Excerpt from a recent treatise on the Dens that survived the second coming of The Burning Legion found in the library at Nighthaven in Moonglade and in Darnassus:
“Those founders of the Druids of the Forest were amongst the first to set aside their weapons when the War of the Ancients came to its bloody, and violent, conclusion. They had fought together as soldiers under Ravencrest and Shadowsong, when the war was over and they felt they were lost. They had dealt in death for so long, seen so much laid to ruin and waste, They yearned to see life flourish. Their founders took the Branch as their totem, the very forest became their Den and the Children of the Forest, the Treants, became their form. Over many hundreds of years the original Druids of the Forest became great shepherds and guardians, for the forest was their flock. Like many Dens of their druidic brothers the Druids of the Forest too withdrew to into the Emerald Dream during the Long Vigil, and only returned to the world to help defend their people and forests from the return of The Burning Legion. Once more can Druids of the Forest be found wandering the groves of Kalimdor, their numbers depleted by that terrible war along the slopes of Hyjal. Their Shand’do, First Keeper K’var Winteroak, seeks to welcome any druid who would commit their lives to the care and stewardship of the forests of our ancient homeland, and beyond.”
About the Guild
The Druids of the Forest is a den and grove of druids led by K’var Winteroak, himself a Druid of the Branch. We are based heavily in Kalimdor, but with scope to visit, explore and assist in the Eastern Kingdoms as we seek to also watch over the groves which are home to the portals to the Emerald Dream. The Guild will be open to druids from various other dens and who take other totems besides that of the branch.
Themes in our Role Play & what to expect
There are a number of important themes which will underpin the tone, feel and RP you can come to expect as a member of the Druids of the Forest
Nature Worship - This is a fundamental aspect of the guild, drawing on the rites and rituals we see druids take to receive blessings from various forest spirits for their forms. Further inspiration comes from the many shinto elements that seem present within Night Elf Druidic society, such as gates that mark entrances to sacred places, trees with Shimenawa wrapped around them, remote forest shrines and offerings you can find at these shrines and underneath signposts in Ashenvale. We’ll RP as very aware of all these facets, making our own pilgrimages to shrines, making offerings to spirits, communing with them and very much worshipping nature and the various demi-gods of the forest. The forest will hold a particular reverence to the guild, the great provider of all we need.
Self Sufficiency & The Journey - An important facet of our RP will be RPing out, and being faithful to our self-sufficiency as characters. IC trades and professions are encouraged and we’ll RP out preparing our meals, gathering food, hunting and fishing where necessary. We’ll make camps under starlight as we travel, and approach travel with a fair mind to it reflecting the great distances of the world, but not letting this be prohibitive of RP opportunities we become aware of at the last minute.
One Great Forest & The Eastern Kingdoms - The Druids of the Forest are staunch defenders of their people’s lands and home, but also the wider Forests of the world, much of which has been beyond their reach since the sundering. Part of our work as a guild will be to explore The Eastern Kingdoms on occasion, checking in on the portals to the Emerald Dream at the groves in Duskwood and The Hinterlands. This gives our grove the chance to explore the world, meet new people and orders and ICly explore our relatively new role as members of The Alliance.
The Bonds of Kinship and Camaraderie - We’ll be a very active and present presence within the Kalimdor RP scene, quite naturally. We’ll look for opportunities to share our RP with others and share in their RP also. We’ll also look at what it means to be Kaldorei as part of this still-young Alliance and do what we can to honour the commitments our people have made to it. This will take the form of joining in with Server Campaigns and RP-PVP events if/ when they come about. This does not mean all members would be expected to fight, some may tend wounded, some may look to heal the land after battle.
Ranks & Structure
The Druids of the Forest are divided into three sections: The Roots, The Bark and The Leaves. Each section is lead by a Keeper.
The Roots - Druids of the Branch and other healers who specialise in the restorative powers of their druidry, the Shan’do himself is of this group and embodies the core commitment and ideology of the Druids of the Forest to serve the forest, rooting and anchoring them to that goal through all things.
The Bark - Druids who are fighters, such as Druids of the Claw, who use their forms and strength to physically protect the forest from those who would seek to harm it.
The Leaves - Druids, such as Druids of the Moon, who are practicing the mystic arts of druidry, calling on celestial and astral powers to both defend the grove and divine the sacred messages written across the heavens.
Ranks:
Ranks are split across four tiers:
Tier 1 -
First Keeper - The leader of the Druids of the Forest, an original founder of the den and is a Druid of the Branch.
Keeper - The leader of one of the three sections of the Druids of the Forest, a Shan’do responsible for teaching students in their section, coordinating their members and advising the First Keeper
Tier 2 -
Tender - a member of the Roots of the Druids of the Forest, a healer.
Guardian - a member of the Bark of the Druids of the Forest, a fighter with tooth and claw
Auger - a member of the Leaves of the Druids of the Forest, a master of the celestial and astral powers to both defend and divine.
Tier 3 -
Thero’shan - A student of one of the three branches of the Druids of the Forest, often a youngling or recent convert to the Druidic arts. Thero’shans receive instructions from other druids on their section and are students of their respective Shan’do.
Tier 4 -
Sapling - The newest additions to the Druids of the Forest, someone still finding their feet and settling in.
How to join
If you’re interested in joining the guild, or have any questions, then you can drop myself, or Rúmil, a whisper in game and we’ll be happy to discuss your application to join.