Elven Druidism

In an age lost past, before their widespread adoption of more abstract religious philosophies, most human cultures held nature-based beliefs. Many were overseen by priestly figures who, as this was before the establishment of the grand Traditions of magic, possessed arcane talents relating to Nature. Indeed, according to legend, even the predecessors of the Berythian Tradition enjoyed humble roots as weather-controlling shamans. But no system ever evolved to the sophisticated degree that Elven Druidism did.
As earliest records indicate, the Druidic Tradition has forever been the backbone of elven culture. The essential premise of Druidism is that Nature is the model which all should turn to for all practical guidance in life, for it is both the fount of Life and tantamount to it - wisdom embodied, and the origin of Beauty. It is not an entity one can comprehend, and Druids do not try. Rather, they strive for harmony with this silent and timeless partner. In this, they stand in stark contrast to Mages, who by and large view Nature as an inert force to be mined and manipulated.
Druids hold a crucial social function within traditional elvish society, although the precise roles they play are complex and numerous, blending together the functions of healer, political advisor, scholar, legal arbiter, historian and lorekeeper, mystic, and activist. Within the rigid caste-based hierarchy of the elves, Druids are second only to royalty and take direction exclusively from the Snowstar Monarchy. When the entire royal family was slain at the Battle of the Ebon Plains about a century ago, elves encountered an unprecedented crisis, resulting in two very different solutions: the contrasting cities of forward-thinking Rigo and the traditional, Druid-led Bonicaroo. While the chaos early in this period hit the Druids hard, recent years have seen a slow resurgence of interest in the old ways.

by midjourney

Becoming a Druid

The right to join the Camhandemah ("The Tradition") is a strict matter of clan affiliation. A total of 13 clans are marked as Druidic, but only by being born to one of the two High clans, known as the Binarah, is one's admittance into the Tradition guaranteed. Of these, Clan Ullwah oversees the bureaucratic aspects of leadership of the Druids over the common people, while Clan Walimbah is more mystically oriented, charged with interpreting the will of forest spirits. Historically, the Snowstar Monarch used to award the position of Head Druid to Ullwah for one term, and Walimbah the next - a pattern that despite his demise has generally been followed.
Members of Binarah clans are raised to be Druids by caste, but not necessarily by profession. Personal competence and suitability are still very much taken into consideration, so while all Binarah candidates receive the training and education that will permit them to take the Trials, some are granted positions more appropriate to their level of ability. Those who do not succeed in the Trials must still openly be treated by members of non-Binarah clans as of equivalent rank to any standing Druid (private opinions are another matter).

Once upon a time, Ullwah and Walimbah were the only clans permitted to don the mantle of Druid but three additional clans - Cariwim, Chanooriwec, and Chazzichac - came to distinguish themselves in service of the royals and were granted official Druidic status. Members of these noble families are honour-bound to learn a certain amount about the Tradition but are not required, as Binarah clans are, to undertake Druidic duties.
Collectively, both clan groupings discussed above are known as the Sattoo ("Five" in elvish).
Eight further clans, called Samloo ("Eight" in elvish), permit its members to compete in the Trials, but occupy an overall lower caste designation on par with fine craftsmen. Samloo clans are: Taloo, Kibah, Lainandac, Ominbindo, Pa Palal, Minda, Sfili, Jal-Oria. Members of these castes are required to make their professional duties their focus, and must cram Druidic studies into every spare minute in hopes of gaining a competitive advantage over Sattoo candidates. Unsurprisingly, Samloo clan Druids comprise a minority, but those who succeed in the Trials are afforded great respect for the obvious excellence it took to get where they are.

Sherlingah: The Trials

Historical accounts describe the early days of elven Druidism as rather brutal. The ancients framed Nature as harsh and unforgiving, and because Nature provided the mirror for moral action, elves, too, should be harsh and unforgiving. Blood sacrifices intent on appeasing vengeful spirits were common. Over time, convictions softened, and Druidism's more deadly practices were phased out, eventually viewed as barbaric. Today, only the Blood Oath (Illialalach) sworn at the beginning of the Sherlingah - the Druidic Trials - provides an echo of this dark past. Those that take the Oath swear through shedding their blood to commit to the core principles of the caste, and to undertake a mark of shame (Torbad, a visibly administered tattoo, typically on the face) should they fail to complete their training.
With this promise in place, the Trials endure over a long period of seven years, typically undertaken between the ages of 20-30. The first four (the Thabudir years) are spent in mixed training; here one gains an appreciation of various facets of Nature, learns about forestial ingredients and animals, and, in the comfort of a study nook, steeps oneself in a bulky written tradition entailing philosophy, history, astronomy/astrology, mathematics, and music. During one's Thabudir, a candidate is routinely evaluated by lesser tutors, known as Cabwalich, who are assigned to the large pool of hopefuls, all vying for a relatively few positions.
To engage with Druidic literature, one must first earn a strong command of Mynedoc (Old Elvish). Varidoc (High Elvish), the language spoken by noble clans, is more similar to Mynedoc than other versions of the Elvish tongue, giving members of Sattoo clans a pronounced advantage. Samloo clan members are society's artisans and as such, speak Camerentidoc, or “Craft Elvish”; they must undergo at least three years of separate training (ideally, five) to gain the basics of Mynedoc.
A rigorous series of end exams, both Field and Written, concludes the Thabudir. Upon passing them, the following year is spent in Wild Wandering (Ulam Onach), an entirely solitary period in which one must rely only on one's wits and the bounty of Nature for survival. One is forbidden from speaking any mortal tongue, but may communicate with animals as per the Bond of Idri. One cannot set foot in any city or community of people, but is permitted to construct primitive dwellings made of natural materials. As well as the insight they are expected to gain into the workings of Nature, the candidate must produce some object, potion, or spell representative of their time. This object is called a Haocwed. Conceiving of the form the Haocwed will take is nearly an art in itself, and the Druid is judged upon their return on its effective and symbolic merits (it has to do something, but also mean something personal about the secrets they uncovered in the forest). The object is kept with the Druid thereafter as a token of the trial. Some candidates opt to extend the Ulam Onach by an additional year, to reap more from the experience, or perhaps due to some inability to devise a Haocwed.
If the Haocwed is accepted, a candidate's final two years (Chunnandiha) are spent under the tutelage of higher-ranking Druids, learning the inner wisdom of their circle - its Kabbur or “secrets”. Fewer spots exist for Chunnandiha years compared with the Thabudir, and a council must decide which candidates make the cut. There is no shame in being selected against - one does not undertake the Torbad. Often, a waitlist is arranged, and one simply bides one's time, bulking up on Druidic lore until finally granted admittance. Occasionally, candidates will be turned away if they are determined to be lacking in one or another of the personal qualities a Druid requires. As long as no active wrongdoing is involved, this is also not considered a Torbad offence.
The Chunnandiha is complete once the candidate has undergone the Chelwen ceremony, a daylong affair and a matter of great pride. The first half of the day the candidate spends in quiet contemplation. At noon, he joins the inner circle of Druids who ask him a ritual series of questions, which he must answer honestly. Incense is burned and chants echo in the background. At the end, the Druid is presented with a ceremonial silken scarf (Talin). He then goes off to receive the tattoos (Pulhab) that demarcate him as a member of the caste. These run along the face, neck, and arms, a fine filigree entwining plant forms and tribal symbols. The newly minted Druid is invited to contribute to the design, often by suggesting a symbol relevant to his Ulam Onach year. The final part of the Chelwen is a dinner, held in the Druid's honour. Hosted by the Druid's sponsoring clan, the event is as grand as the family can afford. Each new initiate is then assigned to the direct care of a Tameid (“Father”) or Tamai (“Mother”), the title given to ranking members of the circle who oversee lesser Druids. One's Tameid/Tamai tends to belong to the same clan as the initiate and must oversee that Druid's progress for life. The two are considered blood-bonded. At the Chelwen, it is customary for the Tameid/Tamai to present the new Druid with a gift welcoming her to the Tradition. Druid characters begin with this: it can be useful, or simply pretty.

by midjourney

Above: A Druidic Tamai.

Casperah: The Family

With the Trials behind one, ascended Druids are finally welcomed to the great Family, called Casperah in Mynedoc. The word means much more than just family, however, connoting a cosmically profound and binding connection not only between Druids but to all living things. Within the Casperah, a Druid's first duty is to Nature (Thwald'ah) then to her community (Lhasb'ah), and lastly, to herself. This fact does not make Druidism self-effacing; as religions go it actually promotes a robust sense of personal pride and achievement, and many Druids are politically ambitious. But each Druid understands that their actions have resonant consequences for each member of the great Family to which they belong, and try to temper them in kind. Due to this notion, Druids are forbidden from killing one another outside of the bounds of ritual combat.
Many factors, including rank, clan affiliation, and individual talent, determine the exact duties a Druid takes on. Although a few follow their heart's path into forestial isolation, the majority choose to play a vital role in elven social life and serve as counsellors and advisors. Above all, a Druid exists to ensure that things are done "by the book" - literally. Druids have the highest demands for literacy of any caste and require a flexible knowledge of a monstrous number of textual sources, from almanacs and census data to ancient hymns and astrological charts, to see to it that the wheel of life continues to run smoothly. The flood that precipitated the Battle of the Ebon Plains destroyed countless invaluable documents, and though the long years since have replenished the shelves of Tos Nothir - Bonicaroo's Druidic Library - much is still lost. The Druids plod on, as they must.
Druids are forbidden from ruling directly over the population, as that duty falls exclusively to the King. They are similarly barred from land ownership. The caste is supported entirely through a sacred tax called Jaloo ("sap") paid by the underclasses, though in earlier times, the King could also grant discrete sums to the Druids on High Holidays as an offering to the spirits, or other occasions of determined need. Calculating Jaloo is difficult, requiring precise details about the birth conditions of the citizen taxed.
Natural law, as evidenced by natural occurrences, forms the basis of Druidic thinking, with one special exception: the Chydellimaru, or Prophecies. Very few are born with the gift of Sight, but their words echo throughout the ages and pose interpretive challenges for those working in the present, who try to piece together what the Old Ones meant by this or that. These days, Prophecies are considered superstition by some, though the language of prophecy remains very integrated in elven thought. For example, the generic name for a place of worship, Thifwendr ("cave"), derives from the Thifwendr Chydel'omba, Cave of the First Prophet, Walathi, where the Head Druid visits once yearly to make ritual offerings to Walathi's bones. There are no established Prophets in modern times, but also certainly no shortage of hearsay regarding those suspected of being one, and elven culture can find itself quite shaken up when events start bearing enough resemblance to a centuries-old verse.