Fyrswn'ava: A Treatise on the Bound Tree

On the Cultivation and Application of Fyrswn’ava: A Treatise on the Bound Tree is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

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There is a quiet language to how things grow -- how roots find one another beneath the soil, how stems lean into light, how sap binds what would otherwise splinter. In fyrswn’ava, we do not see a miracle of nature, but a practice of intention: shaped, layered, and guided toward strength. Much of what we carry as aelotoi has been shaped in the same way. This work is not only a study of resin and bark, but a record of resilience -- of methods handed down, recovered, or remembered. I offer it not as final word, but as foundation, for those who may continue the shaping long after my own hands are still.

— Vaelani ir'Sholu
Hyswn’ka Bre'Selyswn

This treatise was prepared by Vaelani ir'Sholu, a hyswn’ka -- one devoted to the growth and cultivation of plant life -- affiliated with Bre’Selyswn, an aelotian collective dedicated to botanical renewal and stewardship, known in the Common tongue as the Verdant Renewal. Drawing from lived experience, communal study, and ongoing dialogue with fellow cultivators, it explores the properties and development of fyrswn’ava, a material derived through patient shaping of a common flowering tree native to the woodlands surrounding Cysaegir. Though the tree itself is familiar, its transformation through careful cultivation has produced a resilient and versatile material now entering broader use. The techniques described reflect both a horticultural tradition and a deeper cultural practice rooted in reclamation, adaptation, and quiet innovation. The language seeks to balance botanical specificity with cultural clarity, fostering understanding beyond our groves.

On the Natural Tree

The tree from which fyrswn’ava is derived is a flowering deciduous species common to the Glimae'den Wildwood, known more broadly by its mundane name as crape myrtle. It grows not as a single, dominant trunk, but as a cluster of slender, upright stems emerging from a shared root system. In its natural form, it may reach heights of 20 to 25 feet, forming a loose, arching canopy often mistaken for a thicket at first glance.

Its bark is smooth and often peels in curling strips, revealing mottled layers of tan, gray, and cream. In late spring and well into summer, the branches erupt with showy plumes of vivid fuchsia blossoms, a seasonal display that has long driven its popularity. The leaves are oval, smooth-edged, and dark green, turning to tones of gold and rust with the arrival of autumn.

Appreciated for its beauty, the tree has long been regarded as purely ornamental. Its stems are flexible in early growth but lose that pliancy with age, becoming prone to sudden breakage under pressure. This trait, overlooked by most gardeners, would later become essential to understanding the material’s deeper potential.

On Pyinma

Known in trade and carpentry circles as pyinma, the wood of the crape myrtle is valued for its warm, golden brown tones and smooth, finely textured grain. Typically harvested from older, naturally matured stems, it exhibits a range of patterns from straight to subtly wavy and often finishes to a soft luster with minimal effort. Artisans favor pyinma for its ease of workability, making it a common choice for small furnishings, decorative boxes, turned implements, and delicate inlay work.

Though its availability can be somewhat localized, pyinma has seen broader export in recent years due to its versatility and aesthetic appeal. It is generally considered a reliable, well-balanced hardwood with minimal movement once cured. While not especially rare, its association with ornamental trees lends it a cultivated charm that continues to find favor among woodworkers, particularly those seeking a refined yet natural finish.

On the Sap and Its Derivatives

Beyond its ornamental appeal, the crape myrtle yields a variety of natural byproducts that have drawn increasing attention from aelotian cultivators. Wounds to the bark prompt the release of a thick, brownish green sap that exhibits hallucinogenic properties, and has been known to induce vivid dreams and temporary sensory distortion. Though typically avoided during cultivation, some have fermented the raw sap into a liquor known as taravas, prized for its earthy flavor and unpredictable effects.

This resinous quality plays a role in attracting a pale-bodied insect, the crape myrtle aphid, native to the Glimae'den Wildwood, which feeds on the sap and excretes a clear, sweet substance called syamura. In contrast to the raw sap, syamura is stripped of psychoactive traits and is safely edible. It sees occasional use in sweetening preserves or in the candying of herbs and blossoms. Both taravas and syamura remain uncommon outside of aelotian communities, where their production is regarded with a mix of curiosity and caution.

On the Cultivation of Fyrswn'ava

The development of fyrswn’ava is not the result of simple harvesting, but of intentional shaping over time, a process that guides the growth of the crape myrtle into a unified, reinforced form. Though the species naturally sprouts multiple slender trunks from a single root system, these stems remain flexible only in early growth. It is during this period that aelotian cultivators begin a methodical transformation.

When the young stems reach sufficient height but retain pliancy, they are lightly scored in measured intervals to encourage sap flow. This sap, once dried, forms a thin resinous coating that both protects and stiffens the surface. Several stems, typically three to five, are then bound together with cord and held in alignment while additional layers of sap are drawn out and allowed to harden. Over time, this process is repeated, reinforcing the bundle until the once-separate trunks become a single consolidated shaft, strengthened by overlapping sheaths of celadon-hued resin.

The technique demands close observation and steady care. Too little tension and the union remains weak; too much, and the stems may splinter or set improperly. Cultivators often describe the work as one of quiet calibration, requiring a familiarity with seasonal cycles and the subtle cues of bark and branch. When cut or shaped, the material often reveals interwoven strands of fused grain, with pale resin bands of celadon amber glinting between them. No two lengths are alike, and many bear natural whorls and striations, subtle echoes of the rhythm with which they were grown. The finished fyrswn’ava retains the inner lightness of early wood while gaining structural integrity, making it well-suited for bows, runestaves, and shields, particularly those crafted to incorporate sap-reactive properties.

On the Martial Applications of Fyrswn'ava

Though its origins lie in careful horticulture, fyrswn’ava has found increasing value in martial craftsmanship. Once shaped, the material offers an exceptional balance of strength and lightness, lending itself well to bows, crossbows, runestaves, and lightweight shields. Its natural elasticity, retained from early-stage wood fibers, makes it ideal for forms requiring tension and recoil, while the internal resin bonding grants structural resilience.

The cured resin occasionally produces brief, startling effects when triggered by stress, such as the strike of a weapon or the release of a spell, known in lesser form as Sprite’s Kiss and, at greater intensity, as Amber Grave. In its mild manifestation, Sprite’s Kiss may momentarily root a target’s feet, or, if the impact strikes an eye, cause temporary blindness. When the flare intensifies into Amber Grave, it combines physical disruption with mental havoc: victims may suffer from vertigo, confusion, or abrupt compulsion with overwhelming apprehension or dread.

The cause of these effects remains debated. Some hypothesize it arises from residual sap volatility, while others suggest a resonance with the neural or psychic centers of the struck individual. Weapons intentionally display resin seams and exposed banding, believed to amplify these phenomena. These reactions are non-elemental, self-contained within the material, and unpredictable, a trait that has led to both fascination and caution among smiths and warriors.

On the Broader Uses and Consideration of Fyrswn'ava

While fyrswn’ava is most prized for its martial applications, it also enjoys appreciation in decorative and practical crafts. Artisans fashion finely grained boxes, ornamental jewelry, and elegant furnishings from this material, drawn to its natural sheen and the delicate internal striations of celadon resin that reflect the care invested in its cultivation.

In such non-martial uses, care is taken to ensure that the reactive sap flares remain inert. This is commonly achieved by fully curing the resin through prolonged drying or gentle heat treatments, effectively stabilizing the sap and preventing any residual reactivity. Additionally, the crafting of decorative items often involves sealing surfaces with oils, lacquers, or varnishes, further insulating the material from sudden stimuli and preserving its delicate luster.

As interest in fyrswn’ava continues to spread beyond Cysaegir, it quietly enriches both martial traditions and artisan crafts alike, weaving itself deeper into the cultural and economic fabric of the region.

Postscript

While this document bears my name, it is not the work of one alone. The insights gathered here are drawn from seasons of quiet practice and many generous conversations beneath the shifting canopies of Cysaegir. I am indebted to the hyswn’kai of Bre’Selyswn, whose patience and shared wisdom continue to shape my craft.

Special thanks are due to Elder Fyrael ir’Mavayi, whose methods in sap curing offered both clarity and caution. I am also grateful to the stewards of the Royal Arboretum of Ta’Illistim, whose openness to collaborative study has helped foster new botanical dialogue across traditions.

May this treatise serve not as conclusion, but as a living branch in the long and growing grove of shared discovery.

OOC Information/Notes

• Created by GM Xeraphina, July 2025
• Crape Myrtle Details
  • Crape Myrtle refers to the mundane tree from which fyrswn'ava is created.
  • Pyinma is the lumber/wood from the crape myrtle tree.
  • Appearance: Heartwood typically golden to reddish brown, with paler yellow-grey sapwood. Dyeable.
  • Both crape myrtle and pyinma are considered open use, mundane materials.
• Fyrswn'ava Details
  • Fyrswn'ava refers to aelotoi-cultivation of crape myrtle into the final product.
  • Appearance: Same as pyinma but marked with celadon streaks of resin. The wood can be dyed, but the celadon resin streak typically cannot be colored.
  • For combat use: fyrswn'ava will only produce sap flares when fashioned into runestaves, ranged weapons, or shields.
  • Alter fodder for use in non-combat items is required.
• Taravas and Syamura
  • Due to the psychotropic effects that taravas can induce, this liquor is considered restricted.
  • Syamura is open use as a sweetener.