Gulthias Tree

What are Gulthias Trees?

Gulthias Trees are a corrupt and twisted tree possibly formed of or by the Darkness. These trees are incredibly rare, before the year 2120 it was thought that only one ever existed. However after Blights began appearing in the countryside of Southern Valendor near Concordia and Ascension Academy it became apparent that a second Gulthias Tree must exist. It is unknown how such a tree could even exist but it is likely related to the Breach of the Door that occurred at the end of Year One. Gulthias Trees are incredibly dangerous, as they give life to various Blights that act as an army and they continue to grow stronger the more time they exist.

Beyond their creations, they are also capable to influencing the minds of sentient beings, manipulating humans and other races into doing it's bidding. The original Gulthias Tree was at least 4-5 times the sizes of the tree in front of the academy entrance. Gulthias Trees kill all the natural life around them, draining the surrounding area to fuel itself.

The First Tree

Long ago the First Tree was made in Northern Valdendor, near a town called Cliffbrook. This tree was named after the sacrifice that birthed it. A hunting guild researched the area after men made of vines and bark began attacking the nearby town, discovering that townsfolk would go missing for days only to return dazed and confused. The more townsfolk this occurred to, the less the attacks happened, until they caught the townsfolk dragging one of their own to the woods, where they found the tree and a recruit burned it.

The Second Tree

The Second Tree was created by the necromancer Ymra Shantari, fueled by the body of a torpor vampire named Drake Lazurus. Ymra held many grievances with the Vampire, who he saw weaseling his way into the Cross-Allied Forces and putting them further under the thumb of the Council. So he devised a 'perfect' plan, to bring about true world peace, by wiping out all life who would threaten that peace. This tree grew in secret for an unknown amount of time, hidden by a massive illusion that hid the death of the forest around it from any onlookers. It slowly converted those who came across it into Ymra's acolytes and spread his influence across the continent of Valendor under the guise of a peaceful faith of goodwill and charity. They took full control of both Noria and Concordia, and began to wrap their roots around the Dwarven city of Kadavor, before the tree was slowly uncovered by the faculty and cadets of Ascension Academy.

Following the Siege of Concordia, meant to fully push the city into the hands of the Church, investigation began in earnest, with Professor Albrecht swiftly growing suspicious of Priestess Yashiro during their talks about the incident. Much later, the Church sought to build a small settlement near Camp Cari, and were permitted. However on the trip, the students were attacked by Ghoul and a Necromental which required their wounds be cleansed. Rin and Flora were blessed, and later Lila as well, unknowingly being tainted by the Tree itself. After Rin's death and turning in Aldoria, Lila and Flora began seeing her, an illusion or hallucination, but undetectable by any magical means even up to True Sight itself. They attributed this return of the 'true Rin' to Ymra, and began converting other students such as Melanie and Esmae, and later Stark.

This eventually culminated in the Academy tracking down the tree, south of Noria near Camp Cari. There they discovered the location of the tree, infiltrated the church outpost there, and after battling through Sap Golems and hordes of Blights, they reached the top. The infected students turned on their comrades, and the Academy was forced to face six of their own as well as two Darkness Soldiers, who were accompanied by Dark Order Acolytes. With their victory, Barnes, Albrecht, and Von blasted the heart of the tree, killing it and freeing all who were under Ymra's command across the world.

Creatures of Blight

A pack of Twig Blights during the Siege of Concordia.

The Gulthias Trees are well known for their ability to spawn twisted creatures known as Twig Blights, however since the Second Tree appeared new monstrosities have been discovered, things the original tree never made.

Twig Blights

Twig Blights are tiny vicious creatures, roughly humanoid in shape but only a foot or two tall. They have thick barky skin and are covered in sharp spikes. They attack in groups, leaping at their targets and slicing through flesh- death by a thousand papercuts. While not terribly dangerous on their own, when fighting alongside other Blights they can be devastating. Twig Blights appeared from the First Gulthias Tree during the Dark War.

Thorn Blights

A downed Thorn Blight moments before it was decapitated.

Thorn Blights resemble a larger more 'armored' Twig Blight, standing closer to six feet tall with barky armor covered in spikes. Thorn Blights are stronger, but more dangerous than that is their sting. They have a paralytic in their spikes that numbs and slows those cut. On top of this they are able to shoot their spikes like a porcupine, numbing everyone who is hit. In order to stop them from shooting after they are dead they have to be decapitated. Thorn Blights are a new creation of the Gulthias Tree, first appearing in the year 2120 at Ascension Academy, and later at the site of other attacks.

A Sap Blight restoring a cluster of Twig Blights.

Sap Blights

Sap Blights are masses of amber sap that act as support units for the Blights. They are capable of healing downed Blights, mending wounds and reconstructing them in a battle. This makes them incredibly dangerous in larger fights, but that is not to say they are helpless alone. Sap Blights sap works in a similar manner to the paralytic the Thorn Blight's spikes secrete, making the victim sluggish and numb.

The students conducted various tests on Sap samples a little over a week after the Siege of Concordia and discovered several interesting things about it's reactions to magical energy. When Light magic was used the sample reanimated, but only for the duration of the spell. When Dark magic was used the sample reanimated fully. It was also successfully raised from the dead with Necromancy by Speca, however when she attempted to command it it lashed out at her.

Characteristics:

• Smells like Maple Syrup with a hint of walnut.
• It has blood type O-.
• Doesn't dissolve in water.
• Can be cooked and prepared similar to Maple syrup (Side effects: Easier to to get mind controlled by a Gulthias Tree).

Weaknesses and Strengths:

• They are Weak to cold, fire and acid.
• They are strong against Lightning.
• All the other elements do standard damage.

Properties:

• Viscosity of the sap is similar to Molasses (5000-10000 cPs). Prevents movements when covering something (Slows targets).
• Boiling point: 100°C (212°F).
• Cooking point: 104°C (219°F).
• Freezing point: -18°C (-0.4°F).

Vine Blight

Vine blight blossom

New variation of the Gulthias Tree, this blight appeared first in the water caves near Ascension Academy. Grown by a blossom planted in places near water or even underwater they pass for an unknown period of growth that after germination they enter their first phase where they acquire a humanoid form with vines composing its body and the blossom on the top of their head. After more time they undergo another transformation where they grow at the size of an adult , this 2 phase can be accelerated by exposure to the light affinity as it was the case where Lianda light elemental unleashes the 2nd phase on a young Vine Blight.

They seems to be non aggressive at first even interacting with the students and professors in a friendly way, they seem to understand human language and when they grown up they take care of the other saplings. They seems to be attracted to all sorts of crystals.

Vine Blights have a potent acid in their bodies that can be used to attack alongside its vines in a medium range attack, also as the acid is in their bodies trying to touch it would cause sever injuries. This acid is strong enough to dissolve a rope where Lianda tried to capture it, also after some attacks by its vines it cause enough damage to dissolve the school uniform or even leave Esmae and Lianda body very injured of chemical burns that had to be treated by the med squad. When in the water could leave a zone full of dangerous liquid that can burn skin and if the water breading potion is used it may enter your lungs giving you a severe injury on them. On the other hand it is recommended to treat with flowing water the injured with the acid, this treatment should be concise and plentiful.

Bark Blights

Students fighting with the Blight

Discovered first by the Cross-Allied Forces this blights are covered in strong bark that can withstand different types of damage making them perfect for defensive purposes. They also have sharp bark instead of arms so they can attacks at short range. Later on after confrontation with them by the Academy students it was found that this were born from parasites that enter people body growing from their insides and leaving the host dead.

Sap Golem

After the Academy evicted the Church of Ymra from the vicinity of Camp Cari these giant golems appeared outside the doors of the Camp attacking them alongside other blights in an attempt to wipe out the forces inside Camp Cari. It toke a lot of effort of students, teachers and even a member of the silver stakes to repel the jointed attacks of these golems.

This golems are composed mostly of some sort of yellow sap and some parts of it are protected by a strong bark that can even withstand professors attacks, it attacks with its body using mostly his fists but his has a medium range attack where it slams its fists to the ground and spikes consisted in the sap of its body erupt from the floor, these spikes are solid enough to impale somebody distracted; these spikes release some of its sap that can be very sticky leaving somebody unable to move for some time.

Trivia

• Gulthias Trees were thought to have been wiped out following the Dark War, so the reappearance of not only older Blight Creatures but wholly new and unheard of creations of a new Tree is concerning.
• The Siege of Concordia saw a great number of Blight creatures used against the city, with easily a hundred Twig Blights and a dozen Thorn Blights being dispatched by the Students of Ascension Academy alone, as well as several of the new Sap Blights.