The Deer of Evandar

From Wikipedia

Deer feature prominently in the stories of Evandar. In some ways, the deer of Evandar are patterned after the white-tailed deer that I saw regularly on my family's farm as I was growing up. They are approximately the same size as white-tailed deer and have much of the same demeanor. The Evandari deer also share the white-tail of these deer so familiar to me. The stags of Evandari deer are on average 290 to 350 lbs when full grown. The does weigh between 150 to 290 lbs at maturity. Albinoism does happen more frequently in the population of Evandari deer, presenting in triple the abundance of the white-tailed deer of our world.

They are a staple of the Evandari diet. Under the reign of Erian the Hero and previous High Kings of the Seven Kingdoms, deer were considered to be fit for nobles and freed men alike to hunt. With the reign of Askemb the Usurper, deer have become the province of solely noble hunting. Albino deer are taken down but they are generally given as offerings in the temples of the god Sigurt. This is because the albino deer are considered to be descendants of the stag that Sigurt incarnated as at the beginning of the world.

Specialized rituals in the handling of the heart of deer have evolved in Aethelmer and Ackmere. The heart is considered the seat of the deer's soul and thus is offered to Sigurt after being prepared for consumption. Only nobles and priests are permitted to consume the hearts of regular deer. Albino deer hearts are solely consumed by the regional high priests of the gods. The rest of the normal deer is consumed as is typical for medieval period usage of deer. Albino deer meet is used only by the household of priests. The skin and other deer products are crafted into items used by the priests of Evandar.

The deer of Dakon-Bar are of such abundance that the herds were maintained by the regular hunting by men due to a lack of natural predators. Some people have begun the attempt of domesticating deer but with little success. Rumors abound within Dakon-Bar that the fabled Grey Lady of the Wood has a connection with all the wildlife of the vast forest. As such, stories of her riding the deer as one would a horse or having a chariot pulled by them are told.

In Tarsus, deer became progressively more scarce as one moved farther north from Dakon-Bar because the predator population increased with the distance from Dragonwood forest. Deer do not form a primary part of the Tarsian diet. This place is taken over by sheep and goat. They are, however, considered a delicacy and generally the food of the wealthy.