Magical trees

Every fantasy world needs more than just monsters and dungeons populating its wilderness areas. Magical trees are a great way to add a little color and mystique to a campaign setting, and something for adventuring PCs to interact with and possible use. If you've got a dark and gloomy forest, a haunted graveyard, a mystical mountaintop, or a desert oasis, what better way to give them some extra zing?

Magical trees may look like some type of ordinary tree, or may be of unusual color, shape, size, or otherwise distinctive features. Trees have all manner of possible uses, from shelter to materials for constructing things mundane or magical to food and medicine. When some magical effect is mentioned below, and no means of invoking them is mentioned, consider whether fruit or nuts, sap, leaves, blossoms, bark, or wood lends itself best to a particular use, and by what means.

Tree of Life: A leaf from the very top of this tree has the power to restore life to a recently deceased creature. Only one such leaf per year is produced.

Tree of Healing: Some part of this tree, when eaten, brewed in a tea, used as a poultice, smoked, or some other method, will heal 1d6, 2d6, or some other amount of lost hit points. Enough of the required part can be harvested for 1d4 doses in any given month.

Tree of Medicine: Some part of this tree can be used to cure poison or disease. Only enough of the required part for 1d4 doses is present at any given time, and requires 2d4 weeks to grow back.

Tree of Radiance: This tree glows with a faint golden light at night, and acts as a Protection From Evil spell in the area beneath its boughs, barring enchanted creatures from entering. Additionally, it radiates a constant Turn Undead effect as a 20th level cleric. 

Tree of Bountiful Fruit: This tree is always lush and green, even in the dead of winter, and bears fruit year-round. At any given time, it bears fruit equal to 1d6 x10 days of rations. If not consumed, the fruit spoils within one week.

Tree of Knowledge: By some means such as consuming fruit or sleeping beneath the tree, a new spell may be gained, either completely at random or of the highest level the character can currently cast. If desired, this may be a spell from another class's spell list, which the character will be unable to teach to anyone else. Non-spellcasting classes may gain a 1st level spell usable once per day, or some useful non-magical skill, at the DM's discretion. Only one character may be affected per week, and any character only receives the benefit once.

Tree of Sanctuary: While sleeping beneath this tree's boughs, a party cannot be detected by hostile creatures unless for some reason the enemies walk into the sleepers' very midst. The tree's branches typically hang low, providing concealment, and the tree itself exudes an aura of calm and safety.

Tree of Augmentation: There are up to twelve different types of this tree, two for each ability score. Eating the fruit of the tree will increase a character's relevant score, either by 1 point permanently, or by 1d4 points for one day. In the first case, only one fruit of the appropriate score will ever have its effect on a particular character. In the case of the second, only one fruit will have an effect in a given month. In either case, no score may be raised above 18. The tree bears 1d6 fruits per year.

Tree of Shelter: Beneath the boughs of this tree, one is sheltered from all forms of inclement weather, including heat, cold, wind, and rain. 

Haunted Tree: Once the scene of death, such as by hanging, this tree is twisted and grotesque, haunted by one or more vengeful spirits. Those resting or sleeping under the tree will experience nightmares, and must save vs. spells or be afflicted with a minor curse chosen by the DM.

Carnivorous Tree: Sleeping beneath this tree leaves one vulnerable to predation by its branches, which descend to suck vital fluids from living animal tissues. Each creature takes 1d4 points of damage, and upon waking will suffer a loss of 1d4 points of Dexterity due to a numbing toxin. The sap of the tree may be sought by alchemists as an anesthetic or pain reliever.

Tree of Slumber: The fruit of this tree, if eaten, causes the eater to fall asleep for 1d20 years if a saving throw vs. poison is failed. While asleep, the victim is essentially in a state of suspended animation, breathing slowly and requiring no food or water intake. Predators and scavengers will ignore victims as they would inanimate and inedible objects. The effect may be lifted with a Remove Curse spell. (Alternatively, the tree will affect anyone who rests under it if a save vs. spells is failed.)

Tree of Everburning Wood: Dried branches of this tree will burn brightly for 10 times the duration of ordinary wood. Enough wood for three full nights' campfires or six torches can be found beneath it each month. Live branches cut from the tree require a month's curing, but each torch-worth of wood so cut requires a save vs. spells to avoid a powerful curse chosen by the DM. Cutting down the entire tree afflicts the tree-feller without a save, and only a Remove Curse cast by a caster of 20th level or higher can remove it.

Tree of Armaments: The branches and bark of this tree are perfectly suited for the making of any wooden weapon or hilt. Any weapon crafted with its wood gains a non-magical +1 bonus to attack rolls. No more than enough for two large weapons (e.g. quarterstaves or long bows) or 10 arrows may be harvested per year, or the tree will die, and the remaining wood becomes useless.

Ancient Tree: This wise old tree has lived for much longer than any other tree in its vicinity, perhaps thousands of years, and may have a rudimentary face in its gnarled bark. If a Speak With Plants spell is used, the tree is eager to converse and to impart its memories and wisdom, but it will know if the questioner or any in his or her party have wantonly harmed its forest, and will respond with cold hostility and a curse on the entire party if so.