Druids tapping into Source

[Lawgiver]

Guess it comes down to first is that the druid spells out there cost money. Perhaps in the variant they would cost something different. If no money than higher regency cost.

I look at it as there are rare roots and herbs that can be extrated from the woods that would be extremely valuable to the humans nearby. Not to mention fruit from the trees. If the druid controls the wilds some of this could be brokered in the funds needed to cast realm spells.

Now someone trying to make money from the woodlands typically cut down trees and hunt animals along with the above. That is why I think what the druids would offer is far less than what a guild holding can get from the land.

I can see both sides of this one. I would lean towards some sort of income for them but I just don't know what yet.

-BB

I think that would be more of a function of the Temple's income than from a Source.

[kgauck]

I don't see why Druids would need a temple holding at all, it would make sense to have them tap into source instead. I would also think it would be best to have druids have one or the other either its source or temple holdings not both. but thats just me

If the druids don't hold the temples, who holds them? Someone is bound to take over the ideological power in Rjurik, and if the druids hope to keep the values of their people attached to Erik, they need to keep the temples to maintain rituals, teaching, and commitment to Erik's values, not someone elses.

[kgauck]

Why not? People bring gifts and offerings to defend the causes they believe in. It only takes one adventurer/person to donate a single magical item or "haul". Perhaps even from the destruction of a strip mining facility or logging company or ....

This sounds more like a random event than a season by season regular source of income. But its also the case that offerings as income is a function of a temple holding. If there is belief, there is a realm effect, its better suited to a temple holding than a source.

[AndrewTall]

Personally I like to merge divine and arcane casting, so any priest who wants to cast spells better take a few spellcaster levels, and build up a source if they want to cast realm spells... Priest being simply a job title of course - a priest could be a fighter, rogue, noble, expert etc as easily as a spell caster as long as they follow the appropiate religious codes and way of life.

For income, I'm turning slowly towards Irdeggman's idea of virtual GB, although (not entirely for contrariness) I'd call them mebhaighl points - basically you can use the MP earned from the source instead of GB when making a source based action or casting a realm spell. So your druid earning lots of MP with their big sources can use those MP to have vast influence over the forests and all mebhaighl within it, but can't build a bridge or city wall with them...

I would however switch from 'virtual guilds at L4+' to simply '1/3 MP per source level' for income rules to give starting temples a chance, allow MP to be exchanged for GB at, say, 2:1; and allow GB to be used instead of MP 1:1.

I go with BBeau by the way - multiple holdings means a very focused realm, but one where the ruler has to do everything themselves; dealing with random events soon takes on a 'whack a mole' aspect. Different facets of the sprawling domain likely squabble if one is favoured (and yes, I can think of ways for a source holdings to squabble...). Megalomaniac players will swiftly find that controlling different holding types simply means continually fighting on multiple fronts and while most battles may be easier in the short term recovering from loss becomes much harder - in the long run having loyal allies is better than having a police state with yourself as absolute monarch.


I'd note incidentally that imho druid should not equal hippy in BR. In the Rjurik Highlands the druids are the life and soul of the people - the druids may 'love nature' but they are also an absolutely fundamental part of village, town and even city life - no mother matches a child without consulting the druids, no farmer plants crops without their guidance, no fisherman sails in an unblessed boat to guide him safely back to land, all teachers are either druids or followers of the church, all official business is sealed by the church etc, etc. As a result I see the druids as tied into the human element of the province much like any other church making them very different to the almost hermit like druids often found in other settings. To me the druids see the Rjurik people themselves as part of nature - and every bit as much in need of attention as the trees and rocks - if not more so, Rjurik wander around breaking things (or themselves) if ignored whereas mountains don't need much tending to.

This means of course that the Rjurik will have a LOT of religious gathering sites - at least one per community larger than a single farmstead. Some of these sites will probably be huge - think Stonehenge though rather than Canterbury cathedral. The druids should easily be able to obtain large amounts of labour in need (and labour = wealth in a medieval society) and could well receive a tithe of all income the Rjurik produce. The druids likely distribute this income where the clan has most need rather than using it to build great cathedrals but the druids certainly aren't living hand to mouth begging for money from passers by or scrabbling for roots to sustain themselves. Given the span of the two great churches I doubt any Rjurik Jarl or King has the wealth of either druid church by whatever means that wealth is measured.