The Timberwalkers
Official illustration by Clément de Ruyter
The Timberwalkers are Catnuts who live in great meowgic trees. Through shamancraft, a meowgic of their own, they set these trees in motion and guide them across the swamp. The roots open canals in the peat, allowing toxic water to disperse without flooding the swamp or polluting nearby lands.
Judged too dangerous by the Scibouleaux, one of the houses of Highcastle School, the Timberwalkers founded this meowgic, which lets them bond with plants and make trees walk. A Shaman's training includes finding a tree species with which to form a lasting bond. The spell The Color of Grass is part of their tradition, and the willow is their community's emblem.
The community includes several groups. The Appleherders are known for their pies, the Maplestriders for their bright coats, the Oakkeepers for protecting the trees and the Corkbeards for their great age. Despite difficult relations with Highcastle, the archmeowge Miléna sometimes sends them students drawn to plant meowgic.
Their traveling village, Wormwood, takes shape when the tribe stops to fish and trade with the farms at the edge of the swamp. Lacking weapons and training, they hide rather than drive intruders away.
