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What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild

by Bander Corona

You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 1, and begin reading.
What is the Path of the Druid?
This volume will seek to describe various ways we Druids see our path and task. Is there a right or wrong answer? Is one approach more valuable than another? Do our actions matter so long as the end result is what we wish? And what does it mean to support and protect Nature? Is that our ultimate purpose?

This book will not provide a definite answer, simply the musings of several Druids on the subject. It is ultimately up to the individual to choose a path, and the individual plus the Guild to determine whether that path aligns with that of the organization as a whole.

The opinions which follow are those of individuals, not of the Guild itself.

Bander Raj'
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 2, and begin reading.

I just cannot help but ask, what guild are we representing? Do we represent the light? Do we represent good? Do we represent darkness? Do we represent evil? No, I didn't think so. From my youngest days within this guild it has been to my understanding that we are protectors of nature, keepers of the forest. Does someone who wins a contest deserve a guild favor even if they do nothing for this guild or for nature? It is an outright shame that anyone would think that it is not our duty to patrol, we harvest from these lands, we call upon the forest to aide in not only our healing, but healing every individual who has ever taken a sip of an elixir of health, we help further the knowledge of all within this realm, for if it were not for the mind expanding capabilities of myrrh - not a single soul would ever be able to learn anything new.

What constitutes a good Druid? A person who is completely dedicated to this guild, to it's guild members, to it's patron, and above all else, to nature. Are we doing our solemn duty to nature by seeing who can design the best looking ring? My answer to that is of course no, we are not. Are we doing our solemn duty to protect nature by withdrawing gold for our new library? No, we are not. Are we doing our solemn duty to protect Nature by patrolling? *gasps in astonishment* Yes, some are.

Why do most decide to join the Druids? We would all like to think that everyone has the same goal in mind, becoming one with nature and protecting her at all costs, but this is not the case and it shows true in many of our young who choose not to patrol but instead choose to surpass the Druid law limit by learning more in concoctions than they are allowed to. Why do they do this? For the simple fact that all they want to do is harvest their little tails off. Why? For profit. Why does this guild exist, if it's not for the soul purpose of protecting the very thing that gives and gives and continues to give, that being Nature, then I don't know why we exist and I've been a member of this guild for far to long with the wrong outlook on what we're here to do.

I'd like to quote our Druid oath, "I swear to care for and respect all of Nature, and the Forests, bending to the needs of and defending them to the best of my ability, even if it demands my life in return. I swear to honor at all times our Laws, this Oath, and I pledge my life and very soul to the tending and protection of Nature itself." We represent the one thing that no other guild within this realm represents, we are the keepers of the wood, protectors of Nature.

If it were up to me, each young tree and great tree alike who are not members of the patrolling program would have one year as of this date to join and start actively patrolling, if they do not, they would be outguilded on the spot. No questions asked, end of story. Harsh? Of course, I mean every other guild within our realm allows those who do not uphold its values and traditions to stay a part of their organization don't they? Maybe we should ask around, let our Secretary of External Affairs speak with the leaders of other guilds and find out if this is true?

(t)here is more to being a Druid than just harvesting, (t)here is more to being a Druid than just partaking in the next great ratting contest, (t)here's more to being a Druid than just surpassing the novice hood requirements. Don't get me wrong, as these ratting contests and other contests are important for this guild as it helps pull our members together, it is just important to keep in mind that there is far more to what we are.

(snip)

As I have said before, not everyone that joins this guild joins for the sole purpose of attempting to defend Nature from not only mortals of this realm, but from Herself. She can be somewhat cruel to Herself, but the teachings of Lord Haern tells us that the harm that Nature can do to Herself is part of the normal everyday cycle of life, and with a little destruction, from a forest fire, or an extermination is sometimes good for Her. It is good for this cycle that must always be in balance.

What is our true purpose? To me, it's helping this cycle. We put out the raging fires that claim the lives of hundreds to thousands of plant life and animals, we aid Nature by replanting the natural environment so that all plants grow once more and flourish. Can Nature do this without us? Of course She can. A bird can land in the center of a meadow looking upon the ground for food. Hearing something rustle in the tall grass ahead, startled, the bird flies off but not before brushing against the very plant in which it was just attempting to feed upon, the seeds clinging to its feathers it flies off. Whilst soaring through the skies the fluttering of the bird's wing too much for it to bear, the tiny seed plummets towards the ground, burying itself within the soil from the impact. A rain shower comes, the seed drinks up all the rain that it can and eventually blossoms into a beautiful plant. So yes, Nature can replenish Herself. Nature can fend for Herself. Though there is one thing that She finds it difficult to save Herself from. What is this monster you might ask? Us. Humans, Xorans, and Mhun alike. Aetolians who choose to take Her for granted, those who choose to overharvest a plant to nothing, those who choose to start fires that decimate our forests whilst the protectors are not present, those who choose to mass exterminate.
We exist because Nature has bestowed upon us special gifts. Gifts to aid in Her protection, this is something that was told to me by my mother.
Take away these gifts and what would we be? I once had the pleasure of hearing an interview of one of our novii, though I do not recall the name of this individual, nor do I recall the person who was giving the interview, old age I guess. When asked what he felt a grove was, and what it meant to him to have one, his response was elegant, these words have stuck in my mind and I doubt that I will ever forget them. "Many feel that we roam the forest until we find a paticular area that we like, thus we imprint our first grove, this is not how I see it however.
We roam the forests in search of an area that is calling us home, upon finding this area, our first grove makes it imprint on us." This kid had the ability to express what many felt but could not find the words to express.

Azrael Llewellyn - Secretary of Defense/Aide to Nature
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 3, and begin reading.

It has long been my belief that by far the most damaging force where Nature is concerned is indeed mortality. I believe that Nature, in itself, is very balanced, and should - more or less - be quite able to take care of itself but it has no particular defence against the actions of mortals (perhaps because we are so terribly unpredictable and irrational, and generally act very much against the 'natural' order of things). Thus I would have to agree with the idea that that is the major function of the Druids - we are in place to balance out the destructive force of mortals, and enable Nature to exist in the way it is meant to.

Nuincuiel Tyrell
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 4, and begin reading.

It is my belief that nature does not need to be "protected". Nature has, for centuries, gone on just the way that Haern created it. This said, mortality and civilization has this wonderful way of creating anomolies within Nature that do need rooted out and sorted. This is what purpose I see our guild having.

Take, for example, two of our own skills - grove annihilation and inferno. Inferno, by its very nature, will torch all the underlying plant growth in a single location. Do I feel that it is unfit for us to use because of this? No, and for one reason only - the wilderness as a whole is not offended or unbalanced by the inferno consuming a single location. Inferno is, after all, the only way that we can chase off someone who is graced and otherwise may be harming the wilderness in other ways. Annihilation completely severs the grove of a Druid, destroying it in the process. But what is to say that this action could not save the health of an entire forest from a dangerous exterminator?
As a guild, our purpose is to watch the balances of Nature and correct imbalances when they occur. Beyond that, which is the much -deeper- purpose, is to come to a complete understanding of the conscious thought of the wilds. To immerse ourselves in it until we can feel when a tree is felled, when a fire starts, when an exterminator's touch comes to the forest.

Nature survives. It adapts, it changes. It does not need coddled or it grows soft and it loses its innate ability to protect itself. Instead, it needs monitored to ensure that no outside force attempts to interfere with the progress the wilderness is making.

So, to answer You, Lady, I would not call us "protectors of Nature" but rather "watchers of the wilderness". That is a more realistic interpretation of the vision which I have for our guild as a whole.

Rosalind Thetis
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 5, and begin reading.

I make a distinction between the purpose or goals of a Druid and the purpose of the guild.

I tend to be in the same camp as Rosalind when it comes to protection. I believe very much in the ability of Nature to practice a great deal of self-preservation. I never cease to be amazed by the resilience exhibited by Nature. However, the changing world can strain the balance that exists in Nature. We need to be vigilant and watch for the effects that these anomalies, as Rosalind calls them, may have.

When it comes to whether this is the sole purpose of the Druid's Guild, I do not believe so. Maybe I am getting into semantics, but I believe that the guild has much more purpose than the single goal of watching over Nature.

Though the study of, immersion in, and defense of Nature are undeniably some of the most important responsibilities that a Druid has, the guild has more to it than that. As a guild, we wish to create an environment which bonds Druids together. It gives us a social bond, a source for new opinions, information, and more. It gives us -culture-. It can tell us about our past, and hopefully through our actions we can guide our futures. The guild is the organization through which we 'grow' the next generation of Druids. Is our doing that related to the protection of Nature? Indirectly, yes, but not enough that I would tell someone we are protecting Nature with our novices.

Some of the departments in this guild are not really related to the protection of Nature. However, those departments tend to be the ones that most directly support the social structure of the guild. These departments make us stronger by bringing Druids together. In a sense, that also adds to our ability to defend, but once again, I would not say a festival is lending a hand in the defense of Nature.

I do believe that defending Nature from the anomalies that civilization can cause is an extremely important goal for a Druid, but I believe that we need more. We need to keep our bond to Nature strong. Anybody can strive to defend Nature, but we are different because we strive to truly bond with and understand Nature. We need to grow by interacting with Nature. This is extremely important. The first Druids did not come together to defend Nature. They did it because they love Nature.

If You are asking if I think it is one of the purposes of the guild, or of a Druid, to observe or defend or protect Nature, then I say yes.
Absolutely yes! However, as I have rambled through, I do not believe that it is the sole purpose of this guild or of a Druid.

Truro Digby
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 6, and begin reading.

What can I say that hasn't already been said so eloquently by others? My personal beliefs on the purpose of the guild is not the same as personaly beliefs on MY purpose as a Druid. Yes, Druids exist primarily to support and protect Nature. But does this mean simply attacking anyone who causes any damage whatsoever to a tree or shrub? Of course not. As Rosalind said, we must protect the Balance of forces in Nature, so that neither Destruction nor Creation holds an upper hand. Some flora require the occasional fire to reproduce, for instance. Without death and decay, there would be no room for new life. The examples are numerous.

That being said, this is what I feel MY course as a Druid is. There are others no doubt who feel that protecting Nature means keeping the soil healthy. Others that feel they do their best when watching for and
fighting fires. Each individual decides what aspect of working with Nature draws him or her. We each need to be available in emergencies, but otherwise why not do what we are best at, and what appeals most to us? The Guild exists as a coordinating force of brethren (and sistern...sisteren...sist...whatever) that can assign duties when imbalances occur that leave some aspects underworked.

This is rambling and maybe a little incoherent, but I'd like to say that I see the GUILD as a collection of INDIVIDUALS. In other words, the Guild is a fellowship where those who see themselves as the liaisons between the world of Nature and the world of Civilation can come together for discussion, training, comraderie, and direction as needed.
I do NOT see the Guild as some sort of tyrannical overseer of each Druid's personal beliefs, or of their personal actions, so long as those actions are supporting Nature or their fellow Druids.

Bander Raj'
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 7, and begin reading.

The Druid and the Wild

We, the Druids, are caretakers and guardians of Nature. It is our responsibility to ensure that the realm of man does not influence the Wild anymore than necessary. We do this by planting and harvesting, watching for fires, protecting the forests, and monitoring those who may bring our world harm. Though our role is a necessary and important one, it is my belief that the Wild would be fine without us. All of Nature works together as a chain, one end feeding the other. The Wild and its denizens existed long before we did and they will continue to exist and thrive after our grandchildren's deaths as well.

Nature exists as a great and singular organism, the plants, the animals, the rocks, the ocean, and every other natural area coexist, creating a large and living being of itself. We, walk among this great Nature Spirit, tending to its health and well being. The revered neutrality of the Druid is vital to maintaining equlibrium between the Wild and those of Civilization. We must act as sentinels, permitting discovery and exploration, yet preventing exploitation and corruption. The lengthy and regular Patrols help to ensure this precious balance, but it is also easy to tell if an area is healthy or not. Merely observing the area and feeling Nature's touch within you can tell you what you need to know.
The spirits of the animals come and greet us often, granting us gifts of power. It is important to try to remember to honor these spirits in life, to thank them for their aid. That is why I believe it to be a great sin to slay any creature which we wear the skin of. It is a slap in the face to take their power and then to slay their kinder. Thhe same goes for the living plants in Morgun. though many see them as enemies, they only exist to protect the area that their mortal forebearers could not. Slaying or attempting to slay one of these reverent plants is an abomination against that which we should hold dear. Violence breeds violence, however, so outside of sparring, I believe we shopuld do our best to avoid mortal bloodshed. Just as all things in the Wild are connected, so are we. By bringing our hand to bear on another, we begin a cycle of violence that spreads.

The presence of Nature's Divine triumvirate can be felt in all we do.
Haern's eye lies in the Wild, providing the heart and spirit of all that is not made by man. The Rhythm that He minds the time of is that which beats in synchronicity with Nature. Lady Lleis' cycle of Renewal supplies the life energy which gives the pulse to the Rhythm. As one dies,another grows. This is the Cycle of Life. Lady Slyphe's essence of Change provides the spark which powers the pulse and the rhythm. Nature always grows where the light is. Sometimes, as the terrain or the circumstances change, so does Nature adapt and survive. It is a stern lesson we should all try to grasp.

-Garador
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 8, and begin reading.

I believe a druid is someone who feels especially close to nature and takes up its protection most importantly. Nature to a druid is a living thing like any other sentient being. They care for it and protect it unlike anyone else in the world. They are closer than anyone because possibly of their groves. A druid can feel the force of nature through this place they have bonded to themselves.

Druids also guard the places of nature from harm, be it people picking too many herbs, or fires that break out anytime. Druids routinely check the natural places for overharvests and respond to fires whenever they are noticed to keep the damage as low as possible. Another way we help nature is that we harvest herbs so they can grow and renew themselves, though never too many at once. This allows for new growth and lets nature continue to move and not let the plants that are there die due to overgrowth. Allowing nature to grow and change is as much of a responsibility as protecting it from harm. We are the only voice nature has and we need to let everyone know what it's saying.

The second part of this essay is supposed to be what the purpose of the Druids guild is but I've already said what that should be above and only very little more should be said what the purpose of the guild is. The guild is a place for us to help young ones grow into the stuff mentioned above and a place for us to enjoy the company of like-minded people. We should also use the guild as a place to celebrate nature and enjoy others that are druids. The guild is also a place to mesh together things that need it such as firefighting or replanting after fires as much as it is a place for fun. The guild is also an institution to let the rest of the world know how nature works and how it's a great force in this world.

-Brandin
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 9, and begin reading.

What does it mean to be a Druid? To this question, I feel compelled to give the same answer I gave during my Novice Interview.

To be a Druid is to be one with Nature. This, to me, means to things primarily. Firstly, to feel for Nature, and thus to protect Her from those who would harm Her, knowing that harm to Her would mean harm to all people. Secondly, to learn from Nature- to study Her, and apply Her teachings in one's life, since we are a part of Her.

For instance, one of the lessons that Nature teaches us is the importance and inevitability of Change. Therefore, as Druids, we should try to comprehend the value of change and progress, and incorporate it in our life...both our personal life, and the life of our Guild.

Which brings us to the next question, what should the role of the Druids Guild be? Are we apathetic spectators, hiding behind the veil of "neutrality"? Pompous preachers, propagandising about the value of Natural cycles? No. We are -or, at least, we should be- consciously active in our Nature task. Not just observe, but act, strive to protect the wilds. As Druids, we are uniquely positioned to act as "middlemen" between Nature and the rest of the Aetolian population. Our role should be that of the protector, the active guardian of the Forests. We should of course alert the world to the importance of the preservation of Nature, but our actions should not stop there. They should extend to activities such as patrolling, which is but an expression of our concern for the wilds.

Furthermore, in keeping with the ideals of our Divine Matron, we should be careful not to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Quite the opposite, we should be aware of the circumstances surrounding us, so that we can Change, so that we adapt to them and, thus, be more effective in our efforts to protect Nature.

We have been given our skills for a reason. It only follows that we should use them for that reason- the protection of Nature.

-Greytol
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 10, and begin reading.

What does it mean to be a Druid?
To begin, I am going to slightly rephrase the question at hand to "what makes a person of druidic quality?"
Before one takes their first steps off of Loom Island, their future and journey is planned out before them. Will they join the ranks of the Infernals and fight with courage and honor? Will they decide to follow the ways of Numerology, spending a lifetime studying the numbers and the many ways it affects each person? Will they seek the ways of the Magi guild and practice magic? Will they shift, from time to time, never feeling secure in their path and "testing out" each guild they feel might align with their own ideals and values?
The call of Nature is a powerful and undeniable force. It enriches the listener to be guided into what we know of as a circle of protection. It enlightens the believer to calmly sit and breathe in the different directions of wisdom that Nature affords.

A follower, believer and protector of Nature is defined within two attributes, Perception and Performance. Suffice to say that they go hand in hand. One could not properly perform if one does not perceive and one who would perceive but does not perform is either not fully focusing on their potential or cares not to.

PERCEPTION

To consume, understand and believe the concepts of an ideal.

Perception is an important quality a Druid must have. Without perception, the concept of Life is forgotten and the meaning of the druidic ways is void of enrichment.
This is the beginning of a lifetime of wisdom and lessons taught personally and intimately with each Druid from Nature herself.
Take a moment to soak under the sunlight or moonlight and listen.
Do you hear her? Do you hear the lessons she teaches to you? She teaches Life, Death, the cycle of Rebirth. She teaches Protection and Nurturing, the abundance of love breathing down your spine. She teaches Service and Loyalty.

PERFORMANCE

The act of one's natural perception. To plan and execute the beliefs of service in accordance to the values one holds.

This is what truly defines the ways of a Druid. To choose the caring of Nature is to serve for the cycle of Life and of Death. As the old saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words," this is a lesson taught by only those who act. One could preach the ways of the Druid but if they do not teach through action, their service to Nature will fall on deaf ears.
It is by the act of devotion to Nature that one can claim to be a Druid, selflessly giving to Nature always.

What do you believe the purpose of the Druid's Guild to be?
The Druids guild was organized for those who serve Nature and seek to protect and nurture it. It teaches the basic principles of how a Druid can give back to Nature and how to devote time and care into the cycle of Nature.
Unlike Nature, mortals need guidance, a structure of leadership to set guidelines of the performance of those who devote their lives to protecting and serving Nature. Mortals carry with them flaws that allow for mistakes and intentional or unintentional judgment causing harm to come to Nature. The guild was designed to choose its leaders to make these judgments for those who serve Nature and to become models of outstanding service to Nature.
The purpose is as always, to serve Nature in the finest way possible. We live to serve Nature, those who devote wholly their time and affection for it.

-Kieran
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 11, and begin reading.

what does it mean to be a Druid?
It means a lot of different things to lots of different people. Most recognize the importance of the Earth and its seasons. Most worship or perform rituals out-of-doors, preferably in an area surrounded by the Natural world. Some consider Druidry to be merely a philosophy of life, while others are attempting to develop it as a bonafide religion.

Druids were the spiritual and political leaders as well as the historians and lorekeepers. Students of Druid tradition apparently studied up to 20 years, memorizing various aspects of history, lore, spirituality, herbalism, cosmology, and who knows what else.

I don't claim to speak for all who follow a Druidic path, but I can relay MY beliefs.

What is the purpose of the Druid's Guild?
The druid is a lover and protector of the natural land. Be it the forests full of deer, the streams full of fish, or the bug-infested swamps, a druid always strives to protect and preserve nature. Druids strive hard at their work.

Strong in wisdom, with a body trained to near perfection by their rugged lifestyle, a druid has many disciplines upon which to draw. From elixers of healing which can bring the near dead back to full vigor, to the ability to mystically create water and forage food, to the awesome power of morphing which they command in battle to quake the land, druids demonstrate that mastery of lore is not just a hobby, but a way of life for them. Able to face many warriors on almost even footing, and able to shield themselves nearly as well as some magi, druids are truly a gifted class.

-Tilanna
You open a leather bound book entitled, "What it Means o be a Druid and the Role of the Druids Guild" to the bookmark, on page 12, and begin reading.

When first I heard the news of Bander's challenge to all the Young Trees of the guild to present thoughts on the ever important question: "What does it mean to be a druid?" I have to say I was quite stumped. I started to dig through the many books filling the libraries of the world but was left without inspiration on the matter, and quite disappointed that the answer was not to be found in my beloved books and scrolls.
This left me in quite a state and I was stunned.

I then thought that perhaps if I were to head off on a harvesting expedition, surely the peaceful exercise of collecting, sorting and caring for the many plants of Sapience, out amidst the heavy scents and damp mists, would give me the inspiration I was looking for. But to no avail.

I then spent a great deal of time, sitting in my grove, studying the many creatures that passed through the fern-covered trees, observing them as they went about their daily lives: eating, fighting, hunting, dying. But, while perhaps I got a deeper insight into nature than I had before, I was at a loss to how I could describe my place in it.

Understandably, I was getting quite distressed by my inability to figure out the purpose of me being a druid, and then it hit me. What it is to be a druid, isn't something that can be worked out by studying something outside of yourself, or reading the words of others, or indeed waiting for inspiration to strike from beyond. What it is to be a druid is something that can only be seen by looking inside oneself and examining what you find.

So I did. I isolated myself in my grove for a great deal of time, its strong vines separating me from all distractions. And, all alone, beneath the boughs of the Aureliana, I asked myself the toughest questions I've ever had to answer.

And the easiest.

As druids, we are servants and leaders. We ever serve nature, and tend to its needs, and in this we are called to lead the peoples of greater Sapience in the way of growth and life. We serve Sapience, but not on bended knee nor with modest tongue nor with blind obedience. We lead Sapience, but not with armies nor with politics nor with self serving ideals.

As druids, we are voices and ears. We speak for nature when she cannot speak for herself, we listen to Sapience when no others will. We must ever be speaking the truth of nature, lest its sound be forgotten by all in the bustle of urban life. We must ever be listening to the people of the world, lest we lose our own way in the wilderness.

As druids, we are warriors and doctors. We are the sword that strikes out against all who would harm the balance of nature, and we are the healing hands the tend to the aching, wounds of the earth. We must always be vigilant to protect Sapience from all things that may cause it harm, that may corrupt it, that may infect it with disease.

As druids, we are called to be many things. We are called to live in nature, in a world that has almost forgotten what nature is. The path is not always clear, nor is it always easy, but we ever strive against all obstacles we face.

We ever strive.

That is what it means to be a Druid.

-Dagane Karamazov


     

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