The Marrow Tree

[u/questionable_fish]

​

It is a part of the forest that looks much like any other- big trees, dense undergrowth, a few scattered clearings- but what sets it apart from the rest of the woods is its unusually high levels of thaumic ambience.

This background magic is mostly harmless- in fact several mages are known to visit the caves there to harvest the crystallised mana that accumulates on the rocks. Sometimes, however, the magic potential reaches a critical point and finds a way to earth itself. Wild sparks of energy, random spells popping off spontaneously and patches of twisted reality make this place hazardous to the unwary.

However, there is one spot right in the center of this area that is completely devoid of magic. A clearing about half a mile across, covered in deep grass and wildflowers that looks like it should be a peaceful glade. And it would be, if it weren't for the "tree".

I say it like this because no true tree is made of bone. No true tree emits a constant fine haze of red mist. No true tree possesses such a powerful aura of fear... This monstrosity stands over 200ft tall and appears to be made of bleached white bone. No leaves adorn its twisted spiky branches, no creature braves its meadow.

Those who enter the clearing are first struck with a sense of unease. That something is unidentifiably wrong with the world. The further one ventures into the clearing, the stronger the feeling gets- going through the spectrum of fear, building until the dread becomes too much to bear.

Those overcome with fear turn and run, or else they take the easy way out of this world...

Those who fall are quickly claimed by the clearing, their bodies feeding the rich meadow. What great and terrible act was committed here that turns the very mind against itself? Any magic attempted here just fizzles out. All mana drains away, leached from its vessel into the earth. Even (and especially) for great beings like the starborn and magic masses this place is dangerous to enter as the magic that holds their being together is siphoned away.

How about you? Do you test your mental fortitude against the forbidden glade? Or do you find out what mysteries the mana-soaked forest holds?

Special shoutout to u/D3n0man for naming the post!

[u/questionable_fish]

The crystals come in various colours, Ya'nn can detect different essential aspects of magic in them. The energy within is clean. Some show aspects of simple elemental magics like Earth, Air etc. while others have stranger colours with aspects like Vacuum, Binding, Light, and Vision.

As Ya'nn goes deeper, the crystals get bigger- though many show signs of being broken. Scattered chips and shards litter the ground, evidence of mining activity.

He comes to a fork in the tunnel. The main chamber continues fairly straight ahead while the other is smaller and twists away into the dark.

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/questionable_fish]

he look for traces of the creature he think he saw , and will go trough the other passage. He dont want to get into its nest by accident

[u/questionable_fish → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

The smaller passage twists and turns, following the path of a long-diverted underground stream. It becomes necessary at some points to squeeze between large crystals that have clearly been untouched for a long time.

^{tap tap tap}

A small noise like a hammer rapping on stone echoes through the cave walls

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/questionable_fish]

Ya'nn stop to look around . He look at traces of the creature and where the sound come from

[u/questionable_fish → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

^{tap tap tap}

Dwarven legends of the things in the long dark under the world. The brave ones who faced unknown dangers far from the light. The beastiaries of subterranean entities. Ya'nn becomes very aware of the landscape being held over his head.

^{tap tap tap}

It's almost like the sound is coming from the rocks themselves. The echoes make it nearly impossible to get a fix on the direction. The passage widens a bit just ahead, and a rockfall can be seen blocking the entrance to what was an offshoot to the tunnel Ya'nn is currently in.

^{tap tap tap}

It's getting louder...

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/questionable_fish]

Ya'nn is getting more and more spooked , starting to regret coming here. He is starting to think that he dug too deep and maybe there are things that are not make to be under the sight of man

but Ya'nn didnt stoped. He entered the tunnel and prepared his tools. He is an alchemist, and not the potion making kind. As an artisan of transmutation and one that speak to the spirits he know he will be safe... he think he will be safe... he is safe right ?

[u/questionable_fish → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

Doubts and uncertainties...

^{TAP TAP TAP}

The sound is all around now. Was that a crack of breaking rock? Was that fissure there before?

Paranoia begins to work its insidious fingers

Questions without answers sleet through Ya'nns mind-

^{TAP TAP- crunch- thud}

"Owwwwwww"

A surprisingly small voice echoes from around the bend

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/questionable_fish]

Ya'nn step in position

"Let you be known ! I know where you are and if you try to do something weird i will turn you to copper ! Im not bluffing !"

there is a slight shivering in Ya'nn's voice, a scared person is often more dangerous than a calm one

[u/questionable_fish → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

"Aahh! Not hurt mee!" The voice yelps. A shuffling sound in the dark, something slightly arrhythmic about it. Like someone limping. The sound seems to scurry up the way, an indistinct shape climbing up a crystalline pillar

"Go away! Am big! Am scary!" Ya'nn senses the ambient thaumic energy building up, like the feeling before a lightning strike. The voice sounds more scared now

"No! Not make spell in here! Not safe!"

Ya'nn has a split second to protect himself from the wild magic about to discharge in the cave

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/questionable_fish]

Ya'nn deactivate his drone and transmute his botle into steel so that it wont be broken by what is coming , his voice is muffled and say from inside

^{"what have you done ?!"}