Whatever That Might Mean - The Witch Trees

Not everything in the lands beyond Larm has a simple explanation.  These mysterious people, places, and things will be presented without comment.  Basic descriptions without a full accounting of their meaning or significance, whatever that might mean.

The early woodcutters working in the ancient forests south and east of Larm found valuable stands of timber and eventually the legendary Iron Pines.  But they also found areas of the forest where the trees had been twisted and bent into strangely captivating geometric patterns.  These areas were devoid of ground cover - no bushes, shrubs, ferns, or even grasses grew in proximity to the bent and twisted trees.

On one occasion, a crew of woodcutters failed to return to the village after a week in the forest.  When another crew was sent to relieve them, the missing woodcutters were found standing in a circle around a stand of the strange trees, silent, watching, waiting.  They had to be forcibly removed from the area, and when questioned later, each man spoke of coming close to understanding what the spiraling shapes meant.  It was after this incident that the villagers began referring to this strange phenomenon as "Witch Trees."

As more and more of these witch trees appeared, it became official village policy that all woodcutting crews be accompanied by members of the militia.