Where nature holds both peace and terror in balance.
The forests of the Mortal realm of Avalon have been drastically changed over time after the war in the heavens.
Due to this change, the forests can be both a place of peace, tranquility, and beauty or they can be a place of unspeakable suffering and death. In some cases, they can be even both.
Goddess of the Earth
Velesna, also known as the Earth Mother, is the goddess of the land. Some believe she has no physical form, taking refuge in the plants, animals, and trees.
Some say she will only appear to those who are completely connected to her earth itself, like the Mothers of the Forest. Others say she appears in the animals that roam her groves.
Velesna is a dual-faced goddess, being seen as both aspects of nature:
The Gentle Side
Nurturing, peaceful, life-giving
The Ruthless Side
Survival of the fittest
Before the war in the heavens, the Earth Mother assisted fae from the Fae Realm to govern the seasons of the mortal realm.
The Witch of Winter
Governs the cold and frost
The Witch of Spring
Governs rebirth and growth
The Witch of Summer
Governs warmth and abundance
The Witch of Fall
Governs harvest and change
These roles were given to some of the strongest fae at the time, helping govern the season changes. However, this was an extremely taxing job, almost wiping their magic completely.
So a tradition was started: each witch would take an apprentice to teach the ways of the season when the current witch's time comes to step down.
Since the mortal realm has changed to where forests now have more direct magical connections thanks to the Mothers of the Forest, the need for the witches has altered. Today, the Witches of the Cardinal Winds act as peacekeepers and guides to those who make the forest their home.
Mothers of the Forest are those who have been chosen by the Earth Mother and the previous Mother of the Forest to take on the role of caring and growing their forest. They are balanced on both sides of nature.
After being chosen, Mothers of the Forest leave their home to learn of the world, discovering new ways to grow and improve outside of what they have known their whole lives.
They are the head religious leaders of both the Cult of Pan-shi and the Cult of Flora-shi, acting as a mother to both, and a friend to none.
The Greatest Rule: A Mother of the Forest must not favor one side over the other, ensuring that the nature of the forest does not fall out of balance.
The beings that dwell within Avalon's ancient woods - some helpful, many dangerous.
The Fair Folk are said to have once been humans that got lost in the forest, becoming part of it through magical means. Some appear like shades with varying shadows of different humanoid races.
Fair Folk are spotted by the mask they wear, taking the shape of an animal. Some fair folk look like normal people.
Extremely Dangerous
They lead travelers deeper into the forest, creating illusions and singing hauntingly charming songs to make them lost and confused - either to create more Fair Folk or devour their soul.
Born from ancient trees of the Elderwood, the Sap Born are few but a very small race, commonly confused for wood nymphs. They have a natural connection to the forest in which they are born.
Some believe a Sap Born comes from the work and worship of the Flora-shi, bringing true peace to a forest.
Others say it's the final form of a forest spirit thanks to Pan-shi efforts, bringing new life from blood.
Sap Born can hear and tell the wellness of a forest by its "heartbeat." They live about 100 years before passing, taking the form of an Elderwood sapling. They are seen as a gift from Velesna herself.
Forest spirits are considered to be the souls of the trees and plants of the forest. In their small infant-like state, they are mostly peaceful and even helpful, guiding lost souls through the forest.
Forest spirits are extremely susceptible to darker magic. If given things such as blood in a ritualistic manner, they will corrupt quickly - growing larger, twisting their forms, and developing a craving for blood. The Cult of Pan-shi sees this corrupted state as the true nature of these spirits.
Giant Snakes
Giant snakes with black or dark brown scales, known for eating unsuspecting travelers whole.
Despite their large size, they navigate extremely quietly through the brush, almost burrowing within the leaves and forest floor. They can also raise their upper body high to blend in with trees, waiting to capture their prey.
Living trees and the walking, talking embodiment of nature's will. Treants are spirits of nature who have attached themselves to truly ancient trees, transforming them into usually humanoid shapes.
They are nature's strongest line of defense, normally protecting places of importance - intersections of ley lines, sites of power, and locations of historical importance. They are friendly to humanoid races who respect nature.
When a Treant grows old enough and gains enough knowledge, they become Elder Treants. These ancient individuals specialize in their knowledge and shape their bodies to fit this specialization.
Elder Treants tend to root themselves, ceasing the wandering of their younger kin. They are fonts of extreme knowledge about the sites they guard and natural magics. It is said the first druids were taught their trade by an Elder Treant.
Living Cabin Mimics
Cousins to the mimics but much larger. When first hatched, they appear as a small shack or outhouse, with legs of a chicken hidden underneath. Their internal structures mimic those of a home or cottage.
Warning: Never spend the night! When the floorboards creak and groan, you'll discover you're in the mouth of the Baba-Kura itself.
Weakness: Each Baba-Kuras has a fireplace (or torch for smaller ones). If the fire is put out, it kills the beast.
They can be tamed with a well-fed diet and magical connection to a skilled weaver. On another continent, there's a city called Elkon that lives on a massive tamed Baba-Kuras.
Three major religions are followed by those who call the woods their home.
The Madness Cult / The Blood Cult
The Cult of Pan-shi worships the darker aspects that the goddess Velesna stands for.
The Cult of Peace
They believe that at its core, nature is meant to be peaceful, with the quiet of the forest being embraced.
Followers of the Queen of Outcasts
Centered around the Queen of Outcasts, a minor deity of witches, bandits, hermits, the homeless, and others who could be called outcasts.