by the wizard Tadgh.
Introduction
This book will provide an introduction on the topic of the Elder Spears, focusing on those specific to the Arelith region which are known as Elder Dream Spears. These weapons are of extreme importance to various religions of nature worship across Faerûn, but are something of a mystery and generally unknown on the island of Arelith.
Druid with Elder Spear.
Elder Spears
Elder Spears are powerful weapons that are tied to the regions that they are crafted. They are usually created by powerful druids, but some rangers have been known to have a close enough connection to make one. These artefacts carry the harnessed powers of the natural world and make for excellent weapons against the unnatural.
The exact process of creating Elder Spears is a closely guarded secret of the regions they come from. It has been discovered, however, that the spears are completed with the right components through the use of Transmutation. In particular, a link must be forged between the Elder Spear and the land with some kind of token from a sacred spot in the region.
Arelith Region
The Arelith Archipelago lays to the South-East of the Moonshae Isles and is significantly smaller. It is made up of one central island with a fair amount of smaller surrounding islands. The main natural features of importance are the two mountain ranges and the central forest on the island. The mountains of Brogendenstein and the Skull Crag Mountains form a protective barrier for both sides of the island with Arelith forest sitting at the base of each.
Arelith Forest features a Druidic Stone Circle, and somewhere nearby grows the Dreaming Tree.
The Dreaming Tree
In the depths of Arelith Forest (exact location to remain hidden), there is a sacred tree known as the Dreaming Tree. It has been growing there since before any of the earliest records of the elves, and according to myth, was the first plant to begin growing on the island of Arelith.
According to druidic lore, the tree represents a gateway between the waking world and the spirit world. Druids say that sleeping beneath this tree will help bring sweet dreams or stop nightmares. It forms a timeless pillar of memory and ageless wisdom.
The tree seems impervious to being cut, so the use of its wood is incredibly unlikely. Instead, Druids make use of the leaves of the tree.
Leaves of the Dreaming Tree
Only a few of these leaves fall from the Dreaming Tree each year. The leaves seem to remain alive and healthy, despite being frozen, burned, struck by lightning, exposed to various acidic substances, even when targeted by sheer magical energies.
It appears that they carry some magical properties beyond those so far described. When pressed to the roof of the mouth, the leaves will induce a magical slumber within which the subject will experience a strange and personal vision. Druids and rangers are said to use these visions to improve their connection to the natural world, but there are stories of some of the local barbarian tribes making mixtures of various substances that induce dreaming, including these leaves.
The leaves are particularly important to the forming of the Elder Spear for the region of Arelith. With these leaves wrapped evenly around the wooden shaft, and under the right circumstances, the wood becomes alive once more. The leaves bury themselves into the wood and the spear becomes an extension of the Dreaming Tree.
The Elder Dream
The Elder Dream is the weapon that brings out the powers of the Dreaming Tree into a force that will impact the world. Every one of these weapons varies slightly as they take on some of the attributes of those who wield them. They're sometimes sought after for their use in battle, but would-be spear enthusiasts often find that they are lacking the connection required to release the full potential of the Elder Dream. Beyond a razor sharp edge, excellent weight and balance for combat, the Elder Dreams carry additional powers that benefit those who use them.
An Elder Dream can induce the same slumbers that the leaves might be used for, however it is done with the magic of the spear in this case. A living link between the Dreaming Tree and every Elder Dream gives them an unlimited potential for this magic (so long as the tree survives). These powerful spears can also be used to bring about typical Druidic blessings, such as the spell of Barkskin.
Most importantly, the spear is a tool of balance. Divine magics course through the shaft and head, ready to be unleashed upon any foe of those who would use it. Striking the spear into the ground will create an area immediately surrounding the spear that will restore life and drain the magic of those meaning harm.
These are powerful relics and should not be underestimated. My studies in future will look at how these might be attuned directly to a living being, rather than to the Dreaming Tree.