Firesap

The Firesap trees that grown on the slopes of the Grimstone Peaks, deep in the jungles south of the The Waking Delve and the Kingdom of Tyrnabay are much prized by the shipbuilders of that land. It is claimed that the wood from these trees is fireproof, a quality that every fighting ship's captain and crew would greatly desire. Only the difficulties and dangers associated with attempting to retrieve lumber from these trees prevents the shipwrights of Tyrnabay from using it. But the trees have another "gift" for the seafarers - the oily sap that runs through the trunks and branches of the trees.

Source

Firesap is naturally produced by a rare species of tree named, unsurprisingly, the Firesap Tree. These majestic conifers are known to grow in only one location on all of Cartyrion: the slopes of the Grimstone Peaks. As a result of the dangers involved in reaching these trees and surviving long enough to harvest the material and return it to civilization, Firesap is an extremely valuable material.

The dangers involved in obtaining Firesap are many due to the location of the trees. The Grimstones are the ancestral homeland of the giantkin, and are still populated by Hill, Stone, and Mountain Giants that do not take kindly to intrusion on their lands by Humans or other Folk.

Furthermore, the trees themselves have a history of being prized by the Great Dragons, particularly the Reds. While the number of these fearful creatures in the world has greatly diminished over the years, the dragons still remain - and still jealously guard their favorite groves of Firesap trees.

And if the dangers of the tree groves themselves weren't enough, the trek through the trackless jungles south of the Dwarven Waking Delve to reach the trees is frought with many perils as well. It is said that even the plants of this jungle are deadly - and not necessarily passively so.

Firesap

Color

clear, with a very faint yellowish tinge

Odor

similar to other flammable oils (though much stronger due to higher volatility)

Taste

metallic

Boiling/Flash Point

heating the sap quickly produces a boiling-like action as the most volatile vapors are released. These vapors are extremely likely to spontaneously combust if not properly gathered and handled

Gathering Process

Assuming one has braved the jungles and reached the trees without inciting the wrath of giant or dragon, harvesting the sap is relatively simple. The method employed is the same as that used by those who harvest maple sap for the production of syrups and sugars used to sweeten foods. Great care must be taken, however, to ensure that no flames or sparks are generated near the sap, as it is highly combustible - and on warm days the vapors above a pot of sap have been known to explode.

After tapping a tree, it takes about a day to gather 2 pints (1 liter) of sap from a single tree. As this is only enough for four firebombs after refinement by the alchemists, it should be obvious that demand dictates many trees be harvested. The trees tend to grow at least 50 feet (15m) apart in the wild, due to their size. Thus, those who attempt to make their living doing so must weigh the risks of increased discovery by giants and dragons against the desire to harvest a large area of forest.

Credits

Page Banner Orc Warrior Image by Yuri_B from Pixabay
Page Banner Sailing Ship Image by GLady from Pixabay