Hierophants of the Cabal

The Hierophants of Aeriador are druids from any Druidic order of Aeriador that have ascended beyond 15th level and the position of the Grand Druid. There are a number of hierophant ranks, but regardless of the rank of the hierophant druid, all hierophants are simply called Hierophant by druids of lower rank. Even though hierophant druids are "higher" level and more accomplishment than the Grand Druids of each druidic faith, the Grand Druids are still the highest ranking druids in Aeriador. Hierophants serve the druidic order from outside the ranks of the faith and are essentially removed from the politics.

The Cabal of Hierophants are a sub-order of druids and clerics that are some of the most powerful hierophants alive. Not all hierophant druids or clerics are members of the Cabal of Hierophants. Only the most powerful and faithful to the balance of Aeriador are accepted, and in-game, all members of the Cabal must be at least Mythic Tier 1 and Druid or Cleric(Nature) 16.

Hierophants of the Cabal will often advise or counsel the sitting Grand Druid in times of great need or when an especially sensitive decision needs the utmost wisdom, but the Grand Druid is not bound to decide based on the advice of the hierophants, and they cannot force his decision.  The decisions and actions of All druidic faiths in Aeriador is under the leadership of the Grand Druid exclusively. There are several hierophant druids in Aeriador, including the former Grand Druid Aubaerus Evenstar.  Not all hierophants are from Aeriador though. The Hierophant Shadowmoon Cyrstalembers and Phezeltan are both hierophants from the world of Faerun, and both will eventually return to Faerun.   

The purpose of the Cabal of Hierophants is far reaching in scope, including the advancement and protection of the druidic order for the purpose of balancing nature on a worldwide scale, expanding the druidic knowledge of the elemental planes and how they interact with the prime material plane, and the more humble duty of mentoring younger druids and advising ranking druids including the Grand Druid. 

The Cabal has taken on the responsibility of selecting  the most promising, talented, and capable young druids from all Druidic faiths, and train them 1 student to a Hierophant, over a period of roughly 15 years. They are trained by the most powerful druids in all the lands of Aeriador in wisdom, knowledge, magic, and the druidic ways per the Old Faith and the Old Lore. When the students have completed their studies, the Ceremony of Completion, a three-day long event of celebration and recognition, and where each student is advanced to the rank of Initiate of the Cabal through the laying on of hands the reciting of the Hierophant and Druidic creeds. Initiates of the Cabal are equal in rank to Initiates of the 9th Circle, even if they do not yet have the Druid levels of an Initiate of the 9th Circle. Initiates of the Cabal are then given two gifts from their Hierophant masters, the first gift are the Vestments of the Initiate, which are white, magical vestments embroidered with the Seal of the Hierophants in red which provide the benefits of a druids vestment. The second gift is the Ring of the Initiate. These rings are described here, and are a symbol of their rank of Initiate of the Cabal. 

When necessary, if the Cabal of Hierophants feels the sitting Grand Druid is negligent in his or her duties as Grand Druid and is creating an imbalance, the Cabal has the power to remove the sitting Grand Druid through excommunication and allowing for the promotion of another through the normal process. An excommunication of a sitting Grand Druid requires majority vote of all members of the Cabal of Hierophants. Through excommunication, a sitting Grand Druid loses his position, rank, and title, but not his level.  He must be restored to the druidic order before advancing to hierophant druid. If the excommunicated druid performs one year of solitary communing with nature and is blessed by nature, he is able to return the Cabal of Hierophants and be restored to the druidic order. When he is finally restored, he immediately advances to hierophant druid and level 16 since there can be only one sitting Grand Druid in all of Aeriador. Currently, no Grand Druids have been excommunicated.
 

The Cabal of Hierophants generally meet once per year at their dwelling place on the Isle of Cel, which has an ancient druidic grove with the first erected standing stones, the first of their kind in Aeriador. Members of the order will also visit druidic groves infrequently, may attend a druidic moot as well as promotions of druids to the rank of Druid and above. It is always a significant event when a Hierophant druid attends an event, as they are generally regarded as legends among those who practice the faith.

Three of the existing Hierophants currently live on the Isle of Cel, Pheszeltan, Shadowmoon, and Finduilen. These three are the ranking Hierophants and the most powerful druids in all of Aeriador.

Hierophants of the Cabal have a rank and title based on their equivalent druid level (inclusive of certain prestige classes that advance druid spellcasting) as follows:

Effective Druid Level*  &  Hierophant Title

16                        Hierophant Druid

17                        Hierophant Initiate

18                        Hierophant Adept

19                        Hierophant Master

20                        Numinous Hierophant

21                        Mystic Hierophant

22                        Arcane Hierophant

23                        Hierophant of the Cabal 

*prestige classes that advance druid spellcasting, wild shape, or other druidic abilities stack with druid levels to determine the Effective Druid Level. Mythic Tiers also affect the Effective Druid Level by adding +1 level per 2 mythic tiers or ranks. 

New:  As of SA 1611

The Hierophants of the Cabal are a shell of what they used to be. After the war with Lamashtu and death of many gods, Finduilen left the Order and became a God to replace the mighty, but dead, Silvanus. After his friend Finduilen ascended to godhood, Pheszeltan decided to travel the planes and has not returned, and Shadowmoon, now called by her name Silmarien, left the Order to start a family. There are now few Hierophants, and those that claim to be members of the Cabal are younger and less experienced.