deity verse; what’s a typical encounter with staci like if you make it to his side of the woods?
You were on a camping trip with your friends. It was the first time ever, so like any rational person, you looked up camping tips and tricks. Every site you checked, every blog you read, they told you to stay on the path. Everyone, all of these strangers, they warned you of the dangers that lurked in the woods. If you were lost, you may never be found again. You brushed it off as them just being superstitious and overly cautious. The forest wasn’t that dangerous, was it?
So you forgot your lessons. When you were on your trip, you followed your friends down to your spot. You set up your tents, your chairs, and your worries were left behind at the entrance. Nothing mattered as you sat around that fire. Nothing mattered as you scattered trash around the ground. Nothing mattered as your chattering scared away animals. Nothing mattered to you except your selfish, human needs. But, you surprised Him. You surprised the Forest. You cleaned up. Your friends got in their tents for the nights, and you heard something moving in the underbrush.
You got up. You stepped off the path. You were lost the minute you stepped out of your world. You stepped out of your world and into His. When you stepped into the leaves and limbs and grass, something changed. Trees moved. Bushes grew. Animals got louder. It’s almost like you understood them. It’s almost like they were welcoming you home. A bird swoops down and lands on your shoulder. A squirrel runs past you. A deer, a little fawn, gives the softest bleat, and calls to you to follow it.
And you did. You followed the tiny fawn. It bobbed and weaved through the woods, missing trees and bushes and roots. When the deer was tired, it shifted before your very eyes into an owl and coasted through the air. You lungs burned. Your heart and every other muscle ached and cried for help and release. You wanted to stop running, but as long as the creature in front of you moved, you had to chase it.
You were so far from home. You were so lonely. You were so lost. You didn’t realize this until you stopped running. You didn’t notice until you looked around. You changed too, didn’t you? Your shoes were gone and your feet are covered in mud. Your hair was longer and unkempt. You’d been running for a long time, right? You were so so tired. You wanted to go home.
But you were home. You’re safe. And everything was okay. You could sit down. You could rest. And you did. You rested, but when you dropped to your knees, something changed. That creature in front of you changed again. Not an owl. Not a deer. Well, at least not completely. Deer hooves. Deer legs. Deer tail. Human chest and arms and hands (disregarding the claws). Human face. Deer ears. Deer antlers. All real.
Before you fell asleep, you felt your world move, and you were resting in the arms of that stranger. When you woke up, a blanket of old furs covered you, waking you from your slumber in the nest of leaves and grass. Surrounding you was an abandoned temple, overtaken by nature. The forest took back what humans took from it. Beside your nest was a little handmade and hand-carved table. On it, a bowl of water, a bowl of berries, and a bowl of freshly picked fruits. Food for you.
Again, when you woke up, you looked up to see the fawn standing before you, a cane topped with green crystals used as a walking stick in his left hand. When he noticed that you were awake, a smile bloomed across his face.
“Welcome.” His voice was soft. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my friend. You fell off the path and got lost, so I decided to take you here so you could rest and heal. Nobody should stumble around with a broken ankle, right?”
You tried to get up, insisting you needed to get home. The fawn shook his head and crossed over to your nest, shaking his head as he knelt down. His hand petted through your hair. “No need to worry. It’s fine. We’re in a place that exists outside of time. You can go back precisely when you want to. My name is Staci. God of this realm, God of the Forests. Please, make yourself at home. You’re safe here. Your presence is appreciated by all of the creatures here.”














