Leyrose Tree

"I have finally stumbled upon the plant I have been searching for: the rare and fabled leyrose tree. These sacred plants of Iva seem to have some kind of magical property, but I have yet to study them in great detail. I plan to run a series of experiments to determine what exactly these trees can do. I have noticed a greater abundance of the rarer and more powerful species, but this may simply be a side effect of being so far out in the wilderness."

The leyrose tree is the sacred plant of Iva, deity of magic. It is said that the goddess's first steps on the surface of Galactus sprouted one of these rare and beautiful trees. Some believe that these trees produce a strong magical aura that attracts a number of rare magical creatures to the vicinity. Others theorize that the trees simply mark the leyline crossings and that the abundance of magical creatures occurs because of the crossings rather than the trees themselves.

The leyrose tree can grow to about ten to fifteen feet tall and have long, tangled branches that seem to weave into one another is strange and beautiful curling designs. The leyrose tree has been observed in all manner of biomes, leading some to believe it feeds primarily on magic rather than on water and nutrients that other plants require. Its bark is a light, dusty pink-purple, and very thin and paper-like. Some magic users believe that the bark can empower spells, and those who discover leyrose trees in the wilderness have a tendency to strip away some of the outer layers to sell as material for spell scrolls.

Beneath this bark is a golden-orange hardwood. This wood is a popular material for wands, but it is common to see wandsmiths use normal rosewood, which looks very similar, but on close inspection lacks the pinkish tinge indicative of leyrose wood. Leyrose wood is very sturdy and is used in some of the larger temples of Iva across Galactus for lecterns, bookshelves, and tables. The Grand Temple of Iva in Rosewick has also used leyrose wood for the doors of its main entrance.

The leyrose tree grows wide, waxy leaves in suitable conditions. Like the rest of the tree, some think these leaves have special properties. They are thus used as covers for spellbooks or sewn onto clothing or component pouches in an attempt to increase the user's magical power. These leaves are not edible and consumption of them has led to various strange ailments ranging from mental delusions to changes in physical appearance like skin color, ear shape, or hair length. Most medical professionals highly discourage the consumption of these leaves in any form.

Once every five to ten years, the leyrose tree will flower. It sprouts a multitude of fat buds that slowly blossom into massive pink roses. These blooms have a fragrance which is extremely pleasant but seems to vary for each individual. It is not certain what causes this variance but it seems to be linked to each folk's personality or preferences in some way. When picked, the flowers wilt within moments and crumble away to dust. They are best enjoyed simply from observation.

Leyrose flowers attract a variety of small fey and insects which drift from blossom to blossom and help pollinate the flower. At the end of the tree's flowering phase, the petals of the flowers dry out and drop off, leaving a cluster of round seeds where the center of the flower was. These fall with the slightest breeze, and can be gathered from the ground to use as spell components. Left untouched, the seeds are buried under the ground and seemingly nothing comes of them. It is unclear how these seeds sprout into new trees, as only one tree is found at any given location and none has witnessed the death of a tree thus far.

The leyrose flowers also leave behind large hips on the tree after the seeds fall away. These hips slowly shift from green to a bright red-pink when they are considered ripe. At this point, the hips can be safely removed from the tree. Too soon and the hips, like the flowers, shrivel and wilt away into a handful of dust. These leyrose hips are a coveted ingredient for many chefs and teamakers across the world. They can be processed in a variety of ways to produce food products. The hips have been known to be boiled down into sweet syrups or jams, or dried and then steeped in hot water to produce a fragrant tea. The rose hips do not seem to provide any particular benefits, but are quite delicious with a flowery and slightly sour taste.