Hanging Tree of Ravencourt

The Hanging Tree of Ravencourt or the Magistree, was a spectral phenomenon that was localized around a tree in the area of Ravencourt, Waterdeep. It was known to occasionally grab and execute criminals guilty of capital crimes (for which the penalty was death) by hanging them by the neck until dead.

Description
The Magistree resembled a typical shadowtop tree, but its bark had turned the dark hue of a magister's robes. It was located on the west side of the western-most building in Ravencourt at the end of Prayer Alley. It only reacted to those who were unpunished for capital crimes, known or unknown, and could reach anyone that passed under its branches or crossed its shadow.

History
Ravencourt was the former site of a noble villa that belonged to Magister (judge) Pallak Nharrelk of House Nharrelk. During the period of Waterdhavian history known as the Misrule of the Lords-Magister, Lord Nharrelk, a loyalist to the Lords of Waterdeep, was captured and hung to death from his own tree, and then buried without rites beneath it in the. The villa was looted, the noble line ended, and the Nharrelk name was eventually forgotten. Ever since, the tree exhibited the judge, jury, and executioner behavior for those truly guilty individuals that passed within its reach. Eventually, the tree was considered an arm of the King's Justice.

Three men were judged by it in 1479 DR, after a recess of more than a century.

The spirit that animated the tree resisted all attempts to put it to rest. It also lethally defended itself against grave-robbers that disturbed Lord Nharrelk's remains in the hopes of finding some magic relic that was rumored to be the source of the tree's power.

Rumors & Legends
There were reports of people seeing brief messages in rough Common spelled out in the leaves and branches that had fallen to the ground beneath the tree.