The Organization of Chaos (EAFW)

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Legends say that the druids who remained after the Eradication gathered on a high mesa somewhere in the northern Tablelands. It was there they decided that they should scatter to the most remote reaches and farthest regions of Athas, there to bide their time, waiting for the day when they were powerful enough to challenge the sorcerer-kings again. This was a long time ago, and the druids have yet to return to the cities of the defilers.
Some say that they will never return, that their seclusion and isolation have destroyed whatever power they once wielded as a circle. Others say that the druids long wait is indicative of their cunning, and that their plan is to insure that the next confrontation with the kings won't end in defeat
==Druids and the Pact==
Druids have formed the same basic relationships with the elemental powers as the clerics. Druids must protect not only their guarded lands, but they must also defend the raw elements to which each has pledged himself. They are not bound by any of the elementals' other desires, such as the air spirit's lust for freedom and revulsion for slavery.
Because their devotion to the elementals and paraelementals is not total, they lack the granted powers given to clerics, though combining the energies of multiple patronage does give them access to more spells. A druid may choose up to two elements that exist in large quantities within his guarded lands, this gives him major access to one and minor access to the other. He also has major access to spells from the Sphere of the Cosmos.
Finally, through millennia of communing with nature, the druids have developed certain powers uniquely their own. Their granted powers are not given to them by the elemental lords, and cannot be revoked for unfaithful acts or the breaking of a Pact
==Becoming a Druid==
Druids do not undergo rites of initiation like clerics because their motivations have given their planer mentors proof of it and the years of experience necessary to cement a pact with the elementals.
A druid of at least the 9th level will occasionally take on an apprentice, but the selection process is not easy. The druid watches a tribe or settlement, usually from his guarded lands. He takes notice of anyone who seems particularly concerned about the land and nature. Over the course of months, or sometimes even years, the druid will pick one of these select few and approach him in private. Only then does he explain the nature of the druidic life, the tasks they must fulfill, and the lonely and dangerous existence of Athas's last guardians. If the young man or woman agrees, the druid hurries them into his guarded lands, rarely allowing them time to say good-bye or grab a few material possessions.
Afterwards, the druid takes his student far from home. Travel limits the student's temptations. With no one nearby and no distracting friends or family, the druid has a chance to teach the student about the novice's future area of guardianship.
Months pass before the druid finally begins to prepare the ritual that will allow the student to speak with the elementals. When that time finally comes, the master prepares a monument to the planes that are to be petitioned, and casts a pact spell. The student goes into a deep trance while his spirit roams the inner planes and he speaks with the elementals that dwell there. When the ordeal is over, the initiate becomes a lst-level Druid. There are very few rejections, since the druid carefully weeded and groomed the candidate long before the student was allowed to speak with his guides.
Once the mentor has secured a guardian for his lands, he leaves and begins a period of wandering. This allows the new druid time to himself, to gain a feel for his new lands and to learn firsthand of the responsibilities he has inherited.
: Buris's parents had always loved their daughter. At the age of six, when most girls were playing with dolls made from vegetable shucks, Buris was working beside her parents and pruning the moisture stealing weeds from the garden.
: By the age of 10, she could tell what was ailing plants and crops before anyone else had even noticed that something was wrong. Her paren ts were proud of her, and their love was as rare as their daughter's abilities.
: But another watched from a distance. Jeffer saw the child working in the dusty fields one day as the sun was easing down, below the horizon. The other children were playing an obscure game with sticks and a ball, but Buris toiled until long after dark, beside the adults. The old druid left the village, but the child's memory remained.
: When he saw her next, she had tamed a wild crodlu and rode it about the valley, seemingly searching for something she didn 't understand. The druid remembered a time long ago, when he felt the eyes of another upon him, and how he had searched far and wide trying to understand the powerful forces of destiny that were leading him into a life of solitude, occasional agony, and rare fulfillment.
: One night, as the girl sat alone among the fields, the druid appeared from nowhere. She wasn t frightened, but curiosity shone through her like the twin moons on a cloudless night. The druid smiled and she invited him to sit, somehow sensing that this mystery was no threat. All through the night they spoke softly about the life of the druid, and the responsibilities that went with that life.
: When morning broke over the spare hills and Buris' parents awoke, they found only a doll made from vegetable shucks lying on her pillow. The rays of the rising sun sparkled off their tears, but there were two tears of joy for every one of loss—both realized that the valley had just gained a powerful protector.
: -The Doll's Tale
==Guarded Lands==
A druid strives to protect everything within his guarded lands. This includes all beasts, plant life, and peaceful settlements. Druids may or may not protect particular monsters with lairs on their lands, depending on whether or not the creature's life or destruction has a significant impact on the druid's territory. Sloths and other "dumb" beasts are usually protected. It only the more intelligent species that risk incurring a guardian's wrath.
Large or particularly valuable areas are usually guarded by a druid of sufficient power to defend them, but there are two instances where vast expanses of terrain may be inhabited by a very young or inexperienced druid. This can happen if the original protector of a spot has been slain or dies of age, or if a newly initiated druid is watching over the land.
Occasionally, if a druid knows he is about to pass from this life and feels that his apprentice cannot handle an impending situation, he may call for the aid of a druid from a neighboring land. This sort of alliance is always temporary.
 Druid Sphere—Guarded Land Table (Elemental)
Element	Guarded Lands
Earth 	Valleys, grottos, a particular mountain or hill, landmarks, an expanse of desert or steppes, an isolated mountain range.
Air 	The skies over a particular area, the winds of a canyon or prevailing wind pattern, the wind that blows through a dale, or a rock peak near the sky.
Fire 	Dry grasslands, a volcano, hot springs, boiling tar pits, ashen wastes.
Water 	A spring or pool, an oasis, cistern, section of a lake or river, or waterfall.
 Druid Sphere—Guarded Land Table (Paraelemental)
Paraelement	Guarded Lands
Silt 	A particular stretch or island in the Sea of Silt or Estuary of the Forked Tongue, a large pool of quicksand.
Sun 	Anywhere beneath the open sky.
Magma 	A volcano, a lava "spring."
Rain 	A grove in the Forest Ridge or in other woodlands, the Dragon's Palate, anywhere
that receives rain at least once a month, not a desert area.
==The Time of Wandering==
Older druids, those past the 12th level, must spend half of their time on their guarded lands, and half wandering in the deserts of Athas. While wandering, the druid learns about general ecological trends, protects and preserves other parts of Athas, and may even take part in adventures in order to learn the ways of men... and of defilers.
"Young druids may spend as much time on their guarded lands as they see fit. Until the 12th level, a druid is said to be in the time of wandering.
When someone becomes a druid, she usually spends her first month or two on her guarded lands, getting a feel for her new responsibilities and learning the intimate details of the landscape. Once she feels comfortable with her environment, she begins her time of wandering.
During this time, a druid may travel anywhere and do most anything. It is almost common to see druids adventuring with clerical counterparts and warrior companions in short crusades against local terrors or certain dangers to the environment
One might also encounter a druid as he visits a settlement or a nomadic camp. There he will perform much the same role as a cleric—healing wounds, teaching preservation and conservation, or fulfilling a special role required by one of his patron elements. Druids are temperamental characters whose true power is displayed only when they are angered. Villagers tend to treat druids with slightly more awe and respect than they give to clerics.
==Druid Characters==
Druids must have a Wisdom of at least 12 and a Charisma score of 15. They are restricted to human, halfling, mul, thri-kreen, or half-elf races. Wisdom and Charisma scores of 16 or more gain the character a 10% bonus to experience points earned during play.
Druids, like nature itself, are neutral. They see the balance of all things. They know that every living creature is part of the food chain, and birth and death are the natural order of life. This is one of the reasons druids harbor such intense hatred for the defuers. Their magic of decay lies outside the normal cycle of life. Matter should not be destroyed, but converted to a form that will eventually return to the earth. Defiling magic destroys that which should never be destroyed, and its practice is an abomination to druids.
A Druid has major access to the sphere whose element covers the greatest portion of his guarded land, and major access to the Cosmos as well. Druids may also choose spells from another sphere related to their guarded lands, but they have only minor access to them. The druid of a valley that holds a river and a silt delta, could have major access to water, minor access to silt, and major access to the cosmos.
Characters usually become druids for altruistic reasons. They are concerned with the fate of Athas in general, and with the land they associate with in particular.
==Weapons and Armor==
Druids do not wear armor—it interferes with their ability to blend in with the land. Then too, armor tends to mark one as a warrior and this is not an image that druids wish to project. They believe armor only invites trouble, and it is uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time beneath the hot sun.
There are no weapons restrictions placed on druids. Large weapons, halberds or axes, invite trouble, but because of time spent wandering the dangerous wastes of Athas, druids have learned the value of heavy weapons. Missile weapons are prized among druids, since they allow them to attack from concealment
==Inherent Powers==
Though there is no organized hierarchy on Athas, druids communicate with each other through a strange language of bestial grunts and insect chirpings. Since this comes of years spent studying the sounds of nature's babel, no other character class is capable of learning this language. The vocabulary, while limited, deals with nature and natural events. Often, this tongue is used as a method of recognition.
Beginning at the 1st level, a druid can remain concealed whenever he is on his guarded lands. He must remain stationary and he cannot cast spells. He can be detected by spells like detect invisible.
Upon reaching the 3rd level, a druid may speak with the animals on his guarded lands. He may speak with all animals after achieving the 7th level.
At the 5th level, druids gain the ability to speak with plants on their guarded lands. They may speak with all plants after gaining the 9th level.
Druids can live without water or nourishment upon reaching the 7th level. Their life energy and sustenance is now drawn from the guarded land itself. A druid may do this only on his own guarded lands.
At the 10th level, druids gain the ability to shape change into any common creature in their guarded lands. The size of the creature does not matter as long as it is native to the area. When a druid assumes an animal shape, all items he is wearing and one item carried in eacK Kand, transform into the creature. He gains all of the abilities of the form, including movement rate, armor class, number of attacks, and damage per attack. He retains his own hit points, THAC0, and saving throws while in this form. Any magical powers of the creature are not acquired, but those that result from the creature's form (such as flight or poison) are gained. He may exercise this ability three times per day. To determine if a creature is native to a druid's guarded land, consult Chapter 11 of the DARK SUN® Rules Book
Beginning at the 17th level, a druid can enter and survive the elemental planes. The reason for this exception to the rules is that Athasian druids have no hierarchy, and it is impossible for a character to become a hierophant druid.
At the 17th level, a druid can enter and survive in the element or paraelement that composes most of his guarded lands, usually earth. If two elements are relatively equal in abundance, a druid may select either one. At the 18th level, druids may enter and survive in another element common to their guarded lands. At 19th and 20th levels, druids should choose two other elemental or paraelemental planes to which they may travel at will.
Druids can exercise this ability as often as they like, and may remain on a plane for as long as they wish. Time does not exist on the elemental planes, and the act of transference takes but one round.
At the 21st level, a druid can communicate telepathically with any creature on his guarded lands. The communication may be of any duration, and over any distance. Note that while the creature must be on the guarded lands, the druid does not have to be present. This is entirely mental, so language and racial barriers present no problems.
A druid can summon an entire species within his guarded lands at the 23rd level. She must first shape change to the species desired, then telepathically-call the others to join her. All creatures of that species, residing on her guarded lands will head to her location at the highest possible rate of speed. Once assembled, the animals will obey the druid's every command, provided she remains in the midst of them. The creatures will readily leave the guarded lands to do the druid's bidding. The number of creatures summoned is not restricted. A druid may command hundreds of mekillots, thousands of vipers, or millions of insects. Druids cannot call for a part of a species—it is all or nothing. When she resumes her original form, the animals return to their dens.
A druid gains major access to all spheres of priestly magic at the 24th level; including the paraelements.
A druid can call upon the spirit of the land and its power at the 25th level. The spirit will appear and consult or lend aid at the druid's command. A druid can never call upon the spirit without just cause, however, such as the protection or enhancement of the lands. Any selfish or personal reason will anger the spirit so that he might attack the druid instead!
A druid can hide his guarded lands when he reaches the 26th level. Provided he is on his guarded lands, he can cast an illusion that only he and those he designates can ignore. Creatures who have more Hit Dice or levels than the caster may save vs. spells to disbelieve. Otherwise, travelers on guarded lands are convinced they are lost, and that these subtle illusions are in fact miles from the lands they seek A druid can create any physical illusion he cares to, from lush jungles to sterile wastes. He can cast this illusion at any time, but he must concentrate to maintain it for more than one round.
A druid can teleport throughout his guarded lands at the 27th level, provided he is teleporting between two points entirely within his guarded lands. Since he is intimately familiar with every step of his lands, there is no chance of missing the proposed target spot He can do this any number of times.
A druid can close his guarded lands at the 28th level. To do this, he creates an impenetrable barrier around the edges of his domain in the shape of a dome that rises 1,000 feet higher than the highest point on the land. The nature of the barrier is set by the imagination of the druid—an array of spinning blades, a field of pure force, or even a curtain of flame and magma. Whatever the form, the barrier can only be crossed by creatures with more Hit Dice or levels than the druid, or by creatures designated by the druid. The barrier works in both directions; no entrance, and no exit.
A druid can absorb defiler damage on his guarded lands at the 30th level. Whenever the druid is on his lands, defiler magic cannot destroy the life giving properties of the land around the caster; the ground is not turned to ash. Instead, the energy is tapped directly from the druid, no matter where he is. Every 10 spell levels of defiler magic cast on guarded lands drains 1 hp from the druid, when protecting the land. However, defiler magic will not kill him—it cannot take his last hit point. When the druid is that wounded, defiler magic takes its normal toll on the guarded lands.
Whenever defiler magic is cast on his lands, the druid receives a mental image of exactly where the spell is being cast. When he is not on his lands, a druid still receives a general impression that defiler magic is being cast, but no indication of the location.
Druids cannot turn undead.