The Cinnabark Pine is a giant conifer, with turquoise needles and shaggy red-brown bark with a delicately fragrant spicy scent. Its bark is used as a sweet spice to flavor many foods. This tree is highly responsive to wood-sorcery and elven magic. The great Great Council Tree of the Brownies was created from a Cinnabark.

Image description. The most famous cinnabark pine: The Council Tree of the Vale Brownies. Picture by Bard Judith.

Appearance. This large pine tree grows between 35 and 50 peds high. Branches begin growing about 1/4 up the tree, and taper off towards the top. The shaggy bark is a deep redish brown with a spicy sweet scent. The leaves are turquois needles growing in dense bunches. When the tree is budding, there are many tiny green and white flowers. After the flowers have withered, small black fruit grows from where they once were.

Territory. These trees are found mainly in tropical regions of the world. Cinnabark grow especially well in the southern parts of the Continent of Nybelmar. Many Cinnabark are also found in the forest of Vóhol'caór in the southeast of Denilou. Cinnabark are also grown in the Sharadon Forests by the Maeverhim elves who have been known to cultivate many plants that would not normally have grown in their region. A more temperate Cinnabark with a lesser quality Cinna can be found throughout Santharia. The largest Cinnabark which is located within the Vale of Brownies was magically grown and named the Great Council Tree; it is home to half the population of the Brownies living in the Vale.

Usages. The Cinnabark pine has been used for many things, but it is mainly cultivated for its bark, which is very useful in cooking and also healing. During the wet season the bark is peeled or cut off of the trees and then set out to dry. When the bark dries it will curl up into quills, which are known as Cinnasticks, these can be ground into a powder or used on their own.

The powder made from Cinnasticks is called Cinna, this is used mainly as a spice for various foods. Cinnasticks can be brewed into teas to help with problems of the stomach and bowels. Cinnasticks are also used to perfume homes and are added to other aromatic plants in potpouri or tied with ribbons and used as a sweet smelling decor.

Cinna is used in various recipes from spiced breads, fruit dishes and desserts to savory foods like smoked and slow cooked meats, stewed lentils and various rice dishes. It is also used in meads and other drinks.

Cinnasticks are used in spiced fruit drinks, teas and soaked to make spiced brandies. They are also used with cooked fruit and in pickling liquids.

Other than culinary uses, Cinna and Cinnasticks are also used for their surprisingly intense magical power. They respond very highly to wood-sorcery and elven magic. Cinnasticks are also burned at various religious rites, but mainly for the Goddess Jeyriall in the harvest season, and Queprur when one's loved ones have died. It is thought that Cinnasticks are mainly burned with other herbs suring funeral rites to cover the smell of death.

Reproduction. After the flowers have bloomed and petals have withered away, the remains of the flowers become small black pitted fruits. These fruits fall off the tree or are eaten by small animals. After the fruits have fallen and dried up or have passed through the animals, what is left are the pits, which are the tiny seeds of the Cinnabark to be planted and grown into seedlings and eventually tall trees. These seeds usually end up near their parent trees, but sometimes can be carried to far distances by birds or other small animals.

Myth/Lore. Cinnabark is thought to have deep magical powers and its bark has been used for many religious and magical rites. An entire Cinnabark tree was used to create the Great Council Tree of the Brownies. Grown magically from a mere sappling, this tree, standing at 117 peds, may be the largest in the world (with possible exceptions of the Tree of Life itself). No other Cinnabark will ever or has ever stood even half of this enormous height.