Holy Orders
The Thellynites have two holy orders: the woodwardens
(the clergy), who protect forests from dark powers and
minister to the humans and beasts who live in them, and
the hallowed hunters, who destroy any creature or power
that would defile the wilderness. One woodwarden might
unite with a lone hallowed hunter to protect a chosen wild
region. This alliance, called a greenbond, is the closest
thing to a structure that the Thellynites possess.
The Thellynite faith has no central authority; no one
member may command another. In the greenbonds, the
senior member usually leads, but this isn’t a hard and fast
rule. Once indoctrinated into one of the Thellynite orders,
the initiate chooses her own path, much as Canellans do.
Woodwardens of Thellyne
Young woodwardens wander the world, seeking a forest
in need of a guardian. When they find one they take up
residence, protecting the people and animals living there.
He balanced their needs, but never allows people to ravage
the wild. Hunted animals must rebuild their numbers.
Gathered plants must be allowed to regrow. Among some
primitive or woodland societies, the woodwarden might be
the spiritual leader of an entire people.
Unlike druids, their
order does not require reclusive behavior. They are clergy
after all, and minister to groups, small or large. In remote
areas, their only congregants might be the animals, but they
serve nonetheless, keeping dark things from the woods.
Some woodwardens never settle in a single forest
and adventure around the world, battling the enemies
of nature. These priests are rare, but considered just as
devout as their settled counterparts.
All woodwardens share the same basic tenets:
The natural world should be protected, the people and animals who
reside therein served, and the laws of the Thellynite faith
observed. The differences between the three alignments of
woodwardens are based on where they choose to practice.
Most woodwardens are neutral good. They protect the
largest wild places, seeking to do the most good.
Lawful good woodwardens seek woodlands near civilization. Taking
up residence in the forest or a neighboring town, they teach
people to honor nature, and tread lightly upon it. Many of
these woodwardens minister to towns of loggers, teaching
them how to properly respect and replenish the trees.
Chaotic good woodwardens might settle anywhere. Those who
live near civilization dissuade people from damaging the
woods in any way. This might lead two woodwardens into
conflict; lawful good woodwarden tolerate some exploitation
of the forest, but their chaotic good brethren do not.
Members of the woodwardens are addressed as
“warden.” In the rare formal introductions,
the woodwarden is introduced as, “a woodwarden of the Thellynites.”
Joining the Woodwardens
Initiates seeking to become woodwardens must find an
established member of the order and become her apprentice, spending up to five years learning woodcraft and
Thellyne’s teachings. When the master deems his training
complete, she leads him to the depths of the woods, strips
him of all possessions, and leaves him to find his way back.
Students who manage this become woodwardens, clerics
with the Nature domain, and masters of their own destinies
Hallowed Hunters of Thellyne
Like many rangers, hallowed hunters drive evil
creatures from the woods, but unlike rangers (who
they often count as allies), however, they receive
powers from Thellyne, the goddess of the hunt.
Thus the order trains powerful hunters, who
might even lead good rangers against nature’s
enemies. Hallowed hunters must protect woodlands, and must not willingly allow evil to take
over natural places. Hunters cannot knowingly
do evil, or assist in the commission of evil. Most of them
are neutral good.
Hallowed hunters keep the company of those who love
the woodlands, especially rangers and woodwardens.
While they might join other good people, they do not
stray from the woodlands for long, and have no real desire
to spend time in cities or towns. They do not long abide
the company of those who do evil, and actively oppose
those who would harm the natural world.
Hallowed hunters are called “hunters,” or “huntresses,”
and are addressed as such.
Joining the Hallowed Hunters
When one receives the call to become a hallowed hunter,
she must track down a member of the order. If the initiated hunter agrees to take the candidate as her apprentice,
the training can take up to eight years, as the two travel
together, and the young hunter-to-be learns the secrets of
the woods. In some cases, a ranger
receives the call, and requires
only training in the ways peculiar to Thellyne. This training
only takes six months. Once
trained, the hallowed
hunter becomes a paladin, and is free to go
wherever he believes
he’s needed, as
there is no authority to gainsay his
desire. These pal- adins always
swear the Oath of
the Ancients.
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