Druids...growth by expanding region?

[Aberzanzorax]

I was inspired by this thread:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/301003-druids-space.html

(It's a serious thread about druids in space. Boundaries of meaning are pretty light at this point.)


But it gave me an idea to explore. What about druids who start with minor purviews and expand them? Think of the "Druid of the river" or the "Druid of the plateu". Expand that to the "Druid of the river and lake" and the "Druid of the steppes".



I don't know how well this would work for pcs, but as I recall, 2e had a pretty regimented (harshly so, but not necessarily in a bad way) system for druids....woe betide reaching 14th (or was it 12th) level.

However, I do think that there's something to be gained by an estimable world organization...and some boundaries about how that works in the "normal" "nonadventuring way".



Even better, I might think it fun, if running an "all druid" campaign to do something like this. Have druids from adjoining regions meet at a "four corners" type of place. It's a place of conflict, a place where servants of nature need to solve problems. Each player is a different type of druid (plants, rivers, air, storms, etc.) but each is invested in the border of their region...and the problem is spreading.

But as the problem spreads, so does the power and the influence of each druid player.

 

[KahnyaGnorc]

Well, I think each druid type would be handled kinda like Specialist Wizards (or like the Shugenja in 3.5 Ed from Complete Divine), or even separate classes (their domain expansion could be seen as "dabbling" in another class, like multiclassing in 4e).

Druids of the Stone/Mountains/Earth - Geomancers and would be more melee-oriented (4e Wardens?)

Druids of the Forest - more traditional druids

Druids of the Plains - Air and Storm magic (like 4e Storm Sorcerers?), more ranged oriented

Druids of the Ruins - concentration on the death and rebirth aspects of nature.

Druids of the River/Lake/Sea - Hydromancers and would have more relations with civilization (towns and cities are often built by waterways for various reasons)

 

[Nagol]

My D&D campaign is set in the geography of Greyhawk (alternate current politics and history).

The area near the Sea of Dust has the druids split into two camps: the "Green" druids who view the Sea of Dust as a massive man-made travesty that should be made whole as an act of repentance for the environmental damage of generations past and the "Grey" druids that see the Sea of Dust as an unique and fragile eco-system that needs protection from those that would impose their esthetics on it to cover the sins of the past.

I toyed with the thought of having the two camps gain power from their successes, but left it as a moral argument amonst the druids.

 

[steeldragons]

I don't break my druid organization (continent wide and very ancient order) exactly like this. But I like the idea.

My higher level druids are more "stationed" around the world at sacred locations. Could be anything from a sacred mound with a stone ring, a "holy" (to the druids) spring or river, a particular stretch of wildlands or a traditional grove...or whole forest.

The higher in level/more powerful they get, the more important sites they are assigned. Basically, I figure starting around 7th, you become/earn the title of "Keeper" and the ruling body of the order assigns you a site...Obviously, PCs are normally exempt, being assigned for one reason or the other to travel/explore/seek out some "imbalance in the natural order" to bring under the order's sway.

Keepers may be charged with maintaining the "natural balance" of an area, the warding/guarding of a particularly disruptive evil (or overpowering good), protecting a particular "holy" (i.e. powerful ley line or some such) site or even rare creature or unique plant. Their region may be miles of woodlands or a single hill/mountain...could be a single acre or miles in diameter.

I DO tend to focus my druids more on an elemental side of their practices than strictly the more traditional plants/animals. So druids from site to site will exhibit powers akin to what KahnyaGnorc suggests...along with mastery of the plants and animals (if any) in their region.

A Keeper assigned to a sacred spring, for example, might exhibit "aquamantic" powers other druids might not possess. They are specifically attuned to the area they are charged with. Though I do not strictly break up the order into elemental factions.

But I certainly think incorporating "level advancement in a ratio with size of region" is a cool idea. I just tend to go more with "importance" to the Ancient Order than "size" of the area.

--Steel Dragons