Gleam-Fruit Tree

Though the fruit is sweet,
beware the hunters of the deep,
not fast, nor strong,
but patient and calm.

— A Fae Ryme taught to Children regarding the Dila'Mori and the Gleam Fruit Tree.

Biology

The Gleam-Fruit Tree is a unique species of peach tree that has specifically evolved in order to work alongside the Dila'Mori that call its root system home. The trees grow from a single rare seed that the tree releases from a massive fruit at its top once every thousand years. This fruit then drifts along the water in search of a suitable cluster of stones to make its new home. From this fruit, the roots then spread throughout the stones and sand for the next fifty years without breaking the water's surface, this is to maximize the options of the Dila'Mori to find the root system and begin integrating with the plant at a young age.
Over this time the swarm will be forced to hunt in a more standard fashion, their scraps turning to extra nutrition for the tree, until finally after fifty years with an expansive root system often covering up to a hundred feet in any direction underneath the water. From this point, the tree itself begins to take shape in the form of a large tree with deep maroon bark, and a warm chestnut brown internal flesh. The leaves are a brilliant blue, like many trees that grow from the sap of the Fountain of Life. The tree will begin producing fruit almost immediately once the initial branches have begun to form, and within another ten years a tree comparable to a large oak will have formed granting fruit repeatedly which are a brilliant golden color and almost seem to gleam in the light, making them incredibly attractive to any species that eats fruit or vegetables.
It's to be noted that often the Gleam-Fruit Tree is also known as the "Roots of Death", and this is due to the fact that as creatures are killed by the shrimp, their bones gather among the stones that the tree originally called home. As such it's not unheard of at all for the most ancient of these trees to quite literally be growing from the skulls and skeletons of hundreds of different creatures, the bones at first glance often mistaken for smooth grey stones underneath the purple waters.

Fruit

The fruits of the tree are gorgeous, and their taste matches their looks in many ways. The fruits are rich, about the size of a large man's fist, and hold a tremendous amount of moisture for their size due to their mystical augmentations. The moisture is enough that each fruit can hold up to half a gallon of golden liquid within it, this liquid is full of sugars and water, and that's about all. On the other hand, the golden skin that covers the fruit is the complete opposite. The skin is bitter-tasting and has a scent when mashed comparable to rotting vegetation and flesh. However, there is a point to this, the flesh of the fruit is full of a special neurotoxin which causes intensive drowsiness, and paralysis as soon as it begins to be digested.
The cure to this is found in the skin of the fruit, which is loaded with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and multiple medicinal effects including the ability to counter many potent toxins. This is why the fruit is often gathered by natives, as the fruit can be eaten in safety, or mixed with the skin in different dishes to nullify the effects. Similarly, the flesh of the fruit can become poisons, and the skin can be turned into remedies for medicinal uses.

Mutualism

The Gleam-Fruit tree has naturally evolved alongside the Dila'Mori, and this has not only provided its root with a stout defense but also provides it with constant influxes of nutrient from those that fall prey to the shrimp. From fish that swim through the water to unfortunate travelers, or simply leftovers offered by the native communities to encourage its growth, the Gleam-Fruit tree is an intricate part of the shrimps lives much as it is a part of their own.
On the other hand, the natives that live near these trees not only offer their scraps and leftovers to the shrimps and trees but also are well versed in gathering and caring for the trees. Often opening up new channels of water so that fish can occasionally travel through the shrimp's habitats. They tend to gather the shrimp rarely as a delicacy, but more importantly gather the fruits from the tree for medicine, poisons, food, and drink. It's not unheard of at all for the tribes of Faera and their descendants to create alcohols from the fruits and their peels, the bitter kick mixed with the rich sweetness offering an unusual delicacy for their local inns.

General

Origin
Evolved from Peach Tree's
Type(s)
Flora, Toxic & Medicinal Uses
Lifespan
Indefinite
Maximum Size
60,000 cubic feet (1,700 cubic meters) in volume.
Genetic Decendants

• None