[center]
The sun was a gift on a winter morning. It tenderly woke all around with gentle touch, warming hearts as well as pelts. The world was far from quiet by the time the sun crested the treeline. Still, it was pleasant to wake up to the warmth that signaled spring may soon grace the Forest again.

Even upon waking, the stag was happy. His contentment was the only thing that he could give to this forest. The koi-pelted deer was no fighter. He was no defender or knight. The Endless Forest stag wasn't even that large compared to most other deer and creatures in the forest nowadays. One thing he had, however, was his convival attitude. It was rare of him not to be contented with life. This morning he couldn't complain about life at all. Life was good.

Characteristic of the breed, the stag rose from sleep to stretch like a hound. Each muscle seemed to melt. After a shake of the stag's pelt there was nothing more he could think to do to feel as relaxed as he did in that moment. With closed eyes, the stag reveled in the feelings that tingled his skin in that very moment.

Snow crunched beneath hoof as Moss lumbered out from behind the tree that had sheltered him overnight. Each hoof was placed carefully on the slushy ground as the stag made his way to the edge of the river, near to the Crying Idol. This far into winter, the pond would be too ice-covered to get a proper drink. Moss would have to either eat snow or drink from the fresh tears of the ever-flowing Idol.

The deer stopped dead in his tracks for a moment at the edge of the forest. Snow sparkled in front of his eyes in a dazzling display. It covered every inch of ground in a thin layer. The sounds of each hoof fall designated the texture of the surface: thin and crisp with ice. It was safe for the stag to move out, so he did.

The roar of the Idol's lament filled Moss' ears as he drank from the eyes. Water spattered his face as his bruised tongue lapped mouthful after mouthful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am6dIID59xo

Quality Discourse: Endless Forest Spotlight

Since Moss had to use this power for the first time recently, I thought I might make a thread dedicated to how he uses it, what it is, and what the limitations of it are.


How does this 'Golden Rule' thing work?

Should someone attack Moss with intent to hurt him, he will become intangible. This is in homage to how the game itself works, where we can't really touch each other.

The GRP is activated when someone tries to physically harm Moss, and lasts for the duration of the threat. Should a repeat-offender appear, the GRP will become active the moment the other enters the vicinity.

There is no energy source for GRP. There's no need to replenish it, no need to rest after using it, etc.


Magic and GRP

Just like the game, Moss can still throw spells when intangible. This is the ONLY way he can protect anyone like this, since he is unable to touch others just like they can't touch him.

Spells that can be thrown are all simple forest spells: Masks, Pelts, Antlers, Critter spells. The only difference here is that Moss can stack up a limited number of spells.

Limits:
• Mask spells: +/- 7 spells.

[center]A breath of air froze on contact with the outside world. It was a wonder that the forest wasn't blanketed in fog today or any other day of winter. Hundreds breathed here. Just a moment of silence was completely lost in many parts of the Forest. One could hear others calling to their kin. Footfalls that one would think were dampened by the snow were easily picked up on just because of how numerous they were. The forest bustled even in the early morning hours, now. It was difficult to catch a break.

A deer took the opportunity to steal away into the quieter part of the forest. The snow thinned here beneath the glare of the sun. Orange and black and white turned from glaring exposure to the best of camouflage against the Birch ground that was still dappled in places with piles of melting snow. This place was at least quieter, and the further he trekked into it the more quiet it got. The deer trod along until he found sufficient silence.

The calls were far away as the stag's ears pivoted about his head, radar to catch any noise. Thank the Gods there was little. Another cloud of breath floated off on the winter breeze. The humanoid face appeared to be nervous for a moment as a bird flew away from the safety of the brush. Finally, the koi-pelted deer huffed out a sigh as he relaxed. A shake later, the calm had settled in and the human-faced deer set to sniffing the world around him. His humanoid nose moved along the earth until a dry spot was sought. With a grunt, Moss placed himself on that dry patch of ground. He found it warm and in direct light of sun. Black ears fell back not in upset, but in sheer bliss. To match, the stag closed his small eyes. The world just seemed right when it was this calm.

As of late, the stag seemed more in-tune with his natural side. He was less inclined to follow pursuits of knowledge, and more to enjoy the simpler things.

[center]
It seems that all Gods love a good koi pond in their garden.

The Endless Forest is no exception. For that... I'm really glad they do.

Having access to the koi really reminds me every day why I am glad to be here. It reminds me of the past I have only recently gathered the courage to tell to another deer, a fawn no less. Finally, now that I have accepted what I was in the past I can move toward my future. However, There's something about my past that I want to bring along with me.



The black and white stag made his way to the statues of his newer Gods to pray. He approached from the front, scaling the steep hill with the ease of a young buck. Here, in this place, he was a lot younger than he looked. The stag always attributed that to his past experience, as that wizened more than just one's mind. That, and smiling too often created creases in one's face.

I want to take along a reminder of that past every time I see my reflection. So I asked the Gods for the chance to do so.

Moss bent his forelegs to bow in prayer. Once he had achieved contact with the Gods, the stag's body turned white and the familiar blue fog surrounded his head. There he knelt for several moments.

I asked them if it would be something they could do for me, as a way to remind me where I came from. We had what felt like a long talk, the three of us. They are always so welcoming, and have a wonderful sense of humor. Finally, after a bit, they agreed that there was something that the pair of them could do. Honestly, I was somewhat unnerved by their grins. But I trusted them both completely. The Golden God gave me his instructions, and I assured them both that I would follow them to the letter.

Moss, still coated in the Devout Pelt, raced down the hill he had scaled not long before. According to the Gods, the stag didn't have much time to waste. The pair had enchanted further the pelt he wore.

Doodles.

Peaceful.

The birch paper bark lay strewn over the ground. Messy furrows pierced the snow's once-perfect shell of ice. Gashes marred a couple of the trees, now doomed to die from being stripped of bark. There, beside one tree, stood a heaving form.

How can I remain that way?

Head hung low, tines pointed directly at the most recently gored birch. Marks like those of an axe striped down the tree where those bright white bones had attempted to lodge in it. Wood chips littered the ground at the attacker's hooves.

These antlers are made for war.

All attempts so far had failed miserably. The trees had sacrificed themselves for little. Moss felt sour. The only thing he was given was a splitting headache in the attempt to crack the antlers from his skull.

Antlers are made to injure.

The black and white deer's sides heaved as he tried to catch the breath he had lost. One more time he tried. The once-peaceable beast threw his crown into the trunk. It gave in easily against the bone spears as they met. The beast continued to drive them in until he was sure they were sufficiently embedded in the wood. A grunt of frustration passed his lips, one of many that had echoed through the silence of the snowy lowland birch that afternoon.

I want them gone.

The beast bent his forelegs, thrusting upward. His muscles clenched visibly beneath the shaggy winter coat he wore. His face contorted as the pain shot through his skull. He cried out. The tree creaked in pain as they fought. It tried to hold on to the flesh that the deer was slowly tearing from it. The action hurt them both in a terrible way.

I want no part of this horrible burden.

Moss cried out again. Pain drew tears to his eyes and caused his face to burn red under the white fur. It hurt, oh it hurt! That tree, with a last squeal of wood being pulled from itself, gave way. The stag stumbled back.

MOVED

[center]He smiled. It was akin to a gentle caress on any skin, barely an upturn of his lips. His black eyes were rimmed with wrinkles and dark lashes. His face was beastlike, with enough animal trait to be accepted by those who had the faces of deer. His face was human enough to display familiar expression to those who required it for healthy interaction. He knew how to interact with both. For that he thanked the Gods every day.

The lightly-furred nose that halved his face blew out steam into the cool air. It was pink with cold. The white steam blew away. Careful ears pivoted on the sides of his head, taking in cries and birdsong. The forest was busy. He would move to a quieter part.

White and black, two at a time, hooves trampled snow. The black and white trotted through it, over the flat land and to that small cliff that overlooked the Playground's massive boulders. In summer, they were a wonderous sunning spot. In winter... a cold place. Yet he continued to trot in that direction.

Instead of gently scaling the slippery slopes, the stag leaped over. He slid down, mainly on his white-furred rump. A low, warm laugh escaped into the chilled air. Even the more quiet beasts could enjoy their home. Once at the bottom, the beast stood and shook himself. Once at the lowest point in the wood, the black and white continued on. There was a quiet place for him deeper, where deer rarely tread.

The Birches grew taller, thinner, and grasses struggled up through the snow here. The drifts lay untouched in the Lowland Birch. It was as the stag enjoyed most. The trotting slowed to a walk. Careful now, he picked his way through the snowy trees. A very small few knew of this place, or cared to be here. They were those that the stag would prefer for company today, as likely they were quiet and reserved. He wouldn't shoo anyone away, though. That was the way of Moss. He accepted all provided they accepted his peaceful ways.

I am afraid to go into the forest with pictograms turned off because I am afraid I won't recognize someone and they will get mad at me for trying to interact.

I am afraid to interact with others in the forest, because I am fearful that they will reject my characters.

I am worried that this will make me sound like a whiny brat looking for attention.

I am nervous every time I interact with anyone in-game or out, because I am afraid to say something wrong.

I am fearful of being myself, because I am afraid that I am too much for others... or too little.

I cannot begin to describe how afraid I am when I say "I have no friends." Because I don't really know what a friend is, or who I am supposed to call a friend. I am afraid that I will call someone a friend who doesn't want to be my friend.

I am fearful of those who talk behind my back, even though I talk behind the backs of others. They have every right to be angry with me. I'm a hypocrite.

I am annoyed by those who can't look past past offenses. I can't understand how others can hold a grudge for a long time.

Sometimes I rant about others. In the end, when I am done, I feel no better than when I started. I usually wind up crying and realizing how much of a bitch I am.

I am flighty.

If I get nervous about something, I shut down.

I cry a lot more often than people would think.

To those who think I am a strong person: I'm grateful. I don't know how else to say it.

To those who hate me: You probably have your reasons. I accept that. I wish we could be better friends, though.

I'm so nervous to post this... because I feel like I am begging for attention. Honestly, I just want to bare myself so that everyone has a chance to see. I hope I help someone with this, so that I can smile and know that something has changed for someone else because I did something. THAT is what keeps me going: Making others happy.