Wicked trees are centuries-old denizens of the most ancient forests. They can amplify magick and open portals across the earth and other realms. But they require a sacrifice for the blackest magick to work. Get more after the jump.

The Origin of Wicked Trees

Wicked trees are a mixture of magick and evolution. Trees don’t start out with magickal abilities, but the seedling is infused with it.

Deep in ancient forests, wicked trees sit. They can be as big as Redwoods when then reach 1,000-years-old. Once upon a time, they were just seedlings but they had a spell cast on them. The magick protected the tree and let it grow rapidly. But that growth was fueled by sacrifice.

You see, a spellcaster needed it to open portals to places mortals shouldn’t go, and it let the trees communicate with the other plant and animal life in the woods.

Over time, these trees became a beacon to other spellcasters. They would come and conduct their rituals under its branches and trunk. The tree absorbed some of this magic. It could now amplify spells, but it came with a catch. Human sacrifices were needed as energy.

Over time, the trees became corrupted by the death and black magick. They began to think for themselves and communicate through their root systems. Each tree grew more dangerous and powerful with each spell and sacrifice made under its branches.

Abilities & Weaknesses

Wicked trees are powered by black magick, but evolution as well. As they age, they become stronger with more influence over their forests. Tree roots form a neural network, and one wicked tree can command other parts of the forest. It operates as a command center.

Abilities

These trees have some interesting powers; things you wouldn’t expect. Their abilities include:

• Open portals to other places on earth as well as beyond the Veil
• Control plant and animal life within its forest
• Cancel black magick such as curses or spells
• Boost magick used as a ritual at its trunk
• Immune to magickal attacks and fire
• Regenerate lost branches and bark within a few days (but faster with a human sacrifice)
• Communicate telepathically with humans when needed
• Use roots and branches to snare humans, pull them under the earth, and absorb them for food

Weaknesses

For all their abilities, they have a glaring weakness: They can still be cut down by humans. Humanity is a blight to plant and animal life. If humans come to destroy the forest with modern equipment, they could succeed. Humanity has numbers and technology that can shape the world to their needs. It’s hard for arboreal life to compete with that.

Wicked trees will summon all they can muster to stop the forest’s destruction. But earth-moving equipment like a bulldozer can still do major damage. Uprooting a wicked tree will kill it.

How Wicked Trees Feed

Big trees need a lot of food to eat. Especially, giants that are centuries-years-old. Humans may be a primary food source, but most wicked trees are carrion eaters: They devour animals and plant life that has already died.

But humans are a special case. In order to get the tree to boost a spellcaster’s magick or open a portal beyond the Veil, it needs a human. That kind of magickal practice takes a lot of energy, and humans are the perfect source of energy for it.

At the base of all wicked trees lies a gullet. A big, open maw that looks like a cave or tunnel in its trunk. Inside, a syrupy mix of enzymes sits, waiting for someone or something to crawl inside. It traps the human and pulls them under like quicksand. The syrup (or sap) will immobilize the victim and numb them to the pain as it slowly dissolves them.

At that point, the tree has all the energy it needs to boost magick and open portals. It’s usually one person per feat.

What To Do If You Encounter A Wicked Tree

Wicked trees are not a danger to you unless you ask for it. By that, it means don’t cast spells, don’t try to teleport, and, whatever you do, don’t harm a forest!

Really, wicked trees won’t go out of their way to harm you unless you do something destructive to its forest. Should you see a giant tree with tendril like branches and a Volkswagen-sized maw in its trunk, just drop some Miracle-Gro off and keep on hiking.

Also, stay away from people practicing black magick in the woods. There’s a reason they’re near the trails. You may end up submerged in killer sap so a magick user can win the lotto.