| About Druidry: Alexandria's Northern Neighbours | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 5 2015, 07:15 PM (101 Views) | |
| Runa | Dec 5 2015, 07:15 PM Post #1 |
|
Looking from a distance at the frigid wilds of the northern reaches, it would be hard to imagine anyone living there voluntarily. With almost perpetual snow, only broken occasionally by the extremely short summer, it seems like a place that only animals would exist. But there are a people native to these lands. They are known by different names. To the early colonists who tried to cut down the forest that is their home, they are known as the Wild Demons. To the Aristocracy of Alexandria, they are known as the Druidic Enclave. To House Astor, they are known as the Druids. To themselves, they are the Chosen. They live in the rhythm of the woods which is their home. Blessed with powers to do many things, such as create warriors from wood and vine, grow plants with a touch, take the attributes of animals, and more. It is said by them that such gifts are given to them by the incarnation of the world, Gaia. Since they revere their home so greatly, they will do anything to protect the forest. Many are the tails of foolish woodcutters who cut down trees. They are almost always found dead, with only their skull in a pool of blood remaining to warn off future desiccators. The rest of the body is used to aid the forest, their flesh and bones as fertilizer. It, of course, used to be much worse than a few wood cutters disappearing. When the Alexandrians first came from more hospitable lands to the south, they encountered many retreating silhouettes as they came closer and closer to the forest. In those days, the Druids used to rove much farther than they do now. So when they came to the forest with axes, seeing only timber for their future homes, they were immediately ambushed by half animal creatures, beings that seemed to be grown from wood into the shape of men and beast, and fearsome warriors whose wooden weapons seemed to be stronger than steel.But those days are long gone. With the ties made to House Astor, they began to keep to the woods, and the colonists by and large learned not to aggravate their neighbors. They are now bound by a pact to House Astor. Although the details of the pact are not known to anyone but Arch Druid Xael and the head of House Astor. But still, the north seems to be somewhat tense. Even with Druid delegates sent to both House Astor, and to the Enlightened City. But this only seems to emphasize the differences between themselves and the civilized world. From their distrust of fire, to their sight aggravation from buildings built from stone, to their outright anger of buildings built from wood, to their strange eating habits, to their clothing and body language. Everything about them makes anyone not a Druid on edge. The few traders who have attempted to barter with the Druid have been mostly unsuccessful. The combination of the Druids distrust of anyone not a Druid, their nomadic communities, and their lack of currency have lead most to give up. There are an extremely rare few who can trade with them, however. They are those who are able to track a Druidic community through the forest, able to overcome the distrust of strangers, and have the foresight to know what good they will want. The reward for these people are quite measurable, as the Druids are able to make things found nowhere else in the world. There are those from the civilized lands who try to learn the secrets of the Druids. They are mostly driven off by the near impossibility of finding a Druidic community. Those who do find the Druids are often driven away upon revealing their purpose. Those who aren’t driven away often leave of their own volition upon running out of supplies, and being forced by necessity to begin living as the Druids do. Those who do persevere are never the same afterwards. They bring home tails of the most strange and almost unbelievable variety. Something of the wilds seem to have been instilled in them as well. Eyes darting to and fro, almost as if looking for food or predators, their postures have a slightly animalistic set, they have a slight aversion to fire, and they seem to have an almost longing expression whenever they look at a forest. So only the most avid researchers will go to study the Druids. This all culminates in a distrust and fear of Druids in civilized lands. They are often spoken of as one would talk about rabid animals, or lunatics. This makes it hard for any Druid who wishes to learn about the civilized lands. They often retreat back to the forest before a week has gone by. Driven back by a longing for home, and by the adversity they face. But extremely rarely, roving Druids can be found in lands far from the north. They often have a homesick look, and seem to huddle under their deerskin cloaks. But these few are driven on by the curiosity and wanderlust which resides in them. There are those few who wish to travel to the Druids, and to become one of them. They face similar trials to the merchants and the researchers. But once they have begun to integrate there are trials they have to face. The first ritual they have to do is the Purging. In this, the initiate has his or her blood replaced by tree sap over the course of a week. Some die, some survive. If the initiate survives, he or she have been cleansed of the blood of civilization. Upon finishing this, he or she discards his or her name. Until the next ritual he or she is nameless. The next ritual is the Ritual of Rebirth. Here, the initiate has a shell of wood grown around them. They become one with the wood for a day. When this is over, they gain a name of their choosing. At this point they are like a child in the community. The final Ritual is the Ritual of binding. Here, a Tattoo made of vines is woven into the initiates skin. Upon finishing this, they have become a full Druid. The Druids have a somewhat strange form of government. At the top is the Arch Druid. Then there’s the regional Druids, who govern different parts of the forest and serve as advisers to the Arch Druid. Then there’s the Village Druids, who govern the nomadic communities and serve as advisers to whichever Regional Druid they are under currently. Then there’s the Free Druids, who wander about on their own obeying the Law of wherever they are right now. Then are the Apprentices, who serve under another Druid, and one day earn the right to be either a Village Druid or a Free Druid. Last there are the Villagers, who simply live their lives under the governance of the Druids above them. If anyone wishes to ask any questions, post them below. |
![]() |
|
| Joshua Ravenclaw | Dec 5 2015, 09:25 PM Post #2 |
![]()
Feederite Diplomat, Lecturer and Founder of Alexandria
|
I'm curious, how will the interaction go with our Mages of Order in Sapphire? |
![]() |
|
| McMasterdonia | Dec 7 2015, 05:49 AM Post #3 |
![]()
|
If I speak to a cat and it meows back at me, am I a druid? :O |
![]() |
|
| Lamoni | Dec 7 2015, 07:27 AM Post #4 |
|
RP Mentor, 2IC, WA Delegate, and Chief Diplomat, Greater Dienstad
|
If hawks like to circle over my head when I go outside, does THAT make me a druid? |
![]() |
|
| Runa | Dec 7 2015, 11:16 PM Post #5 |
|
Hehehe, good one. But really, if anyone wants to ask some (legitimate) questions about Druidry, I would be glad to respond. |
![]() |
|
| Almonaster | Dec 8 2015, 12:10 AM Post #6 |
![]()
The devil you know
|
What is the appropriate metal for a sickle? |
![]() |
|
| New babylonians | Dec 8 2015, 02:27 AM Post #7 |
|
Is there only one area of worship Stonehenge for the druids, or was there many? |
![]() |
|
| Runa | Dec 8 2015, 02:35 AM Post #8 |
|
Alright, so speaking to animals is not one of the general powers of a Druid. The closest there is to that is the Animal Companion, which is granted to only the Arch Druid. And the Hawks thing also isn't a Druidic thing. Perhaps your hair just looks like some sort of rodent? (Hehehe) And for the sickle, the Druids don't do agriculture. They use the Green touch (accelerated plant growth and control of said growth) to grow an abundance of food in their forest. And even if they DID use sickles, they would simply grow wood in the shape of a sickle modified to have a steel, or near steel strength. And to the next question, technically the entire forest is sacred to them, but the Grove, at which the Arch Druid resides is their most holy place. Oh yes, and also Raven I do not know enough about that group of magic users, or the type of magic they use to know how that will go down. My guess is rather poorly, as Druidry is full of mysticism and I'm guessing that the Mages will take a rather scientific approach to magic. But who knows? I might be wrong. I kinda want to RP that first meeting now.
Edited by Runa, Dec 8 2015, 02:41 AM.
|
![]() |
|
| Joshua Ravenclaw | Dec 8 2015, 02:54 AM Post #9 |
![]()
Feederite Diplomat, Lecturer and Founder of Alexandria
|
We can handle that RP once this fair is over with.
|
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Kingdom of Alexandria · Next Topic » |









2:33 PM Jul 11