Tree of Dread

The Trees of Dread are a menace that has long haunted the people of Elysium. Several cities and towns have fallen to these abominations, most notably the Human city of Marakth in what is now the Bagdud in 381 BA. Often created by vampires, animati and mad cultists, the process for creating a seed is unknown, but assumed to be horrific. Some scholars have speculated they may be corrupted versions of the Spirit World touched Trees of Life that exist at the center of the forests that the Halflings call home.
Once planted, the Tree of Dread takes decades to grow, but once it does it can increasingly influence its surroundings, creating foul diseases and creating Wights. A powerful Tree of Dread can even warp reality itself, altering the perceptions of any in it's influence. It has been theorized that these powers mean a Tree of Dread is a unique conduit for Arcane Magic, able to understand the logic of the universe and bend it far more efficiently than any mortal arcanist. Once at the final stage of its life, the Tree creates a massive burst of energy that kills any in the vicinity by draining their blood, before entering a deep hibernation, producing seeds that its acolytes carry to other cities. The Trees can be destroyed, scholars claim, but only at great cost.