Leshy
Leshy is a tutelege god / spirit found throughout Slavic lands. An entity tied closely to the forests, and able to shapeshift into many forms, he naturally appears similar to the Treants. Ibdeed, some believe he may be the first of their kind or a deity of them made flesh.
Summary
Leshy is a general term for a deity of the forest & nature in Slavic lore. He primarily protects the forests of Slavic lands and will prank or even kill those who disrepect the forests in these lands. The locals, and even travellers from other regions, need to ask permission to enter.
Every time a person goes to enter a forest, they ask Leshy for permission, and never state it is for a short time as it is believed that time in the forest will take as long as necessary. Whistling, singing, loud noises and such-like will attract his attention. Camp fires attract him too, as he likes to warm himself by them though if angered he can stamp it out. Sometimes, he will do this just because he can.
When taking anything from a forest, no excess damage is to b caused. Also, a shephard is to make a "false entry" before actually entering with animals into it. Sometimes Leshy will steal cattle, and may be found again if they respect Leshy and prove they & their animal are not there to cause any damage to the forest.Sometimes Leshy will hide the means to chop down trees such as hiding axes, and no-one should take any excess wood, or damage trees they don't intend to use.
Any time such things happens, the guilty party will get lost, disappear, are injured or killed by Leshy. He likes to trick mortals who are disrepectful, and can call to mortals to draw them in deeper. Some who return from Leshy comes back different. Some are mentally confused or damaged. Others are given gifts such as fortune-telling and magical abilities. He is a trickster primarily with the 'pranks' being nasty to outright vicious.
He seems to be put off by those who recite prayers both pagan & those of Christianity, invoke the name of pagan deities or of God, using profanity, making the sign of the cross. Making him laugh can keep him at bay. Also; he seems to be afraid of dogs, tricloured cats and firearms (especially those filled with copper bullets).The majority of the Slavs, if not all are pagan at this point so Leshy himself is regularly seen as part of a larger pantheon of gods. He seems to be related to the Slavic god Porevit, and appears to be answerable to the chief deity of forests Svyatibor (also known as Svyatobor & Svyatibog). Sometimes it is noticed that he has similar functions to the god Veles though the latter has much more in his divine domain.
Historical Basis
Leshy is sometimes thought of as a possible excuse as to why people suffer accidents or death in forests, or end up getting lost. The same is true as to why animals get lost or dies in the forests too. Many use the excuse of Leshy as to why they loose items such as axes as well.
Spread
Spread through many Slavic lands, Leshy is found primarily in Northern tribal regions having moved down when the different tribes split apart. Found in abundance across Eastern Europe, from the northern regions in & around Novgorod to the eastern borders of Saxony, and as far down to the regions around the border areas of Austria, many Slavs take it seriously.
Variations & Mutation
Leshy is the most well-known though a few minor nomcletures appear too. A few known are: Borovoi, Gayevoi, Leshak, Lesnik, Lesovnik, Lesovnoi, Lesun, Mazainis, Miskimis, Misko veniias, Vir'ana, Lauma. Most of these are of Rus, Lithuanian and one Latvian origin, though minor variants do exist in the tribes.
Cultural Reception
Most of the cultures fear him but see him as a necessary evil. The reason being is that he is a guardian of the forests, and for those who must enter woodland should respect it at all costs while being devout in their faith, though most are still pagan and will use this to appease Leshy.
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