Old Faith & Old Lore

The Old Faith
 

The Old Faith is the chief druidic belief and Order of Druids of Aeriador. It is the guiding principles of druidic lore that gives meaning to all druids. Its Grand Druid claims authority over the whole of Aeriador. Though strongly associated with the faiths of Beory and Obad-Hai, the Old Faith also encompasses other deities, principally those concerned with natural phenomena. A quartet of gods representing the seasons is common, though the identities of these deities vary from culture to culture. Other deities aligned with the Old Faith are Silvanus, Mielikki, and Selene. 

The Old Lore

The Old Faith is closely associated with the bards of the Old Lore, to whom they entrust many of their secrets.

The Old Lore bards who multiclass as druids, and hence belong to both the Old Faith and the Old Lore, have two prestige classes available to them. The Green Whisperer* is a bard/druid who's very music can soothe both animals and plants, and there are a few Green Whisperers in the ranks of the Druids of Duir. The Fochlucan Lyrist** is another bard/druid that uses their abilities for information gathering, subterfuge, alliance building, and can serve as diplomats, spies, and even assassins if the need arises. The requirements for becoming a Fochlucan Lyrist are much stricter than a Green Whisperer, and hence there are far fewer. Indeed, there are only a handful of Fochlucan Lyrists alive today. 

Rangers of the North

The druids of the Old Faith are more loosely allied with the Rangers of the North. Their alignments differ, but their goals are compatible.

Enemies

The Old Faith opposes the entities of the Great Crevasse, the Tower of High Sorcery, and the cult of The Dark One, which are entirely outside of and hostile to the nature they protect.

Hierarchy

The Old Faith's lowest-ranked clergy are known as Aspirants, who seek admission to the order. Next are the Ovates, who read auguries and perform minor administrative tasks. Next are the Initiates of the First Circle, followed by higher ranking Initiates of the Second through Ninth Circles. Above these ranks are those who have the right to the title of Druid. There are only nine Druids to each region. Above the nine Druids are three Archdruids, who answer to the Great Druid of their region. Admission to the ranks of Druid, Archdruid, and Great Druid is only granted via trial by combat. It is said that above the Great Druids stands a single Grand Druid, whose dominion includes all of Aeriador. Former Grand Druids are said to make up an inner circle of ascended mystics known as the Heirophants of the Cabal, though their existence is not remarked on outside the Old Faith hierarchy.

* Note: Levels in Green Whisperer count as druid levels for determining druidic rank within the Druids of Annun hierarchy. For example, both a Bard 3/Druid 8/Green Whisperer 5 and Druid level 13 have a rank of "Archdruid" within the Druids of Annun as they would both be considered level 13 druids. 

**Note: Levels in Fochlucan Lyrist count as bard levels for determining bardic ranks and titles within the bardic traditions of the Old Lore. Although levels in Fochlucan Lyrist don't count as "official" levels in the Old Faith for the purpose of establishing rank within the Druids of Annun, they do bestow an "honorary" rank for the purpose of establishing notoriety, prestige, recognition, and honor within the Old Faith. Where a Druid level 13 would be a high ranking Archdruid within the Druids of Annun, and be afforded all the privileges of his rank and position, a character with classes of rogue 2/bard 4/druid 4/fochlucan lyrist 9 would have the honorary rank equal to an Archdruid, and would be treated with the same level of respect, but would have no authority within the druidic hierarchy.