Zalantar

Zalantar, also called blackwood or darkwood, was a subtropical tree that was usually found in southern Faerûn.

Description
Zalantars grew oddly in the sense that one plant was composed of several tree trunks that stemmed from a central root system. Their leaves were usually white or another light color.

The pure black wood from a zalantar tree was called darkwood, or blackwood in the North. The wood was as hard as normal wood but half as heavy.

Usage
Items made from zalantar weighed half as much as normal wooden items of the same type. Darkwood weapons and shields were thus very light and made to high quality but also more costly. Darkwood was extensively in the South in buildings, wagons, and wheels, and almost exclusively for rods, staffs, and wands.

Cultural Significance
Zalantar wood was sacred to Eshowdow, the Shadow Giant from Chult.

Locations

 * Shaar
 * Chult
 * Dambrath: Great Swamp of Rethild

Zalantars trees grew in the rich gardens of Arrabar in the Vilhon Reach. Notably, the gardens that surounded the mansion of the House Matrell.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Prince of Ravens &bull; Son of Thunder &bull; The Sapphire Crescent
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights 2 &bull; Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation