Tell Me About: Sects Index What's a Sect? In Brief Sectual Humour Anarchs Archonites Children of the Vine Communals Converts Dispossessed Eaters Expansionists Guardians Guild of Shadows Illuminated Incantifiers The Legislate Mathematicians Merkhants Opposers Planes-Militant Planarists Plane Tenders Primals Prolongers Ragers Revivalists Ring-Givers Society of Pain Symmetrists Verdant Guild Vile Hunt Xaoticians Tell me about the Factions Consult the Mimir

The Priests of the Wilds Copyright 1998, edited by Jon Winter Is this article yours? I can't find the author's name...please let me know if it's you... NB: The Plane Tenders are a new sect not covered in TSR's Planescape books. Faction Philosophy "The multiverse is dying, consuming itself on an endless path towards entropy. It's up to us to save it, if we can, or at least delay its destruction." The Outer Planes have long been home to an ancient sect of druidic nature masters. Originally from a remote prime world, the founders of the sect fled to the outer planes when it was invaded by demons of unknown origin. Since that time, the druids of the Outer Planes have grown vastly in numbers, recruiting fellow 'priests of the wild' from primes and planars alike. They're much more than a sect, however. As every prime world has its own druidic hierarchy, so do the planes. Whenever an initiate is discovered by an elder member of the planar druids, he is observed for a period of time so the elder may determine if the initiate is worthy of joining the ranks of the planar druids. If the initiate proves himself to be worthy, the elder approaches him as soon as possible and invites him to join the ranks of the Plane Tenders. If the initiate accepts, he is taken under the elder's wing and schooled in the ways of the planar nature masters. This is usually the case only with prime druids who find their ways to the planes since planars usually accept this procedure as a matter of course. Most initiates accept, though a few have refused, preferring to go their own way. These few are still observed, however, by the elders to insure their activities are in tune with those of the plane tenders. If the 'outcast' druid ever does anything to violate their creed, however, he is hunted with vigilence by the sect's ranger hirelings. Actual druids and hierophants that arrive in the planes are immediately approached as soon as they are discovered for such powerful allies are integral to the sect's own power and influence. Most druids in the outer planes are in the ranks of the plane tenders. Although part of a hierarchy, the priests of the planes are as isolationist as any others. They are all responsible for the well-being of their respective planes, but they only rarely work together towards a common cause. Each plane has its own Grand Druid to oversee the tending of that particular plane by the various druids and initiates that live there and the sect as a whole is led by the Arch Hierophant. Other hierophant druids act as advisors to the grand druids and spend most of their time traveling the planes. Once per cycle, the Grand Druids meet at the center of the Outlands, hosted by the rilmani, to discuss matters of their way with one another. Other druids and initiates are welcome to attend this meeting, but few of them are given a chance to speak. Hierophant druids also make every attempt to attend these 'moots' since it is at this time when a new Arch Hierophant is elected. Most Arch Hierophants serve as long as they desire with little opposition. Only during the most dire circumstances does such a meeting take place before another decade has passed. The current Arch Hierophant is Tarmabalon the Tree Shepherd (Planar / male human / Druid 19 / true neutral). Primary Plane of Influence The only planes that are not overseen by a branch of the plane tenders are Limbo and The Abyss, the former being untendable and the latter being the source of the destruction of their ancient homeworld (and also too infinite and too dangerous to be worth looking after). The Inner Planes are seldom part of the plane tenders' concern since few of their numbers can survive in them, but many hierophants occupy themselves by traveling them regardless of this. Apparently heirophants have some strange ability to survive the raw elemetal planes. The Arch Hierophant maintains an "official" residence in Tir Na Og in the Outlands, but is rarely found there between meetings. The priests of the wild maintain no base of operations in Sigil. The Plane Tenders care little for the city itself (though some do hold a touch of compassion for the dying environment it occupies) except as means to travel to other planes. Allies and Enemies Though their ways are respected and reviled by many, their isolationist nature precludes the existence of any allies or enemies. The Dustmen and Doomguard, however, represent the antithesis of the tenders' creed and are thus given the cold shoulder. Eligibility All a member has to be is a druid of neutral alignment. Other eligibility requirements are determined through observation by other members of the sect. "The wild lands are decaying... civilisation breeds death for the planes... We must act now..." - Factol Tarmabalon Benefits Members of this sect may alter a commune with nature spell once per month to contact and receive guidance from a hierophant druid Tender. Hierophants themselves may use this benefit to contact the Arch Hierophant or others of their kind. The Arch Hierophant may contact any druid. Also, Plane Tenders are able to survive on any Outer Plane as though they had a universal Survival proficiency. Restrictions Being impartial to everything save nature, plane tenders must be of neutral alignment like other druids. In addition, Plane Tenders are highly unwelcome in urban areas, particularly Sigil, and are often banned from such places. This is usually unjustified, but officially the Plane Tenders disapprove of burgs and would like to see them destroyed. predictably, this tends to get the city-dwellers' backs up a little. Tenders are also disliked across Arcadia, where they're viewed (rightly or wrongly) as detrimental to the organised nature of the plane.