Flesh Trees

Written by orphidor

A flesh-and-bone tree with writhing arms for branches, deformed fingers for twigs, pulsating veins, and slick membranes spreading between its roots rises crookedly before you. An eye on its ribbed trunk, clouded in a fog of agony, stickily slides open and drifts to look your way. For a moment, you’re terrified of what the thing will do to you. But as the eye eases closed again and the tree shudders out a deep groan, you realize that it couldn’t care less about you.

Native only to the Foul Grove, the flesh trees are horrific conglomerations of muscle, bone, and skin arranged in forms resembling large deciduous trees. Their leaves are the only thing resembling true plant matter, but even those are fed by the blood from small veins leading directly into the finger twigs of the trees. They seem to repulse anyone who wasn't raised in the Foul Grove, thanks to their grotesque appearances and the stagnant energy that surrounds them.
The trees constantly make noise with their assorted mouths. The Grovedwellers listen to their ramblings and experiment with reciting them in case they're undiscovered spells.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The flesh trees are made of body parts resembling those of most intelligent races mashed together in unholy arrangements. Most commonly, the trees have pale, calloused skin covering their surfaces, multi-jointed arms and fingers for branches and twigs, vertebrae running through the centers of their thickly-muscled trunks, and roots ending in toes. Eyes, ears, and mouths lie scattered nonsensically across their trunks and branches. Oddly-formed limbs sometimes jut out from random places.

Genetics and Reproduction

New trees spring up from the roots of their neighbors to fill the empty space whenever an old tree dies.

Ecology and Habitats

The flesh trees thrive near the streams that flow slowly through the Foul Grove and disappear into the ground.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

These trees can only be found in the Foul Grove.

Average Intelligence

Despite their ability to speak and their awareness of their surroundings, the flesh trees are not thought to be truly sentient or self-aware.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Their eyes and ears seem to be somewhat functional, judging from the way they track moving objects and react to loud noises. Their senses don't appear to be very keen, though.

Lifespan

30 to 50 years

Conservation Status

The Grovedwellers faithfully guard the trees and feed them to keep them healthy. Many would protect the trees with their lives.

Average Height

40 to 60 feet

Geographic Distribution

• Foul Grove