Moorg the Warlock was a powerful and cunning magic-user. He was slain by a knight named Sir Giliard who impaled him on an oak tree. With his dying breath, Moorg cursed the knight and his descendants. Moorg merged with the tree, retaining many of his mystical powers. As a tree he was able to compel those whose names had been carved on the tree to do his bidding and also use the branches to form fists.
The tree was ultimately destroyed by being struck by lightning.