the Druids

Origin of the Druids

The Druids were the original religion of Alven.
When men came to the continent, they brought their gods with them. Druids were the men and women who interceded for the gods on behalf of the clans.

The religion of the Druids has its roots in Celtic culture as it was around the time that this civilisation flourished on Hearth.
Human groups moved through several portals that opened up within their surroundings.
Several Pict villages were also mysteriously transported to Alven in a cosmic changing turn of events.

The deities that the clansmen of Alven came to worship were at the start the ones venerated by the Celtic people of Scotland, Northern England and Wales.
Over time, the Druids developed into a powerful organisation on the continent of Alven.
The chieftains of the clan lands were in charge of the material well-being and welfare of their clansmen but the druids looked to their spiritual needs.

The Druids were a bridge between the lands where the gods dwelt and the mortal world.
They were not only priests but also seers - being granted visions from the gods to guide the clans.

Many sacred groves were created and maintained in the primeval forests during humanity's first millennium on Alven as the Druids developed rites and rituals which are for the main part still performed to this day.

As centuries progressed, the Druids became the organised and state religion of Alven.
When the clans became united under one Thane, the Druids' power and influence increased with the religion's reorganisation under one Grove or Circle.

The Thane was bound to consult the Holy Oak in every major decision. Also, the Grove had a lot of power over the daily life of the clansmen and women.
Many rituals had to be performed to please the gods and people's daily life was very much a religious experience from dawn to dusk.

Under the growing power of the Thane, the Druids became also very rich.
It was common practice - as it is still the case today - to offer silver and gold to the gods, and therefore to the Druids who interceded between Alven deities and their worshippers.

the Druids' Hoard is still talked about to this day. When the Druids were disbanded by Thane Thingor Gremane, the Grove's riches were acquired by the Thane and contributed greatly to The Great Hoard.
However, many believed that there are still hidden treasures left by the Druids in their former places of power (many of them now held by the Sanctuary or in ruins).

A group of adventurers and antiquarians known as the Circle of the Hoard Seeker regularly make the headlines in the local Gazettes with their exploits.
Their mission is to roam the clanlands in search of the lost treasure of the Druids.

Their fame reached fever points three years ago when one of their members, Valor Sweetmead from Clan Badgorsen, discovered a ceremonial silver sword and a few gold coins in Lowside beneath one of the ruined ancient Tors.
Many young clansmen dream of following in Valor's footsteps and finding a hoard and riches of their own.

The Wars of the Adders

Thingor was the chieftain of Clan Deeryant, three hundred years ago.
At the time, the clan lands were very much divided. Most intestinal wars between clans had stopped when the first Thane was elected on the Alven Chair.

Thingor's predecessor, Bolgar Grythain, had died with no apparent successor, and the clans were supporting different claims.
In those days, claims to become Thane were arbitered by the Druids.

The Holy Oak, the leader of the Grove had the final decision in choosing the next Thane.
A four-day ritual started as soon as a Thane departed for The Underworld. On the fourth day, the name of the next Thane was announced.

As Alven society became more sophisticated and power plays began to emerge between the clans, the Druids High Counsel became less and less impartial and a lot more political.
After Bolgar's death, the Holy Oak, Marten Salianor , announced that the next Thane of Alven would be none other than his cousin, Nolan Salianor from Clan Seelfield.
This displeased many of the rich and powerful southern clans, especially, Thingor and Clan Deeryant as he had already got the backup of many of his peers for the position.

A war started between the northern clans of Cauldfell and the Sutherlands for the position of Thane. The power rods were taken out of the clan's vaults and war raged in earnest.

During what would be called The War of the Adders, the clans were evenly matched and the civil war cost many lives on both sides.
Finally, Thingor prevailed in a decisive battle at the foot of The Yella Fells.

Once Thingor was elected Thane, he made sure the Druids were no more. The war was blamed on the Druids' corruption. The people of Alven were ready to see peace restored and the arrogant Druids put under the secular power of the Thane.
Thingor wrote two edicts that would have a lasting impact on Alven society.

He created The Arkivon, a place of learning and government which would remain impartial in time of selection for the Chair, and The Sanctuary, the religious organisation that would replace the Druids.

Importantly, the Sanctuary would be the Thane's counsellors and advisers but not have any say in the running of the clanlands.

The word Druid was banished and instead, religious men and women were usually referred to as Seers.
Many properties that had belonged to the Druids were handed over to the Sanctuary and most of the Druid's immense wealth ended up in the Thane's (and the country's) coffers.

The Druids' Fate

What happened to the Druids after the dissolution of their organisation is not very clear.
Twenty years ago, the question became a very popular theme for research among Alven historians, and many books were published on the subject.

However, the documents that would shed some light on the matter are still very much guarded and in the restricted sections of the Hexagoyne Library in the Highfort Arkive.

Several theories have come to light and have been widely circulated in the historical pages of the gazettes.
The most ancient (and now discredited) theory is that all the Druids were persecuted and killed by the Arkivon as heretics, but after some documents dating back from the period came to light, there was evidence that many of the lower-level druids actually converted into Seers and joined the Sanctuary - and even the Arkivon.

It is true that the higher echelons of the organisations were killed or outcast out of the clanlands, but the ranks and files were given a chance to change their allegiance and be absorbed into the new organisations.

It seems also that some Druids did not want to change their allegiance and preferred to go underground, keeping The Old Ways alive.
Many Druids were magically gifted and very likely Rune Wielder.
However, the Druidic tradition forbid Druids to use magical artefacts such as power rods, their magic was more in tune with nature and came from a primal source of energy.

The Druids still left alive hid among the people that once thought of them as demigods and passed on their traditions and beliefs to their children and the communities around them.
In the Alven countryside, many clansmen know about the Old Ways and respect them, and no one would give out the names of the Druids still officiating in their midst - given that if anyone did betray the Grove and its officiants, they would usually suffer a terrible curse and bring all kinds of hardship and terrible happenings on their family and community as a whole.

Present-Day

Not much is known about the secret organisations of the Druids.
The Arkivon still actively pursue and convicts anyone suspected to officiate and worship in the Old Ways.

The Arkivon and the Sanctuary are, in general, very wary of any magic that is not controlled by them.
If a magically gifted child is discovered in a non-Clanbearer family, they are usually sponsored by the clan, tutored and helped to pass either the Marks or The Assays.
It is in no one's interest to dig too deep into the family's history and work out where the magical genes come from.

On the other hand, Druidic families hide their children's propensity for magic, especially when their magic has thrown up different gifts, rune-wielding being only one type of magic. The children often become Druids themselves and as such, are fiercely protected by their community.

Arkivens in The Circle of the Blaze are tasked with the mission of rooting out potential magical threats and are redoubtable foes for the hidden Druids and their followers.
Nevertheless, Druids can count on century-old connections and hideouts. Many hide in plain sight and are also members of the Arkivon or the Sanctuary.
The Druids still worship in the ancient sacred groves their ancestors built for the gods of Hearth, and very often, the groves and their sanctum are a well-kept secret, with many locations only known to the Druids themselves.
Also see: The Ambulant Apothecaries of Alven The Ambulant Men The Secret Code of the Ambulant Men