#greenmen

Greenman of the Direwood

Cause? Greenfolk are plant spirits, their descendants, and the gestalt consciousness of a plant community. Like animal spirits, plant spirits are born from the interactions of free magic with living things. Unlike animals, magic is naturally drawn to plant life. Some growth forms like trees are more likely to have folk than other forms.

Appearance: To humans, greenfolk tend to look like people or animals made of leaves, fruit, bark, and vines. Or whole plants in the rough shape of an animal. In their chest is a dark pulsing fruit like a heart, don’t eat that.

Behavior: Greenfolk have no interest in anything that does not affect their territory. Unlike animal folk, their motives are not as easily comprehended. Their wrath is slow but lasting and their vengeance nothing short of total. If properly appeased, they do not mind the harvesting of lumber or grazing. It is good to be wary of the kindness of plants, they do not do things for the benefit of future fertilizer.

Abilities: Greenfolk speak green words, these words can cure or kill or cause abundance and good fortune. They have massive powers of fertility over plant and animal life. They can sense emotions. They can encase animals that annoy them in living bark. The dark fruit that is the heart of an avatar is incredibly fragrant, juicy, and delicious.

Weaknesses: The greenfolk cannot be killed as long as the plants that provide their power live. An avatar can be temporarily killed by the removal of the dark fruit from its chest. Do not eat the fruit.

Infectious? No. Wildlings may live among them but will never be them.

WHy haven't they taken over the world? Trees aren’t great at fighting axes or fire. Too many deer and not enough wolves are also a problem.

Grasslands and forests tend to fight each other over teaming up against common foes. Desert flora have less ability to fight back given water shortages. Boreal flora are too busy trying not to die of cold to put that many resources into extending their influence where it isn't wanted.