Circle of the Weald
As Erym transformed into a ferocious bear, his attackers stepped back in fear, as antlers burst from his ursine skull and an exoskeleton of bark and bones emerged from the thick brown fur…
Erym, Circle of the Weald Druid
This introduction was originally written by Jerry Leneave and published in Kobold Press’ Warlock Issue #22.
Druids of the Circle of the Weald dwell in the areas where the trees grow so thick that the forest’s undergrowth is starved for life, the sunlight nearly choked out by the gnarled canopy above. Within these copses, you’ll find an order of druids who consider themselves warriors, soothsayers, prophets, and catalysts for keeping the fate of the natural world in balance. They consider their faithful to be the most devoted among those who would worship the very lands themselves. They adorn themselves with raiment of blood and bone, embracing death as a path to enlightenment, and they consider it the ultimate way to enter into true symbiosis with nature. They erect macabre effigies of sacrificial animals around their groves, further ostracizing them from society as well as other druidic circles.
Typically hailing from regions such as the outskirts of Björnrike or the northernmost uncharted forests of Midgard, druids of the weald are typically motivated to venture out of their communities in search of adventure out of what they see as necessity. Though their groves are most commonly known in these northern regions, they can also be found in the depths of the Southlands amid oases of palm trees and dressed in the hides of hyenas and goats. Of all the variations of their order, two things remain central to them regardless of region: a penchant for sacrifice and a belief in a relatively unknown and elusive god.
Building a Circle of the Weald Druid
Druids who join the Circle of the Weald are able to tap into the power of the deepest and most ancient wood, allowing them to enhance their innate shapeshifting abilities, traverse a place known as the Dreamland, and even preserve the spirit of an animal:
Marrowbark Form enhances whatever beast form you take using your wild shape ability with antlers that grant you a gore attack and bark-like armor granting a +1 to your AC. (Alternatively, you can use your wild shape to instead gain a bonus to your AC, temporary hit points, and the ability to use Wisdom for your attack rolls.
Dreamland Traversal allows you to seek guidance from ancestral spirits to gain an omen, as if from the augury spell.
Wraithstone Creation empowers you to preserve the soul of a natural beast inside a piece of stone, allowing you to commune with it, gain temporary advantage on your rolls, or even to grant temporary hit points to yourself or an ally.
Ancestral Possession lets you take on the powers of your ancestors, significantly increasing your speed, AC, and combat capabilities.
In addition to these abilities, these druids gain access to a spells such as Inflict Wounds, Blight, and Confusion, which don’t count against the number of spells they can prepare in a day. With these abilities, Circle of the Weald druids can take a more offensive role on the battlefield. This is especially true when considering their Marrowbark Form, which makes you an even more formidable foe in your various Wild Shape forms, or later on, the even more powerful Ancestral Possession form. When not in combat, your Wraithstone can act as a useful resource, boosting your abilities in both roleplaying and exploration scenarios.
As with all classes, any race is suitable for playing a Circle of the Weald druid, but there there are a few races whose innate abilities may synergize particularly well. The Minotaur ability to charge and use its horns as a natural attack could act as a good back-up when your out of Wild Shape uses. Similarly, the Highly Mobile trait of the Hinterfolk Halfling will allow you to more easily traverse the battlefield, even when you aren’t in animal form, allowing you to gain the higher ground to cast spells from a safe distance.
Roleplaying Tips
When playing a Circle of the Weald druid, consider how your relationship with the cycle of life and death might impact your day-to-day interactions with others. It could result in you taking on a colder, more aloof approach to tragic events that might cause others to react more viscerally. Alternatively, it could have the opposite effect, resulting in you feeling the sensations of joy, grief, and everything in between to an even greater degree. When talking to other party members or NPCs, ask yourself how your druidic circle might have influenced your view of outsiders, especially those who do not treat the land with as much reverence as you do. Try to avoid creating unnecessary conflict within your party or with friendly NPCs, but don’t be afraid to question the actions or motivations of others who your character might be suspicious of. When choosing a background, as with most druid subclasses, Forest Dweller is the most obvious choice. Nomad and Fey-touched are both well-suited for anyone raised amid the Weald. Each of these backgrounds are available in the Core Content Pack.
How to Access this Content
This subclass was created by our partners at Kobold Press, and it is one of the many available to subscribers, along with others like the Soulspy or the College of Entropy, as well as races such as the Shade or Spindrift Dwarf. Build your own Circle of Weald druid and tell us about it in the comments below or on any of our social channels. Join us on Discord, Reddit or Facebook to meet other members of the community and take your game to the next level, or follow us on Twitter @shardtabletop for regular updates.
