Territory & Habitat: Leshy live in the forests across Slavic Areas, from Russia to Poland, and South into Serbia and nearby countries. They tend to live in denser forests, as the thicker the forest the more capable the Leshy.
Description & Information
The Leshy is a spirit or tutelary deity of the forest in Slavic Mythology. They are shapeshifters and could take the form of any animal or plant in the forest, even appearing as giant talking mushrooms. Most of the time the Leshy appear human though something is always off such as lacking an ear or eyebrows. Other times the differences have been more noticeable with leaf like hair and fur, and blue skin due to his blue blood. The Leshy always has green eyes, often has horns, and aside from his human form most often appears as a wolf or bear or even a wandering tree. His size varies as well at the heart of his forest he is as tall as the tallest tree or even a mountain with stars in the sky for eyes and his movements causing a whistling wind, while once he reached the edge he would be as small as a blade of grass. He is the fierce protector of his forest and would protect the plants and animals within, especially his favorites, the wolf and the bear. Some Leshy have family, wives and children. The Leshy often plays tricks on people causing children to get lost, or leading travelers astray by mimicking voices or shifting the forest. Leshy enjoy gambling and will bet the resources of their forest. They enjoy Vodka, and have been known to tickle people to death.
The Leshy could be considered one of the most prominent modern cults of the Slavs as the Leshy as spirit or deity has a massive following and even a holiday in September. Offerings are left for him to this day. The Leshy is closely associated with Berstuk and Veles. Though the Leshy is inevitably aggressive in its protection of the forest from threat. They hibernate in Winter and in Spring they reach hyper virility and effectively rut, as it is Winter we have little to worry about….. for now.
Eyewitness Accounts
- The Leshy’s gambling is so well known that in recent decades a random shifting of Squirrels from one forest to another, even going over mountains in their migration was considered a Leshy paying his losses to another Leshy.
- The Leshy has often been said to be afraid of Crucifixes and this can be used to ward them off or anger them, personally I think they just realize the person isn’t worth their time, why bother with a member of a foreign cult?
Conclusion: The Leshy is helpful by and large and has no issue with Woodcutting or Lumbering, so long as it is done in balance, and if the modern nations anger them that is on them as the Leshy does not begrudge one taking what they need. They are dormant in Winter, but come Spring will search for mates, and come Autumn they will be rather aggressive. As such for this report to L.O.R.E. I would state the Leshy is of no concern for the Winter Olympics.
L.O.R.E. Operative Codename: The Lore Keeper #00412
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