The Forest of Olient

The Forest of Olient is both an actual place (a forest lining the Kitharian Highlands) and a myth from the mountainous parts of Sobago. It is a Gnaritian story in origin, and was passed down orally until around two thousand years ago, when it was recorded on paper.

The story of Olient's forest

Eons ago, in an age not remembered nor forgotten, there in the Kitharian Highlands arose a white-barked, brown-leaved tree in a valley between two silver-peaked mountains. In this valley there is nothing but the tree itself. No flowers adorn the ground, no river runs through the valley, no animals come here to rest, there is the tree and the tree alone. This tree is home to a creature, fae in origin, a spirit with a fairy name no-one knows, but who introduces himself as Olient.
Olient is a red-skinned, bark-adorned humanoid creature with no eyes, one arm and a large bellflower blossom for a hat. He is a spirit of a small stature, residing in his home inside the tree. It is said that he only speaks with small birds, because only those can fit inside his home. No creature of ill intent can enter his home.
Many years later was it when the soul-born settled in the mountains. They brought with themselves their own wood to build their homes with, and found areas where they could built them. They did not damage the forest, for they didn't know it yet.
One day, a small elven girl was playing in the forest near the two silver-peaked mountains. She was climbing on trees and playing with her siblings, when she reached too high and snapped one of the tree branches. A bird flew down to sit on her shoulder, and started to squawk.
"Quiet, little bird, leave us alone," the elven girl said, shooing the bird away with the broken branch. It flew off, but kept squawking. As the sun set, the elven girl and her siblings returned home, along with the branch.
That night, the elven girl couldn't sleep. The next morning, she broke all the plates she tried to serve her family's breakfast on, the water she tried to pour them spilled everywhere and every time she walked to a different room, she fell square on her face. Her family was very confused, because she was normally such a capable little girl.
The elven girl cried, running back into the forest with the stick she kept from the day before. She ran to the tree and yelled for the bird.
"I come back with the branch, you feathery fool! I know you put a curse on me! I couldn't sleep all night, I couldn't make breakfast, and I'm scaring my family!"
What appeared before her wasn't the bird from the day before. Instead, it was a small humanoid creature with red skin, one arm, a tunic made of bark and a hat made of bellflower blossom. He stood in front of her, his hand on his hip, displeased.
"Why would you hurt the forest! The forest has been nothing but kind to you and your kind! Apologize right now, and I'll consider breaking your curse."
And with that, he vanished.
The little girl did as she was asked. She buried the branch near the roots of the tree and apologized for causing it pain. She went back home then. For the rest of the day, she encountered no issues. Lunch and dinner were prepared in a timely manner, the housecleaning went off without a hitch and when she went off to bed, she fell asleep as soon as her head rested on her hammock.
She arose early in the morning, well-rested, and curious, she ran into the forest near the silver-peaked mountains once more.
"Little spirit, little spirit! Thank you for lifting the curse, and I'm sorry for hurting the forest!" She yelled, and turned to go back home.
The spirit stood in front of her once more, this time with his hand holding his hat to stay on his head.
"I lifted your curse because you were genuinely sorry," He said, "and also because you're small. You don't know any better now. But I want to ask you a favor. As fae, I'll have to return it, and I will do so tenfold. I will make sure that fruit trees grow year round in your villiage, to bring you food no matter the season. I ask in turn for you to warn your kind. Do not hurt the trees. Do not hurt the forest. The forest cares not, but it feels pain - I do not feel pain, but care greatly for its well being. Do this for me, and I shall repay you."
Before he could leave, the elven girl asked his name.
"You may not have my name, but you may call me Olient of the Forest."
And with that, he vanished.
The little girl ran back to her village and told everything to her parents. The parents then spread the word to the other families, the families to neighboring villages, and soon the warning of Olient spread far across the forest. Only a few months later, elves started to notice that strange fruit trees started to grow near their village, and all the other villages who heeded Olient's warning. A peace offering of the fae, the fruit trees brought them food that the trees produced all year round like Olient promised.
Even later still, two generations later, some elves forgot the reason they were forbidden from harming the forest. One family, the family of an elf by the name Claud'jall, was growing larger and larger, and Claud'jall thought it best to expand the house. He took to the forest and cut down four trees, waving off his husband's worry by claiming that the forest won't mind. For three days he worked on the house, and on the fourth, the new room was complete.
That night, the new woodcutter couldn't sleep.
He awoke to find that their youngest son has fallen sick. Their daughter couldn't wake up from her sleep, and their eldest son couldn't speak clearly. His husband, the love of his life, fell as sick as their youngest. It broke Claud'jall's heart. But it made him angry as well.
He went to the forest with his axe in his hands and his two daughters by his side, yelling at the forest about how it dare threaten to take his family away from him.
Olient appeared before him.
"You took away four trees, why should't I take away four of your loved ones?" Olient laughed at him bitterly.
"The forest doesn't belong to you," Claud'jall argued, "we should be allowed to cut down the trees for wood! You are fae, aren't you? Go back to your court!"
This angered Olient.
"I don't belong to a court," he yelled, the wind picking up around them, "I belong to the forest, unlike you! You came here hundreds of years ago and I let you stay on one condition - to leave the forest alone! I had to watch as you cut the trees down, so I'll make you watch as I take your family! I warned you not to hurt the forest, but you seem to have forgotten. I will make you remember!"
And with that, he vanished.
The three stayed in the forest that night, trying to think of a way to make peace with the angered forest fae spirit. They cared for their family deeply, and didn't want any harm to befall them. They now understood the forest spirit.
When night fell, Claud'jall called for Olient, who appeared.
"We'd like to apologise and try to make a deal," he said, "if we plant some trees, will you lift the curse you put on our family?"
"You'll wait for them to grow, only to cut them down again. I won't have it!" Olient refused.
"Then we have a different deal," the older sister offered, "if we leave this forest with our family, will you lift our family's curse?"
"You cannot undo your damage simply by leaving. That way, anyone could cut the forest down and leave without any consequences! I won't have it!" Olient refused.
The younger daughter, Aldon, stepped forward.
"Then we have a different deal," she spoke, her voice full of warmth and understanding. "You care for this forest, it is your home. I remember the stories of you, spirit Olient, and it is thanks to you we have food here all year round. We shouldn't have harmed the forest, that is no way to repay you for your kindness. We shall name the forest 'Olient's forest', so everyone knows that it is your home, and so that nobody will harm it. We can do that. In turn, will you lift our family's curse?"
Olient thought about it for a long time, making his decision once the moon was high in the sky.
"You've made a mistake, but you have owned up to it. I will make sure to let anyone who harms this forest pay for it, but you are right. If the elves know the forest as my forest, they could leave it alone. Spread the word, and then I'll consider lifting the curse."
And with that, he vanished.
Claud'jall's family got better after a few weeks have passed, and the trees bearing fruit grew more of it than ever. Aldon spread the word of Olient's far and wide, and soon enough, the forest became 'the Forest of Olient', and now, it is forbidden to cut down or harm its trees.
To this day, Olient is said to reside in his house in the tree in the valley between two silver-peaked mountains. It is said that, should you find it, leave some seeds, flowers and bark on his door. Even if you don't, bring some on your travels, and set them down next to where you sleep. It's the materials he needs to tend to the forest. Should you do that, maybe you will have some extra luck. And if not, do not harm the trees. Olient's wrath is one to be feared.

Historical Basis

There are a few things historians have disputes over when it comes to the myth of the Forest of Olient.
Olient himself is quite the topic of discussion in myth-analyzing circles. The current most agreed upon theory is that Olient does exist, and does reside in the mountains, however, there are some who still believe Olient may be some sort of mass hallucination.
Olient's fae origin is also disputed. Some believe him to be a fairy, while other believe him to be a lesser creature - a sprite. While the two terms are very similar in common, they are very different in elven. Either may be true.
The constant mention of mountains being silver-peaked is also thoroughly discussed, some might even say too much. There are many theories as to what the silver peaks may mean. Some say it means that the peaks have snow on them, but only the peaks, meaning that the mountains themselves wouldn't be too high above sea level. Some believe silver is referring to a frosted over appearance. Some think that the mountains contain silver, but there are too many caves in the Kitharian Highlands that contain silver ore for the title to serve as a concrete distinction. Nevertheless, many search the Kitharian mountains for the tree in the valley, but so far, none have reported finding it.

Summary

In the valley of two mountains lies a tree, with bark like birch and dark brown leaves. Inside it lives Olient, a spirit who claims his home to not be a fairy court, but the forest surrounding these mountains.
People hurt the forest and were met with extraordinarily bad fortune. A woodcutter's family gets cursed by Olient for cutting down a tree, and because they cannot convince Olient to leave or take his curse back, they dedicate the forest to him to get on his good side.
It works, and now it's forbidden to cut down trees in the Forest of Olient.

Date of First Recording

Unknown