Leshy

Classification
Spirit, Malevolent

Brief Description
A spirit of the forest that watches over sections of forest, known to kill travelers and wandering children.

Additional Information
Leshies are spirits of the wood that generally appear as masculine humanoid beings with antlers and other wood limbs sprouting from their bodies. leshies can also take on the appearance of animals, Leshies have low tolerance for humans in their domain, though they will usually allow them to pass through unharmed. Leshies will turn violent if travelers or other humans choose to linger in their territory, in these cases the Leshy will often kill the offender. leshies have complete control over the wildlife of their territory and can summons roots and vines to ensnare their victims and use animals to attack them. The older a Leshy gets, the more powerful it becomes and it will expand its territory which further increases its power. Another attribute of an aging Leshy is a greater inclination towards violent behavior, if a Leshy expands its territory into a nearby village, it will not hesitate to exterminate the inhabitants. Though considered to be spirits, some scholars believe Leshies may actually be a very rare and ancient race of fairy folk, this is due to their proclivity for nature.

Altars
Leshies draw a significant portion of their power from a place called an altar, a sort of large totem that it makes in its own honor, Leshies will guard these fiercely using animals and other elements of nature. Burning the altar will greatly weaken the Leshy.

Dealing With A Leshy
When dealing with an overtly violent Leshy, spectres must take precaution, especially when entering the spirits territory where their power is the greatest. Silver, Blessed Steel, and other sacred items will work, but Leshies can recover quickly from wounds inflicted by these if their altar is intact. Therefore, the best method is to first destroy the altar of the Leshy before battling the spirit.