Druidic Oaths

[DM Grizwald]

Does anyone have any information on the Oaths a druid takes? I'm looking for the actually oaths themselves.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Clark,

I'm hard at work looking for some source info on Druidic oaths.
Do you just want information on oaths, or would you like -any- information I can post on Druidic society? I have so far, found nothing on the oaths, but I have found some other stuff.

-V

[z1gg3h]

Guess Druids in PnP are alot like the Druids in real life. You know about them, but you don't. Nothings been written down .

Poor Vilith.

[seina]

As I understand it, a druid takes his or her oath when they have lived the druidic life (upholding the tenants of druidism which would include upholding the balance and protecting nature) for a while they take their oath. The oath is personal and unique to each druid and basically says that they have begun to walk the druidic path.

As far as I know, it isn’t a set oath with set words.

[Deleted]

Aye, i would appreciate a copy of the oaths a druidic takes.

-Sioladuil

[ancientempathy]

feanorre said:

Clark,

I'm hard at work looking for some source info on Druidic oaths.
Do you just want information on oaths, or would you like -any- information I can post on Druidic society? I have so far, found nothing on the oaths, but I have found some other stuff.

-V

Consider posting that information in the Lore of the Lands ;D If it's too much then direct me to the source and I'll try to do it =)

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

ancientempathy said:

feanorre said:

Clark,

I'm hard at work looking for some source info on Druidic oaths.
Do you just want information on oaths, or would you like -any- information I can post on Druidic society? I have so far, found nothing on the oaths, but I have found some other stuff.

-V

Consider posting that information in the Lore of the Lands ;D If it's too much then direct me to the source and I'll try to do it =)

It's no trouble...I'll get to it soon. I have a large section from a dragon magazine to dissect and post before that though.

[DM Grizwald]

Hey thanks guys for the help!

[seina]

seina said:

As I understand it, a druid takes his or her oath when they have lived the druidic life (upholding the tenants of druidism which would include upholding the balance and protecting nature) for a while they take their oath. The oath is personal and unique to each druid and basically says that they have begun to walk the druidic path.

As far as I know, it isn’t a set oath with set words.

*points up*

I checked with a "modern day" druid. And the above information is correct.

[Munroe]

seina said:

seina said:

As I understand it, a druid takes his or her oath when they have lived the druidic life (upholding the tenants of druidism which would include upholding the balance and protecting nature) for a while they take their oath. The oath is personal and unique to each druid and basically says that they have begun to walk the druidic path.

As far as I know, it isn’t a set oath with set words.

*points up*

I checked with a "modern day" druid. And the above information is correct.

I don't think a "modern day" druid would necessarily have correct information as it pertains to Forgotten Realms.

[seina]

wolfmunroe said:

I don't think a "modern day" druid would necessarily have correct information as it pertains to Forgotten Realms.

Consider me spanked. Play on.

[Munroe]

On the other hand, if he's a modern druid who also happens to play a lot of (which is entirely possible) then he may have a sourcebook with the information we're after....

And I wasn't "spanking" you, just saying the game rules don't necessarily correlate with a real-life oath.

[irene]

But do "modern day druids" know anything about a religion that was utterly wiped from existence, systematically exterminated and stamped into the ground?

-goes for the source-books, nod nod-

[qewaye]

irene said:

But do "modern day druids" know anything about a religion that was utterly wiped from existence, systematically exterminated and stamped into the ground?

-goes for the source-books, nod nod-

Um yes. There is historical evidence of druidism and most modern orders - esp. in the UK - base their attempts at rekindling on this. My grandmother, my great grandfather and his wife were and are Welsh druids, members of a "modern" order that is devoted to preserving ancient landmarks, conservation as well as the more spiritual side of druidism. Druidism still exists. A lot of orders intepret what it *is* in different ways but it wasn't totally wiped out and still does continue.

[EDM Entori]

heh thats like saying modern day paganism has no idea what paganism was like 2000 years ago.

they survived! druids/pagans the whole bloody lot and todays pagan/druidism/norseish religions are reflections of what the past has given them.

I thought I had a book around here on druidism there clark I'll keep diggin!

[Munroe]

entori said:

heh thats like saying modern day paganism has no idea what paganism was like 2000 years ago.

they survived! druids/pagans the whole bloody lot and todays pagan/druidism/norseish religions are reflections of what the past has given them.

I thought I had a book around here on druidism there clark I'll keep diggin!

Heh. Many Christians have no idea what Christianity was like 1500 years ago and that faith never had survival issues. Just because a religion (any religion) is around doesn't mean it's around in remotely the same capacity as it used to be. There was a reason it is called the Dark Ages.

The point was, however, that Real Life druids, whether contemporary or historical, have very little connection to D&D fantasy druids. That would be like going to a Baptist church to find out about clerics.

[irene]

wolfmunroe said:

Heh. Many Christians have no idea what Christianity was like 1500 years ago and that faith never had survival issues. Just because a religion (any religion) is around doesn't mean it's around in remotely the same capacity as it used to be. There was a reason it is called the Dark Ages.

The point was, however, that Real Life druids, whether contemporary or historical, have very little connection to D&D fantasy druids. That would be like going to a Baptist church to find out about clerics.

I agree on both issues. I can assure you that modern day followers of the Asir and Vanir, the old norse gods, have no idea how these gods were worshipped a thosand years ago. All that has survived, is their names, and for a few of them, what they cover. Their portfolios if you want. However, there is noone who has a clue -how- these gods was worshipped. Scandinavians did not write books a thousand years ago, and it was not an organized faith anyway.

Fantasy druids, on the other hand, are a welldefined subject.

[EDM Entori]

heh first 300 years of christanity was a rough start though monroe.

until rome named it the church of rome and there was a huge Paradigm shift.

anyways lol off topic.

[EDM Grim]

Bump for clarifications purposes.

[DM Maleficent's Kiss]

Noted

[DM Grizwald]

So believe it or not, I actually managed to get my hands on said oaths and rules that druids follow a few years ago. Right around the time I got heavy into PnP again (2014ish).

I was talking with Ascension the other day and I could not for the life of me find those notes. The 3.5 druids have a fair bit of differences from the 5e stuff you can find now a days for some reason. I could be wrong. It'll be hard to say until I find that document.

Griz

Edit: Munroe and Darkharp have more source material than anyone I know. I'd be curious to hear if you guys have anything on this.

[DM Maleficent's Kiss]

Keep us posted. It would be great to have these.

Until then the search continues.

[mandene]

I have loads of source materials.

[DM Grizwald]

Nov 11, 2021 14:10:17 GMT -5 mandene said:

I have loads of source materials.

mandene to the rescue!

[DM Grizwald]

The fury of a storm, the gentle strength of the morning sun, the cunning of the fox, the power of the bear - all these and more are at the druid's command. The druid however, claims no mastery over nature. That claim, she says, is the empty boast of a city dweller. The druid gains her power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. To trespassers in a druid's sacred grove, and to those who feel her wrath, the distinction is overly fine.

Druids adventure to gain knowledge (especially about animals and plants unfamiliar to them) and power. Sometimes, their superiors call on their services. Druids may also bring their power to bear against those who threaten what they love, which more often includes ancient stands of trees or trackless mountains than people. While druids accept that which is horrific or cruel in nature, they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and carrion crawlers), constructs and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when they encroach on the druids' territory.

Druids cast divine spells much the same way clerics do, though most get their spells from the power of nature rather than from deities. Their spells are oriented toward nature and animals. In addition to spells, druids gain an increasing array of magical powers, including the ability to take the shapes of animals, as they advance in level.

The armor of a druid are restricted by traditional oaths to the items noted in Weapon and Armor proficiency (below),All other armor is prohibited. Though a druid could learn to wear full plate, putting it on would violate her oath and suppress her druidic powers. Druids avoid carrying much worked metal with them because it interferes with the pure and primal nature that they attempt to embody.

Druids, in keeping with nature's ultimate indifference, must maintain at least some measure of dispassion. As such, they must be neutral on at least one alignment axis (chaotic-lawful or good-evil), if not both. Just as nature encompasses such dichotomies as life and death, beauty and horror, and peace and violence, so two druids can manifest different or even opposite alignments (neutral good and neutral evil, for instance) and still be part of the druidic tradition.

A druid reveres nature above all. She gains her magical power either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. The typical druid pursues a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devoting herself to a divine entity. Still, some druids revere or at least respect either Obad-Hai (god of nature) or Ehlonna (goddess of the woodlands).

Though their organization is invisible to most outsiders, who consider druids to be loners, druids are actually part of a society that spans the land, ignoring political borders. A prospective druid is inducted into this society through secret rituals, including tests that not all survive. Only after achieving some level of competence is the druid allowed to strike out on her own.

All druids are nominally members of this druidic society, though some individuals are so isolated that they have never seen any highranking members of the society or participated in druidic gatherings. All druids recognize each other as brothers and sisters. Like true creatures of the wilderness, however, druids sometimes compete with or even prey on each other.

A druid may be expected to perform services for higher-ranking druids, though proper payment is tendered for such assignments. Likewise, a lower-ranking druid may appeal for aid from her higher-ranking comrades in exchange for a fair price in coin or service.

Druids may live in small towns, but they always spend a good portion of their time in wild areas. Even large cities surrounded by cultivated land as far as the eye can see often have druid groves nearby - small, wild refuges where druids live and which they protect fiercely. Near coastal cities, such refuges may be nearby islands, where the druids can find the isolation they need.

Elves and gnomes have an affinity for natural lands and often become druids. Humans and halfelves also frequently adopt this path, and druids are particularly common among savage humans. Dwarves, halflings, and half-orcs are rarely druids.

Few from among the brutal humanoids are inducted into druidic society, though gnolls have a fair contingent of evil druids among them. Gnoll druids are accepted, though perhaps not welcomed, by druids of other races.

The druid shares with rangers and many barbarians a reverence for nature and a familiarity with natural lands. She doesn't much understand the urban mannerism typical of a rogue, and she finds arcane magic disruptive and slightly distasteful. The typical druid also dislikes the paladin's devotion to abstract ideals instead of "the real world." Druids, however, are nothing if not accepting of diversity, and they take little offense at other characters, even those very different from them.

The druid enjoys extraordinary versatility. Though she lacks the sheer healing power of the cleric, she makes up for it with additional offensive power, thanks to her spell selection and wild shape ability. A druid back up by another secondary healer (such as a paladin) can prove extremely valuable to a group of adventurers. Her animal companion also provides valuable melee combat support.

[DM Grizwald]

Also off of the top of my head!

1. A Druid does not wield a weapon that cannot also be a tool.

2. Druids of Mielikki can also take an oath of Oath of Iron enabling them to use steel and other metals. They basically become warriors of nature in a sense and are the only sect of druids outside of the norm to use steel and other metals. www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Oaths_of_Iron_(3.5e_Feat)

3. Druidic ways are not shared outside of their nature circles. It is strictly forbidden. (Working on source material for that atm).

Here's a link for more Druid source material: www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/druid.shtml

Once I find my list of oaths though, I'll post those as well.

[mandene]

First I checked out 2E book "The Complete Druid".

In the chapter "Role-playing Druids" you can find an oath. Note that in 2E DnD cannon, there is only one druidic order in the entire world. This isn't true for Forgotten Realms (hence the word combo "the order", below).

Initiations. Worthy aspirants seeking to enter the druidic order must be initiated by an inner circle member. The initiation takes place at a moot or in a sacred grove on a holy day. The candidate, after being purified with holy water, takes the druidic oath: a promise to preserve the balance of the world, the follow the druidic ethos, to respect the freedom of other druids in and beyond the circle, to act as a guardian of Nature (or the deity that personifies Nature to the Order), and to live true to the druidic order and keep its secrets safe.

[mandene]

So, this made me seek for "ethos" in the same book.

In the Chapter "Druid Characters" it says

All druids are of neutral alignment [TN was the only alignment allowed in 2E] and share an ethos devoted to protecting the wilderness and maintaining natural cycles and balance between good and evil (PH, pgs.37-47). For a detailed discussion of the neutral alignment and the beliefs of druids, refer to Chapter 4: Role-playing Druids.

So, that naturally makes me look into the 2E PH.

Ethos

As protectors of nature, druids are aloof from the complications of the temporal world. Their greatest concerns is for the continuation of the orderly and proper cycle of nature - birth, growth, death, and rebirth. Druids tend to view all things as cyclic and thus the battles of good and evil are only the rising and falling tides of time. Only when the cycle and balance are disrupted does the druid become concerned. Given this view of things, the druid must be neutral in alignment.

Druids are charged with protecting wilderness - in particular trees, wild plants, wild animals, and crops. By association, they are also responsible for their followers and their animals. Druids recognize that all creatures (including humans) need food, shelter, and protection from harm. Hunting, farming, and cutting lumber for homes are logical and necessary parts of the natural cycle. However, druids do not tolerate unnecessary destruction or exploitation of nature for profit. Druids often prefer subtle and devious methods of revenge against those who defile nature. It is well known that druids are both very unforgiving and very patient.

[...Then there's a part here about mistletoe being a holy symbol for druids - it's connected to druids in dnd not having to follow a deity...]

Druids as a class do not dwell permanently in castles, cities, or towns. All druids prefer to live in sacred groves, where they build small, sod, log, or stone cottages.

[mandene]

Nov 11, 2021 14:49:59 GMT -5 DM Grizwald said:

Also off of the top of my head!

1. A Druid does not wield a weapon that cannot also be a tool.

2. Druids of Mielikki can also take an oath of Oath of Iron enabling them to use steel and other metals. They basically become warriors of nature in a sense and are the only sect of druids outside of the norm to use steel and other metals. www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Oaths_of_Iron_(3.5e_Feat)

3. Druidic ways are not shared outside of their nature circles. It is strictly forbidden. (Working on source material for that atm).

Here's a link for more Druid source material: www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/druid.shtml

Once I find my list of oaths though, I'll post those as well.

I'm curious where no. 1 comes from. I never heard of it.

[mandene]

This is quote from 3.5E PH (looking at it currently). It's missing the divisions in the book. I'm adding them in red in the quote.

Nov 11, 2021 14:45:51 GMT -5 DM Grizwald said:

The fury of a storm, the gentle strength of the morning sun, the cunning of the fox, the power of the bear - all these and more are at the druid's command. The druid however, claims no mastery over nature. That claim, she says, is the empty boast of a city dweller. The druid gains her power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. To trespassers in a druid's sacred grove, and to those who feel her wrath, the distinction is overly fine.

Adventurers:Druids adventure to gain knowledge (especially about animals and plants unfamiliar to them) and power. Sometimes, their superiors call on their services. Druids may also bring their power to bear against those who threaten what they love, which more often includes ancient stands of trees or trackless mountains than people. While druids accept that which is horrific or cruel in nature, they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and carrion crawlers), constructs and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when they encroach on the druids' territory.

Characteristics:Druids cast divine spells much the same way clerics do, though most get their spells from the power of nature rather than from deities. Their spells are oriented toward nature and animals. In addition to spells, druids gain an increasing array of magical powers, including the ability to take the shapes of animals, as they advance in level.

The armor of a druid are restricted by traditional oaths to the items noted in Weapon and Armor proficiency (below),All other armor is prohibited. Though a druid could learn to wear full plate, putting it on would violate her oath and suppress her druidic powers. Druids avoid carrying much worked metal with them because it interferes with the pure and primal nature that they attempt to embody.

Alignment:Druids, in keeping with nature's ultimate indifference, must maintain at least some measure of dispassion. As such, they must be neutral on at least one alignment axis (chaotic-lawful or good-evil), if not both. Just as nature encompasses such dichotomies as life and death, beauty and horror, and peace and violence, so two druids can manifest different or even opposite alignments (neutral good and neutral evil, for instance) and still be part of the druidic tradition.

Religion:A druid reveres nature above all. She gains her magical power either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. The typical druid pursues a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devoting herself to a divine entity. Still, some druids revere or at least respect either Obad-Hai (god of nature) or Ehlonna (goddess of the woodlands).

Background:Though their organization is invisible to most outsiders, who consider druids to be loners, druids are actually part of a society that spans the land, ignoring political borders. A prospective druid is inducted into this society through secret rituals, including tests that not all survive. Only after achieving some level of competence is the druid allowed to strike out on her own.

All druids are nominally members of this druidic society, though some individuals are so isolated that they have never seen any highranking members of the society or participated in druidic gatherings. All druids recognize each other as brothers and sisters. Like true creatures of the wilderness, however, druids sometimes compete with or even prey on each other.

A druid may be expected to perform services for higher-ranking druids, though proper payment is tendered for such assignments. Likewise, a lower-ranking druid may appeal for aid from her higher-ranking comrades in exchange for a fair price in coin or service.

Druids may live in small towns, but they always spend a good portion of their time in wild areas. Even large cities surrounded by cultivated land as far as the eye can see often have druid groves nearby - small, wild refuges where druids live and which they protect fiercely. Near coastal cities, such refuges may be nearby islands, where the druids can find the isolation they need.

Races:Elves and gnomes have an affinity for natural lands and often become druids. Humans and halfelves also frequently adopt this path, and druids are particularly common among savage humans. Dwarves, halflings, and half-orcs are rarely druids.

Few from among the brutal humanoids are inducted into druidic society, though gnolls have a fair contingent of evil druids among them. Gnoll druids are accepted, though perhaps not welcomed, by druids of other races.

Other Classes:The druid shares with rangers and many barbarians a reverence for nature and a familiarity with natural lands. She doesn't much understand the urban mannerism typical of a rogue, and she finds arcane magic disruptive and slightly distasteful. The typical druid also dislikes the paladin's devotion to abstract ideals instead of "the real world." Druids, however, are nothing if not accepting of diversity, and they take little offense at other characters, even those very different from them.

Role:The druid enjoys extraordinary versatility. Though she lacks the sheer healing power of the cleric, she makes up for it with additional offensive power, thanks to her spell selection and wild shape ability. A druid back up by another secondary healer (such as a paladin) can prove extremely valuable to a group of adventurers. Her animal companion also provides valuable melee combat support.