Hue of midnight darkness

"Seek the hue of midnight darkness beneath the sea of salt."

- Kazerabet, through legend lore.

Hue of midnight darkness was a tree whose wood was used in the creation of magical items. It was only known to grow in Moradask, within the Haunted Lands of Zakhara.

Description
The wood grew as a bamboo-like plant, with solid black gnarled wood, sprouting networks of white, pallid leaves.

Cultivation
Hue of midnight darkness only grew in very specific environments, requiring darkness, moisture, salt, and specific magical emanations. Such could only be found in very few places, such as a cavern beneath the ruined Temple of Ishistu in Moradask.

Powers
The wood drained magic from its surroundings, dispelling magic within quite powerfully while live.

Usage
Once dried, the wood could be enchanted to make staves that held half again as many charges. Furthermore, the process of enchanting was far more likely to succeed on staves made of hue of midnight darkness.

History
In the late mid-14 century DR, the necromancess Kazerabet sought hue of midnight darkness to enchant a staff of the magi. All she could determine about the ingredient through legend lore was "seek the hue of midnight darkness beneath the Sea of Salt". She may have resorted to underhanded methods to secure the cooperation of adventurers, or she may have offered to enchant two items if they brought enough of the wood.

It is possible the adventurers may have found a patch of such wood in an underground chamber, beneath the ruins of Moradask, a mile beneath the earth, accessible from the Temple of Ishistu within the city: this was the abode of the kraken Ur, the Great Squid. If they made it back out, she most certainly made good on her promise.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Idolatry