Just in time for Halloween, here's an article that presents Druids for use in Savage Worlds adventures and campaigns.
-Nate
Background
Centuries ago,
before the soldiers of the Roman Empire or the idea of Christianity
had touched the British Isles, there flourished in that isolated
region a religion that revered the forces of nature and called on
them to provide food for the people and strength in battle. While
they did not leaving behind much in the way of written doctrine, what
is known about their ways was reported by Roman soldiers who visited
the area. They were regarded as being the holy ministers to a savage
people, especially when it came to their practice of human sacrifice
(see below).
Druidism
Edge:
Arcane Background (Druidism)
Requirements:
Wild Card, Novice, Druidism d6+, Spirit
d6+.
Arcane
Skill: Druidism (Spirit).
Power
Points: 10
Starting
Powers: 2
Backlash:
When a druid rolls a critical failure, double 1s, on his Druidism
roll, he is automatically Shaken. This can cause a wound if he is
already Shaken.
Trappings:
Powers used by druids are invoked through ritualistic chanting and
the brandishing of some natural talisman, often a sprig from a sacred
tree.
Available
Powers: Beast Friend,
Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Dispel, Divination, Elemental
Manipulation, Entangle, Environmental Protection, Protection, Smite,
Warrior's Gift.
Druid
Archetypes
Presented here are
stats for typical practitioners of this faith.
Aspirant
(Novice)
Those
individuals who show some affinity for the ways of the Druids must
seek out an existing member, demonstrate one's potential, and then
seek further instruction.
Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills:
Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Druidism d8, Fighting d6, Healing
d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8
Pace:
6”, Parry:
5, Toughness:
6
Edges:
Arcane Background (Druidism), Beast Bond
Hindrances:
All Thumbs
Special
Abilities
- Powers: Beast Friend, Environmental Protection; Power Points: 10
Gear:
Clothing, silver sickle (Damage Str + d6), sacred sprig.
Initiate
(Seasoned)
Those
who learn well from tutelage become assistants to the druids who lead
their independent faith communities.
Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills:
Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Druidism d10, Fighting d6, Healing
d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8
Pace:
6”, Parry:
5, Toughness:
6
Edges:
Arcane Background (Druidism), Beast Bond, Beast Master, New Power,
Power Points; Power
Points:
15
Hindrances:
All Thumbs
Special
Abilities
- Powers: Beast Friend, Boost/Lower Trait, Divination, Environmental Protection
Gear:
Clothing, silver sickle (Damage Str + d6), sacred sprig.
Druid
(Veteran)
Once
they've proven themselves, full druids eventually set out to become
leaders of their own new faith communities.
Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills:
Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Druidism d12, Fighting d6, Healing
d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8
Pace:
6”, Parry:
5, Toughness:
6
Edges:
Arcane Background (Druidism), Beast Bond, Beast Master, Channeling,
New Power x2, Power Points x2, Woodsman
Hindrances:
All Thumbs
Special
Abilities
- Powers: Beast Friend, Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Dispel, Divination, Entangle, Environmental Protection, Smite; Power Points: 20
Gear:
Clothing, silver sickle (Damage Str + d6), sacred sprig.
Archdruid
The
leader of all the druids in a particular region is this powerful
individual. Each Archdruid can choose to retire from active
leadership, becoming part of the group known as Hierophants (see
below).
Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills:
Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Druidism d12+1, Fighting d6,
Healing d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8
Pace:
6”, Parry:
5, Toughness:
6
Edges:
Arcane Background (Druidism), Beast Bond, Beast Master, Channeling,
New Power x3, Power Points x3, Power Surge,Woodsman
Hindrances:
All Thumbs
Special
Abilities
- Powers: Beast Friend, Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Dispel, Divination, Environmental Protection, Protection, Smite; Power Points: 25
Gear:
Clothing, silver sickle (Damage Str + d6), sacred sprig.
Hierophant
Those
Archdruids who have served their time as leaders in their regions can
give up the mantle of power and choose to serve on this shadowy
council, which provides guidance to the other Druids in times of
need.
Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills:
Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Druidism d12+2, Fighting d6,
Healing d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8
Pace:
6”, Parry:
5, Toughness:
6
Edges:
Arcane Background (Druidism), Beast Bond, Beast Master, Channeling,
New Power x4, Power Points x4, Power Surge,Soul Drain, Woodsman
Hindrances:
All Thumbs
Special
Abilities
- Powers: Beast Friend, Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Dispel, Divination, Entangle, Environmental Protection, Protection, Smite, Warrior's Gift; Power Points: 20
Gear:
Clothing, silver sickle (Damage Str + d6), sacred sprig.
Ogham
While the Druids
were not known to have kept records in book form, it is believed that
they sometimes did use marks engraved on sticks to communicate—the
language known as Ogham. This had the advantage of using materials
that were readily available, even in a wild setting, and they could
be destroyed without attracting much suspicion by simply casting them
into the fire.
Burial
Mounds
Important places of
worship for the Druids were those locations where they buried their
dead. A famous example of this is Newgrange, which hearkens back to
the Stone Age. It consists of a long entrance tunnel with a low
ceiling that leads to three interior chambers, each of which
functioned as a tomb or ossuary. Some legends maintain that burial
mounds such as this could be gateways between this world and whatever
lies beyond it.
Plot
Hooks
Suggested here are a
few of the ways in which Druids can be involved in Savage Worlds
adventures and campaigns.
- Given their long conflict with the various denominations of Christianity, Druids tend to keep their activities secret.
- Common places of worship for them are rings of standing stones and burial mounds.
- The wave of migration that occurred in the United States after the Civil War, combined with the settlement of the vast western frontier, provided many opportunities for Druids to create new communities.
- Given their reverence for nature and ability to influence animals, this made these newcomers ideally suited to the professions of farming and ranching.
- For the Druids the two main holidays are Samhain, which marks the transition into winter, and Beltain, which is observed as spring is leading back into summer. These have been co-opted by the Christian traditions of All Hallows' Eve/All Saints' Day and May Day.
- It has frequently been claimed that the Druids practiced blood sacrifice in order to appease the forces of nature, thereby gaining fertility for the livestock and crops as well as strength for the warriors who protected them.
- Indeed, no less than Julius Caesar himself described how they sometimes built human-shaped structures out of wicker-like material, which they then filled with human victims and then burned in colossal, fiery sacrifices.
No comments:
Post a Comment