The Circle of Verdant Flame is an ancient druidic order devoted to Faeren, god of nature, balance, and the eternal cycle of life, death, and renewal. Though secretive and reclusive, they are widely respected (and feared) for their deep attunement to the primal forces that shape the world.
They are not pacifists. Fire is part of the cycle, just as much as growth. When balance is threatened, the Verdant Flame does not hesitate to act; cleansing rot, breaking corruption, and burning down what must fall to allow new life to rise.
Doctrine
The Circle’s creed is simple and absolute: “Purity is Balance. Balance is sacred.”
To the Verdant Flame, unnatural stagnation is as dangerous as decay. Magic that halts change, perverts nature, or tampers with life’s rhythm is a transgression against Faeren’s will.
They believe no force—not monarchy, not civilization, not even the gods themselves—may interrupt the sacred cycle for long without consequence.
Structure & Practices
The Circle has no formal hierarchy beyond the Eldergrove, a council of elder druids who guide the Circle’s vision. Individual groves are semi-autonomous, bound by shared purpose rather than command.
Initiates, like Talan Windfern, train under master druids, learning to read the world like scripture, from the pattern of bark to the moods of storms. Their rituals involve seasonal rites, runic bindings, flame-dancing, and sacred burnings of dead or tainted growth.
Many also act as Wards, silent protectors of wild places who patrol borders between settled lands and the deep wild.
Notable Figures
- Archdruid Thalwen Myr: Elder of Flame and Renewal. Fierce advocate for cleansing fire. Will demand the ring’s destruction.
- Elarin Vess: An initiate of the grove fire, studying under Archdruid Thalwen Myr and also son to the Queen’s best friend and highest adviser.
- Talan Windfern: A young initiate caught between reverence for tradition and the truths the party reveals.
The Circle remains unaware of the Ring of Verdant Stillness. They have long assumed Balandel’s unnatural vitality was a divine blessing from Faeren. When they discover the truth—that a Queen has hijacked their sacred groves to maintain an eternal peace—their fury will be swift.
They will see the ring not as a miracle, but as an abomination.