Oakshade Loretree

Oakshade Loretree

An ancient oak tree stands sentinel in front of Menagerie Manor, ringed by a broad and dilapidated entry road. They still leaf and flower every year, though every year it gets a little harder to do so. They will challenge newcomers with a voice both bass rumbling from the depths of the soil and soprano like wind-rustled leaves. "Who approaches?" they will ask.

Twenty years ago when Ciara Mornay came to Menagerie Manor, the tree stood lonely and tired, a forgotten relic in front of an unwanted mansion. Ciara told the tree stories, and the tree perked up. They realized they wanted to hear more stories from more beings. Ciara offered them a way to interact with people with the awaken spell, and the tree eagerly agreed.

The tree decided on a name: Oakshade. Many have called them Loretree, which Oakshade has taken as their surname. They proceeded to talk with whoever came close enough to engage in conversation. They talk with every person who visits or stays at the manor, learning stories of other lives, other lands, and the tall tales handed down through the generations. They now have enough stories memorized that they trade old stories for new ones.

They also perform different voices for each character in a narrative, with an amazing range. They speak Common, Druidic, Elven, Latin, and Sylvan. Often one of the druids working at the manor will cast speak with animals on Oakshade (when they don't cast it on themself) to they can learn stories from the animals staying at the manor as well.

Oakshade remembers Elven from his distant youth. They were raised from an acorn by the Padalant Circle in a protected glade in Alfinwald, along with a few siblings and many varieties of cousin trees. The druids transplanted Oakshade to the Albinus Estate as a diplomatic gift to the Ionian merchant family who maintained relations between the Ionian Empire and Alfinwald around 450 years ago. Oakshade watched the human family shrink and fade over the years, and then they had no visitors for years at a time. They vastly prefer the current calm cacophony of animals and bipeds from all over the world.

Oakshade knows they can move if needed, but they remain happy in the place the elves planted them, and they have never yet gone for a stroll. They will inspire those who teach it a new story, or cast enhance attribute on them if the story struck a chord. They want to learn everything they can in the few decades they have left, and they share Ciara's mission of healing and protecting any living beings in need. Their limbs can nearly reach across the entire front of the manor, and they have grappled meddlesome intruders in the past.

Oakshade Loretree
Awakened White Oak (Treant) Lore Bard (Level 4) (Outsider Background)
Str 23  Dex 8  Con 21  Int 12  Wis 14  Cha 16
Animal Handling +4, Athletics +8, History +3, Insight +4, Nature +3, Perception +4, Performance +5, Survival +4

Part of T.W.Wombat's Lore 24 project, detailing the world around Fellport.
For all city posts, see the Fellport Index. For posts about the wider world, see the Beneterra Index.