Lore: Deer · 1:08am January 2nd
Deer are incredibly elusive. Some say they don’t exist. After all, what besides ghouls and mutants could survive inside the Whitetail Woods?
By popular demand, here is a blog about some deer lore I've been working on.
I have seen many takes on deer lore for FO:E, so this is mine. So in the show I know that they were portrayed as non sentient but personally, I've always liked the idea of them being sort of like a cross between First Nations People and Elves? Likewise, I have always liked stories about what is lurking at the bottom of the sea or those horror stories about monsters in the Chernobyl zone of exclusion. The Glow in Fallout 1 actually housing a former Westek Research Facility. Likewise I was extremely disappointed to find out in Fallout 4 that there was not a whole lot to find in the Glowing Sea. Following this general obsession I've always imagined to myself "What could be lurking inside of the Whitetail Woods?" If you read Red 36 (I'm not sure why you are reading my blogs if you don't but I appreciate it anyways), you might remember the ghostly White Alicorn that was lurking inside of them. Now I'm not here to imply that actually there's some sort of research facility inside the Whitetail Woods. It would not be totally out of character for FO:E, I suppose, but that is not really the implication I'm getting at.
The White Alicorn is something more closely tied to Roulette, and we're here to talk about deer dammit! So who is this edgy lad? This is a character named Sagebrush Shadow, and they are part of a tribe of deer who lives inside of the Whitetail Woods. The Sylvan Coven (Tbh I haven't fully decided on a name for them yet, but yeah let's go with that for now; bit of a stretch on the etymology but it could work especially if they were a Matriarchal society, which is pretty in line with FiM generally.).
So how do they survive in there? The short answer? At least for this tribe of deer, they are necromancers. They weren't that way at the start, but through mysterious means and forbidden texts, they were forced to turn to necromancy as a necessity. Except not in the way that necromancy is typically depicted. There is no raising of corpses here. There is no screwing with eternal rest or f*ing with peoples' soul bits. I was tempted and inspired to try to think of "benevolent" uses for necromancy and how they are tied to it. Commune with the dead. Spare the dying. Walk through radiation as if it were nothing. If you're living in a place as hostile as the Whitetail Woods, developing a connection with balefire radiation (which is inherently necromantic) doesn't just make sense, it's a matter of survival. I also thought it'd be interesting to have a culture that doesn't see it as inherently evil.
I feel like whatever else was going on with deer before the War is supposed to be a bit of a mystery, like I consider most things that weren't explicitly S1-2 or detailed in the original. There'd be a reason why LP wouldn't have encountered x or y on her journey. Their role in it is not exactly well documented, but I would suspect they mostly believed that it wasn't their fight. However, if the Caesar represented an existential threat to them after the megaspells became a factor in the war, some level of cooperation with the wartime government would make sense. I don't think they would've been mobilized on the same level as pegasi or others, but at least a few of them saw combat. Possibly on a volunteer basis. I'd also say it's not much of a stretch to say there could've been a Stable built somewhere inside of the Whitetail Woods during the war. (I could go into wartime or prewar history at a later date but right now it's not comprehensive enough to go into detail)
Eventually their worst fears became manifest. Caught up in the war of two nations, the last day came. Megaspells rained. They managed to survive the worst, but the corruption nearly spread into the Stable. Something about their society had to change if they were to survive.
After the Megaspells, they would find their answer in necromancy and build their new village around the leftover Stable which would remain the single untainted place inside of the Whitetail Woods. So the young would likely be born inside of it and when they came of age they would undergo rites of passage involving the practice of necromancy. Not only have they perfectly adapted to living in the Wasteland, they have a means of mostly cutting themselves off to the rest of the outside world. That's to say nothing of the Town of Unity that has recently been set up on the borders of their woodlands, but that is a story fore another time...
"Looks like a normal skull to me..."
"How dare you?! Don't you know who this is? This is the skull of our great deceased ancestor, King Antler!"
They likely operate under a council, with seats held by the eldest in their society making the important decisions with villagers both dead and alive offering their opinions on a subject. The way their culture is set up allows for souls and the dead to continue to serve active guidance to the current generation, but only those who are currently alive can hold seats. I think the idea of them living in harmony with necromancy and the dead is more in theme than them collectively cheating death as a society and I just like it more. Just like shedding your antlers, you will eventually shed your mortal coil, but it is not necessarily the end of them. It also means they have the edgiest library of first person accounts in the Wasteland.
In the past there have likely been some instances of a deer who had given over to darker instincts or become mutated in some way due to failing their rites. Most of the time these mistakes are contained without further loss, but there may have been a few (especially in the earlier years Post Wasteland) where the resulting darkened creatures would run amok. In their minds there is no reason to fear death, it is becoming corrupted and losing yourself that is the true hell. Now these instances are rarely ever heard of. There is a certainty and almost arrogance in their self-assuredness.
These deer have remained mostly isolationist for the past two centuries, but because of recent events with Sunshine and Rainbows they must acknowledge that the world has changed again. Especially since Gardens of Equestria might pose a threat to their current way of life.
Fun fact: King Antler's skull can act as Sage's "guide" and carry the knowledge of the deer people (and is also a silly excuse to do the Davison Nightkin bit)
Thanks for reading this lore dump. Obv, since I am still working on this conceptually it is still a bit of a work in progress, but I liked the concept overall. Do you hate it? Should I keep it out of Red 36? Tell me what you think?
First, let me say great artwork.
I have certainly read your work Red 36 and look forward to more of it when you get to it. I am particularly intrigued by your interpretation of the Deer culture and I look forward to reading more of it. Keep up the good work.
Trooper
5761986
Thanks Trooper. Lillo is an awesome artist, glad you like it. Also glad you like the lore on them. Thanks!
I think you'd be interested in the deer as they appear in the g4 comic if you haven't already read it.
5762000
I've skimmed the comics a little bit. Enough that I know about King Aspen, but I don't know much about whatever story lines they're involved in.
5762001
You got the elf bit spot on lol.