Gods of Azura: Faerel (Druids)

FAEREL

GREATER POWER

Deity/Priest Alignments: N/NG or NE
Portfolio: Nature, Druids
Requirements: Wisdom 14, Intelligence 12
Weapons Allowed: Blowgun, Club, Dagger, Dart, Knife, Scimitar, Scythe, Sickle, Sling, Spear, Staff
Armor Allowed: Padded, Leather, Hide, Wooden, Bone, Shell, Non-metallic Shield
Magic Items Allowed: As Priest
Major Spheres: All, Animal, Healing, Plant, Sun, Weather
Minor Spheres: Elemental
Bonus PRO: Animal Lore, Herbalism, Survival (one type)
Required PRO: Weather Sense
Clergy: Druids, Shamans
Turn Undead: No/No
Command Undead: No/No

FAEREL (Fair-el)

The Power: Faerel is the neutral god of nature; the divine guardian of all natural plant and animal life. Although Faerel is an elven god (with gold, wood, and aquatic elf manifestations), she has many human followers as well. Priests of Faerel have a close relationship with the priests of Sybaris.

The Ethos: Faerelian priests, known as druids, believe themselves to be caretakers of the natural world in which they live. To them nothing is more perfect than the complex web of life which stretches throughout all Azura, and this relationship between the many animal and plant species of the world must be cultivated and nurtured. Druids are charged with protecting the wilderness from unnatural creatures and forces which seek to disrupt and destroy the intricate natural balance found therein.
Unlike other worlds where all druids are ‘true neutral’, Azuran druid’s must take a position on a human’s place in the natural cycle; a question which divides the Faerelian clergy into two opposing philosophical groups. A druid’s alignment is dependent on which faith he chooses to serve. Druids of the golden faith (refers to the gold elf manifestation of the god) believe humans to be just as much a part of the natural world as every other wilderness creature. A human’s need to supply himself with food and shelter is not unlike the basic instincts of every wilderness creature. As long as humans are capable of limiting their use of the wilderness to what they need to survive, gold druid’s believe there is no need for confrontation. The druid’s of this faith therefore believe that humans can and should try to live in harmony with their natural surroundings and the creatures within. All gold druids are neutral good in alignment.
Philosophically opposed to the gold druids are the wood druids (refers to the wood elf manifestation of the god) who believe humans to be an ever-present threat to the natural world. As proof, wood elves point out the many examples of the natural order being destroyed by expanding human civilizations and growing populations; such as cutting down forests for shelter and ships, slaughtering animals for food and sport, and cultivating plant life in an unnatural manner by using agricultural methods to grow abundant crops. As a result, wood druids are no less hesitant to stop a human from damaging the wilderness environment than they would be for an orc, goblin, or troll doing the same. Their disrespect of human life in relation to plant and animal life results in their neutral evil alignment.

The Clergy & Followers: Regardless of the druid’s philosophy he is only responsible to the will of Faerel and not to others of the faith, even if those druids are of a higher level. Only Faerel has the right to judge a druid’s actions. As a result, there is virtually no church organization to speak of. Azuran druids do not need to compete with higher level druids to move up in level and there are no limits or restrictions to the number of druids who can be of a particular level or who can reside in a certain region. Druids are not entitled to any of their usual special powers which are not specifically prescribed for specialty priests of Faerel.
Druids of any level can found a sacred grove which will serve as a temple to their god, although only a druid who establishes a grove and is of 7th or higher level will attract followers. The type of followers attracted to a druid (similar to the followers listed for Rangers) depends on which faith they follow. Both wood and gold druids attract lower level disciples, but wood druids tend to attract more faerie creatures as well. A greater percentage of a gold druid’s followers are demi-humans. Once a druid founds a sacred grove they rarely adventure beyond their locale, choosing instead to become permanent guardians of their wilderness area. The areas served by a druid can be of any size; from a corner of a small island to an entire archipelago. Before a druid settles down and establishes a sacred grove, he usually has spent his time wandering the wilderness as a nomadic crusader confronting wilderness threats while learning about the habitats of many different creatures and plants in regions throughout Azura. Druids have little need to venture into cities or towns.
Wood druids are almost always half elves, wood and gold elves and are commonly encountered in the southern half of Azura including the elven continent, the Southern Isles, the Azeirian Empire, and islands bordering the Memeyrian and Ivory Seas. Gold druids are mostly human, gold elf, and half elf and can be found almost anywhere in Azura, but are most common everywhere north of the Saerelian Sea in the west and the Linarian Sea in the east. Aquatic druids (refers to the aquatic elf manifestation of the god) are also known to exist in the undersea kingdoms of the elves.

Specialty Powers:

1st Level:
· Speak With Animals (2nd Priest) once daily for every other level of advancement (i.e. 1st=once, 3rd=twice, 5th=three time, etc.)
· The druid can accurately identify normal animals, plants and clean water while in natural terrain (i.e. outdoors).

3rd Level:
· Immune to any natural charm spells cast by any magical creature.
· The druid can Pass Without Trace as the spell whenever traveling over natural terrain (i.e. outdoors).

5th Level:
· Speak With Plants (4th Priest) once daily.
· The druid saves at +2 vs any cold, fire and electrical damage (natural or magical in nature).

7th Level:
· Shape-change into a reptile, bird, or mammal up to thrice daily with the druid only being able to use each form once each day. The form of any normal animal can be assumed as long as it is between S to L in size and is indigenous to a specific environment of which the druid has knowledge (usually the same as the druids Survival PRO skill). Upon assuming a new form, the druid heals 10%-60% of all damage he has suffered (round fractions down). The creature shape-changed into must be of normal proportions with it’s physical characteristics, which all become those of the druid. Any clothing and equipment of up to moderate encumbrance will also be shape-changed into the new form. Any protective spells or magic from worn Rings of Protection will continue to aid the transformed druid. Any of the druid’s specialty powers to converse with animals or plants may also be used in the new form.

FAEREL Specialty Spells:

1st Level: Beastmask
1st Level: Heal Plants
2nd Level: Animal Spy
2nd Level: Gift of Speech
2nd Level: Spear
3rd Level: Greenwood
3rd Level: Insect Ward
3rd Level: Invisibility To Animals ‘10
4th Level: Briartangle
4th Level: Thorn Spray
4th Level: Treeheart
5th Level: Control Giant Insect
5th Level: Mulch
6th Level: Ivy Siege
7th Level: Unwilling Wood

1ST LEVEL

Beastmask (Phantasm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 12 hours
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: One Creature
Saving Throw: Neg

Beastmask may affect a single person or animal, or characters may cast it on themselves. It allows the subject to take on the illusory form of a single animal species, but only that species of animal can perceive the illusion. The subject may not assume an animal form more than twice or less than one quarter the character’s size.
The almost perfect illusion the spell creates deceives the animals sight, hearing, smell and touch. The animal believes the druid is that animal, while to humans, other races and other creatures the subject remains the same. Beastmask does not allow communication with the animal species, although it can be used with animal communication spells.
The material component is a miniature wooden mask carved to look like the animal.

Heal Plants (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 10 ft/lvl square or one creature
Saving Throw: None

This spell heals natural, non-monstrous living plants of up to man-size within the area of effect. All damage from fire, frost, cutting trampling, parasites, mold, fungus, or disease is cured. The spell purges all parasites and disease so that they cause no further damage. The spell does not heal large trees, does not restore growth that has actually been destroyed, nor does it counteract the effects of poor soil or lack of water. The spell affects plants growing in a square area of 10 feet per side per level of the caster (10x10 feet at 1st lvl, 20x20 feet at 2nd lvl, etc).
Alternatively, the druid can cast the spell and touch a single plant-like monster to heal it of 2-8 pts of damage. Touching such a creature---even green slime or yellow mold---to discharge the spell does the caster no harm.
The material component for the spell is the druid’s holy symbol.




2ND LEVEL

Animal Spy (Phantasm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 turn/2 lvls caster
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One Animal
Saving Throw: None

Only a normal animal or a giant version of a normal animal species may become an animal spy. This spell enables the caster to share the animal’s senses---see through the animal’s eyes, hear with its ears, smell with it’s nose, and so on. The animal is completely unaware of the spell’s effect, unless the druid warns the beast before casting. Animal Spy grants no control over the creature, however, most casters will use it on a trained animal or one befriended via the Animal Friendship spell.
For the duration of the spell, the caster remains in a trance, unable to move or use human senses. Characters attacked while using the spell cannot feel injuries to their bodies. However, at the start of any round, the caster may choose to return the animal’s senses to the creature and resume control of the human body. The decision ends the spell immediately. The spell also ends if the animal travels more than 100 yards away per level of the caster.

Gift of Speech (En/Charm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One animal
Saving Throw: None

The gift of speech spell grants a normal animal (or a giant version of a normal animal) the ability to speak any one of the languages the caster knows, whichever the caster chooses, along with the ability to understand words and simple concepts expressed in that language. The affected animal's reactions do not change, nor does its Intelligence increase. The spell has no effect if cast on a creature with an Intelligence score of less than 1.
The material component is the priest's holy symbol.

Spear (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 4 rounds+2 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One tree branch
Saving Throw: None

This spell transforms the still-living and still-attached branch of a tree into a stout magical wooden spear that the priest can easily remove from the tree and use in combat. A spear created by this spell gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls (2-7/2-9 pts of damage). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th and again at 10th level, to a maximum of +3. The caster must wield the spear. When the spell terminates, the branch reverts to its original form, but cannot be rejoined to the tree.
The material component of the spell is the tree branch.


3rd LEVEL

Greenwood (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/lvl
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 9 cubic ft + 1 cubic ft/lvl
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster can temporarily make dead and withered trees appear living, green, and healthy. The caster can affect one plant (or object made from one), or a mass of plant material up to 9 cubic feet plus 1 cubic foot per level of the caster. Dead or bare trees, shrubs, or vines can be cloaked in leaves. Sufficient foliage appears to afford concealment for the caster, but not enough for an entangle spell.
Dry firewood becomes green enough that it does not light. If the wood is already alight, the flames die down to a thick, choking smoke in a cloud that lasts for one round per experience level of the caster. This cloud, which totally obscures vision beyond 2 feet, fills a volume 100 times that of the fire source, and covers a roughly spherical volume from ground level (it conforms to the shape of a confined area). A creature in the cloud must roll a successful saving throw vs. spell or suffer a -2 penalty to its attack rolls and Armor Class.
Dry, seasoned wood, such as a ship's mast, can be made to bend and snap under a strain like green wood. Rotten wood, such as an old bridge or ruin, usually collapses or becomes unsafe to carry any future load.
Damage to plants or wood suffered by being made "green" is permanent, but the wood otherwise reverts to its former state after the spell ends. In other words, if the greenwood spell is used to collapse an old bridge, the wood returns to its previous condition when the spell ends, but the bridge is still collapsed.
The material component is a leaf of holly.

Insect Ward (Abjuration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 month/lvl
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

The druid casts insect ward on special foci of the spell, a pair of rune-carved wooden stakes. The druid then plants one stake in the ground, walks up to 100 feet per level away, and plants the other stake. The spell forms an invisible barrier extending between the stakes along the path the druid walked. The barrier is 99% likely to cause a normal insect encountering it to turn and go in the opposite direction. If one or several barriers join to completely enclose an area, affected insects depart the area as well. Those insects trapped in the area become lethargic and slowly die off. While the spell remains, the warded area has only 1% of its normal insect population, which will affect the area's ecosystem as insects form a large portion of many creatures' diets. Details of this are left to the DM.
By means of the runes carved into the stakes, the druid determines what types of insects the spell excludes. This can be specific (for example, only mosquitoes and aphids) or general (for example, all plant-eaters, or all blood-drinkers). Giant insects are unaffected, as are magically summoned or controlled insects. The stakes radiate magic until the spell ends. If either stake is removed from the ground, even for a moment, the spell is broken.

Invisibility to Animals, ’10 Radius (Alteration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn + 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 20 ft diameter sphere
Saving Throw: None

This spell renders all creatures within the area of effect at the instant of casting totally invisible with respect to normal animals (Intelligence under 6). This includes giant-sized animals, but it excludes any with magical abilities or powers. The affected creatures are able to walk amongst animals or pass through them as if they did not exist. The effect is broken for a recipient when that individual attacks.
The material component is holly.

4th LEVEL

Briartangle (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 10 ft radius + 10 ft/2 lvls
Saving Throw: ½

A briartangle spell causes living shrubbery or undergrowth of any type to be instantly changed to densely tangled briars of the thorniest sort, growing to 6 feet in height and increasing in horizontal volume to a radius of 10 feet plus 10 additional feet radius for every two levels of experience of the caster, rounded down (thus, a 7th-level priest would cause a briartangle of 40-foot radius).
Creatures can force their way through the briartangle readily, but the briars snag and halt missiles, thrown objects, or flying creatures within their confines. All creatures trapped within a briartangle when it forms - or those who enter it thereafter - suffer 1d4+2 points of piercing and scratching damage per round (or portion thereof) that they remain moving and in contact with the spell. Those clad in banded, scale, or plate mail have all damage reduced to 1d3 points per round. This reduced damage also applies to creatures made of rock or with skin of comparable hardness, but creatures with lesser armor, such as chain, take full damage, even if a shield is carried. Beings who do not move at all after the first round take only the damage from the first round of contact. In all cases, a successful saving throw vs. spell results in half damage (round up).
Spellcasting requiring a somatic component is impossible within a briartangle. If the owner is moving, clothing and exposed cloth, paper, or vellum items must save vs. acid once per round (or portion thereof) within the briartangle or they are rent and torn. Such items must make at least one item saving throw (for the initial round of contact). Magical items receive a +2 bonus to this saving throw.
Fire destroys a briartangle in a round (regardless of the size of its area of effect), but creatures within it take 2d6 points of fire damage and receive no saving throw against this damage. The area where a briartangle was cast radiates a faint dweomer for 1d4+2 turns after the spell has expired, and this after affect can be used to confuse creatures who are following a pass without trace trail by detecting the spell's dweomer.
A briartangle vanishes instantly if the caster so wills, but otherwise exists until the spell expires or is dispelled. When the briartangle ends, the affected plants revert to their former state.
The material components are mistletoe, a thorn from any plant, and a bud, petal, or leaf from a briar (wild rose).

Thorn Spray (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 4 thornlike objects/lvl
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, a priest can cause barbs, spikes, thorns, spines, or nonmetallic darts, either naturally growing or magically created (in other words, by use of a spike growth, wall of thorns, or briar tangle spell), to spring with enough force to serve as missiles from his or her hand or from bushes or resting places within 10 yards of himself or herself. The thorns fly up to 120 yards within the round of casting and strike as many creatures as the priest wishes within the limits of the number of thorns able to be animated. The priest can direct the thorns in any combination at any living or non-living (a scroll, lantern, or wineskin) creatures that he or she can see. The priest can animate a maximum of four thorns per experience level.
The thorns strike only if a successful attack roll is made for each creature. The attack roll is made as though the thorns were directly wielded by the priest and at a +4 attack bonus in addition to any other applicable bonuses the priest might have; no range penalties apply. The thorns inflict 1 point of damage each. Sleep-venomed wooden darts are sometimes carried by priest (especially druids) who use this spell often.
The missiles of a thorn spray twist and turn in flight to follow moving creatures and avoid obstructions, and are fast enough to catch most birds on the wing. The thorn spray spell works underwater, but the priest has only normal attack rolls, and the range is reduced to 90 yards.
The material components are magical or natural barbs, spikes, thorns, spines, or nonmetallic darts that the priest animates.

Treeheart (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 1 being and 1 tree
Saving Throw: None

Casting this spell creates a link between the caster or a touched being and a tree. The tree can be any distance from the spell recipient when the spell is cast and during its duration, so long as the spell recipient remains on the material plane.
At any time after the spell is cast, crushing the material component causes the spell to activate. For the next three rounds, any damage done to the spell recipient does not harm him, but instead affects the distant tree. The tree mystically becomes the target of all spells and the subject struck by all attacks. If the tree is dead before the spell is cast, the spell does not work, and the caster knows this, although the spell is lost. If the tree dies of the damage done to it during the treeheart spell, the linked being suffers a permanent loss of a hit point. The recipient of a treeheart spell does not regain hit points through rest until the tree is entirely healed because while it is injured, it receives the linked spell recipient’s naturally healed hit points. The spell recipient can be magically healed during this time, though. A being can be linked through treeheart to only one tree at a time and can only have one treeheart in affect at a time.
The material component is a tree leaf from the tree the spellcaster wants to be linked to.

5th LEVEL

Control Giant Insect (En/Charm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 100 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn + 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: One giant insect
Saving Throw: Neg

This spell works on any giant or magically enlarged insect that fails a saving throw vs spell. Only one insect can be controlled per spell. The insect can be used as a steed by the caster or told to attack any enemies in the area. Because of the particular nature of the magic, which enables the caster to precisely control the insect from afar, the spell only lasts as long as the caster concentrates on controlling the insect...loss of concentration will cause the insect to revert to his true nature on the round following, which could lead to his attacking the controlling priest. An insect that has been released from this spell either willingly or inadvertently can be taken control of again with the casting of another Control Giant Insect.
An insect under the caster’s control can also be used for other tasks as needed. This involves the caster making movements that are imitated as precisely as possible by the insect (giving differing body types). Thus, a priest could force a beetle to follow a route, pull a lever, push chess pieces about on a board, and perform other complex tasks, to the limits its body allows.
The material component is a scale, piece of chitin, or body part of the same type of insect. This can be a dried husk or remnant, and can be from any size of related insect.

Mulch (Necromantic)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 5 feet/lvl
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 10 cubic ft/lvl (90 cubic feet minimum)
Saving Throw: Special

This spell causes dead wood (such as a tree, shrub, door, or cottage wall) or once-living organic material (such as leather straps or rope) to rot away instantly. Carefully applied, this can make plate mail fall off a foe, free a bound captive, and so on. When used with less care, it can destroy clothing in a trace, cause weapons to fall off friendly warriors in all directions, and devastate gardens or stands of trees. The spell must affect a minimum of 90 cubic feet if the caster's level so allows; the spell's area of effect above this is increased at the caster's discretion, but limited by his or her experience level.
This spell instantly kills yellow musk creepers, violet fungi, and various harmful molds, but intelligent plant life receives a saving throw vs. spell at +5 to avoid death. Plant beings (such as shambling mounds and vegepygmies) successfully saving against a mulch spell suffer 5d4 points of damage instead.
This spell has no effect on living non-vegetable creatures. A dead body of any sort can be caused to rot away immediately, making Raise Dead impossible (Resurrection may still be attempted due to the victim's dust being present, unless scattered after the spell is cast).

6th LEVEL

Ivy Siege (En/Charm)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 90 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 6 turns
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: One Building or similar structure
Saving Throw: Special

The ivy siege spell must be cast upon a stone or brick building constructed upon the earth; flying castles and the like remain unaffected. Immediately after casting, ivy begins to grow at a fantastic rate, climbing from the ground up the building's walls. At the end of one turn, the ivy has climbed the walls. At the end of the second turn, green creepers have covered the structure. On the third turn, the ivy has turned into a black-green and begins to squeeze the building.
Starting on the third turn and every turn thereafter, the building must make a saving throw against siege damage, as if attacked by a small catapult (see the DMG). Two cubic feet of the building crumbles away for each point by which the saving throw misses each turn. This cycle continues until the spell ends or the building is destroyed. The ivy rots away instantly when the spell ends.
A druid can cast only one ivy siege per building at a time. After the ivy has rotted away, the druid can cast the spell on the same building again. However, multiple druids can cast several ivy siege spells on the same building. In the case of a large interconnected series of buildings (like a castle), each casting affects only a single tower, keep, or wall segment, to a maximum of 1,000 cubic feet per level of the caster.
The material component is an ivy leaf.


7th LEVEL

Unwilling Wood (En/Charm)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 5 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 30 ft radius
Saving Throw: Special

A caster can transform one or more living creatures within a 30-foot radius into unwilling wood, causing them to sprout roots, branches, and leaves. The creatures become trees of a type native to the region and of the characters' age before the transformation. The spell works only if cast on beings occupying ground that could support a tree; recipients flying or suspended in water at the time of casting remain unaffected.
This spell can mutate a number of creatures equal in total Hit Dice (or levels) to the caster's level. If the area of effect holds a group of creatures with Hit Dice (or levels) totaling a number greater than the caster's experience level, the caster decides the order in which the creatures are affected. Unused Hit Dice or levels are lost. For example, a 14th-level druid casts unwilling wood into a target area containing a giant with 12 Hit Dice and two 3rd-level warriors. The druid can transform either the giant or two warriors, but not all three.
Each creature affected is allowed a saving throw vs. polymorph. The spell mutates all those failing their saving throw, along with any items they carry. A new tree has a height of 5 feet per level (or Hit Die) of the creature. The effect is permanent; a creature transformed into a tree ages as a tree and dies as a tree. However, affected beings retain awareness, memories, personality, and intelligence. Only damage severe enough to kill the tree can kill an unwilling wood creature. Tree-characters can return to normal if a spellcaster of greater level than the original caster uses Remove Curse. The original caster can release a transformed entity at will.
The material components are a bit of tree root and the caster's holy symbol.