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Pinjata
2018-11-28, 08:41 AM
... how would you do it?

Imagine Elven forest settlement Tycoon minus all the constraints that such games offer? I'd, for my campaign, like to make as fleshed-out and as logical elven forest settlement and I'd like to go beyond "Town Hall, Blacksmith, and a few treehouses" concept.

Playground usually really helps me with these things and I've fleshed out some great palces for my previous campaigns. This time it's elves and I'm stuck on x-th unimaginative map. So, elves, druids, nature, growth, enormous lifespan ... What should I include in my elven settlement?

Thanks, guys :)

Eldan
2018-11-28, 09:30 AM
Start from the basics. What do elves eat? If they are hunters mainly, I'd expect them to be at least partially nomadic. That gives you camps, not settlements. If they are farmers, you'll have to think about how they farm in a forest. If they get their food in some magical way, then we can get really creative.

MarkVIIIMarc
2018-11-28, 09:55 AM
These are coming out as much as random thoughts as anything.

What's your party like? A bunch of would be murder hobo's or some role playing masters who sometimes avoid combat for an entire session?

How magical do you want it to be?

I might throw a small herd of unicorns into the middle of an elven settlement and have a really fanciful "fey wild lite" world for the right party.

They could have a small clearing to farm, collect forest foods for additional nutrition. For some reason my elves end up near vegetarian but like fish.

Watching Avatar might not be a terrible idea.

Pinjata
2018-11-28, 11:46 AM
@Eldan

Nomads. This is why I ask these things here. nomads. I love it. What would basics of nomads be? What packbeasts would Elves use? How woudl I shape nomads? This is GREAT.

@MarkVIIIMarc

My party will be Elves growing up in mentioned settlement. I expect lots of roleplaying.

>How magical do you want it to be?

DnD 5e level magical.

Unicorns and feyfild areas are a GREAT idea. Perhaps I should also add shadowfell areas?

thanks a lot, guys, much apprecaited

Erloas
2018-11-28, 11:53 AM
I think as a general starting point the first thing to set is size, alignment, leadership, age, basic culture, and danger of the surrounding areas.

The larger the city the more resources it takes and the more niche places it can support. A small community might have one building that does make different things whereas a large city they'll all be different buildings. A small town might have just one or two shops carrying all manner of things.
If you've got 1000 people living there you had better have more than a few dozen houses.

A new city will be simpler structures, wood instead of stone, on the ground instead of built up or underground.

How haphazardly the city is laid out will depend if it's more lawful or chaotic.
Are they constantly fighting off raiders or wild beasts? They're more likely to have up walls, heavy guards, and less "frivolous" things going on.

A culture that focuses on magic, marital power, arts, nature, or wealth will all shape what is there and how they build.

With a basic framework defined it is easier to see what is missing and what would make sense to be there.

Eldan
2018-11-28, 12:01 PM
@Eldan

Nomads. This is why I ask these things here. nomads. I love it. What would basics of nomads be? What packbeasts would Elves use? How woudl I shape nomads? This is GREAT.

Moving on from there: they live in forests. Therefore, their pack beasts can't actually be that large, if they have any, and I wouldn't expect them to ride much. Animals living in large herds tend to be a thing of savannahs, steppes, tundras. Open areas like that. So, I wouldn't expect sylvan elves to herd a lot of animals.

Instead, consider the hunter's best friend, the dog. Or wolves. One of the few animals that likes human(oid)s a lot and has a similar lifestyle to them. Social, resilient, pack hunters, a lot of endurance. Perfect fit. That would mean your basic elven unit is a small band of nomadic hunters, and their hounds. There's precedent for that, in the Cooshee (Cű sidhe), the fey hound. It even has stats, probably in Races of the Wild.

Alternatively... what makes elves great hunters? Archery and stealth. And their advantage over wolves? They can climb. So, perhaps elves are not endurance pack hunters, like humans and wolves, but ambush hunters. They find a treetop near a game trail or water, camouflage themselves, string their bows and wait. In which case, they'd have a lot more in common with large cats, than with dogs, so maybe give them domesticated panthers.

Thinker
2018-11-28, 12:22 PM
Brainstorming a nomadic, forested, elven society:
Elves have a semi-permanent base in a large clearing where they have great halls for each clan to survive the winter.
New laws are debated and passed down during this time, as it is the only time when each clan is reliably together (except during wars or other calamities).
The smiths live in this base year-round, but their work really gets going during the winter when everyone is around and has their damaged goods.
There is a great circle of stone or wooden pillars near the site of every semi-permanent base, which acts as a gateway between the spirit realm and the earth, but only on the Equinox. It also acts as a calendar, telling the people when it is time to return to the settlement for winter and when it is time to leave for spring.
The forest has been curated by the elves to accomodate their travel - wide trails, nearly roads allow beasts of burden and even carts to ride through without running into trees, brush, or other hazards. Smaller trails are cut to the nomadic campsites.
The forest has also been planted deliberately with fruits and nuts plentiful for the taking right from the tree. During the fall many of these nuts and fruits are harvested and dried out for the coming winter and spring.
The elves have domesticated a breed of deer called forestra, but only the does are compliant enough to be used in this way; the bucks can be very dangerous, especially during breeding season. Every clan has several forestra that they take with them as they split off after the spring, with the young and some of the mothers left behind at the base-city. They also harvest forestra milk and turn it into a sour cream and cheese.
Fishing is also an important industry for the elves, with the large river and numerous streams providing a bounty for the clans.
Hunting is important, but only to supplement the rest of their resources.

NomGarret
2018-11-28, 02:58 PM
Depending on how close they are, and have historically been, to other cultures will affect how they defend it. Low-key illusions make it blend in with the forest unless you are a welcome visitor. This is reinforced by the color scheme and architecture, which doesn’t just incorporate the landscape, it matches it.

Avoid flat, featureless terrain with trees on it. Add a water source (river or small lake) and some contours.

Pinjata
2018-11-28, 05:25 PM
Splendid work so far. So, we have nomad elves with several campsites, winter camp, beasts of burden, etc. Now, how about competition, enemies? What lurks (or smashes throught) great dnd forests? Werevolves, green dragons, large spiders, dark elfs who raid from subterranian cave systems, patches of shadowfell and feywild that appear and dissappear. How do elves adapt to them?

Also, how do we include PC classes in this? For druids I'd think they would remain secluded and separated from wandering tribes while cooperating with them on occasion. Rangers would be main hunters. Sorcerers might deal with defence of the tribe, while most clerics would depart it in search of holy quests (mostly nature related).

How would long lifespan affect the tribe? I guess everyone is expert in everything.

Eldan
2018-11-28, 05:37 PM
A theme of elves, especially wood elves, if often that they are in tune with both nature and magic. So I would assume that with patches of feywild, shadowfell or whatever other overlapping planes there are in your technology, they would know where they are, probably be able to predict them if they move or appear and disappear (geomancy? Astrology?) and mostly avoid them.

Though I could see them using the feywild for a kind of vision quest.

Segev
2018-11-28, 06:22 PM
Being forest-dwellers, their beasts of burden are deer, possibly large deer. These also serve as mounts. Their tents are designed to be hung and constructed in branches overhead, turning the canopy into their campsite. Scouting groups and hunting parties use earth-tone and tree-tone camoflage for their tents; traders and gatherers have brighter colors and draw the eye. Bags of holding are far more common, being more magically-inclined, and make the need for wagons far less. Portable Holes may also be incorporated into their tents to make Harry Potter tent-like experiences.

Stationary elven settlements wax and wane in size as the tent cities that surround them grow and shrink with visitors. Elven nobility own the best trees and don't tax so much as charge rent for use of the space, and elves pay the tax because it's the only way to access the grand marketplaces that line the permanent bridges between trees and the permanent buildings atop the highest trees that are smithies, craftworks, and other things that do not lend themselves to nomadic life.

Metal is, of course, rare, though mithril is somehow sourced primarily from elves and not dwarves, so they do work it.

Orchards are their farms, and permanent elven settlements on the borders of their forrests are marked by these. This is also the most vulnerable location; elven farmboys becoming adventurers is surprisingly common because of this.

Defense of their settlements mostly amounts to "taking the high ground." They don't need walls when they can turn the trees into bristling barriers of downward-facing thorns, and they travel between them on bridges. War between elves is a skirmish-heavy affair, with hit-and-run tactics in the canopies. Building walls to protect against a siege in three dimensions just isn't feasible, so the most defensive parts of their permanent settlements are castles constructed atop mighty, ancient trees. The wealthiest and most magical may even be floating cities in their own right, hovering above the canopy without support to prevent undermining.

TripleD
2018-11-28, 06:32 PM
If you want to avoid making too many settlements you could borrow a page from Elder Scrolls and have walking trees. The elves are nomadic in that they constantly change location, but also have permanent dwellings as their home moves with them.

Pauly
2018-11-29, 03:38 AM
Have the Elves use “high roads” paths along the biggest branches of the biggest trees.
- They can use the high roads to move faster in areas with undergrowth/swamps
- Cross otherwise impenetrable barriers.
- Move undetected by earth bound creatures.

The high roads may not necessarily be fully interconnected and there may be areas where it is dangerous to use them.

By virtue of them spending time in the treetops they have affinity with avians and feather-winged creatures like griffons, pegasi and owl bears.
Their bane is snakes and other snake like monsters who climb trees to raid bird’s nests.
They have a natural dislike of bats and bat winged creatures. Not a true enmity like with the snakes, but they would naturally assume a manticore, for example, to be hostile.

BWR
2018-11-29, 07:29 AM
I would get a hold of the "Elves of Alfheim" supplement and see how they did it. Lots of good information there.

Kaptin Keen
2018-11-29, 10:29 AM
If I was making a race of forest nomads, their pack beasts would be apes. They'd grow temporary homes among the tree tops, like birds nests - that would wither and fall off the next day. They'd likely be able to also grow more permanent residences. They would likely have a number of pets that also dwell among the tree tops: Birds, snakes, bat analogs (unsure what they're called in english, flying squirrels and flying dogs?), monkeys.

I think I'd harsly restrict their use of industry. They'd magically grow most stuff they needed - bows, spears, arrows. What goods they made would never be mass produced, but each item a work of art, whether it be a hat, or a dress, or a weapon, a home or a vase.

I'd propably try and come up with at least a few unique spells that offer utility to treetop dwellers. Summoning vines to haul you up from the forest floor, for instance. A spell to instantly grow leaf cover. Stuff like that - low power, but exceedingly useful in context.

Oh, and I hope it's obvious I don't imagine them making a lot of use of pedestrian ground walking.

I'd make them weird. Maybe they only converse in verse and song. Maybe they simply don't understand that grotty humans have no innate magic. Maybe they see this lack of magic as having no soul. Maybe they feel the pain of trees. Maybe they hibernate in winter. Maybe they grow from seeds.

I dunno, I'm getting pretty far from the PHB bog standard pointy ear, eh? =)

farothel
2018-11-29, 10:33 AM
if you want to go more civilized, check out Halta in Exalted. 'Compass of terrestrial directions: the east' has a good write up of Halta and their living together with intelligent animals is also something I see elves do.

Tvtyrant
2018-11-29, 01:29 PM
I would make it work differently from human cities by a lot.

The city of Verdant is said to be hidden by mysterious paths, the men who stumble upon it often awaken after great revelry to find themselves magically transported to empty meadows, but the truth is far different. The city simply moves each night.

The buildings are constructed in the branches of ancient Ents who slumber during the day and then walk each night through the forest to a new location. The Ents can forest walk like a Druid, leaving no paths or trails behind. When they reach their new location they root themselves and hold hands with their neighbors, creating a system of catwalks the Elves can use to walk between Ents.

The mobility of the city keeps it from burdening the forest like a human city, as resources are gathered during the day and then the city moves on. The city itself benefits the treants, who are groomed and protected by the Elves in return for sheltering them.

Pinjata
2018-11-30, 10:43 AM
This are my Elves so far:


Nomad Elves live in a Gaint Forest (a few hundred miles across) and have several regular campsites they use. There is a great circle of stone or wooden pillars near the site of every semi-permanent base, which acts as a gateway between the spirit realm and the earth, but only on the Equinox.

They travel in tribes of 300 - 700 and are able to rapidly make treehouses out of ropes and skins in treetops. The forest has also been planted deliberately with fruits and nuts plentiful for the taking right from the tree. During the fall many of these nuts and fruits are harvested and dried out for the coming winter and spring. Their pack animals are deer, while they also befriended forest dogs as hunters, trackers and protectors. They also harvest deer milk and turn it into a sour cream and cheese. Fishing is also an important industry for the elves, with the large river and numerous streams providing a bounty for the clans. Hunting is important, but only to supplement the rest of their resources.

A rare stationary point in elven settlements is Iron tree, a place where blacksmiths create weapons and tools out of metal. This place is guarded by metallic golems as well as treeants and other forest creatures that make sure no one hurts the blacksmiths. Elven tribes visit Iron tree yearly.

These elves engage enemies often. The Giant Forest is also inhabited by wild beasts, centaurs, aarakocra, pegasi, gnomes, treants, unicorns (keep to themselves unless provoked), pixies, korred, satyrs (mostly extremely nosy and prankster-ish, but never evil), humans (full of vice even if often with good intent), gnolls, orcs (mostly extremely nasty) and dark elves, dragons (mostly extremely nasty and deadly).

In order to deflect these threats, all elves are encouraged to learn at least some combat skill, most common being Ranger. Elves are also skilled Warriors, Bards, Clerics (of Nature-related dieties) and Rogues. Relatively a lot of elves commit their lives to being druids, but these individuals prefer to live most of their life in solitude and with natural companions. In time of dire need, they approach the elven tribes to help them or to get help from them themselves.

Elves have ample acess to simpler magic items. Bags of holding are common among them.


Any further ideas/fleshing out/comments?

Thanks for all help so far :)

Pleh
2018-11-30, 11:52 AM
In addition to Iron Tree, I've often populated my worlds with Goodberry Fields. For nomads, maybe it's a special part of their journey at summer's end when the Goodberry's are finally ripe. Having a bushel of berries each capable of satisfying an adult humanoid for a day means that spending a week in the harvest prime of the Goodberry fields can provide a light and easily carried foodsource that can last through most of the harsh winter months (if you can keep the berries from spoiling).

Of course, Gnolls and Orcs dislike the taste, preferring red meat.

gkathellar
2018-12-01, 01:32 PM
Take the time to figure out exactly what you mean by "forest." Woodlands differ dramatically on the basis of location, climate, geology, geography, resident fauna, and all the vagaries of natural history. These variations are not (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrophyte) necessarily (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen) subtle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove), but even in the vague category of "temperate forest," there are tremendous differences to be encountered. There's even a forest which is actually a single, super-ancient root system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pando_(tree)).

Because this can be a bit of a complexity rabbit hole (with or without actual rabbits), I'd suggest finding a real-world forest to build on. U.S. National and State parks often have excellent online documentation, so that's a good place to start. Once you've got something to work off of, adapt it to suit your needs: get a feel for major flora and fauna, establish any significant geographic features (rivers? mountains? cenotes?), and work out seasonal cycles. From there, you can begin to think about how people would actually live in the place.

One more specific point that I don't think anyone has addressed: forest fires are inevitable. Every forest contends with (and sometimes even relies on) fire as part of its natural life cycle, and if you intend to have people plausibly living in the woods, you are going to need to explain how they deal with periodic burns. If you go the route of special elf magic preventing all fires, you've got a separate issue, because forests that don't experience fires become overcrowded and unhealthy, with the trees growing far too close together and younger plants crowding out the stronger, old ones. In real life, this means that when the burns do happen they're much worse - if you can preclude that possibility via wizards, it'll have other consequences.

Pleh
2018-12-01, 02:19 PM
One more specific point that I don't think anyone has addressed: forest fires are inevitable. Every forest contends with (and sometimes even relies on) fire as part of its natural life cycle, and if you intend to have people plausibly living in the woods, you are going to need to explain how they deal with periodic burns. If you go the route of special elf magic preventing all fires, you've got a separate issue, because forests that don't experience fires become overcrowded and unhealthy, with the trees growing far too close together and younger plants crowding out the stronger, old ones. In real life, this means that when the burns do happen they're much worse - if you can preclude that possibility via wizards, it'll have other consequences.

This is a really cool point, but it also inspires me to imagine a group of non evil Blight Druids, who are perceived as nihilists, but they really protect the forest from becoming unhealthy.

Erloas
2018-12-01, 03:40 PM
There are some other interesting things about forests and how seemingly minor changes can have a huge impact. I don't remember the exact details but it was worms. Some sort of nut tree essentially requires a huge layer of dead leaves, like 4-6" deep. The nuts require that time to decompose the shell enough that the seed can actually grow once it gets down to the ground. Apparently worms got introduced there and they're eating all of the leaves so the mulch bed isn't deep enough and the seeds are not reproducing. In a setting like that they would try to minimize the impact of the underbrush as much as possible.

Alternatively pine needles are fairly acidic, so in pine forests the ground gets fairly acidic from years and years of needles being dropped, it is how the pine trees fend off being invaded by other types of plants. Which usually leads to very little underbrush and groundcover plants in pine forests.

Pleh
2018-12-01, 06:34 PM
There are some other interesting things about forests and how seemingly minor changes can have a huge impact. I don't remember the exact details but it was worms. Some sort of nut tree essentially requires a huge layer of dead leaves, like 4-6" deep. The nuts require that time to decompose the shell enough that the seed can actually grow once it gets down to the ground. Apparently worms got introduced there and they're eating all of the leaves so the mulch bed isn't deep enough and the seeds are not reproducing. In a setting like that they would try to minimize the impact of the underbrush as much as possible.

Alternatively pine needles are fairly acidic, so in pine forests the ground gets fairly acidic from years and years of needles being dropped, it is how the pine trees fend off being invaded by other types of plants. Which usually leads to very little underbrush and groundcover plants in pine forests.

Reminds me of that story where they reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone and watched it change the course of the rivers.

I expect many people to know, but for those who don't, what happened was that the wolves forced the elk and deer to be more careful about where they graze. This allowed foliage and grassland to flourish in open areas where the wolves could easily hunt. The increased foliage reinforced the soil with dense root systems. The reinforced soil was more resistant to flowing water and acted as a natural levy to force the water along a different route.

Jay R
2018-12-01, 11:22 PM
An elven settlement has been there for thousands of years. [Otherwise it's a temporary camp.] But elves prefer to fit into a forest, rather than replace it.

All dwelling are carefully designed to be a part of the forest, and might not even be noticeable until the (non-elf) visitor came quite close. Plants and rock formations might go through a building and be part of it.

Pauly
2018-12-02, 01:44 AM
Also it is important to note the difference between “forests” and “woods”.

Forests are managed: trees will be coppiced; fallen branches cleared and used; there will be paths for access, undergrowth will be cleared; trees will be tied/trimmed to encourage growth in useful shapes; particular types of hunting animals will be encouraged (the famous king’s deers from the Robin Hood tales).

Woods are wild: maybe people will go into the woods to chop down trees but they will not control the growth of trees; paths will be rarer; generally woods are darker with a more complete canopy.

Usually forests are on relatively flat ground close to civilization. Woods are typically in more mountainous or swampy areas. Historically most forests were created to save an area for hunting, with the wood products/industry being an added bonus. Woods were areas not suitable for cultivation or far from concentrations of people.

For convenience an area may be known as the blahblah Forest/Woods but it conceivably could be all forest, all woods or a mix of both.

Xalyz
2018-12-02, 04:37 PM
Remember these are elvish nomads; what might be temporary for the Elves might not be considered temporary for us. Maybe their dwellings quickly fade back into the forest, maybe they move every ~20 years.

Elvensilver
2018-12-03, 06:25 AM
To emphasis the dependance of the elves on the forest, maybe you should have some forest themed festivals, where severall tribes come together, plot hooks can be presented and items can be bought and sold. Maybe like this one?

The Burning
Every few years, when an old camp is being left, elves of several tribes will gather, while some wizard, sorcerers and druids set the camp and surroundering forest on fire. The civilans will be protected by the magic-users, and will in turn invite them to large barbecues, the magic-users will then make a show out of their wagic and try to invite apprentices. Magic items are being traded and young elves try to impress strangers with dares, be it hunting or magic. Old grudges and remnants will be burned and new alliances will be forged.

Segev
2018-12-03, 12:51 PM
One of the little mentioned evils of necromancy is that negative energy stills natural fire when in great quantity. This is why woods inhabited by undead are so choked and lifeless.

gkathellar
2018-12-03, 01:26 PM
One of the little mentioned evils of necromancy is that negative energy stills natural fire when in great quantity. This is why woods inhabited by undead are so choked and lifeless.

Huh. Never heard that before, but it's strikingly appropriate.

Erloas
2018-12-03, 02:26 PM
Also it is important to note the difference between “forests” and “woods”.

Forests are managed: trees will be coppiced; fallen branches cleared and used; there will be paths for access, undergrowth will be cleared; trees will be tied/trimmed to encourage growth in useful shapes; particular types of hunting animals will be encouraged (the famous king’s deers from the Robin Hood tales).

Woods are wild: maybe people will go into the woods to chop down trees but they will not control the growth of trees; paths will be rarer; generally woods are darker with a more complete canopy.

Usually forests are on relatively flat ground close to civilization. Woods are typically in more mountainous or swampy areas. Historically most forests were created to save an area for hunting, with the wood products/industry being an added bonus. Woods were areas not suitable for cultivation or far from concentrations of people.

For convenience an area may be known as the blahblah Forest/Woods but it conceivably could be all forest, all woods or a mix of both.
This must be a difference in dialect/region, but this is opposite of how I've ever heard them used. Forests are large areas that have been kept almost entirely natural, with the exception of access roads, maybe some primitive camping spots. Woods on the other hand tend to be smaller clumps of trees, no where near big enough to be called a forest. So while you might have clumps of heavily treed areas in more urban settings those would be woods, and more likely to be managed/controlled.

Segev
2018-12-03, 02:48 PM
Huh. Never heard that before, but it's strikingly appropriate.

Oh, that's not canon to anything that I know of. I was introducing the idea as an element of worldbuilding that might help with this thread's purpose. Sorry for being unclear.

Pauly
2018-12-03, 07:42 PM
This must be a difference in dialect/region, but this is opposite of how I've ever heard them used. Forests are large areas that have been kept almost entirely natural, with the exception of access roads, maybe some primitive camping spots. Woods on the other hand tend to be smaller clumps of trees, no where near big enough to be called a forest. So while you might have clumps of heavily treed areas in more urban settings those would be woods, and more likely to be managed/controlled.

Modern usage has changed to the point where the words are almost interchangeable I was going back to the original etymolgy.

Forest comes from the latin “foris” for outside.
Woods comes from w“wudu” the germanic word for trees.

So Forest comes from the word the Norman nobles used to describe where they went outside, i.e. to hunt.
Whereas woods comes from the anglo saxon peasants and is used to describe places with trees.

Think if the difference between what you imagine “Sherwood Forest” to be and “Mirkwood”.

Erloas
2018-12-03, 08:42 PM
Think if the difference between what you imagine “Sherwood Forest” to be and “Mirkwood”. Eh, neither of those really mean much to me, at least in terms of the wood vs forest part. Wood being in both of them, and the Mirk part of mirkwood doing more to set its tone than the wood.

I'm from Wyoming, but I think of the Teton Nation Forest, which is about 14,000km2. Or about the size of Delaware, or Montenegro, or half the size of Belgium. Probably about as remote and dangerous as any place is left in the USA. Granted that isn't that bad, and a lot of development has happened throughout it, but still a lot more wild than most of the country.

Pauly
2018-12-03, 09:23 PM
Eh, neither of those really mean much to me, at least in terms of the wood vs forest part. Wood being in both of them, and the Mirk part of mirkwood doing more to set its tone than the wood.

I'm from Wyoming, but I think of the Teton Nation Forest, which is about 14,000km2. Or about the size of Delaware, or Montenegro, or half the size of Belgium. Probably about as remote and dangerous as any place is left in the USA. Granted that isn't that bad, and a lot of development has happened throughout it, but still a lot more wild than most of the country.

As I said, the modern usage has caused tne concepts to be muddied, but there is an original difference. It is why we have two different words. It is why one is latinate in origin and the other is germanic in origin.

Let’s try some other traditional usages if English.

“Out of the woods” is an idiom that means to come to safety from danger.
A “woodsman” is someone who cuts down trees. In current American english a “lumberjack” (“jack” being an old word for “worker”, as in jack-of-all-trades)
A “forester” is someone who manages trees within a forest. A person who did coppicing and pollarding, a person who made charcoal.
“The deep woods” is used to describe an area far from human activity.

We have lost a lot of techniques for managing forests. But in a medieval/D&D type environment trees would be managed the old way.
- Coppicing - cutting off tree trunks at ground level to encourage growth of several trunks from one root system (origin of the word copse)
- Pollarding - like coppicing, but at several feet above ground level.
- pleaching - intertwing branches together to make a natural fence. Pleaching has been used to make structures strong enough for dance platforms or houses. In Asian jungles it has been used to create bridges.
- espalier - training trees to grow in two dimensions, which encourages fruit setting.
- framing - tying the trunk to a frame to create a desired shape. In the age of sail this was done to grow oak trees in the shape of a ship’s ribs or keel. It was also done for carriages as well. Because a piece of wood that is grown in the right shape is stronger than wood cut to shape.