Three Golden Stags
An old legend tells of three golden stags that wander the Tense River Basin.
The three are found brothers. Each representing a different mighty forest of the Tense River Basin. Individually they are the greatest and strongest stag in their home. But they found that together they could be much more. Rather than being individually spectacular, they could be collectively elevated. It is through their understanding, care, and community that they rose from being simple stags to being
The Tense River Basin is home to three great forests. In the northwest, the Thumperleaf Forest, gentle but resilient. In the west the Twistenwud, savage, brutal, and powerful. And in the southeast the Cathedral Forest, so named for its mighty redwoods. In each forest, deer frolic and grow. The mightiest of them competing to be the greatest and strongest. Each forest would always have one stag upon which the others would follow. A leader that would emerge from within their ranks.
Always this was the most powerful and the most elusive of the deer. The individual who was greatest rose to the top.
But in this time, the stags did not realize that their forest was but one of many. And so it came to pass that one day a mighty storm came to the basin. Floods, rain that tore through the foliage, winds that uprooted trees and carried away anyone so unlucky to be caught in them. The deer too were taken and washed downriver along the Tense, wandering lost through the plains until they found a forest they have never been too. Fawns sired in the Twistenwud found themselves in the Cathedral, stags who thought themselves mighty washed away in the river and left seeking help in Thumperleaf. The herds were forced to conclude that they were not alone.
The greatest of the stags, one from each forest, determined that they must know who the greatest of the three would be. The deer demanded unity, they demanded one to look up to and to trust.
The stags met where the river crosses. A neutral ground to them all. But try as they might, none could prove themselves mighter than the others. These greatest warriors contested one another in word, and deed, and raw strength. The competition lasted for years. Decades. During which time they homes were left without them, only tales of their struggles and triumphs returning to their home forests.
The three mighty forests, without their leaders, fell into darkness and chaos. The stags were not there, too preoccupied with determining who was greatest and exalting the individual, they forgot their homes.
News came back to them of the turmoil. Each in turn receiving it and refusing to return. They would not be the first to retreat. But as they looked to one another, they knew the others would not be the first either. After decades of time spend fighting one another, they had immense respect for the capabilities of their counterparts. If one would stay, they knew they all would stay.
It was then that they realized how misguided they had been. Each of their homes, left without them, had decayed and faltered. And here they were fighting to rule, when they could have stayed and lead. And now, each forest was in too much turmoil for any one of them to solve. They knew that the only path was to work together. To be the community they wished to see. So they united, and like a wind on the landscape, together they went to each forest not as victors, but as brothers. Because when they could see one another as brothers, they had no jealousy. Each of their successes, belonged to all of them. United by community they brought prosperity and safety back to their forests, one by one. Uniting all of the herds.
To this day, it is rumored that once a year the stags return to test their skills against one another. At the parting of the river. But only for a day. Before they again reach a stalemate and put their differences aside to celebrate their collective strength and do what they must for their greater community.
The three are found brothers. Each representing a different mighty forest of the Tense River Basin. Individually they are the greatest and strongest stag in their home. But they found that together they could be much more. Rather than being individually spectacular, they could be collectively elevated. It is through their understanding, care, and community that they rose from being simple stags to being
The Tense River Basin is home to three great forests. In the northwest, the Thumperleaf Forest, gentle but resilient. In the west the Twistenwud, savage, brutal, and powerful. And in the southeast the Cathedral Forest, so named for its mighty redwoods. In each forest, deer frolic and grow. The mightiest of them competing to be the greatest and strongest. Each forest would always have one stag upon which the others would follow. A leader that would emerge from within their ranks.
Always this was the most powerful and the most elusive of the deer. The individual who was greatest rose to the top.
But in this time, the stags did not realize that their forest was but one of many. And so it came to pass that one day a mighty storm came to the basin. Floods, rain that tore through the foliage, winds that uprooted trees and carried away anyone so unlucky to be caught in them. The deer too were taken and washed downriver along the Tense, wandering lost through the plains until they found a forest they have never been too. Fawns sired in the Twistenwud found themselves in the Cathedral, stags who thought themselves mighty washed away in the river and left seeking help in Thumperleaf. The herds were forced to conclude that they were not alone.
The greatest of the stags, one from each forest, determined that they must know who the greatest of the three would be. The deer demanded unity, they demanded one to look up to and to trust.
The stags met where the river crosses. A neutral ground to them all. But try as they might, none could prove themselves mighter than the others. These greatest warriors contested one another in word, and deed, and raw strength. The competition lasted for years. Decades. During which time they homes were left without them, only tales of their struggles and triumphs returning to their home forests.
The three mighty forests, without their leaders, fell into darkness and chaos. The stags were not there, too preoccupied with determining who was greatest and exalting the individual, they forgot their homes.
News came back to them of the turmoil. Each in turn receiving it and refusing to return. They would not be the first to retreat. But as they looked to one another, they knew the others would not be the first either. After decades of time spend fighting one another, they had immense respect for the capabilities of their counterparts. If one would stay, they knew they all would stay.
It was then that they realized how misguided they had been. Each of their homes, left without them, had decayed and faltered. And here they were fighting to rule, when they could have stayed and lead. And now, each forest was in too much turmoil for any one of them to solve. They knew that the only path was to work together. To be the community they wished to see. So they united, and like a wind on the landscape, together they went to each forest not as victors, but as brothers. Because when they could see one another as brothers, they had no jealousy. Each of their successes, belonged to all of them. United by community they brought prosperity and safety back to their forests, one by one. Uniting all of the herds.
To this day, it is rumored that once a year the stags return to test their skills against one another. At the parting of the river. But only for a day. Before they again reach a stalemate and put their differences aside to celebrate their collective strength and do what they must for their greater community.
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