Na Talun

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You may have heard of druids before – of beings totally dedicated, body and soul, to the earth.

The Druids of na Talún are no different. They are people of any race, species, gender, sexual orientation, of this world or from worlds far off, who have dedicated their lives to the earth. They are people who feel a contingent awareness to the earth – and can channel nature’s force through their own bodies. Talún Druids, however, have realized that this awareness should be not be kept to themselves – but spread, through all the people throughout Le’raana. They have made it their goal to teach others how to respect and channel the power of the earth, and to recruit more members for na Talún. Anyone can be a na Talún druid – no matter your age, race, gender, or origins – as long as you keep your mind open to the presence of nature, then you too, and feel the power that nature wants to share with us all.

Mission Statement

na Talún’s goal is to help the inhabitants of Le’raana achieve unity with the earth. They believe that the healthiest lifestyle to lead is one that is entangled with the earth, and with nature itself. They look down on city dwellers and live their life in harmony with the earth. Na Talún also makes it their duty to take in anyone and everyone who wishes to have awareness with the earth. The magic that druids are able to conjure is one that anyone and everyone can learn – it will just take practice, is all. Even if someone has no magical capabilities whatsoever, the power that a druid has is one that is channeled through the earth itself, which makes it possible for everyone to have the talent and abilities that a druid possesses.

In summary:

  • It is the duty of the Druids of na Talún to protect, care for, and nurture nature.
  • It is the responsibility of the Druids of na Talún to protect nature from exploitation and needless damage.
  • The Druids of na Talún must teach others about nature enable them to learn about what harm does to nature.
  • At the core of these responsibilities, balance is always the key to protect and preserve nature.

The Joining

Anyone can become a member of na Talún. Whether you are a man, a woman, an elf, a human, a dwarf, a giant, a mage, or someone totally void of any magical powers – na Talún opens its doors for everyone. In order to join, however, you must first hear about na Talún. Na Talún is scattered around many different areas of Le’raana, and if you happen to meet a Talún Druid, they will draw you a map with enchanted parchment and lead, showing you how to arrive at the hidden city of the Talún Druids, Baile, which is in Draconi Forest. The only way to find Baile is to have a map drawn for you by a Talún Druid – only then will the city reveal itself to outsiders.

Once you have found the hidden city, you should meet with a High Druid, the Arch Druid, a Martyr, or perhaps the Hierophant herself. They will then ask you why you wish to become a Talún Druid, and quiz you on your motives. If you heart is true, then they will take you to the Garden of Baile, where there is a flower for every member of the guild. They give you a seed and will ask you to plant and nurture a flower here, which will take time, for the soil is hardy and ancient, but you must be patient. If your intentions to join the guild are true, then the flower will eventually bloom, and will take a shape that reflects upon your personality. It is then that you will become a member (a Seedling) of na Talún.

It is common for Talún Druids to marry other Talún Druids – if this happens, their child is already considered a member of na Talún. They will not be quizzed on their true intentions, and will only have to plant a flower seed in the Garden of Baile to be considered a full member. Children of Talún Druids normally progress faster than outsiders who have joined the guild. They are usually promoted from Seedling to another rank at the age of five, and are Spirit Bonded at the age of six. However, if a child of two Talún Druids does not wish to be part of the guild, they will be excommunicated, so the secret of Baile City is not put at risk.

Spirit Bond

After a member of na Talún has moved up from the “seedling” rank, and has figured out how they wish to make a positive contribute to the guild – and to the world – they will have the option be Spirit Bonded with another Talún Druid of the guild. A Spirit Bond is a partnership former with another Talún Druid – this partner is normally assigned to you by the Hierophant herself, after much deliberation with her team of High Druids. The Spirit Bond is considered to be a partnership for life.

The Spirit Bond is meant to represent the duality and balance of yin and yang – two forces, who might be opposites, working together to achieve balance in unity in their life, and in nature. Once assigned a partner, you are to look after and care for that partner as if they were your own flesh and blood – or even closer, because the Bond is considered to be the absolute partnership, divined by nature. Bonded partners can be of the same sex or of opposite sex – it does not matter, and the Hierophant’s assignment is absolute and nonnegotiable. At least 95% of all Bonded partners have managed to get along – it is extremely rare that Bonded partners would be totally incompatible, but it has happened in the past.

There is a small ceremony that comes with being Bonded. In the base of Baile is a cave – Hastrel Cave – which is hidden, only accessible to Talún Druids. Here, you and your partner are to meet and greet Hierophant, who washes you with holy water and hums a slow incantation over the two of you. Then, the two of you are to turn to each other and draw blood from your body. Each partner is to draw three diamonds on their partner – two on the cheeks, and one on the forehead. There is to be no witnesses to the Spirit Bond except for the Hierophant, the full moon, and the Bonded partnership. After the diamonds have been drawn, you to stay in the cave until morning. Despite the cave being sacred, many demons and ghouls will attempt to access the cave by possessing the bodies of druids in the cave. The Bonded partners are to resist temptation until morning arrives, where they will be free to leave, and will have an official Spirit Bond recognized by na Talún.

After the Spirit Bond has been complete, one will find that they now have a telepathic way of communicating with their partner. No matter where their Bonded partner is, they will always be able to communicate with them, which helps partners keep track of each other. Their awareness with the earth is now at a great height and intensity than before – and their druidic powers are doubled. However, if your Bonded partner ever dies, you are not reassigned a new one. You are only allowed one Spirit Bonded partner, so if your Bond ever dies, the intensity of your powers will die with him.

Laws of na Talún

There are not many laws of na Talún, but they are important. Breaking them usually means exclusion from the guild.

  • Talún Druids must only wear clothing made from natural materials. Leather, fur, silk, feathers, and anything made from animals are considered natural clothing. Anything made of refined materials (e.g., metal) will disrupt a druid’s connection with nature.
  • Druids can only use natural materials for their weapons and shields. They cannot use anything made of metal, as it will, again, hurt their connection with nature.
  • The willful and unnecessary destruction of nature is not to be tolerated. One must always remember to hold a balance with nature and instruct others to do so as well. Neglecting nature in its time of need is a sin and is looked down upon as a sin.

Excommunication

Anyone who is found breaking the laws of na Talún will be excluded and banned from the guild. Although na Talún is a guild and not a religion, the process of banning a member from the guild is called “excommunication.” In the excommunication ceremony, the accused will be summoned to the hidden city, Baile. There, in front of the guild, they will have their armor, clothes, and skin smeared with red “soul” ink, which are said to stain the soul. The ink itself can be washed off, but if the banned member were to ever run into a Talún Druid, they would be able to see the marks on their skin, as if they were still painted there. The patterns smeared onto the member are intricate and ominous – they serve as a barrier, which prevents them from ever entering the hidden city again.

The Great Oaks

The preservation of the Great Oaks of Le’raana is one of the main objectives of na Talún. The Great Oaks are five trees that can be found all over Le’raana, which are rumored to be some of the oldest trees on this earth. These trees are considered sacred ground for na Talún druids, and the preservation of these trees is an extremely important task to them. The bark of these trees and the fruits that grow from some of them are worth their weight in gold, but thanks to the ceaseless efforts of the Talún Druids, they have survived for this long. Their locations are as follows:

  • Niahi Woods: Out of all the Great Oaks, the Great Oak of the Niahi Woods is the only one that bares fruit. This fruit is almost rainbow in color, and tastes like a blend of mangoes, strawberries, apples, oranges, and a melody of other fruits. This tree does not bare a lot of fruit year round , so the Talún Druids hold an annual festival to celebrate the livelihood of this tree, and its rainbow fruit. Despite being the smallest of the Great Oaks, it is still very large, and is probably one of the most loved Great Oaks, aside from the Oak in the Draconi Forest.
  • Kishahn Jungle: This Great Oak is probably the tallest of them all. The Great Oak of the Kishahn Jungle can be found in the far south of the jungle, making a trek to this tree a treacherous journey indeed. It is incredibly tall, and no mortal has ever scaled the heights of this Great Oak. Out of all the Great Oaks, it is the strongest and the hardiest.
  • Northern Serendipity: In the woods of northern Serendipity, another Great Oak can be found. Like all Great Oaks, it is incredibly tall, but if not for its height and incredible girth, then the tree would look just like any other tree in the wood. It is considered the plainest of the Great Oaks, and the most well-known of them all, considering its location.
  • Sionad Tundra: The Great Oak of the Sionad Tundra has white bark and is barren of any leaves, but it is huge and prospering, and spirals up a magnificent height. Of all the Great Oaks, this one is the hardest to find. Its white bark almost blends in with the white of the snow, and the trek to find the oak itself is treacherous and full of danger. The bark of this Great Oak is the rarest of them all, considering its sturdiness.
  • Draconi Forest: The Great Oak in the Draconi Forest is the heart of Baile City, the hidden city of the Talún Druids, and is the biggest Great Oak of them all. This oak is actually large enough to house an entire city of the Talún Druids – and is has not been altered by the Talún Druids to do so. Naturally, this tree is sculpted into burrows which act as houses, and larger holes and rooms which act as locations for important Talún Druid archives and facilities. This is probably the most important Great Oak of them all.

Crann na Déithe

Crann na Déithe (which means “trees of the gods”) is a challenge taken up every decade by a chosen martyr. Every ten years, the Great Oak produces five saplings, which sprout from its base overnight. These saplings, if they are successfully planted, will sprout into Great Oaks, which will double the power of nature – and the Talún Druids – tenfold.

The chosen martyr must take these five saplings and plant them in five separate areas of Le’raana. Sounds simple enough – but the Martyr cannot plant these trees by herself. The Martyr must find someone else, someone who is not a druid of na Talún, to plant a sapling for her, and watch over the sapling for thirty days straight. If the person who promised to watch over the sapling breaks his promise, the sapling will die. Another sapling will sprout at the base of the Great Oak in the Draconi Forest in its place in this case, as long as the ten year time limit is not up.

If the person manages to remember to take care of the sapling for thirty days, then the task has been completed. However, in order for the sapling to sprout into a Great Oak, the sapling will, during the course of those thirty days, sap away the life force of its caretaker. By the end of the thirty days, its caretaker will have had his or her lifespan cut in half. For example, if the caretaker was meant, by destiny, to live a long and prosperous life, they will, after being the caretaker of the Talún Sapling, only life half as long as they would have.

When a caretaker of a Talún Sapling finally does die, it is said that their spirit will join the Great Oak; they will not allowed to live in a heavenly paradise or a fiery hell. Their soul will be entwined with the Great Oak, and they will live in harmony with the Great Oak for all eternity. However, if they successfully helped to plant a Great Oak, but the other four Great Oaks were not planted successfully, the Talún Sapling will not sprout into a Great Oak. Instead, it will just blossom into a normal tree that will eventually die, taking the caretaker’s spirit with them. Still, the spirit will not be allowed to go to a heavenly paradise or a fiery hell – it will stay in purgatory, forever.

Thus, the Great Oaks can only sprout together, in the span of ten years. If the Martyr does not complete this task, then she will die. When the Martyr is chosen for the task of Crann na Déithe, her soul was joined with the five Talún Saplings. So, it is her duty to see that they are planted, or she will leave this earth, and her soul will float in purgatory as well.

There are people who agree and disagree with the challenge, especially considering that the chosen martyr doesn’t have a choice, but many Talún druids agree that the power nature would be given would be worth it, if one were to actually succeed. No one has ever managed to complete this task, except for the first Hierophant of na Talún, who planted the original five Great Oaks that exist in Le’raana today.

Rankings

Hierophant:

The Hierophant is usually stationed in Baile, na Talún’s hidden city in Draconi Forest. The Hierophant is the leader of all the na Talún druids and sees over them all justly and fairly. The Hierophant must listen to the input of her eight High Druids before making a decision, but ultimately, has the ultimate say. While she does the powers of a dictator over na Talún, abuse of power is rare, and should she ever misuse her ultimate power, the High Druids will certainly act. The Hierophant’s job is to see that the Great Oaks of na Talún are still growing healthy and strong, and see to it that nature is being preserved, and that man is not interfering too much in the natural scheme of things. The Hierophant always has a Spirit Bond with the Arch Druid.

Arch Druid:

The Arch Druid is second in command of the na Talún Druids, but unlike the Hierophant, the Arch Druid does not stay stationed in Baile for long periods of time. The Arch Druid is more mobile, and carries out the wishes of the Hierophant, while acting as the shadow leader for na Talún. While the Hierophant ultimately has the final say, it is the Arch Druid who pulls all the strings and makes sure everything goes according to plan. The Arch Druid always has a Spirit Bond with the Hierophant.

High Druids: There are eight High Druids – two for each position throughout Le’raana. The High Druids act as representatives for each area of Le’raana, and speak for druids that do not live in the hidden city, Baile, the hub of na Talún. Every six months, the High Druids meet with the Hierophant on the tallest point of Baile, the hidden city, to discuss the health of the Great Oaks and other business concerning the order. The meetings are usually long and arduous, but they always try to leave on peaceful terms. The two High Druids that cover each section of Le'raana are always Bonded together - this is a custom of Talún Druids.

High Druids of the North:

This covers Hyoite, Kilanthro Mts., and the Tundra. The High Druids of the North are hardy people, and are probably the most spiritual of all the druids. Living in the brisk cold for most of their lives, these druids have learned to be aware of nature even when all the nature around them seems dead, after being buried amongst the snow. They seem to be more enlightened because of this, and seem to be on a higher plane of understanding than the other High Druids.

High Druids of the East:

  • Both roles are currently open.

This covers Niahi Woods and La’marri. The High Druids of the East are the most humble of all the druids – their position allows them to envelop themselves in nature without being totally cut off from other civilization. They are the most willing to make compromises and are easily the most neutral party of High Druids. The High Druids of the East are always willing to hear both sides to the story before coming to a decision.

High Druids of the West:

  • Both roles are currently open.

This covers Serendipity and Adela. The High Druids of the West are considerably less “tribal” than other Talún druids, considering they spend most of their time in the two largest countries in the world. Their work includes a lot more recruiting and a lot less caring for nature – because of this, they are more tolerant of city life than most druids.

High Druids of the South:

  • Both roles are currently open.

This covers Serha Plains, Moraki Desert, and Kishan Jungle. Hardy and in tune with a brand of nature that is not limited to trees and plants, the High Druids of the South are tough cookies that can survive in even the harshest of desert climates. They tend to resent city life and are known for clashing with the High Druids of the West frequently.

Martyr

The Martyr of na Talún is an individual who has been chosen to take up the challenge of Crann na Déithe. If they do not complete the challenge within ten years, they will die, and another martyr will be chosen in his or her place. Martyrs are the most respected guild members (apart from the Hierophant herself), and they are normally treated like kings and queen. It is considered blasphemous for a member of na Talún to refuse a request asked by the current Martyr. The Martyr is usually marked by wearing the color red, and sporting a red phoenix feather in her hair. The Martyr has the same political advantages as a High Druid does, and is respected even more than the High Druids, but it is not mandatory for her to go to political meetings. The Druid Bonded with the Martyr is not given the title of Martyr, but they are normally inclined to help their Bonded partner with the quest.

Mystic

  • This role is always open.
  • Branna

Mystics are those who have mastered having awareness with the earth. They are, in fact, some of the most powerful guild members, besides the High Druids and Hierophant herself – and if they aren’t the most powerful, then if they’ve been put into this rank, then they have the potential to be. The mystics call themselves the “classic druids” – they are intent on becoming one with the earth. It takes a dedicated mind and a lot of mettle to become a mystic.

Curate

  • This role is always open.
  • Kau'i

Curates are members of na Talún which have learned to use the earth in order to heal the sicknesses of others. Whether they cure others through herbs, or through the healing power of nature itself, the curate is always ready to help ill members of the guild. Curates are highly knowledgeable in the art of healing, and are always ready to treat the sick and the elderly. They make a point of travelling in order to share their talent for curing illnesses with the world, in an attempt to gain more members of the guild.

Sentinel

  • This role is always open.

The warriors of na Talún – they are trained in the arts of archery or fighting with rods, staves, clubs, branches, lances, or whips. This sort of fighting style is one that does not upset the balance of nature – albeit, it is a more disciplined style that does not use the force of a sword nor the power of an axe. Sentinels hunt for the guild and protect the hidden city from any oncoming threat. They are revered as heroes by the guild.

Seedling

All new members of na Talún – whether they are young or old – start out as seedlings. Eventually, after the member learns more about na Talún and the ways of the guild, they will branch out and figure out what kind of role they want to play in the guild. Seedlings are looked after very well by the guild – older and more experienced members are always eager to give them a helping hand. Seedlings do not stay seedlings for long, however – after half a year, they usually are promoted by a High Druid into a higher tank that is suitable for them. The seedlings are then taught by other members of their rank how to succeed in their new ranking. It is from there that they become stronger members of na Talún.

Note: Talún Druids will not station themselves in Connlaoth due to Connlaoth’s intolerance of magic.

Hidden City, Baile

Talún Druids are stationed all over the world, in order to spread the knowledge they have learned from achieving an awareness with nature. While it is true that an exceptional number of Talún Druids live in areas all over Le’raana, the main hub of na Talún is in the hidden city, Baile. Baile is located in Draconi Forest, and is hidden to the rest of the world. There are many magical barriers that hide the city from the view of normal passerby, which has been done to keep the guild safe. The only ones allowed to enter Baile are Talún Druids, and those who are interested in the cause of na Talún, who have been drawn a map on enchanted parchment, with instructions on how to get there. The parchment itself will act as a nullifier to the barrier, allowing the interested party to arrive in Baile.

Baile is called “the hidden city,” but really, the city is stationed on the largest Great Oak in Le’raana. The Great Oak is perhaps the tallest, sturdiest, and most magical Great Oak of all, for this tree naturally spans out to form a city in amongst the trees, and in the sky. The tree has large hollows that act as rooms, houses, businesses and shops for the druids of na Talún – there has never been an issue with overpopulation in the city of Baile. Should a new member of na Talún wish to take up residence in the city, all the Talún druid must do is pray overnight to the Great Oak, and in the morning, a spacious hollow will be grown, brand new, overnight. It is the greatest treasure of the Talún Druids, one that they cherish and love with all their hearts.

Under the tree, there is a small, hollowed out cave – Hastrel Cave – which is sacred, holy ground, and acts as the ceremonial ground for the joining of a Spirit Bond. There are many ghouls and demons who wish to enter this sacred ground, and wish to use druids to do it, so it is advised that no druid enter Hastrel Cave unless they are undergoing the Spirit Bond ceremony.

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