Onyxwood

Plant Type

Tree

Rarity

Common

Description

The Onyxwood is a dark deciduous tree, sprouting from the midland woods. Growing alongside large forest, these trees act peacefully with others and tend to form symbiotic bonds with those around it, protecting them from the flames. Its wood is a dark and cracked ash color, and the grain inside is a darker brown. Its leaves are also an orange color year round, though in the fall they turn grey before falling off and dying. In the winter it seems as if a fire has ravished their bodies. The tree turns barren of its color and remains grey, its branches pointy and sharp.

The roots of the tree extend far down like that of their oaken cousins. Native peoples are said to take their bark and peel it off from the tree and sink it in water so that the flesh of it powders off. This makes the water murky and ashen in color, which can then be thickened using other ingredients to create a darker ink.

Location

Onyxwood is found spread out through the midlands in wooded areas. They are hardly solitary trees, and enjoy the more solid cover provided by other trees being in the vicinity of it. This is not to say they do not grow better in full sunlight and heat, but rather at a slower rate.

Development

Like many other Oak trees, the Onyxwood too sends down acorns from its branches in the winter. These find themselves in the top soil, and from there only a small portion of this tree's nut will find itself seeded and properly begin to grow. Here the small saplings grow in number, and if not trampled begin to grow rather quickly compared to most trees while under the shelter of the other limbs and branches. Should they survive this early development and into a more mature tree, they are able to become strong trees. Their greatest period of growth is during the fall, yet before it becomes too cold.

Material Properties

• Onyxwood is a typical hardwood, save for the fact its wood is very flame resilient, due to its formation, and the sap it excretes while alive. This sap protects the wood from flame, but also makes it a very poor firewood.
• Its bark can form a paste for a powerful flame retardant, but also is a very strong dull gray dye.

Alchemical Properties

• None

The World of Aethius • The Multiverse of Aethier