[Tristam]

The Circle of Acorns is a coalition of newly autodidacts Druids and interested apprentices founded in the last decade of the 22th century in Meranthe. Practicioners come from many different origins and beliefs, and gather together in their interest and love for Nature, and the preservation of it.

While still anew and heterogenous, they are motivated by their goals and passions to protect the environnement ravaged by the intensification of magic. While also learning and perfectionning their new arts.

Starting with low numbers and a relatively weak force, they avoid melding themselves with wide politics for now. This allows them to prioritize the study and rediscover this lost magic and start healing some of the abandonned regions in Meranthe as a form of practice.

Foundations

With the last centuries' rituals from the forces of the Pantheon and the Fel against each other, the normalcy of the Land has greatly suffered and it challenges the common mortals in their daily lives further more than ever. Even with most of the Fel's forces routed, the Strife in the Pantheon between themselves and Outsiders still encourage these rites to persist further and still intensifying. This accumulation causes abnormalities of the surface of Nature and drastically affect those who live near these scars, to the point of altering the ambient ecosystem. Outbursts of Lifestream are even reported to appear in some locations of Meranthe, creating oversized and invading growths.

Growing concerned with the state of Meranthe's Nature and the escalating powers at Humanity's disposal through their rites, some people would act outside of Settlements to gather and discuss of the current problems with the environnement, find solutions, and assist with each other. Various groups of Pagans and some would join such, hinting to research and learn the forgotten arts of Druidry to heal the world without the assistance of surnatural intervention.

Initially without any leader and without proper mentor, a Spirit beckoned through their dreams to ready and gather in the Realm of Eternal Blossoms, where they shall act as their teacher.

Therefore, this group would gather together, putting asside their banners and their faith to write common goals to achieve to be worthy of these lessons. Their group shall be baptized as the Circle of Restoration, in reference to their goal to heal and mend the world, but also reduce the presence of the "surnatural" in Meranthe's nature to a safer level.

Goals

Learning and Growing :

The Druidic arts, lost to time in Meranthe for a long time, have recently ressurfaced. Many magi are showing interest in this new form of magic, as some already have manifested potential. This Circle endeavors to teach and help its members the fundamentals of this magic, while also teaching various subjects related to Nature, Lifestream, Spirit realm, and many more. Open to anyone, as long as their motives fit their goals, there is no binding oath that keeps its members forever. It is in fact even expected that once a druid has matured enough in practice and knowledge, they may be able to leave and follow their own path.

Symbiose between Nature and Humanity :

These lessons seek to teach people how to live in symbiose with Nature. Humanity has needs, but Nature also does it. Both can help with each other. Even if Humanity has progressed to live with less dependance to Nature, all of this progress is only a construct that can fall at any moment, while Nature remains everlasting. Nature can be a rough mistress to anyone unprepared or treating it wrongly.

Nature's Restoration and Protection :

Meranthe has been ravaged by wars and other land shattering miracles and maledictions. Some of these locations can provide environnemental issues to nearby locations, while others make such territory to be inhospitable to live. And with how unstable the Lifestream within Meranthe has been through this last century, sometimes Leylines may outburst and cause ravage to its surroundings.

As part of their training, these Druids seek to mend the surface, to allow Nature and/or humanity to settle once more there. And attempt to find solutions to these outburst, either to prevent them, or fix the damage causes.

Flora and Fauna assistance :

Enthusiasts and passionned to plants and animals, these druids express respect and nurturing values to these living beings, as they represent the biodiversity of Meranthe. With the ravages of the environnement, flora and fauna living in these locations are primarly affected.
As part of their training, these Druids seek to provide relief and conservation methods for plant and animal species to avoid extinction. Either through preservation or evolution

Tradition or Evolution :

Not openly shared, but roughly presented. the lessons cover two different paths to achieve these goals : Either by attempting to keep Nature safe by maintaining its humble and simpler traditions, or push Nature to evolve and adapt to its new environnement for the Surnatural to become the new norm. The direction is still debated among its members... 

Symbol

The Symbol of the Circle of Acornsis a necklace of preserved nuts, but most notably acorns. The acorn being a fruit that symbolises growth and strength similar to how they grown from a simple fruit into a mighty large oak. This symbolizes how the Circle of Acorns would bring druidism into humble, small beginings. As they are convinced that later it may branch into greatness once the arts is fully learned.

Along with their collectivist ideology, this is a group effort of many different people regardless of their origins (thus why some necklaces are accompagnies with nuts other than acorns). Therefore, this is why the necklace does not feature only one acorn.

Organisation

The Circle is led by "Sylvester Galeland", a Spirit said to be an emissary of the Spirit Realm. Altough, they have never made a physical manifestation. Their voice echoes within the Realm of Eternal Blossoms without being present. Yet, for those who could have seen them in their dreams, they were described as a humanoid figure in a shroud made of wrinkled leather, bark-like.

Their intention is to teach and mentor the young druids and any potential interested magi in these arts, while also providing knowledge in Nature's Lore and the Spirit Realm. Their manifestation are occasional, sending oneiric messages to its members for when he is starting a lesson. Otherwise, he has mentionned that he may be seanced in private with the help of a Cleric of Alacritas specially, if the involved person is not a druid. But for druids of the Acorn, they may receive oneiric seances

Members are then organized as the following :

Visitors :
Those who are curious about the arts. They do not have the powers of druidism acquired, but they can still be part of the lessons in an attempt to awake them.

Initiates :
Freshly recruited druids. They learn the basics of the arts and specialized themselves in botany to begin with, limiting their powers in the scope of plants.

Druids :
Proper druids with their basics grasped. Acquiring along with the knowledge and practice of Zoology, now involving animals and creatures in their arts.

Archdruids :
Druids with confirmed practice in both flora and fauna domains. They now learn the subject of Anthropology, involving Humanity's Nature to the arts.

Entry is open to anyone as long their motives and goals fit the ones above, regardless of their nation and faith. It is expected at least that to become a druid, one must be an ''ally'' of nature.
Members openly declared to be part of the Fel, along with Necromancers, are banned from entry.
Sorcerers are advised that their arts are incompatible with Druidic arts. Question on their allowed presence is still debated.

OOC Notes :

If you want a scene with them, send me a discord message @ tristrian