As you struggle through the thick snow that falls around you your steps become heavier and harder with each crunch of the fresh-snow under foot. How long ago had you lost the path? Thirty minutes ago? An hour? The icy wind cuts through your furs and stirs the trees to creak and groan under their own weight; all the while you feel eyes upon but always in the corner of your eye. You quickly turn, but nothing! Again the feeling starts to grow as hopelessness starts to take root.
Your cries and calls for help though have not gone unheard, for the very trees you trudge past whisper on the blizzard’s breath.
Ahead of you light flickers, faint and hard to make out with its pale blue flame. As you approach a will-o'-the-wisp kindly floats around a great Oak tree, and seems to beckon you forward. Just as you near its curious icy-warmth the will-o'-the-wisp vanishes, only to appear around another Oak tree further away. With each will-o'-the-wisp does the forest begin to look more familiar until, at last, Fallhaven is in sight. As you part with the last Oak tree you turn and bow before it and though no words are spoken you feel your gratitude somehow appreciated by the wind-swept tree.
You make it to your village to share with your friends in the pub your experience with the will-o'-the-wisp’s of the Oaken forest, a tale shared by many-a-villager lost in the snow-swept nights around these parts.
High in the mountains overlooking Fallhaven a group of benevolent Thornspeakers watch the villager make their way home from the branches of a great Oak Tree. The Oaken Grove continues its vigil, unknown by many of the villagers but appreciated by all.
The Oaken Grove [IC]
Welcome to The Oaken Grove, stranger. We are a group of Thornspeakers; students and followers of the great Ulfar and proud guardians of the balance in our lands. We are a reclusive Grove, but we are not strangers from the struggles of those who call this land home. Our grove maintains a vigil over the frozen mountains and forests from the Iceveil Glacier, Gol Osigr, Arom’s Stand and the Alpine Rise down into the foothills of Athair’s Forest, Fallhaven and the Gleenbrook Homestead and its hunting grounds. Each Thornspeaker of our Grove takes the name of a tree from the forests, and to the people of Arom’s Stand, Fallhaven and Glenbrook are we often known by those names. Treat the forests with respect, and our paths need never cross.
OOC
Hello, and welcome! The Oaken Grove is a Thornspeaker RP guild based in Drustvar. We RP as a Grove with a vigil over areas in Drustvar only, but not all our RP will be confined to this region. As we ICly become aware of the other Druidic orders we’ll look to expand our knowledge of Druidism and races like the Kaldorei and Gilneans and, through them, learn of the Cenarion Circle.
Role Play:
We will participate in RP-PVP and run our own DM events. The grove will have three branches of RP to follow, and are ordered into the most common RP we’ll undertake to the least common.
Drustvar & The Mainland - As Thornspeakers we are inherently connected with Drustvar, tending to its balance and being vigilant against witches and the vengeful spirits of the Drust. Ulfar’s Den would be the home of the Guild, where we would meet, learn and teach young Thornspeakers. We would also journey to the Mainland, looking to build bridges by helping other Kul Tiran guilds and communities and joining gatherings and social events.
Druidic Kinship - Through eventual membership of the Alliance we would become aware of the Kaldorei and Gilnean Druids and would look to invite some to our grove as a first-step to learn about the wider world and the conflict beyond our shores. Sharing deep spiritual connections with nature we would look to forge strong bonds with our new Kaldorei and Gilnean allies. From this we would seek to help both races with their struggles.
The Alliance and the Battle for Azeroth - Through exposure to our new allies, especially the Kaldorei and Gilnean Druids, along with what we learn from House Waycrest and visits to Boralus we would begin to have an image of the Sylvanas’ Horde. Though our primary focus would always be to preserve the balance the actions of Sylvanas with regards to Gilneas, Teldrassil and the rising of more dead to serve her would be enough for the Grove to offer its help to both Kul Tiran orders in their battles and our Kaldorei and Gilnean druidic brothers and sisters.
The Oaken Grove theme
We RP along the line that Thornspeakers are generally highly reclusive, often being figures of mystery and story within the local communities. Thornspeakers of The Oaken Grove embody this and work to keep balance, keep the Drust and Coven threat in check and, from time to time, help the locals with things like people missing in the wilds, poor crops, harvests, healing etc. With the events of the story in the region our exposure and involvement in the lives of the locals will, gradually, become more frequent and open. We’ll join the locals of Fallhaven for a cuppa or pint in an evening around a fire but will always return to our home, the forests.
One unique feature of our Grove is our connection with the forests of Drustvar. Thornspeakers initiated into this Grove take a second “Grove Name” that becomes their nickname within the Grove. These Grove Names come from the names of tress that grow throughout the forests and embody the personality and spirit of the Thornspeaker who bares it. We can help players with their Tree Lore to help them make informed choices about their Grove Names!
Role Play Themes:
Exploration - Learning about the world beyond Drustvar, cultivating our place in wider Kul Tiran society and a wider Druidic community.
Vigil - Although our grove will occasionally roam with the ebb and flow of the war and the needs of our friends and allies Drustvar will be our home. There we continue to tend to the balance, and maintain our vigil against witches and the resurgence of the Drust.
Living off the Land - A big emphasis will be on living in the wilds, with rp centered around hunting, gathering, getting resources to survive. Players will be encouraged to RP a profession/ specialism that compliments their work as Thornspeaker. This could range from a cook or casual fisherman to an alchemist or leatherworker. Waste not want not will be a philosophy of the grove.
Legacy - As Thornspeakers we continue a long legacy from the Drust who refused to make war against the early Kul Tirans to the first calls of the Thornspeaker in our ancestors. We continue that legacy, honouring our past while looking to train new generations of Thornspeakers and will have opportunities for characters just starting out on their path with Thornspeaker Druidism.
Organisation:
Oak (Skogr) leads The Oaken Grove as First Speaker.
The Grove is then divided into different branches, each branch is lead by a “Speaker”:
The Bark - Thornspeakers who are Shield Paws or Iron Claws of the grove. They are the might of the Grove, defending it with paw, claw and tooth.
The Roots - Deeply spiritual individuals with a connection to the forest who act as healers of flesh, bark and earth.
The Leaves - The mystic branch of The Oak Grove, they draw power not only from the Forest but from the very starlight that shines upon them. Astrology, prophecy and magic are their gifts to the Grove.
Uniforms:
There is not a set uniform, but there are plenty of Thornspeaker NPCs to give an idea of how a Thornspeaker should dress and this sets our “Theme”. Clothing should be earthy, practical, and reflect the “person of the wilds” nature of a Thornspeaker. Robes, wool, leather and items with branches, plantlife all help lend themselves to this. Items should be generally be darker in shade, not bright green.
Recruitment:
If you are interested in joining then feel free to drop myself a message in game, or here on the forum if you have any questions. We can discuss your application and how your character might fit in with our Thornspeaker grove. We’ve also made a community for Thornspeakers in general and will organise general Thornspeaker Themed events for everyone alongside our guild content.
Community Link: https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/invite/kbzwv5tM5Y?region=EU&faction=Alliance