Hunter who tracks outside of time
Guardian lord of ancient rhyme
Brother stag in the musky glen
And consort of the Goddess in her woodland den
We call you forth as we make our way
Walking in your power every day
Guide us true in our hunt this night
One of the many allies the party encountered during the Ways campaign was the Lord of the Forest – an Actaeon, who made it’s home in the Black Forest to the north east of Lunima. While this particular Actaeon was male, Actaeons can be male or female.
This creature is partially inspired by the original creatures from Mystara, but also by some lyrics from the song “Hymn to Herne” by S.J. Tucker, and performed by Alexander James Adams. As usual, you can find The Lord of the Forest on Homebrewery or download a PDF.
There are many who look to the forests as a wilderness to be explored, or to be hunted for food, or to be cut for resources, but there are many creatures that make the forest their home. Those who reside in the Black Forest look to the Lord of the Forest for protection.
Peaceful Protectors
The Lords of the Forest are fey creatures that trancend boundaries between the planes, and seek to protect and heal the forests the frequent. When they can, they prefer to avoid confrontation but if they aren’t afraid to fight.
Allies of Nature Often responding to the calls of those who would deal with threats to their forests, they can provide healing, guidance, and protection. In rare cases, the Lord of the Forest may also transform their allies to transport them across great distances, but such a journey can be unsettling and have lasting impacts.
Roaming the planes Any single Lord of the Forest will usually protect forests across worlds, travelling between them when there is need. They will usually bring favored animals with them, or if they have transformed an opponent, they will bring them to another world, stranding them away from the forests where they will not be able to cause harm.
Implacable Hunters While the Actaeons are generally kind, and benevolent creatures, they love to hunt. When they mark their prey, they will run it to ground over any distance. Actaeons only hunt when hungry or seeking vengeance against a tresspaser who has despoiled the wilderness they protect.