Gaea’s Liege

The subject of the world’s oldest myths, a creature standing 10 to 15 feet tall, clothed in robes of dark green with skin the color of new forest growth. Known as the Old Man of the Forest, the Tall Man, or the Green Man, the true name for such a creature is Gaea’s Liege. Believed by many to be a singular creature, in truth a whole network of these beings exist, each as powerful as the last.   Aspect of Nature These creatures are powerful natural defenders, created as avatars of the living will of Gaea, a powerful nature primordial said to control all aspects of the wooded world. Becoming Gaea’s liege is an immense honor reserved only for those who show great respect and wisdom in their dealings with the natural world. When a creature is infused with Gaea’s essence, whatever race or gender they held before, it is wiped away and replaced with the image of the original Green Man. The rugged and bearded face, with its deep lines and soulful eyes, originally belonged to this ancient creature.   Time Before Time The first of all Gaea’s liege’s, the original Green Man was a powerful druid who lived in a time before civilization, for an untold number of years. This ancient being was granted access to all of Gaea’s power, including unending life. As the centuries passed, the Green Man found and taught many others of Gaea’s power, demonstrating the connection they could have with the natural world. But civilization progressed each decade, and the Green Man made the decision to enter an eternal slumber, trading his wakefulness to serve as a link between the world and Gaea’s greatness, allowing the primordial herself to communicate with others and bestow upon them the power she had given the Green Man himself. Because of this link, each person chosen to serve as Gaea’s Liege is granted the Green Man’s face, and in thankfulness for his unending sacrifice, each Liege takes the Green Man’s name for themselves.   Natural Power As an avatar of Gaea’s will, each Liege can control plant life and the natural creatures of the world. A beast of the wild will not attack a Liege, recognizing Gaea’s mark upon them, and even a loyal creature may turn on its master if forced to fight a Green Man. Because of the nature magic stored in a Green Man’s body, small plants and grasses grow wherever a Liege steps in the wild, even upon dead mountains and barren wastes. A Liege can use their connection to Gaea to accelerate this process of growth, immediately creating a small grove dedicated to the worship of Gaea, granting the Liege a powerful boon for as long as they remain within the grove.