Old Tree

The Old Tree is an extremely large and ancient tree residing in Kamar, southern Asmocaria. It is the only Titan known to still live in the modern day. Standing at 180 metres tall, with a trunk diameter of 30 metres at the widest point, a canopy stretching out to a diameter of 106 metres and a root network extending 1.5 kilometres horizontally and vertically, it is the single largest non-clonal organism to have ever existed - and with an age estimated to be in excess of 15,000 years, it also ranks among the oldest.

The Old Tree is considered a holy site by Natrakhsanians, who believe the tree is inhabited by a spirit known as the Grandfather, one of the eldest spirits and the one responsible for creating all plant life. The Old Tree is also revered as a sacred site by Elvetans due to it being the only living relic from the time of the Titans, several of which they revere as Gods.

The Old Tree's appearance is reminiscent of an oak, but its canopy has a flatter shape (extending out further horizontally than it does vertically) and its comparatively wide trunk twists approximately 230 degrees from base to tip, tapering significantly as it does so; the base of the tree is just under twice as wide as the tip of the trunk. A symbiotic fungus covers the tree, lining its leaves and streaking across its trunk, which is virtually invisible in daylight but has an azure glow at night. The tree is evergreen, shedding and growing new leaves continuously throughout the whole year rather than with the seasons. Although this process is very slow, the sheer number of leaves - numbering somewhere in the trillions - means that there are virtually always leaves falling to the ground beneath, supporting a small ecosystem based on decomposers consuming these dropped leaves. On dark nights, when the glow of the fungus is most clear, the slowly falling leaves creates a spectacular sight which draws many visitors.

The vast canopy is home to a diverse ecosystem of birds, insects, snakes and even a small species of monkey. The vast majority of such creatures never touch the ground. The trunk itself supports no life other than the bioluminescent fungus which grows across it; it is far too tough to burrow through, and the fungus appears to act as an immune system, protecting the trunk against the growth of other fungi.

The Old Tree requires gargantuan volumes of water each day to sustain itself, noticeably drying out the surrounding grass for almost a kilometre. The question of how the Old Tree could possibly gather enough water to maintain its colossal mass was a mystery until 1987, when it was discovered that a large underground reservoir lies approximately 400 metres below the tree. Laws protecting the tree make it difficult for scientists to study exactly how large this reservoir is and how much water remains in it, but it is known to be the largest underground reservoir currently known of on Earth.

## Apparent Intelligence

The local Asmocarians, who believe that the tree is inhabited by the Grandfather - a powerful and sentient spirit - have always claimed that the Old Tree is intelligent, reactive to its surroundings, and capable of making wise judgements. According to tradition, the Old Tree is capable of reacting against damage by moving its branches and roots, and calling animals to its aid when attacked. Although there is no proven evidence of the first claim, there is of the second; the Old Tree lets off a pungent pheromone when damaged, alerting animals for miles around and drawing them towards the tree. Though the smell is impossible to ignore to animals, no intelligent creature except the Cisens is capable of detecting this pheromone.

By far the most famous story of the Old Tree's intelligence, though, is its primary method of communication, referred to as "giving its blessing", which consists of the fungus coating the tree - which normally only glows azure at night - glowing a bright purple in a pulsating manner. The exact shade of this purple is not agreed upon by the sources; some say it is violet, and others say it is closer to red, like Tyrian purple. Some sources also say that the trunk of the Old Tree would physically move when giving the blessing, but most do not mention this.

Asmocarian tradition states that the Grandfather (i.e. the Old Tree) would give his blessing to those he deemed worthy, which could mean differing things depending on the context; for example, if a king was crowned in the Grandfather's sight, being given the blessing was a sign that the Grandfather approved of his coronation and prophesied him to be a great ruler - or, as another example, if a marriage was performed in the Grandfather's sight, the blessing indicated that the Grandfather approved of the union.

The Old Tree has not given any blessings since 960, when it gave its blessing to Emperor Amelos. There is one singular account of the Old Tree giving its blessing to the Annihilator and his companions, but this should not be taken as fact due to the total lack of other sources mentioning this. Some say that this is because the Old Tree required the use of magic to give its blessing, and the disappearance of magic rendered it impossible or perhaps made the Old Tree lose its consciousness entirely. Those with a more positive outlook, though, say that no blessings have been given simply because there has been nobody presented to the Old Tree worth blessing.