Circle of Decay

The Circle of Decay is a mysterious druidic circle who worship and facilitate the decay of natural organisms. Because of their work, they are deeply unpopular - even among other druids - and many who lack understanding of their motives view them as necromancers or Void cultists.
The truth, however, is that the Circle of Decay plays an essential role in the life cycles of Aorna - because the rot and the detritus makes way for new life. It fertilizes the ground from which the trees sprout; trees whose fruit bring energy to those who walk the world. Druids who join the Circle of Decay do so out of a deeply held belief that such a cycle must be maintained. They are so committed that they are willing to be seen as pariahs. This level of dedication makes druids extremely effective and loyal, though it also carries a risk of zealotry. 
The structure of the Circle of Decay is unknown, as is its leadership. It is believed that it is structured similarly to other druidic circles: individual cells operate in areas of extreme wilderness or ecological importance. Those cells operate independently, doing what must be done to preserve their corner of the world - sometimes even collaborating with the Circle of Fur and Feather and the Circle of Leaf and Limb to ensure balance. The leaders of each of these cells make-up a broader circle - called an Eclipse - that take responsibility over huge territories, often entire continents, that comes together in moments of cataclysm and crisis. The senior member of these organizations is called the Penumbra. 
In rare cases, a Penumbra becomes so obsessed with balance that they cause an imbalance in the natural world, becoming a truly dangerous force. This is true across all of the circles, but can be particularly devastating in the hands of the Circle of Decay. Since most of the day-to-day work is done by the local cells, they can be co-opted for nefarious purposes without even being aware of it.    
It is believed that the current Penumbra of the Circle of Decay may have such a toxic sway over his brethren and their activities. 
Members of the Circle of Decay are known for wearing chitinous clothing made from the remnants of insect exoskeletons, as well as cloth made of fungi. Their most common symbol is a worm formed into a circle, though they have also been known to use a bird's skull in the dirt and a ring of flies.

Type

Druidic Circle

Leader Title

Penumbra