Druidism

Druidism is a magical system invented by Gibbou. Druidism is a type of magic heavily reliant on divine favour; divine favour being defined as the increased likelihood of divine miracles as a result of the druid’s excellent and pious behaviour towards the great eight. These great eight (with space open for additional ones) are the primordial gods of the moon, sun, stars, plants, mountains, and ocean, with the addition of the conceptual gods of truth, ink and harvest. In exchange for the druid’s piety, these deities have agreed to offer small miracles at the druid’s humble request. A typical exchange of this kind can be that the druid keeps the plant life around their village well tended and healthy, and punishes loggers who overcut their logging quotas in an unsustainable manner. In return for this behaviour, the Tree of Genesis may reward them with slightly faster plant growth if the druid so prays. Thanks to the artifact that gives novices their druidic power, a drinking horn known simply as Hir, a link is established between the great eight and the druid. Lesser miracles like the kind the druid can conjure cost the god next to nothing to perform (at times, it’s barely even consciously done), and what is taken in exchange is merely the favour. This means that, if the miracle is sufficiently large, the druid will potentially have to spend a long time paying back the respective god(s) for their divine aid. 
For this reason, druids make for poor assault casters - the inability to use a lot of magic without the need to recharge is devastating to their military record. For this reason, druids will find that pursuing other professions such as herbalism, alchemy, arts and crafts, astrology and animal watching better complement their magic than warfare. Druidism, as envisioned by Gibbou, is a tool for mortals to protect those dear to them - not to cause harm and death. This is also why any god can freely withdraw their support for a druid if they believe the druid to have forsaken their pious and virtuous ways. 
Druidism is incompatible with mana, this being a result of a flaw in Hir that severs the connection the user has with the natural Galbaric flow of mana. Becoming a druid means sacrificing becoming a mage. 
== Druidic Circles ==
Druidic circles are organisations and sects of druidism formed usually through holy orders. Gameplay-wise, it should be noted that druidic circles can gather prestige whenever they're featured in a post, but the prestige cannot be spent outside a circle moot, which happens once a year ICly at specific locations significant to the circle. Known circles include:
* The Circle of the Long Stride: A druidic circle based on Toraan, especially in and around Ha-Dûna in the north. Druids of this circle rarely stay in one place for long, as they are tasted with travelling the land, far and wide, in order to help as many villages as possible. The order is blessed with the following titles:https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5100449
** Nightveil II: Members of this Circle can sleep throughout the night in peace without fear of anyone or anything harming them regardless of where they choose to rest.
** Endurance I: Members of this Circle have increased stamina while travelling, and are slightly more resistance to disease.
** Shining Smiles I: Members of this Circle have flawless dental hygiene.
* The Circle of the Guiding Lights: A druidic circle not confined to a specific geographic location, but most common in Toraan and Mydia. Druids of this circle are highly varied but tend to be nomadic even after their pilgrimage and many are cartographers. The order is blessed with the following titles: 
** Starlit Pilgrimage I: In order to become a druid, one typically must summon the Hir to them through prayer. For this order, people who have a sincere and informed desire to join this circle are guided by the stars to the Hir for as long as they freely provide some service to the region they are traveling through. These pilgrimages can last for years, even decades, but they have all benefits of being a member of the order for as long as they are on the pilgrimage.
** Sirius' Assurance II: A member of this order can never be lost for as long as they can or otherwise perceive the presence of stars, being able to easily find their way to a friendly settlement if they ever needed to.
** Time of the Zodiac I: Using the stars, members of this order have an impressive sense of time and are always able to tell the current zodiac period.
* The Circle of the Turning Away: A druidic circle based on the Kubrajzar made up of wandering ascetic druids, known as kayhins. Members of this Circle are almost universally perceived to be insane by those unattuned to the Worldsong, and the creeds of individuals can range from a polytheistic belief in the eight gods of the Hir (and others), to more esoteric pantheism, panentheism, or pandeism. Members of the Circle ultimately wish to annihilate themselves into the Worldsong, thus becoming part of the Divine. The order is blessed with the following titles:https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5112423
** Divine Madness IV: Members of this Circle are all somewhat crazed due to operating almost exclusively on the plain of the Worldsong. This means they are far more attuned to the Worldsong than normal, almost one with it, but it also means that it is quite difficult for normal people to communicate with them properly, and so think them to be mad. Due to their intense attunement, things like eating and drinking, as well as excretion, all occur passively, and rather than sleeping they enter into a meditative state where they are in union with the Worldsong.
** Ascetic I: Members of this Circle are ascetic by nature and seek to overcome all desires and pleasures of the flesh. True pleasure and joy is found when the material is shed. This means they are generally more resistant to material harm and environmental extremes.
** Inkstained II: Ink seems to run through the members of this Circle, and their eyes are as night-black ink. Their inkweaving powers and ability to create inks that have the effect they desire is notable.
* The Circle of the Whispering Sight: A druidic circle based primarily near the great city of Arborea. It is made up of highly sensitive individuals who are generally of criminal and other disreputable backgrounds. They wear heavy gloves and wrap fabrics around their mouths and noses soaked in any unknown substance meant to dampen their smell. They dwell in a cavern lighting is sparse and food bland and flavourless. It is mostly silent, though occasionally are songs sung in whispers or instruments quietly played. Of their mundane perception, their hearing is perhaps the most important.
** Augury Adepts I: Members of this circle have an enhanced affinity for augury, allowing them to learn it easier and better use it in conjunction with their druidic powers.
** Whisper-Sight II: An advanced skill that is a combination of augury and druidry. It requires absolute focus; by inhibiting their mundane senses practitioners of this ability can tap into a fractional element of the divine senses, thus allowing them to sense any deception or illusion. They do not automatically know the truth, but they can sense lies, illusions, and other such deceptions.
== Spells ==
=== Types ===
Druid spells and rituals are tied to the domains and portfolios of the respective gods they're invoking. In theory, a druid can invoke smaller versions of any miracle a god can perform with their Domain Points. The scale and recharge demands of these spells can be categorised into four categories:
* Favour: The simplest of druid spells, as well as the most commonly used. These spells are very small in scale and generally don't take too much effort to recharge. They are usually recharged by doing favours for the god, such as tending to representations of their respecting elements, building shrines or spreading their gospels. Typical spells of this type are those affecting a single person with minor status effects, such as dizziness, sleepiness, endurance/strength boosts, temporary underwater breathing and so on.
* Plea: Pleas aren't necessarily more complicated to cast, but they generally are harder to recharge. Pleas are typically spells involving urgency, where the druid suddenly needs a miracle to stop a bleeding, create an instantaneous wall of stone, or put out a housefire. Due to the suddenness, these spells can demand increased efforts to replenish, and are thus used only in the upmost need.
* Wish: Wishes work the opposite way of pleas and favours - they are preemptively prepared in order to be cast without consequences. These spells typically mend wounds and diseases druids expect ahead of their arrival in a town, or ahead of certain seasons or a battle. If druids know a plague has struck the countryside, they will preemptively pray to and gain favour with Oraelia so they can do as much work as possible without needing ro recharge.
* Demand: Demands are the most outrageous and taboo of druid spells, but can potentially also be the most powerful. A druid uttering a demand to the gods can potentially perform miracles like bringing the dead back to life, parting the sea, raising small mountains, putting whole villages to sleep. However, spells such as these are impossible to repay, and in a fortunate case, the druid is relieved of their power; in less fortunate cases, they are relieved of their lives. Even if druids demand a miracle, though, it's not even granted that it'll appear, and the payment can be both disempowerment or death, still. In the OOC sense, it's a request for a given druid god to spend MP on the druid's behalf.
=== Elements ===
Below are typical spells and schools of magic related to each of the druidic gods to illustrate the scopes and flavours of each:
* Boris
** Stone-related spells, such as the ability to create shields, barriers or armour of stone, as well as spells that allow the affected to breathe easier at higher altitudes.
* Fìrinn
** Spells related to truth, visions and truesight. Information and clairvoyance spells are the most common here.
* Gibbou
** Spells related to respite, sleep, the moon and the night. Nightvision, anesthesia and sleep are the most common spell themes.
* Klaarungraxus
** Spells related to the ocean, the coast and their creatures. Typical spells include attracting more fish to the fishing grounds than usual, diverting floods or causing coral/seaweed growth. Klaar's school can also ward off storms.
* Meghzaal
** Spells here relate closely to Spiritsinging, and the druidic spells of Meghzaal focus on using the Worldsong to enhance their other elements. Inkweaving also comes easy to many druids, meaning they can infuse natural elements into ink to have them obtain some of the qualities of the element they absorbed - sun ink can burn, for example.
* Oraelia
** Spells here relate to the sun, sunlight, healing and crop growth. The most common spells here relate mainly to healing, but with the rise of vampires, sunlight spells have also been practiced for offense.
* Sirius
** As with Meghzaal, spells related to the stars are closely tied to Astrology. Druidic star spells focus on inspiring hope and guidance in others, in addition to the connections they can make to the astrological pantheon. Additionally, druids can go on a spiritual journey and meditate on the stars to unlock astrological familiars with Sirius' blessing.
* Tree of Genesis
** Spells here relate to plants, and druidic plant manipulation can involve anything from accelerating/improving plant growth to spawning entangling roots and poison ivy.
* Illyd Dyll
** Spells here relate to weather and the harvest - druids can call upon Illyd's powers to cause great growth spurts in the fields, bring about juicy fruits and warm summer rains. The god's weather powers can also be used, offensively, however, and with time, druids can learn to command thunder and lightning.
=== Recharge Requirements ===
Druidic magic is dependent on divine mandate, and all types of spells must be repaid with pious labour and favours to their respective gods. Each god has different demands for what the druid should do to regain their powers, but there are also general acts druids can perform to regain small amounts of favour. These include prayer, erecting shrines and spreading divine gospel. Below are more specific tasks the gods may demand of druids:
* Boris
** 
* Fìrinn
** Spreading and living out truths, as well as the installation and preservation of reflective surfaces.
* Gibbou
** Sleeping during the night, as well as making sure others also are sleeping; contributing to upholding nightly peace and tranquility; taking care of nocturnal animals.
* Klaarungraxus
** 
* Meghzaal
** In addition to other duties demanded by Worldsong (such as producing poetry and music), druids (especially those on Toraan) are encouraged to visit the Sunlit Temple at least once in their lifetime and offer their respect to the love of Meghzaal, Lucia. All druids are also encouraged to figure out ways for the ink god and his love to be reunited.
* Oraelia
** Being selfless and humble are virtues respected by the Sun Goddess, and will thus recharge the druid's favour with her; taking care of animals and people is greatly appreciated also.
* Sirius
** Being and promoting being resilient, observant, cunning, kind, introspective, and loyal; promoting hope and guiding others; tending to cosmic places and animals, such as the crystal reef or celestial sheep.
* Tree of Genesis
** Taking care of the roots of the World Tree, as well as protecting and tending to wild flora (such as preventing deforestation, planting saplings and seeds and so on.). 
* Illyd Dyll
** None of his power can be used for the self, but must serve a community at large.
== Druidic Moots and Moot Places ==
Druids (on Northern Toraan for now), whether part of the Circle of the Long Stride or not, will find themselves non-consecrated holy sites (typically places of great significance to one or more of the Eight) where they will meet once a year to discuss the past year and plan the following year, a so-called moot. OOCly, this also serves as the time and area where druidic circles can spent prestige. Moot grounds also serve as recruitment grounds and schools for new druids if no other academic institution is present in the area.https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5105651
== Significant Individuals or Places of Druidic Significance ==
* Dûna, moot place of the Circle of the Long Stride.
* Ha-Dûna, capital of North Toraanian druidism.
* Kaer Mirh, leader of the Circle of the Long Stride druids.
Category:Magic
Category:Phenomena