Druids

The order of druids is dedicated to attaining oneness with nature. Drawing their powers from the ancient magics of nature, druids act to protect the balance of nature, protecting the purity of the natural world. Embracing from nature, they are said to be able to travel from forest to forest, drawing their strength from life itself.

Druid Skills Druid Spells Notes From the Legends

Skills

       Ordinary Skills                     Druid Specific Skills
1: axe
Axes are a primarily offense weapon, most favored by the barbarians for its sheer ferocity. Axes come in many varieties (both one handed and two), but most all consist of a short shaft topped by either one or two wedge-like blades, occasionally topped with a spike. Axes usually slash, slice, cleave or chop in their attacks.

1 dagger
Daggers are short bladed weapons, most commonly used by the rogueish classes and those of scholarly bent who lack the time to learn more complicated weapons. Dagger attacks usually involve quick thrusting, piercing or stabbing attacks. Daggers offer very little in the way of parrying, but their quick speed makes them hard to dodge.

1 mace
A mace is a blunt weapon, consisting of a block of metal attached to a shaft, occasionally covered with spikes or edges to do more damage.Maces usually attack with crushes or pounds, and are often employed by barbarians, who are known for using their ferocious bludgeoning attacks. Maces are also occasionally employed by footman, or the occasional scholar or templar.

1 staff
The staff is the most common two-handed weapon, most typically made from wood into a long pole. The staff is typically used to pound, strike, or crush an opponent. Its long shaft allows for easy parrying of blows, for which the staff is not primarily as a defensive weapon. Due to its focus on defending against blows, the staff is often a favorite weapon among scholars.

1 hand to hand
The ability to use one's bare hands to inflict more damage than normal is a skill known to adventurers in Avendar. The skill is automatically attempted whenever no weapons are being used, and will cause these blows to inflict more damage than normal.

1 staves
BRANDISH brandishes a magical staff. Wands and staves have multiple charges. When a magical object has nomore charges, it will be consumed.

1 recall
RECALL prays to the gods for miraculous transportation from where you are back to the appropriate temple of your hometown.

5 kick
The kick skill is an extra attack performed in combat, used for extra damage. Kick can be attempted each round if desired.

5 dirt kicking
The dirt skill attempts to temporarily blind a person by kicking dirt in their eyes. Dirt may be used either to initiate combat, or during it. Dirt will not in places lacking suitable quantities of dirt. (In the air, water, etc.)

6 find herbs
Druids, who are masters of herb lore, have made their life's work the study of herbs which grow in the wild. Depending on a number of factors, including the weather, time, season, and location, various herbs can be uncovered.

8 swim
Rangers, with their long exposure to all varieties of natural terrain, are trained in the ability to swim in water of all types, even encumbered by armor and other equipment.

9 meditation
The ability to meditate is a skill which allows for swifter than normal recovery of mana through various mentaltechniques.

12 sharp vision
Rangers, well-versed in the lore of the forest, are capable of detecting those who have used CAMOUFLAGE to hide themselves in the forest.

12 fast healing
This skill allows you to regenerate hit points faster.

12 second attack
The second attack skill allows one to make two attacks per round. Possessing this skill does not ensure two attacks will be attempted, but it does increase the liklihood of this occuring.

14 parry
Parry is a skill learned for deflecting attacks, and is succesful more often than dodge. Parry requires a weapon for full success, the hand-to-hand skill may also be used, but results in reduced damage instead of no damage. The best chance of parrying occurs when the defender is skilled in both his and his opponent's weapon type.

14 find water
Skilled rangers may attempt to find naturally occuring springs in wild areas, providing water for themselves and their companions.

17 herbal medicine
Herbal medicine may be prepared by a druid as a healing aid. At higher levels of druidical power, the medicine may also be used in an attempt to cure poison or plague. Herbal medicine may only be concocted in theforests.

19 trance
An enhanced version of the meditative techniques prevalent throughout Avendar, the skill of keeping the mystic portion of one's consciousness in a trance state increases like the ability to regain magical potential. Like meditation, the trance skill is automatic.

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Spells

       Ordinary Skills                     Druid Specific Spells
3 detect invis
This spell enables the caster to detect invisible objects and characters.

5 bounty of nature
Calling upon the power of nature, a druid can use this spell to provide food for themselves when hungry.

7 forest walk
Druids under the influence of the forest walk spell will pass undetected through outdoor areas. If group members follow the druid, they will find less stamina is required to move through outdoor areas.

7 elemental protection
Druids, with their natural affinity for dealing with the most common physical extremes, can use their magic to protect them from heat and cold. The more powerful the druid, the greater the protection.

8 thorn spray
The thorn spray spell allows a druid to call forth a blast of piercing thorns to damage an opponent.

10 commune with nature
This spell allows druids to join with the greater consciousness that is nature. The net affect is to allow any druids to communicate via this link together. It also allows druids to detect when another of their kind is attacked or slain.

11 water breathing
The water breathing spell allows the target to breathe underwater, for the duration of the spell.

12 star glamour
Used by druids, this spell calls down the light of the stars on a target, bathing them in a flickering starlight.

14 sticks to snakes
This druidical spell converts a wooden object into a group of poisonous snakes, who will attack the target. The power and venom of the snakes will depend on the properties of the wooden object used. The number of snakes depends on a number of things, including the druid's level.

14 warp wood
With their innate command of living matter, druids can attempt to warp wood. This spell can allow them to break doors, or shatter wooden equipment worn by others.

14 bark skin
This spell magically toughens a druid's skin with barky armor. The spell can stop the druid from being bashed, and at higher ranks can lower the damage done by weapons.

15 identify
This spell reveals information about the object.

15 entwine
Druids may call on the plants of the forest, to entwine their enemies. Targets entwined by plants will move more slowly, losing attacks in combat and moving more slowly when traveling.

16 mushroom circle
This druidical spell creates a circle of mushrooms. These mushrooms will release a puff of their spores when others enter the room. Depending on the type of spores used, the mushrooms can put a person to sleep, induce hallucinations, or slow the mind and reflexes.

17 plant growth
This spell allows a druid to bring lush plant growth to a region, turning it into a forest or swamp-like environment. The plant growth spell fails in areas highly divorced from nature, such as cities.

18 animal tongues
This spell allows druids to converse in the tongues of animals, suggesting a command for the animal to perform.

19 wall of thorns
Druids may use this spell to create a wall of thorns in a given direction. Persons attempting to travel in that direction will be damaged by the thorns, and may not be able to successfully pass through the wall.

20 animal swarm
Long versed in the ways of animal lore, skilled druids may call upon nature, bringing forth a host of small enemies to aid them.

20 wolfform
A druid can assume the aspect of a wolf with this spell. Like all wolves, the druid has a heightened sense of smell, and consequently gains the ability to "TRACK" like a ranger or watcher. (see Help TRACK) In addition, they gain the phyiscal aspects of a wolf, such as an increased viciousness to attacks, and an increased physical toughness. Wolves can also use the PURSUE command to hunt their targets. Wolves also increase in ability when the moons are full.

20 command weather
Druids, with their innate connection to all things natural, can alter the course of weather should the need arise. Druids can make a given region more or less wet, more or less windy, and more or less hot. Several druids casting this spell in a region can have a cumulative effect.

21 giant growth
The giant growth spell allows druids to call on the latent capacity for growth present in all living organisms. The affect will vary depending on the original size of the organism, but giant sized creatures will obtain noticeable benefits, such as the ability to wear two-handed weapons in one hand, and an increased resistance to being stunned via bash.

22 calm animals
The calm animal spell acts to calm aggressive animals, causing them to cease their hostilities. The effects of calm animal can offset the STAMPEDE spell.

23 stampede
Through the use of the stampede spell, a druid attempts to enrage all the animals in the current room into a frenzy. Enraged animals attack all save druids and their groups.

24 chameleon
This druidical spell is used to assume the form of an animal. The druids appearance, shape, and size changes to match the creature, and attempts to target the druid fail. Attacking while chameleoned breaks the form of the spell.

25 insect swarm
Through the use of this spell, druids may call a swarm of biting and stinging insects against an opponent. Persons attacked by the swarm will find their ability to use skills and spells hampered, and will suffer various deleterious affects.

25 rite of dawn
This druidical ritual is used in celebration of the powers of the sun and its rebirth with each dawn. Druids must cast this spell before dawn. The longer a druid spends preparing for the dawn, the more potent its affects. If the druid is disturbed during the course of the ritual, no benefits will accrue.

26 speak with plants
Through long years of time spent communing with nature, a druid may attempt to use this spell. Only available in forests, this spell causes the plants in the room to reveal to the druid who has recently passed through the room, and the direction oftheir travel.

27 regeneration
The regeneration spell is used by druids to heal their injuries in short order. The spell also has some chance of healing grevious injuries, such as broken bones or injuries to vital regions.

27 moonray
Tapping into the mystic powers that accompany the celestial sphere of the moon, a druid calls the rays of the moon down to earth. The effect of these rays varies depending on the phase of the moon. Owing to its adverse affects of the sun on the moon, this spell may only be cast at night, and only functions where the moonis actually visible.

Phase of the Moon: Effect:
Full Lunar Madness
Waxing Group healing
Waning Area damage
New Area mana drain

27 hawkform
A druid can use this spell to gain the aspect of a sleek hawk. Rumors include strange visions of double-imposed images on a druid affected by this, as they gain some of the aspects of the hawk, including the ability to strike more often, a lessened toughness, a lessened force of blows, the ability to fly, a more accurate ability to strike, and the heightened ability to dodge blows. Hawks can also use the GOUGE command to attempt to blind their opponents.

28 shrink
The shrink spell allows druids to reverse the course of a creature's growth. The affect will vary depending on the original size of the organism, but small creatures will notice certain penalties, such as an increased vulnerability to being stunned via bash.

28 circle of stones
This druidical spell calls a circle of stones into being in a wooded area. Once a circle of stones is placed at a given locale, the druid will recall to that point when he attempts to use the RECALL command, or any other form of the magic spell 'word of recall'.

29 sunray
Through this spell, the druid may call upon the powers of the sun to scorch the flesh of his foes. Along with the damage wrought by the intense light, the sun's rays may ocassionally blind the druid's opponent. Sunray, depending on the sun, can only be cast outdoors and during the day.

30 tangle trail
This druidical spell confuses the paths into and out of a given forest area.

32 naturegate
The spell of Nature's Gate allows a druid to reach out to nature for sanctuary, and travel from any forest locale to the base of Firiel, Tree of Life. In the Nature's gate, all forests are one, and a druid will find easy access to forests all over the surface of Avendar.

33 bearform
A druid can assume the aspect of a bear with this. Like the other forms, onlookers sometimes have reported a sense of intimidating animal fury from the bear, as the person takes on the aspect of aggression and might. Along with that comes some of the physical attributes of the bear, including increased toughness, mightier blows, and a lessened agility.

35 animal eyes
Through the use of the animal eyes spell, a druid sees through the eyes of an animal, seeing the room around the animal and the whereabouts of those who currently travel through the animal's forest.

37 creeping curse
A mighty druidical spell, the Creeping Curse allows manifests the wrath of nature in a forest. Sharp, spiny plants grow everywhere, dragging at those who travel through the forest, damaging and impeding their progress. Victims of the creeping curse often find it difficult to move, their progress hindered by the morbid growth of the spell. Druids are unaffected by the Creeping Curse.

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Notes From the Legends

Ardanwen, First Druid, Grand Hierophant of Avendar, Former Khal of Conquest:

Pushing away some shrubs, you step into the clearing, where according to rumours, an old druid would roam the lands during the full moon.

Adapting to the light of the moon, that shines unhindered into the clearing, you see a ghastly figure leaning against an old rock. His back turned towards you, he seems to be looking at the stars.

"Sit down, my child", he says, "I assume you wish to learn more then what the druids circle will tell you.. "

You walk towards the lichen-covered tree that lies on the forest floor behind the druid's rock. From there, you can see little more than his white hair, resting on the top of the stone.

"What do you wish to hear, young one?, Stories of the three druids of Old? Stories of Inquinox, Ennuard and I?, Tales from the days when the sun shone so brightly it would pierce the night, or shine through the earth into the deepest bowels of the earth, obliterating the citizens of Yithoul."

He mutters something under his breath, "They all wish to hear those stories, but so very few have the strength to learn about the present..."

You shift uneasily on your trunk.. several small creatures have either decided that you'll be their new home, or worse...their midnight snack...Closing your eyes you try to ignore them, and tell the old man you wish to hear about the druids of the present.

The muttering comes to an abrubt halt, and silence falls over the glade. A deep sigh sounds as the old man attempts to raise himself from the ground. Before you've taken two steps into his direction to assist him, he commmands you to halt; "I've been alone most of my life, young one...One would think one learns how to stand tall during those eighty years..."

Clutching his staff he slowly uprights himself, a tall figure, cloaked in green. He slowly turns around, his eyes sliding over your stature. Then he nods, apperently approving of what his eyes tell him.

"Very well...Druids...Priests of Nature...Masters of the Woods...Callers of the full moon... those titles are far too strong for those that call themselves druids these days. You're admitted into the guild at the first sign of a fungus growing out of one ear...oh, well...one never stops learning...You might be one of the few that does have the strength to wield great power..."

He cringes in pain as a coughing fit tortures his old and weary body. Breathing heavily, he regains control, and straightens himself once more.

"In the world of today, young one.. Druids stand between scholars and templars, where there those that draw from the sphere of Nature for their magics lie. Though a strong Druid packs quite a punch, true power lies in combining your strength with benedictions casted upon yourself, maledictions to break your foes, thorns, the power of the moon or sun to crush their health, and the forest to crumble their hope of escape."

"Against any class that has at least a decent grasp of weaponary, wield your faithfull staff. Have your skin covered with bark and, if possible, be flying. Your animal forms, being hawk, wolf and bear have their use in the form of a pair of wings, a sense of smell good enough to track even the faintest trail, or for dealing a large amount of damage on less sentient prey. For hunting the sentients of the realm, the hawkform will prove of little worth. Might your prey have escaped, your wolven form will prove valuable. The might of the bear might be used to crush your prey's last breath, but will not be the key to Conquest..."

"Ahh...Conquest, the Lords..." Ardanwen mutters, striking his white beard. "Memories I cherish...of hunts and hunters, of prey, and predator...but let us continue."

"The more you are familiar with the habits of your prey...the easier it will be to predict their moves, and to defeat them. When fighting a magus, call upon an insect swarm to assist you in breaking his concentration. When fighting a warrior, call upon the plants to entwine his body, to hinder his movement. Those maledictions will be an important esset in the hunts to come. When times allow, you can call a nest of vipers to poison your prey, or dwarf your opponent, thus hindering his skills of bashing or waylaying."

"For damage...call, if weather allows, upon the blinding rays of the sun.. On a clear day, their power is strong enough to burn a weak-hearted shuddeni into oblivion, or use your vicious spray of thorns. The light of the moon has various..interesting...effects, left for you to explore."

Grasping in one of his pouches, Ardanwen brings out a small chalice, filled with rainwater. He takes a few nips, then tucks it away. You bite your dry lips in envy for a moment, though dare not to interrupt him.

"Leaves us the aid of the forest...," he continues, "Calling the creeping curse is a sure way to clean a forest of any sentient prey. Very few will consider staying in such an accursed place, though leaving it is a hard feat, for anyone restricted to walking. Another bit of help comes from the beasts in the forest themselves. A stampeded animal swarm will stall most prey, and can be used to seal off an escape route out of the forest. Other animals, some even lured to the battlefield with the help of animal tongue, can be helpfull as well in the same way. A wall of thorns is an excellent way to trap your prey with as well."

"Moving through the forest should be done quietly, and when threats are near, under the spell of chameleon, thus causing confusion about your whereabouts. 'An unseen hunters wields a blade of fear', remember that."

"Now, " he grumbles, " what other spells are, or will be, yours?" He shuffles past you, lost in thought. As he crosses the clearing, he approaches a thorny bush, pushes it asides, and disappears from view.

Surprised, and slightly dazed, you sit down on the forest floor, resting your body against the trunk. The old man seems to have disappeared, not to return. You close your eyes, letting the conversation, or rather...the monologue slide by once more...

A faint voice sounds inside your head: "A Druid wields the power of the world, young one...the more you're familiar with it, the stronger you shall be. And now...begone."

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