THE CHILDREN OF FAETERNA:

The Children of Faeterna are headed by the Heirophant, a female elf named Llylliana. Situated mostly in Lirynn and composed mostly of elves, the Children are few and have virtually no heirarchy. They are probably the poorest of the Elite Guilds, but what they lack in funds and resources they make up for with fervor.

The Children were originally a dissident member sect of the Church of Telgard, who believed Faeterna had more of a role in the Pantheon than Church doctrine dictacted. Denied their beliefs, the Children gradually became more and more seperated until finally they splintered off--relatively amicably, considering the reactions the Church has towards heresy. Over the decades, the importance of Dargotten, Brewesha and the others has dwindled. The Children know they exist, but leave their worship to the Church of Telgard. Faeterna is the lady the Children follow.

The Children of Faeterna are also commonly called Druids. Because of Faeterna's form of a tree, and Her constant cycle of growing leaves, dropping leaves, and sprouting them again--in other words, the cycle of Life--the Children tend to live as naturally as possible, which being made up of mostly Elves is not terribly difficult. The Children are not warlike; the influence of the Elven culture makes war difficult, even though they respect and acknowledge the inherent violence of Nature.

The Children are one of the only groups to remember the common heritage the Goblins and Elves once had. The Goblins are accepted readily into the Children, their own jungle heritage being somewhat more savage but no less natural than the elves' own. Necessarily, however, the goblin population of the Children does not cross the border into Lirynn, and so it often seems there are two groups of Children.

Tested Skills:

The Children of Faeterna test in all magic skills, in survival, in herbalism, in medicine, in Lifesong (for elves), animal training, cartography/navigation, astrology, and geology.

Entrance into the Guild:

The Children rarely recruit others; most elves believe strongly in the might of Dargotten and do not take kindly to attempts at conversion. However, those who think as the Children do often find themselves in the right place and the right time to meet one of the Guild members and perhaps join.

The Entrance trial simply tests a candidate's reliance on manufactured items versus nature's bounty. Passing usually requires the use of survival, hunting, or medicine skills, and that all manufactured items be left behind, rather similar to the Rangers' test, a group the Children have frequent contact with.

Advancement within the Guild:

Those who are accepted into the Guild are known as Acolytes, and their only duties are to learn as much as they can about nature and how to serve Faeterna.

To take the second Guild Trial, a PC must have proficient in four of the Guilds' tested skills. The Trial involves going naked into the wilderness, wandering about until they encounter the first severly injured creature, plant, or person they come across. The PC must then care for that being until it dies or is healed, feeding and taking care of the other creature. If the creature dies, this does not indicate failure, for death is a part of life; however, the PC must try again on a new creature. The PC will stay in the wilderness for a month, or until he has healed three beings, whichever comes first. He is then a druid.

A druid is entitled to begin minor crusades against those who destroy nature irreverantly, or take up such causes as he feels necessary. The druid who has singlehandedly prevented largescale destruction of Nature, and who possesses at least three tested skills at Advanced level, may take the last Guild trial. The character is buried under the roots of a large oak, with a hollow tube supplying his only air. Druids possessing the appropriate magic or Lifesong--or both--will call upon the tree to judge the Druid. The druid undergoes many visions and chooses his path from among them. Does he choose wrongly, Faeterna, through the oak, will judge him, and he will die, becoming fertilizer for the oak. Does he choose rightly, Faeterna will free him, the oak's roots lifting him from the soil of their own violation. The character is still called Druid, but is now entitled to both more responsibility and more privilege and respect, often taking on a leadership role among local druids.