Thunderbark

Thunderbark is the common name for a very unique tree found in the vast wilds of the great northern wood. This tree is slender with an extremely dry appearance, but seems strong enough. It is incredibly resistant to saw blades, less so to axes, but with persistence they can be felled. Those who attempt the deed though find themselves quickly regretting it. This is thanks to the unique properties of thunderbark wood. When broken, it produces a snapping sound of incredible volume. So great is the noise than a falling thunderback tree can deafen creatures within a half mile. When dried the wood loses virtually all of the resilience it has when alive, making it a poor choice for woodcrafts, but its unique properties have found one niche for it. Traders sell collected thunderbark branches as "Snap Sticks." These tools are coated with alchemeical materials to function both as signals and defenses. When one is broken, in addition to the audible pop of the thunderbark a bright flash of light is emitted and the coating will evaporate into a brightly colored smoke. This can signal others who are in range to see the smoke or hear the sound and can frighten and disorient predators or attackers.