Conventicle of the Great Tree

AN OUTSIDER’S VIEW...

“I think the Brotherhood of the Bear are the guardians of the forest, sort of like The Temple of the Patient Arrow. I’m not quite sure how they differ, except that I think the Brotherhood worship an oak tree of some form, or possibly a treant. I even heard someone say that they worship a giant bear! Sure, you can laugh at that, but it might be true. I only know that they protect the wilds, and work to maintain a boundary between the intelligent species and the wild.”

A PRACTITIONER’S VIEW...

“We are the protectors of the forest, awaiting the time when the so-called “intelligent” races destroy themselves, and nature again rises to rule Tellene. We do not attack civilization - that is not our purpose. We merely protect… and wait.”

Culture

RAIMENT

Many worshippers of the god of nature are druids, though clerics are also quite common. Their places of worship are all outdoors, thus their choice of attire tends to be earthy brown and green robes of sturdy material. Brothers of the Bear sometimes wear jewelry made from natural items, such as acorn rings or bracelets woven from fallen twigs.

Favored Weapon

Quarterstaff

Foreign Relations

THE ASSEMBLY OF THE FOUR CORNERS: “The elements are a part of the nature that we love. They are the bedrock, the breath, the drink and the time of death and rebirth...” THE CHURCH OF THE LIFE’S FIRE: “To help life in all forms to develop is a great cause, as long as they focus on nature…” THE FACE OF THE FREE: “The freedom of people is like the freedom of nature. The more free a person is, the closer to nature they may become…” THE TEMPLE OF THE PATIENT ARROW: “They understand the value of nature, but they still seek to control it, rather than allowing it to grow stronger.” THE FOUNDER’S CREATION: “Incursions on our land, taking trees to build buildings, spreading the urban sprawl… These are evil things indeed.” THE PARISH OF THE PROLIFIC COIN: “Harvesters and rapists! They destroy the land in order to sell it for profit.” THE CONVENTICLE OF AFFLICTION: “Disease spreads in nature, but they seek to tip the balance of nature toward death. They understand nothing of life, only death…” THE TEMPLE OF STRIFE: “Strife causes destruction, both of civilized lands and wild terrain.” THE HOME FOUNDATION: “They seek to bind all life to themselves. They harvest and control all the lives they maintain.”

Tenets of Faith

SACRIFICE & FREQUENCY

Plant tree seedlings once per month

Worship

PLACE OF WORSHIP

A clearing within an ancient oak forest is the favored worship spot for the Brotherhood. These are difficult for non-worshippers to access due to overgrown and thorn-riddled paths guarded by treants or grizzly bears.

Weekly services revolve around singing the songs of the Old Oak and discussing any infringement civilization is making on the untamed lands. The welfare of tribal societies like wild elves or the Defohy (a human Dejy tribe) is discussed as well. Services are short and to the point; many worshippers prefer to be alone and do not care for the communal aspect of worship that makes other faiths popular.

Since the numbers of worshipers of the Bear have never been as low as they are currently, the Mighty Oak is attempting to cement informal alliances with the Assembly of the Four Corners and the Temple of the Patient Arrow. To this end, all clerics of the Bear have been instructed to grant the broadest possible latitude to members of these faiths, and to highlight to them every instance of the unjust spread of civilization into the natural world.

Priesthood

Brotherhood of the Bear

Druids and clerics who live in the forest, away from civilization, are the primary members of the Brotherhood of the Bear. They believe that the intelligent races will eventually destroy themselves, allowing nature once again to rule Tellene. Until that time, they consider it their duty to patrol woodlands and other wild areas, protecting them from destruction. Other duties of clerics include planting trees, healing wildlife and passing the ancient songs of the Old Oak to new generations. These songs, sung on holy days in a language known only to the gods, seem sad yet beautiful. Some believe they foretell the destruction of civilization. Until the riddle of the songs is revealed, clerics of the Bear strive to maintain a balance in the world between nature and civilization.

Brothers of the Bear are more often inclined to remain in a specific area than to go wandering. Those that do decide to travel look for opportunities to defend nature against the encroaching taint of civilization. A common quest for Brothers of the Bear is to seek out the oldest treant, the Son of the Old Oak. The Son of the Old Oak is a valuable source of information on how to deal with threats from encroaching civilizations. He has also commanded other treants to aid the Conventicle of the Great Tree in past crises.

ADVANCEMENT

Advancement within the Conventicle of the Great Tree occurs by protecting nature from the harm of civilization and keeping forests free of dangerous influences. Brothers of the Bear do not gain cash for their stipends, instead gaining natural products and services from allies and neighbors of equal value to the standard stipend.

Granted Divine Powers

Spells Returned at Dawn

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Deities

• Bear

Divines

• Bear