Great Pollen Wars

The Great Pollen Wars are a multipolar war between multiple factions composed of combinations of Dreamers of the Maw and Halflings. It began as a conflict between Pollen Rich Oaks encroaching onto territory held by Firelight, Sky Atlas, Sorrow Shade, Spreading Crown, and Standing Stone.

The Forest Halflings believe The Great Pollen War is an ongoing conflict fought between sentient trees that grow in the Green Maw. One one side are those would would call themselves natives of the Maw. On the other are trees whose seeds were blown into the Maw before it was called the Maw.

Because it is a war between trees, it is fought on a timescale that is beyond the comprehension of most sentient life. Military action, such as it is in a war between trees, might be non-existent for centuries at a time.

Most Forest Halflings believe sentient trees recruit the Forest Halflings for their war through dreams, visions, and metaphysical signs. However, due to the strange nature of the war, the halflings do not know the full extent of the war; rather (for the most part, your mileage may vary) they see the actions they take for the trees as being in service of the forest.

Forest halfling ethnic groups were historically defined by their alliances in the war.

FACTIONS

• Bristlecone Alliance
• Great Mangrove Project
• Successionist Acorn League
• United Pollen Oak Tide
• Spinevine Assimilation Committee

CONCEPTS

• Tree Elisi
  • "If you put your feet in enough halfling guts surely the rich soil will accept you"
• War Metaphors
• Young vs Old
• Alien Motives and Timescale
  • Lovecraftian
• Nature is Violence and Struggle
• Deciduous vs Coniferous. Waiting versus not Waiting. Seasonality
• These trees can change the climate. They actually claim territory and change it
• Tree pheromones, competing for pollinators
  • Trees release pollen to claim territory
• War is bad, no good factions

DREAMERS

• Sentient slow moving trees are Dreamers
• Active
• Indirect. Mystical and Strange
• Lovecraftian
• Almost geological timescale
• There are major and minor Dreamers. In terms of movement, sentience, power, etc

HALFLINGS

• Halflings pollenate and prepare territory
• Halfings are themselves a valuable commodity. They produce fun stuff etc
• Halflings do a lot for Dreamers. They extend their reach across the forest, not just stuck in one spot
• Halfling factions match up to tree factions

Halfing Behaviors that are the Dreamers in Action

• Paladin powers
• Religion
• War making and alliances
• Farming and agriculture

Arcane Magic, Clerical Magic, Druid Magic

• It might all come from the trees
• But then again, Maybe not!
• After all, different trees have different spells to offer