Druids have two main objectives:
- Uphold the Balance
- Protect Nature
The crux of the druidic oath is based on these two tenets. Generally, druidic circles form and govern over a specific area of land.
Upholding the BalanceDruids believe that the forces of Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos are all equally relevant to the functioning of the cosmos. When any of these grows more powerful than its opposing force, the druids will carefully consider the situation, and if deemed necessary, they will aid the "losing" force to the extent that balance is somewhat restored. For example, if Lawfulness is bordering on tyranny, and individualism is being threatened on a mass scale, they will work to promote chaos until a balance is somewhat restored, and vice versa. If Evil is growing in great power and threatening to overwhelm good, they will aid the forces of good until such a time as things are more evenly balances, and vice versa. Thus, a druid who willfully neglects to pay attention to the Balance, or who works to swing things in an even more lopsided direction, could lose druid powers. For example, the nearby lands are dominated by an ultra lawful cabal of rulers, who are oppressing all and sundry in the area. If a druid then works to maintain the status quo by enforcing the laws, or say, joining forces with the ruling powers, they would lose druid powers. If they did the exact same actions in an area fraught with anarchy, they would be maintaining the balance, as per their oaths.
Protecting NatureDruids are charged with being the defenders of Nature, and swear to protect nature when they become a druid. This does not necessarily mean slaying people out hunting for food, or clearing wildlands to grow crops. Whereas certain more psychotic druids may very well take this stance, it is not the norm. Druids generally oppose damaging the natural world for unnatural reasons. Hunting for food is natural. Hunting for skins to sell and make a profit trading them is not. Clearing land to grow crops is natural. Razing the land as an act of war is not. Likewise, druids will enable no callous harm to animals. Thus, they will oppose casual slaughter, torture, or any unnatural act forced upon an animal (such as being forced to fight in cage event, or even taken out of it's environment to serve as prowling attack creature in an estate). This extends to their own animal companions, who are considered equal beings to the druid, and often their closest friends.
A druid who neglects to protect the natural world, or does something to actively harm it, will no longer be considered a druid.
Other oaths- Druids may not wear metal armor or shield, or brandish non-druidic metal weaponry (exception is druids of Mielikki)
- Druids may not take up permanent residence in a city, castle, temple, etc, as this is considered a concession to the unnatural world.
- A druid may not teach the secrets of the druidic Order and/or their own Circle, to any non-druid.
- Violation of a ban imposed by the ranking druids in an area may result in loss of druidic status. A 'ban' is generally achieved when all members of the local druidic circle meet to discuss an issue, and then vote on whether a ban should implimented. For example, if a local druid has slaughtered a village callously because the harbored hunters, the Circle may meet and vote on whether or not to place a ban on said druid. Likewise, a druidic circle my ban an entire area (such as a city) and any druid that willfully enters the city, while aware of the ban, may lose druidic status.
Other notesWhen Druids take their oath, they are expected to respect the traditional structure of druidic society. Briefly, this is structured as such: There is one Grand Druid who leads all druids everywhere in the world. Druidic circles form to oversee a particular area (ie, Sanctuary and environs). These circles choose a 'Great Druid' to be in charge of overseeing druidly interests in their chosen lands. This is usually done by a series of challenges among the Circle, with the winner becoming the Great Druid of the area. The Great Druid does not exercise anything near absolute control over the other druids. They generally are in charge of calling moots to decide on issues, or to issue general edicts and things for local druids to focus on (such as keeping an eye out for over-hunting in the area).
Issues such as band and edicts, are often voted on by the entire Circle, with majority decision being the verdict. The Great Druid can be challenged by another druid at any time. Thus, even if a druid is a loner who refuses to partake of the Circle's meetings, the druidic fellowship is expected to be respected by all who have taken druidic oaths. If a lone druid disagrees with the edicts of a certain Great Druid and the Circle, they may challenge the Great Druid for the right to lead. If they simply break edicts and bans and the like, they may lose druidic status - but they must be aware of the edicts in order to lose status. This does not mean that a druid can simply claim ignorance - once a ban or edict is decided, the decision should be made accessible to all druids, and failure of a lone druid to pay attention to the Circle's decisions is their own fault.
For example, if the Circle decides to put a ban on entering the city, and plainly states it in accessible druidic writings on rocks near the Circle's home, a druid who enters the city a week later, having not bothered to keep track of the Circle's actions, may lose status. On the flip-side, if a decision is made behind closed doors, and kept within the Circle entirely with no effort to proclaim it, a druid who breaks it can not be held accountable. Also, if the edict or ban is in direct violation of basic druidic Oaths, the druids of the area may ignore it until a new Great Druid can be selected. For example, if the Great Druid orders all druids to move to the city and take jobs in the government, this can be ignored with no penalty.
