Druid / Druid's Algae

I write to you because if you stress such importance on it, so be it. If the Lodge finds it so important then perhaps one of your Rangers should venture into Equinox to gather one of our kind or find a dead druid. Every instance I send off a piece of parchment, it risks the integrity of this coven further. I will fill up this paper with every manner of thing that you wished to see until it is nothing but full. Khairok, though you have proven to be a good ally and even better friend in the past, as of now this will be my last letter. - Q. 997

Transmission & Vectors

Sometimes one is exposed to the scum known as 'Druids Algae'. There are many ways the gift, as many who do not understand it would call it a disease, can travel from location to person. First, it does not spread from person to person in the conventional sense through any means that even the druids themselves would know of. Instead the Algae must be taken from a natural source. There are several known sources, known to us as Fountains, across the Realms. You cannot find Fountains through normal means, such as simply searching for one. To take the algae's gift, one must simply drink from a Fountain. The rest will come in time and with experience.

Causes

The Algae was first created by Kursag and gifted to the faen to help them fight the Titans during the War. From this original source, known as the Green Well is where all Algae come from. Though one may receive their druidic abilities from other Fountains, the Well is the origin. Because of this, it perhaps the faen's most secretive spot. Fountains spring up from where a Primarch delivers a piece of the Green Well's very essence to and plants it within an extremely pure and blessed source of fresh water.

Symptoms

Most Druids in their later years of exposure to the Algae only begin to show their physical traits. For those who do not have the greater capabilities, they are almost exactly the same as a person who would not have the gifts, save for one minor subject. The blood and saliva of a druid is extremely visible to that of other druids, as is the many blessings of the Algae. To us, it glows as if it was a torch. Though, for example a druid's spit may also visible to those not with the Algae, but only after several moments of of focusing on it. Other than this, the effects of the gifts become more apparent with time. The ability to communicate with beasts, use plants in strange ways and other such abilities. Also, as you may have noticed, depending on what manner of gifts we receive, our bodies become one with its gifts. For instance, a druid with a primal connection to mushrooms may grow caps and mycelium from their very skin.

Treatment

The only treatment for Algae is death. There are no other means of destroying it within a druid other than this. It is quite simple and has been tested vastly across the ages, but as we know it, there is only one way to rid a druid of their Algae.

Affected Groups

Green Folk

As you know it, we are perhaps the least worldly of the Eternal Sagas. We exist only because Kursag wills it. There is one coven within each Realm and although our source is within Equinox, we exert our influences as necessary and asked for across the lands. We are not as jaded and political as say, the Clerics and Artificers of the world. Our duty is simple; to protect the faen. Even compared to the Rangers, we have succeeded in this endeavor leagues more than their tasks. Our organization is not complicated, druids are chosen by way of heart and need. For each coven there is a Primarch. Once a Primarch dies, a new one is chosen by Kursag, exhibiting his choice by way of blessings given to a druid of that coven.

In addition to this, we aid leaders who receive the blessings of a coven by way of sending a druid to serve as one of his advisers. There is complication in this. If a leader goes against the faen or a coven or another leader who works with a druid of the Green Folk, the druid under them leaves. If that druid does not remove themselves from this position, we simply remove them from it ourselves by way of excommunication and hunting this said ex-druid down. There has never been a druid who has lived long outside a coven.

Prevention

It is good the Algae is capable of thinking for itself, as many times there have been those who through one method or another, come into the possession of it. With it, they wanted to slander our names as druids by way of gaining access to its gifts for all manner of selfish reasons. Knowing their intentions, the Algae refused to take hold within them. The only way to gain it is by drinking from a Fountain and even then, the Algae must be willing to give its gifts. But by the Dunes, if you have come this far, you will become one with it and there is no turning back.

History

This following section is taken from a historical series of texts within one of the many Temple libraries.

Early History

The druids were formed from the Eternal Kursag offering the faen, then who were within flux and had struggled against each other since the Sleeping Ones themselves came to be, land and peace in exchange for their services during the Titan's War. Wearily, they accepted. The faen that would become the Ivy Society became the Circle of the Land druids. The faen that would become the Pronged Sisterhood became the Circle of Moon druids. During the Titan's War, they excelled at using their divine blessings from Kursag and soon the War was over. However, many druids had died and in commemoration of the coming peace, their bodies became the Green Well, which serves as the pivotal point of peace between the Sisterhood and the Society.

Post Banishment

In truth, little is known of what happened to those who would continue the druidic traditions. Accordingly, the first druids came back to their new but respective lands in Equinox. What is known is that in 72 P.B., both the Society and the Sisterhood offered their hands to the then chaotic and new forming Realms by way of offering guidance to those who would likely need it in the coming years. From this, the Green Men came to be. Choosing specific locations across the Realms, places known as Fountains were established. Dozens of people were chosen from those Blooded across the Realms to serve as wise-men and councilors to those they each deemed worthy. From this organizations came their 'covens', or groups of druids that existed for each Realm.

Across time, although druids have been forces to be reckoned with, there have been no records of druids being used for war longer than a year's time or two. This is because each coven lives and dies by a policy of political pacifism and tolerance. This however, does not extend to oddities such as monstrosities and undead or druids who break their coven's rules. For a millennia, each druid has served specifically either to advocate for the faen, protect their Fountain, protect the Green Well or advise a ruler who has in some way given his allegiance to Equinox or the Green Folk.

Year of Blood

Only in this time did the Green Folk collectively spring into action. For a thousand years, since the Banishment, they had lain mostly dormant. However, as demons spread across the land, we owe it to the druids for harboring, protecting and hiding many of the peoples who would now otherwise be dead. It is recorded that about half of all the Green Folk, nearly fifty dozens and the Primarch of Highsun, was present at the Battle of Rose Rock in the Temple's time of greatest need. In addition to this, the conjunction of the Eternal Sagas were required for the creation of the Pit Seals, which ended the Blood Year. It is recorded that all Primarch's aided in the creation of them.

Post Year of Blood

A now respected group, the druids continue to act as wise men and protectors of Equinox. However, in the years since there duties have expanded to hunting remaining groups of demons and undead. It is known to the Temple that the Green Folk's numbers increased due to this requirement in increased man power. It is not uncommon to see among a group of hunters a druid of lesser Green Folk status that is present for banishing rituals and blessings of the anti-demonic party.

As the night waned and morning drew near, the barmaid finally asked the question I could see she had chewed on since I brought it up, "The Primarch, did you ever meet him?" I looked at her for a moment and then down at the table. I hadn't in truth 'met' him. Merely, it was at Rose Rock where I had seen him the day after the last major skirmish within Corolis. He and several other of his green men sat under a cherry tree at the edge of a field that had been fought on several days prior. Though the air stunk with the decay of demons and Blooded alike, his fold didn't seem to mind. In fact, the area were they sat around appeared to be lively with living creatures and though I was far away, I could tell there were flowers near they sat that were out of season by half a year. I'm willing to bet two coppers that the tree they were under had been burned earlier as well. That was when the Primarch, the only one standing among them, covered in some kind of fungus that appeared to grow from within him, looked right me from his spot, a hundred or so yards out. It was as if I was sitting among his people right then, as if he pulled me closer for just a moment. That was the day I knew it was not my job to question things above my pay and station. I looked back at the barmaid and shook my head, "No."

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare