Guild Wars 2

Various theories have been proposed about the nature of the relationship between Ventari and the Pale Tree, primarily because of the seemingly prolific influence Ventari has over the Sylvari race. Some have even gone so far as to propose that the nature of the relationship between Ventari and the Pale Tree is magical.
It seems almost too good to be true that the most influential plant in Tyria was nurtured into maturity by a Centaur. Of all the races of Tyria, Centaurs alone have a unique relationship with the land – it’s flora and fauna. Just as importantly, Centaurs have a unique relationship with the trees of Tyria. They are said to congregate around “ancestor trees”.
Just what are these “ancestor trees” anyway? According to the Centaurs, these trees are representatives of their forbears – whether they are actually said forbears or merely conduits to them is not yet clear. And this is where things really get interesting, because we are all left contemplating how these trees come into existence. What is involved in the nurturing of an “ancestor tree”? What makes it different to other trees? How do Centaurs know that a tree is special?
Perhaps Ventari knew that the Pale Tree was special. He did, after all, create his famous Tablet. But why did he create it and who did he foresee would consult it? Perhaps he knew that something was coming that would find the tablet useful – something more than the odd wanderer or the seemingly-wayward members of his own race, most of whom paid no credence to him at all.
Now Ventari has taken his place within the Dream of Dreams and his spirit can only be consulted through the Pale Tree. For all intents and purposes then, the Pale Tree seems to be one such “ancestor tree” because of this. In so speculating that it might be, we need to keep in mind not only that it is a theory (which I’m sure many will disagree with for whatever reason)
It’s saddening to see that the Centaurs and Sylvari are not closer to one another in spirit. Ventari was clearly capable of attaining the character required to relate to the sentient plants of Tyria and that as a Centaur, suggesting that Centaurs and Sylvari might be made to coexist if the situation in Kryta were different.
Perhaps Ventari’s approach was another reason why the rest of his people are not so receptive to the concept of peace. For Ventari was prepared to make peace with the human race, currently the favorite of the Six so-called Gods, who pushed them out of their homelands and proceeded to kitten Tyria’s ecosystem.

Well, Ventari didn’t know that the seed he and Ronan planted would lead to the Sylvari race. He just wanted to make a peaceful society, so he and Ronan and others made a camp, and he made his tablet for them and anyone else who happens to come across it.

The Ancestor trees seem to be specific to Elonian Centaurs – which Ventari was not, also there is no visual similarity between the ancestor trees and the pale tree.

I could be wrong here, but I thought that point was kind of that Ventari DID know that the Sylvari were going to be born from the pale tree, although how I do not know, hence why he created his tablet and left it attaché base of the tree before he died.

@Stephen: Centaurs actually have only shown to have a reverence for the earth itself – not the fauna or flora. Just soil. Well, Velderunner centaurs also venerate their Ancestor Trees as you mention, but no other plants known beyond them. But as Narcemus said, these are only Elonian centaurs.

The Ancestor Trees are not a representatives of their ancestors, btw, but rather a sacred tree who’s fruits carry the wisdom of past chieftains. Effectively, they’re magically trees – something in of itself is not rare (see: treants, Urgoz, the Terebirth (sp?) in Brisban, etc.) – that have fruits carrying knowledge of those who died near them. Tyria’s version of the biblical Tree of Knowledge, arguably.

According to arcane scholars, the fruit of these trees was seen as divine, possibly as a way to pass down spiritual wisdom from one generation to the next.

From Nightfall manual.

The creation of the tablet was irrelevant to the tree. He considered the tree to be a miracle, to have grown so large so fast upon the graves of humans, and he used that to symbolize his second sanctuary with Ronan.

As to why he carved the tablet, I point to the oldest source of GW2 lore: The Movement of the World

At last, old and gray, Ventari carved his life’s lessons upon a marble tablet, which he placed at the base of the pale tree so that future travelers might read it and, perhaps, learn the ways of peace and harmony. Then, many years after his human companion had passed on, Ventari laid down beside the tree Ronan had planted, and died.

So he did indeed create it for the odd wonderer .

Also: Ventari is only in the Dream of Dreams through the Pale Tree’s memories. He cannot be consulted. The Pale Tree can only look upon her memories of his teachings.

To centaurs and sylvari co-existing … the centaurs do call sylvari “plant spirits” in one of the sylvari storyline during A Tangle of Weeds.

On the side comment of the Six “so-called” Gods and them messing up the ecosystem… technically speaking, it was only Abaddon – neither humans nor the full six – who did such. Melandru and Balthazar (supposedly Balthazar if we take the implication that his burning Orr when he arrived was cleansing corruption) actually fixed the ecosystem.

@FlamingFoxx: Ventari did not know about the sylvari at all. He placed the tablet there for future passers by to find. See quote above.

^ I want to point out that FlamingFoxx said that the Ancestor Trees seem to be specific to Elonian Centaurs. Credit where credit is due :P

I don’t really get how I made that mistake when you didn’t even post in the thread. o.O

I’m creeping into your mind Konig! You cannot escape me! :P