Forest Mother

Digital Photo Manipulation - "Artist Unknown"

About

Common Names: Pasodwa Cögva - Forest Mother (Kythus) / Igo-asaa - Wood-Wife (Tabras)
Classification: Cryptid / Fae; Forest mothers or wood-wives are fae creatures said to take several forms: shapely women, trees, or intangible spirits. It is believed that they either shift between these forms at will, or merge with a particular tree that houses their spirit. In either case they are said to be extremely long lived, if not immortal.

Size: Treahni form 1.5 m - 3 m ( 5 feet, 2 inches - 10 feet), Tree form varies with species.
Appearance: Forest Mothers are described as being of similar body size and shape to regular treahni, although some are significantly taller or heavier. They have bark-like skin, with eyes and hair that matches the colours of seasonal foliage. In tree form they are much taller and resemble a typical tree of their related species, with some aspects of a shapely female body.
Variance: The bark/skin texture and colour will match their associated tree form in appearance.

Habitat: Mixed woodlands and forest at any latitude.
Diet: It is unknown if or what forest mothers might eat. Most likely they draw sustenance from the soil and sunlight, like trees, although some speculate they consume living animal s and people under certain circumstance.

Temperament: Territorial, these creatures will defend their forest homes from destructive interlopers.

Intelligence: Average Sapient, they speak their own language as a whispering song carried on the wind. Some are said to know the language(s) of treahni.

Reproduction: In is believed that such creatures lure treahni men to mate with, a process that results in the death of the male. After such couplings the Forest mother will produce a small number offspring through budding. these young seek out their own secluded forest grove in which to dwell.

Sacrifice: In early religious beliefs women who gave birth to a bastard child, would seek out a forest mother and leave their newborn at the feet of such a creature in its tree form. Girl children are believed to transform into forest mother's themselves. Whereas male babies are believed to be raised in secret until they reach sexual maturity, then they fill the role of doomed mates to the wood wife.

Protectors: These creatures are believed to act as guardians for their forest homes, and the natural balance within the local ecosystem. Persons who respect that nature may find themselves favoured by the forest mothers. Some treahni women seeking to escape an abusive husband or overly aggressive suitor, can appeal to a forest mother who may intervene and lure the male into her woods.