Druids

Druids: Druids are a rare phenomenon in the world, where a vridin is either born with or gains power over magic at some point in their life. Only about one in every ten thousand vridin become druids, making them an extraordinary rarity. While all druids possess a Nature’s Gift, this power typically begins small, requiring training and nurturing to reach its full potential. When a druid first awakens their gift, they have only a basic understanding of magic, generally only able to use the gift itself. Over time, however, they can not only empower their gift but also learn spells beyond it. The closer a spell is to their Nature’s Gift, the easier it is for a druid to learn. As such, the first few spells a druid learns often fall somewhere between an extension of their gift and an individual spell.

Rather than studying magic through formulas or recipes, druids feel their way through casting magic. Even when two druids cast the same spell, they might do so in slightly different ways. Through training, generally under the guidance of older druids when possible, a druid can gain mastery over many different spells, making their magic more versatile and generally more useful.

Druids have a deep connection to nature, which shows not just in their magic and communion with spirits, but also in their personalities. Even before a druid awakens, they often show signs of this connection; such as preferring to be outdoors, making animal-like sounds (growls, purrs, etc.), or instinctively using their teeth in a fight rather than just scratching, kicking, or punching. They may also develop an innate love of plants and animals, often surrounding themselves with them.

A druid's gift is a special thing. Often, it can be something that is not normally possible with a spell, but still within the concept of that season. Every druid has a gift, which they know either from birth or when they awaken, as a short 1-2 sentence poem in their head that contains the name of the gift, coupled with an instinctive understanding of what it does. A druid's gift always matches the season of druid that they are. A gift differs from druid spells by the nature in which it's learned and the way it develops - spells have to be studied and discovered, while a gift is able to be used as soon as a druid awakens, and grows as they use it.

Seasons: The magic of a druid is heavily influenced by the season in which they’re hatched; spring, summer, autumn, or winter, limiting which spells they can cast, and what their gift can be, while also shaping which types of magic come most naturally to them. This season, beyond being a foundation of their magic, is also a part of the druid, which they are ever drawn to. When studying magic, a druid will naturally struggle to learn spells outside of their season, and will never be able to learn spells of the opposite season from theirs. Additionally, if a druid learns a spell from another season, it’s usually as an extension of their Nature’s Gift, making it easier for them to grasp.

Spring druids attend to new life, like children, newly sprouted seeds, or the regrowth of a desolate area. Additionally, change calls to them, whether it be the rise and fall of nations, shifts in political power, or the acceptance of once-rejected ideas. Their magic embodies renewal and progression, granting them powers such as shapeshifting, weather manipulation, sprouting seeds, and teleportation.

Summer druids gravitate towards power and growth, whether it be a roaring fire, a grand forest, a raging storm, or a giant beast. They are headstrong and determined, often drawn towards positions of leadership or authority, and quick to clash with those who oppose their worldview. Summer magic centers on dominion and expansion, granting them spell effects such as controlling or creating fire, mind control, accelerated plant growth, and telekinesis.

Autumn druids cherish the fruits of labor and preparation. They are drawn to the wisdom of elders, the ripening of crops, the changing of leaves, and abundant autumn harvests. Their joy often comes from life’s simple pleasures, like a leaf crunching under their feet, the gentle sunlight shining through the clouds, or the taste of a home cooked meal after a hard days work. Autumn magic fosters prosperity, healing, and preservation, allowing them to ripen fruits, heal injuries, prevent food from spoiling or rotting, cure diseases, and purify areas materials or objects.

Winter druids are attuned to death and knowledge, such as the creatures that aid in decomposition, stories of the deceased, ancient fossils, and spirits long forgotten. Many feel a deep responsibility to preserve history, often drawn to writing, grave-keeping, and honoring the dead through their actions. Their magic focuses on death and information, allowing them to communicate with spirits, read minds, scry over distances, manipulate cold and ice, and promote decay.