Ashbound

"Civilization. What a poorly chosen word."

The Ashbound defend the natural world from anything that threatens it. Some Ashbound consider civilization to be a threat and strike at any settlement that encroaches on the wild. Justified in their acts or not, members of this sect are fierce and unwilling to compromise.

History

When an ancient sect of druids committed themselves to a life of contemplation in the woods, a small group were in disagreement. They were not content to live such a sedentary lifestyle. A disagreement arose, and the rebellious druids split from their more peaceful brothers, and began to take an active role in defending the wilderness. Thus, the Ashbound were born.
Since then, the Ashbound have proved vital to the preservation of the wilderness in the Eldeen Reaches, though no other drudic circle is willing to admit it. When droves of lacedons and dretches poured out from Khyber, the Ashbound decimated their numbers, forcing them to retreat to their hellish origin. When the Last War began, none of The Five Nations dared enter the territory of the Reaches, almost certainly due to the presence of the Ashbound. Even the fearsome conquerors of the goblins respected the boundaries of the fierce druids.
While Khorvaire has transformed a great deal since the founding of the Ashbound, the sect itself has changed very little. They are as fierce and prepared as ever.

Structure

The Ashbound are inherently more militaristic than the other druidic circles, and naturally have much more structure. There are three primary brigades, each guarding a separate border of the Eldeen Reaches. Each brigade contains around 3,000 druids, and is commanded by a druid patriarch. This patriarch is the fiercest and most battle-hardened among the Ashbound.
The first brigade, who like to call themselves the Beastcatchers, lies along the southeastern part of the Reaches, bordering Droaam and a small portion of Breland out of their territory, and have done so successfully. As a Beastcatcher, you take pride in your work, as without you, the monsters of Droaam would overrun the wilderness.
The second brigade, called the Fiendhunters, are a bit larger than the other brigades, numbering close to 4,500. They monitor the northwestern section of the Reaches, which borders the The Demon Wastes. The Fiendhunters undoubtedly face the worst foes out of the Ashbound, and therefore lose more druids than anyone. On the other hand, those that do survive become the most ferocious warriors. Almost all patriarchs, regardless of brigade, come out of the Fiendhunters. The current patriarch is the half-orc Bulronk Ogdurkul.
The third and final brigade is the Barbicans, who monitor the eastern side of the Reaches, along the border with Aundair. The current patriarch of the Barbican brigade is a triton named Numus Dhanursath, though the appointment of a triton patriarch was a slight point of contention. The former farmers of Aundair that had seceded (see the Eldeen Reaches) gained the respect of the Ashbound as a whole, seeing as they too had rejected the faults of the civilized life. Thus, the Barbicans chose to extend their borders to absorb these farmers into their sphere of protection. It is perhaps for this reason that Aundair is so hesitant to try and reclaim the farmer's land as their own.

Culture

The Ashbound are a proud, rather narcissistic group. They consider themselves above the so-called "civilized" people, and want nothing to do with their way of life. In fact, some Ashbound are eager to discover these civilized folk trespassing upon their land, just to have an excuse to reprimand them accordingly.
As unruly and violent as the Ashbound appear to be, these emotions (mostly) arise from an undying love and care for nature. They have fought many a horrible enemy on behalf of the wilderness, and have emerged a bit cynical as a result. However, any other creature who clearly demonstrates they respect and care for nature will have the respect of the Ashbound. Any creature caught lying will do so for the very last time.

Founding Date

circa 8,000 BK

Type

Druidic Circle

Alternative Names

Strifekeepers

Leader

Tarukk Farhaven

Symbol of the Ashbound:

This symbol is generally found on the shields of the Ashbound, as well as other combat equipment.