6. /7. Walking Wood

Sered Cycle of the Tree People / Druid Cycle

Walking Wood is a 6th level Spell of the Sered Cycle of the Tree People, available to other Druids as a 7th level Spell of the Druid Cycle.  Where the 2 versions differ, the Tree People version is described before the "/", the Druid Cycle version after it.

BTS: n/a

ULT: 50/60 hours

Materials: a piece of mallorn or sequoia wood (not being used as Media for the Spell, where applicable).  Mallorn is advised for broadleaved woods, sequoia for palm or conifer woods.  Ent wood may be used instead, and gives +1 on the Spell (but is very rare and difficult to obtain).

Actions: brandish Materials at target trees, and remind them by gestures directed at Materials of the injustices perpetrated against them that justify their arising.  With Ent wood it is sufficient to hold it before target trees, and then make a sweeping gesture with it beckoning them to come.

Effect of Throw:

1 to 15/16 No Effect

>= 16/17 Maximum Number of Trees Controlled = d6 + (T-16) / d4 + (T-17) or the actual number of trees within Radius if less.  A Maximum Number Controlled may be specified on Casting, and will apply if the result of T exceeds it.  It can take up to (Maximum Number Controlled) seconds for all the trees to start walking.

Duration: t hrs - t(t-1)/2    plus each Tree Controlled will continue Walking autonomously for d6/d4 hours after Duration, unless told to stop during Duration

Range: 60d ft -d(d-1)/2    = maximum distance from Caster to centre of Radius to maintain Control, calculated from the Caster's present position if he moves.

Radius: 20r ft -r(r-1)/2    If more trees are within Radius than Maximum Number Controlled, the more vigorous will start Walking in preference to the less vigorous.  Once the most vigorous specimen has been selected, the others of its species within the Radius will join it in preference over trees of other species but approximately equal vigour.  Saplings will only be chosen last.  Control can only be maintained whilst Trees Controlled remain within the Radius.  They may walk outside the Radius if Control is not maintained upon them, but will tend to keep together in a wood rather than split up (except after Duration has gone down, when those that stop Walking autonomously will start to be left behind).  The Radius moves, centred on the most vigorous tree that first started walking.

Notes:

1. Causes trees to walk as a wood on their roots at up to 4 ft/ sec / 2.5 mph as if they were Huorns.  They will accelerate and decelerate at a maximum of 1 ft/sec/MR.  Saplings may function as less than L1 Hourns and may be restricted in max. speed (though not in acceleration / deceleration) and combat effectiveness.
2. The Walking trees all have Pass Through Overgrowth as an innate ability.
3. Light concentration by the Caster is required to maintain Control and issue instructions.  They will tend to keep following the last instructions received for up to d6/d4 hours.
4. Heavy concentration by the Caster is required to make a Controlled Tree do anything other than walk, e.g. to make it fight as a Huorn.  Only one tree can be so Controlled at a time, and will only keep following such instructions for d6/d4 seconds.
5. There is a (Circs Mod of Radius)% chance an Ent will be attracted by Casting this Spell in the wilderness.
6. Tree People Druids in particular should be careful to return the trees whence they came.  A simple command to return just before the expiry of the Duration is usually sufficient.  This does not of course apply if the wood is being moved for a reason such as to avoid the approach of lumberjacks.