A little place for my personal headcanons.
If you see something here that works for you, you're welcome to use it for your own ocs.
- The forest itself is an alternate reality. For some that means an afterlife, for others another world to travel to. Some even see it as a magical continuation of their own world. It varies. All of mine see it as another world or dimension.
- Forest common is an instinctive language for those born here, but not for newcomers. It's a mix of body language, speech and another sense particular to the forest. It's pretty easy to pick up, though, and some figure it out almost right away.
- There are slight variations in the forest that each resident sees. This can go as far as not noticing or being aware of important happenings in the forest (to explain missing plots etc). "You see what you want/expect to see" is the rule of the land.
- Some residents experience seasons; some don't. (Fogkissed and Unnamed don't, Hlin and Vrasa do.)
- The forest is much, much larger than it appears on screen. It is truly endless. One can walk for days and never reach the end of the birch.
- The edges of the forest seamlessly blend into not-quite-forest and then into other places. The in between places have some very interesting things in them.
- There are portals out of the forest; they occur naturally.
- Metabolisms naturally slow or completely stop upon entering the forest. While some may not experience this effect, all of my ocs do.
- A pictogram is a magical mark. How it's sensed varies by character.
- My ocs 'feel' it like a vibration or aura, though fogkissed occasionally 'hears' them and Vrasa recognizes people better by sight. Changes in pictograms may bemuse them unless the other player prefers not. Some characters may see a pictogram, sense it as a part of the other character's scent, or not recognize it at all. The magic of the gods varies by individual, but it often utilizes a sixth sense that those outside the forest don't have.
- A pictogram is generally granted to a new resident by the gods when they choose the forest as a 'home'. This is not always a conscious decision. Oftentimes, it's a subconscious choice or none at all. Sometimes it's as simple as believing that one is trapped in the forest. Others have reported different stories behind their pictograms, though.
- Pictograms bond to a particular deer, but that bond can be broken and pictograms stolen. The pictogram grants extra senses to its holder (generally the ability to recognize other pictograms, cast magic and speak forest common). Losing a pictogram means losing these senses as well.
- When a deer goes inactive, they fall into a deep sleep--and the bond between them and their pictogram loosens. Visiting the forest less and less may also weaken the bond between the holder and their pictogram. Some deer awaken years later, covered in moss and picto-less. Some never awaken at all and fall into what is believed to be a void between worlds. It is rumored that some deer travel there when they sleep.
- Pictograms can occasionally morph and change with the bonded deer to better represent them. One can also choose to cast off their pictogram, but this is rarely done and is considered a kind of blasphemy to more zealous believers in the Twin Gods.
- Pictograms represent their owners, but it's not always clear how. Their shape can relate to something physical, internal, or just be plain hard to understand. Stolen pictograms may be sensed as 'odd' or 'wrong' for the deer that possesses them, but not always.
- Some forest denizens make a game of pictogram interpretation, rather like fortune telling. Some claim they can either read the pictograms or predict something about the holder from their shape.
- Granters of pictograms. Generally felt as wind or sunshine, but occasionally seen in the flesh--or stone, as it is.
- The statues emanate magic. Praying to them grants a resident some of it to use temporarily. It can be felt as strong warmth.
- A general, quiet faith in them is common, especially in those who were directly granted their pictograms.
- Forest residents have an innate appearance that magic can alter. A natural born fawn with no sense of self will have a distinctly alien face, covered in soft, fine hair.
- Appearance in-forest is based on what the individual believes they should look like (which may include subconscious impressions of the setting/'natural' tef deer). Again, this isn't always a conscious decision and may not be rationally based. Often, it's a symbolic representation that the soul 'believes' it should take on. For example, Vrasa's appearance altered to look more like her mother upon entering the forest.
- Nameless are those who haven't chosen the forest as their 'home' yet. Some have wandered in from other places, some are ghosts, etc. Occasionally, one might be a former named deer that's been stripped of its pictogram.
Test comment #1.
Formerly ocean.
Test comment #2.
Formerly ocean.