Difference between revisions of "Druidism"

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== '''Origin:''' ==
  
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'''Chapter 1: The Beginning'''
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In the beginning,  the Creator gave birth to nature. Lifeforce. A gift so sacred that three Aenguls took notice of this mortal realm and descended down upon to watch it flourish. The plants, first brimming with life and growth, soon began to wither and fade. Cerridwen saw as the plants could not grow, adapt, or reproduce. Thus, with her blessing, she gave life. The flora rejuvenated and life started to take hold, creating vast plains, forests, and wilds. The Aengul Cernunnos observed life flourish, becoming abundant, yet having nothing to control its rapid overtaking. To correct this problem, he gave the blessing of endings. The first creations of animals were produced by the Father of the Hunt, along with plants overtaking others and the fight with life and death began. For a time, Cernunnos’s creations halted the plants that were growing too evasive, yet there was no control over this process. Thus what Cerridwen had created now was being destroyed. The Aengul Nemiisae saw the beginnings and endings of nature collide and shift about in a chaotic manner. No balance had yet taken place until the last Aengul intervened, giving her blessing of Culling. A hardened, darker truth to some; to others a necessity. Toxins, claws, fangs, defensive attributes and predatory tactics to cull out the weak. Nemiisae’s blessing filled the hole that the cycle of the two blessings missed. Thus, with this final piece of the triad, the natural balance was complete. The Life Cycle was created.
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Seeing the Creator’s design now flourish upon the realm, The Three Aenguls, now known as the Aspects, sought to keep watch over this new founded creation. To protect and preserve the of the Creator's work for all time, the three Aenguls pooled their power together into one, so creating their own realm- the Eternal Forest. It remained connected to the Mortal’s realm, though existing as a world of its own.  The Aspects took sanctuary within this sacred forest and have ruled over their own respective sections as the guardians and protectors of nature. Before they left to reside in the Fae Realm,  three stones were created from each Aengul as a representation of their gift to the world: The blue stone of Cerridwen, the silver stone of Cernunnos, and the black binding stone of Nemiisae. These stones hold a small portion of each respective Aspect’s power. The area that surrounded the stones became sacred groves to which the lines separating the Fae and Mortal Realms blurred until almost as one.Yet because the Aspects could not linger for an extended period within the mortal plane, even within this sacred area, they in turn began to create guardians to aid in watching over nature. Cernunnos’s creation of animals sparked an idea within Cerridwen and Nemiisae’s mind. They created mighty natural beings that would later come to be called Elder Trees.
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Riitill’eliuii, the first Elder Tree that came into existence, had direct natural energies from the Aspects flowing within its very trunk and roots.. Its very being became sentient and aware of itself, as well as what was around it. Within the pool below its trunk, the Sacred Stones which the Aenguls had created were housed. With this new life, Riitill’eliuii produced seeds that gave birth to the Elder Trees that surrounded the Sacred Grove and protected it from those that wished to destroy it. Some of the firstborn of Cernunnos’s blessing stayed within the Sacred Grove and became guardians that protected over the domain while the rest spread out across the realm. Within the Eternal Forest were created varied beings that would come to be known as Fae.  They were each created for different purposes, residing in the respective area of influence of the Aspect that created them, and would at times venture to the Sacred Grove and live among the guardians there.
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'''Chapter 2: The First Druid
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'''
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Mortals...a creation made by the composer to live and survive on this realm. Nature created for the means of giving them nutrients, food, and shelter. Yet with all things so readily available, abuse and neglect soon did follow. Mountains carved and hollowed out, forests chopped down for lumber, animals hunted to extinction, and rolling plains flattened for the development of civilization. Across the realm, the Betrayer had begun his war; whispers were heard that it approached the Wilds.. The forest in which the sacred grove resided warded off those that wished to do it harm, save for one race that seemed to wish to adapt and live in harmony with what the world offered, instead of destroying and fighting against it. The elves at first found hostility and aggression, nature lashing out at all mortals for a time.  Yet instead of falling into the habits of the other races, they grew to learn from the wilds, and it was then The First would find the sacred grove. A band of elven warriors had broken away from the likes of their kin to live and become protectors of the forest over the years. They saw the fierce power the wilds had to offer and knew such cannot be controlled, only respected. Knowing of the dangers eventually drawing near, the leader of the warriors ventured deep within the ancient woods where stories and legends said none would ever return.
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The trees creaked and swayed as if speaking to one another. Animals shifted about and lingered as if watching the elf from afar. Further and further the elven warrior would walk, undeterred by the presence he knew was there for his determination was unshakeable, until at last he came to a dead end. The warrior was frustrated and lost, he sat down and began to pray. To what? He did not know. The wilds, the sky, or even the unknown creatures that seemed to constantly watch him. Silence, however, would be the only thing to greet him in return, having not yet truly shown his worthiness. A rustle of leaves was then heard from the nearby bushes before a deer would step out before the warrior. The creature’s gaze focused  upon the warrior before suddenly bolt away to the cover of the forest.. The elf, surprised by the behavior of such a normally timid creature, drew his bow and began to give chase. The hunter moved fluidly along the roots and forest floor while the prey ahead darted back and forth until finally an arrow would pierce its flesh and bring the creature to the ground. Catching up to where his quarrel fell, a faint growl emitted nearby as the grass beneath his feet seemed to grow with several flowers sprouting up and taking bloom. The very bushes in front of him then melded away to reveal a massive white wolf with various vines, twigs, and leaves covering part of its body. It’s eyes emitting a radiant emerald glow while it’s form displays pure might and power towards the elf. The warrior, caught off guard by this spirit’s presence, immediately lowered his weapon and bowed before such a beast then steps back from the corpse to give as an offering. The Mani Spirit Morea, Prince of Wolves and Hounds, watches the warrior’s actions intently then steps down towards the fallen prey and devours it. Satisfied with the offering given, Morea steps back while raising its head and parting its maw to let out a loud howl that echoed across the ancient forest, before its entire being would meld back into the flora surrounding the elf, vanishing from sight.
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It was then his plea was answered, a melody lingering within the air then the trees would seem to part. Mesmerized by the faint voice that called, the elf would move to stand then walk towards the source of the melody. As soon as he stepped inside, the trees would close from behind and his senses would suddenly get overwhelmed by the vast number of whispers and melodies of nature all around him. At first, the sensation would cause the elf to collapse as he tried to focus. Eventually overtime, he would be able to concentrate enough to pick himself back up and venture further within. As the warrior passes by, the flora seems to move of their own will. Several Mani Spirits watched intently, some from afar, others more closely to attack if needed.
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He knew of the dangers and power within the wilds itself, something that cannot be controlled and demands respect in order to lend its aid. Having seen a massive tree within the center of the grove, the elf ventured towards the Elder Tree to speak and converse with it.  Holding curiosity of this mortal being that had wandered into its realm, Riitill’eliuii guided the elf to the pool beneath it’s trunk where it’s roots ran deep, the pool itself shimmering with a faint emerald hue from the Aspect Stones that resided within it. There within the water, the warrior’s mind and soul was transported to that of the Fae realm. The Aenguls, aware of the warrior’s desires and presence within their domain, each sought to test the warrior through trials in order to be deemed worthy of taking on such a blessing to fulfil his needs. Cerridwen’s test of life and respect, Cernunnos’s test of the hunt and strength, then Nemiisae’s test of culling and wit. Each trial the elf warrior passed and thus all three Aenguls imbued the warrior with their blessing, creating the first druid.
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As the elf emerged from his vision, he felt, heard, and saw the ebb and flow of life all around him. With the gift of the Aspects now granted to him, the elf went forth and spoke with the guardians of the wilds, requesting a pact to be formed so that those blessed with this gift can co-exist and utilize the flora and fauna to help maintain the balance. The Mani Spirits, Fae and Elder Trees all conversed with the elf and the ability of communion was truly born. With this ‘Pact’ now made, the elven leader guided his other warriors through the trials of the Aspects to be granted the blessing, then went forth to utilize their new gifts. The other races soon learned of the druids and their blessing as they would wander across the land to enact nature’s will, and fight back those that would bring destruction and imbalance upon it.
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'''Chapter 3: The Betrayer’s Destruction
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'''
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With the coming years of destruction from the Betrayer’s war that stretched over the land, the druids that were at first so few grew in number and word spread about their presence within the world. One such person that grew to highly respect the druids and their ways was one of the four brothers, Malin. His curiosity and leadership of his kinfolk to respect nature and live within it did not go unnoticed by the druids and they often ventured to aid and advise the elven leader and his council. The stories of the Aspects and the creatures of the Fae intrigued Malin and with permission of the druids, they guided him on a journey to visit the sacred grove itself and commune with nature there. The love and respect that the Elven King had turned to a way of life for his people, and the worship of the deities of the wild became tradition over time. During this time, Malin ventured out one day and discovered an emerald dragonling by the name of Taynei’hiylu. Her beauty and kind nature Malin grew to love as he took her back to raise as his own daughter. He taught her about the elven culture, how to disguise and even blend in with his people, until the day came when he took her on the journey to meet with the druids and train under them. There under the guidance of the Aspects and the creatures of nature, they discovered her true purpose of existence and with the blessing gifted to the now young dragaar, she became the Transcendent Druid Taynei’hiylu, the Watcher of the Wilds.
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Though with every passing day, as the Betrayer’s war drew closer and closer, Taynei’hiylu was the first to begin to succumb to the influence. Nightmares and visions plagued her mind even when she hid away within the sacred grove to try and find some peace. Malin and the elder druids took heed of the Watcher’s illness and warnings and went to fight against the forces of undeath that spread ruin and despair. The elves fought alongside their leader, trying their best to push back and reclaim the land, yet as their numbers decreased, Iblees’ forces grew. The druids aided as best they could, but they too were pushed back, eventually to where the ancient forest resided. The land became scorched, the trees burned and decimated while the very ground plagued with taint and corruption. Taynei’hiylu was afraid, yet she moved to stand by her brothers and sisters. Her presence alone rallied the others to stand their ground while nature itself heeded her call. Various beasts moved to strike, large roots of ancient trees shot forth from the earth to crush or entangled their foes, and her claws ran deep as she swept through the undead abominations. The Betrayer however had a plan to remove the Green Spirit of the Wilds and thus sent the God Eater Azdromoth, a powerful Drakaar, to kill and consume the Transcendent Druid.. Seeing the massive Archdrakaar swoop towards the elves and druids, the first druid, her mentor and guide, grasped ahold of Taynei’hiylu and told the young dragaar to run. He knew if she fell, nature itself would turn and be completely destroyed. So in their hour of need, she fled as Azdromoth was tailing her from behind. Malin knew of her departure and the reason why, yet to others, especially the younger ones, they would not understand and cast her off as a traitor or coward.
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At last in what seemed like the final hours, the elves and druids were pushed back into the sacred grove itself. The elder trees that were the borders struck back but began to become twisted and overwhelmed. The cries and absolute rage of nature echoed within the grove  and the fae creatures moved to attack. The Mani Spirits charged in with a vicious assault and ripped through the armies of the vile and corrupt. Some would fall, others would succumb to the taint and turn into twisted vile versions of their former selves. The elves fought alongside the wild creatures as a barrier while the druids seemed to have drawn back towards Riitill’eliuii. The first druid felt the area die and twist with the roots of the sentient being above him starting to turn. He gathered his druids around him and went into the shimmering emerald pool to circle around the Aspect Stones. The power of the stones already waning from the might of the Archdaemon and his army attempting to spread the taint further within the grove. The last of the fighters now near the tree as the grove itself was mostly destroyed, the sounds of nature starting to fall silent.
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With a final prayer, the once strong, elven warrior of old drew forth the natural energies of the stones and his fellow druids that willingly gave their power for him to use. A thick veil of shimmering emerald mist would erupt from the pool of the stones, spreading forth and deterring away the vile taint that took hold upon the earth. Malin and the elves charged in once again, having the land itself safe to stand upon once more, and drove back the undead filth that plagued it. The power of the divines showed true that day, yet at a cost. While the elves proceeded to drive back the forces and leave, the damage had already been done. What was once a merging of Fae and Mortal realms alike was now severed and gone. The cleansing mists washed like a cooling stream over the grove to remove the taint and corruption that had nearly overwhelmed it, while the flora revitalized as best it could, yet some things even the power of the Aspects cannot return. The oldest and wisest of the druids, the first ever and leader of the warriors of old, had perished. The pure deific energies that coursed through his very being had turned his skin to bark, his hair to leaves, and eventually his entire body to that of a tree silhouette of the former elf, an ultimate sacrifice given to preserve life itself. The stones as well were drained of their properties and had gone silent while the exhausted druids both wept for and praised their fallen brother.
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'''Chapter 4: Life Reborn
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With Malin’s forces pushing back the Betrayer’s armies, they could not relent nor look back as the elves left the once beautiful, ancient forest that was now quiet and barren. The emerald mists removed much of the tainted areas, with new life slowly blossoming up from the remains of many of the elder trees.  Yet still what was once full of melodies and voices now held only silence. The druids, however, did not give up hope, despite seeing the destruction of their sacred home. The blessing of the Aspects still within them, they moved forth to rebuild and regrow as much as they could of the damage. Riitill’eliuii however had become very weak, as  the Fae Realm was now cut off from the Mortal Realm. It’s connection to the Aspects was severely damaged from the effects of the war and destruction upon the land, and for many years the Elder Tree went quiet, save for the few older druids that first connected within the pool beneath its roots, still able to just barely hear it’s strained words.
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With the four brothers sealing away the Betrayer and the war finally coming to an end, Malin wished to return back to the land that he and his people had grown to cherish and respect. The other races, due to the curses now given, were impossible to truly coexist with. As they came towards the isle and travelled across the land towards where the sacred grove once resided, only then did the elves realize the true destruction that had been wrought. Most of the Ancient Forest was gone, save for a small part that seemed to have been restored. The Sacred Grove itself was exposed now, yet with the work of the druids, it was slowly recovering, though never again to what it once was. When Malin went to pay respects to the remains of the The First Druid, a strange sight was seen as the tree like silhouette body seemed to have vanished or been moved. Malin and his elves had fought side by side with the druids and with the bond formed from helping to preserve the wilds, the druids allowed the elves to build and live there. The throne of the elven king, and his council of elves and druids, was placed within the trunk of Riitill’eliuii, just above where the shimmering emerald pool resided. Malin’s City eventually built around Riitill’eliuii’s thunk and coexisted with nature itself.
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Centuries would pass as the druids and elves lived together within the Kingdom of Malin. A group of Archdruids rose up and were named the Taynei’Sil, in honor of the Watcher of the Wilds that had fallen during the Iblees War. The Elven Council, having added the Taynei’Sil, were guided for many years with druidic influence. The first discovery of the word altars is what would set off the first chain of events that eventually would lead the druids to split from the elves for a long time. These altars held power within the strange, cryptic words that resided upon them, able to control and harness the wilds so that the threat of Iblees would not happen again. Garthon, one of the Archdruids of the Taynei’Sil, was the first to discover these ancient altars and understand their properties. However, his concern of Larihei and her followers that appeared to cast away the traditions of respect for nature to hide away within their library and research planted worry and arrogance within his mind. Though her warnings ignored, the other Archdruids did not see her as a threat nor cause for concern. Garthon was appalled by this, and even to his own brothers and sisters he started to grow distant from. His greed, arrogance, and blind ambition to preserve nature to how he saw fit became a grave mistake. Stepping up on the word altar, he went to activate it to try and force control over the wilds to remove Larihei, the elves, Malin, and even his own brothers and sisters of nature. Such abusive harm to those that have preserved and protected the wilds caused it to backfire and nature lashed out. The word altar went haywire, the flora around him moved to attack for such a selfish and forceful demand, and in the end, he ran and disappeared.
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Most of the isle of Malin became feral and wild. Decay taking hold and dead plants washed from the shorelines towards the sea. The wilds itself were angered at such disrespect and abuse of the power placed there. Seeing the mass devastation of the word altar’s power, Malin, the rest of the Taynei’Sil, and the elves fought and were able to stop the altar long enough to bury it deep within the earth so it could not be abused again.
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'''Chapter 5: The Truth of the Great War
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Where progress is seen to push forth and advance, the foundation of once was can easily be forgotten and shattered. The Mali’aheral were the first to truly disregard the wilds that had protected and given them shelter. Decades passed since Lari’hei and her followers officially departed, and Malin’s disappearance unclear to many, perhaps only known to so few yet the result is the same. What was once the proud kingdom of elves was starting to crumble and fall. The old ways brushed aside for new development as the mali’aheral went forth and built their magnificent structures and cities where the old ancient woodland ones resided. Practitioners of the voidal arts did not care for their magic’s effects upon nature. One such elf that grew up within one of the many cities of the mali’aheral became such and more. Serri'ahil would be the one that started the conflict. His lust for power and desire over such knowledge led him to begin a war to try and sieze power over several other mali’aheral cities. Avenin'ni was the one that opposed Serri'ahil and led her army to attack his. Both armies would collide, the casters of the voidal arts were used and destruction of the forests were the result. Fire would destroy the trees, the earth would scar the land, the air uprooting flora, and the water devastating areas caught in their torrential flow. Days turned to months which turned to years, yet neither side saw no end to this battle, no victory on the horizon. The druids however, would..
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Whispers held the song of pain. The voices flowed through the trees, filled with anger. The melodies held a saddened sound, and cried out for the imbalance of the realm caused by the two sides. The druids had heard and seen enough. The last of the Taynei’Sil called forth several of the mani spirits to assist then gathered druids and several elves to travel towards the battlefield. The ground would tremble from the herd of beasts, the roots of the trees sprouted from the earth to entangle and crush the armies while the druids and elves moved in to attack. Blood splattered in the air from the sword strikes as the smell of burned flesh lingered from the voidal fire cast upon the druids and mani spirits, the battle fierce and many lives lost, several mani spirits slain from the conflict. The Taynei’Sil moved in and found both  Serri'ahil and Avenin'ni , fighting it out until eventually they were killed. Only one Taynei’Sil remained from the conflict, with wounds burned deep into her flesh. The rest of the armies either killed or fled in fear of the druids, the wilds picking off whatever survivors that may have fled into the deep forest.
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The scope of loss in this land finally came to the Archdruid, her eyes seeing the careless disregard of nature and the destruction wrought by the use of the voidal arts and the ‘progress’ that the mali’aheral have pushed for, and it pushed her to the limit. The fragments of the once great elven race were all but gone, so with those that followed under her, the last Taynei’Sil broke the druids away from the elves. Few remained and followed the last of the elves that stuck with the old ways, to later become seeds and tribes. The Archdruid and her followers went deep into the wilds to carry on and preserve nature in their own way, eventually becoming wanderers that spread the word of the Aspects, and the respect that nature demands upon this realm to those who would listen.  
  
 
== '''The Arts:''' ==
 
== '''The Arts:''' ==
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This is the most basic of the Druidic abilities. It is this that all other abilities are based off, therefore this must be trained as well when when raising other skills. Additionally, it has its own strengths, regarding speaking with nature. At this point, the Druid has to be attuned. At the start they are very aware of an ebbing lifeflow of the world around them, but are unable to interact with it unless going into deep meditation. At most they can exchange simple images or thoughts, nothing sophisticated.
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This is the starting point of all Druidic abilities. One is connected to the ebbing flow of life around them. They can feel, see, listen, and even speak to nature and creatures that inhabit it. Yet when just attuned, the connection itself is weak. Your abilities just beginning and through training, experience, and meditation, your communion will become stronger and your requests and abilities easier to manage. No Druid can advance in any druid magic subtype more than their current Communion Tier.
After the Druid has deepened their training, and through many meditations they gain a quicker ability to connect to nature. Animals are somewhat receptive to the Druid, and their words hold some mystical weight when asking favors from them. With more time, the animals comply with most requests, though aren't hostile unless the Druid is attacked.
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After decades of training, the druids can feel the ebb of trees, speak to them and hear them back. The Druid has the ear of most animals, and is at harmony with most things around them.
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When mastery is achieved, Dreams of the [[Aspects]] have pass through them, and they are at utter harmony with every part of nature they interact with. No animal raises a claw to this Druid, even the most savage beast gives pause at the word of the Druid.
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'''Tier 1:
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The Druid has gone through his attunement and has only from this point on had the possibility to connect to the aspects and nature. The connection is still primitive and weak but no fear!  Through mediation, the Druid is able to hear the calls and feel the pulse of nature faintly. Interaction with creatures is very hard and tiring as the Druid would only receive incomprehensible messages from the creature.
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'''Tier 2:
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The Druid reaches this stage after about three Elven weeks of continuous meditation and practice. The Druid's connection to nature has become stronger, allowing him to feel the pulse of nature after a shorter period of meditation. The Druid would have opened his ears and slowly but surely started to hear the calls of nature clearer than before. Upon hearing animals, the Druid would not be as lost as before but instead would understand a few words here and there.
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'''Tier 3:
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The Druid will reach this stage of his connection after about an  Elven month or two of practice and meditation. The Druid is now fully able to feel the pulse of nature and no longer needs to meditate to listen to its calls. Also animals are now almost fully understood, only a few words will appear strange to the Druid. Depending on the situation and demand, an animal might comply with his request.
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'''Tier 4:
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The Druid will reach this stage after about three or four Elven months of practice and meditation. The pulse of life has become a good friend to the Druid and the calls of nature are heard almost entirely clear. The Druid now entirely speaks the language of animals and understands every word of it. At this stage animals are more likely to comply with requests than before.
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'''Tier 5:
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Finally, the Druid has reached the last stage, after six Elven months of practice and meditation. Though a good Druid would know that he shouldn't stop here. There is no known limit to the acts these Druids can preform. This Druid has become one with nature, feeling the pulses without hesitation. Nature around the Druid reacts at his very presence, in some cases flowers sprout in the Druid's footsteps! Animals will take pause at the Druid, who understands them so well. Animals can be easily soothed and will comply with most of the Druid's requests.
  
  
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Control of Nature is a valuable skill that affords the Druid dominion over the world around them. Shall they aid the growth of the grass and trees? Shall they entangle their foe in vines? Perhaps they will learn to grow saplings immediately as they touch the ground.
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Control of Nature enables the druid to interact with the plants around them. Whether as simple as growing a flower or as difficult as controlling roots and trees to aid you when needed. Each tier here is determined by your Nature’s Communion. It is REQUIRED to be taught this by someone already highly learned in this subtype.  Once you are Tier 3 or above in Control of Nature, you can self improve through practice and meditation over time.
At the start of the training, the Druid begins to emanate an aura of empowerment, things that would grow in years and months, after continuous meditation can grow in weeks and days. Crops seem to yield slightly better quality harvest. With practice the growing becomes faster and faster until seeds can spring to life as they touch the ground. By speaking with them, the druid is able to convince plants, even trees, to move, and grow giant oaks into the shape they want. A powerful druid may create farms and bring forth crops where the land is dry and dead.
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'''Tier 1:
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The Druid has meditated and gained skill after attunement. Soon they begin to learn to interact from the world around them and make requests of it. At this stage, most requests go unheard without a powerful Druid’s assistance, but with focus they may be able to shift a plant and coax it to grow slightly.
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'''Tier 2:
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After many lessons and hours of meditation, the Druid can now coax plants to obey more of their requests. With effort, the Druid can bless a small area of crops into a healthier state. They have also learned how life flows through these plants and can now coax them to grow slightly faster than normal, but not at an overly excellatered rate.
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'''Tier 3:
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The Druid has spent years in both meditation and lessons, and now plants will obey most of their requests. With focus, a Druid can coax a flower from its seed at a much faster rate, and their blessings on crops have begun to hold much more weight. The farther they excel into this tier the more and more they understand how to request things from plants, and even animals.
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'''Tier 4:
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The Druid has spent a few decades meditating and taking counsel from their peers and instructors.  They can manipulate roots, vines, and smaller plants with ease, and larger plants and trees with relative ease..  They can grow plants to full size with focus and effort over a fairly short period of time. Animals have begun to note your presence when you enter an area, and are more likely to respond to your requests.
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'''Tier 5:
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The Druid has spent several decades in lessons, and in meditation beyond these lessons, attuning to the intricacies of the living world around them.  Plantlife around you responds actively to your presence, flowers blooming even in their off-seasons as you pass by, crops seeming more vibrant, and plantlife healthier and lush with minimal attention from the Druid. Nearly all requests that do not upset Balance will heed to the Druid’s call, even to the most ancient of plants and trees to some extent.
  
  
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Blight healing is a most noble ability of the Druids. Lands afflicted by blight, or plague, disease and death, decay or magical scarring are given new life, and in the place of the infertile soil there is verdure.
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Blight healing is a most noble ability of the Druids. Lands afflicted by blight, or plague, disease and death, decay or magical scarring are given new life, and in the place of the infertile soil there is verdure.
Their training starts with only bringing fertility to the soil, unable to heal the land from disease or plague. It is for that purpose that they train, and to heal the lands and bring back life to where it had died or is dying. After wars when the farms are trampled, after devastating fires destroy a forest, after a fight with the Undead leaves the land corrupted, it's the druids job and duty to restore life to the land.
 
  
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'''Tier 1:
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The Druid begins to slowly bring fertility to the soil.  Plagued or diseased plants cannot be revived, but spread of the disease can be halted with concentration and meditation.
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'''Tier 2:
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The Druid is able to heal plagued and diseased plants, though magically harmed plants seem to be beyond their ability.
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'''Tier 3:
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The Druid can, with their ability to Control Nature, reseed the dead and decayed wood, plagued plants or diseased flora, and grow them back into the ground.  This is an interesting way to treat extra lumber!  It is easier to heal decay in a large area, and fertility can be added to land at a much quicker pace.
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'''Tier 4:
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'''
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The Druid can now heal a large area of land quickly.  They can bring even the sickest ancient oaks back, grow a tree from a stump even. 
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'''Tier 5:
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'''
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The Druid has become a master of bringing life from the brink of total death.  If the Druid meditates for a long period of time it is said that they can grow a tree even from stone.
  
  
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Druid’s are well known for their healing prowess with natural herbs, be it from a leafy patch-up or reattaching a freshly removed limb, it is said that in terms of medicinal herb work that the druid’s abilities go unmatched. This art is incredibly interesting as it works hand-in-hand with the knowledge of herbalist alchemy and the druids natural magic.
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Whilst the druids are best known within the realm of healing with their unparalleled usage of herbs, even those who are not adept at performing the magic are able to use the wonderful remedies that are created by other druid to astounding effects. It is common for the druids to build clinics nearby herb gardens to house their bandages, poultices, salves and potions, that others are able to benefit from in emergencies.
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'''Tier 1:
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'''
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The Druid has learned much of herbology and has begun to use this knowledge to create salves and poultices. They can then begin to enhance these salves with natural energies, though it is very tiring.  These augmentations last only an hour or so, and must be changed often for maximum effectiveness.
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'''Tier 2:
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'''
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The Druid finds powerful herbs with properties of healing (such as pennywort, calendula, marshmallow, gotu kola, chamomile, echinacea, etc) and meditate with them before preparing salves or poultices with them. They will boost the inherent properties of the plants. Sadly this augmentation fades after a few days, but it’s still a noticeable increase. Wounds can heal in about a third  the amount of time it would take normally to heal.
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'''Tier 3:
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'''
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The Druid can combine their bandages with herbs and plants that they have enhanced with magical properties to offer quicker healing to the patient. A Druid can give tea that will soothe a cold, even cure it with its enhancements to the leaves.  The Druid can also enhance potions or beverages at this point, with powerful augmentations that can last a respectably long time, even a couple years.  Druids can also perform different methods of treating wounds by combining control of nature with their healing abilities, and doing things such as closing wounds with bark (very painful for the patient), or creating casts from wood, etc.
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'''Tier 4:
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'''
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The Druid can enhance poultices without meditating with the plants. They can heal wounds in less than a day depending on severity, and their remedies can last several years unused.  These Druids pass on their knowledge to other Druids so that they too may learn the secrets of Druidic Medicine.
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'''Tier 5:
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'''
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The Druid has mastered the art of healing, and can heal most wounds within an hour or two. A Druid who is tier 5, and blesses or augments a plant or creates an augmented remedy, can be sure that this remedy can be passed along to other druids to use in the future and it will never wear off or fade.  Some Druids spend their entire lives creating remedies for other Druids to use, and when something bad happens its these Druids' bandages and salves that everyone tries to get their hands on.  Their healing has become a lasting legacy that will endure long after the Druid is gone, even. 
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'''Points and Red Lines:
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'''
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Wooden Replacement Limbs provide no advantage over any other artificial or natural limb, and is no more durable than any other limb.
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Only a Druid of Tier 3 or higher Control of Nature can manipulate a wooden limb attached to themselves. To anyone lacking this skill, or druidism at all, it is just an immobile peg limb that a Druid happened to shape for them.
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The limb is only living wood if attached to a Druid, it draws from their natural energies to sustain itself.
  
Herblore is a more versatile gift known to be used by Druids. It works by allowing the Druid in question to amplify or dampen already present properties in any flora in question, whether it'd be healing properties in one herb, poisonous in another, or euphoric in another. Sufficient knowledge about the herb in question must be posessed by the Druid and progression in the magic is needed to be able to perform any true altered effects.  
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The effectiveness of the replacement limb is entirely up to the player receiving it. It can be a simple peg limb, or of some practical but limited use, or a fully functional replacement able to be manipulated as normal. These exist to enhance RP, and should be left to the recipient's’ discretion.
  
No new properties may be made up in an herb, the only available properties to modify are the ones that are already present. With this gift, Druids are known to be succesful healers, creating salves and amplifying the healing effects in them. Others become alchemists and are able to modify potions for more dramatic effects.  
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One cannot attach another animal part to someone as a replacement, such as a dog’s tongue to replace a severed tongue, or a spider eye to replace a lost eye. Only wooden limbs may be made and attached.
  
A druid starting out can have the herb they're amplifying fail and cause disastrous effects that are not originally intended. Initially, assuming it was succesfull, the effect is very minorly enhanced or dampened and only lasts for a short period of time, however further progression can form powerful reagents, the effect of said reagent thought to last virtually forever.
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One cannot have more than two full wooden limbs (From the shoulder or hip down), or four half limbs (from the elbow or knee down). ((As a note, this does not negate characters that obtained their limbs before this change. This only affects people going forward. ))
  
 
== '''Shapeshifting:''' ==
 
== '''Shapeshifting:''' ==

Revision as of 06:10, 24 January 2019

Druidism is an ancient form of magic, tied to the most ancient of all guilds of Aegis, the Druidic Order. Centuries of guarding secret knowledge and protecting nature has been this Order’s calling, bringing balance through healing land and spreading verdure with their unique arts. Druidism is controlled in such a way, and taught, through a clever process of training that is designed to “indoctrinate” the student into a certain way of thinking, opinion, etc. That is not to say it is always successful, but it is a powerful tool of regulating who has access to these arts.

As with any training, these things occur in stages. The most commonly known one is Dedicancy. This stage is most common because it is the one newcomers enter the Order however many do not believe Dedicants are apart of the order as it is simply their training and will later come to join the order after Attunement. During this time they are given tasks and lectures over a period of time that teach them the Order’s culture, and an appreciation for all things natural. This process, cleverly designed, to open the mind of the Dedicant to the flow of nature, through meditation, assistance and an understanding of ways. When the Dedicant has finally completed their tasks, and their Guide has deemed them ready, they are instructed to devise and complete their Grand Task, a milestone task for a Dedicant that shows they are ready to take on the full mantle of responsibility of being a Druid.

Upon completing this task the Guide takes the Dedicant to the Attunement Pool, an area within the grove high in natural Druidic Energies, and begins the Attunement Process. This process involves the Guide invoking an ancient knowledge to forge a connection to Nature within the mind of the Dedicant. One could consider their initial training to be similar to opening a small hole to allow light to pass, and then the attunement process as using the small hole to bore a larger one, creating a ray of light-a connection.

thus is the way one comes into Druidism.


Origin:

Chapter 1: The Beginning

In the beginning, the Creator gave birth to nature. Lifeforce. A gift so sacred that three Aenguls took notice of this mortal realm and descended down upon to watch it flourish. The plants, first brimming with life and growth, soon began to wither and fade. Cerridwen saw as the plants could not grow, adapt, or reproduce. Thus, with her blessing, she gave life. The flora rejuvenated and life started to take hold, creating vast plains, forests, and wilds. The Aengul Cernunnos observed life flourish, becoming abundant, yet having nothing to control its rapid overtaking. To correct this problem, he gave the blessing of endings. The first creations of animals were produced by the Father of the Hunt, along with plants overtaking others and the fight with life and death began. For a time, Cernunnos’s creations halted the plants that were growing too evasive, yet there was no control over this process. Thus what Cerridwen had created now was being destroyed. The Aengul Nemiisae saw the beginnings and endings of nature collide and shift about in a chaotic manner. No balance had yet taken place until the last Aengul intervened, giving her blessing of Culling. A hardened, darker truth to some; to others a necessity. Toxins, claws, fangs, defensive attributes and predatory tactics to cull out the weak. Nemiisae’s blessing filled the hole that the cycle of the two blessings missed. Thus, with this final piece of the triad, the natural balance was complete. The Life Cycle was created.


Seeing the Creator’s design now flourish upon the realm, The Three Aenguls, now known as the Aspects, sought to keep watch over this new founded creation. To protect and preserve the of the Creator's work for all time, the three Aenguls pooled their power together into one, so creating their own realm- the Eternal Forest. It remained connected to the Mortal’s realm, though existing as a world of its own. The Aspects took sanctuary within this sacred forest and have ruled over their own respective sections as the guardians and protectors of nature. Before they left to reside in the Fae Realm, three stones were created from each Aengul as a representation of their gift to the world: The blue stone of Cerridwen, the silver stone of Cernunnos, and the black binding stone of Nemiisae. These stones hold a small portion of each respective Aspect’s power. The area that surrounded the stones became sacred groves to which the lines separating the Fae and Mortal Realms blurred until almost as one.Yet because the Aspects could not linger for an extended period within the mortal plane, even within this sacred area, they in turn began to create guardians to aid in watching over nature. Cernunnos’s creation of animals sparked an idea within Cerridwen and Nemiisae’s mind. They created mighty natural beings that would later come to be called Elder Trees.


Riitill’eliuii, the first Elder Tree that came into existence, had direct natural energies from the Aspects flowing within its very trunk and roots.. Its very being became sentient and aware of itself, as well as what was around it. Within the pool below its trunk, the Sacred Stones which the Aenguls had created were housed. With this new life, Riitill’eliuii produced seeds that gave birth to the Elder Trees that surrounded the Sacred Grove and protected it from those that wished to destroy it. Some of the firstborn of Cernunnos’s blessing stayed within the Sacred Grove and became guardians that protected over the domain while the rest spread out across the realm. Within the Eternal Forest were created varied beings that would come to be known as Fae. They were each created for different purposes, residing in the respective area of influence of the Aspect that created them, and would at times venture to the Sacred Grove and live among the guardians there.


Chapter 2: The First Druid

Mortals...a creation made by the composer to live and survive on this realm. Nature created for the means of giving them nutrients, food, and shelter. Yet with all things so readily available, abuse and neglect soon did follow. Mountains carved and hollowed out, forests chopped down for lumber, animals hunted to extinction, and rolling plains flattened for the development of civilization. Across the realm, the Betrayer had begun his war; whispers were heard that it approached the Wilds.. The forest in which the sacred grove resided warded off those that wished to do it harm, save for one race that seemed to wish to adapt and live in harmony with what the world offered, instead of destroying and fighting against it. The elves at first found hostility and aggression, nature lashing out at all mortals for a time. Yet instead of falling into the habits of the other races, they grew to learn from the wilds, and it was then The First would find the sacred grove. A band of elven warriors had broken away from the likes of their kin to live and become protectors of the forest over the years. They saw the fierce power the wilds had to offer and knew such cannot be controlled, only respected. Knowing of the dangers eventually drawing near, the leader of the warriors ventured deep within the ancient woods where stories and legends said none would ever return.


The trees creaked and swayed as if speaking to one another. Animals shifted about and lingered as if watching the elf from afar. Further and further the elven warrior would walk, undeterred by the presence he knew was there for his determination was unshakeable, until at last he came to a dead end. The warrior was frustrated and lost, he sat down and began to pray. To what? He did not know. The wilds, the sky, or even the unknown creatures that seemed to constantly watch him. Silence, however, would be the only thing to greet him in return, having not yet truly shown his worthiness. A rustle of leaves was then heard from the nearby bushes before a deer would step out before the warrior. The creature’s gaze focused upon the warrior before suddenly bolt away to the cover of the forest.. The elf, surprised by the behavior of such a normally timid creature, drew his bow and began to give chase. The hunter moved fluidly along the roots and forest floor while the prey ahead darted back and forth until finally an arrow would pierce its flesh and bring the creature to the ground. Catching up to where his quarrel fell, a faint growl emitted nearby as the grass beneath his feet seemed to grow with several flowers sprouting up and taking bloom. The very bushes in front of him then melded away to reveal a massive white wolf with various vines, twigs, and leaves covering part of its body. It’s eyes emitting a radiant emerald glow while it’s form displays pure might and power towards the elf. The warrior, caught off guard by this spirit’s presence, immediately lowered his weapon and bowed before such a beast then steps back from the corpse to give as an offering. The Mani Spirit Morea, Prince of Wolves and Hounds, watches the warrior’s actions intently then steps down towards the fallen prey and devours it. Satisfied with the offering given, Morea steps back while raising its head and parting its maw to let out a loud howl that echoed across the ancient forest, before its entire being would meld back into the flora surrounding the elf, vanishing from sight.


It was then his plea was answered, a melody lingering within the air then the trees would seem to part. Mesmerized by the faint voice that called, the elf would move to stand then walk towards the source of the melody. As soon as he stepped inside, the trees would close from behind and his senses would suddenly get overwhelmed by the vast number of whispers and melodies of nature all around him. At first, the sensation would cause the elf to collapse as he tried to focus. Eventually overtime, he would be able to concentrate enough to pick himself back up and venture further within. As the warrior passes by, the flora seems to move of their own will. Several Mani Spirits watched intently, some from afar, others more closely to attack if needed.


He knew of the dangers and power within the wilds itself, something that cannot be controlled and demands respect in order to lend its aid. Having seen a massive tree within the center of the grove, the elf ventured towards the Elder Tree to speak and converse with it. Holding curiosity of this mortal being that had wandered into its realm, Riitill’eliuii guided the elf to the pool beneath it’s trunk where it’s roots ran deep, the pool itself shimmering with a faint emerald hue from the Aspect Stones that resided within it. There within the water, the warrior’s mind and soul was transported to that of the Fae realm. The Aenguls, aware of the warrior’s desires and presence within their domain, each sought to test the warrior through trials in order to be deemed worthy of taking on such a blessing to fulfil his needs. Cerridwen’s test of life and respect, Cernunnos’s test of the hunt and strength, then Nemiisae’s test of culling and wit. Each trial the elf warrior passed and thus all three Aenguls imbued the warrior with their blessing, creating the first druid.


As the elf emerged from his vision, he felt, heard, and saw the ebb and flow of life all around him. With the gift of the Aspects now granted to him, the elf went forth and spoke with the guardians of the wilds, requesting a pact to be formed so that those blessed with this gift can co-exist and utilize the flora and fauna to help maintain the balance. The Mani Spirits, Fae and Elder Trees all conversed with the elf and the ability of communion was truly born. With this ‘Pact’ now made, the elven leader guided his other warriors through the trials of the Aspects to be granted the blessing, then went forth to utilize their new gifts. The other races soon learned of the druids and their blessing as they would wander across the land to enact nature’s will, and fight back those that would bring destruction and imbalance upon it.


Chapter 3: The Betrayer’s Destruction

With the coming years of destruction from the Betrayer’s war that stretched over the land, the druids that were at first so few grew in number and word spread about their presence within the world. One such person that grew to highly respect the druids and their ways was one of the four brothers, Malin. His curiosity and leadership of his kinfolk to respect nature and live within it did not go unnoticed by the druids and they often ventured to aid and advise the elven leader and his council. The stories of the Aspects and the creatures of the Fae intrigued Malin and with permission of the druids, they guided him on a journey to visit the sacred grove itself and commune with nature there. The love and respect that the Elven King had turned to a way of life for his people, and the worship of the deities of the wild became tradition over time. During this time, Malin ventured out one day and discovered an emerald dragonling by the name of Taynei’hiylu. Her beauty and kind nature Malin grew to love as he took her back to raise as his own daughter. He taught her about the elven culture, how to disguise and even blend in with his people, until the day came when he took her on the journey to meet with the druids and train under them. There under the guidance of the Aspects and the creatures of nature, they discovered her true purpose of existence and with the blessing gifted to the now young dragaar, she became the Transcendent Druid Taynei’hiylu, the Watcher of the Wilds.


Though with every passing day, as the Betrayer’s war drew closer and closer, Taynei’hiylu was the first to begin to succumb to the influence. Nightmares and visions plagued her mind even when she hid away within the sacred grove to try and find some peace. Malin and the elder druids took heed of the Watcher’s illness and warnings and went to fight against the forces of undeath that spread ruin and despair. The elves fought alongside their leader, trying their best to push back and reclaim the land, yet as their numbers decreased, Iblees’ forces grew. The druids aided as best they could, but they too were pushed back, eventually to where the ancient forest resided. The land became scorched, the trees burned and decimated while the very ground plagued with taint and corruption. Taynei’hiylu was afraid, yet she moved to stand by her brothers and sisters. Her presence alone rallied the others to stand their ground while nature itself heeded her call. Various beasts moved to strike, large roots of ancient trees shot forth from the earth to crush or entangled their foes, and her claws ran deep as she swept through the undead abominations. The Betrayer however had a plan to remove the Green Spirit of the Wilds and thus sent the God Eater Azdromoth, a powerful Drakaar, to kill and consume the Transcendent Druid.. Seeing the massive Archdrakaar swoop towards the elves and druids, the first druid, her mentor and guide, grasped ahold of Taynei’hiylu and told the young dragaar to run. He knew if she fell, nature itself would turn and be completely destroyed. So in their hour of need, she fled as Azdromoth was tailing her from behind. Malin knew of her departure and the reason why, yet to others, especially the younger ones, they would not understand and cast her off as a traitor or coward.

At last in what seemed like the final hours, the elves and druids were pushed back into the sacred grove itself. The elder trees that were the borders struck back but began to become twisted and overwhelmed. The cries and absolute rage of nature echoed within the grove and the fae creatures moved to attack. The Mani Spirits charged in with a vicious assault and ripped through the armies of the vile and corrupt. Some would fall, others would succumb to the taint and turn into twisted vile versions of their former selves. The elves fought alongside the wild creatures as a barrier while the druids seemed to have drawn back towards Riitill’eliuii. The first druid felt the area die and twist with the roots of the sentient being above him starting to turn. He gathered his druids around him and went into the shimmering emerald pool to circle around the Aspect Stones. The power of the stones already waning from the might of the Archdaemon and his army attempting to spread the taint further within the grove. The last of the fighters now near the tree as the grove itself was mostly destroyed, the sounds of nature starting to fall silent.



With a final prayer, the once strong, elven warrior of old drew forth the natural energies of the stones and his fellow druids that willingly gave their power for him to use. A thick veil of shimmering emerald mist would erupt from the pool of the stones, spreading forth and deterring away the vile taint that took hold upon the earth. Malin and the elves charged in once again, having the land itself safe to stand upon once more, and drove back the undead filth that plagued it. The power of the divines showed true that day, yet at a cost. While the elves proceeded to drive back the forces and leave, the damage had already been done. What was once a merging of Fae and Mortal realms alike was now severed and gone. The cleansing mists washed like a cooling stream over the grove to remove the taint and corruption that had nearly overwhelmed it, while the flora revitalized as best it could, yet some things even the power of the Aspects cannot return. The oldest and wisest of the druids, the first ever and leader of the warriors of old, had perished. The pure deific energies that coursed through his very being had turned his skin to bark, his hair to leaves, and eventually his entire body to that of a tree silhouette of the former elf, an ultimate sacrifice given to preserve life itself. The stones as well were drained of their properties and had gone silent while the exhausted druids both wept for and praised their fallen brother.



Chapter 4: Life Reborn

With Malin’s forces pushing back the Betrayer’s armies, they could not relent nor look back as the elves left the once beautiful, ancient forest that was now quiet and barren. The emerald mists removed much of the tainted areas, with new life slowly blossoming up from the remains of many of the elder trees. Yet still what was once full of melodies and voices now held only silence. The druids, however, did not give up hope, despite seeing the destruction of their sacred home. The blessing of the Aspects still within them, they moved forth to rebuild and regrow as much as they could of the damage. Riitill’eliuii however had become very weak, as the Fae Realm was now cut off from the Mortal Realm. It’s connection to the Aspects was severely damaged from the effects of the war and destruction upon the land, and for many years the Elder Tree went quiet, save for the few older druids that first connected within the pool beneath its roots, still able to just barely hear it’s strained words.


With the four brothers sealing away the Betrayer and the war finally coming to an end, Malin wished to return back to the land that he and his people had grown to cherish and respect. The other races, due to the curses now given, were impossible to truly coexist with. As they came towards the isle and travelled across the land towards where the sacred grove once resided, only then did the elves realize the true destruction that had been wrought. Most of the Ancient Forest was gone, save for a small part that seemed to have been restored. The Sacred Grove itself was exposed now, yet with the work of the druids, it was slowly recovering, though never again to what it once was. When Malin went to pay respects to the remains of the The First Druid, a strange sight was seen as the tree like silhouette body seemed to have vanished or been moved. Malin and his elves had fought side by side with the druids and with the bond formed from helping to preserve the wilds, the druids allowed the elves to build and live there. The throne of the elven king, and his council of elves and druids, was placed within the trunk of Riitill’eliuii, just above where the shimmering emerald pool resided. Malin’s City eventually built around Riitill’eliuii’s thunk and coexisted with nature itself.


Centuries would pass as the druids and elves lived together within the Kingdom of Malin. A group of Archdruids rose up and were named the Taynei’Sil, in honor of the Watcher of the Wilds that had fallen during the Iblees War. The Elven Council, having added the Taynei’Sil, were guided for many years with druidic influence. The first discovery of the word altars is what would set off the first chain of events that eventually would lead the druids to split from the elves for a long time. These altars held power within the strange, cryptic words that resided upon them, able to control and harness the wilds so that the threat of Iblees would not happen again. Garthon, one of the Archdruids of the Taynei’Sil, was the first to discover these ancient altars and understand their properties. However, his concern of Larihei and her followers that appeared to cast away the traditions of respect for nature to hide away within their library and research planted worry and arrogance within his mind. Though her warnings ignored, the other Archdruids did not see her as a threat nor cause for concern. Garthon was appalled by this, and even to his own brothers and sisters he started to grow distant from. His greed, arrogance, and blind ambition to preserve nature to how he saw fit became a grave mistake. Stepping up on the word altar, he went to activate it to try and force control over the wilds to remove Larihei, the elves, Malin, and even his own brothers and sisters of nature. Such abusive harm to those that have preserved and protected the wilds caused it to backfire and nature lashed out. The word altar went haywire, the flora around him moved to attack for such a selfish and forceful demand, and in the end, he ran and disappeared.


Most of the isle of Malin became feral and wild. Decay taking hold and dead plants washed from the shorelines towards the sea. The wilds itself were angered at such disrespect and abuse of the power placed there. Seeing the mass devastation of the word altar’s power, Malin, the rest of the Taynei’Sil, and the elves fought and were able to stop the altar long enough to bury it deep within the earth so it could not be abused again.


Chapter 5: The Truth of the Great War

Where progress is seen to push forth and advance, the foundation of once was can easily be forgotten and shattered. The Mali’aheral were the first to truly disregard the wilds that had protected and given them shelter. Decades passed since Lari’hei and her followers officially departed, and Malin’s disappearance unclear to many, perhaps only known to so few yet the result is the same. What was once the proud kingdom of elves was starting to crumble and fall. The old ways brushed aside for new development as the mali’aheral went forth and built their magnificent structures and cities where the old ancient woodland ones resided. Practitioners of the voidal arts did not care for their magic’s effects upon nature. One such elf that grew up within one of the many cities of the mali’aheral became such and more. Serri'ahil would be the one that started the conflict. His lust for power and desire over such knowledge led him to begin a war to try and sieze power over several other mali’aheral cities. Avenin'ni was the one that opposed Serri'ahil and led her army to attack his. Both armies would collide, the casters of the voidal arts were used and destruction of the forests were the result. Fire would destroy the trees, the earth would scar the land, the air uprooting flora, and the water devastating areas caught in their torrential flow. Days turned to months which turned to years, yet neither side saw no end to this battle, no victory on the horizon. The druids however, would..


Whispers held the song of pain. The voices flowed through the trees, filled with anger. The melodies held a saddened sound, and cried out for the imbalance of the realm caused by the two sides. The druids had heard and seen enough. The last of the Taynei’Sil called forth several of the mani spirits to assist then gathered druids and several elves to travel towards the battlefield. The ground would tremble from the herd of beasts, the roots of the trees sprouted from the earth to entangle and crush the armies while the druids and elves moved in to attack. Blood splattered in the air from the sword strikes as the smell of burned flesh lingered from the voidal fire cast upon the druids and mani spirits, the battle fierce and many lives lost, several mani spirits slain from the conflict. The Taynei’Sil moved in and found both Serri'ahil and Avenin'ni , fighting it out until eventually they were killed. Only one Taynei’Sil remained from the conflict, with wounds burned deep into her flesh. The rest of the armies either killed or fled in fear of the druids, the wilds picking off whatever survivors that may have fled into the deep forest.


The scope of loss in this land finally came to the Archdruid, her eyes seeing the careless disregard of nature and the destruction wrought by the use of the voidal arts and the ‘progress’ that the mali’aheral have pushed for, and it pushed her to the limit. The fragments of the once great elven race were all but gone, so with those that followed under her, the last Taynei’Sil broke the druids away from the elves. Few remained and followed the last of the elves that stuck with the old ways, to later become seeds and tribes. The Archdruid and her followers went deep into the wilds to carry on and preserve nature in their own way, eventually becoming wanderers that spread the word of the Aspects, and the respect that nature demands upon this realm to those who would listen. 

The Arts:

Druidic Magic is broken down into several subtypes:

Nature’s Communion

Control of Nature

Blight Healing

Herblore

Shapeshifting


Once attuned, and under the guidance of a teacher, you must make a magic application for your selected subtype. Where druids are different to other magics, in terms of subtype tiers, one may be equivalent of a tier three but in reality only be tier three in 'Nature's Communion'.

Nature’s Communion:

This is the starting point of all Druidic abilities. One is connected to the ebbing flow of life around them. They can feel, see, listen, and even speak to nature and creatures that inhabit it. Yet when just attuned, the connection itself is weak. Your abilities just beginning and through training, experience, and meditation, your communion will become stronger and your requests and abilities easier to manage. No Druid can advance in any druid magic subtype more than their current Communion Tier.


Tier 1: The Druid has gone through his attunement and has only from this point on had the possibility to connect to the aspects and nature. The connection is still primitive and weak but no fear! Through mediation, the Druid is able to hear the calls and feel the pulse of nature faintly. Interaction with creatures is very hard and tiring as the Druid would only receive incomprehensible messages from the creature.


Tier 2: The Druid reaches this stage after about three Elven weeks of continuous meditation and practice. The Druid's connection to nature has become stronger, allowing him to feel the pulse of nature after a shorter period of meditation. The Druid would have opened his ears and slowly but surely started to hear the calls of nature clearer than before. Upon hearing animals, the Druid would not be as lost as before but instead would understand a few words here and there.


Tier 3: The Druid will reach this stage of his connection after about an Elven month or two of practice and meditation. The Druid is now fully able to feel the pulse of nature and no longer needs to meditate to listen to its calls. Also animals are now almost fully understood, only a few words will appear strange to the Druid. Depending on the situation and demand, an animal might comply with his request.


Tier 4: The Druid will reach this stage after about three or four Elven months of practice and meditation. The pulse of life has become a good friend to the Druid and the calls of nature are heard almost entirely clear. The Druid now entirely speaks the language of animals and understands every word of it. At this stage animals are more likely to comply with requests than before.


Tier 5: Finally, the Druid has reached the last stage, after six Elven months of practice and meditation. Though a good Druid would know that he shouldn't stop here. There is no known limit to the acts these Druids can preform. This Druid has become one with nature, feeling the pulses without hesitation. Nature around the Druid reacts at his very presence, in some cases flowers sprout in the Druid's footsteps! Animals will take pause at the Druid, who understands them so well. Animals can be easily soothed and will comply with most of the Druid's requests.


Control of Nature:

Control of Nature enables the druid to interact with the plants around them. Whether as simple as growing a flower or as difficult as controlling roots and trees to aid you when needed. Each tier here is determined by your Nature’s Communion. It is REQUIRED to be taught this by someone already highly learned in this subtype. Once you are Tier 3 or above in Control of Nature, you can self improve through practice and meditation over time.


Tier 1: The Druid has meditated and gained skill after attunement. Soon they begin to learn to interact from the world around them and make requests of it. At this stage, most requests go unheard without a powerful Druid’s assistance, but with focus they may be able to shift a plant and coax it to grow slightly.

Tier 2: After many lessons and hours of meditation, the Druid can now coax plants to obey more of their requests. With effort, the Druid can bless a small area of crops into a healthier state. They have also learned how life flows through these plants and can now coax them to grow slightly faster than normal, but not at an overly excellatered rate.


Tier 3: The Druid has spent years in both meditation and lessons, and now plants will obey most of their requests. With focus, a Druid can coax a flower from its seed at a much faster rate, and their blessings on crops have begun to hold much more weight. The farther they excel into this tier the more and more they understand how to request things from plants, and even animals.


Tier 4: The Druid has spent a few decades meditating and taking counsel from their peers and instructors. They can manipulate roots, vines, and smaller plants with ease, and larger plants and trees with relative ease.. They can grow plants to full size with focus and effort over a fairly short period of time. Animals have begun to note your presence when you enter an area, and are more likely to respond to your requests.


Tier 5: The Druid has spent several decades in lessons, and in meditation beyond these lessons, attuning to the intricacies of the living world around them. Plantlife around you responds actively to your presence, flowers blooming even in their off-seasons as you pass by, crops seeming more vibrant, and plantlife healthier and lush with minimal attention from the Druid. Nearly all requests that do not upset Balance will heed to the Druid’s call, even to the most ancient of plants and trees to some extent.


Blight Healing:

Blight healing is a most noble ability of the Druids. Lands afflicted by blight, or plague, disease and death, decay or magical scarring are given new life, and in the place of the infertile soil there is verdure.

Tier 1: The Druid begins to slowly bring fertility to the soil. Plagued or diseased plants cannot be revived, but spread of the disease can be halted with concentration and meditation.


Tier 2: The Druid is able to heal plagued and diseased plants, though magically harmed plants seem to be beyond their ability.


Tier 3: The Druid can, with their ability to Control Nature, reseed the dead and decayed wood, plagued plants or diseased flora, and grow them back into the ground. This is an interesting way to treat extra lumber! It is easier to heal decay in a large area, and fertility can be added to land at a much quicker pace.

Tier 4: The Druid can now heal a large area of land quickly. They can bring even the sickest ancient oaks back, grow a tree from a stump even.


Tier 5: The Druid has become a master of bringing life from the brink of total death. If the Druid meditates for a long period of time it is said that they can grow a tree even from stone.


Herblore:

Druid’s are well known for their healing prowess with natural herbs, be it from a leafy patch-up or reattaching a freshly removed limb, it is said that in terms of medicinal herb work that the druid’s abilities go unmatched. This art is incredibly interesting as it works hand-in-hand with the knowledge of herbalist alchemy and the druids natural magic.


Whilst the druids are best known within the realm of healing with their unparalleled usage of herbs, even those who are not adept at performing the magic are able to use the wonderful remedies that are created by other druid to astounding effects. It is common for the druids to build clinics nearby herb gardens to house their bandages, poultices, salves and potions, that others are able to benefit from in emergencies.


Tier 1: The Druid has learned much of herbology and has begun to use this knowledge to create salves and poultices. They can then begin to enhance these salves with natural energies, though it is very tiring. These augmentations last only an hour or so, and must be changed often for maximum effectiveness.


Tier 2: The Druid finds powerful herbs with properties of healing (such as pennywort, calendula, marshmallow, gotu kola, chamomile, echinacea, etc) and meditate with them before preparing salves or poultices with them. They will boost the inherent properties of the plants. Sadly this augmentation fades after a few days, but it’s still a noticeable increase. Wounds can heal in about a third the amount of time it would take normally to heal.


Tier 3: The Druid can combine their bandages with herbs and plants that they have enhanced with magical properties to offer quicker healing to the patient. A Druid can give tea that will soothe a cold, even cure it with its enhancements to the leaves. The Druid can also enhance potions or beverages at this point, with powerful augmentations that can last a respectably long time, even a couple years. Druids can also perform different methods of treating wounds by combining control of nature with their healing abilities, and doing things such as closing wounds with bark (very painful for the patient), or creating casts from wood, etc.


Tier 4: The Druid can enhance poultices without meditating with the plants. They can heal wounds in less than a day depending on severity, and their remedies can last several years unused. These Druids pass on their knowledge to other Druids so that they too may learn the secrets of Druidic Medicine.


Tier 5: The Druid has mastered the art of healing, and can heal most wounds within an hour or two. A Druid who is tier 5, and blesses or augments a plant or creates an augmented remedy, can be sure that this remedy can be passed along to other druids to use in the future and it will never wear off or fade. Some Druids spend their entire lives creating remedies for other Druids to use, and when something bad happens its these Druids' bandages and salves that everyone tries to get their hands on. Their healing has become a lasting legacy that will endure long after the Druid is gone, even.


Points and Red Lines: Wooden Replacement Limbs provide no advantage over any other artificial or natural limb, and is no more durable than any other limb.

Only a Druid of Tier 3 or higher Control of Nature can manipulate a wooden limb attached to themselves. To anyone lacking this skill, or druidism at all, it is just an immobile peg limb that a Druid happened to shape for them.

The limb is only living wood if attached to a Druid, it draws from their natural energies to sustain itself.

The effectiveness of the replacement limb is entirely up to the player receiving it. It can be a simple peg limb, or of some practical but limited use, or a fully functional replacement able to be manipulated as normal. These exist to enhance RP, and should be left to the recipient's’ discretion.

One cannot attach another animal part to someone as a replacement, such as a dog’s tongue to replace a severed tongue, or a spider eye to replace a lost eye. Only wooden limbs may be made and attached.

One cannot have more than two full wooden limbs (From the shoulder or hip down), or four half limbs (from the elbow or knee down). ((As a note, this does not negate characters that obtained their limbs before this change. This only affects people going forward. ))

Shapeshifting:

For information on shapeshifting, refer to Shapeshifting Magic. only the most capable and knowledgeable of them may ever hear or know of it. The druid's connection with nature is so strong, that they may even change their shape into the animal they most associate with.


Magic
Arcane Magic Transfiguration · Voidal Translocation · Void Shifting
Elemental Evocation · Conjuration
Sensory Illusion ·
Deity Magic Shamanism · Druidism · Paladinism · Seers · Malchediael's Templars · Heralds of Azdromoth
Dark Magic Fjarriauga · Necromancy · Pale Bloodmagic · Mysticism · Naztherak
Artificery Atronach Forging · Golemancy
Other Kani · Housemagery · Bardmancy