Forest Spirit

Behave yourself properly, because if you don't , the horned spirit of the forest will come and it will make you sick. But, if you don't disturb the peace and harmony of the place and you're not a jerk, it might reward you with something.

— A villager to a group of adventurers

  The forest spirit or the horned druid is a famous spirit among adventurers and peoples of the westernmost regions of the continent of Teria. And no, it's not a folk story in order to tell kids to be nice and good, it's real, and it might help you in your travel or quest, or it might transform it in your worst nightmare, as simple as that, it's all up to you and your actions.

Appearance

There are two versions of the spirit's appearance. One version describes it with an animal skull on its head and its body wrapped in a black cloak lined with animal fur . One of its hands is thin and long, almost bonelike with very pale skin and, instead of nails, it has claws like some Dragon Birds. The other version coincides with the previous one in relation to the head and its extremities but differs from the first one in that it states that its cape is covered or even made of tree leaves. It is also said that the forest spirit is surrounded by what many adventurers describe as a green aura. Sometimes before appearing some adventurers talk about little green lights that resemble luminunculi or green midst.

Behaviour

The behaviour of this spirit is ambiguous, and sometimes it's not entirely clear how or why it appears before people. Some people say it offers help in exchange for food or a piece of jewellery, and woe betide you if you don't give it something in return! Others say it helps altruistically, and others say it only appears to punish those it believes deserve a lesson.   Often, according to some witnesses, the help given consists of small clues, such as the safest route out of the forest, or how to get to a place, or even, in some cases, where to find someone who is lost (and who has been cared for by the forest spirit in the process).   The opposite also occurs in stories of adventurers who have desecrated the forest or a sanctuary in search of secret dungeons or treasures, only to be cursed by the spirit with terrible conditions (for example, transforming them into other creatures, deforming their faces, turning them into spirits themselves or monsters, or cursing them with some physical condition, such as an illness, temporary blindness, or memory loss).  

Oooh treasures is what you were looking for in this dungeon in the middle of the forest, and treasures you will find, what about turning you into...a golden statue?

— the spirit to a greedy dungeon explorer.

Powers and skills

For what the stories tell it is evident that the forest spirit has a great knowledge of magic judging by the legends and tails of the adventurers who encountered it. The spirit is capable of curing or inflicting magical afflictions, and those who are cursed with them go through great hardships and difficulties to recover. This type of spells that are so difficult to get rid off are evidence of a profound knowledge of the magical arts. Some of the magic employed by the Forest Spirit seems very ancient as it doesn't appear in most spell casting manuals. It is not sure if the spirit uses magic of medical knowledge to treat some people lost or wounded in the forest.   Of course, the ability to appear and disappear at will is something innate to one's spiritual condition.

Possible origins

Theories about the origin of this peculiar spirit vary. Some say the spirit is actually that of an ancient adventurer who dared to open a dungeon sealed by the gods and died there. But in its final moments, the gods took pity on the adventurer and entrusted him or her with protecting the nearby forests by helping kind-hearted adventurers and locals, and punishing those adventurers and locals who harmed others or who should be punished by the gods.   Another theory, widespread among the Radali and some of the inhabitants of Wesdaland is that this spirit was the druid of a village or a band of warriors, who could have died in combat and whose spirit now wanders through the forests in which he often took refuge to be in contact with the magical forces and collect ingredients for his potions, therefore any transgressor who tries to harm the forest or the spirits that inhabit it receives his punishment from this peculiar spirit of the forest. On the other hand those without evil intentions that enter the forest are helped by the spirit.   For the Radali and Eastern Wesdalandians the spirit is a sort of demi-god, that can bring fortune or misfortune to a person or family, because of that some altars with little statuettes representing the spirit are located at the entrance of forests and in some street corners in towns and cities.   Some Davidovian peoples, more particularly the Oronai, associate this spirit with the goddess Alara, the goddess of nature, hunting, and memory, among other things. They believe the supposed animal skull is that of a deer, an animal associated with the goddess, and that she takes this "unusual" form to punish blasphemers and overly pretentious or arrogant adventurers, as well as those who would harm the forests.   This is why many Oronai and Elvish-Oronai adventurers and locals pray to the goddess before entering the woods, not only for her protection, but also to ensure that they do nothing that might anger her and leave the forest (if they manage to) safely with no magical or medical condition.