Waylaid of Lesha

The Waylaid of Lesha, or just the Waylaid, is a cult located on northern Cadenar. They dwell in the magical forest of Lesha which covers large parts of the northern subcontinent. It is assumed that the Waylaid are split into several cells that each cover their own part of the expansive forest. Their exact beliefs and motives are largely unknown to the public, other than that they are extremely protective of their forest, harassing and even killing those who would harm it.

The forest Lesha is said to make all strangers who travel through it feel drowsy, eventually putting the travelers to sleep should they stay too long in the forest. The Waylaid seems unaffected by this even though they live within it.

Teachings and practices

The Waylaid comes from all sorts of backgrounds and races, but every member has at least one thing in common: They love the forest and protect it with their lives if necessary. Newcomers are first taught how to prevent the effects of drowsiness within the forest. By navigating in the trees and only stepping on rocks and hard soil they avoid triggering the effects themselves. They also wear a ritualistic type of mask, each said to be blessed by Sawaarre to withstand the magics of the forest.

An important task of the Waylaid is to assess whether a new person entering the forest is there to cause harm. They hide, camouflaged in the terrain and trees, and watch for the actions of the entree. They do not interact with the person in any way before they inevitably fall asleep, at which point judgement will take place. Should the person have harmed the forest in a way that is considered unreasonable by the Waylaid, they are slain in their sleep and left to decay. If the person is just an innocent forager, curious traveler, or is just plainly lost, they will be moved outside of the forest and kept under careful watch by the Waylaid until they awake. A person that is actively trying to join the Waylaid may be taken back to their hideout for questioning and training.

Particularly devout protectors of the forest sometimes become druids of the forest land, druids of dreams, or druids of spores, all of which have established druid circles within Lesha. The Waylaid look to these druid circles for guidance, wisdom, and even leadership at times, but ultimately choose to rule themselves.

Garments

The Waylaid of Lesha wear two garments. One is a ghillie suit that provides the camouflage they need to remain undetected. There are many variations of suits depending on the exact environment they have to blend in with, but the two most common ones are either covered in rough bark shed from old trees, or moss that has been disturbed by weather or animals.

The other garment is a wooden mask made from thick branches or logs that have fallen naturally. These masks are crafted by the druids of the forest. It is often decorated with carvings, moss, and lichen as a way of personalization. This mask is magical and provides the wearer darkvision, a necessity beneath the roof of the forest.

The Cause of Sleep

What people don't know about Lesha is that beneath its moss-covered floor there grows a peculiar type of fungus. When this fungus is agitated by for example someone stepping on them, it releases its spores which induces drowsiness in most humanoids when inhaled. This is of course the reason why travelers eventually fall asleep after dwelling too deep into the forest. The animals within seem to have adapted to these spores and remain unaffected.

While the Waylaid know how to move without disturbing the fungus, this does not prevent them from being affected should the spores already be airborne. They believe they are protected by the goddess of plants, Sawaarre, but unbeknownst to them, the druids that craft their masks incorporates a magical filter that prevents the spores from being inhaled.

by Gabe Brazil

The Mask of Growth, a magical type of mask worn by the Waylaid of Lesha.