Overview
The great spirits are the supreme entities born of nature. They represent geographical features or regions and their power is determined in large part by the size and importance of the area or feature they represent. The great spirit of a mountain range might be quite powerful, and become more powerful if something of historical or cultural significance happens there, or local peoples hold it as sacred. It might also lose power, to the point of nearly fading away altogether, if the residents fundamentally change the entire range, or do not respect or revere the land.
Great Spirits often take on an animalistic appearance, sometimes with plant or terrain like features. For example, the spirit of a forest might appear as an enormous stag with tree-like antlers and leafy fur. Great sprits who have been influenced by respectful resident peoples can also take on slightly anthropomorphized features, gain some social understanding, and learn to speak local languages.
Spirits are sometimes worn into hibernation if their features are urbanized. In rare instances, with residents who still hold the land their city stands on with reverence and whose cities do not greatly disturb the natural order of the land, these spirits might merely change and evolve, becoming more personable, and "tame". It has been theorized that if a city were to be careful and deliberate in it's expansion, they could create an entirely new type of great spirit, more like a person than an animal.
Believers
It is very uncommon for city dwellers and more industrial peoples to believe in or respect the great spirits, claiming them as an ignorant superstition. Rural individuals may have festivals, holidays or rituals that pay homage to them, but they may only follow these as a matter of tradition. Residents of the wilderness and those who have travelled far to untouched places will be more likely to understand their importance and power, as will communities who live in harmony with nature, or who have great respect for nearby natural features.
Interactions
Generally, the larger the area a great spirit represents and protects, the more subtle their actions are, barring any particularly great and immediate threat. Smaller regions or singular features are more able to take direct action, though the limits of their power will restrict them. This inverse relationship is due to the catastrophic consequences that regular direct interventions could have by the most powerful spirits. The spirit of a mountain range taking drastic actions could cause landslides, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, while a forest spirit could cause massive animal stampedes, forest fires or sudden untamed growth of new trees. Spirits more often will aid those who serve their purposes with magic and information.
Powers
Great spirit's powers vary widely, but all have powerful magic related to their domain and have some control over their territory. They can offer blessings that will prevent their terrain from hindering those who serve them, as well as create magic items from materials within their territories. A forest spirit could create wooden weapons and leather armor, but would be unable to create metal weapons, as a mountain spirit could. Likewise, water spirits can create potions and oils with great ease, while grassland and prairie spirits can create foods that give temporary but powerful enhancements.
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