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Briar.

"I am neither bound by time nor tamed by the world. I am the wind that whispers, the shadow that dances—forever running, forever free."

I deeply respect and honor Native American cultures and traditions. The elements featured here are inspired by various Native American influences, and I strive to represent them with care and respect. If any aspect of my work unintentionally misrepresents or offends, please know that it is never my intention. I welcome feedback and am committed to learning and making adjustments to ensure that these cultures are portrayed in a respectful and accurate manner. Thank you for your understanding and for helping me maintain respect for these rich and diverse traditions.

in reality:

                       chapter,   one  .  .  .
   01     In Native American cultures, particularly among the Algonquin and other woodland tribes, the Deer Woman is a powerful and mysterious spirit. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman with the lower body of a deer, symbolizing a deep connection to both human and animal worlds. The Deer Woman is seen as a protector of the forests and wildlife, but she also carries a dual nature. She can be a figure of kindness, guiding and protecting, but is also known to be a trickster, using her enchanting beauty and allure to lead people astray or punish those who disrespect the natural world.

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                       cha·pt·er,  two   .  .  .
   02     The Deer Woman’s role in Native American folklore varies across different tribes, but she is often seen as a figure of warning and a reminder of the balance between humans and nature. In some stories, she is a seductress who ensnares men with her charm, teaching them lessons about respect and humility. In others, she embodies the spirit of the deer, representing gentleness, grace, and the strength of the natural world. The Deer Woman is a complex figure, both revered and feared, embodying the mysteries of life, death, and the untamable forces of the wilderness.

.  .  .  RETURN HOME.

" Freedom whispers in the winds, chaos in my heart. "

     hooks     
✧ Shaaloani Ties
Whispers of the Wilds: Your character once traveled through Shaaloani and heard stories of the Deer Woman—a trickster spirit said to lure travelers astray with illusions. Do they recognize the glimmer of familiarity in Briar’s eyes, or perhaps they once sought his favor and now wonder if he remembers their bargain?
Lost in the Forest: Perhaps your character once found themselves hopelessly lost in Shaaloani’s dense forests, only to be guided by a strange figure with antlers who led them out. Did they view the encounter as a blessing or a curse? Would they recognize Briar if they crossed paths again?✧ Fae Glamour and Illusion
A Glamour Too Perfect: Despite his fae disguise, something about Briar feels off—the scent of rain-soaked earth clings to him, or perhaps his eyes reflect the moon even when it isn’t full. Does your character have the sensitivity to recognize that he isn’t truly fae?
Trickster's Bargain: Briar occasionally offers "deals" in the fae realm—a lost charm for a secret, a game of chance for a favor. Whether your character wins or loses, the consequences are never quite as they seem.
Slipping Through Glamour: Your character notices small inconsistencies in Briar’s appearance—the faint outline of stretching antlers flickering in his shadow. Do they press him for answers, or do they play along with his deception?✧ Emotional and Personal Hooks
Craving Connection: Though Briar thrives on chaos, there are rare moments when he yearns for genuine companionship. If your character shows unexpected kindness or understanding, they might catch a fleeting glimpse of the gentler creature beneath the mischief. Does this spark a fragile bond, or does Briar flee from the vulnerability?
Reluctant Protector: Despite his wild nature, Briar sometimes finds himself unexpectedly protective of those who remind him of the Shaaloani people—the lost, the defiant, the broken. If your character is in danger, he may step in, only to insist it was purely for his own amusement.✧ Wild and Untamed Encounters
The Scent of Rain: On nights when the storm winds rose, Briar could sometimes be spotted wandering alone. His glamour slipped in the rain. If your character stumbled upon him in this state, would they mistake him for a lost fae or recognize the predator beneath the disguise?
Chased by the Hunt: When the weight of fae society grew too stifling, Briar vanished into the forests, running with reckless abandon. His movements became animalistic, his eyes hungry. Should your character cross his path during one of these wild retreats, they might mistake him for nothing more than a fleeting spirit—until they noticed the blood on his lips.
Predator in the Moonlight: The deeper Briar wandered into the wilderness, the thinner the veil between his playful mischief and his darker urges. When cornered or enraged, his demeanor shifted—his voice turning lower, hungrier, and his playful grin baring too-sharp teeth. If your character trespassed too far into the woods or earned his ire, they might become the hunted, realizing too late that the Deer Woman did not always let mortals leave.
Crimson-Thorned Smile: In rare moments, when the glamor of the fae became too heavy a mask, Briar gave in to the wilder parts of himself. His charm remained intact—lilting words and disarming laughter—but his eyes lingered on throats and his fingers traced collarbones as if measuring. If your character grew too close, they might catch the predatory glimmer in his gaze, the subtle way he drew in their scent, and wonder whether they were being courted or sized up.
The Shadow That Never Grew Up: Though Briar rarely spoke of it, there were strange rumors that followed him—whispers of a lost boy who led others astray, only for them to never be seen again. Some claimed he could hear the laughter of children in the wind that followed him, while others swore that if you looked too long into his eyes, you would see the reflection of stolen youth. If your character knew of the old myth, they might wonder if the Deer Woman was more than just a trickster—but a remnant of something far older, far darker, and far more tragic.

     biography     
Briar is a Deer Woman born from the heart of Shaaloani, a realm of ancient, untamed forests where the trees breathe magic and the winds sing ancient songs. With hooves that leave no mark upon the earth and antlers that stretch toward the heavens, Briar is a creature of the wild—a protector, a trickster, and a spirit of the land itself. Although he is a woman in gender, Briar prefers to use He/Him pronouns, a reflection of his fluid nature and untamable spirit. He does not conform to the norms of others but instead follows the rhythms of the earth, moving through the world on his own terms, unbound by expectations.In the forests of Shaaloani, Briar thrived as a guardian of the land, using his trickster abilities to guide or mislead those who ventured too deep into the woods. With his playful heart, he would weave illusions, sometimes leading travelers to safety, other times into a maze of confusion. Briar was both loved and feared—a spirit whose laughter echoed through the trees, whose presence could shift the balance of the forest in an instant. Like the Deer Woman who embodies both the protector and the mischievous spirit, Briar was both guardian and instigator, keeping the woods in constant motion, unpredictable and free.But when a strange dome appeared in the sky, darkening the lands of Shaaloani, Briar felt an unsettling shift in the air. The magic of the forest began to feel alien, as though the heart of Shaaloani itself was in danger. The winds that once carried the familiar scent of the earth turned cold and distant. The trees no longer whispered the same songs, and a deep unease filled the air. Briar, for the first time in his life, felt fear—a fear that urged him to leave the place he had always called home. Something was wrong, and it was something he couldn't outrun, something that would follow him no matter how far he ran.Fleeing from the land of his birth, Briar entered the realm of the fae, a place where the rules of magic were different but just as binding. He adapted quickly, donning the appearance of a fae, hiding his true nature beneath layers of enchantment. Yet, even in this world of glamour and illusion, Briar could never quite shake the feeling that he was out of place. No matter how many tricks he played or games he won, something deep inside him longed for the wilds of Shaaloani—the place where he could be truly free.In the fae courts, Briar was just another player, another trickster among many. But his heart ached for the forests, for the winds, for the smell of rain on the earth. No illusion could fill the empty space within him. No matter how much time passed or how many fae he encountered, none of it felt real. The glamor of the fae could not mimic the raw, untamed beauty of the wilds that had shaped him. Briar began to understand that no matter how far he ran or how many faces he wore, his true self would always remain tied to the earth and the wilds of Shaaloani.Briar’s story is one of freedom, loss, and the search for identity. He moves between worlds, a being of contradictions—neither entirely fae nor fully of the wild. His heart is torn between the two, and no matter where he goes, he is always caught in the tension between them. He was born to be free, to roam the earth without restriction, but the world has a way of trying to contain him. The more he embraces his fae guise, the more he feels disconnected from the spirit of the land that birthed him.The forest still calls to him, whispering through the wind, pulling him toward home. Briar knows that the time will come when he will have to make a choice: remain in the world of the fae, with its rules and illusions, or return to the wilds that made him. He feels the pull of the land deep in his bones, the call of the forest that will never stop echoing in his soul. Though the fae world offers him a place, it is not a place he can ever truly belong. The forest, the wilds, are where his spirit is anchored.No matter how much Briar tries to hide behind layers of fae glamour, the truth of who he is will always remain. He is a child of the wilds, a creature of the earth and the wind, a being that cannot be caged by illusions or expectations. Briar is more than just the tricks he plays, more than the games he wins. He is a spirit of nature, a being of transformation and change, a protector of the untamed. His heart belongs to the earth, and the forest will always be his true home.Though Briar embraces his fae persona, he never fully lets go of his true self. His story is one of reconnection, of returning to the place that shaped him and confronting the dark forces that have threatened it. In the end, Briar will have to decide whether to remain in the illusion or return to the land that gave him life. The winds are calling him home, and he will answer. The story of Briar is not one of endings, but of journeys—of discovering who he is, where he belongs, and what it means to be truly free.

nine.

Dear Svalinn,I have never been one for pretty words. They feel clumsy in my mouth, too easily tangled and too easily stolen. But you—you make me want to try.I’ve never been afraid of the dark, you know. I was born in it, shaped by the shadows between the trees, raised on the sharp breath of the wind and the whisper of leaves against my skin. But then you came, with your fire in your eyes and your sun-warmed hands, and suddenly the dark felt smaller. Less endless. Less empty.You are the weight that stills my restless feet, the warmth that lingers even after you are gone. When you look at me, it is not with the eyes of a hunter, nor the wariness of prey—but with something I can barely name. It is not possession, nor is it surrender. It is knowing. And it undoes me every time.I once thought I was only meant for the wilds—to run, to haunt, to slip away before anyone could know me. I was a fleeting thing, Svalinn, a creature of shifting shadows and borrowed names. I still am. But somehow, despite all my running, I found myself at your side. And now... I linger. I linger far too long, with your scent still on my skin and your teeth still in my thoughts.You have made a fool of me. I no longer crave only the taste of freedom, but the sound of your breath against my ear. I no longer vanish with the dawn—I find myself returning, again and again, just to feel the weight of your eyes on me. You have ruined me, and I will gladly let you ruin me again.Yours, in the light and in the dark,
Briar