Druid

Druidic

Druids have used a system of communication for eons, unknown to those outside of their realm of magic and mysticism. These forms of communication are secret and go unnoticed due to their subtle and deceptive nature. Druids are the only ones attuned to these sounds to know their meaning. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher it without magic.

Long distance communication can be heard on the winds of the druid's environment. Secret greetings or calls for help might be heard. To the untrained ear these sounds are nothing but the wind. Tuvan Throat singing

• Khoomei used mainly in the forest region of Patrida
• Dag Kargyraa used mainly in the mountainous region of Heimat
• Sygyt used mainly in the desert region of Alabalad Al'umi

Short distance communiction sounds like that of birds, some druid groves (a group of druids) use bird calls of their own native region but the common tongue is of the kingfisher used for various calls. The untrained ear thinks them only to be birds.

• flight call - keep in formation
• contact call - keep in touch while foraging
  • seperation call - keep from getting lost
• begging call - needing help
• alarm calls - warning of enemies in the area
  • rallying - call to arms

Long term communication is done in several ways. Certian messages can be seen in the bark of trees, magically etched in their patterns. Others in scratches and marks on stones. Overlooked by most as the random acts of nature, a druid knows better.

Sacred growths occur in nature as well - these flower patterns mark areas as druidic cemeteries, or burial sites.

• a ring of white flowers w/ a color flower in the center - good druid burial
• a ring of black flowers w/ a dark color flower in center - evil druid burial

Optional Rule: Wild Shape Forms

The Wild Shape feature in the Player’s Handbook lets you transform into a beast that you’ve seen before. That rule gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility, making it easy to amass a large of array of beast form options for yourself, assuming you abide by the limitations in the Beast Shapes table in that book. The optional rule presented here is designed for the player and DM who would like to trade some of that flexibility for ease of use. The rules here also create a clear in-world method for learning new beast shapes. Known Beast Shapes When you gain the Wild Shape feature at 2nd level, you are deeply familiar with three beasts of your choice and can transform into them. To choose the three beast shapes, you first need to determine whether your druid grew up in a temperate or a tropical region, consulting with your DM. Then refer to the Common Beast Shapes table that corresponds to the region you selected. That table lists the beasts you can choose from, based on your druid level. The table presents the animals that a druid is most likely to have seen as a novice, to have learned about through mystic research, or to have a special affinity with. Each time you gain a druid level later, you can choose one more beast shape from the same table you used at 2nd level.

Common Beast Shapes — Temperate

Druid Level
2nd
Badger, boar, cat, deer, draft horse, elk, goat, jackal, lizard, mastiff, mule, panther, pony, rat, riding horse, scorpion, spider, weasel, wolf
4th
Black bear,* crab, frog, octopus, poisonous snake, reef shark, sea horse, warhorse*
8th
Bat, brown bear,* eagle, hawk, owl, raven, vulture
*A member of the Circle of the Moon can choose this beast at 2nd level.

Common Beast Shapes — Tropical

Druid Level
2nd
Baboon, badger, boar, camel, cat, deer, draft horse, goat, hyena, jackal, lizard, mule, panther, pony, rat, riding horse, scorpion, spider, weasel
4th
Ape,* crab, crocodile, constrictor snake, frog, octopus, poisonous snake, reef shark, sea horse, warhorse*
8th
Bat, eagle, hawk, lion,* owl, raven, tiger,* vulture
*A member of the Circle of the Moon can choose this beast at 2nd level.

Starting Beast Shapes

To begin using Wild Shape quickly at 2nd level, choose one of the following starting packages, each of which gives you options for combat, climbing, stealth, and serving as a mount.
Temperate: cat, elk, wolf
Tropical: panther, riding horse, spider
Temperate (Circle of the Moon): brown bear, cat, warhorse
Tropical (Circle of the Moon): ape, tiger, warhorse

Gaining Extra Beast Shapes

In addition to the beast shapes you gain for free when you level up, you can acquire new shapes on your adventures. Do you see a dinosaur, a saber-toothed tiger, a giant eagle, or some other exotic critter that you want to turn into? This rule gives you a method for learning how to do so. It requires you to abide by the limitations in the Wild Shape feature (see the Beast Shapes table in the Player’s Handbook, page 66). When you see a beast whose shape you’d like to learn, you have two options:
Observation. You learn the beast’s shape after observing its behavior for at least 1 hour and succeeding on an Intelligence (Nature) check with a DC equal to 10 + the beast’s challenge rating. For this observation period, your vantage point—whether physical or magical— must be within 150 feet of the beast. If you previously spent at least 1 hour reading a scholarly work about the creature, you have advantage on the check.
Interaction. You learn the beast’s shape after interacting with it peacefully for 10 minutes and succeeding on a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check with a DC equal to 10 + the beast’s challenge rating. For this interaction period, you must be within 15 feet of the beast, and if you spend at least a minute petting it, you have advantage on the check.

Either of these options can be assisted by magic. For example, divination magic can be used to provide safe observation of a dangerous animal, and a spell like animal friendship can lay the groundwork for peaceful interaction.