Acorn Lodge

Believing in the potential of all living things the members of the Acorn Lodge seek to help all things grow and reach that potential, whether it be a beautiful grove untrod by humanoid feet, or a village struggling to eke out an existence on the edge of the wilds. Firm believers that wisdom can be found everywhere the members of the Lodge provide aid and advice, but try not to interfere directly in the events, preferring to watch and let nature take its course so to speak.

Structure

The order is divided into “lodges” each lodge takes up residence in an area and does its best to promote growth. While individual lodges are autonomous, they do cooperate with each other when their interests overlap. Each lodge is headed by a draooi usually a druid, but sometimes other classes. The draoi is assisted by one to seven tús a chur le who oversee the day-to-day operations of the lodge. The rank-and-file members are known as dearcán, they are divided into ranks based on the wisdom they have demonstrated. The lowest rank are the síol, all members start out as síol. Those who demonstrate wisdom are eventually promoted to síológ. Those who continue to demonstrate wisdom get promoted to ag sapling. The ag sapling usually direct missions on behalf of the draooi. The ag saplings who show increased wisdom will eventually be promoted to cuaillí. The cuaillí keep the lodge in order and assign ag saplings to missions as directed by the tús a chur le. A cuaillí who demonstrates increased wisdom will eventually be promoted to a darach. This is the highest rank the dearcán and they organize and train the lower ranks as directed by the tús a chur le. The tús a chur le are chosen from amongst the dearcán who demonstrate superior wisdom.

Culture

The members of the lodges believe that all living things are made to grow, and that growth brings wisdom. The members of the lodge revere wisdom after a fashion. Promotion through the ranks is predicated on displaying increased wisdom. To the lodge wisdom can be found in every aspect of nature. Unlike some they do not view the many humanoids as separate from nature, but as a part of it. They believe that as such the many humanoid races are capable of living in harmony with nature. They dispense their wisdom to humanoid communities to help them to live so. Consequently lodges can be found both amidst humanoid settlements and deep in the untracked wilderness.

Public Agenda

To the common folk members of the lodge are peaceful seekers of wisdom, who share their knowledge allowing the people to grow more with less. The common people know little of the inner workings of the lodge but generally welcome their advice and are more than willing to take it. Communities with lodge advisors usually have more trees growing in them, and smaller fields and grazing land, making more efficient use of the land.

Assets

The lodge and its members care little for material wealth, and as such have little in the way of material assets. What they do have is an abundance of knowledge particularly of the natural world. They share this knowledge freely with those who are willing to follow their guidance on living light upon the land. Since their knowledge leads to higher crop yields and prosperity in other forms, most people are more than willing to make the exchange. As such they have the goodwill of most of the common folk who are defendant on the products of the land for their livelihood. This gives them a lot of temporal power, though they seldom make use of it.

History

The Acorn Lodge was birthed in the early days of the settlement of the New Kingdoms. Human druids made contact with their counterparts amongst the elven people, and a sharing of knowledge began. Not wishing to see the land abused like it had been in the Old Kingdoms, the members began sharing their wisdom with the settlers to help them live lightly on the land. Other members retreated to the deep wilderness to live lives of quiet contemplation seeking the wisdom of the natural world. As the settlers spread further throughout the New Kingdoms, they continued to find that members of the lodge had gone ahead. Long before the formal settlement of the Frontier Lands began the lodge had moved into the region to seek the wisdom found in the untamed lands.

As the New Kingdoms became more heavily settled more and more of the lodge’s members retreated to the Frontier Lands. As settlers began to trickle into the Frontier Lands the lodge members greeted them, guiding them to the best places to settle and striving to reserve the areas of great natural beauty. To this day the members of the lodge scattered throughout the Frontier lands continue to guide the settlements of the many race that call it home.

Mythology & Lore

The Lodge teaches that Eresu is the mother of wisdom amongst other things and that she placed her wisdom in every aspect of her creation. They believe that Eresu taught her wisdom to her many children and that they too hid wisdom in the aspects of the world that they created. The members of the lodge believe that this wisdom can be learned by study and observation of the natural world.

Tenets of Faith

All living things are meant to grow, both on stature and in wisdom.
Every living thing has a potential, but it is up to that life to seek its potential.
Wisdom is in every aspect of creation and it is up to the individual to seek and learn this wisdom.
Perseverance is important in the seeking of wisdom and that wisdom comes to those who persist.
There is for every living thing a time for growth and a time for rest.

Ethics

Every living thing is meant to grow, and that wisdom is necessary for growth. All living things know instinctively how to grow, and it is not the place of others to try to force this growth in one direction or another no matter how noble their intentions. A life can be guided but never forced to grow a certain way, consequently the lodge abhors slavery and tyranny.

Everything given the room to grow will reach its potential and that this potential was decided when Eresu first breathed life into it. It is the duty of every being to live up to its potential and to seek out the wisdom to discover their potential for only with wisdom can one’s potential be realized.

The quest for wisdom is the ultimate goal of everything whether it is realized or not. However, there are many kinds of wisdom, and each being must seek the wisdom most suited to its nature. While wisdom itself cannot be destroyed it can be lost and the goal of the lodge is to not only seek out wisdom but to preserve it. In many cases this means preserving the natural world as Eresu intended for wisdom can be found there.

Wisdom can only be gained through perseverance and that it is necessary to persevere in the quest for wisdom and growth. Nothing is simply handed to and individual, it must be worked for and strived for. Only by continuing in ones quest for growth and wisdom despite any obstacles can this be achieved.

Conversely life is not a constant struggle for growth and wisdom. Just as there is a time for growth there is also a time for rest. Just as the acorn has a period of dormancy before it grows so each individual will have periods of rest and growth and that it is wisdom to know when it is time for each.