Aldryami and trees

From: Martin Crim <mcrim_at_erols.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 06:55:24 -0400 (EDT)

I don't think that aldryami are individually tied to specific trees (that's the dryads, as someone pointed out) but "tribes" of aldryami are tied to specific _species_. Hence, the long-lived bristle-cone pine vronkali. For support, I quote from Elder Secrets, Book 2, page 31: "Their lifespan is linked to their associated tree; the longer their type of tree lives, the longer they live. / Green elves are the most enduring, with a typical specimen dying of old age at about 300 years ... However, some very rare green elves associated with the great redwoods live over 1000 years."

        Here's some stuff I wrote about the Arstola forest six years ago which may still have some validity:

        The following table gives the sizes of the various clans, the years of life of individuals from that clan, and the minor gods of the clan. "Age" indicates the year in which the elf must first make an aging roll. "Roll" indicates the interval between aging rolls. There are variations based on family within a clan. A good example are the Bristlecone, who begin aging at 500 and roll every 5 years. Since the Bristlecone are very martial, few die of old age.

        The Magnolia clan are physically Mreli, but have the sleep habits of Vronkali. Consequently, other Mreli view them as strange, Vronkali do too, and the Magnolias themselves pursue a different set of seasonal rituals.

MRELI

Clan		Number	Age	Roll		Minor Cults
Alder	 16,000	175	2		Alder Father
Ash		 15,000	185	2		Yelmalio
Aspen	 18,000	170	2		Yelmalio
Beech	 12,000	175	2		Ernalda
Birch	 15,000	165	2		Ernalda, Voria
Catalpa	 11,000	160	2		Chalana Arroy
Elm		 21,000	190	3		Flamal
Linden	  6,000	175	2		Esrola
Magnolia	 10,000	180	2		Magnolia Mother
Maple	 16,000	190	3		Ernalda
Oak, Black 25,000	195	3		Ernalda, Babeester Gor
Oak, White 20,000	200	3		Ernalda, Flamal
Poplar	  2,000	170	2		Babeester Gor, Ty Kora Tek
Willow	 13,000	180	2		Flamal

VRONKALI
Clan		Number	Age	Roll		Minor Cults
Cypress	 3,000	250	3		Ernalda, Babeester Gor
Fir		 8,000	225	2		Yelmalio, Chalana Arroy
Larch	 5,000	210	2		Flamal, Esrola
Laurel	 4,000	225	2		(none)
Pine		10,000	225	2		Yelmalio, Shanasse

All IMVHO.

• --Martin "As a man can drink water from any side of a full tank, so the skilled theologian can wrest from any scripture that which will serve his purpose."
• --Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2 (Shri Purohit Swami, trans.)

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