Last week I talked about The White Lodge from a number of old campaigns that I either played in or GMed. This week, I’m going to continue to mine those old games and talk about how I changed dragons in one campaign into trees and the effect that had on the game.

Essentially, I took all of the dragons and in the world’s far past had them all turn themselves into trees. They were scattered throughout the lands and had the powers and features of the color of dragon they were in life. The idea was the that they should really stand out and that the trees had become important cultural symbols. Additionally, they provided for some interesting environmental features to have combat it.

Here is the general write up in made during the game.

Scattered throughout the lands are extra large magical trees, which slightly glimmer and possess many unusual powers. Their colors are never the same as the colors of the other trees around them. They always stand out.

These trees are the only remnants the land’s dragons. Centuries and centuries ago all of the dragons turned themselves into trees and have existed that way ever since. They can’t be cut down and often times towns and temples are built around them.

Standing at least five feet around and 30-50 feet tall, these magnificent trees range in color from true green to yellow to white to red or blue. They have a faint shimmering about them and are clearly magical in nature. Detect Magic and Identify can tell that the trees are magical but they can’t pick any other bits of information.

At night the trees have a faint glow about them.

Without asking someone who knows there is no way to discover the true secret of the trees.

I think took the regional effects from each dragon’s lair and transformed them to fit with the tree. This game was in Dungeons and Dragons, 5th ed, so I used the effects from that game’s monster manual.

• Black, had the 6 miles of thick plants which hindered travel and the light fog.
• Blue, had randomly spawning dust devils and sinkhole “traps” within 6 miles of it.
• Green, a labyrinth of thickets within 1 mile of the tree and the small animals in the area where the eyes and ears of the tree.
• Red, smelled of sulfur and within 1 mile of the tree a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire would exist.
• White, blizzard conditions and chilly fog.
• Lich, effects of the original color and it could make creatures afraid of it.
• Brass, tracks form which lead people to shelter and water and away from things the tree wants to keep hidden, plus there are illusions everywhere.
• Bronze, changing weather and soft music from the tree.
• Copper, tiny beasts can talk within 1 mile and intelligent creatures within 1 mile are prone to fits of giggling.
• Gold, opalescent mist covers a 6 miles area the mist distracts and confuses evil beings and anyone who sleeps in the mist has the most relaxing sleep of their lives. In fact, if cures disease and exhaustion.
• Silver, within 1 mile non-evil creatures don’t fall to the ground, instead they descend slowly. Gems within a mile of the tree give off about 5 feet of dim light.

I went so far as to name some trees and give them little history and side stories. I had Cadoz, Adomissis, Gliwige, The Road Tree, and Jorvick’s Tree.

• Cadoz, is in the middle of a walled city with black leaves. Its attitude or vibe is one of haughty dismissal, but it is clear that it likes being flattered. This tree unlike others has a large pile of coins and gems laying around it. This makes it nearly impossible to touch the tree. The dark elves who live in the city are furiously loyal to the tree and will not let others mess with it. This specific tree also gave: The Blessing of Cadoz, All checks regarding issues of commerce, trade, or business are at advantage for 1 week.
• Adomissis, is a lawful evil tree which has a ziggurat carved out from underneath it. Wizards used the tree’s power and the power of lightning to create and experiment on the world. It has bright blue leaves and is extremely vain, which is why it allowed the researchers to build a ziggurat underneath it. It feels that everyone should fall in line and work (or rather worship) it. Additionally, it could take the action of striking beings with lighting who were near it.
• Gliwige, chaotic good, has had a druidic presence for many centuries and as such is a well-known tree among the druids and those who are interested in trees. Gliwige, like many of the trees of Ghazaria, is extremely large, dwarfing the other trees around it. Further, it possesses a wonderful chestnut coloring through the leaves and bark. Gliwige is a trickster and it appears that the tree truly enjoys playing tricks on those around it. The only person who is immune to this feature is Edea Greenheart, Gliwige’s druid companion. One of Gliwige’s favorite tricks is to cause mud to form under the feet of those who are visiting it. Many people who interact with Gliwige swear that the tree wakes and moves as if it is laughing, especially after a particularly funny joke, riddle, or trick is performed before it.
• The Road Tree, this tree is just off the road between Jorvick and Pocklington or Long Marston. This tree is identical to the tree in Jorvick except that this tree has red leaves and is chaotic evil. Additionally, there is a small stream nearby which is oddly warm and smells ever so slightly of sulfur and within 1 mile of the tree is a rocky fissure which forms a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.
• Jorvick’s Tree, the tree in the center of Jorvick has been there for centuries. It is was huge when people settled there and it has stayed huge throughout that time. The leaves are a perpetual golden color and never change. The entire tree glows dimly at night and seems to shimmer in the daylight. When attackers do come to harm Jorvick a beautiful, opalescent mist manifests within 6 miles of Jorvick. The mist doesn’t obscure anything. It assumes haunting forms to frighten the attackers away. Everyone, including the villagers, who sleeps directly under it have the most relaxing sleep of their lives, further it aids them in having the most magnificent dreams. There are a number of rumors regarding the tree:
  • That a sick ram placed under the tree was healed by the next day.
  • The tree has been a guide for people who have been lost.
  • The tree hides the town from bandits and raiders.
  • The tree brings true love to those who meet under it.

I could see something similar being made for a mountain or other environmental features. Even different rooms within a dungeon. How do you use different environmental effects in your games?