Aurum Birch

Eyes cast warily downward for monsters and treasure, I build my way towards the foggy giant.  The trek back to my main base is starting to get rather long, so it's high time to build a new base. Rising out of the mists is the forest giant I spotted earlier, perfect for my needs.

It's an Aurum Birch,  a true giant amongst giants.  Best of all, it's got a substantial trunk that should make an excellent base once hollowed out.  After several trips back for more glass, I reach the trunk.  Digging into the wood, I discover this giant has some  hidden treasures at its core!

The trunk is already hollow, and interspersed with gold ore and redstone deposits.  It means another trip back to base camp for the diamond pickaxe I found many days ago, but that's a small price to pay for such a rich find.  Digging out the entire ore deposit takes some time, for I'm trying to save as much of my diamond pick as possible.  Who knows when I'll get another.  By mining each ore almost to the breaking point and then switching for the final couple of blows, hopefully I can make it last as long as I need.

As I make my way up inside the Aurum, building platforms and windows as I go, suddenly the game begins to lag like crazy.  As I was working on a glass skywalk at the time, this is a most alarming development.  Exiting and reloading has no effect.  Perhaps my excessive torch use has caught up to me?  Eventually I notice a strange sight out one of the new windows.  Another Aurum!  And it seems to be shedding leaves...?

Perhaps this is the source of the lag.  Sure enough, I wait until the leaves stop disappearing and the game stops lagging.  Mystery solved, though what precipitated the mass defoliation is still unknown.  Days pass as I outfit the interior of the Birch with anemities, and no few falls.  Ladders fallen off of: 5.  Holes stepped into: 2.  I am getting desperately low on health, and the nearest source is half a day's walk away.

Time to build another fishing platform - staying near the sea definitely has benefits beyond the extra light.  Two creepers appear to be having a social gathering with a slime while I rustle up some fishy food, but I'm out of monster-lock-on range.

Careful examination of the area around my new base of operations reveals another hidden treasure box.  Can you spot it?

Look carefully!

The monster population is substantial as always, so another chest mining operation is in order.  I need more sand in any case to fuel my exploration progression.  A few trips up and down the ladders to orient myself, and I'm duly rewarded with another chest.

Cue Legend of Zelda Treasure Chest music please!

Peering inside the box, I must admit a bit of disappointment.  The contents were three cooked porkchops, and two iron swords.  Better than an empty box, at least.  Stealing the chest, I seal up the resulting hole and head back topside.  The sun is beginning to set, so I take a moment to grab a pic of my new home.

Tomorrow - back to base for more supplies, and then onwards to the second Aurum!