Hazel

Hazel is the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the wilderness.

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## Appearance

In her most human-like appearance, she stands at a height of 5'8, and has a lithe build, with a darker complexion, dark brown hair that reaches her shoulders, and black eyes. Freckles are scattered across her cheeks and arms. Most of the time, Hazel wears a bottle-green cloak, a simple brown tunic and trousers, and a pair of leather hunting boots.

## Personality

Hazel is passive enough until she's been provoked. She tries to stay as neutral as possible and rarely takes interest in mortal affairs and conflicts unless they directly relate to her. She's somewhat of a chaotic neutral, valuing her own liberty and following her whims; doing only what best benefits herself. Because of this, she can be easily perceived as cold or distant. However, if you’re one of the one or two individuals that she genuinely cares about, she won’t hesitate to lend a hand if you’re in need of help.

Hazel isn't exactly an empath and often has trouble understanding the emotions of others. Likewise, she handles her own negative emotions by completely ignoring them and expects others to act the same way.

## Abilities

### Plant Manipulation

Hazel has the ability to create, shape and manipulate plants, including wood, vines, moss, and leaves. The goddess can cause plants to grow, move or attack, or even rise from the soil and "walk."

### Animal Communication

Additionally, she can speak to most animals, and, in turn, understand their speech as well.

### Shapeshifting

She also has the power to shapeshift into a variety of animals, although she most commonly takes the form of a bear, a doe, an eagle, or a hare. However, she's easily identifiable by a white marking in the shape of an oak leaf on her forehead. She can assume the guise of a young girl or an old woman as well.

## Worship

While the goddess used to have an active group of followers, barely any mortals know of her now, due to her reclusiveness. Her temples used to consist of a series of stone cairns arranged in a square around a raised dais, but most have fallen into disrepair.

## Backstory

Hazel was born to the count and countess of a small city-state in Forengard's medieval sect. She spent the majority of her youth in the safety of her parents' palace, where she, much to their dismay, was anything but well-mannered. She greatly preferred swordplay and archery to the stifling lessons in etiquette and history that she was forced to endure, and, despite her mother's best efforts, never became the proper young lady that she was expected to be.

During her late teenage years, her parents decided that the time was ripe to betroth her and marry her off. Hazel, on the other hand, was having none of this, as she had fallen in love with her personal maid, Ada. Upon discovering that her father, with neither her knowledge nor her consent, had betrothed her to a prince from a nearby kingdom, Hazel and her lover attempted to run away. However, a suitor that she had previously rejected, Tobias, was furious that she had spurned his advances and informed the count and countess about their relationship and their whereabouts. Soon thereafter, the two were found and taken back to the palace.

Hazel's parents were outraged and disgusted by her relationship, although they blamed only Ada. Believing that she had "tainted" and "hoodwinked" their daughter, they sentenced her to death, despite Hazel's pleas, and she was executed the next day.

Grief-stricken and heartbroken, Hazel tried once more to flee but was pursued by Tobias, who was convinced that she belonged to him. When she refused to return home with him, he shot her fatally with an arrow. The dying Hazel stumbled and fell next to an Ambrosia Flower, which she ate in the hopes that it was poisonous and would kill her faster. She was subsequently transformed into a goddess and used her newfound powers to avenge Ada by killing Tobias. Hazel also transformed her fallen lover's body into an oak tree, which she took as one of her symbols.

## Relationships

### Kai

The two have a close connection, and the sea god is probably one of the only people that Hazel can always trust to have her back.