Wardens of Daneth
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Wardens of Daneth
It may be difficult to believe, but the Church of Daneth is the most powerful in the Empire. They have no armies, they profess no plans of conquest, and they are practically invisible in the huge cities of the Empire, but the Emperor Himself caters to every desire the Wardens put before Him, and for one simple reason. The Church of Daneth controls the weather.
That simple yet awesome power has never been abused by the Wardens, but if the Church suspects there is abuse of the land or of the crops of the land, they do not hesitate to exercise their huge temporal power to see the problem corrected. Few Celegians ever think about it and take the fair weather the Empire enjoys for granted, but the myriad Groves spread across the entire length of the Empire are constantly at work, bringing rain, cooling heat spells, warming cold snaps, and protecting crops and people from floods and fires. Fewer people still realize the fact that the Wardens follow the Great Cycle, varying the weather each year on a nine year schedule to maintain the vigor and health of the land. Thanks to these largely invisible labors, the Empire of Celegia is a fertile garden, bursting with beauty and health, that the Celegians are unable to see because they have nothing to contrast it with. The large majority of Wardens come from the rural areas of the Empire, from the ranks of hunters, farmers, and peasants. These folk are the ones who realize the enormous burden the Wardens bear and leap to help them in their labors.
The work of the Wardens is mainly done in the sacred Groves of the Preserver. These structures are composed entirely of living plants and animals, and more resemble gardens than buildings. They are open to the elements, and the Wardens endure all that Nature gives them without additional shelter. The largest sect of the Church is the Preservers, those Wardens whose chief desire is to do no harm. The Preservers moderate the weather, ensure good harvests, keep the rivers flowing, and generally maintain the status quo. When faced by great threats, the Preservers are the ones who gather and safeguard seeds, flocks, herds, and breeding stock, so if the worst happens they may rebuild when the bad times have passed. The Keepers are the Wardens that actively oppose any destruction of the land. Keepers battle erosion and overuse, search out abusers of the land and stop them, and see to it that any imbalances are redressed. Keepers are the most active of the Wardens outside the Groves. As the Preservers labor to regulate the weather and forestall any disasters on the large scale, the Keepers look at their lands on a small scale and ensure the health of the lands in the micocosm.
The Bearers are the sect that carries the balance of the land on their shoulders. They are the ones who work hand in hand with the Keepers, finding problems for the Keepers to correct. Most Bearers are considered eerie and fey even by other Wardens, and the connection they have to their land is unnerving. Rumors persist that many of the Bearers are actually dryads, nymphs, sylphs, satyrs, and other less tame spirits. There is a lot of truth to this suspicion.
The last major sect of the wardens are the Hunters. Daneth has always concerned Herself with the health and happiness of Her flock, and the Hunters are that sect who dedicate themselves to, as they put it, "weeding the garden." If there is evil afoot that is aggressive or dangerous, or that is supernatural or undead, then the Hunters will be sent to correct the problem. The Hunters do not make particularly mighty warriors compared to the doughty Templars of Domana or the Courageous Warriors of Corellan, but one fact remains about the Hunters. If they feel they cannot battle the evil directly and win, they will bring enough to the battle with them to see the job through. For a feral bear or rampaging bulette they may bring a pack of dogs. A roving band of bandits will easily succumb to the blandishments of a friendly nymph. A cthonic earth sprite, powerful undead thing, or demon will be confronted by an entire file of Hunters mounted on savage Destriers, with treants, animated oaks, summoned elementals, and even perhaps an Avatar supporting them, all intent on it's destruction.
The Groves of Daneth are always open, but few city dwellers ever take advantage of them. The ubiquitous rooftop gardens of the vast cities are heavily laced with Groves, but most of them have only lay members. The Wardens do not shirk their duties in the cities, but the plants in cities are being tended by the population, and so do not need so much care from the Wardens. The main duty is ensuring fertility and good harvests, and stopping vandals from harming the larger plantings. Wardens in cities often end up spending more time battling evil than they really feel comfortable with, but the weather must be regulated in the cities even more than in the country. The huge sewers of the cities need regular rain or they become dangerous and pest ridden, and patrolling the flora of the underworld is a noisome but essential chore.
By contrast, the Groves in the country are often the center of the community, both temporal and spiritual, and many fertility rites, festivals, and celebrations are held in them. The Groves are always open to any who would seek shelter, and woe betide the person who abuses that hospitality. Feyday is the official day of worship in the groves, and peceday and fesday are also often popular for celebrations.
The leader of the church is The Great Warden, the Lady Karanea Ereos Philestes.
Duties: Wardens are expected to work to maximize the usefulness of any lands they inhabit. They plant, raise animals, clear old growth, ensure that there are enough predators, protect against over-use, summon rain, monitor fires, etc. A Warden would see nothing wrong with a monster inhabiting his or her demesne, so long as it fit harmoniously into the pace of life there. Disruptive influences will be minimized or removed.
Other Limitations: Wardens are not allowed to exploit their domains for the short term gain over the long term good. They are required to work for the maximum good for all creatures.
Daneth's Colors: The Raiment of Wardens is Green, Brown, Black, or Silver.
Hit Dice: d8
Requirements
Alignment: neutral good, neutral, or chaotic good Skills: 1 rank Knowledge:Daneth Spells: Able to cast 1st level Cleric spells. Special: Must have Daneth as patron deity.
Class Skills
The Wardens' class skills (and key ability for each skill) are
Skill Points: 2 per level + Int Modifier
Advancement Table
Level BAB Fort Refl Will Special Spells per Day
Class Features Weapons and Armor: Wardens can use only non-metallic armor and may not use a shield. For weapons they may use any bow (except crossbows), handaxe, all spears, dagger, javelin, all lances, and whips.
Divine Domains: Animal, Creations, Good, Plant, Protection, Purification, Sun, Weather
Wardens are granted the power of freedom of travel in any natural setting. Undergrowth does not impede them, they leave no trace of their passage, etc. Any weather or crop affecting magic they employ is tremendously more effective than if anyone else attempts it. Duration is increased by a factor of ten, while area of effect is increased by one hundred. As well, if a Warden is performing weather controlling magic from within a temple consecrated to Daneth, they may pray for and receive weather or plant affecting magic as if they were ten levels higher. These spells must then be cast from within the temple in a ritual, meaning that the casting time is tripled and they may not do any other actions until they have finished casting. This power, known as warding, may never in any case be used to directly harm any creature, or be used to damage the lands over which the Warden is granted this awesome power. Any attempt to do so will result in the loss of all of the Wardens powers and abilities until a proper atonement is performed. They have the power of Soothing Word on animals and animal-like monsters, usable at will. This Soothing may be used on a given figure once per day, and the target is allowed a saving throw. They may detect evil at will as a Paladin, and may lay on hands, also as a Paladin. Lastly, they are granted the power to destroy undead. They may consult the Cleric turning Undead chart, but any result requiring a die roll is ignored. All "D" results are treated normally, while all "T" results are treated as a weak destroy. Undead which would be automatically turned instead roll a save versus paralysis. A save indicates no effect whatsoever, while a failure means the affected creature is destroyed.