Based on the title alone, Oracle of the Terebinth would appear to be a story about trees. While there is some truth to this assumption, the significance of the Alehlian Terebinth and the Chehmati oak often linger in the background.
These trees are loosely based on trees we can find in the real world. That is the focus of today’s article.
Quercus ilex
The cover art features a dramatized image of the Chehmati Oak. Despite the positive uses of this tree, it would be its destructive purposes that thrust its capabilities to the global center-stage.
It is based on the Quercus ilex, commonly known as the Holm Oak. A Mediterranean tree with ties to the Terebinth, the Holm Oak provided a good counterpart to the Terebinth.
Our real world Holm Oak has a few medicinal qualities and should not be villainized, whereas the fictional Chehmati Oak is a tree teeming with an almost supernatural level of power and uses.
The Oak of Mamre?
History buffs may enjoy the subtle connection. In some traditions, the Holm Oak is considered to be the “Oak of Mamre” found in the Biblical account in Genesis 18.
In other traditions, the tree featured in Genesis 18 is believed to be the Pistacia Terebinthus, also known as the Cyprus Terebinth or the Turpentine tree.
Petra’s Sketch of the Terebinth’s leaves and stone fruits. Based on the Pistacia Terebinthus, the stone fruits of the Terebinth tree are used to make an herbal coffee popular in Türkiye.
The idea of an herbal coffee provided the inspiration behind sludge, the Chehmati tea that boosts energy and focus. For the novel’s purposes, I connected this to the Chehmati Oak instead of the Terebinth. Creative license for the win!
Pistacia Terebinthus
The Pistacia Terebinthus provided the perfect inspiration for my novel. The real-world tree has many medicinal properties, and has been used for so many good purposes throughout history. It is still studied by scientists today for its medicinal qualities and is used in cancer research.
While our terebinth may not have the same mystical healing properties found in my novel, it is a remarkable tree with a fascinating history and a future that could potentially result in life-saving medicine.
Thank you for taking the time to read my mini geek-out session about trees. Behind the scenes, one of the processes I had the most fun with was researching different real-world applications of these trees and then imagining all of the crazy ways these applications could be imbued with mystical properties in a fantasy world.
Discover more about the expansive world of the Legends of Alehl this autumn!
📖 Legends of Alehl: Oracle of the Terebinth
🗓️ Arrives October 9, 2025
💬 #LegendsOfAlehl #EpicFantasy #OracleoftheTerebinth #PoliticalEpic
Marek J. Scott 
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