lavenderbloodstains3

The Gallows Tree (REWRITE)

+ Notes & Brainstorming

- More serious tone. Remove unnecessary jokes, such as "The Whomping Willow But Kind of Hot." (Except for some jokes made by members of Serpent's Hand annotating this article.)
- Remove unnecessary horny. Possibly remove the character of Risen entirely? The article is not about their love or relationship, and thus the addition of Risen being horny for Deirdre is pointless and falls flat.
- Change Deirdre into a Yew tree to have a stronger connection to Celtic mythology. Incorporate symbolism of the Yew tree in Celtic mythology / Paganism, as well as Christianity.
- Strengthen Deirdre's discovery, possibly go into more detail about where and how she was found.
- Strengthen Deirdre's judgement of criminals and sinners. She has been reborn as a sort of dryad-revenant, and judges people in her vicinity based on moral value and their character. If she deems them to be a corrupt person, she tries to hang and execute them. This role is a function of her feelings of anger and vengeance at being wrongfully executed.
- Get into more detail on Deirdre's healing / regenerative abilities? Since Yew trees naturally regenerate and are associated with healing and immortality.
- Perhaps find a different point in history than the Anglo-Saxon invasion in order to strengthen article's messages of Christian persecution of Paganism / Celts, and British oppression of Irish culture.
- I wanted to make The Gallows Tree more horrifying, and make it so the Serpent's Hand had a more difficult time subduing her. Make her more uncooperative; ritualistic sacrifice will do yes, but why should she take an innocent rabbit? Give her your criminals, give her your sinners! Difficulty subduing her may possibly be due to internal struggles as well, such as people being against keeping the tree because she's unruly, dangerous, and has already killed several members. Though the part near the end where it cautions anyone not to be near her at night and if they get killed its their fault is funny, and I want to preserve it.
- Read about the killer Librarians and incorporate them into the article.

The Gallows Tree

Deirdre Ó Cailleach, The Dryad-Revenant

Conspectus

The Dryad-Revenant, known more commonly as "The Gallows Tree,"¹ is the deceased spirit of a female Celtic druid named Deirdre Ó Cailleach inhabiting a yew tree. From the leaves and branches of the yew tree are strung numerous nooses, which are used to hang its victims.² The reason for these hangings is likely a result of feelings of vengeance surrounding the circumstances of her death. How Deirdre came to become a yew tree following her death is unknown, but the resultant being bears similarities to a dryad of ancient Greco-Roman myth.³

Knowledge

Traits: The Gallows Tree possesses regenerative properties consistent with the natural abilities of the yew tree. In extreme circumstances, The Gallows Tree has been observed to sever its own branches and cultivate them into a new, healthy yew tree, which the spirit then inhabits, leaving the old tree behind. Notably, new "bodies" grown in this way experience rapidly accelerated growth, returning The Gallows Tree to its original stature in a matter of days.⁴⁵ During the day, The Gallows Tree is largely immobile and unresponsive, save for if it finds itself under duress. When night falls, the form of the tree has been noted to transfigure into that of a feminine shape comprised of wood and leaves, that is capable of autonomous locomotion via self-uprooting. Despite superficial physical similarities to a human, The Gallows Tree is much larger in stature, standing approximately sixty feet tall, and possesses no internal anatomy inconsistent with the biology of the common yew tree. (Taxus baccata) The Gallows Tree seems unable or unwilling to produce speech in any known language, though it does seem capable of comprehension when spoken to in English, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, or Gaulish.⁶

Nature: The Gallows Tree,⁷⁸ as its name might suggest, is largely hostile in nature. Extensive observation has revealed a pattern in its behavior. The Gallows Tree is drawn to populated areas, particularly ones that have high rates of crime, and makes its home in a public location such as a local park. In a dormant state, the nooses remain coiled among the uppermost branches of the yew tree, unable to be seen from below. A humanoid sitting beneath or nearby the base of the tree may become a target for The Gallows Tree, which will attempt to ensnare them with a noose. Most victims then expire from a lack of oxygen.⁹¹⁰ The Gallows Tree, while capable of understanding speech, is largely unresponsive, making communication difficult. However, through rigorous questioning, charades, and context clues, it has been determined that the reasons behind The Gallows Tree's hangings are based upon its judgement of one's morals and character.

History & Associated Parties: Historical evidence suggests The Gallows Tree was once a Celtic druid named Deirdre Ó Cailleach, who was hanged sometime around the mid-to-late fifth century for several crimes, including continuing to practice druidcraft following (irish conversion to christianity), treason(?), and a refusal to pay taxes to (rome? britain?). during (different period of time than ASJ invasion of Celts. perhaps involve Romans / Christians?). Following her execution, Deirdre's corpse was buried in (insert church cemetery name). Of note is the fact that (church cemetery) was home to numerous yew trees. The Gallows Tree has been observed to hang primarily criminals or former criminals, (insert elaboration on how she judges moral character.) The Gallows Tree was brought to our attention after several members of The Serpent's Hand were found hanged among its branches.^11121314 After this incident, additional members of The Serpent's Hand were successful in relocating The Gallows Tree to The Wanderer's Library. Following its retrieval, The Gallows Tree has been given adequate provisions for a yew tree, and its homicidal tendencies have been kept at bay with ritualistic sacrifices¹⁵ of rabbits, foxes, and other such animals.^16171819

Approach: Approaching The Gallows Tree is easily achieved during the day, when it takes on the unbecoming form of an ordinary yew tree. Attempting to coerce it into a more imposing humanoid form is difficult, but it is not impossible. The Gallows Tree is amicable to Serpent's Hands members who enter its chambers with animal sacrifices intended to abate its homicidal tendencies, an arrangement begrudgingly agreed upon during extensive communication efforts.²⁰²¹ Approaching The Gallows Tree during the night is heavily advised against, as it is noted to become increasingly agitated and may attempt to hang members of the Hand in spite of the presence of sacrifices. Questioning has revealed that this is likely caused by the simple fact that the Sun does not shine at night.²²²³²⁴

Other Detail: Members of The Serpent's Hand and other readers in the library are permitted to visit The Gallows Tree as they please, provided that they exercise caution. Anyone wishing to read underneath The Gallows Tree must ensure that they keep track of the time, lest they risk being hanged. In the event that The Gallows Tree hangs a member of The Serpent's Hand who has not followed these very simple directions, no punishment shall be issued and the deceased member will be considered responsible for their own death.²⁵²⁶

Observations & Stories

- entry

"I found The Gallows Tree during the initial incident in which she was discovered and relocated. Some of the members of the Hand she had strewn up among her branches were people I had known, so I shed a single tear for them. However, after delving deeper into her nature and understanding her nature, I find it hard to blame her for her wrongdoings. Some part of me thinks that perhaps she was in the right all along, and that those members of the Hand got what was coming.²⁷ Regardless, I look upon this beast with reverence, awe, and wonder, not disgusting and inappropriate thoughts of coitus as some of us do." ~ Excendria

"Once, I was preparing a ritual sacrifice of a fox for her, and I fumbled and must have taken slightly longer than usual, for she felt it appropriate to threaten me by slipping a noose around my neck! Is this her idea of a sick joke? Far as I know, I have done nothing wrong in my life,²⁸ so I cannot excuse this kind of behavior!" - X.H

"I tried to install a sprinkler system around her a couple of times, but she kept ripping them up and inspecting them, as if curious as to what they were. I have been unable to communicate their function to her nor get her to agree to stop ripping them up,²⁹³⁰ so I suppose we can only water her using watering cans." ~ T.F

Doubt

"The behavior of this tree is unpredictable and unnecessarily hostile, seemingly attacking out of hunger or sheer boredom. Additionally, she refuses to speak to us and what little information we have gathered has been mostly extrapolated. I believe no such claims that this tree is sapient nor has any method behind her madness." - X.H

"If this tree is really a Celtic witch, how did she go unnoticed for so long?³¹ The Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes invaded all the way back in the fourth century, which is around the time she must have been hanged. So how did she fly under our radar for more than a millennium?" - A.Z

"I fail to see how anybody can be comfortable keeping this tree around. Even if she is a large and fairly attractive woman made out of wood, she's also a ruthless unpredictable killer who may react with malice at even the slightest of surprises!" ~ T.F³²

"I think she makes a nice addition to our library, and reading underneath her is nice, but I believe that stricter regulations should be placed upon visiting her. I mean, she's a murderer for god's sake, and we're just treating her like a house guest? And when she kills, we just blame it on the person she killed?" - Z.T³³

"Did anybody actually investigate the criminal records of the members of the Hand that we found hanged among her branches upon our initial discovery? I've been lurking on this article throughout and nobody has mentioned whether or not the people she killed are actually criminals or not!" - S.Y³⁴

- entry

- entry

1. A bit of a pun there. You know, like gallows humor? - X.H

2. I don't know how anyone could fail to notice a tree creeping up behind them and slipping a noose around their neck. ~ Z.T

3. I can't seem to find a reliable source of information on whether or not the ancient Celts had a concept of a dryad. There is the Ghillie Dhu, a Scottish fairy, though those are usually male. I also found references to the idea of a "Celtic dryad," or "Sidhe Draoi" on modern Wiccan sites, though I'm not sure how reputable those sources are. ~ Excendria

4. So, she's functionally immortal? Great. ~ Z.T

5. The yew tree is strongly associated with regeneration and rebirth in several religions. ~ Excendria

6. Note that Gaulish has been extinct on "baseline Earth" since sometime around the late 6th century. ~ Excendria

7. Why do we call her that again? ~ T.F

8. It became an urban legend in the places it was spotted. People would wake up and find a tree adorned with hanging bodies, usually criminals or former criminals. Thus it became known as "The Gallows Tree." ~ Excendria

9. Most? - X.H

10. Some humanoids do not require oxygen to live. ~ Excendria

11. And we're keeping this thing around? ~ T.F

12. Yes, we are. A few accidents here and there are to be expected. - A.Z

13. Also, didn't it just say she only hung criminals? - X.H

14. In the eyes of some, we're all criminals. ~ Z.T.

15. What?! ~ T.F

16. Good god, you nearly gave me a heart attack. ~ T.F

17. This is why we read ahead before commenting. - A.Z

18. Wait, what do they mean by 'other such animals?' - X.H

19. Well, there's a significant difference between a rabbit and a fox, so I think she'll just take anything. ~ Z.T

20. So you just asked the tree "Hey, could you not kill people? Have some foxes instead." and it agreed just like that? - X.H

21. Essentially, yes. ~ Excendria

22. So it gets pissed just because it can't see? Sounds pretty dumb to me. ~ T.F

23. No, you idiot. It's a plant, it photosynthesizes. And you call yourself a member of the Hand? - A.Z

24. You could say she's just hangry. ~ Z.T

25. A bit harsh. - X.H

26. But understandable. ~ Z.T

27. They probably did. Nethil was among those hanged. - A.Z

28. I know this, and I love you. ~ Z.T

29. Have you tried turning one on for her? ~ Excendria

30. I was too nervous. I don't want to surprise her. ~ T.F

31. The world is a very large place, especially when you have access to the library. - Z.T

32. You don't even need to surprise her to get her to try to kill you, just disappoint her even slightly and she'll threaten to hang you! - X.H

33. You must be new around here. ~ Excendria

34. Come to think of it, we haven't… I'll see if I can get somebody on that. ~ Excendria