World trees
Deep in the forests lie a few ancient groves, which are named landmarks with a great tree marked on the far map. There are about one for every 700 km² of forest, at most 12 on a disc, at least 8 km apart. Their trees rise toward the middle, from 60 m to 130 m tall. At the heart of each stands one world tree, 200 to 250 m tall on a trunk some 20 m across. It stands in a clearing of mossy roots and leaf litter about 140 m round.
The kinds
Section titled “The kinds”| Forest | World tree |
|---|---|
| Temperate forest and anywhere else | Oak |
| Temperate rain forest | Cedar or redwood |
| Taiga | Larch or pine |
| Jungle | Banyan, with prop roots hanging to the ground |
Each one’s shape is its own, grown from where it stands.
Through the year
Section titled “Through the year”The oak and the larch leaf out, turn and stand bare through the seasons. The others stay green.
In play
Section titled “In play”The trunk, and a banyan’s prop roots, stop men and horses. A world tree can be seen from 5 km away; further off, the far map’s grove tree stands in for it.