Archdruid

Who Are They?

An Archdruid is a powerful Druid who has "ascended" and has a much greater understanding of the natural world and its workings. They are true champions of nature and their bond with the world they protect is strong and all but unbreakable; these Druids can literally feel the ebb and flow of the natural energies that surround them, to them it is not just a concept. They aid the living world and the living world aids them - plants and animals will not hesitate to help an Archdruid should help be actually needed. Archdruids are considerably stronger and wiser than ordinary Druids. Other Druids, both Night Elves and Tauren look upon them as powerful leaders and knowledgeable mentors. These beings live in perfect harmony with nature and are amongst the greatest and most stalwart protectors of the world.

Who Likes Them?

Archdruids are highly valued by the Cenarion Circle and its offshoots and hold decent amounts of influence within these organisations. Most Night Elves, Tauren and other druidic (and perhaps even shamanistic) races, groups and organizations respect them. Forest spirits and creatures (Children of Cenarius, Wisps, Mountain Giants, Ancients, etc.) trust Archdruids. In short, any person or group that favours nature.

Industrial races, societies and organizations (Goblins and their cartels, Gnomes, etc.), as well as any person or group that works against nature, would see an Archdruid as a threat or even an obnoxious enemy. Any who seek to harm the world (like Demons) or are considered "unnatural" (like Undead) fear and hate Archdruids.

Training

Requirements

As the name of the prestige implies, only Druids can ascend to this rank.

Alliance » Night Elf

Horde » Tauren

Strengths

• Awareness

The Archdruid's level of awareness of the world and its little details is significantly higher than that of an "ordinary" person. This also increases his perceptive abilities.

• Champion

The Archdruid is an important member of the Cenarion Circle and holds a decent amount of political power and influence. He is venerated by Night Elves and Tauren and by others recognised as a protector of the world and respected as one.

• Natural

The Archdruid is at home in the wild lands and forests. His spells are strongest where there is little civilization.

• Nature's Soldier

The Archdruid may not be a great fist-swinger, but he is as sturdy as the towering trees of the forests he protects. Harming an Archdruid may be rather difficult; he can display impressive defensive skill.

• Spellweaving

Becoming an Archdruid means abandoning a smaller balance to maintain greater one. The Archdruid is not amazing at physical combat, but his magics are powerful and intimidating.

• Wisdom

The Archdruid, being aware of the world's grandeur and realising how much he does not know, will never call himself wise, but others may consider his knowledge true wisdom.

Weaknesses

• Absent-mindedness

The Archdruid's level of awareness is much higher, but the feelings that come with the ability to sense and monitor the world and its living energies are highly distracting. He may find it hard to focus, whether in battle or at ease.

• Casting

The Archdruid's spells are more powerful than the average Druid's, but it also takes longer to cast them.

• Melee

Becoming an Archdruid means abandoning a smaller balance to maintain a greater one. The Archdruid is a great spellcaster and his magics are powerful, but that causes his physical fighting abilities to suffer.

• Natural

The Archdruid is significantly weaker in places where there is civilisation or the natural order is damaged, like great cities or lands corrupted by Fel or Undeath.

• Shapeshifting

By becoming an Archdruid the Druid devotes himself to mastering and channeling the natural abilities in damaging or healing ways, all but abandoning the art of shapeshifting. He still retains the ability to turn into an animal, but it is much weaker and doing that becomes harder and may even cause slight pain.

• Treebrother

The flow of nature is no longer just a concept to the Archdruid; to him, it is as real as it can be and almost at hand's reach. Constantly touching and embracing it causes him to become similar to nature itself - slow, patient and very rarely agile.

Skills and Abilities

Abilities

During their training, Archdruids learn the abilities listed below and perfect ordinary Druid skills (this means the character may learn any and all of the Druid abilities available in-game that he or she could not use prior to the beginning of the training).

• Sleeping Touch

The Archdruid can send a person to the Emerald Dream for a prolonged period of time, putting their body to sleep. This skill is similar to the Hibernate ability, but can be used on anything and anyone. Archdruids usually use this ability when fighting Undead - they disable their bodies and send what is left of them to the Dream, where the unnatural manifestation is usually either taken by the Nightmare or noticed by its protectors and sent to the place where it belongs - the afterlife. Though it should be noted that this spell is much harder to perform on sentient Undead, like Forsaken and Death Knights, and that permission MUST be received from the character's player before using it.

• Call of the Forest

The Archdruid reaches out and summons nearby forest spirits (only works on Wisps and Children of Cenarius) or animals - either crows or bears, depending on their totem (Druids of the Wild can learn to call any one kind of the creatures they can turn into). The beasts will aid the Archdruid until they die or the threat is gone.

• Skycall

While ordinary Druids call forth strong winds to hurt and trap their opponents, Archdruids learn to temporarily change the weather of the area. This ability allows them to create storms and hurricanes and to call forth rain, sun or snow. It should be noted that this is not something that can be done in the middle of a duel or used just to damage one opponent. In order to do this, the Archdruid must spend at least two days performing a complicated and extremely taxing ritual. By using the Skycall ability the Archdruid not only risks burning himself out, but he also upsets the natural flow things, which leaves him all but powerless for several days.

• Inner Eye

The Archdruid can learn to open his "inner eye" and reach out to touch the world around him. Using this ability brings the Archdruid as close to the natural world as he can get, all but creating a shared consciousness. It allows him to feel and "see" all living things within a certain range and strengthens other abilities that deal with summoning or controlling life (e.g. Force of Nature). The Archdruid's actual sight is weakened, if not completely disabled, for as long as the ability is active, making him completely unaware of things that do not emanate life.

• Dream's Gift

The Emerald Dream, just like nature, recognises its champions. At the very end of the training the dreaming world itself will grant the Archdruid a unique power to use back on Azeroth. Dream's Gift is usually a special and unique, but not extremely powerful ability. This must be negotiated with a GM.

Note: The abilities must be learned in this order.

Passive Benefits

• Tranquility

An aura of tranquility surrounds the Archdruid wherever he goes, slightly calming and soothing the minds of those around him. This aura is usually very weak, but the Archdruid has the ability to strengthen it for a very short period of time.

• Dreamwalker

There is an all but unbreakable link between the Archdruid and the Emerald Dream, which allows him to be aware of both worlds. This link also grants him the power to sleep and enter the Dream without performing rituals and ensures the possibility to use the Dream's Gift ability in the physical world.

• Eternity's Touch

The Archdruid's rate of physical aging is slower than that of other Night Elves and Tauren.

You may also choose one of these lesser passive benefits:

• Forest Walker

The Archdruid's Barkskin ability is stronger, allowing him to actually turn his flesh into bark.

• Moonwatcher

The Archdruid's Moonfire, Starfire and Starfall abilities are much stronger, but only usable at night.

• Wind Dancer

The Archdruid's Hurricane, Cyclone and Typhoon abilities are stronger.

Training Outline

Becoming an Archdruid isn't something a character can just decide to do; the Archdruid title can only be offered by the Cenarion Circle. Therefore, the future trainee must draw the attention of the organisation first. The surest way to do that is to take part in activities the Circle monitors. The only requirement here is that it must be done in character; it can be a separate storyline, a series of mini events, roleplay with a GM, part of the prestige storyline itself, or pretty much anything else.

Once that part is finished the character will be approached by a representative of the Cenarion Circle, possibly their future trainer. Said representative will inform the character of the Circle's decision to offer them Archdruid training. Keep in mind that this is an offer that can be accepted or denied and, in most cases, a very big and difficult decision; don't be afraid to write more than one post detailing your character's reaction to this offer. This concludes the first part of the training. The minimum amount of posts for this part is 3.

Note: The meeting can be roleplayed in-game with a GM controlling the messenger.

When the character accepts the offer, actual training can begin. This part of the training will take place in various places on Azeroth; the Archdruid will take the trainee to contrasting locations to help them form the wonderful understanding of the vast world every Archdruid must have and to show them how magnificent, inspiring, cruel and ungrateful the place they must protect can be. During this part of the prestige training the trainee must carve a special staff from wood (which will later be empowered by their master and serve as another object marking them as an Archdruid); they will also learn Sleeping Touch and Call of the Forest and begin learning the Skycall ability (in that order). Once that is done the master will inform the apprentice that the training must be moved to a different place. This concludes the second part of the training. The minimum amount of posts for this part is 7.

The third and the final part of the training will take place in the Emerald Dream. The trainee will be taught a great deal about the Dream and its structure, as well as... "tricks" they can perform while in it (such as travelling great distances in moments or moving between the Dream's layers), things few ordinary Druids know how to do. The character may or may not be taught about the Nightmare and how to fight it; this depends on the player's wishes (and the person and character teaching them, if it is not an NPC). During this part of the prestige training the player will finish learning Skycall and learn to use the Inner Eye ability. Once that is done the trainee and the master will return to Azeroth. This concludes the third and final part of the training. The minimum amount of posts for this part is 5.

Note: An important thing that should be at least mentioned in the prestige storyline is an odd and strong headache that will appear soon after entering the Emerald Dream and, obviously, make the training harder; this is a reflection of the agonising physical pain the character would be enduring were they not in the Dream, seeing as antlers sprout during this part of the training. This may or may not be applicable to Tauren trainees.

Only formalities remain! Back on Azeroth the character will find himself or herself with a pair of small antlers (that will grow larger over time) and a strange ability (Dream's Gift). The Cenarion Circle will test the trainee; this can be something as simple as... well, a test of their abilities or something as difficult as an actual task or a challenge, such as taking down an enemy of the Circle. Should the character succeed (which, it should be noted, will be very far from easy), the Cenarion Circle will grant them the title of an Archdruid and a special pendant to mark them as one and their master will empower the staff. The minimum amount of posts for this part is 1.

This concludes the prestige training. Congratulations!

Active Archdruids

Currently there are no active Archdruids, so any applicants would have to create an NPC for the training.