Silveroak wood

Silveroak wood, when freshly cut, appears a curious mix of near black, desaturated browns mixed with streaks of almost shimmering, silvery grey tone. Without any special treatment the wood dries and ages into a fairly even grey over time. It is known also as everwood due to its ability to resist rot and decay even without treatment.

The wood can be used in a multitude of ways. As it is rather rare, it's mostly used in small quantities for decorations and detailing. The use of silveroak as a building material, while possibly in theory, has never been observed.

Most of silveroak trees are found in the western Nalidin, particularly in the heavily forested south-western regions. To the local people the trees have traditionally been sacred and thus untouchable, and to cut one is said to bring bad luck for the woodcutter's entire family.

Besides its rarity, what makes the wood of a silveroak desireable is its apparent ability to last for centuries without a single sign of rot or decay. No disease or parasite will touch the blackened bark or the silver leaves of the trees, and the same seems to apply to the wood itself. Small pieces of silveroak wood can be carved into protective amulets or other jewelry to keep away illness and poor health, and this is in fact its traditional use by the south-western people of Nalidin who see naturally fallen branches of the silveroak as the tree's gift to their finder.

Another use of the silveroak is to shave off slivers of the wood, then burn it to create a cleansing smoke, driving away any evil possibly delving in a closed space such as a house, barn or even natural locations such as caves. It may also be combined with other ingredients into an incense which, when burned, has a similar effect.

Alternative names: everwood
Obtainable from: silveroak tree
Prevalence: rare
Purpose & Use:
Crafted into sculptures or weapon handles, a component in some incenses.
Also smoked for preservation, cleansing and to keep away rot and decay.