Druids/Rangers and Gods

Vanor · Post by **Vanor** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:49 pm

It?s important to remember that on Avlis druids don?t work like they did in 2e. They are not worshipers of Balance, like they were portrayed there, but are much closer to being like clerics of a given god, they just focus on the natural world, rather then the civilized one, so this effects their opinions and outlook. The old idea does not hold here, a Druid isn?t simply a Druid, but the Druid of a God; much like a Cleric is the priest of a God. Only Dagath would fit into that mold, of balance being the highest calling. For the most part, in everything said here the term Druid is interchangeable with Ranger.

Druids, Rangers and their spells ?

Druids and Rangers gain their spells from the god(s) they follow, much the same way a Cleric or Paladin does. It does not come from nebulous force of nature, or the earth itself. It is the power of their god, channeled though them. It isn?t the druid who picks the target of lightning when he or she calls it down, but rather his or her god that directs it.

O'Ma ? NG, God of Fairies and Nature.

O?Ma teaches that the greatest good comes from doing good for others, and the outside world. Druids of O?Ma would view protecting and caring for the forest, as their way of finding enlightenment. They would also view protecting and caring for the forest, as a way to do good, for all those who live near or in the forest. A healthy forest is a boon for all people, it allows people to collect resources from it, via logging, hunting or picking plants, and these can be used to make a city healthy. Naturally, such activities would be monitored and allowed to be done only by people who have shown they have a respect for the forest. Druids of O?Ma would view hunting down and destroying evil as an acceptable past time for a druid, provided that that evil is a threat to the forest.

Dru'El ? CG, God of Elves and Nature.

Dru?El teaches that doing good is a matter of following your own heart. How this good is accomplished is less important then what is accomplished. A Druid of Dru?El, sees this most keenly in how the forest lives and grows. There is no greater example of this principle then what is good for the forest, if a tree dies it is not to be mourned, for it brings new life to the other trees around it. No one tells the wolf where it can or can not hunt, but it instinctively knows by following it?s nature, where to hunt that will not harm the forest around it. Much as with O?Ma, a Druid of Dru?El sees protecting and caring for the forest as a benefit to all people, not just the ones who live in it, or do it solely for the sake of the forest itself. A druid of Dru?El would look at hunting down evil, in much the same way a Druid of O?Ma would.

Pelar ? NG, God of Rangers and the Hunt.

Pelar doesn?t attract many clerics, for his nature unlike Dru?El or O?Ma requires one to be in touch with the forest. So most of his priesthood would be druids or rangers. A Druid of Pelar, is in may ways much like a modern day DNR agent. (Department of Natural Resources or Forest Ranger). His respect and love for animals are as high as O?Ma or Dru?El, but he also knows that some ways the best way to care for the animals is to remove the old and sick from the herd. For him the balance of killing animals, comes from knowing that by doing it, the others will be more healthy because of it. Pelar feels much the same way about evil people and creatures. They are something to be removed from the herd so that others may be stronger for it.

Dre'Ana ? NG, Goddess of Warrior Maidens.

Truthfully, there?s little difference between the teachings of Dre?Ana and O?Ma, other then the fact that Dre?Ana focuses on women. Druids of Dre?Ana however would tend to be fairly martial in their behavior. They would prefer action to words.

Titanea ? N, Goddess of Fairies.

Titanea looks at the forest as a place where pureblooded fairies can thrive. She hates half-breeds and O?Ma for not only allowing but also encouraging such things. Druids of Titanea would hold the fate of Fairies above all else, but seeing how they live in the forest, protecting the forest is necessary as well. They do this more out of a love of Fairies, then a love of the forest. They would strike against both evil and good, if those forces threaten farykind.

Dagath ? N, God of Death and Rebirth.

Dagath sees the forest as the greatest example of the cycle of life in existence, and for that reason if no other, he takes an interest in it. Druids of Dagath tend to feel that balance is their highest calling, that life must be allowed to go though its cycle the way it was intended to. They protect the forest to prevent someone from altering the cycle or causing premature death. They care for the forest so that life has a chance to flourish. They allow destruction to come, because death is a necessary part of life, and from time to time the forest must be cleansed by the touch of fire or flood. Druids of Dagath, only get involved, if they feel an event might somehow alter the natural cycle of the forest.

Skern ? N, God of Centaurs, community and natural balance.

To Skern the highest calling a community can have, is to live in complete harmony with nature. Even elves take things to far in his mind, by altering the trees to suit their needs. A people should live without ever actually altering nature, but rather change themselves to fit with what they have been given by nature. Druids of Skern would work towards that goal, seeing that all people live in harmony with nature, rather then bend it to their will. A Druid of Skern seeing someone hunting would only act if the person was doing so in a way that was out of balance, hunting a animal that is rare, or one that is strong and healthy. A Druid of Skern seeing someone collecting wood for a fire or to build with would only act if the person were cutting down a strong and healthy tree. But a Druid of Skern does believe that all people have a right to be in the forest, as long as they respect it and don?t try to change it.

Verossa ? CE, Goddess of natural disasters.

Lighting strikes at random, fire burns in what ever direction the wind happens to blow, a animal my by chance lose it?s footing, fall and break it?s neck. These are all behind the teachings of a Druid of Verossa. To Verossa nature is a harsh taskmistress, one who will strike without mercy or remorse at any who try to harm her. Fire, flood, title waves and monsoons bring death, but also cleanse the world of those who would harm nature. Man, Elf or Dwarf, all must bow before the might of nature and the forces it controls, if any become so arrogant as to presume to control or harm nature, they will be struck down. Nature is best left alone, to develop, as it will. It is its own master and no one should seek to control it. Very few people of any race respect nature enough to be allowed in it. Men destroy, Elf controls, Dwarf harvest, all need to be punished for the folly of their ways, and this is best done though the power of nature itself. A Druid of Verossa has no time to teach or instruct people in the proper use of the forest, but rather will simply kill any that don?t know already.

Vanor · Post by **Vanor** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 7:03 pm

A question for Orleron.

Do druids have their spells powered by a god, in much the same way a cleric does. Or do they get it from some sort of generic "force of nature"?

Post by **Orleron** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 7:18 pm

They get it from their god. Post moved to General Info forum.

Vanor · Post by **Vanor** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 7:23 pm

Ok, another question.

Berryn, can she have druids? Seems her domains would alow for it, but she's not listed as one of the gods who can.

Vanor · Post by **Vanor** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 7:39 pm

I cleaned up the orginal text to be more suited for public release.