Druids of Annun

Druids of Annun
 

Annun, which is literally translated as "Northern" is the northern continent on the map of Aeriador and is the central focus of adventuring in Aeriador. It is the land where most of the Six established their homes. Finduilen originally settled in what is now known as the Duirwood Forest. The world was different at that time, but it is the origin of the Druids of Aeriador. 

 

The Druids of Annun grew slowly as a faith, and over thousands of years has waxed and waned and changed significantly. Over time, Finduilen, with his friends Pheszeltan and Shadowmoon, forged their druidic hierarchy and organized their faith in the continent of Annun, and they originally divided Annun into three geographical regions where each of them took on the mantle of "Great Druid" and built their faiths. Shadowmoon controlled the northern realm of Annun extending down to the most northern edges of the Great Duirwood forest which extended to nearly to the Whitehorn Mountains. Finduilen served as the Great Druid of the area now known as Henneth Annun and south to modern day Erebor. Pheszeltan served as the Great Druid for the area south of the Misty Mountains and down into Rhune. They were the original first three Great Druids of Annun. These three geographical regions were called Circles, and over time the continent of Annun was divided into 5 distinct Druidic Circles with a 6th Druidic Circle added around the beginning of the Second Age for the Islands of Gelmar at the request of Selene. 

In SA 929, the Year of the Slain Shepherds, there are 6 Druid Circles, with each Druid Circle having it's own hierarchy. Each Circle is led by a Great Druid and has three Archdruids and nine Druids. They lead their Circles

The Six Druid Circles of Annun

Circle of Dúir
Circle of Erindor
Circle of Amon Bruien
Elder Circle (Circle West of the Grey Mountains)
Circle of Rhune
Circle of Gelmar


 

Ranks of Druids of Annun

* Progression is automatic if no other method is listed.

* Challenge progression means a druid of lower rank must challenge a druid of higher rank before they can move up. The challenge can be hand-to-hand combat, a competition of spells, a competition of skills, wisdom, intellect, or some other formal contest such as a competition of survival in the deep forests.  A challenge cannot last longer than one cycle of the moon, 30 days. Challenges of combat or spells can be brutal, but are rarely to the death.

* Selection progression means a council of druids, known as a moote, will determine if the lower ranked druid is both ready and worthy of progression to the next rank and is usually done only to fill a role as it becomes vacant. All new Aspirants (level 1 druids) are selected by a council of the top eight ranking Initiates of the 8th Circle. This is determined by the candidate’s performance in a series of tests and questioning. All Ovates who wish to become an Initiate of the Druids of Duir must be selected by a council of the top nine ranking Initiates of the 9th Circle.

* The position of Great Druid is selected by a special moote of the Circle’s Druids and Archdruids, and the Great Druid is always selected from the ranks of the Archdruids. When the sitting Grand Druid retires and becomes a Hierophant druid, the existing regional Archdruids and Great Druids will enter a Druidic Moot to select the new Grand Druid from among the current sitting Great Druids who will be the leader of all Druids of a particular faith throughout Aeriador.

* There is only one Grand Druid per faith in Aeriador, but each faith will have a Grand Druid. Once per year, the Grand Druids of each faith come together to discuss and plan for the protection and growth of their respective faiths and geographies. 

The faiths with Grand Druids are of Silvanus, Mielikki, Selene, and a growing faith of Mother Nature herself, for which Finduilen grants spells and abi

*The Grand Druid is attended by nine other druids who are subject only to him/her and have nothing to do with the hierarchy of any specific land or area. Any druid character of any level can seek out the Grand Druid and ask to serve him.  Three of these nine are of the rank Archdruid, and they roam the world acting as messengers and agents of the Grand Druid. Each of them receives magical items to aid in their mission, and a special ring which acts as a Ring of Wizardry, but for Druids, doubling their Fourth Level Spells. They may keep the ring as a token of their service when they leave the Grand Druid, but the power is reduced to doubling their Second Level Spells.

The remainder of the servants of the Grand Druid are normally druids of 7th to 11th level, although the Grand Druid can request a druid of any level to serve him and often considers applications from humble Aspirants who are automatically advanced to Initiate of the 3rd Circle upon completing their service to the Grand Druid.

* Similar to those nine other druids who serve the Grand Druid, there are eight druids who are chosen to serve the Hierophant druids of the Cabal at the Isle of Cel. These druids are the most talented and gifted of the druids who are in the Order of Ovates, ie. of the rank of Aspirant or Ovate. The Hierophants of the Cabal do not choose druids who have advanced to the Order of Initiates. Once selected, the nine Ovates travel to the Isle of Cel to be instructed for a minimum of ten years under the tutelage of the Hierophants. The Eight advance to the Order of Initiates after three years of hard study of the Old Faith and the Old Lore. The Initiates of the Hierophants have a different rank structure than ordinary Initiates. The ranks of the Initiates of the Hierophants follows that of the Hierophant Druids in the following manner: The first rank of Initiate is, Initiate Druid; then Initiate Adept, Initiate Master, Numinous Initiate, Mystic Initiate, Arcane Initiate, and finally, Initiates of the Cabal. Each Initiate who completes their training and is blessed by their Master Hierophant, attains the rank of Initiate of the Cabal and is granted a special ring signifying their service to the Hierophants (it is unenchanted). This ring is of silver mithral or golden adamantine and has the seal of the Cabal engraved. They are set with a gemstone determined by the Seat of the Master each Initiate served. The following rings are of Silver Mithral and are set with these gems; Red Garnet for a Hierophant Druid, Citrine for a Hierophant Initiate, Peridot for a Hierophant Adept, Blue Moonstone for a Hierophant Master, and Aquamarine for a Numinous Hierophant. Students who were chosen to serve a Master Hierophant of the highest order, the Triad, who are the three highest ranking hierophants of the Cabal, wear rings of Golden Adamantine and are set with the following gems; Blue Sapphire for a Mystic Hierophant, and Ruby for an Arcane Hierophant. No initiates serve or are singly instructed by the Hierophant of the Cabal. He serves all initiates equally. There is only one ring associated with the seat of the highest ranking Hierophant, and Myrddin Wyllt wears it. A ring of pure silver, engraved with the seal of the Hierophant of the Cabal, and set with a clear adamant diamond.

The latest Initiates of the Cabal, who they served, and their associated rings, are as follows:

1. Initiate Astendar (m/human, Drd 7), Nymuae, Silver ring set with Amethyst

2. Initiate Beregon (m/human, Drd 7), Pallando, Silver ring set with Moonstone

3. Initiate Yenaera (f/silver elf, Drd 6), Maglor, Mithral ring set with Yellow Topaz

4. Initiate Saerna (f/green elf, Drd 7), Elindal, Mithral ring set with an Opal

5. Initiate Lanseril (m/gold elf, Drd 7), Elenwe, Mithral ring set with Aquamarine

6. Initiate Elenar (f/grey elf, Drd 7), Pheszeltan, Golden Adamantine ring set with Blue Sapphire

7. Initiate Ithryn (m/fey'ri, Drd 6), Shadowmoon, Golden Adamantine ring set with Emerald