Trees of Fantasy

Written by Robert Goodfellow

Illustrated by Larkin Livesay

Edited by Julie Hedge

2006 Bards and Sages

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Table of Contents

Introduction pg 3-4 Fantasy Trees pg 5-19 Mundane Items pg 19-21 Weapons pg 21-22 Armor pg 22 Magical Items pg 22-23 Trap Variants pg 23 New Skills pg 24

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Introduction People have used wood for many purposes. From making artworks, boats, buildings, furniture, ships, tools, weapons, and other mundane but important items to cooking food and even as a source of foodstuffs, wood is an important commodity often taken for granted. Trees in general supply a wide variety of products, but this document will concern itself with strictly the use of the wood itself from the trees and what can be made from the wood. An attempt to describe the many diverse uses and products that come from trees and every possible permutation as occurs in a fantasy setting would take up a volume so expansive as to be unwieldy. So we are simply focusing on the generalities and plot uses. Some Facts About Trees A tree increases in diameter by the formation of new woody layers that envelop. From the new woody layers form the stems, living branches, and roots. Where there are clear annual seasons, this can happen in clearly visible layers, known as growth rings, as can be seen on the end of a log. Where there is no seasonal difference, the layers of new wood are uniform and not readily discernible. During the development of a tree the lower limbs die, but may persist for a time, sometimes for years. Subsequent layers of growth of the stem are no longer part of the dead limb, but instead are laid around it. Hence dead branches produce knots that are nothing more than pegs in a hole. As a tree increases in age and diameter an inner portion of the sapwood becomes inactive and finally ceases to function as the cells die. This inert or dead portion is called heartwood. Its name derives solely from its position and not from any vital importance to the tree. This is shown by the fact that a tree can thrive with its heart completely decayed. It is remarkable that the inner heartwood of old trees remains, as sound

as it usually does, since in many cases it is hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years old. Wood in a Fantasy Setting Your players attack the pirates, finding them in the cave at the end of their pirate cove. The pirates are defeated and of course there are buckets of gems and gold and well actually most likely not. Pirates are also businessmen. The point of this is to make money, but you don't make money by just stealing money. You steal cargo. Chances are the cave is full of stolen shipments. When you are playing guard duty and seeing that caravan through the dangerous pass filled with hostile humanoids, just what exactly is in all those carts anyways? It's a sad state of affairs that when it comes to treasure, fantasy settings usually fall short of fantasy goods. Certainly everyone knows about the end products such as swords and armor, but what about the raw goods that make up the finished product? In reality, the pirates are less likely to have captured a ship full of armor and weapons than they are a ship full of raw materials. And often those raw materials can hold much more value to a party that the finished products. About The Entries Each entry includes the Name, Hardness, Hit Points, Value, Craft DC modifier, Description, Special Properties, Crafting, and the effect of adding it to a pre-existing campaign setting. These comprise the stats of the material in question as well as help to define it for your use and abuse in your campaign. Hardness is the number of hit points of damage the material can take before it starts losing actual hit points. Hit points are how many hit points an inch thick piece of wood has for a man sized area. So if you have a one-inch thick door with hardness of 4 and 8 hit points, 12 points of damage makes a man-sized hole in the door. This is fast and loose and left up to the DM for interpretation. The value is how much a 20 lb unit of wood is worth as a trade item. Like all trade goods, wood can be bartered with almost like any other form of

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currency, and thus the difference between the buy and sell prices are negligible. The craft DC modifier is the number added to or subtracted from the base difficulty of whatever you are trying to craft. Certain woods are easier or harder to deal with than normal woods for the simple reason they have unusual properties that require additional skill. The description includes a summary of the physical properties of the wood. (Appearance, texture, strength, and apparent uses.) This also includes background on the wood itself. Note, while occasionally we will describe the tree itself, this book isn't about the life cycle of the trees, but the wood it produces and what can be made from it. The focus of this book is the finished product and what role-playing opportunities you can develop from it, not botany. Special properties include the section on the magical and mystical properties of the item in question. The effects of the wood range from bizarre to just being a different color then normal. Understand that wood has a lot more uses then just making instruments of war. It also makes benches, houses, and cooking utensils. And some people are willing to pay a pretty coin for a weird colored spatula. Crafting is the section where we discuss anything special about harvesting or preparing the material. This is where we make notes and warnings about dangers one has to worry about when handling the wood. Also, we include a list of some ideas of what you can make the wood into. The Effect on the World section is what happens when you add the wood to

your campaign world. We do not suggest that you add every tree here to your world. However, if you wish to do so, feel free. Instead, we recommend that you add a few choice types of lumber to your current setting. Furthermore, it helps to know your players. Got a player that likes to make unusual things? Drop a few cords of Bone Spruce in his lap and watch him become giddy with the possibilities. Got a player who spends more time describing her familiar then trying to get more experience points? Chameleonwood furniture is just the thing for someone who likes to redecorate her lab on alternate Thursdays. This product intends to provide a balanced resource for players to add depth to their character and variety to their equipment. However, the GM has final say over what may and may not be added.

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Fantasy Trees Balsa Liftwood Hardness: 1 HP: 2 hp/inch Value: 5 sp Craft DC: +5 DESCRIPTION: The softest hardwood on the planet, it's easily broken with bare hands, however, the wood has a remarkable property of actually being lighter then air. The trees in question grow to a remarkable height as long as they have water. The amount of water determines how high the plant can grow. If the plant grows too big, the entire tree may break free and float away and as it dries out, slowly drift lower and lower, where upon its seeds may start to grow new Liftwood trees. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Balsa Liftwood has the property of becoming lighter then air when wet, with dampened woodchips floating through the air like bubbles. The material can be used to create all sorts of slow-moving flying contraptions, from hover boards to gliders. Because it cannot withstand a great deal of pressure before breaking, it is impractical for hauling heavy loads. This wood can lift 50 pounds for every 10 pounds of lift wood. When wet, the wood begins to lift off the ground at a movement of 10. A minimum of one ounce of water for every 10 pounds of wood is required to create the effect. However, this will only allow the wood to lift up to five feet off the ground with a full load. The more the wood is soaked, the higher it will lift off the ground. The process is an inexact science, however, and getting just the right amount of water to lift is often as much a matter of luck as it is math. CRAFTING: The problem isn't shaping it the way you want but not accidentally destroying it. When Dry it's remarkably brittle. When wet, it's a little more flexible, but also likely to fly off. Your major problem is that it's unworkable when dry, yet difficult to manage when wet.

Effect on the world: When adapting Balsa Driftwood into a campaign, you need to consider many factors. Frankly, wood of this variety is a world-changing sort of material, as it makes the potential for non-magical flight easy. However, it really isn't flying in a Whoosh-Zoom sort of way. It's more of a hot air balloon mechanic. There will be no aerial dogfights on driftwood boards. However, driftwood mounted archers could ruin an army's day. One could have the material common and the basis for flying ships, however, we suggest that you have Balsa Driftwood located in a very remote and out of the way location of your world, most likely something in a rain forest or tropics of some sort. Because the trees consume enormous amounts of water, they are most likely to be found in either rainforests or near lakes and rivers in warm climates. You could have a group of goblins primitives flying along on Driftwood boards weaving through the trees while they toss javelins and let out curses in an unusual dialect. This limits its use to the players outside the region, yet makes it useful for an adventure off the beaten path.

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Black Dogwood Hardness: 7 HP: 14 hp/inch Value: 3 sp Craft DC: +2

DESCRIPTION: This hardwood came by its name in a round about way. The name Dogwood is a corruption of Dagwood from the use of the very hard wood for making 'dags' or daggers. Black Dogwood doesn't become black until it is exposed to blood, then it soaks it up and takes on a ruddy black color that slowly fades over several weeks. There is no purpose to this, it is just a curious aspect of the wood that occurs, even if the wood is completely varnished and waterproofed. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Though the wood tends to splinter when used in anything too wide, when it comes to making sharp pointy things, Black Dogwood makes for a scary weapon. Any piercing weapon can be made out of Dagwood and is considered masterwork. The wood is also highly prized for making the shuttles of looms, for tool handles, and other small items that require a very hard and strong wood, but primarily it's use is the making of wooden piercing weapons. CRAFTING: Nothing special is needed. The wood in question has many knots and twists and turns a lot. It simply is not built for long objects, since finding a length of stable wood of more then a foot is rare, however, it is possible if one chops down a large

enough tree and works at it to get a few usable lengths for four or more feet. In that case, masterwork spears are possible. Effect on the world: Adding Black Dogwood to a campaign does not alter a setting that much. Instead, it adds flavor and an interesting background. The wood makes excellent natural piercing weapons, making it prized by druids as well as people who like to go with a theme. On a more commercial level, the branches could be pruned away to make skewers or corn tongs. Sharp pointy things are rather common when it comes to cooking and some cooks prize wood over metal cooking utensils because they feel metal effects the flavor of the food. Since the wood makes masterwork goods and tools, the wood would be in high demand, should it become well known. Or it could be confined to a distant region where the locals don't talk about the properties of the trees they use to make the finest meat skewers in the world. Instead, Dogwood is the name of the town so when chefs talk about Dogwood Kitchen utensils, they believe it is a sign of the town's craftsmanship, not the material the utensils are made of. Blue Ash Hardness: 6 HP: 12 hp/inch Value: 3 sp Craft DC: +4

DESCRIPTION: A hardwood that is well known for its durability and beauty, for when harvested and properly cured, it takes on a dark blue color. It is harder than most woods and requires a lot of time and attention to get the proper look, but the results are worth it. While it can be used for conventional building material, it is rarely used in large building projects due to the variations in color, which can range from a pale blue to a midnight blue depending on the age of the tree. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Because of its durability, if

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is often found in masterwork wooden items. It also possesses a bit more flexibility than other hardwoods when properly treated, making it prized for bowcrafting. CRAFTING: Blue Ash requires twice as much treating as normal wood to achieve the right look. Typically it is used to make bows, arrows, clubs, and other wooden weapons. Many wealthy homebuilders will use Blue Ash for woodwork, trim, and wooden shutters, but the wood is rarely used as a main building material in homes. Effect on the world: Areas where Blue Ash is common are also areas that are home to exceptional fletchers and archers. Craftsmen will insist on the wood in order to create masterwork bows, and enchanters may not even want to enchant bows that are not created using the wood, considering anything else cheap quality. Bone Spruce Hardness: 3 HP: 6 hp/inch Value: 1 gp Craft DC: +5

DESCRIPTION: The bone Spruce is a remarkably soft wood, easily cut and harvested. The Bone Spruce grows only near graveyards, old battlefields, or in places where large numbers of bones have accumulated. The heartwood is bone white. Little is

understood about how the tree actually reproduces, but whole groves have reportedly grown up in a matter of months over the site of large battles where the dead were left on or buried at the site. Saplings that have been transplanted to areas that do not have bones in the ground die in a matter of days. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: This wood is highly prized by necromancers, because wood harvested from the tree can be animated as per the animate dead spell. Necromancers can use the wood to craft skeletons, then animate the skeleton just as if it were made of bones. This is highly useful in areas where necromancy is outlawed, or obtaining fresh corpses is difficult. CRAFTING: While one could animate a log, the true benefit of the wood is unleashed when crafted into a jointed form. The wood is rarely used for mundane purposes, as most people are not comfortable harvesting wood from a cemetery or old battlefield. In all probability, the unique property of the wood is completely unknown to most commoners. Effect on the world: When used on Bone Spruce, the animate dead spell does not apply the evil descriptor. Worlds that include bone spruce may support a society of White necromancers who try to combat their evil brethren, or neutral aligned necromancers who approach life and death from a more scientific view. Buckeye Hardness: 4 HP: 8 hp/inch Value: 1 gp (black market only) Craft DC: +6 DESCRIPTION: Buckeye trees are among the slowest growing trees, normally taking many years before they can begin to reproduce. This is fortunate, since the wood of the Buckeye tree is highly toxic to humanoids if ingested. The toxin is odorless, tasteless, and slow moving, however, making it difficult to trace and detect. Because of this, it is highly prized by assassins and other unscrupulous types who have time on their side when disposing of enemies. The toxin has no effect on normal animals, undead humanoids, or other creatures immune to natural poisons. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: While the toxin does not absorb through the skin, residue left behind from casual contact can end up in a persons system from simply rubbing the eyes or eating food immediately after handling. It can also absorb into food or water if such items are placed on plates or in cups crafted from the wood. In such cases, a purify food or drink spell will prove useless, as once the food is purified it simply continues to absorb toxins from the container. It also effectively makes useless spells such as detect

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poison; as such spells normally designate the food itself as the target, not the container.

When the toxin is consumed, the subject must make a Fortitude Save (DC 16) or begin to suffer Constitution loss. Lost occurs at a rate of one point every 1d4 days. Because of the slow-acting nature of the poison, victims are often treated as if suffering from a disease, not poison. A Heal check (DC 15) is required to correctly identify the perceived wasting disease as the toxic reaction it actually is. A victim reduced to 0 Constitution dies. CRAFTING: The crafting of Buckeye in and of itself is no more difficult than other woods. However, the additional difficulty comes from safely handling the wood. Care must be taken to not inhale sawdust, and gloves and other protective clothing needs to be worn to prevent accidental consumption. Effect on the world: Buckeye does not have a huge effect on the world at large, but it would be something to spring on the players as a clue to an assassination plot. Items crafted from Buckeye are identical to items crafted from normal woods. You could make benches out of the stuff for prisoners in a dungeon in order to reduce their ability to absorb pain during torture. Or use it to explain away why one particular room of a manor is cursed. (The floor was accidentally made out of a few boards of the stuff.) Buckeye trees

growing along waterways could be responsible for a strange wasting diseasing affecting a village. Canyon Cocobolo Hardness: 10 HP: 20 hp/inch Value: 2 gp Craft DC: +6 DESCRIPTION: This wood is quite beautiful and known to change color after being cut, slowly changing from a fine beige to yellow to a deep orange. It is only known to grow in areas where there are steep cliffs. It seems quite adept at piercing rock with its roots and finding a foothold in the strangest places. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: This wood is hard and heavy like stone. It has a tendency to sink in water, unlike most wood. It is a fine wood with a property that makes it ideal as a replacement for stone and brick in a variety of structures. It stands up to repeated exposure to water with little sign of wearing, thus making it ideal as support beams for making bridges. CRAFTING: Care must be used when working Cocobolo, as its sawdust is a dangerous irritant if inhaled. Anyone inhaling the dust must make a Fortitude Save DC 12 or begin wheezing and suffer breathing problems. Removing the person to fresh air will alleviate the problem in 2d4 rounds, however constant exposure to the sawdust will create the same

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effects as suffocation. The material also requires masterwork tools to properly cut and shape, as well as special techniques to craft into even the most mundane items such as chests or tables. Effect on the world: This wood would be in high demand by those seeking to make defensive outposts or bridges that can withstand a great deal of punishment, without the expense of shipping stone from miles around. However the fact that it only grows in canyons and on steep cliffs makes harvesting difficult and keeps the price high. It would be used mostly by the wealthy or prosperous communities. Chameleonwood Hardness: 6 HP: 12 hp/inch Value: 5 sp Craft DC: +0

DESCRIPTION: This wood is unique in that it changes color and even texture to match its surroundings. Why this occurred in a natural setting is unknown, but it lends itself well to being the premiere wood for making repairs to other wooden constructions when you need it to match perfectly. Also, since it changes color, it also makes ideal furniture for the noble who likes to change the color scheme of his home on a regular basis, yet doesn't want to have to buy new furniture all the time.

SPECIAL PROPERTIES: As above, the wood changes color and general appearance to match whatever wood is near it. This process takes one to four days, but in the end, is indistinguishable from the original wood. If left in a room without any wood nearby to match, the chameleon wood changes to match the color of the room itself, taking on a hue that subtly matches the over all color scheme. CRAFTING: Nothing special. Effect on the world: While not having a far-reaching effect, this wood would be in high demand by decorators and those with disposable income. Furthermore, while it is not as strong as other woods, its ability to blend in with its surroundings makes it perfect for repairing other damaged wooden goods. Since given a few days, the obvious signs of repair fade away. Dawn Larch Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 2 sp Craft DC: +0 DESCRIPTION: Dawn Larch is a type of tree that grows along coastal areas or areas high in water content. Its name comes from its golden color. It is unusually durable for its type. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The tree is tough, durable, and floats remarkably well, making it ideal for boats and other watercraft. It is also highly resistant to rotting and maintains it buoyancy regardless of how long it is in the water, making it ideal for bridge supports, docks, and other structures in or around water. Watercraft crafted from Dawn Larch increase their movement and carrying capacity by 10% CRAFTING: No special process required. Effect on the world: Dawn Larch is the type of tree that wars are fought over. No navy would want to make their ships out of anything but Dawn Larch once they knew of its existence. Shipbuilding, however, requires enormous amounts of wood, quantities that could destroy a small forest if over harvested by ambitious builders. Druids, rangers, and others who protect areas in which Dawn Larch grows would find themselves at constant odds with shipbuilders looking to harvest the wood.

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Death Yew Hardness: 4 HP: 8 hp/inch Value: 6 sp Craft DC: +5

DESCRIPTION: This black softwood is a tree of a deadly reputation. The tree grows in a twisting fashion that makes it appear evil. The wood itself has the grey pallor of death. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Death Yews tend to spring up in areas that have suffered greatly under the weight of evil. The domain of a centuries old lich, the ruins of an abandoned necromancers tower, the outskirts of small villages that have been tormented by hordes of undead of werewolves for generations; the Death Yew makes its home in all these types of places. Sages speculate that the tree actually absorbs the evil energies around it and feeds off of them. The wood carries with it the faint scent of death, attracting carrion insects such as flies and beetles. Like the normal Yew, its flexibility and tendency to bounce back into shape makes it excellent for bows. Unfortunately, it also radiates a taint of evil, making it repulsive to those of good alignment and a boon to those of evil alignment. The area within ten feet of a Death Yew tree is treated as if under the effects of an Unhallow spell (this is a supernatural ability). Good aligned beings who attempt to handle objects of fist size or larger created from Death Yew must succeed at a Will Save (DC 12) or suffer a 2 profane penalty

to all attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws until the item is put down. Evil aligned woodworkers have developed a unique process through which to take full advantage of the woods properties, creating items that naturally repel good as if the owner was under a Protection from Good spell (see skills for more information). CRAFTING: While anyone with woodworking can use this wood, only those with the special skill Craft: Death Yew can create items that fully take advantage of the woods properties. Effect on the world: These trees may spontaneously appear in areas that have been cursed or suffered under the hand of evil for generations, and their presence can add a dramatic effect to narrative during gameplay. They may also be specifically cultivated by evil overlords as a non-descript first line of defense against good-aligned enemy forces, or to boost undead that protect a necromancers home. Elven Redwood Hardness: 14 HP: 28 hp/inch Value: 10 gp Craft DC: +5 DESCRIPTION: One of the hardest softwoods known to any race, elven redwood raises the bar for indestructibility. It is a beautiful and rich red color and valued for its mirror like sheen that it takes on when properly polished. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Almost as hard as mithral and exceptionally resistant to all but the most powerful supernatural diseases, Elven Redwood is one of the most expensive and highly prized of all the woods. Elves rarely cut down full trees, however, instead pruning a few branches for use when building their homes in and around the trees. CRAFTING: The wood needs to be specially treated when harvested or it will keep growing. Untreated furniture made out of elven redwood has started growing again after being exposed to water. Elves tend to guard the process to deter those who would seek to harvest the wood for profit. The wood is also too inflexible to be used in bows, but makes exceptional bludgeoning weapons and shields, as well as natural breastplates. Any weapon crafted from Elven Redwood adds +1 to damage rolls due to the items exceptional strength, and shields and armor increase their armor bonus by +1 for the same reason. These bonuses stack with any additional bonuses for masterwork items. Weapons and armor made of Elven Redwood weight about 2/3rd the weight of their metal counterparts.

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The price of an item crafted from Elven Redwood is 2.5 times the price of an item created from mundane woods. Effect on the world: Elven redwood would only be found in the most remote elven territories, and any attempts by non-elves to harvest the trees would be met with force. It is another one of those trees that wars would be fought over, particularly in mineral-poor regions where iron for weapons is in low supply. Everburn Pine Hardness: 4 HP: 8 hp/inch Value: 5 cp Craft DC: +0 DESCRIPTION: A soft wood with a nice amber quality to it. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The tree produces a resin that makes it highly resistant to disease and insect infestations and is found in moderate climates with good rainfall. Because of its resistance to disease and insects, it has been transplanted to various other areas to combat insect infestations and tree diseases. However, it was soon discovered that the resin has a flammable quality that makes it prone to fire at even the slightest spark. During particularly dry and hot seasons, the tree has been known to combust, launching massive forest fires. When a tree

combusts, it explodes with tremendous force. For every four weeks of a dry season, there is a 20% chance a tree combusts. This is increased by 5% per week. When an explosion finally occurs, roll a number of d6 equal to the number of weeks the trees have endured the drought. The explosion affects everything in a 20 ft radius of the tree. Villagers who live in areas that are home to these trees often make it a point to keep the trees watered during dry seasons, for obvious reasons. However, the resin also gives the wood a long burning quality, burning up to five times as long and hot as any other wood of its type. Thus torches made of Everburn last ten times as long. Also adventurers value it for cooking fires, since one bundle of everburn firewood can replace five bundles of regular wood. CRAFTING: The wood is rarely used for anything other than torches or firewood, since it would be too risky to use in building material due to its flammability. The resin can, however, be used in explosives by those who are skilled in alchemy. Effect on the world: Besides the obvious problem of randomly exploding trees, the wood does not have a major impact on a setting.

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Goat Willow Hardness: 2 HP: 4 hp/inch Value: 2 sp Craft DC: +5

DESCRIPTION: A typical willow tree in appearance, Goat willow is rather soft in comparison to other woods. It gets its name from the fact that goats would eat not only the bark, but also the entire tree if given enough time. The wood of a Goat Willow is bland by nutritious and can be used for rations. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: One unit of Goat Willow can serve as five days worth of rations for those willing to chew of dried out bark and wood. When dried, Goat Willow remains edible for years so long as it is stored properly. Dried Goat Willow can even be ground and used as filler in baked goods, giving bread and pastries longer shelf life. CRAFTING: Because of the woods softness, it is extremely difficult to craft anything from it. Its primary use is as a food. Effect on the world: They say an army travels on its stomach, what better than a food source that has a shelf life of decades? Food spoils quickly in a world without refrigeration, and while few would call eating this wood living, it is at least surviving, since its remarkably healthy.

Golden Beech Hardness: 6 HP: 12 hp/inch Value: 1 gp Craft DC: +0 DESCRIPTION: This wood is a wonderful shade of gold and only grows near sources of gold. Creatures that might consume or live off gold or gold like substances find this wood to be quite palatable. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: While the process of absorbing the gold makes it impossible to actually harvest gold from the tree, the mineral breakdown during absorption does give the wood some similar properties to gold. Because of this, creatures that can consume gold for sustenance can dine on Golden Beech, and the wood can be used as a substitute for gold for certain spell components (DM discretion) CRAFTING: Nothing special. Those who wish to use Golden Beech as a substitute for gold must succeed at a Craft: Alchemy check DC 16 to see if it is possible. Most commonly, sawdust would be used as a substitute for powdered gold, and many woodworkers sell the sawdust separately. Effect on the world: A commodity wanted by wealthy people the world over. A sign of status, the wood would be a mark of distinction, especially for making plates and what not. A slow growing tree, the locals would protect it from over-harvesting.

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Indigo Eucalyptus Hardness: 3 HP: 6 hp/inch Value: 6 sp Craft DC: +2

DESCRIPTION: This odd evergreen protects itself against disease with natural oils that cover its bark. On hot days the oil vaporizes and drift in the air, often accumulating to form a purple haze that covers the area, sometimes for miles. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The wood is prized for burning. Not only does it tend to alleviate cold symptoms and help to clear the nasal passageways, it smells pleasant and burns an indigo color. In fact, the oil has a variety of medicinal uses, and Indigo Eucalyptus oil adds a +2 equipment bonus to any healing checks as well as a +1 equipment bonus to Fortitude saves versus natural diseases and poisons. CRAFTING: The natural oil makes the wood slightly slippery and requires extra care when crafting into wooden objects. Effect on the world: Villages and towns in or around forests of this tree would see low amounts of disease or sickness, with the locals often developing special resistances to natural illnesses due to the periodic vapors from the trees. In fact, locals could have

bonuses to their Fortitude Saves of +1 to +3 versus disease and poison, depending on the size of the forest and how long they have lived in the area. Ironwood Hardness: 8 HP: 30 hp/inch Value: 10 gp Craft DC: +5 DESCRIPTION: This wood is a bleed shade of black on black that light practically falls into. Because it grows in a region that does not see extreme seasonal changes, the wood shows no rings or indication of its growth cycles. Fallen branches often are mistaken for curled or crooked bars of iron, hence its name. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: This wood is resistant to damage from all but cold iron items. The tree benefits from a DR 20/cold iron versus physical attacks. This resistance translated to items as well. Masterworked items crafted from ironwood possess a natural DR 2/cold weapons versus physical attacks, making it much sought after for shields and natural armor. The wood also fails to burn except under the most intense heat. The trees have a DR 50 versus fire damage from any source (mundane or magical), and masterworked items crafted from Ironwood benefit from a DR 5 versus fire damage. CRAFTING: Crafting Ironwood requires the use of

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cold iron tools, and even then working the wood is difficult and takes special care. It takes twice as long to create an item from ironwood as it does normal wood. Woodworkers, weaponsmiths, and armorsmiths rarely work with the material unless they intend to make masterwork items due to the extra time required. Masterwork items crafted from ironwood cost twice as much as normal masterwork items. Effect on the world: As hard as steel and 2/3rd the weight, ironwood would be used mostly in construction materials (particularly forts and gates) as well as shields and armor. Attacking an ironwood-constructed fortress would prove especially daunting for a party trying to breach the walls. Purple Alder Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 8 sp Craft DC: +2 DESCRIPTION: A hardwood known for its durability and beauty, when harvested and properly cured, it takes on a beautiful purple sheen. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Besides its durability and gorgeous color, there is nothing particularly special about the wood. Some master craftspersons prefer to work in this wood because the color makes the finished product look even more spectacular. CRAFTING: Some extra care is needed to cure the wood in order to bring out the purple color, but otherwise can be crafted like any other wood. Effect on the world: Nobility and royalty will use the wood extensively because of its royal color. Too pricey for most commoners, Purple Alder items would be considered a status symbol.

Quivering Aspen Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 2 sp Craft DC: +2

DESCRIPTION: This unassuming, light brown hardwood has the potential to be the bane of rogues everywhere, but its odd property is not widely known. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: This tree is found in a small isolated region. The tree gets its name from the fact that even in the still air, the leaves keep quivering as if there is a breeze. Local legends claim that the leaves are made from female tongues, and their quivering is due to a woman's inability to stop talking. Regardless of the opinion of sexist locals, the wood has a tendency to amplify sound. While this quality makes it impractical to use for building materials (try sleeping on a bed frame made of the material), it does have

some uses. Wealthy patrons of the arts may build amphitheatres using the wood to enhance acoustics, and musicians prefer instruments crafted from the wood as well. CRAFTING: The wood is a bit difficult to work with because it amplifies the sound of any tool used on it. Earplugs are suggested. Effect on the world: Most commoners would have little use for the trees, and would tend to leave them alone. Musicians would appreciate its value, as instruments crafted from the wood grant a +1 competence bonus to perform checks. Eccentric, wealthy citizens may craft vaults or chests out of the wood, making it difficult for rogues to take their valuables. A vault with a quivering aspen door would make quite the ruckus upon someone trying to break in.

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Red Cypress Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 10 gp

Craft DC: +5 DESCRIPTION: Red Cypress wood is harvested from trees that have adapted to surviving in the harshest of flammable conditions. Like the real world cypress, which depends on forest fires for reproduction, the Red Cypress has gained immunity to fire and uses that to its advantage. It thrives under conditions where fire might naturally occur, such as near gates to the elemental plane of fire or volcanoes. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The tree is invulnerable to fire, confers part of this invulnerability onto any object crafted from it. Masterwork items crafted from Red Cypress possess DR 20 versus fire CRAFTING: There are no special steps necessary to prepare Red Cypress wood, though the fire resistant quality only comes out during the masterwork process. Effect on the world: Without question, this is a wood that would be in high demand as building material. It should be equally difficult to obtain. Areas that are home to Red Cypress by default should also be home to all manner of fire-type creatures, such as fire elementals and salamanders. The quest to locate and secure an area to harvest the wood could be an adventure in and of itself.

Shagbark Hickory Hardness: 3 HP: 6 hp/inch Value 5 cp Craft DC: +0 DESCRIPTION: A popular wood for cooking, it's remarkably heavy. The wood in question burns for 3x as long as normal wood and gives food cooked over it a very rich, smoky flavor. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: Smoke generated from burning the wood kills any non-magical disease and neutralizes non-magical poisons, making it the firewood of choice for paranoid adventurers. CRAFTING: Nothing special. Effect on the world: This would be very popular among Halflings or anyone that loves to cook. Using shagbark firewood adds a +2 equipment bonus to cooking checks. Furthermore, in a plague-riddled area, demand for this wood could reach a premium, making it a valuable trade good and almost quadrupling its price.

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Silver Fir Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 4 sp Craft DC: +2

DESCRIPTION: Silver Fir only grows near water that is spilled off from silver mines. Like the real wood silver fir, the wood is too soft for items that require durability, but its silvery sheen makes it very popular for decorative furniture. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The tree actually absorbs trace amounts of silver, which is what gives it its sheen. While not enough to make it a practical source of silver, it is enough to do harm to creatures affected by silver. A weapon crafted from Silver Fir should be treated as a silver weapon for purposes of getting through a creatures damage reduction. A weapon crafted of Silver Fir costs 1 times as much as a weapon crafted from normal wood. CRAFTING: It takes some special care to select and treat the wood for use in wooden weapons, as it tends to wear quickly if not properly processed. Effect on the world: While of obvious benefit for weapons to use against creatures vulnerable to silver, it is most commonly used for gift boxes, ornate picture frames, and decorative furniture. It would only see wide use in weaponry in areas tormented by silver-vulnerable creatures such as werewolves.

Waltzing Matilda Hardness: 4 HP: 8 hp/inch Value: 4 sp Craft DC: +0

DESCRIPTION: A normal wood in all respects when dry. Its peculiar properties become apparent when wet, making it popular in boat construction. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: When soaked in water, the wood generates an odd vibration that confuses fish. Aquatic creatures within twenty feet of a boat made of Waltzing Matilda Wood must make a Fortitude save DC 12 or suffer as if under a Confusion spell until they leave the area of the boat. The effect lasts as long as the creature is near the boat, or for one round after leaving the area. Fishermen often describe schools of fish as appearing to waltz when near a craft made of the wood, leading to the trees name. CRAFTING: nothing special required. Effect on the world: The use of this wood in fishing boats would make it extremely easy to net fish in an area. It could also lead to over fishing of an area, as well as generate animosity from aquatic races that call an area home.

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White Walnut Hardness: 6 HP: 12 hp/inch Value: 6 sp Craft DC: +5 DESCRIPTION: This wood is a perfect shade of white and is valued for its mirror like polish. White walnut takes on silvery/white sheen when properly prepared and is often made into mirrors. SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The wood is rather hard and makes excellent building material, but lacks the flexibility for use in weapons and armor. It is extremely popular in the use of mirrors, due to the peculiar effect of actually improving the appearance of what it reflects. After viewing oneself in such a mirror, a person gains a +2 competence bonus to all charisma-based rolls. When you think you look good, your confidence improves, after all. This effect lasts for one hour or until the person sees their reflection in a normal mirror, whichever comes first. These mirrors are often employed in salons, and full-length mirrors often adorn the ballrooms of the

wealthy. Mirrors crafted from White Walnut cost 3x as much as normal mirrors. CRAFTING: The process to cut, craft, and polish the wood is extremely time consuming and complex. Effect on the world: Among the vain and haughty, demand for mirrors crafted of the wood is high. Even when not used to create mirrors, the wood is often used for ballroom floors and walls, creating an illusion that everyone is more attractive than they actually are. Yellow Sugi Hardness: 5 HP: 10 hp/inch Value: 6 sp Craft DC: +0 DESCRIPTION: This hardwood has a soft scent and with yellow bark and reddish-pink heartwood, is lightweight but strong, waterproof, and resistant to decay. Yellow Sugi grows in serene groves, near the temples of good-aligned deities, and in areas ruled over by generations of benevolent leaders.

SPECIAL PROPERTIES: The Yellow Sugi tree generates an aura than comforts good aligned creatures and annoys those of evil alignment. This aura extends within a five-foot radius of the tree and has the effect of a Hallow spell. This aura extends to items crafted from the wood. Large items crafted from the wood, such as furniture, have the effect of a Calm Emotions spell as if cast by a 5th level cleric. This makes it extremely popular in baby cribs and childrens furniture. The wood also holds beneficial enchantments rather well, making it extremely useful in the crafting of certain magical items. CRAFTING: When used in masterwork items, a large item will also gain the special ability of generating an aura similar to a Protection from Evil spell. Effect on the world: Yellow Sugi would be extremely popular in childrens furnishings, baby cribs, and even in places where intense negotiations take place. Because of its demand in furniture, it is rarely used to craft weapons or armor, though it does see a lot of use in the creation of the Sugi Staff of Healing and other similar items.

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Mundane Items

Because of the unique properties associated with these woods, creative craftspersons can design all sorts of new items for sale. Each item includes information on the appropriate skill to create it. Skill check DC to create item already includes any modifiers for working with the type of wood. Amplifier Craft: woodworking DC 16 Weight: lb Price: 4 gp A non-magical fantasy version of a microphone, this 2 foot long rod made of Quivering Aspen amplifies the voice of the person speaking near it, allowing the voice to carry twice as far as normal. Popular with bards, town criers, and even military commanders who want to make sure their orders are heard. This does extend the reach of a bards special abilities, such as Inspire Competence.

Balsa Liftwood Elevator Craft: engineering DC 25 Weight: 200+lbs Price: n/a Created from a 200 lb block of balsa liftwood, the bottom half of this cubic platform is fitted into a large, water filled tub and tied in place with cables set on a pulley system. When the cables are untied, the platform slowly lifts upward. Simply pulling a level that locks the pulley system can halt upward movement. The cube must be pulled back down to reuse, otherwise it floats at whatever level it is left at until the wood starts to dry out. Larger versions of this setup are often employed in quarries to lift mined materials to the surface without employing a lot of manpower. It is most commonly found in underground cities along underground water sources or in temples dedicated to water deities. Balsa Liftwood Glider Craft: engineering DC 30 Weight: 5 lbs Price: 10 gp

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A favorite of gnomes and mountain dwelling elves, these gliders are rarely created for use by heavier races. Unless specifically crafted for a human, half-orc or other race heavier than an average elf, these races cannot safely use the glider. Crafted on a balsa frame and covered with thin sheets of balsa liftwood, these gliders allow the user to travel great distances through the air. Typically the user either dips the glider in a nearby water source or pours water over the glider before use. Movement depends on the result of the Hang gliding skill check. Regardless of the actual speed, movement is always clumsy. Because the user must hold on to the glider to operate, the user cannot cast spells requiring a somatic component or wield weapons. However, unlike standard gliders, balsa liftwood gliders are safe to use during rainstorms (though just as dangerous if there is lightning). These gliders add a +5 equipment bonus to hang gliding checks. Bone Spruce Skeleton Craft: prosthetics DC 20 + size modifier (see chart below) Weight: see chart below Price: see chart below This wooden skeleton can be animated with an animate dead spell as if it were a humanoid skeleton. It will behave identically to a normal skeleton. Size Modifier Weight Price Tiny or smaller +1 1 lb 20 gp Small +1 10 lb 25 gp Medium or Large +2 20 lb 50 gp Huge +3 35 lb 100 gp Gargantuan +5 50 lb 200 gp Colossal +8 200 lb 500 gp Buckeye Oil Craft: alchemy DC 25 Weight: * Price: 10 gp This is the distilled concentrate of the Buckeye tree. One vial can be used to contaminate up to 20 gallons of water. Its most common use, however, is to contaminate items that come in contact with food or water, such as well buckets, plates, etc. Chameleonwood Shoes Craft: woodworking DC 15 Weight: lb Price: 1 gp These shoes come in two types, a leather shoe with wooden soles (normally a mens style), or a completely wooden shoe (normally a ladies style). When stored for 24 hours with an outfit, the wood changes to perfectly match the material. Quite popular among the wealthy and fashion conscious.

Everburn Dust Craft: Alchemy DC 18 Weight: * Price: 4 sp Everburn sawdust can be specially prepared and used as a substitute to gunpowder in explosives, or added to other exploding alchemist recipes to add concussive damage. Adding Everburn Dust to an existing alchemist recipe adds +2 to the creation DC, but adds an additional 1d4 concussive damage. Everburn Torch Craft: woodworking DC 15 Weight: lb Price: 1 sp Crafting a simple torch from Everburn wood requires a bit of care to insure it will not explode during use. These torches will burn for 8 hours, even under damp and windy conditions. Everburn torches provide illumination in a radius of 30 ft, and shadowy illumination for 60 ft, and can be used as a makeshift weapon in a pinch. When used as a weapon, the torch functions as a normal club, but also deals an additional 2 points of fire damage. Goat Willow Flour Skill: N/A Weight: 1 lb Price: 4 cp Baked goods created with Goat Willow Flour have a shelf life of 2-3 weeks, making them ideal for travelers. Gold Dust Skill: N/A Weight: * Price: 6 cp Actually the saw dust created during the crafting of Golden Beech, it can be used to provide color to paints, dyes, and inks, as well as a substitute for true gold powder in various alchemistic formulae. Hearing Aid Craft: Prosthetics DC 20 Weight: * Price: 5 gp This small, conical piece of quivering aspen wood is placed in the ear, helping to aid in hearing. It adds a +2 equipment bonus to listen checks. Hearing aids must be specifically crafted for the wearer in order to insure the proper fit, and the bonus does not stack for wearing an aid in each ear. Healing Bed Craft: Woodworking DC 20 Weight: 100 lbs Price: 520 gp Made from Indigo Eucalyptus wood, these beds are most commonly found in hospitals and the temples of gods dedicated to healing. Healers receive a +1

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equipment bonus to healing checks made to patients who are resting in the bed. Even without a healers care, a person resting in the bed will restore hit points faster, gaining an additional 2 hit points per day of rest. Indigo Eucalyptus Oil Craft: alchemy DC 16 Weight: * Price: 5 gp This is the distilled concentrate of the oil produced by the Indigo Eucalyptus. One vial holds five applications. It can either be applied directly to wounds to aid in healing, or an application placed on a cloth and inhaled. When used in healing, it grants a +2 equipment bonus to healing checks. If inhaled just before (2d4 rounds prior) or immediately after exposure to natural diseases or natural poisons, it grants a +1 equipment bonus to Fortitude saves. Using the oil in this manner is a move equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Larch Raft Craft: woodworking DC 30 Weight: 20 lbs Price: 200 gp Larch Rafts are created from thin sheets of Dawn Larch, layered and specially treated to maintain flexibility. The rafts can be rolled up and carried easily, making it ideal for adventurers. The raft can carry up to 6 medium sized passengers. It lacks the stability of a traditional rowboat, however, and is therefore not recommended for use in volatile waters. Poisoners Goblet Craft: woodworking DC 16 Weight: lb Price: 1 gp Normally owned in sets by certain nobility, who use the goblets to dispose of troublesome visitors. Crafted of buckeye wood, variations of this item include plates, bowls, and pitchers. Substances placed in the goblet absorb the toxin, and those who consume the substance must make Fortitude saves as indicated in the details for Buckeye. Prosthetic Arm Craft: Prosthetics DC 25 Weight: 3 lbs Price: 25 gp This wooden arm is custom made to fit the owner. While it does not allow for fine motor movement, it can be used to hold a shield or carry items. The arm cannot wield a weapon. Arcane spell casters suffer a 10% spell chance failure for any spell with a somatic component. They would be widely used in low-magic settings or in poor communities without access to high-powered spellcasters.

Prosthetic Leg Craft: prosthetics DC 25 Weight: 5 lbs Price: 35 gp This wooden leg is custom made to fit the owner. The wearer of a prosthetic leg suffers a 2 penalty to reflex saves and any skill check that requires the use of the legs (swimming, jumping, etc). The wearers movement is reduced by 5. Arcane spell casters suffer a 5% spell chance failure for any spell with a somatic component. They would be widely used in low-magic settings or in poor communities without access to high-powered spellcasters. Quivering Aspen Chest Craft: woodworking DC 18 Weight: 25 lbs Price: 15 gp This chest appears quite ordinary, until someone tries to open it. Individuals within 5 feet of the chest suffer a 4 penalty to Move Silently checks, as their movements are amplified by the proximity of the chest.

Weapons

Black Dogwood Caltrops Craft: woodworking DC 14 Weight: 1 lb Price: 2 gp These caltrops function exactly as normal caltrops, except they weight half as much. There is a 25% chance that the caltrops splinter apart when stepped on. A creature wearing footwear other than metal suffer an additional 1d2 points of damage when the caltrops splinter apart and embed into the footwear. Barefoot creature suffer an additional 1d4 points of damage. Black Dogwood Dagger Craft: weaponsmithing DC 17 Weight: lb Price: 5 gp A dagger made of black dogwood functions exactly like a normal dagger, except it weighs half as much. Black Dogwood short sword Craft: weaponsmithing DC 17 Weight 1 lb Price: 15 gp A short sword made of black dogwood functions exactly like a normal short sword, except it weighs half as much. Druids can use Black Dogwood short swords. Blue Ash Shortbow Craft: bowmaking DC 17 Weight: 2 lbs Price: 45 gp

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Because of the extra flexibility of Blue Ash, the range increments of such weapons are increased by 15. Blue Ash Longbow Craft: bowmaking DC 17 Weight: 3 lb Price: 90 gp Because of the extra flexibility of Blue Ash, the range increments of such weapons are increased by 15. Death Yew Shortbow Craft: bowmaking DC 12, Craft: Death Yew woodworking DC 20 (for the masterwork component) Weight: 2 lbs Price: 495 gp This masterwork shortbow has the added benefit of protecting the owner as if under a permanent Protection from Good spell. The effect only works while the weapon is equipped (not stored). Elven Redwood Mace (light) Craft: weaponsmithing DC 17 Weight: 3 lbs Price: 13 gp This mace functions exactly like a normal light mace, except that it deals an additional +1 damage to attack rolls and can be used by druids and others normally forbidden from using maces because they are not made of natural materials.

Armor

Balsa Liftwood Bracers Craft: armorsmithing DC 16 Weight: 3 lb (dry) Price: 15 gp Too soft to be used as actual armor, these bracers nonetheless are useful to those who wear heavy mail or plate and find themselves in the water. These bracers actually help keep a heavily armored person from sinking in they accidentally fall into the water or even quicksand, and grants a +2 equipment bonus to swim checks. Liftwood bracers have no armor bonus, but also do not incur any penalties normally associated with wearing bracers or bucklers. Elven Redwood Breastplate Craft: armorsmithing DC 20 Weight: 20 lbs Price: 500 gp Druids and others who usually cannot wear such armor because it is not made of natural materials can wear a breastplate made of elven redwood. The armor has an armor bonus of +6, max dex bonus of +3, AC penalty 3, spell failure chance 25%, and no penalty to speed. Ironwood Shield Craft: Armorsmithing DC 20 (plus Masterwork check

DC 25) Weight: 10 lbs Price: 350 gp This heavy wooden shield offers exceptional protection, granting the user DR 2 versus all physical attacks except those from cold iron weapons. It also grants DR 5 versus fire attacks. This bonus does not apply in situations where the wielder could not normally block damage with the shield (such as when caught flatfooted, against backstab attacks, or paralyzed). It grants a +2 armor bonus to AC, has an armor check penalty of 1, and a spell failure chance of 10%. Red Cypress Shield Craft: armorsmithing DC 20 (plus masterwork check DC 25) Weight: 10 lbs Price: 350 gp This heavy wooden shield functions exactly like a normal masterwork shield of its type, except that it confers DR 20 versus fire to the user. This bonus does not apply in situations where the wielder could not normally defend with the shield (such as when caught flatfooted or paralyzed). Using the shield to protect against incoming fire attacks is a move-equivalent action, but does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Magic Items Spellcasters have discovered that these unique woods are capable of holding powerful enchantments, making them ideal for magical items. Many traditional magical items can be crafted using certain unique woods to alter or enhance their effects. Staves: Staff of the Crooked Spruce: This staff is made from Bone Spruce and carved with the images of bones and skulls. It allows use of the following spells: Cause fear (no charge) Ghoul touch (no charge) Halt undead (1 charge) Enervation (1 charges) Waves of fatigue (1 charges) Circle of death (2 charges) Also, the staff can expend one charge and be let loose to fight on its own as if it had the dancing enchantment. While being used in this manner, no other charges can be expended. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Staff, animate dead, cause fear, circle of death, enervation, ghoul touch, halt undead, waves of fatigue; Price 105,000 gp.

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Sugi Staff of Healing: This yellow sugi staff, with inlaid silver runes, allows use of the following spells: Lesser restoration (no charge) Cure serious wounds (no charge) Remove blindness/deafness (1 charge) Remove disease (2 charges) Moderate conjuration; CL 8th; Craft Staff, cure serious wounds, lesser restoration, remove blindness/ deafness, remove disease; Price 30,750 gp. Staff of Kings: This ornately carved purple adler staff appears to be a +2 quarterstaff to anyone not of noble blood. In the hands of nobility, however, the staffs true power immerges. To nobility, the staff functions as a +4 quarterstaff and grants a +2 circumstance bonus to the following skills: bluff, diplomacy, intimidate, gather information, knowledge: history, knowledge: nobility, and ride. Furthermore, spellcasting nobles can activate the following spells from the staff: Command (1 charge) Shield (1 charge) Suggestion (1 charge) Suggestion, Mass (2 charges) Moderate enchantment; CL 13th, Craft Staff, command, shield, suggestion, mass suggestion, divination; Price: 72,000 gp Staff of Honor: This highly polished staff is made of Golden Beech and usually adorned with semi-precious stones. It adds a +2 equipment bonus to any skill check involving charisma and allows the use of the following spells: Calm emotions (1 charge) Charm person (1 charge) Command (1 charge) Charm monster (2 charges) Moderate enchantment; CL 8th; Craft Staff, calm emotions, charm person, command, charm monster; Price 20,500 gp. Sugi Staff of Life: Made of yellow sugi with platinum inlays, this staff allows use of the following spells: Restoration (no charge) Heal (1 charge) Raise dead (3 charges) Moderate conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Staff, heal, resurrection, restoration; Price 195,750 gp. Wondrous Items: Amulet of Natural Armor; variant: This amulet is crafted from elven redwood and toughens the wearers skin, giving him an enhancement bonus to his natural armor bonus from +2 to +6, depending on the kind of amulet.

Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, barkskin, creators caster level must be at least 3x the amulets bonus; Price 3,000 gp (+2), 9,000 gp (+3), 19,000 gp (+4), 33,000 gp (+5), or 55,000 gp (+6). Boat, folding; variant: Made from Dawn Larch, this item functions like a normal folding boat, except that both its speed and carrying capacity increase by 10%. Faint transmutation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate, creator must have 2 ranks in the Craft (shipmaking) skill; Price 9,200 gp;Weight 3 lb. Figurine of Wondrous Power, Woodpecker: Crafted from ironwood, when animated, this wooden figurine transforms into a magical woodpecker. The creature can be commanded to attack any wooden item (but only wooden items). The creature makes a touch attack against a wooden item of up to 20 lbs using the owners base attack bonus. If successful, the item may make a Fortitude Save DC 12. If the save is successful, the item takes 1d4 points of damage. If the save fails, the item is warped and rots, becoming completely useless in 1d4 rounds. Magical items are not permanently destroyed, but become useless for 2d4 rounds. When destroyed or after 2d6 rounds, the woodpecker reverts back to an inanimate figurine and cannot be reactivated for 48 hours. The woodpecker has the following stats: woodpecker, tiny construct; 2d8 (8 hp), DR 20/cold iron, Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7, Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2 Moderate transmutation; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects, warp wood; Price 11,700 gp. Strand of Prayer Beads; variant: Made from yellow sugi wood, this strand of wooden beads functions almost exactly like a normal strand of prayer beads, except the effective caster level of all spell effects is treated as 2 higher for purposes of determining variables. For example, using the Bead of Blessing would be treated as if the Bless spell was cast by a 3rd level caster, not a first level. (See the DMG for further information). Price 11,600 gp (lesser), 29,800 gp (standard), 99,900 gp (greater).

Trap Variants Materials in this book can make even the most mundane traps far more deadly with very little effort. Black Dogwood Needle Trap The use of Black Dogwood in a needle trap creates sharper, more durable needles. It functions exactly like a typical Hail of needles trap, but does an additional 1d4 damage. CR 3; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +20 ranged (3d4); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 5,700 gp.

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Buckeye Needle Trap The use of Buckeye in a needle trap adds the added danger of poisoning. It functions exactly like a typical hail of needles trap, but those hit must also make a Fortitude Save DC 16 or suffer the effects of the woods toxin. CR 4; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +20 ranged (2d4+poison); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 5,700 gp. Curse of Death Trap This magical trap bestows a curse on hapless adventurers, taking full advantage of the Death Yews innate properties to make the trap even more effective. The Will save against the curse is 2 higher than a typical Bestow Curse trap. CR 5; magic device; touch trigger (detect chaos); automatic reset; spell effect (bestow curse, 5th-level cleric, DC 16 Will save negates); Search DC 28; Disable Device DC 28. Cost: 8,500 gp, 640 XP. Chameleon Wood Traps: Any trap that employs chameleonwood adds +2 to the Search DC to locate the trap, and adds an additional 100 gp to the cost of the trap. Everburn Pit An Everburn pit is a standard pit trap, with the added hazard of the bottom being full of everburn woodchips. Adventurers carrying torches that fall into the pit are in for an explosive time, since as soon as the torch hits the woodchips they explode. This explosion does 2d6 concussive damage and 2d6 fire damage to everything in the pit. In underground settings, the force of such an explosion can also lead to cave-ins. CR 4; mechanical, location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 60 ft. deep (6d6 fall+2d6 concussive+2d6 fire); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 3,750 gp

New Skills Craft: Death Yew Woodworking (prerequisites: evil alignment, craft: woodworking or bowmaking 4 ranks): You can craft items from Death Yew than take full advantage of the woods evil nature. Any substantial masterwork item crafted from Death Yew has the added benefit of repelling good-aligned beings as if the owner was under a permanent Protection from Good spell. Substantial items include bows, shields, staffs, etc. Small items such as beaded necklaces, charms, or bucklers cannot hold this effect. Such items normally sell for 1 times the value of a normal masterworked item.

Craft: Prosthetics (prerequisites: Heal 8 ranks). You can craft artificial limbs and other prosthetic devices. Devices include wooden legs, false teeth, glass eyes, hearing aids, and other similar items. In low-magic or no-magic settings, the ability to replace lost limbs would be in high demand. Even in high magic worlds, the average commoner cannot afford to pay to have limbs magically restored. This skill allows you to craft such items. Prosthetics can be classified into three types. The type of prosthetic dictates the skill check. Prosthetics designed to replace, but not replicate a missing body part (such as a glass eye), have a skill DC of 15. Prosthetics designed to enhance an existing ability but require minimal installation (such as a false teeth) have a skill DC of 18. Complex prosthetics designed to both replace and replicate the functionality of a missing body part (such as wooden legs) have a skill DC of 25. Unless the setting offers the means to perform invasive surgery (few fantasy settings do), the crafting of prosthetic hips and knees would be impractical at best and impossible at worst. In cases where the setting does lend itself to such surgery, the skill check to create prosthetics designed to replace internal parts such as hips and joints would be 35. This skill does not allow for the installation of prosthetic parts, only the manufacture. Hang gliding (dex: trained only): You can operate various forms of gliders relatively safely. This skill is subject to critical failure. On a natural 1, the glider collapses or malfunctions and the user plummets to the ground. The glide ratio is determined by the skill check result. Glide ratio refers to the distance an aircraft will move forward for any given amount of lost altitude. For example, a glide ratio of 7:1 means the craft moves 7 feet for every one foot of lost altitude. A minimum result of 12 is required to safely use the glider. DC 12=7:1 DC 15=9:1 DC 20=14:1 DC 25=18:1 DC 30=20:1 Profession: Prosthetic installation (prerequisite: Heal 8 ranks, knowledge (anatomy) 8 ranks): You are skilled in safely installing a prosthetic device onto a patient so that the item is functional. Simple devices such as hearing aids and false teeth do not require a check to install.

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About the Author: Robert Goodfellow is a freelance writer living in Buffalo, New York. Please contact Bards and Sages at admin@bardsandsages.com if you would like to contact the author. All requests will be forwarded. About the artist: Larkin Livesay was born and raised in a small town in east Tennessee. He graduated first in class from High School in 1984. Majoring in fine and advertising art, he graduated cum laude from Carson-Newman College in 1989. Livesay entered the art world for an antique dealer, restoring antique picture frames and paintings. He later moved into art education and began teaching art in an after school program for grades 1-8. Livesay then moved into air-brushing, first working as a manager and lead artist for a sign company and then launching his own sign company, Livesay Grafix (which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year). Livesays fine art has been displayed at several regional festivals and art shows, as well as in an art gallery in Knoxville, TN. He is currently exploring his long time fascination with fantasy and dark art and is also heavily involved in free-lance illustration and design. http://paintslinger.deviantart.com/gallery/ Playtester credits: Andrew Paine, Bryan Redeagle, John Roberson, Kathleen Morgan, Michael DeGroat, Peter Simpson

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Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Trees of Fantasy copyright 2006 Bards and Sages and Robert Goodfellow This work is distributed as open game content, except for the introduction and any text included in the description, special properties, crafting, and effects on the world portions of this product All artwork copyright 2006 Larkin Livesay