I wrote this for an old world forest-themed survival-horror Dungeons and Dragons game (If you think The Witcher or Game of Thrones, you’ll get the idea). The players asked for a little more information about the gods of the setting, so rather than write it up as dry text, I gave them some verse to better evoke the dark mood and primal themes of the campaign.

The Warrior, the prince of blood
Strides bravely off to war
Soldiers stand behind him
And nothing stands before

The Hunter waits and watches
And patience is his guide
What better way to find the prey
Or bloody hands to hide?

The Fool would dance and caper
Til her father stilled her voice
And now she knows – but never tells
The road through every choice

The Maiden sits in silence
And all things come her way
She’ll ask your laughter and your tears
And nothing will she pay

The Mother’s words are kindness
And her heart is pure gold
And if you ever call those lies
Best hope she’s never told

The Crone counts every heartbeat
And misses not a one
She’ll be there when you first draw breath
And when your story’s done

The Stranger wears a thousand masks
No face to call his own
He only takes what hurts the most
And squeezes blood from stone

The Serpent whispers softly
His secrets are his pride
He’ll never ask a single gift
But what you have to hide

The Gambler dances on a blade
But never seems to fall
With nothing ventured; nothing gained
Win big, or lose it all

The Empress wears a crown of thorns
And tears of blood she weeps
Power comes to those who wish
But was was theirs, she keeps

Winter waits behind the sky
In every drop of rain
Not fair; not right; not true; not just
He goes, but comes again

Silence sleeps amongst the trees
Her face a pallid white
Her lips are cold, her skin is pale
Her eyes too harsh, too bright
And if she should awaken
You’ll never put it right