[Spirit/Air] Tribes 13: Deer
The Deer Tribe, in the manner of most of the Fire tribes, is divided into male and female groupings. Together, they are the Rulers of Fire and the chief Guardians and Guides of the Vanir (indeed, the Fire tribes all fall into one or the other category). They are some of the most graceful and fluid of the Vanir; many of them love dancing and running for the sheer joy of body in motion and their own strength. Most of the Stags feature antlers, whether as headdresses, or hybrid human-deer forms; likewise, the Hinds often feature the colorings and features of their particular deer-form, even when seen as humans.
The Ruler of this tribe is the Shaman-Father, as he has been since the dawn of time. The Maiden of the Woods is also a member of this tribe, and a train of Deer-folk are usually to be found with her, running through the forests.
The Stags are the Keepers of the Forests, both in their world and in ours. They protect the wild places against those who are not fit for them; those who need to find their wildness or face their fears often find themselves following a Stag into their own "forest", where lies great magic. The Hinds are quieter, gently leading people to their proper places, and nurturing and protecting them as they find their way.
The lesson of Deer is Grace, that internal quality of movement and purpose that is both beautiful and practical - the dancer in motion, the trained warrior in battle, the priest in ritual - and the expression of actualised and integrated strength and power that comes from knowing and being the proper place in one's life.
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