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A dark tree is an evil intelligent tree that looks like a cypress tree, but slightly darker and devoid of moss. It is known to grapple and bite. It lives on drinking blood from humans and other intelligent creatures that wander into its native jungle.
History
It is said that a Halruaan wizard wanted to create the dark trees as servants not unlike treants around 200 years ago. The experiment went horribly wrong and the servants slew their master. They spread into the surrounding forests. Travelers have reported encountering these dangerous and huge plants in the Aerilpar Forest, the Forest of Amtar, Rethild, the Toadsquat Mountains and the southern and eastern reached of the Lluirwood. Originally they only inhabitated the Aeriplar Forest.
Physical Description
Resembling a darker version of the harmless cypress tree, the dark trees grow to 18 to 20 feet (5.5-6.1m) in height, with a span of branches 40 feet (12m) across. There have been some reports of dark trees growing twice that size, possibly due to their long lifespan.
Discerning a dark tree from a normal tree is not an easy task. Only the trained eye can spot two dark eyes set in the bark just above a maw that resembles a natural crack. Unlike treants, one can hardly mistake the evil aura surrounding the dark tree. This is the only warning most adventurers will feel in their stomachs before the tree tries to grapple its unaware victims or slash them with its branches.
Language
Dark trees do not speak, although they have a huge maw when opened. Rangers and other skilled woodsmen think of a dark tree as intelligent as an owlbear, and hence not able to communicate by a spoken language.
Combat
Dark trees prefer intelligent prey above small animals. They seem content in tormenting their prey before killing it. Normally a dark tree will try to grab its victim with its two arm-like branches, and once held immobile, it will attempt to drink the victim's blood with its gaping maw.
Dark trees also have the ability to confuse their victims using a mental attack. It is unknown how a creature with low intelligence is able to do so, but reports have claimed that adventurers get lost in the deep forest after combat with a dark tree, wandering around mentally confused.
References
- Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.