The Sheathed Claw

The Sheathed Claw is a militarized organization of Druidic warriors who travel the continent of Keskad hunting Abberations, Magical Creatures and aggressively enforcing the balance in more civilized areas. They strike where they feel they need to both opening and in secret and are widely considered a criminal organization in the Azure Federation. 
The birth of the Sheathed Claw took place in the deep, primeval forests found at the southern edge of the Tall-Horn mountains bordering the Steppes of Kur. Arising from the shattered tribes of Cat-kin who were ravaged by the destruction wrought by the Shattering War, hounded by abominations and magical creatures unleashed by both the Giants and the Dragons they formed close knit communities who would use the forest around them to defend themselves. Over the centuries of war and beyond, these communities would eventually grow and venture from the forest but the seed created by the druidic attachments to nature would sprout into an organization whose purpose was to ensure that such transgressions could not grow out of control as they had in the past. Though it took several more centuries, the organization grew until it was spread across the entire continent, albeit thinly. Though they have their roots among the Cat-kin the ranks of the Sheathed Claw have Druidic individuals from all sentient races and the group is on generally on peaceful terms with nearly all druidic circles on the continent and maintains close ties with many druid circles across the continent, often serving as messengers or being called on to aid them whenever trouble arises.
The group is organized into a loose hierarchy of Masters and their students within three broadly defined sects who mostly operate based on their own goals and receiving instructions or guidance from the most respected masters of the sects. There is no overarching leader, whenever there is a need for a ruling on a broader issue confronting the organization or a great threat rises, councils are formed of the most qualified and respected masters from the local sects whenever necessary to provide guidance. The Sheathed Claws basis on ancient Cat-Kin monks has lead to the adoption of many monastic traditions, with some masters founding remote monasteries from which to defend their areas or coordinate their goals. The organization is maintains close ties with many druid circles across the continent, often serving as messengers or being called on to aid them whenever trouble arises. 

The Sects

These different sects outline the differing approaches to the problems the organization aims to tackle, broadly encompassing dozens of different philosophy's within them they help align the often vastly different groups. The emphasis on the Master-Student relationship lends this organization to be filled as often with Monks as Druids with other classes tending towards different sects. Each individual Claw within a sect could almost be considered its own "Druidic Circle" with its own ideals that fall under the loose umbrella of its sect. 
Dawn Sect The Dawn Sect is made up of the least amount of Druids, being very focused on exploration and adventure and less enthused about retribution or cataloging knowledge. Claws from this sect have the smallest number of Talons to Masters, Claw Masters tending to take on only 1-2 students at a time with rare cases of up to 5. Dawn Sect Claws are also the least likely to fall into trouble with governments of more civilized areas having more of an emphasis on observation and information gathering than action. It is often information gathered by Dawn Claws that directs the brute force of the Noon Sects Claw Masters. This sect counts many Rogues and Rangers among its classes.
Noon Sect The sect most prone to action and violence, the Claw Masters of the Noon Sect lead their pupils in cleansing operations in the wilds to eradicate threats to the natural order be they monsters or lumberers. Often at odds with the Dawn and Dusk sects, their philosophy's tend to be ones less inclined to study and observation and more towards martial perfection. Noon Claws have a larger Master to Student ratio than the Dawn, often having upwards of ten students to one master (with an average of five). They clash the most often with authorities in more civilized areas and will generally have more strict views on the Sheathed Claws mission and purpose than the Dawn and Dusk sects. Fighters and Barbarians have significant numbers in these ranks. 
Dusk Sect The least nomadic of the sects, the Dusk Sect is one dedicated to knowledge collection and curation as well as guarding specific sites of utmost importance either to Cat-Kin history or to the natural world. Warlocks, Bards and Clerics are in high numbers in this sect. 

Ranks

Ranking within the Sheathed Claw is informal at best, the rank of Master being recommended by a students own master and confirmed by three different masters from the three sects. There is rarely a test for this though any of the confirming masters can demand a trial. It is customary for a Talon who has failed a trail to be taken under the tutelage of the master who set the trial. The proximity to the Claw does not have anything to do with what Masters the student is sent to, instead the confirmation is done by Masters that are either highly respected by the Students own master or old friends, sometimes forcing a student to travel across the entire continent several times to pass their initiation and take on the title of Master.
Once confirmed, a Master is formally allowed to take on pupils of their own. Dawn Sects Masters tend to leave on their own immediately while Noon Sect will often stay with their former master until they have several of their own pupils and Dusk Sect tend to form tight knit communities or monasteries made up of several generations of masters and pupils. 
Operating groups within the Sheathed Claw are mainly organized around A single master and his pupils, called a "Claw" with each pupil holding the rank of "Talon" and the master "Claw Master" though these are rarely used except when formality within the organization is needed.

Notable Masters

Master Shorn A half-elven woman, she leads a small Dawn Claw deep in the Horned Jungle where they monitor activities between the Troll Kingdom of Kuautepetl and the various groups living in the jungle.
Master Hurug Leafshorn A large orc woman, she leads one of the largest Noon Claws with nearly 20 pupils who are fighting in a protracted guerilla war against Hobgoblin industrial interests from the Seven Cities of Krom that are venturing into the the sprawling Chillwind Forest on the northern edge of the Steppes of Kur
Master Heart-Bound-in-Branch A scarred Tabaxi who leads a secretive Noon Claw in the depths of the Boral Forest, much to the chagrin of the local lords and the Boral Witchhunters.
Master Kero Nine-Lives A Meronix with 6 tails, she is the eldest of any Master in The Sheathed Claw. She holds dominion over a sprawling monastery complex on the shores of Kur'hask lake in the center of the Steppes of Kur, an oddity of a permanent settlement in an area without any.

Notable Claws

The Silver Wolves The Silver wolves are a Noon Claw who have wandered the tundra around the Howling Fjord for centuries. They take their name from a Young Silver Dragon who had masqueraded as an Elven Druid among them for several decades before being wounded terribly attempting to save the Claw Master.
Streamrunners Aquatic raiders with a roving fleet of ships, Only 12 pupils but they are all captains who travel with their crews who are often family and close friends that directly support the claws activities. They target pirates and will often be the ones to answer aquatic druid circles and settlements call for aid. They roam the Southern Reach and the islands of the Southsea Baronies.
Thornshields A small Dawn Claw that hires its services out as mercenaries in the Edgewilde.
Snakeborn A mostly Yuan Claw Noon Claw who is lead by an enigmatic Master who was pivotal in staying the hand of the Yuan-ti during the War of the Scale.

Type

Druidic Circle