THE PEOPLE OF THE TREES (ARDECH)

By Mitch Kelly (mitch.kelly@tesco.net) (31 October 1995)

History

The Green Knight, Jack in the Green, the Green Man. All common enough figures of legend: the great strong man in green, who walks in from the forest to challenge the bravest knight, or whose wrath protects the forest from those that would exploit or destroy it. The People of the Trees, or Ardech, as they refer to themselves, may have been the originators of these tales. They are an old Kith, mentioned by the Sidhe as one of the oldest, but others, especially the Sluagh, say that they were not originally Kith at all, but something different. In essence, there are three separate stories of their origins. The first says that they were once Dryads, who took on a more active role, and joined the Kith. Another says that they were at one time a group of Sidhe and Trolls who combined to protect the forests and over time evolved into something different. The last tale, that whispered by the Sluagh, is that the Ardech were once related to the Sidhe, but they were the victims of a terrible magical experiment, where their blood was exchanged for tree sap. No one knows the truth, for the Ardech do not speak of their origins.

Regardless of their origins, everyone agrees that the Ardech have always fought for their forests with great pride and power. The Seelie usually try to persuade people not to harm the forests, but one warning is all they give. The Unseelie in general simply terrorize their victims, then kill them messily. The Ardech are honourable and honest, and always keep their word. As a group, they are more active now than they have been for centuries, as if they sense that the last days need a more forthright approach than has been the case in the past. The Ardech are moving through the Kith, making alliances and serving others to build up a stock of favours they will (it is thought) soon call in in some terrible act of power.

To those few who know of both, the similarity between the Ardech and the tiny reclusive Vampire bloodline called the Walden is striking. The Ardech respond to inquiries about this either with silence (Seelie) or violence (Unseelie).

Appearance

The Ardech are usually tall, and can be of any race. Their eyes are always green, and as they get older, the rest of their body gains the strange greenish hue. The blood of the Ardech is greenish and viscous, like tree sap.

Seemings

Childlings are guileless and easily distracted by things around them, often falling into deep trances while watching falling rain or the wind move the surface of a lake. When they move, it is very quickly, often in a blur.

Wildings are quick to act, and often are highly politically active, especially in the environmental movement. They are generally opinionated, willful and argumentative.

Grumps are passionate but deliberate; they are master planners, often deviously snaring others in their plots. The Seelie are bad enough at this, but Unseelie Grumps are downright brutal in their dealings with others.

Lifestyles

People of the Trees are predominantly rural dwelling Kith, but some are now moving into the cities, attempting to protect the few green spaces left. Many have careers are park rangers, gardeners and environmentalists.

Affinity

Nature

Birthrights

Strength of Form: All People of the Trees gain an extra die to their Stamina, even if this takes them over five dice. They also ignore wound penalties: they are either active, or incapacitated. People of the Trees cannot botch any Survival roll.

Woodwarp: The People of the Trees can cause wood to reshape itself according to their commands. This requires a point of Glamour to be spent, and a Wits+Survival roll. The difficulty is 5 to reshape wood a bit, through to 9 to animate the wood completely. The difficulty rises by one if the wood is dead.

Frailties

Fear of Fire: The People of the Trees fear fire, all fire except the Balefire of Changeling Freeholds. Their soak roll difficulties for injuries caused by fire are one higher than normal, and they must make a Willpower roll, difficulty five, to avoid fleeing the source of any fire.

Quote

"What of your petty politics? Do you not realise that without the forests, without the wild, there will be no Dreaming?"

Outlook

Bean Sidhe: A good folk who have never forgotten their honour. They remember.

"We were close once, and might be again. Yet the wellspring of their anger may destroy them."

Boggan: Children. They abase themselves in the filth of humankind, looking for scraps from their tables. Can they not see they have nothing?

"What do woodcutters know?"

Eshu: They wander and love, tell tales and laugh. Yet they make no effort to preserve. They should do more.

"Odd guys. We see 'em all over, but they need to lighten up."

Nockers: Do not despise the crafter, for what warrior needs no weapons? And who forges more skillfully than they?

"Good customers, but don't ever try cheating one of them. They don't forget" (rubs bump on head)

Pooka: Swine. They are unfit to bear the title of Kith. Their petty stupidity has cost all of us dear, but one day we will see them humbled.

"Ooh it's nice when they're around, they are so uptight. It's a laugh a minute!"

Redcaps: We need them. They are our warriors, and one of our best hopes for allies. Yet their mindless savagery frightens even me.

"Good killers, but stuck in the past. If they truly wanted to win their war, they'd ditch all the honour stuff."

Satyrs: Their hearts are with us. They know and love the wild places, and they help as they can.

"Good folk. Give them hospitality, comfort and cheer, for they bear a burden which we cannot carry."

Sidhe: Once, they made us welcome. In return for that, we will follow them, but they know that our path and theirs are different.

"They respect us, but only as far as they must. Their hearts are hidden from us. Do not rely on them."

Sluagh: They were not always as they are now. We saw them fall. Have pity on them, for if you know what we know, you would see that where they have gone, others of us might follow.

"They were friends to us when no others would look in our direction. We do not forget that kindness."

'Taur: They are close to our hearts, and where they protect the beasts and birds, we give our thoughts to the plants. Thus is balance maintained.

"Our allies. We stand shoulder to shoulder with them."

Trolls: We are much alike, for both of us would rather die than fail in our duty. We will have need of their strength.

"They have never stood against us,and often have been our allies Like us they know the value of honour -- and its price."