Padurii

Initiate scry…

Look, sweetling. We allow you to see through the skull windows of a lovesick youth. Look. Do you see? You are on the edge of the lush forest near Harbabureşti. You see a small grove sprinkled with flowers and evergreens. A door leads into a rock wall with a perky, red heart painted on its front. At first glance it looks like a cheery, welcoming place. You — that is, the youth — came here following a pretty face and a sweet voice. The romantic. You linger unwisely. Look through the youth’s eyes. See the wildflowers, berry bushes and patches of mushrooms haphazardly planted in a riot of contrasting colours. Cast-off materials from the farmlands nearby have been used to build a twisted mirage of a snug, inviting forest home – hiding the cold darkness behind the doors. The lasting effect is both overpowering…and disturbing. The youth shivers. The young one remembers the stories. This grove marks the entrance of Fata Padurrii’s grotto. The red heart door opens. The youth is never seen again.

TUNING… The folklegend frequency… Slavic… Romanian…

The story goes, Fata Padurii – the Forest Girl – is the child of two similarly primal beings. But between parents and daughter there is no familiar love, only vicious dysfunction. Mutual despising and mutual abuse, round and round. Eventually, the daughter stole the magic from her parents and then fled to get as far away from them as she could. Fata Padurii is a demon who tricks the young into following her to her den, where she then kills them. She is a shapeshifter and often uses the form of a young, very beautiful woman to enthral a lovesick youth to come with her. Once her prey is within the confines of the grotto, she transforms into a hideous monster, kills them and eats their hearts.

She needs the organ in order for her transformation magic to work, then uses this enchantment to kill more men for their hearts. It’s a vicious, never-ending circle. What is the lesson here, sweetling, to your messy, mammal minds? Love is beautiful, but also deceitful, dangerous and, heart-wrenching? Do we understand you correctly? Time works like wind on stone, cutting away the mountains of belief, and those beings of folklegend fall into decline. As many mythical creatures did, Fata Padurii retreated to Bacaş County when the truce between man and mythos was still in effect.

Here, she could prey on those who willingly followed her without breaking the armistice. Because she never left the forest and only came out at night, she was not a hunting predator, and even the ever-alert Cucuvea and Moşul would leave her alone.

Fata Padurii is known to wander about, in her human guise, luring the unwary deeper and deeper into the Shadowy Forest. If you see her, sweetling, approach with caution. If you follow her and survive the encounter, she may have secrets to offer.

In recent times, Fata Padurii has been a mostly well behaved supernatural predator. But that was during the truce. Now, with the dark energy of Bacaş County whipping the supernaturals into a frenzy, and with all the newcomers to the valley, Fata Padurii is increasingly active. She has many children, spread about the lonely places. The Padurii are hungry. Counter forces, like Cucuvea, are just too busy in the current chaos. The Padurii gather and make ready to revel as they did in the elder nights. Many are the faces that will never be seen again.