Newship Tree

"The admiral once asked me if I could make him a ship out of metal. It could have been a good idea, don't get me wrong, but that fool clearly didn't know about Newship wood. It's as light as softwood yet has the strength and resilience of steel. Whatever nation gets the most of it controls the Forgotten Waters."

— Serenithian Captain Buckley

Newship trees are a rare yet priceless commodity in Alterra. They are mighty trees, with twisting wood and bark stretching all the way up to their leaves. Their roots cover the top of the ground intead of underneath, which is a phenomenon not often seen within nature. Botanists believe that this is because their roots require oxygen, which permeates from the surface of the soil.

The most notable feature of newship trees is their wood and bark. As Captain Buckley put it, "it's as light as softwood yet has the strength and resilience of steel". In many ways, it's comparable to mithril, though not magic resisting and not as strong. Because of this, the best ships in Numira are often made out of this mythical wood.

The leaves of newship trees contain a shocking amount of juice-like water within them, causing many animals in the ecosystem to rely on them for both hydration and nutrition. Unfortunately due to the constant chopping of these trees, many of said creatures are at risk of extinction. Sapient races also treasure these leaves, and use them to make wine and seasoning.

Habitat

Found primarily in temperate regions of Alterra, newship trees can easily be acclimated to Prythwyn's southern Midlands. They tend to grow in solitude on grasslands, plains, and decidious forests. These trees require up to four-hundred gallons of water per year, and therefore live in wet or semi-wet habitats.

Unsurprisingly, newship trees are extremely susceptible to blight due to their wood's inexposure to the outside. No animal has been observed to be able to pierce its bark, and it's near impossible to chop into one with a normal axe.

Origins

It is often believed that the ancestors of these trees were infused with magic to increase their durability, but it would seem that the modern newship tree is nearly ten times stronger than those that came before.