The grooves in the stones are shallow on the sides and deeper in the middle. With 12 stones, could they be spokes on a wheel? What fit in the grooves?
The island itself may be turning, so the tree may be the source powering the seasons in Nyth in a way that ther seasons in the realm remain stationary.
Branwen might be being cagey, just in the way that she doesn’t know us very us, which would make sense to us. Other characters have been together for a long time, and are open with eachother, high level of trust. We do feel trust her and feel close to her, just because she came from Cricket.
Branwen asks if the the stone at the base of the tree was an “altar stone”, a sacrificial altar, but doesn’t get that sense. It’s more of a place to sit and think. We don’t hear anything in terms of voices (“sounds on the wind.“) The voices are silent now that we’re here.
Branwen sits on the stone. As she does, there’s a slight breeze. We hear the bees. She sees the flat inner sides of the stones facing her.
Silas looks at the tree bark, looking for marks like in the stones. The tree bark is rough; there are no man made marks. Nothing that aligns with the stone grooves.
There’s a hole in the trunk that stays in the same place on the tree. The bees follow the flowers around the tree.
Place names: Noorglass is the name of the new world continent where Monsoth is. We’re currently in Nyth. Gwreydh is the prison realm.
In terms of time (is this a clock of some kind?): This place doesn’t necessarily follow a 12 month calendar. Balz would have grown up following the lunar phases. Observationally, this place is set up similar to our solar and lunar cycles.
The cluster of stones on the water’s edge is there naturally, not hewn.
Silas communes with nature, places a hand on the tree, focuses on the tree and it’s possible connection to myth (the woman, the bear.) Trying to sense what’s underneath.> As large as the tree is, I can feel the roots delving very deep. Get the sense that this tree is the tip of a larger tree that goes deep beyond knowing. Almost hear a gnawing, can sense a lot of activity that I’m not aware or privy to. Can feel the presence of a female energy as being positive and supportive and nurturing. No bearish indications at this time. The gnawing seems natural (squirrels, etc) and not nefarious. Tree is alive and not static. Feel myself quickly pulled into the larger scope. The bees close at hand, the apples, the seasonal movement.Other trees we’ve seen: 1. the grove in Monsoth (all different species) 2. Stone turtle grove (all beech) 3. The tree at the monastery (derwen, which we planted) 4. The dream tree (which we never recognized the species of)
Are apples trees sacred? Mannix confirms that the apple tree was one of the 12 in Monsoth.
Are there powerful versions like this one of each of the twelve species out there? The beech was a grove, not a single tree. Balz theory: each tree may represent a deity or god.
A review of the derwen:
- We were given a sapling that we planted at the temple
- Dama identified it for us
- At the north end of Raven Island (where we met Mogg) there was a derwen grove
- At the center of that grove was the pool that Mannix almost drowned in
- Lavender flowers were blooming around the pool
- This pool was more of a spring, a curated pool. There was water there already, someone adjusted it to make it more accessible
- The grass next to the spring had been pushed down as if someone had been laying threre a moment ago
The trees in the twelve:
- Derwen
- Copper beech
- Apple
- Cherry
- Walnut
- Sugar maple
- Striped maple
- Paper birch
- Buttonwood (sycamore)
- Willow
- Holly
- Mountain ash
Things we recall:
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Balz recalls now (memory, 24) that the temple where The Abbot was laid in Trenewydh was circular and had 12 columns. The floor was blue marble and resembled a well.
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Mannix’s grave had 12 stones, not flattened, but deliberately placed.
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Silas’s folk’s henges also had 12 stones, a ditch on the inside, a wall of earth on the outside.
Theory: Is there a god to tree mapping? Is there a tree in the land of the dead? The Sun King wants to destroy death. Would that mean taking down death’s tree?
Meta discussion: > DM: As a party, we don’t have a lot of information.
Ryan: We should keep these theories in mind as we go forward. We don’t need to solve these mysteries and connections. We should just keep them in min as we go forward.Balz has not seen anything like this tree before, not have any of us. B rolls old lore for the symbol (20+). He recalls coming across the symbol and recognizes it sort of as we would a pentagram. A dark symbol, but that’s not exactly what it stands for. Hard to tell if the symbol is a “desecration.” It’s carefully and thoughtfully done and with intention. Doesn’t come across as an act of vandalism. There is moisture in the design. The green could be algae that has grown.
Balz takes out the vial of black water in the vial and holds it up to the tree and the symbol. He doesn’t notice anything.
Thinking of Kleighein, this does seem like “a place of power” Who should try it?
Balz has Copyn’s ring: 3 braided metals: silver, gold and iron. (Similar to the symbol?)
Silas goes to the cluster of walks and perceives (12). These are naturally occurring boulders. Seems possible that they would have been placed here. Hard to tell. Don’t see anything related to why Copyn would have sought them out. They would provide good cover.
Balz does a lap around the island to see if anything catches his eye. (15) It’s verdant, rocks peeking out, a lot of grass. It’s healthy. Not a lot of movement. Can see tracks from the fight. Not a lot else. Bees would come into the spring section. Do see evidence of — roll nature please, 12 — see in the bay where the reeds have been pushed down, like a duck or a goose pushing through reeds, except it was something really large, so maybe a boat. Maybe an otter, or a bird. No footsteps or keel marks. Relatively fresh. Probably not the person that made the “lived in” marks on the stone. The water depth is shallow and doesn’t drop off too much except in the cove.
Balz asks about the other side of the tree, looking for anything unnatural or desecrated. Nothing there.
Balz asks Silas if he remembers the symbol at all (21) Silas does remember it. He would have seen it in the henges. Would not have understood it, and would not have been explained. But definitely recognizes it. He thinks his folk called it “The Cradle” Was it a part of the ritual?
Balz asks about Tewlder’s drawings. The symbol would not have been a part of them. Tewlder’s sketches are of natural imagery. He worked on ships like Krambler. Shells, mussels, clams, sea urchins, stars. Those and making them into simpler shapes, “geometrizing.”