Weirdwood Tree

The Weirdwood Tree is the titular plant from which the Weirdwood Forest gets its name. It is thought to have been created by Master of Shapes, a demigod of unknown origin who resides in the center of the forest. These trees have several unique characteristics that they are easily identified by. First and foremost is their unique coloration. Weirdwood trees have bark that is a craggy mixture of black and a shimmering, metallic green coloration that becomes more prominent under direct light. In the dark they could be mistaken as pure black until light is shown on them. Secondly the trees are covered in incredibly sharp thorns that grow out from the base of the tree’s trunk and from the roots, creating a spiked bed around itself as its many thorns stick out from the soil around it. The thorns are densest at the bottom and quickly thin out up ahead, though they become more prominent again upon reaching the tree’s branches. Because of the many thorns wierdwood trees are considered extremely dangerous to the point that “go climb a weirdwood tree” is a common turn of phrase to rudely tell people you’d prefer to no longer be in their company. Thirdly are their leaves. They are surprisingly stiff and have serrated edges making them functional as a light cutting tool if removed from the tree. This of course adds to the tree’s dangerous nature as a stiff breeze and occasionally send a barrage of razor sharp blades twirling through the air. Rarely do they have enough speed and force to cause serious injury but they do hurt. Fourthly is the sheer hardness of the wood. Weirdwood is as resilient as iron but more flexible, making it ideal to fashion all manner of tools, weapons, and vehicles from it. Unfortunately this characteristic also makes the weirdwood incredibly difficult to properly work. One needs specialized steel tools to have a chance at it and even then it is back breaking, grueling labor that often requires whole teams of carpenters to turn a log of weirdwood into something functional. The end result is worth it however. Weirdwood is one of the few ways for residents of the Churning World to gain access to something with similar qualities to iron tools. Structures made from it are especially resilient and is an acceptable, albeit incredibly expensive, alternative to stone if one wants to build a lasting structure that can withstand a siege. It is also known to make some of the best bows in the Churning World with potential draw strengths that far surpass anything a mortal arm could bend.

Geographic Distribution