* Restricted Information: Tree Shamen only

The Lore of the Tree Shamen

1. The Cult
2. The Secrets
3. The Totem Trees
4. The Sacred Sites
5. The Purpose
6. The Media

1. The Cult

The Tree Shamen are a Druidic Cult of the Jungle who specialise in Tree Magic.  Due to the tribal nature of the Jungle, they are fragmented into many tribal sub-Cults, each with its specific lore.  Some such Cults are dedicated to specific Totem Trees, which form the main Totem Tree of that tribe.  Many tribes have several Totem Trees and Animals, but one is usually predominant.  ATree Shaman Druid within such a tribe may be chosen by a particular Totem Tree with which they have a special affinity.

2. The Secrets

What distinguishes the Tree Shamen, and other Tree People Cults, from normal Druids is their special relationship with NORRID, God of Trees, and their secret knowledge of the mysteries of the Trees.  This is the lore of the Tree Shamen.

Key to such knowledge is the realisation that Trees are much more than just a higher form of Plants.  They have a complex awareness of their surroundings, which comes from being rooted to one spot throughout their long lives, and a high order of group consciousness, which comes from being part of a great jungle.  Even isolated Trees share this consciousness, with the wood from which they were seeded, with those which they have themselves seeded, and with others which they sense in their surroundings.  All that passes through their awareness is recorded and stored in the rings of their trunks.  The Trees remember, and they remember much.

An important conduit for relations between People and the Trees are the Dryads, or Tree Spirits.  These are Druidic Nature Spirits who serve NORRID.  Typically, a Dryad is associated with a particular Tree, which will be an important specimen in the local jungle.  The Tree Shamen enjoy close relations with the Dryads, who will often manifest to, and converse freely with, them in a way they would not do with ordinary people, or even with other Druids.

The shared consciousness of the Trees is manifested as the Tree Kingdom; a spiritual plane which has been described as “the Dreamworld of the Trees”.  Here the forests and jungles of the Overworld, and all the woods and lone trees, are manifested in their spiritual forms.  Here is the secret domain of the Dryads, who pass to and from it at will.  Here the Tree Shamen may seek refuge, commune with the Dryads and the trees, and gain instress and power.  All magical Transportation via Trees is achieved via the Tree Kingdom.  Other Druids, unaware of this, pass through in an instant.  But the Tree Shamen may stop off, and gain immeasurably as a result.  The Tree Kingdom counts as a separate Plane for Spell Casting purposes (see "Casting Spells between the Planes" in the General Magic-Using System.  It may therefore be reached by using Tree Door or Transport via Trees, but not by using Pass Tree.  See via Trees may also be used to see into the Tree Kingdom from a forest (at 2/3 throw).

The Lord of the Tree Kingdom is NORRID, God of Trees, to Whom the Tree Shamen commonly refer by the honorifics "Nor'ubor" (“Tree Lord”) or “Nor'kano” (“Tree King”).  All Druidic power in relation to Trees derives ultimately from Him, though it is channeled through the Dryads as intermediaries.  He has granted to the Tree Shamen a special Druidic Cycle of Magic, the Shamanic Sered Cycle, which is concerned exclusively with Tree Magic, and includes Spells not available to other Druids.  However certain Spells commonly available to other Druids are not available to the Tree Shamen, or are available only at higher Spell Levels.  Instead of the usual Druidic Power to Shapechange to Others there is granted to Tree Shamen of the Sixth level of Druidism and above the Power to Enter the Tree Kingdom.  Such benefits are by special favour of NORRID.  He is accordingly revered amongst the Tree Shamen, though He is not worshipped as such in a Clerical fashion.  There are no temples of NORRID, for “every tree is His fane”.

Also known to the Tree Shjamen are a number of Higher Powers under NORRID, but above the Dryads.  HAGENTI, Demon of Trees is often Summoned by the Binders amongst the Tree Shamen.  There is a Demigod of each of the major Forests too. The Demigod of the Jungle has many names.  BA’NUL is one known to, and most commonly used by, the Tree Shamen.

Amongst the servants of NORRID there are Beings of Monster class too.  Most of them take the forms of Trees, but are quicker of thought and have mobility, animal senses and the power of speech, to various degrees.  Despite being Monsters, they count as the appropriate species of Trees for Spell Casting purposes, and are affected by Spells that affect Plants, Trees or Monsters.  Of these the highest developed are the Ents, who shepherd the walking Trees known as Huorns.  The Ents of the Jungle have a close association with the Tree Shamen, who are the only people to have won their trust.

The Dark Side Cults of the Tree Shamen also have an understanding of the Dark Jungle, the Nightnare version of the Tree Kingdom, and seek to bring it into the Real World.

3. The Totem Trees

Each Tree Shaman has their own personal Totem Tree, the Dryad of which acts as their Spirit Guide, which gives them an extra +1 when using it as Druidic Media.  For that Shaman Spells with "Totem Tree" in their name in the Tree Shamen Spell List use the species of Tree of their Totem only and where Media is specified in the Spell List as "[Totem]", that species of tree is the Medium.

The Shaman's Totem Tree may either be the Tree of their local sub-Forest in the Jungle or a Tree with which they have a particular affinity.  Once chosen, the Totem Tree may not be changed.

The following is a table of associations of the main Totem Trees of the Tree Shamen:

 No. is the number used to indicate the location of the Sacred Circle of the Totem Tree on the map of Sacred Circles of the Jungle; e.g. "T1" marks the location of the Cycad Circle.

Tree is a common Totem Tree.  The Trees specified above are generally species or genuses (not families) of plants, but “Palm” includes all Palms of the Arecaceae family, except for Walking Palms which are a Totem Tree in their own right.  Some local Tree Shamen Cults may have other Trees of the Jungle as their Totem.  This will substitute for one of the main Totem Trees in the above table, having the same Associations.  The Tree so replaced will have no power as a Medium for such Shamen.

Month is the Associated Month of the Tree. Tree Shamen receive +1 on all Spells for which a particular Tree is specified as the Medium when using a sprig of that Tree as Media on a Cast in that Tree’s Associated Month, or +2 on the first day of that Month.  Conversely they receive -1 on all such Spells when using a sprig of that Tree as Media on a Cast during the Tree’s Opposite Month (i.e the one 7 months away: the opposite to Aval being Estender, etc.), and -2  on the first day of the Opposite Month.  Although this is a kind of media plus, it is cumulative with other media pluses, and applies irrespective of whether any media are actually used.

Colour is the Associated Colour of the Tree.    A Totem item of the Associated Colour (e.g. a carved representation of the Totem Tree painted in that Colour) which is used for Materials or Media gives +2 on Spells for which its tree is specified.  A gold item gives +1, or +2 on Spells for which Kapok is specified.  This is not cumulative with any other media plus.

Stone is the Associated Stone of the Tree.   Typically a Tree Shaman will carry a Totem item carved of their Totem Tree's Associated Stone and painted with an image of the Totem Tree in its Associated Colour.  Media pluses may be stored in Stones - see 6.2.1 below.

Attribute indicates the spiritual attributes of that Tree, and thereofre th ekinds of Spells for which it is the appropriate Medium.

Sub-Forest is the Sub-Forest of the Jungle where the principal Sacred Circle of the Tree is located.  That is its heartland where the greatest specimens of it grow, although it may also grow elsewhere in the Jungle.  The Tree Shamen of that Sub-Forest are most likely to be chosen by it as their Totem Tree.  When Casting a Druidic Spell in a particular Sub-Forest using as a Medium the Totem Tree of that Sub-Forest any Tree Shaman gets an extra media plus of +1 on the Spell.  The Mangrove, Palm and Kapok Circles are also the principal Sacred Circles of their respective Sub-Forests.

Animal is an Animal and/or Monster that has an association with the Totem Tree, because they are both important Totems of that Sub-Forest or share Attributes.  Tree Shamen of that Totem Tree and Beastmaster Shamen of that Totem Animal may be members of the same Jungle Tribe and/or work together for common defence and objectives.

* Dolphin is not a Beastmasters of the Jungle Totem Animal, but the Palm Shamen of the Spice Islands are friendly with the Dolphin Riders of the Camari.

** Phoenix is a Monster, not a Beastmasters of the Jungle Totem Animal, but is revered by the Sandbox Tree Shamen as it shares the Attribute of Death & Reincarnation with the Sandbox Tree.

4. The Sacred Sites

The Druids of the Jungle have established three groups of Sacred Circles: those of the Sub-Forests of the Jungle, those of the main Totem Animals of the Beastmasters of the Jungle, and those of the main Totem Trees of the Tree Shamen.  There are also various Minor Circles established by the Cults of other Totem Animals or Totem Trees or by local Cults of the main Totems.  Some Circles perform a dual function as a Circle of a Sub-Forest and of its main Totem Tree, and all have three sets of Links: one to each group of Circles.

 The Circles are mostly of Totem Trees or of Totem Poles , with a few exceptions (usually on the mountainous fringes). The Sacred Heart at The Great Totems of the Mabula Basin is made up of two concentric Circles: the Inner Circle being 12 Totem Poles of the Beastmaster Totem Animals and the Outer Circle being a ring of 13 great Kapok Trees, each carved with a Totem of one of the other 13 main Totem Trees.  However the Beastmasters of the Jungle acknowledge the Lion as the King of the Jungle, and therefore treat Lion Circle as their true Sacred Heart.

On the above map the Tree Shamen Circles are marked as T1 to T12 (inclusive) and are as follows:

T1.    Cycad

T2.    Bamboo (also Panda Circle)

T3.    Mangrove (also Mabula Delta Circle )

T4.    Rubber Tree (centre of the Rubber trade via Port Daruo)

T5.    Palm (also Spice Islands Circle: centre of the Spice trade)

T6.    Walking Palm (Circle moves its location)

T7.    Kapok (Kapok Circle at The Great Totems, Sacred Heart)

T8.    Mahogany (opponents of the Mahogany trade)

T9.    Quinine Bark (centre of the Quinine trade)

T10.  Brazil Nut (centre of the Brazil Nut trade)

T11.  Magnolia

T12.  Cocoa Tree (centre of the Cocoa trade via Port Kambo)

T13.  Platypodium

T14  Sandbox Tree

The Sacred Circles of the Sub-Forests of the Jungle are marked as 1 to 12 (inclusive) and Beastmaster Circles are marked by letters, representing the intitials of the Totem Animals.  For more details see the full listing of The Sacred Circles of the Jungle.

All of these Circles have their counterpart Dark Circles, although for some the Dark Circle has become dominant and the Light Circle is the counterpart.  The Dark Heart of the Jungle is The Dark Totems, which is said to lie in the Dark Kapok Forest.

5. The Purpose

The Tree Shamen exist to serve and protect the Trees of the Jungle.  They have all sworn an oath to this effect upon initiation, by the wood of their Totem Tree.

They ensure the Jungle is not wantonly felled or burned, and dispense instant justice to offenders.  The reward for taking the life of a Tree without good cause is the forfeiture of one’s own life, usually by hanging from another Tree of that species and then being buried with its seeds or nuts so a new Tree may grow out of the offender's body.

Some Tree Shamen tribes profit from the trade in the fruits of their Totem Tree or other local plants (see the Rubber Tree, Palm, Quinine Bark, Brazil Nut and Cocoa Tree Circles above), whilst others oppose any felling or harvesting of their Totem Tree (see the Mahogany Circle above).

But the true concern of the Tree Shamen goes far deeper than such matters.  The Jungle is part of a delicate natural balance.  The Green Heart beats, and the sap flows.  All are interconnected.  Seasons change, leaves bud and fall, and the cycle continues.  It is the sacred duty of the Tree Shamen, and of their kindred across the forests of the world, to ensure that it is ever so.

6. The Media

6.1 Trees as Media

6.1.1 The Tree Shamen may use sprigs of their Totem Trees as Druidic Media, as an alternative to the standard Druidic Media.

6.1.2 A sprig of the Totem Tree specified as Media for each Spell in the Druidic Spell List of the Tree Shamen Cults has full effect in accordance with Section 10. of the Druidic System.  A sprig must be harvested from a live specimen of the Tree.

6.1.3 Where “[species used]” is specified in the Spell List as being the Medium, a sprig of the species in respect of which the Spell is Cast the appropriate Medium, even if it is not a species listed in the above table of associations (e.g. for Hide In Tree it should be a sprig of the tree in which the Target is to hide.  However, the sprig must have been harvested at least 1 full Caeriad previously.  The actual trees in respect of which the Spell is Cast cannot be used as media, unless a sprig has been harvested from them at least 1 full Caeriad previously.  This rule applies in any case where a tree of the species specified for the Spell is used as the subject of the Spell.

6.1.4    The usual standard Druidic media (Privet or Broom / holly / ivy / mistletoe) have half effect (FRD) for Spells within their respective Cycles, except:

    6.1.4.1    Privet or Broom have half effect on Spells of the Shamanic Sered Cycle, as if they were of the Sered Cycle;

    6.1.4.2    Mistletoe has one quarter effect (FRD) for all Spells, except within the Druid Cycle, when it has half effect as above.

6.1.5    Kapok has half effect for all Spells (FRD) for which it is not specified as Medium.

6.1.6      The harvesting bonuses specified in paragraph 10.2 of the Druidic System apply as normal,  except that the Caeriad for harvesting for maximum bonuses from a Tree in the above table is the first day of its associated month.  E.g. Quinine Bark may be harvested for maximum bonuses on 1 Lastra in respect of Spells for which it is the tree specified or on 26/25 Iarom for half the maximum bonuses in respect of Spells in the Yribt Cycle.  It is not necessary to specify which when harvesting, but it may give different bonuses, depending on how it is used as a Medium.

6.2 Storing Media Pluses in Stones

6.2.1 Instead of harvesting a sprig to be used as a medium from a live Tree, the Tree Shaman may touch the Associated Stone to the Tree, incanting in Old Speech to the effect that they forego taking the sprig, and expending SP equal to the plus on Spells the sprig would have given (depending on the means the Druid had available to harvest it, and which they demonstrate and refer to in the incantation: e.g “I forego cutting a sprig from you, O Mighty Mahogany, with this golden sickle, into this golden bowl, on this First day of Estender!”).  The plus is then stored in the Stone, to be expended later.

6.2.2 No more sprigs may be foregone during any Caeriad than could properly have been harvested from the Tree without harming it.  The total pluses that may be stored in a Stone (aggregating their values) equal its weight (in weight points) times its value (in gold pieces).  Gold is always worth its own weight (one gold piece weighing one weight point).

6.2.3 Pluses must be expended in amounts equal to the pluses that would have been given by the sprigs that were used to store them.

6.2.4 Each stored plus decreases in value by one on each new moon.  Stored pluses also decay as per paragraph 10.3 of the Druidic System.  However a new plus may be stored in a stone in excess of its capacity, and the oldest stored pluses, sufficient to allow the new one to be stored, are automatically erased.

6.2.5 Already harvested sprigs may be stored in stones for half effect (FRD), but at full SP cost.  Where a stone is used in a case where a sprig must have been harvested at least 1 Caeriad previously (see 5.2 above), its harvesting must have been foregone at least 1 Caeriad previously, or a sprig harvested at least 1 Caeriad previously and stored in the stone may be used.

6.2.6 Pluses expended from stones are not cumulative with any other media plus. 

6.2.7 Note that the Associated Stone is always considered to be of the Associated Colour, and can therefore be used for colour pluses if empty or if the Druid does not wish to expend a stored plus.  It does not make the Stone more effective to carve it into a particular shape, even that of its associated Tree.  A golden Kapok is its weight in gold, not a Kapok for Media purposes.  However it is often considered appropriate for ceremonial and ritualistic reasons to store the power from Kapok sprigs in gold carvings of Kapoks or sprigs. 

6.3 Additional Media Pluses

The Tree Shamen may obtain the following additional Media pluses on Druidic Spells:

6.3.1    Own Totem Tree: Using one's Totem Tree as Media gives an extra +1 Media plus on applicable Spells.

6.3.2   Associated Month: The Tree Shamen receive +1 on all Spells for which a particular Tree is specified when using a sprig of that Tree as Media on a Cast in that Tree’s associated Month, or +2 on the first day of that month.  Conversely they receive -1 on all such Spells when using a sprig of that Tree as Media on a Cast during the Tree’s opposite month (i.e the one 7 months away: the opposite to Aval being Estender, etc.), and -2  on the first day of the opposite month.  Although this is a kind of media plus, it is cumulative with other media pluses, and applies irrespective of whether any media are actually used.

 If the opposite Medium were used for a Spell (e.g. that associated with a month seven months away from that which is specified for the Spell, irrespective of the month in which cast) it would have a negative effect equal to its normal plus.  Normally a Tree Shaman would  have more sense than to do such a thing, but it has on occasion been done by the victims of Confusion magic, and when casting in haste Mangrove and Magnolia can sometimes be confused!

6.3.3    Associated Colour: An item of the Associated Colour gives +2 on Spells for which its tree is specified.  A gold item gives +1, or +2 on Spells for which mallorn is specified.  This is not cumulative with any other media plus.

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© P.R. Wild, 17 August 2025