Oak

Oaks were a type of deciduous tree found in the Realms.

Abilities
Oak trees that were large and 50 years of age or older were occasionally known to have a mystical ability to form their powerful auras into animate shapes, which typically took the form of a dryad.

Varieties
Chime oaks were specific to the northern sections of the east starwood, a portion of the forest of Cormanthor. They were like regular oaks, but appeared as though they were made of glass. Their leaves froze easily in autumn and winter, and did not fall off the tree, instead making a tinkling noise in the wind, which gave the tree its name. This noise attracted basilisks.

Marsh oak grew in the Farsea Marshes and gall oak and black oak grew in the Vast Swamp.

Habitats

 * Oaks grew in the starwood area of the forest of Cormanthor, where they could grow up to tall.
 * In interior Faerûn, oaks could occasionally be found throughout the lowlands of the Cormyr countryside,
 * In West Faerûn they grew in the Reaching Woods.
 * Gnarled oaks grew around the fringe of the Vast Swamp.
 * Oaks were known to grown in the forests of the lowlands of the Moonshae Isles, such as the Myrloch Vale.
 * In South Faerûn, they could be found in the forest of Neth Stand and the Long Forest.
 * In the Unapproachable East, white oaks were common across the nation of Aglarond, especially near the rivers and marshlands of the Yuirwood.
 * In the Vast, oaks stood in the forested land surrounding the Blackwood Manor.
 * Outside of the Prime Material plane, these trees were known to grow in the forests of the Beastlands.

Notable Oaks

 * The Great Oak was a massive, magical oak tree in the northern reaches of the Spine of the World mountains which the settlement of Kuldahar was built around.
 * The For-Rest Inn in Ravens Bluff was an tall oak tree whose interior was refurbished by its dryad, Thistledew Vine, into an inn.
 * The Moontouch Oak was a gargantuan oak in the heart of Tangled Trees, spanning tall, that doubled as a temple of Rillifane Rallathil.
 * The Sacred Oak was a highly respected ancient oak tree in Leuthilspar on the island of Evermeet. The wood and wild elves believed that it was the first tree on Evermeet, while it was more generally believed that the tree came from Arvandor.
 * A huge oak tree formed each of the four corners of the Elfstone Tavern in Waterdeep.
 * A large oak tree that grew from a branch cut off the Grandfather Tree stood in the center of Stone Stand.

Usage

 * The church of Rillifane Rallathil would repurpose particularly large oak trees as temples, building platforms among their branches that were connected by vine bridges.
 * Oak wood was used for crafting countless items, such as strong doors and tables.
 * Druids were generally known to consider oak trees as being sacred plants. Because of this, those in the Moonshae Isles were often known to have them as the primary tree within their grove. They were also known to use their wood to craft a Druid's cudgel, druid staves, and runesticks.

Heraldry

 * An oak tree in summer and a green living oak leaf were symbols of the deity Silvanus.
 * An oak tree was also the symbol of the elven deity Rillifane Rallathil.
 * A tiny brilliant white star balanced on an open lush green oak leaf was an old symbol of the goddess Mielikki.

Trivia

 * A common expression among druids from Sossal when making a promise was, "Swear by the oak and the unicorn's horn."
 * An inn and tavern in Marsember carried the name The Old Oak.