Druid - Human (Kuakgan) and Elven Druid
Kuakgan
Kuakgan are human druids, usually of Old Human heritage, though several powerful Kuakgan are clearly from other human racial groups. Kuakgan are powerful protectors of the natural world. They recognize the need for fields, lumber, hunting, etc. However, they insist on balance and respect for the natural world.
As a result, Kuakgan are much more involved in the 'settled' world than their elven counterparts. Kuakgan believe in teaching the people around them to live with nature and be its stewards as well. While Kuakgan are found throughout the kingdoms south of the Honnorgat and are especially strong in Dzordanya, their presence in the region of Sanctuary best illustrates this relationship.
Kuakgan are thinly scattered through Sanctuary and their influence is best explained through the landscape itself. First, a Kuakgan will live in a cottage in his or her grove. A Kuakgan's grove has a small shrine to the High Lord with a stylized tree inscribed upon it. The shrine has a small pool of fresh water fed by a spring. A clear path leads from outside the grove to the shrine and the Kuakgan's cottage. Travellers, even experienced rangers, stray off the path at considerable risk of becoming lost when inside the Kuakgan's grove. Visitors are expected to give a small donation - appropriate to their wealth and the level of their request- for disturbing the tranquility of the grove. Inside the grove, experienced woodsmen will notice plants and trees that don't normally grow in the region and/or close together. A Kuakgan's grove is normally 50-300 acres in size and conveys the contradictory impressions of something carefully tended but naturally wild at the same time.
The second signs of the Kuakgan's influence is on the woods, farmland, and villages of Sanctuary. Sanctuary has a regular pattern of woodland that is carefully tended and harvested by the surrounding people. Land that is less desirable for farmland is chosen; but even if all the land is of equal value, roughly 10 acres per household is kept in forest (for lumber and firewood). The forest is managed by a forester (who might have another trade as well). The forester decides on which trees to cut and sees to replanting trees where necessary. Unsurprisingly, the forester is trained/advised by a local Kuakgan. As for farmland, it is the Kuakgan who started the policy of hedgerows separating fields and farms. It is one case where an alternative policy won out over defense. While the hedgerows somewhat obstruct the view/field of fire, they provide refuge and food for beneficial creatures and insects, such as bees. Finally, the Kuakgan also imposed their view on proper use of water and waste. It has lead to Sanctuary villages being the most healthy places in the Kingdoms, but also to a much better natural environment around those villages. Kuakgan also assist the farmers and villagers with livestock and any tree crops. This assistance is valuable enough that villagers and farmers heed the Kuakgans' policies/rules rather than risk the withdrawal of those services.
This cautious attitude towards the Kuakgan is further supported by the Kuakgan's wrathful attitude towards any who knowingly abuse the environment. If the local authorities do not take prompt action and have restitution made; the Kuakgan will react in a terrifying and savage manner. The Kuakgan believe any who step outside of the Covenant (the unwritten arrangement between the Kuakgan and others) are then outside of its protection and subject to Nature's judgement and punishment.
Kuakgan are not formally organized. They tend to defer to those who are more senior and/or powerful than they are. Kuakgan take apprentices who then go forth and establish their own groves. Kuakgan are not normally adventurers; once they have a grove and area of effect, they do not venture far from it. It is reliably believed there is a senior council of Kuakgans (from past events); but who they are and where they are located is known only by the Kuakgan.
Kuakgan, Elvish Druids, Ice People Rangers, and Elvish/Half-elvish Rangers can all sense the taig to differing degrees. Taig Sense is the power to concentrate and sense the health of a familiar forest. The range and sensitivity increases with experience. Those with Taig Sense can tell how healthy or powerful a forest is and if it is under attack or neglected in some fashion. It requires the user to concentrate totally (no other actions allowed) and touch the nearest tree or bush. The user is then able to widen out their sense as it spreads from one plant/feature to its neighbours. Depending on level, the user is able to sense first any immediate and direct threats to the forest, then evil intrusions that can be a threat, then the level of health and power in different parts of the forest, and then any intrusions or disturbances in the forest. The more familiar the forest is to the user, the greater the range and amount of information gained.
Elvish Druids (Druids)
Elvish Druids have the same powers as the Kuakgan, but a very different worldview. Elvish Druids stay in the wild lands and the elvenhomes. They delight in individual parts of the forest, like the Kuakgan, but are much more focused on the entire forest rather than its parts. They believe that non-elves cannot be trusted to co-exist with the natural world and are incapable of understanding the complex pattern (song) of a forest. Farms, mills, settlements, etc. are unnatural rips in the fabric of the taig. Someone who incurs the wrath of a Kuakgan knows what he or she has done wrong; that is often not the case with an Elvish Druid. Like all elves, Elvish Druids tend to take a long view of the world around them. They have seen human civilizations rise and fall with repeated abuses of the natural world. It tends to make them very pessimistic about humans.
The Elvish view of humans, especially Elvish Druids, is also severely damaged by the thousands of years old conflict between them and the Kuakgan. The One Tree was created by the One Singer as the ideal and model for all trees. The elves sang to it and it responded and thrived. Then, the first Kuakgan sang to the One Tree and it responded to him and turned its attention to him. This world shaking event not only caused the continued animosity between Kuakgan and Elf; but, it also caused the split between the Elves and what became the Dark Elves.
Elvish Druids are even less organized than the Kuakgan. While they respect age, accomplishment, and power in their fellow Druids; it does not bind or constrain them. Elvish Druids do not take apprentices - each Druid must find his own song and weave it into the music of the taig.
Kuakgan are human druids, usually of Old Human heritage, though several powerful Kuakgan are clearly from other human racial groups. Kuakgan are powerful protectors of the natural world. They recognize the need for fields, lumber, hunting, etc. However, they insist on balance and respect for the natural world.
As a result, Kuakgan are much more involved in the 'settled' world than their elven counterparts. Kuakgan believe in teaching the people around them to live with nature and be its stewards as well. While Kuakgan are found throughout the kingdoms south of the Honnorgat and are especially strong in Dzordanya, their presence in the region of Sanctuary best illustrates this relationship.
Kuakgan are thinly scattered through Sanctuary and their influence is best explained through the landscape itself. First, a Kuakgan will live in a cottage in his or her grove. A Kuakgan's grove has a small shrine to the High Lord with a stylized tree inscribed upon it. The shrine has a small pool of fresh water fed by a spring. A clear path leads from outside the grove to the shrine and the Kuakgan's cottage. Travellers, even experienced rangers, stray off the path at considerable risk of becoming lost when inside the Kuakgan's grove. Visitors are expected to give a small donation - appropriate to their wealth and the level of their request- for disturbing the tranquility of the grove. Inside the grove, experienced woodsmen will notice plants and trees that don't normally grow in the region and/or close together. A Kuakgan's grove is normally 50-300 acres in size and conveys the contradictory impressions of something carefully tended but naturally wild at the same time.
The second signs of the Kuakgan's influence is on the woods, farmland, and villages of Sanctuary. Sanctuary has a regular pattern of woodland that is carefully tended and harvested by the surrounding people. Land that is less desirable for farmland is chosen; but even if all the land is of equal value, roughly 10 acres per household is kept in forest (for lumber and firewood). The forest is managed by a forester (who might have another trade as well). The forester decides on which trees to cut and sees to replanting trees where necessary. Unsurprisingly, the forester is trained/advised by a local Kuakgan. As for farmland, it is the Kuakgan who started the policy of hedgerows separating fields and farms. It is one case where an alternative policy won out over defense. While the hedgerows somewhat obstruct the view/field of fire, they provide refuge and food for beneficial creatures and insects, such as bees. Finally, the Kuakgan also imposed their view on proper use of water and waste. It has lead to Sanctuary villages being the most healthy places in the Kingdoms, but also to a much better natural environment around those villages. Kuakgan also assist the farmers and villagers with livestock and any tree crops. This assistance is valuable enough that villagers and farmers heed the Kuakgans' policies/rules rather than risk the withdrawal of those services.
This cautious attitude towards the Kuakgan is further supported by the Kuakgan's wrathful attitude towards any who knowingly abuse the environment. If the local authorities do not take prompt action and have restitution made; the Kuakgan will react in a terrifying and savage manner. The Kuakgan believe any who step outside of the Covenant (the unwritten arrangement between the Kuakgan and others) are then outside of its protection and subject to Nature's judgement and punishment.
Kuakgan are not formally organized. They tend to defer to those who are more senior and/or powerful than they are. Kuakgan take apprentices who then go forth and establish their own groves. Kuakgan are not normally adventurers; once they have a grove and area of effect, they do not venture far from it. It is reliably believed there is a senior council of Kuakgans (from past events); but who they are and where they are located is known only by the Kuakgan.
Kuakgan, Elvish Druids, Ice People Rangers, and Elvish/Half-elvish Rangers can all sense the taig to differing degrees. Taig Sense is the power to concentrate and sense the health of a familiar forest. The range and sensitivity increases with experience. Those with Taig Sense can tell how healthy or powerful a forest is and if it is under attack or neglected in some fashion. It requires the user to concentrate totally (no other actions allowed) and touch the nearest tree or bush. The user is then able to widen out their sense as it spreads from one plant/feature to its neighbours. Depending on level, the user is able to sense first any immediate and direct threats to the forest, then evil intrusions that can be a threat, then the level of health and power in different parts of the forest, and then any intrusions or disturbances in the forest. The more familiar the forest is to the user, the greater the range and amount of information gained.
Elvish Druids (Druids)
Elvish Druids have the same powers as the Kuakgan, but a very different worldview. Elvish Druids stay in the wild lands and the elvenhomes. They delight in individual parts of the forest, like the Kuakgan, but are much more focused on the entire forest rather than its parts. They believe that non-elves cannot be trusted to co-exist with the natural world and are incapable of understanding the complex pattern (song) of a forest. Farms, mills, settlements, etc. are unnatural rips in the fabric of the taig. Someone who incurs the wrath of a Kuakgan knows what he or she has done wrong; that is often not the case with an Elvish Druid. Like all elves, Elvish Druids tend to take a long view of the world around them. They have seen human civilizations rise and fall with repeated abuses of the natural world. It tends to make them very pessimistic about humans.
The Elvish view of humans, especially Elvish Druids, is also severely damaged by the thousands of years old conflict between them and the Kuakgan. The One Tree was created by the One Singer as the ideal and model for all trees. The elves sang to it and it responded and thrived. Then, the first Kuakgan sang to the One Tree and it responded to him and turned its attention to him. This world shaking event not only caused the continued animosity between Kuakgan and Elf; but, it also caused the split between the Elves and what became the Dark Elves.
Elvish Druids are even less organized than the Kuakgan. While they respect age, accomplishment, and power in their fellow Druids; it does not bind or constrain them. Elvish Druids do not take apprentices - each Druid must find his own song and weave it into the music of the taig.