A Druid Moot (A notice at the Ranger Camp)

A message is given to those who defend the wilderness by the rangers within the camp.

"A moot is to be held to choose the new leader of the Circle. A newcomer, the Great Druid Cejari Wigglebottom has come to reform the Circle into a neutral entity and challenges the Guardian, Leo Lyon, for leadership. Both will give their position on how the Circle shall be run, in the future, then request any and all defenders of nature to place their votes."

Any who enter the Grove will find three baskets beneath the Great Tree. One has a carving of a lion (for Leo) on the front and the other has a rabbit (for Cejari) while the third has pieces of wood within it for placing your vote.

((This includes rangers, scouts who follow nature deities, and barbarians who follow nature deities as well as druids. You don't have to be a member of the Circle to participate in the vote, but you cannot create a character specifically to vote for the new leader. Please wait for both parties to give their schpeal before voting. Please send me your vote in a PM to me.))

The little gnome, Cejari Wigglebottom, sits by the Ranger Camp and talks to anyone who sits to listen. "My dears, I have been sent by the Grand Druid of Toril to align the Circle into what it is supposed to be, a Circle to heal and protect the land. All who serve nature are welcome at the Grove to rest and enjoy the peace and tranquility. We wish to take no part in any wars, and only seek to obey the laws of the land and see it flourish. Come, sit and speak with me, join me by this fire and enjoy the warmth. My name is Great Druid Cejari Wigglebottom. It is my wish, and my duty to guide you." She then sits, in plain view, within the Ranger Camp to speak with any who approach, while stroking the ears of her bunny.

((Voting is now open, please send me a PM with your vote.))

Celovar overhearing the conversation in Fox Ridge makes several comments.

"To all that will listen any druid that will not do there part against the Zhentarim is a coward, including you gnome. The Zhentarim openly work with undead, or have in the past, murder those whom will not swear allegence, and make use of devils, demons, and other unsavory creatures. Standing back and doing nothing while they desecrate the land makes you a coward and only furthers there goals. If you have a desire to protect the lands and maybe one day take back Shadowdale from there clutches you may speak to me privately. I shall let you dance among your trees while the rest of us spill blood to be sure that there are woods left"

"Commander, I am sure the little Druid here has plenty of reasons ta ignore the fact that the zhent army be slaughtering wildlife ta feed it's army, clear cuttin the forest ta build walls, offerin protection ta blighters and malarites. They donna want ta spill their blood fur the wild lands. Tis their right ta hide in their grove and let others die fur them. Perhaps we should continue our patrol, Sir?" A dwarf answers his patrol leaders question.

Sahiba, who had entered the camp just in time to hear Celovar's comment frowns and shakes her head. "Clearly you do not understand what it is we do." She stated. "It is not our place to fight against those you may like or dislike. Darkness and light come and go, as do the cycles of day and night, the turns of the seasons."

"Without them, life would stagnate, there would be no more growth. This is not to say we like them, but they have their place in this world as do all things. It is our duty to protect the cycle, and thus far they have not violated it."

"If it is your calling to fight them, then by all means, fight them. You, too, have your place within the cycle. Those who chose to fight against the Zhentarim full fill the cycle, just as they do their part by giving you a reason to fight and struggle. However, please do not look down upon us who safeguard the cycle. When it is time for us to fight, we will fight, but not a moment before then."

"As for the culling of trees," she looks toward the dwarf. "And the so-called slaughter of wildlife? We understand that empires rise and fall, this too, is part of the cycle. For that to happen, trees must be cut and animals killed to provide shelter, food, resources needed for these empires to rise. It is only when the clearing of the wilds becomes unchecked and rampant that we must act."

"So far, I do not see signs of over hunting. I do not see signs of the forest being cut down in sufficient numbers to warrant acting out against them. I do not even see undead in such numbers as you claim them to be. I see signs of development yes, but it is not beyond reason just yet. And I do say yet, for they teeter close to the edge, however thus far we do not have cause to act. It is not our place to fight in your wars, merely to safeguard the cycle."

"What I do see, is Blight, and that we will act against. No fence will stop us, not even the Zhentarim in Shadowdale will prevent us from hunting down this Blighter and stopping him from causing more sickness to the land. For that is our place in the cycle. We only ask you respect that, as we will respect your desires to fight against them, and they you."

She moves to sit beside Cejari. "I bid the both of you a good day, may your waters be ever pure."

Celovar listens to her points and does not give any rude feed back

"When you see what I have, you will understand. Yes my friend let us move on." With those words he moves on unless stopped (in case someone wishes to post)

The gnome simply listens to everyone speaking around her, then gives a little nod and smile to Sahiba as she speaks. "My sister speaks truly. I understand your drive to rid the land of evil, but that is simply not our goal. Who is to repair the damage done to the fields of battle when the war is won? Who is to heal the wounded animals caught in the crossfire between sides? Who is to help maintain proper balance so the world does not stagnate and die? You say we hide in our Grove, but this is untrue. We fight to heal the hurt done to the wilderness after the fighting is through."

She nods in agreement to Cejari, then turns to Celovar again. "You speak as if I have never seen war," She says softly. "There, you are wrong. I have seen war, and I know the atrocities that can, and will, be committed. It is sorrowful, but death is a part of the cycle, as is life. Night may fall, but the dawn always comes. This is our way."

"When it is our time to fight, we will rise, and nothing will be able to stop us. But until then, we will watch, we will protect, and we will ensure the coming of the dawn."

He pauses and turns

"Then the both of you must be blind, many of the Zhentarim use undead. If that is not unnatural, I no longer know what is."

"Be that as it may, it's not our place to actively hunt minor undead who happen to be the minions of others." Sahiba replied. "We only hunt them if they pose a greater threat to the cycle, or try to make themselves at home in our woods."

"You seem to see the world in black and white," she continues. "It isn't. The world is full of shades of grey. You may be more in the white than most, just as the Zhentarim are more in the black, but both are still a shade of grey."

"We see the shades, and only act when those shades threaten to destroy all colours, not just one or two."

"So then tha undead forest that happen ta appear is just a minor thin. Or tha castle in Daggerhills with the shrine ta Shar is nothing ye be concerned with. Or tha fact that the last Archdruid was butchered by zhents who still brag of it is no concern of yurs. Well thank ye for the information lass. When ye woods be burning and them whom ye claim are no threat ta ye demand yur loyalty remember ye words. Cuz we will." He once more turns to Celovar, "Commander we should move on, I find arrogance and stupidity be bad fur me digestion." With that he moves off on patrol.

"As I stated before, when undead make their home in our woods, we will deal with them." She replied calmly. "I'm sorry if you misunderstood. The Temple of Shar, however, is not yet threatening to end the Cycle. If you find it offensive, then perhaps you might remove it rather than spend angry words at us for not doing anything about it."

"The undead in the woods will be taken care of in due time, but we must first focus our efforts on this Blight else you war will become pointless as there won't be any land left worth fighting over."

"Perhaps, once you are done with your patrol, you might lend a bit of aid by killing some of the undead yourself as you seem to find them so offensive?" She suggested. "It would be most helpful for all involved, and let us focus on healing this Blight without worry."

"However, if my words seem to be naught but arrogance and stupidity, then we can certainly leave you to deal with the Blight while we go take care of the undead you're so worried about."

Siowyn bounces out of a bush about then, from where he'd been dozing in and out of a light meditative sleep, basically being -lazy-. The mention of "first round" gets his attention, strangely enough. "You're patrolling taverns? If you find any good looking women there, be sure to kidnap them! Unless of course, they are guarded by their brothers. Nasty things, brothers. Might make for an exciting patrol, though!" Giving them a merry wave, he goes back to being lazy in his comfortable bush.

As he walks off he only mutters one single word, not bothering to stop

"Cowards."

"Greetings, Forest Sister." Sahiba would bow with a smile on her face. "It is good to see new faces. I am Sahiba of Jacartu Tribe."

Tohrm might have heard of the new 'chosen' druid reforming the circle, and after asking around about some of the new circles intents, he makes up his mind and leaves them well alone, only commenting simply if he is asked about his opinion, mostly saying "Bullshite" or "Ain't nay real druids" and "'least Leo tried."

Iwean sits and listens to all the people coming out of their hiding places and wonders where were all these folk when I was looking. "Great Druid, this land has been with out a druid for so long. I found myslef having to do druid duties in stead of protect them. I have nothing personal against the Lyons family. I regret the measures I took for my beliefs. If we had a Druid in place in the Circle things may have been different. The Lyons are warriors for nature, but their war against the Zhents is preventing them from caring for the forest and the animals. The balance needs to be restored. You have my support.

Sahiba sits and smiles at Iwean, nodding her head in greeting to the man. She has taken to ignoring those who would speak out against them, knowing that few truly understand the ways of a druid and being used to hearing such things all her life.

"It is good to see so many," She says. "I had feared few remained when I came to these lands, but I see now the Circle has merely been broken for too long."

Hannah approaches the gathering group and she gives a nervous smile. "I serve the Oakfather, and since I have been in these lands, I have heard nothing good or positive about this circle and as such, I have avoided seeking membership. However, if you are dedicated to making this circle true and balanced, so that I may serve the Oakfather as is right, then I will gladly stand by your side.

We are not supposed to be fighting wars, we are supposed to be protecting the forest. I have come to see if this land is worth saving, worth aiding, and I have found it to be so. Whether or not I work within the circle will depend upon the direction that the leaders follow with it. We need leaders dedicated to nature, not people who will use the circle for their own purposes or to move their own agenda. And I do fear that this is what it has become. As I have traveled through towns and cities, asking people about the circle, I realized that most people consider it a joke, or an arm of the rebellion. It should be neither."

Hearing so many again complain that the circle is either a part of the rebellion, or a joke

That we're a part of the rebellion is likely what the Zhentarim claim, it's their way of justifying that we're to either be killed, or forced into submission. Know this, as it's only truth. While we've only been trying to heal the land, whenever we've met the Zhentarim, the first thing we've been asked to do is submit to Banes tyranny, and when we are forced to fight to defend ourselves, we've been branded as rebels, even though we've done nothing but defend ourselves from their endless unneeded attacks. Take a look at their so called "reason" for hunting us, last I heard they still have a bounty on our members for being directly affiliated with Ka, who sadly died now almost a year ago.

That we're cowards is most likely said by the defenders and the rebels, because even though they see us being attacked by the Zhentarim, every time they ask, we've refused to join their war against the Zhentarim, we're by their eyes considered cowards because we only wish to be left alone to do our duties as protectors of the forests in the Dales and the Cormanthor.

Some may say that the circle is lead by the Lyons, however that is untrue, the circle was never meant to, the only thing about the Lyons in the circle is that they're about the only people I've seen, who's been able to do anything while the Dales have been in a direct lack of druid activity. I am however of cause happy to see that there might still be a few of us around, but for almost a year, I've only been able to count 3 druids who actually seemed to actively be protecting the forests whenever there was something threatening it. That is where the Lyons stepped in, it's true that they're not druids, however they've been doing the best they can to provide protection when the forests needed it.