shortfolk invaded the northern Evergreen Woods and began to clear the forest on a massive scale. The Tel'Ar Mil for the first time in its history mustered all its forces and marched to war. The conflict eventually escalating into the War of the Five.

The Feyed Eladrin were immensely talented in calling upon the magics of nature but they were few compared to the other mortal races. Weak and unfamiliar with the fast pace the war demanded, they turned to the animals living in the forests around Arbormonde. Channelling its magic, the Feyed Eladrin gave many of the beasts consciousness and changed their form to a more humanoid one. Creating most of the Beastfolk races now wandering Anu.

The war sapped their strength, the natural circle of growth and decline interrupted. During the Endtimes following the War of the Five imperial scholars believe the last of the Feyed Eladrin died. Leaving the beastfolk to inhabit the Evergreen Woods and Arbormonde. Some time after the Endtimes had passed, the young and rising Old Empire reached the Evergreen Woods. Over almost a century the Old Empire broke the Beastfolk tribes and subjugated them as slaves to be used across the empire. The abandoned but still intact Radh'enial was captured by the Imperials and largely preserved but lacking the same knowledge to shape living wood, the newer parts of the town were constructed with plank and nail.

The imperial scholars settled in Radh'enial determined the Arbormonde to have a consciousness. Its thoughts and imaginations directly responsible for the great variety of flora, fauna and other natural miracles in the surrounding Evergreen Woods.

Its thoughts manifest themselves through a special magic, dubbed Living Magic by the Imperial scholars. While they lacked the specialist knowledge of the Feyed Eladrin to make full use of it, the Imperials succeeded in creating Arbormstial Nectar.