Arbor Sanctuary

Like a thriving garden, carefully tended and abundantly fertile, the communities of the Arbor Sanctuary are a harmonious union of nature and civilization. At the heart of the Sanctuary's faith and philosophy is the Worldsoul, called Askr'Yggdrasil, which its devotees believe to be a manifestation of nature itself.
The current guildmaster, Trostani - three dryads fused together with Askr'Yggdrasil into a single being - is said to embody the will of the Worldsoul in a similar way. The original mission of the sanctuary involved conservation and charity, but its focus has long been on expanding its community, in which all members are cared for and nature is preserved in harmony with civilization.

Inside the Sanctuary

The Arbor Sanctuary is organized into enclaves called vernadi, which are communes built around central trees. The vernadi are smaller versions of the guildhall, the great city-tree Vitu-Ghazi. A dryad, called a voda, is called forth from that central tree to be the leader of the community, connecting the vernadi and its devotees to the Worldsoul and uniting them with the will of the entire faction. A voda is accessible to all the faction members in her care. In addition to the voda, military and religious leaders in each vernadi regularly communicate with its members. Ordinary members of the sanctuary spend a few hours every day training with a military instructor and studying with a religious teacher.

Goals of the Arbor

The Sanctuary's main goal is to provide a safe haven for all of its members, regardless of their race, language or religion. The sanctuary clings to the ideal of a peaceful collective in which individual desires are subordinate to the good of the whole group. The Arbor do not tolerate selfishness or ambition, instead urges its members to put the needs of others ahead of their own desires. Although it celebrates the growth and vibrancy of the natural world, the Sanctuary also gives equal attention to nature's facets of destruction, decay, and death. The faction will not hesitate to display incredible ferocity when their harmony is threatened.

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Arbor Characters

Joining the Arbor Sanctuary

New initiates come to the Arbor Sanctuary as children, to be brought up by the faction's members, or as recruits drawn from the factionless or the membership of other factions. Regardless of the path you took to get here, you start out in the role of initiate. As an Arbor Initiate , you must subsume your desires to the needs of the guild while finding a way (under the guidance of your enclave's leader) to put your talents to use in service to Askr'Yggdrasil. You have regular contact with your voda. who knows your name and has a good idea of your interests, goals, and strengths. And since your voda is mystically linked to the guildmaster, Trostani, through communion with the Worldsoul, it's safe to assume that Trostani knows who you are as well.

Common Classes seen in the Faction

Class	Subclass
Barbarian	NIL
Bard	College of Glamour, Lore
Cleric	Life, Light, Nature Domain
Druid	Circle of Dreams, Spores, Land, Worldsoul (NEW)
Fighter	Arcane Archer, Battle Master, Champion
Monk	Way of the Open Hand, Decay (NEW)
Paladin	Oath of Redemption, Ancients
Ranger	Beastmaster, Gloomstalker, Hunter
Rogue	NIL
Sorcerer	NIL
Warlock	Pact of the Archfey
Wizard	School of Necromancy
Soul Binder (NEW)	Wild, Elements, Dirge, Fey, Verdant

Arbor Faction Spells

Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature
For you, the spells on the Arbor Faction Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)

Spell Level	Spells
Cantrip	Gather Courage (NEW), Necrotic Wound (NEW)
1st	??? (NEW), Animal Friendship
2nd	??? (NEW), Calm Emotions
3rd	Call of the Conclave (NEW), Plant Growth, Speak with Plants
4th	??? (NEW), Aura of Life
5th	Chorus of Might (NEW)

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Rank and Renown

The Arbor Sanctuary doesn't classify its members in a rigid hierarchy, because doing that would encourage individuals to seek to rise above the rest of the community and put their desires above the good of the whole. Thus, aside from the leadership of Trostani over the whole guild, and each voda over her vernadi, the members of the sanctuary are distinguished mainly by the diverse roles they fill instead of by rank or status.
Indeed, many Arbor initiates never leave that basic role. They have discerned their purpose, and it is to live a proper life in support of the sanctuary, without pursuing any kind of prestigious role. But if you achieve greater renown in the guild, a variety of special roles become available to you.
Regardless of renown and role, members of the sanctuary don't earn salaries. The guild cares for its own, however, and every member can live in a vernadi at the equivalent of a modest lifestyle.

Evangel (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 3 or higher in Arbor Sanctuary
Evangels extend their hands to potential converts and welcome new initiates into the life of the Arbor Sanctuary. They include fervent preachers who speak the will of the Worldsoul in the promenades and marketplaces, humble missionaries who serve among the poor in the darkest districts of the city, and even centaur warriors who evangelize in Akgul territories where words of war speak louder than prayers of peace.
When you become an evangel, you gain one additional contact from a faction other than the Arbor Sanctuary, which can be someone you have met in your adventures or background. In your new role, you belong to a vernadi and can expect help and support from that community, but you spend your time away from it, operating with a great deal of independence. When you return to your vernadi, you teach and train new initiates.

Votary (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 3 or higher in Arbor Sanctuary, proficiency with martial weapons
Votaries are soldiers who protect the vernadi gardens in the area immediately around its central tree. As a votary, you are usually assigned to guard duty, but your voda might also assign you to special missions that require strength of arms.
While you are in the garden you're sworn to protect, the plants obey your word, allowing you to transform the foliage into 1d6 awakened shrubs or 1 awakened tree for as long as a threat to the garden persists. These awakened plants won't leave the garden.

Sagittar (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 3 or higher in Arbor Sanctuary, proficiency with the longbow
Sagittars are archers who defend key guild locations. Their range and accuracy are so great that a common saying has arisen among the citizens of Orbis: "Sagittars aim their bows using maps." If a sanctuary mission would benefit from the support of disciplined archers, Trostani herself might call on sagittars to render aid.
As a sagittar, you never have to want for arrows: the guild provides arrows to you at no cost.

Arbor Charm

Prerequisite: Renown 10 or higher in the Arbor Sanctuary
You can request that the voda of your vernadi bestow an Arbor charm on you before you undertake any mission on the guild's behalf.

(Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 10 or higher in the Arbor Sanctuary, proficiency in Animal Handling
Equenauts are knights who ride pegasi and serve as warriors and scouts. In addition to surveilling enemy forces and terrain, they are also on the lookout for places where a new vernadi can take root. As an equenaut, you are sometimes called on to take part in military activity, but you a re free to pursue your vision of how to serve the faction from the back of your pegasus mount.
Your mount effectively belongs to you, entrusted to your care. If it comes to harm through your negligence or mistreatment, you might be punished-perhaps to the extent of losing your position as an equenaut.

Hierach (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 10 or higher in the Arbor Sanctuary, Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature
The ranks of the Arbor clergy aren't hierarchical, yet you are honored with the title of hierarch. Hierarchs lead rites that invoke the blessing of the Worldsoul, bringing the Sanctuary's initiates into closer communion with the Worldsoul and with each other. They are assisted in these rites by less experienced clergy.
As a hierarch, you can call on the aid of 1d4 acolytes, even leading them on missions. You have an important voice in decision-making for your vernadi, and you are expected to offer advice and opinions to your voda when requested. Your position within the guild and your vernadi gives you access to superior food and lodging, the equivalent of a comfortable lifestyle.

Ledev Guardian (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 25 or higher in the Arbor Sanctuary, 10th level or higher
The Ledev guardians are knights who serve the Sanctuary as champions. Their ranks include a number of centaurs. The humanoids among them ride dire wolves, which they raise from pups to forge close bonds between rider and mount. If you have a dire wolf mount, it effectively belongs to you.

Dignitary (Special Role)

Prerequisite: Renown 50 or higher in the Arbor Sanctuary
Chosen by Trostani herself, dignitaries act as emissaries in dealing with other guilds. As a dignitary, you must be available when Trostani has need of your service, but you have great latitude to pursue your vision of the guild's goals. You can call on 10d10 Arbor Initiates to support you in your missions for Trostani, and 8d10 Arbor Initiates for a mission of your own devising. These initiates can be acolytes, scouts, or soldiers.
Your position gives you access to the best food and lodging, the equivalent of a wealthy lifestyle.

Forget yourself. Forget your city. Forget your homes, your families, the debts and obligations that hold you to this world.

Type

Druidic Circle

Demonym

Arborians