Lore: Ancient trees, there are only a few dozen groves left in the lands of men. To find one in the wild is a true treasure.
Properties: Wood of the Kingsap highly magical, the sap itself dense with Mana.
Alchemical Properties: Unknown.
"Ok, magic tree," Felix put his arms on his hips, considering the smooth bark and approximately twenty foot span before branches began to appear. "How do I climb you?"
It was the clear winner for safest perch in this forest. The runner up was a low dirt dugout, and that had the dual problems of being easily accessible to predators and the overpowering smell of piss. Something definitely lived in that den, and he didn't want to be there when they returned.
Felix set down his walking stick and wrapped his arms around the smooth bark of the Kingsap in an attempt to shimmy up the giant tree. His first few tries were, well...he hadn't climbed a tree in a decade. He ended up on his ass no less than five times, finally landing on a particularly knobby rock. Cursing and breathing through the pain, he turned away from the Kingsap. His eyes landed on a much smaller tree about a dozen feet away. It had low branches but was about fifty feet tall.
Struck by an idea, Felix quickly clambered up onto the branches, shimmying his weight up further and further on the tree. When he had gotten about twenty feet off the ground, he got the notification that he was hoping for:
You Have Learned A New Skill!
Free Climbing (Uncommon), Level 1! Climb surfaces without aid of elaborate equipment. Climbing speed increases with Skill Level.
Felix grinned.
Now he just had to get down.
Felix stopped grinning.
You Have Learned A New Skill!
Pain Resistance (Uncommon), Level 1! You have learned to manage pain, pushing through it to achieve your goals.
Felix limped carefully back over to the Kingsap tree, wishing he had more yarrow. He'd come to appreciate the herb despite its bitter flavor, and it had saved his life already. This time, it wouldn't even salvage his pride.
Can't believe I fell out of a tree. All these creatures out to get me and I nearly kill myself.
Whatever. At least he learned a new Skill.
It was getting closer to full dark now, and Felix was starting to feel an edge of danger in the air. While he'd yet to feel fully comfortable in this world, he was certain that when night fell it would bring with it a whole bucket of bad. Several yowls and cries in the distance affirmed his thoughts, and he gulped audibly.
Time to climb.
It took three tries before Felix's Free Climb Skill activated, allowing him to catch onto a ridge of bark he couldn't see in the failing light. He strained upward and reached again, sliding his free hand across the face of the Kingsap. Another handhold, just barely enough to keep going. He wrapped his legs around the trunk, giving himself that extra friction needed not to fall on his ass. Again.
Five grueling minutes later, Felix flopped heavily onto the wide expanse of the first split in the trunk. Wheezing, the edges of his vision dark and flashing, he just laid there for a solid twenty minutes. Stamina somewhat recovered, Felix sat up and took stock.
The Kingsap was big, feeling even bigger from his perch, and the area was approximately nine feet in diameter. Easily large enough for him to stretch out and sleep. It was also oddly smooth, the bark feeling almost polished and waxed. His vantage from this height was also substantial; while he couldn't see very far due to the heavy foliage and growing dark, he could see the entire glen and his rocky obstacle course.
DEX +1
STR +1
Free Climb is Level 2!
Felix leaned back against one of the large boughs and took a deep, steady breath. This was a good place, and it seemed safe. He'd be fine as long as he kept his ears open and his stick....
"Shit."
He climbed down the tree.