Ceremony - Druid (Priest Spell)

The druidic ceremony is similar to the priest version, having a number of applications within the hierarchy of druids. The ceremony spell does not leave behind an aura of magic (although a know alignment spell or similar magic might reveal the force of true neutrality involved), and the effect cannot be dispelled. Druidic ceremonies include the following, which can be performed by a druid of the indicated or higher level:
1st level druid: 	coming of age, rest eternal, marriage
3rd level druid: 	dedication, investiture
7th level druid: 	initiation, special vows
9th level druid: 	hallowed ground
12th level druid:	cast out
The characteristics of the various types of druidic ceremony spells are as follows:
Coming of age is performed upon young people in druidic societies, usually when they reach the age of 14, and is symbolic of the young man's or young woman's entrance into adulthood. A young person receives a +1 bonus to any single saving throw, which can be taken at any time after the coming of age ceremony is completed. The coming of age ceremony has a symbolic significance in that the adolescent can thereafter enjoy the rights and privileges of adulthood.
Rest eternal is performed upon the body of a de­ceased creature, and hastens the journey of the soul/spirit to its final resting place. The spirit of the deceased will not return to haunt the living
Marriage is essentially identical to the clerical cer­emony of the same name.
Dedication allows the recipient of the spell to be taken into the ranks of the druid's followers/worshipers, provided the individual has a neutral align­ment. A recipient of this spell is charged, as are druids, with the responsibility to preserve and pro­tect nature and the balance of forces in the world.
Investiture must be performed upon an individual of true neutral alignment before he or she can become a 1st level druid).
Initiation imbues the druid with the shape-chang­ing and immunity to woodland charm powers that become available upon attaining 7th level. This ceremony must be performed upon a druid imme­diately after he or she begins to advance upward through the 7th level of experience; if cast earlier than this, it does not work, and the druid does not have the benefit of the above-mentioned special powers until receiving initiation. Usually, a druid must seek out another druid of 7th or higher level to perform the ceremony, but in unusual cases a druid can cast it upon himself or herself.
Special vows is a ceremony that operates in the same fashion as the clerical rite of the same name. It does not work upon paladins, but will function upon cavaliers of any alignment.
Hallowed ground is cast by the druid on his or her permanent grove. This ceremony ensorcelled the trees of the grove so that they will never be af­fected by disease or other natural disasters. The ground remains hallowed for as long as the druid maintains this grove as his or her permanent base.
Cast out is a form of excommunication or punish­ment that can be performed by a druid upon some­one who has committed sacrilege upon the natural environment or in some other way violated the principles and standards of druids. Its effects can be lessened at a later date by the casting of a re­versed version of this ceremony, either by the same druid another one of at least as high a level as the original caster, but the casting out can never be completely neutralized except by a Hierophant Druid of any level. An individual who has been cast out exudes a powerful negative aura, causing any natural creature encountered to react negatively to the individual. This includes all normal (nonmagical) animals, monsters native to the woodlands, domesticated beasts such as horses and dogs, and all druids and their followers.
Casting out is a very powerful form of punish­ment, and can only be performed by a druid who has received permission from his or her Arch druid to do so. Similarly, an Arch druid must get permis­sion from the Great Druid, and the Great Druid from the Grand Druid. The Grand Druid does not need to obtain permission, but his or her actions can be reversed by a Hierophant Druid at any time. This ceremony is usually only used on occa­sions where the severity of an offense warrants such extreme punishment; a druid who asks for and is denied permission to perform it, or one who later has his or her actions offset by another druid, may be subject to punishment by higher-ranking members of the hierarchy. An intended recipient of this ceremony who is unwilling receives a saving throw vs. spell, at -4, to negate its effects.
The components of a ceremony spell always in­clude mistletoe, and the rite (of any sort) must be performed in a druid grove or some other natural, healthy patch of forest. Such ceremonies are nor­mally conducted at either dawn or dusk, the times when night and day are in balance.
Notes: Restricted to druids, common.
==Other Druidic Ceremonies==
These ceremonies have been published in Dragon Magazine and other sources as spells. Here, they have been reconfigured as additional ceremonies.
3rd level druid: witness
14th level druid: anointing
Witness: Within their society, druids are legal of­ficials as well as religious leaders. Having a druid witness an oath makes it binding. The oath taker pronounces the vow, usually an act to be completed within a specified time, calling upon the powers that be, and specifying a penalty if the oath goes unfulfilled. Alter the cer­emony is completed, the oath taker must fulfill his literal word, or suffer the consequences. The druid may advise the against rash promises or suggest suitable modifications to an oath, but the final say is the oath takers. After an oath is wit­nessed, nothing more can be done about it. Warriors often take oaths to perform certain deeds. While an unfulfilled oath may be binding for years, the death of the oath taker breaks all but the most terrible oaths.
Anointing (14th level): This ceremony is used to raise kings, high level druids, and other impor­tant persons to their stations. In the Celtic view of things. Sovereignty is a goddess to be wooed and wedded. The candidate is expected to make offerings to the holy groves, conduct great sacri­fices, and give away vast amounts of wealth to the poor to please his bride. Displays of the can­didate's physical prowess lead up to the anoint­ing. Finally, the anointing takes place. If the candidate proves himself good, wise, liberal, and powerful, he is accepted by the Sovereignty, and is allowed to take up his station. At Tara, the kingstone upon which the new High King stood was supposed to cry out for the true king when he stood upon it. (King Arthur's pulling the sword from the stone is much the same.)
While the anointing is the seal of station, dis­putes can arise about whether a person is the rightful possessor of the office. A successful anointing raises the recipient's Wisdom and Charisma by one point each (to a maximum of 18). The saving throw for this spell is special.
Assuming the candidate is properly qualified, he is rated on a scale of 1-4 (1 being highest) in each of Five areas by the DM. The rating in each area is added, generating a saving throw of 5 to 20. If the number or above is rolled on 1d20, the individual is confirmed as not only the lawful, but the rightful possessor of the office.
Alignment: Has the recipient displayed good character and faithfulness to the druidic cult?
Duty: Has the recipient shown himself re­sponsible and reliable in all his past dealings, and loyal to the kingdom, sect, or organization?
Leadership: Has the recipient been a strong and fair leader?
Performance: Did the candidate perform well in the rituals, games, demonstrations, offerings, and generosity during the festivities prior to his anointing?
Breeding: Is the recipient of good family connections and does he act as befits his station?
==Seasonal Ceremonies==
The seasonal spells of spring, summer, autumn, and winter have the following in common. These affect the land and people under the druid's care, large or small. (A druid is off on his own is in his own charge: a party of adven­turers of the druidic religion also might be con­sidered his charge.)
A druid of insufficient level to conduct a sea­sonal ceremony is part of another druid's charge, as are the people and lands under the lower-level druid. The junior druid must partici­pate in the ceremony conducted by the senior druid for those in his charge to benefit. The lower-level druid is expected to conduct the cer­emonies of which he is capable and to attend and assist when senior druids conduct seasonal cere­monies that he cannot). Failure in either case could mean disaster for the druid's charges.
These ceremonies are all-night affairs, during which the druids keep vigil, chant, make offerings, and perform certain actions important to the community's or kingdom's welfare for the coming year. Ordinary worshipers are also par­ticipants, although the druids do much of their work withdrawn from the masses (and in secret).
: 5th level druid: Spring (Beltane)
: 7th level druid: Summer (Lugnasad)
: 9th level druid: Autumn (Samain)
: 12th level druid: Winter (Imbalc)
Spring: The spring festival (Beltane) celebrates the sun's power to give life. Great fires are lit, and cattle are passed between them. Druids and people process between the fires, waving shoots of grain. The fiery sun is associated with health and the destruction of disease: The main point of this festival is to ensure protection from disease for animals, crops, and the faithful. The cere­mony reduces the chance of disease for the year to come by 10%. Beltane is a major civic festival associated with the spring planting.
Summer: The summer festival (Lugnasad) begins with the all-night vigil of Midsummer, the short­est night of the year. All is in full flower Those in­volved in the ceremony wear garlands, which are later offered as sacrifices, beginning on Midsummer's Eve. This is the night when druids gather their mistletoe for the coming year. Each druid must gather his own mistletoe on this night for his spells to work at full potency during the next year. A druid who cannot perform the summer ceremony must join with other druids, or the mistletoe he gathers will be nothing more than lesser mistletoe. The penalty for neglecting this festival is a loss of spell potency throughout the coming year. On the night of the first full moon following Midsummer, great fairs are opened.
Autumn: The autumn harvest festival (Samain) is a time of feasting. All the folk assemble to offer their first fruits to the gods. Great bonfires are built on prominent hills, and dancing and drink­ing go on all night. The harvest's bounty is meant to stave off hunger in the winter. Neglecting this festival brings dearth and poverty for the coming year (extra expenses will be accrued, various treasure collected will be deficient in value, etc.). (The DM handles this condition of misfortune until the next Samain. A monthly loss of at least 100 gp per level is suggested.)
Winter: The winter festival (Imbalc) celebrates lambing season, and offerings of milk are in order. Like a lamb, the year is born as the sun begins to wax again. The ceremony takes place on Yule, the longest night of the year—this, the longest sea­sonal ceremony is a petition for strength. Neglecting the ceremony produces a -5% penalty in experience points earned for the next year and the Hit Dice of animals born in the new year have a penalty of-1 hit point per Hit Die.
Category:Priest Spells
Category:Spells from Priest's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells