Science Question kindof (obviously D&D related)

[Dreaddisease]

What would happen if someone was completely still (in this case on their knees with their hands on their knees) for 20 years in a dense forest? I ask this understanding the catatonic state (which will be relieved through spells) and sanity problems (which does not matter in this case). What I am interested in is how the forest would wrap around this person, what would this person's skin be like, would their hair embed the dirt and grow stuff out of it? Could they possibly have roots that grow under the skin, would the body be able to protect all orifices (clothes do not matter)?

Why do I ask this question? I had a dream last night that I'm trying to create an actual in-game side story. I dreamt of an elven maiden who was sold to the flesh trade of the kingdom at a very young age (25-30). She was sold as servitude for over 20 years and then sold to a sick man who used her as a ......... slave. 20 years of this trying to fight and keep her sanity and hopefully escape. She finally made her escape but had to kill the man in the meantime (he now being an up and coming political figure) so she had to flee. She goes to the high elders of her society and because she is still underage the crime of murder is punished harshly at this age. Because of the nature of the circumstance (and including the circumstances) the elders finds an old tome from the wood elves and 'cleansing' underage elves through this strange ritual (i.e. the question above).

Now this is where my dream ended. So now I am left with the after effects. I want to make it true to life so if the party meets this person and they have a tree growing out of their head it could be possible.

 

[tarchon]

Scientifically speaking, they would be devoured by chipmunks.
Fantastically speaking, I see no reason why an elf couldn't have a tree growing in her head.

 

[DMScott]

What would happen if someone was completely still (in this case on their knees with their hands on their knees) for 20 years in a dense forest? I ask this understanding the catatonic state (which will be relieved through spells) and sanity problems (which does not matter in this case). What I am interested in is how the forest would wrap around this person, what would this person's skin be like, would their hair embed the dirt and grow stuff out of it? Could they possibly have roots that grow under the skin, would the body be able to protect all orifices (clothes do not matter)?

You'd need so much magic to keep 'em alive that you can basically have whatever you want happen to them. Perhaps have them turned into a statue that's sentient but immobile, in which case they'd probably become overgrown with moss and vines.

If you do leave them as some kind of organic matter, they'll probably be eaten by some animal fairly quickly - anything from a bear to ants would be thrilled to find that kind of food source.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

You've got some weird dreams, boy!

 

[Mac Callum]

You have weird dreams - cool, but weird.

Grass has probably grown over her legs. The forest floor will have to be ripped off of her to allow her to stand...and that's if there aren't any vines or ivy plants in the area. Any kind of creeper plant could have her completely mummified by now.

Her clothes would be completely ragged, and so worn down the slightest stress would probably cause them to disintigrate. The elders might have taken that into account though and given her something more durable to wear.

Hair. If it was long before, it's probably a squirrel's nest now (perhaps literally). It would certainly be windblown and tangled all to hell - twenty years is a long time to go without a trim.

Finger & toe nails. Very long. Her feet might even be trapped if something had grown around the nails.

20 years is long enough for a tree to grow around something and entrap it if it's thin enough. I have seen this happen to fence posts and stones. She could be 'embraced' by an Oak by now -- heh, Old Man Willow, but nicer.

Any explanation for why she hasn't been eaten for the last 20 years? Are there other elves watching over her?

 

[Tonguez]

would the body be able to protect all orifices (clothes do not matter)?

eeeeww elf-girl hentai! (I'm sure I've seen this image somewhere! )

Your safest bet is to turn her into a statue (wooden perhaps) and then let the forest claim her as part of it...

 

[der_kluge]

There would have to be some kind of movement, otherwise she'd get a bloodcut and die within the first month, if not the first few weeks.

Ruling out bloodclots, I would imagine that insects would pretty much eat the person alive. It would only be a matter of time before flies would land on the subject and be laying maggots, which would likely eat the elf. So, the elf would get some really awful disease or be eaten by insects after a period of say, 6 months.

So, counter that with a permanent anti-vermin spell, and you're looking at exposure. What kind of weather conditions persist? If it freezes in the winters, that'd do it right there. Too hot in the summer - dehydration. Now, I assume you've got the food and water thing covered somehow.

You'd have to equip her with a ring of sustenance and a ring of regeneration.

After that, who knows. She'd be filthy dirty, covered in bird poop, and it seems highly possible that there could be weeds growing out of her hair. A tree would seem quite unlikely since their wouldn't be nearly enough dirt up there to support a root structure of any kind.

 

[SSquirrel]

Actually Monte Cook has a spell called Woodland Prison (think Merlin) that would do exactly what you want. It's in Arcana Unearthed.

Hagen

 

[Ottergame]

From a factual point of view, unless something prevents it, they would have been eatten by an animal, pulled apart by small pests, or had their flesh burrow through by plants...

 

[Dreaddisease]

Arcana Unearthed is next on my list. I just got Unearthed Arcana.

Okay, so my dreams are constantly reinforced while it develops, meaning i keep dreaming the same plot until its embedded in my mind forever... well not really. This also means my more logical side has to compensate for the constant story line and it actually changes it until it makes sense. Unfortunately the end of that story didn't get reinforced so it doesn't make much sense. Also I think I know where the dream stemmed from, and that ain't so good.

So now I must guess. I think there would be a spell that would allow nature to interact but not harm. Nature extracts the evil and sin, since trees have a natural resistance to evil.

She is in a prostrate position which would allow dirt to gather up her back. I'm not seeing a visual of her with a tree out of her hair, but I am seeing her tempted to join the militant sect of the druidic religion because of her experiences. She is also fed by dryads. The climate is relatively warm all season getting extremely humid in the summer. (Seasons aren't really that drastic in my world considering everything is regulated by magic).

Anyway, I was hoping for something more scientific. Yes bugs are a problem, but what would prolonged moist skin look like? Would the dirt become a part of the skin making the skin weak? Would it be wrinkled and tender, even after being magically repaired? Of course with the magic nature of the forest maybe some infusion of plant into her system making her have some plant affinity.

Thank you for your responses. Gave me something to really think about.