The Green Path

"The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men."

Mythology & Lore

The Green Path, sometimes called the Old Faith, describes the customs and way of life belonging to the ancient magic users of the world before the arcane became common practice. It is based on the philosophy of a sacred balance between all people, creatures, and elements of the universe which must be eternally preserved. At the heart of the religion is the balance between life and death itself.
The structure of the Old Religion remains unknown, but brief revelations indicate that it was lead by Archdruids, who were among the most talented and dedicated practitioners of magic. Of great significance to the Old Faith was the Isle of Baen'naithe, a place at which numerous feats of powerful magic were said to have occurred. This place has been lost to the ages, but it is said that those who still follow the Path truly find their way there on the solstice and during Veilbreach to perform their ancient rituals.
The followers of the Old Faith are not always druids, nor do they all practice magic, many only remember the traditions and follow them as part of habit. Others still call out to the spirits of nature and the Spirit World and to the Goddess faithfully, but they are fewer with every generation.
Due to their attachment to the natural world, many attach the Old Faith to the Primals, believing their followers worship the elemental gods, and while in some cases that may indeed be true, they are not always one in the same. The Old Faith's druids and priests turn more to the spirits of nature, of storms and growth, life and death. They also tend to have a close relationship with the Sidhe and other fey creatures, causing some to believe that their goddess is actually one or more of the Sidhe. It is not an exclusively peaceful religion as nature is more than it's beauty, it is also savagery and survival.
Though humans in many parts of the world have moved past their ties to the Green Path, the forest elves of Tol'Galen and some dwarves still practice the old ways.

Divine Origins

The Green Path is one of the oldest forms of worship in the world, venerating the power and beauty of nature itself. It is unknown when it began or where it came from, but the earliest findings of human dwellings show signs of its veneration.

Tenets of Faith

The Old Faith saw the world and everything in it as part of a great cycle, from the seasonal turns to the nature of birth and death, all things are a part of the cycle. They fought against the felling of forests, the damming of rivers and lakes, the hunting of sacred creatures, and the destruction of their sacred places. They sought out the wisdom of ancient spirits of the natural and world, and communed with nature itself through meditation.
They oppose the spread of cities and civilization, viewing it as a blight upon the otherwise pristine land.

Priesthood

The Old Faith was led by druids who wrote their scriptures and history upon stone and in trees in their ancient, sacred language. Some of these still remain in places such as Calenard, where much of their ancient history was recorded by their druids, who they saw as sages of their civilization.

Political Influence & Intrigue

The Green Path, though once having a strong following, has fallen out of practice as civilization has grown and new gods have been raised up in its place. Many places still respect it, a few places still practice it in their own way, but there are many who find it unnecessary or a nuisance leading them to outlaw its practice.

Sects

There are several sects to the Old Faith simply due to the vastness of nature and the lack of organization between circles.

Type

Religious, Druidic Circle