DRUIDS IN THE FLANAESS

Main References

	Player's Handbook (1st Edition), p. 21: Druids can be visualized as medieval cousins of what the ancient Celtic sect of Druids would have become had it survived the Roman conquest. They hold trees (particularly oak and ash), the sun, and the moon as deities.

	Guide to the World of Greyhawk, p. 72: Obad-Hai, "The Shalm", is an archaic deity of nature and wildlands, one of the most ancient known, having been worshipped by the Flan prior to the arrival of invading Aerdy.

	Come Endless Darkness novel: On the "council of Balance" there are four "Heirophants (Lords) of the Cabal", "strange no-longer-humans" who always speak in unison (pp 60-61). There are also "Lesser Hierophants" (p. 115).

Druidism as the religion of Flan

	In the original World of Greyhawk source material, only one deity is identified as having druidic followers: "The Shalm", Obad-Hai, the "archaic deity of nature... worshipped by the Flan prior to the arrival of invading Aerdy". Len Lakofka's additional work on the Suel gods identified several as having druidic followers (most notably Llerg, Phyton, and Xerbo), but I suggest ignoring this and identifying druidism as a uniquely Flan faith.

	If this were the case, the Player's Handbook passage likening druidism to its real-world counterpart "had it survived the Roman conquest" makes more sense. Druidism was in fact the ancient Flan faith, and as the Aerdy invaded, such peoples were thrust into marginal areas of wilderness and timberlands throughout the Flanaess. The "Old Faith" has survived, but it is knowledgeable of its history as belonging to a largely conquered people.

	Druids therefore may be priests of either Beory or Obad-Hai, but in any case, they keep their people mindful of all the Flan gods along the Neutral axis; inasmuch as they "hold trees... the sun, and the moon as deities", they recognize the godhood of Beory, Pelor (the sun), and Nerull (death), along with Berei and Zodal. All contribute to the rigorous balance of nature. (The connection is further seen in Nerull and his clerics who share use of the sickle and scythe with druidism.) 

	We can make a further distinction between the druids of the southern and temperate woodlands (for example, the Celadon, Gnarley, Gamboge, and Adri forests, Highfolk and the near Vesve) who seem more willing to interact with people of different races, although they strive for independence in their regions. In general, these druids are a little softer, lead people identified as "woodsmen", and honor the "Soul of Oerth", Obad-Hai. In contrast, the people of several northern regions have been identified as near-savage "tribesmen", "Flan aboriginals" utterly hostile to external powers, who must be led by a harsher brand of druid. These areas include the Burneal Forest, the Fellreev, Forlorn and Hraak, the nomadic folk of Stonefist, and significantly the Rovers of the Barrens; the druids here are more likely to serve only Beory and the more ancient, greater gods. Human sacrifice (at the least, of condemned prisoners) is part of their ritual. (The fact that the nomads and tribesmen of the Rovers of the Barrens are druidic is the only conclusion that makes sense, granted they are identified as Chaotic Neutral Flan, but there are no Chaotic Flan deities of any sort. Furthermore, it complements the assertion that Beory indirectly resists the machinations of Iuz.) Druids become ever less common as one travels south: there is evidence for a scarcity of druidic peoples in the Dreadwood, Suss, and Rieuwood forests.

	This distinction between north-south druidic tribesmen opens up numerous possibilities as far as schisms and factions in the greater druidic hierarchy, opportunities for druids to seek out those of the other sort for promotional combats, and even the question of whether druids are more in danger of corruption and conversion to the service of Nerull (along with the frightening prospect of certain Flan tribes in Stonefist being entirely devoted to the Reaper). In any case, their numbers are not great, and the druidic people are easily ignored by the greater kingdoms most of the time.

	Other points that should be made are the fact that druids of Obad-Hai (which may in fact be most of them) are allowed limited clerical spells and weapons; and also that yet another rivalry exists between the druids and the followers of Ehlonna. This latter may be due to the fact that Obad-Hai is actually more ancient than the elven deities, and the initiated druids consider the demi-humans flighty in their devotions. Presumably Obad-Hai always wanders the Oerth, while Ehlonna may be visiting any of a number of worlds in the cosmos. However, this antipathy only shows itself in a limited region where the faiths have contact around the Kron Hills, Welkwood, and Ulek areas. (Ehlonna is worshipped primarily in Celene, the Welkwood, Wild Coast, and Ulek states; we know from T1 that there are druids in the Gnarley Forest (p. 6), and from the Guide to the World of Greyhawk that the Count of Ulek is a human Archdruid (Glossography p. 17).)

	Finally, it should be pointed out that not all Flan peoples are or were druidic. There is also another widespread faith that honored Rao, the Lord of Peace, and followed that entity's lawfulness and goodness to establish more permanent communities and kingdoms. In particular, I recommend the state of Tenh as a tribe of such lawful Flan who were best able to defend themselves and resist outside invaders by relying on their faith in that august and steadfast deity (and who nowadays also honor a number of the common-origin gods). Nearby Flan descendants such as in Pale, Stonefist, and Sterich have been more affected by invading cultures and so honor a greater variety of gods. Geoff, however, retained a notable druid presence for quite some time, and the faithful should still be found within the Dim Forest, the Hornwood, and the Stark Mounds (and likely within the Valley of the Mage as well).

The Hierarchy of the Druids

	According to my usual analysis of population figures, there should be about three druidic "nations" in the Flanaess, i.e., three Great Druids and attendant followers of all levels. This of course means that there is a single Grand Druid overseeing eastern Oerik, but I do not even suggest where that leader resides or holds his court. Possibly alongside the Mage of the Valley, or some hidden place around the Nyr Dyv?

	In any case, there should be some 7,300 druidic clerics in the Flanaess, and their approximate numbers are shown below (these figures were obtained using a clerical advance rate of 0.63 and assuming that 15% of clerics are druids -- see DMG p. 35 and p. 175).
				
		Title	Level	Number
			20	0
			19	1
		Hierophant Druids	18	1
			17	2
			16	3
				
		The Grand Druid	15	4
		Great Druid	14	7
		Archdruid	13	11
		Druid	12	17
				
		Initiate of the 9th Circle	11	27
		Initiate of the 8th Circle	10	42
		Initiate of the 7th Circle	9	67
		Initiate of the 6th Circle	8	106
		Initiate of the 5th Circle	7	169
		Initiate of the 4th Circle	6	268
		Initiate of the 3rd Circle	5	425
		Initiate of the 2nd Circle	4	675
		Initiate of the 1st Circle	3	1,072
		Ovate	2	1,701
		Aspirant	1	2,700

	Therefore we see that there are about 40 druids in the restricted levels from 12-15, which is sufficient to host three separate hierarchies (each with a single Great Druid, three Archdruids, and nine Druids). There is also a single Grand Druid (as mentioned above) with his trio of Archdruid henchmen (the novel "Saga of Old City" refers to him as the "Great Grand Druid" on p. 343); and finally, there must be something on the order of seven Hierophant Druids wandering the wide world, or hibernating for decades, or walking with Obad-Hai himself, or whatever.

	Where are these druids (and their attendant bards) mainly located? My suggestions follow, and are based on postulating three large druid "nations" in the North, East, and Southwest of the Flanaess. (You may wish to see the online work of Soren Thustrup for ideas on fleshing out individuals of these orders; however, that writer postulates four main nations, not three, and his druidic orders are otherwise quite distinct from mine.) There are certainly border areas which are politically contested from time to time (such as in the Vesve Forest, the Phostwood, the Ratik area, and even the Gnarley Forest). In addition, the druidic Flan peoples are in places so scattered and reduced to savagery that the communications and organizing efforts of the greater druids are often tenuous and unknown.

	It's important to remember that this priesthood and people were not originally confined to woodlands; in prehistory the Flan were a nomadic people who roamed wherever they wanted. Presumably the three nations (i.e., the Great Druids) would hold conferences by the shores of the  Lake of Unknown Depths when the need arose, centrally located and considered to be a holy site. Only in later times were the Flan tribes (and demi-human peoples) pushed aside into forsaken wilderness areas by the several invading races.

Eastern Nation
	This druidic order originally ruled over the eastern plains of the Great Kingdom and Nyrond. The Great Druidess still holds out today in the Adri Forest, and there are Archdruids in the Gamboge, Celadon, and Grandwood Forests (parts of which are confirmed in the novel "Saga of Old City": pp. 256, 289, and 343). The Great Druidess has apparently been identified in "Ivid the Undying" as one Immonara of the Adri, a follower of Obad-Hai.
	I suggest that one of the nine Druids be located in each of the following peripheral locations: Adri Forest; Rieuwood; Phostwood; Flinty Hills; Lone Heath; Loftwood; Cairn Hills; Iron Hills; and the Gull Cliffs. There are also believed to be druidic tribesmen in the Abbor-Alz, Hestmark Highlands, and other places.

Southwest Nation
	This organization is centered on the Sheldomar Valley, and has followers in the Lortmil Mountains, the Gnarley Woods, Veluna, and even the Vesve Forest (due to the beleaguered state of the northern Flan peoples). Note that certain areas east of Keoland (Celene, Duchy of Ulek) are largely avoided due to differences with the elves in those places (granted the well-known antipathy between followers of Ehlonna and those of Obad-Hai).
	The Great Druidess Reynard Yargrove (see module WG6) holds sway from the rolling hills of the northern Dreadwood, where she has immediate contact with the Flan tribesmen there, and in the Good and Little Hills. One Archdruid dwells in the Dim Forest (Stark Mounds area); one rules the middle Ulek state as Count (see Glossography p. 17); and there is another in an as-yet unknown location (probably the Gnarley/Welkwood, maybe Bramblewood, possibly far to the south in the Amedio Jungle).
	The nine Druids may serve the following places: Dreadwood; Stark Mounds; Good Hills; Little Hills; Gnarley Forest (Kron Hills); Highfolk & the Vesve (Mayor Loftin Graystand: see Glossography p. 17); Tors & Hool Marshes; Lorridges; and the Bramblewood Forest.

Northern Nation
	Once upon a time the northern druids ruled through the entire northern plains above the Nyr Dyv; the Flan tribes roamed where they would from the Wolf Nomad steppes to Pale, from Ferrond to the Icy Sea, and into the Thillronian Peninsula if they wished. Although they suffered the worst of marauding humanoid invasions centuries ago, the northern Flan have always been the most warlike, and resisted all comers. By turns, they beat back humanoid monsters, Oeridians, and Baklunish migrations, and have ever warred with the demigod of evil, Iuz, in his plans for conquest. The losses were inevitable, however, and today the Rovers are the Barrens are the only organized remnants of still-defiant druidic Flan.
	These northern druidic people (as has been written previously) are the most independent and hostile on the continent. The Rovers of the Barrens continually threaten the south with raids and invasions, while at the extreme, the people of Burneal Forest are entirely savage, with an Archdruid master who spends most of his time prowling in beast-form (and may someday need to be subdued by outside agents). This hierarchy has largely withdrawn from the Vesve Forest which was once theirs, but they have never succumbed to outside invaders, and will certainly perish before giving up hope of regaining their lost hunting grounds.
	The Great Druid (with his nine Initiates of the 9th Circle) is an honored counselor and religious leader to the Rovers of the Barrens, and his direction has much to do with the activities of that nation. The Rover warriors know that they are backed by strong magic bringing spirits of earth and air to their aid. The Archdruids rule the Burneal, Fellreev, and Hraak Forests, respectively. Additional Druids are probably serving in the following location: Rovers of the Barrens; Sepia Uplands & Clatspurs; Forlorn Forest; Bluff Hills; Cold Marshes; Timberway Forest; Spikey Forest; Sablewood Forest; and the Loftwood and associated hills.