Characters:Factions:Forestkeepers
The 'Forestkeepers', as they are commonly known, is a loosely organized association of bands, orders, and individual itinerant guardians of the forest.
As a personal identity and classification, Forestkeeper is a meaningful label. However, one should not expect any Forestkeeper to observe a chain of command that directly includes the highest levels of the organization. Most Forestkeepers who are not in positions of authority obey only their immediate group commanders and spiritual advisors. If a mandate comes down from the highest levels of Forestkeeper society, it comes through these immediate superiors.
As individuals, Forestkeepers fall into many categories. A few are shamans or druids, and a few are almost purely fighters of one stripe or another, but most Forestkeepers are schooled in multipled disciplines, including ranged combat, melee combat, woodlore, and Syulvan spellsongs.
There are a handful of Shamanic and Druidic orders included in or allied with the Woodguard, but these are mostly encountered in the deep forest and near the remnants of the Towers of Guard.
From the writings of Solon the Wise
Much more may we say regarding the mixed company, which is the Forestkeepers. The Forestkeepers, which the common man calleth Rangers, are oft found in the wild and wooded places of the world. In brotherhood do certain Men and Half-Elves walk together. They speak a language which none others know. Much have I heard of this forest tongue, but cannot tell what was said, for to secrecy am I bound. Their tongue is neither the tongue of Half-Elf, nor of Man, but of the forest which all Keepers love. Many times have I heard it, and thought I heard a wild beast's call.
Among the Forestkeepers, all strife, such as one doth find 'twixt races in the great cities, is forgot. Half-Elf and Man, each accepteth the other as a brother, for each hath chosen one common life of toil and beauty. Though their gifts and powers are several, so that the Human guardeth by cunning and prowess that which the Half-Elf guardeth by power drawn from nature, each standeth with the rest as with a brother in toil, in battle, in victory, and in wonder of the woods.
The Forestkeepers wear many guises, but two things mark them all. Each, whether a prince of Half-Elves or a common Man, is moved to awe and song by the woods of the world. By this one may know them. Like unto their awe of the world, great also is their skill with bow, with blade, and with mount. There is no Ranger who is not an archer of skill, a bladesman of measure, and a loving husbandman of his horse, for he that wandereth the wide world and faceth many kinds of danger must ride well, fight well, and aim truly.
For all these graces, the Keepers are oft mistaken for mountebanks. They are men and women of the wild world, sleeping more often beneath a tree than a roof. Little heed do they give to seemings or their own apperances. They are oft distrusted by the folk of Human towns and cities, for the Ranger out of the wild seemeth as lean and strange as the common thief. Of their status among the woodland peoples I shall not speak, for do so would my confidence break.
Members
Of the people the player can meet, Andare and Lareth are Forestkeepers. Sulin, Cirades, Risartus, Tham, and Ella all know something about he faction. It is possible for the player to join this faction.