[Taocow PBEM] [Ted, Louissa, Jacek the Borg and Co.] Book 3 - Chapter XIII - The Millennium Druids

[Aaron Clausen]

> [Ted]
> Ted will lead the group out of this room and see where the branches
> take them.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
With Ted and Louissa in the lead, the massive Borg Jacek and a couple
of his men follow behind.

The tree is truly a thing of wonder. Apart from the vast pods that act
as dwellings for most of its residents, the main trunk hosts a hall
nearly as great as that of the Great Hall in New Camelot. There is
little here that is artificial, everything appears to be fashioned
from the wood of the tree, right down the furniture, much of which
seems to have been carved out of or grown out of the tree itself.

By all appearances, the Tree must hold be home to several thousand
people, perhaps as much as 10,000, a large city on Rifts Earth. There
are few weapons seen and most people either appear to be druids, or
other nature-loving "Friends of the Tree". Most greet Ted and Louissa
warmly, some apparently even knowing them by name, though Jacek is
viewed with a little suspicion.

Most of the pods are private residences in the fashion of apartment
blocks, and while there are no guards, it seems somewhat impolite to
go peeking into too many of them.

Finally they've reached the canopy of the leaves, and this is a darker
place of deep greens. The ground is some 500 feet below, and from here
they can survey the damage from the Splugorth attack and the flood
that swept the Splugorth minions away. Soon that view disappears as
they enter the massive branches and leaves of the crown of the tree.

Then they hear the singing above. Beautiful voices, some high and
clear, others like deep baritones, in a chorus that seems to sing to
their hearts of the adventurers. They turn a corner and find
themselves looking down on a large hollowed branch where at least
three dozen Millennium druids are joined in a choir. Above them, the
leaves of the tree almost seem to glow.

A robed figure comes walking up to the company and bows, then lifts of
her hood. It is a young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, with the
pointed ears that shows her to be an Elf.

"I am Taelaen." she says. "The Council said that you might be
exploring, and has offered me as a guide. These are the Amhránaithe ar
an gCrann, the Singers to the Tree. The Tree is greatly pleased by
this, especially after its injuries."

"Now tell me," she says. "Where would you like to go? What would you
like to see?"
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com