Cernunnos
Cernunnos, antlered lord of forests and beasts, sits cross-legged with torcs and a serpent. He symbolizes wild abundance, liminal wealth, and the balance between life, death, and renewal.
Story beats
- 1) Often shown with stags, bulls, and the ram-horned serpent, he mediates between wild creatures and humans.
- 2) Torcs in his hands mark sovereignty and wealth from the land itself—not forged coin.
- 3) Seasonal cycles link him to death/rebirth of the hunt and herd.
- 4) Later horned figures echo him, from folklore’s Green Man to archetypal forest guardians.
Context & symbolism
Cernunnos is sparsely attested yet iconic, embodying respectful harvesting and reciprocity with nature. Antlers signal regeneration; his seated pose suggests mediation and rootedness.
Coins near shrines show that wealth depends on ecological balance; serpents and stag together tie earth and sky vitality.
Motifs
- Antlers, torcs, and ram-horned serpent
- Seated cross-legged mediator pose
- Animals gathered peacefully
- Cycle of hunt and herd renewal
Use it in play
- Negotiate with a horned guardian for hunting rights or environmental clemency.
- Find a lost torc that keeps wildlife calm around a village.
- Rite of passage: prove respect for the wild under Cernunnos’ gaze.
- Balance overhunting consequences—beasts follow Cernunnos into retaliation.