The Lantern Tree - [blog100] pt. 6, q. 95

This post is part of a series where I put forth a challenge for bloggers to answer all 100 questions on this table by d4 Caltrops. This week I rolled a 95.

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95. Where does Lamp Oil come from/how is it made?

Now that is an interesting question. I've never thought about it for my setting so it just comes from the general store for 2 silvers. Let's come up with something more interesting - where does it really come from? I mean, the stuff doesn't just grow on trees...

Lantern Tree

The Lantern Tree is one of many sources of the myth of will-o'-the-wisps. It is a willow tree found in swamps and marshes, usually just far enough from a rowable river to be barely visible to travelers. From its leaves hang transparent ghostly lanterns, though approaching during the day you'd find but a regular tree.

These lanterns are what remains of those who strayed too close during the night.

Initiative: -2;
Attack: branch +5 melee (2d8), throw lantern +2 missile fire (1d6 plus fire, range 50');
AC: 18; HD: 5d10 (27 HP);
Movement: 0', Action Dice: 1d20, additional 1d20 to throw lantern;
Special: embrace, throw lantern, oil-sap;
Alignment: Neutral;

Saves: Fort +6, Ref -2, Will +0;

Embrace: Standing too close to the trunk of the tree will cause its roots to come up from the ground behind you and attempt to entangle you. Noticing this in the dark is nigh impossible with the distracting light of the lanterns, though someone behind you has ample time to give warning. Dodging the roots' grasp requires a DC 5 Ref save and escaping it requires a contested strength check against the tree's strength of 20 (+5). Once grasped, the tree will take three rounds to open a maw in its trunk and engulf you. Inside the tree, you suffocate and are digested.

The roots can be attacked (same AC and HP pool as tree) and dealing damage will lower their strength check -1d.

AI generated, I am not an artist.

Throw lantern: The tree will only throw its lanterns if it is desperate to drive off an attacker, as doing so costs valuable souls. When the lanterns hit their target, they spill oil and set fire to any creature in a 5' radius (1d6 damage each round until DC 10 Fort save). If they miss their target, the lantern lands randomly just outside this radius. The ghostly flames do not harm the tree.

On death it will throw lanterns at the 1d4 lowest-Luck targets within range.

Oil-sap: Takes double damage from fire, though killing the tree this way destroys any of the valuable oil that could be collected.

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When I began writing this, I didn't expect the answer to be "the corpses of other adventurers who've had their souls trapped in a swamp" but there you go. Presumably, there are many potential sources of oil in the world and this is just one of them. Whaling is another sufficiently gruesome answer.

Next time you light a lantern or toss a flask of oil to burn, ask yourself this: where did this oil come from, and has anyone tested whether or not it's still sentient?

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