How many druids does it take to... (Z'kron)

[Janis Windrough]

TS: Third cycle of Pontius in the Season of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XV Post Fractum.

Janis decided with his relative new knowledge of herbalism acquired in Aelyria Prime, it might do him well to know the location and facilities of the nearest herb shop. Janis had been making his way around Jaedaxia in the last few cycles trying to learn the ins and outs of the streets. He had managed directions to the herb shop but must have passed it a good 3 or 4 times before he finally realized this was the building.

"Le Jardin d’Hiver" read the sign outside the shop. Janis was still getting used to this whole Charismean language thing and had to especially keep an eye out for the Common translations of the signs and whatnot.

When Janis entered the shop a little bell sounded and he was greeted by a nice looking elderly woman, first in Charismean then in Common tongue...thankfully. He smiled and stated his intentions to merely peruse the store, not looking to buy anything at the moment and with that Janis began to observe a hanging plant here or a jar of dried herbs there, seeing what he recognized and making little mental notes of the ones he didn't perhaps hoping to look up some fact about them later in his little herb manual.

[Z'kron]

A puffed-up azure-blue salamander floated through the air to land next to Janis. Flicking its tongue out, it eyed him warily and with only a small amount of recognition. But the owner of the salamander, who followed behind, seemed more aware of who he was encountering.
The druid didn't look that much different from when Janis had last encountered him. The same odd blue-stone eyes, slightly green tinted hair, cap that hid two tiny antennae. An old, unusual looking elf leaning against a carrot-wood staff who had apparently wandered the empire from here to the start of eternity. And wearing, as usual, the same quirked, genial, unusually white-toothed smile.
"Morning Janis. Been a while. Doing much lately?"

[Janis Windrough]

To Janis's surprise, a floating lizard was soon joining him and the hanging plants he was observing. He was startled but not for long because his mind quickly reminded him of the one person a floating salamander was likely to lead to. He was confident enough in who he was dealing with that before he even got a good look the words "Z'kron!" escpaed his lips.

Sure enough the old druid elf (dracon) eyed him and issued a greeting. Janis had no idea the fellow druid was in the city and how fortuitous it was for them to bump into one another. Well, it shouldn't have been that surprising...after all Druids hanging around an herb shop was sort of a cliche in and of itself now isn't it?

Janis smiled and offered his hand to Z'kron. "My good fortune to run into you 'ere, eh?" said Janis. In truth, the last two times Janis had been around Z'kron were rather interesting what with one being in...or rather below this very city and the other being all about the province of Arium. Yes, this elf usually wasn't very dull. "So what 'ave you been up to 'round these parts since last I saw ya!" said Janis with a smile. He would offer the door to the elf incase he wanted to walk about and talk but should he choose to remain the herb shop that would be fine too...for all Janis knew he had an actual reason to there.

[Z'kron]

"Not much. Met some giant talking trees- again. There seem to be a lot of them these days. Hijacked a lift on a wyvern to sneak onto the Insulae Coronae. Bartered with a demonic creature regarding the plane of Dreams. Visited the womb of the world. Went undercover as orkon orc to learn primal shamanism. Mastership work." The druid shrugged, his expression completely deadpan as he took the others hand. But his eyes twinkled, just a little.
"The usual sort of stuff, really. Worked on a bit of collabrative magic as well. I was thinking of taking some sort of a teaching position as a master Druid somewhere; my masterpiece spell was rather well acclaimed. Potentially looking for an apprentice- but frankly, most of the candidates seem to have less creativity than you could find in the average willowbark tree. What about you?" A genuine smile showing, as ever, unusually white teeth. There was a hint of an offer in the previous statement. "Got some sort of oddball plan going again?"

[Janis Windrough]

Janis made sure he was hearing the old elf form correctly as he gave him a glance that sort of said really? The non-chalant way he said the whole thing tickled Janis's funny bone just right but the nature of what he was saying didn't allow a full and hearty laugh to escape Janis as it so often did. No this was a sorta shocked and interested chuckle. The thing that caught Janis's eye the most, however, was the talk of becoming a master druid. Now that was impressive. Janis could sense the suggestion in Z'kron's voice and he thought it was rather flattering and intriguing. He also, however, didn't wanna seem too anxious.

"I think I know an apprentice who might be interested" said Janis in a way that Z'kron would know that person was none other then himself.

With that he led Z'kron out of the herb shop and walked along the streets with him continuing the discussion. "So, you'll have to fill me in on some details...your masterpiece, i'd love ta hear about it." Janis usually listened to Z'kron when he spoke of arcana. Ever since that day in Nexus when he whipped out the transporting carrot, Janis had wanted to listen to whatever this man would speak to on the subject. The thought of becoming apprentice to him as his master seemed like real possibility now, unless Janis has misunderstood what he had said before, but he was pretty sure he was right.

"As for me, I'm just kinda biding my time in Jae...theres a bit of a lady friend I happened to bum into again 'ere. Aydyn Blair, druid as well. Dunno if you know the name but shes a fine woman. So...we'll see where that goes." Said Janis with a smile and a shrug.

In saying this, Janis was reminded of something he had pondered recently. He happened to know and come in contact with a number of druids however there seemed to be such difference and diversity between them that even their common ideals failed to come out. So much good could be done in this world if people were driven by some common guiding principles. "Z'kron, I've been thinkin' lately...and you seem to be a good person to ask about this...has there ever been any sort of organization of druids like us? Any guild or somethin' that kinda spanned the empire and connected us with one another?" Perhaps there was one and Janis just didn't know about it. Perhaps there once was one that is gone now. He figured and hoped Z'ke could offer some insight on the subject.

[Z'kron]

"The masterpiece. Hmm. "
The druid paused, thoughts obviously collecting inside his unusually well-developed cranium.
"The essence of the spell is accelerated natural selection on a infinetesmally small level; the weaknesses of individual parts immediately exposed and their strengths highlighted with endless rapid replication until their was adaptation. It is an evolution of sorts, and originally designed as a sucessful counter against many of the dark spells that are cast against lifeforms. By tapping into the natural process and accelerating it almost any form of damaging magical enchantment could be rapidly outflanked.
In the simplest form, it's done entirely via the technique of alteration. The energy itself would simply provide more fuel for the triggers in the lifeform's upper level than caused death and creation; relying almost entirely on the inherent natural processes in order to reach its goals. To guide the process of the adaptation, divination may be added- which, together with the alteration, permits the later replication of an adaptive process."
The druid leant on his staff, halting his explanation for several moments to allow the concept to sink it.
"Which has a number of benefits. For a start, it permits far simpler imbuements and enchantments. It also permits permanent .. evolutions of lifeforms, bypassing processes that would otherwise take thousands of years. It allows alteration of vis-flow in a way that hasn't been managed since the times of the Cyraxians and Greater Dragons. And it permits the healing of congenital defects and injuries by druidry; something that was previously considered purely the purview of thaumaturgy. Demonstration. "
The druid gestured lightly with his hand, his brow furrowing momentarily in concentration. Janis would notice a tiny whisper of arcane power. But more than that, he would notice what appeared to be a raggedly pulsing heart floating a few feet in front of him.
"Don't be concerned. You're the only one who can see it. Mysticism isn't the only sphere which can create illusions, druids just have to use different mechanisms."
"This heart, as identifed by the prominent Olympian scholar Xilthanos, is a congenital defect known as "τρύπα λογχών καρδιά" - essentially, gaps in the connections of heart-vessels."A gesture, as the record of the previous evolution began; the heart's rate seeming to accelerate. And then, with subtle twitches, parts of the heart seemed to change. It was as if the heart was devolving just a little, parts shrinking, areas remoulding around an unusual cardiac pattern. And then, in a blink of an eye, change began the other way. Muscle began to stretch, the heart began to pump. Energy flowed. And, centimeter by centimeter, that ragged gaping hole in the heart began to heal. And then, the heart began to pump. Contracting rhythmically, one beat at a time.
"As I said, useful in healing and reversal of mortal injuries. Standard druidism can't reverse a spear through the heart. This can. But other manifestations of the spell will have to wait until later. I've a concept for a new method of enchantment based around the spell that I need to develop, for a start. Something my apprentice will be quite useful for, I'm certain- it involves manipulation of raw essences. As to the organization of druids.."
A twitch of a smile. The old elf's hair rustled, apparently independently of any motion of air.
"Previous gatherings of Druids have been heavily religious. A druid guild that spanned the empire focusing on the connection through druidism? No, I don't believe there has. Certainly, not dealing with Druidism as an art to be advanced; although chronologically speaking, the opportunities for that have been limited.
Before the Aetherfracture- that is, when I first began to take note of its workings, Druidism wasn't even regarded as arcana. It was a discipline of spirituality; considered almost entirely separate. And some of the skills that developed as a result of it- such as an intrinsic resistance to charms from natural creatures, and detection of evil intent through the aura of spirits- were quite unique. Druids then were even more solitary than they tend to be now.
There was even a widespread belief that the powers came from Carmelya- although this was rather clearly disproved on numerous occasions, notable by Archdruid Felinius. Such abilities have never been replicated post-fracture.
So no, there's not been an organisation like that. And there does seem to be a need for it. And were one to ever be created- I would certainly be quite willing to be highly involved in it. To serve in it, even. "
A pause after the deluge of explanation, and the characteristic quiet smile.
"Is your ladyfriend of a similar mind?"

[Crimson]

OOC: if you need moderation, let me know