The Forest Folk

"The forest folk" is the term that seems to be used across Barovia, including by the Vistani, to describe the people who live in the Svalich Woods and similarly undeveloped areas.

Behaviour
By all accounts given to our heroes, the forest folk are universally unfriendly and aggressive. However, in the fight to free the winery as well as the fight on Yester Hill, they found themselves receiving aid from some of the forest folk.

Perhaps it is not surprising that friendly forest folk seem to be unheard of, as Number Five emphasized that any forest folk who witnessed their intervention had to be killed, and that they had taken a great risk by intervening at all, and could not stay to talk. Why they chose to reveal themselves on this occasion remains a mystery.

Tactics
The forest folk seem to mostly rely on Druidic magic as well as their control over blights in battle, though those who aided our heroes did not seem to have blights on their side. Some of them also seemed to rely more on weapons rather than magic in combat.

Unknown Druid
With violent red hair, this older druid revealed themself to aid Bodaway when it looked as though he'd be overwhelmed by blights, fleeing when he was no longer in trouble, then turning back when it looked like he was being overwhelmed again. They died for their trouble, getting battered by blights, but Osrin unwillingly resurrected them soon after using Sykane's power. They appeared to have some limited understanding of Common, but far less than Number Five.

Unknown Fighter
Muscular and red-headed, whether or not this fighter speaks any Common is unknown. He came with Number Five to both the winery and Yester Hill, backing her up with his greataxe.

Unknown Leader
A druid with powerful magic above and beyond what most of his fellows seem able to command, this old, bearded man was killed by Osrin on Yester Hill.

Unknown Priestess
Spotted for the first time on Yester Hill, this priestess seems to be another powerful caster. She wears an elaborate headdress with huge antlers on it, reflecting some recurring imagery our heroes have been running into lately. Her spiritual weapon is a massive scythe carved out of bone, decorated in leather, feathers and teeth, somewhat similar to the Symbol of Ravenkind in its aesthetic.



Mathghamhain
The fifth half-elf Sylvain has clocked in Barovia, Mathghamhain relies on the use of poisoned darts and stealth. Though fluent in Common, she is also brusque and businesslike, willing to help in life or death situations but with no interest in explaining why. According to her, the forest folk were once all a single people, hunted by Strahd as well as many others. When Strahd became the vampire lord of Barovia, many seemed to accept him as their new leader, while Mathghamhain and her allies are members of a smaller contingent of forest folk who keep to "the old ways."