Emerald Enclave

The Emerald Enclave was an organization of druids and other nature worshipers based from the island of Ilighôn off the coast of the Vilhon Reach. The were referred to by many names, including Caretakers, Nature's Chosen, the Circle, and the Chosen of Silvanus.

"No major activity within the Reach goes on without at least the tacit approval of the Emerald Enclave. That group of green-thumbed peace keepers is the biggest threat to business and wellbeing that exists in the Reach. Not that I, personally, mind them, of course."

- Erixal the Black, Wizard of Alaghôn

Organization
The Emerald Enclave was renowned for its benevolent deeds as much as it was feared for swift actions against those responsible for crimes against nature. The Emerald Enclave's actions were regularly discussed by politicians and drunk gossips, eventually leading to exaggerated recounts of true events and almost-mythical reputation in the Reach.

Despite its reputation, the Emerald Enclave was not an exclusively druidic organization. Its membership also extended to bards, and other beings who venerated nature and neutrality. No member of the Enclave could follow paths of good nor evil, but apart from that narrow path between light and darkness, the Emerald Enclave imposed little restrictions.

Ranks
The Enclave had the following ranks from lowest to highest: Springwarden, Summerstrider, Autumnreaver, Winterstalker, and Master of the Wild.

Hierarchy
The Enclave was organized into a hierarchy of seven circles, each of which had a different responsibility. Each member of the organization belonged to a single circle and could move between them with experience and reaching certain prominence within the order. These circles were: the Circle of Initiates, aptly named for including new members of the Enclave. The Circle of Earth, the second circle of prominence that welcomed members of the Circle of Initiates as they ranked up. The third in the hierarchy was the Circle of Air that usually had its members join after learning the ability to take on a wild shape. Non-druids were promoted to the Circle of Air after performing an outstanding service for the Enclave. From the Circle of Air, members of the organization could move to one of the tree groups: Eldath's Circle, the Circle of Alluvium, and the Planar Circle.

Eldath's Circle did not necessarily mean worshiping the goddess of Calm Waters, but all of its members took on the role of sailing and protecting the waterways of Toril. They searched information beneficial to the Emerald Enclave in the process. The Planar Circle was the group of individuals whose calling laid beyond the Prime Material plane – the most respected of all roles within the organization many of whom perish in the planes or elect to never return to Toril, continuing to send information from the planes to the Emerald Enclave. Lastly, the members of the Circle of Earth were travelers. They crossed the entirety of Faerûn, while some stuck to traversing the Vilhon Reach. The circle's members served as scouts and spies, keeping tabs on kingdoms, organizations, and politics that could interfere with the natural balance.

The Elder Circle, or the Elder Circle of Three, was the governing body of the Emerald Enclave and the highest circle one could be promoted to. The circle consisted of only three members at one time. Members of the Circle of Three were the most powerful druids or religious leaders, and with such fame came pilgrims searching for the Elder Circle's wise advice and those seeking to end the Emerald Enclave, starting with its leaders.

Activities
Most members worshiped one of these deities and all wore some sort of green symbol. They traveled often, hunting for threats to the natural resources of the Reach and seeking potential allies in other lands.

The goals of the Enclave were six-fold. Firstly, they swore an oath to protect nature in all its forms and members of the Emerald Enclave were ready to give up their own lives in service of the cause and to preserve the balance. However, this did not mean that every lumberjack was an enemy of the Enclave, instead, the organization demanded that all logging was done responsibly. Loggers had to spent time planting trees to compensate for the trees they felled and selection of the logging area was also important to maintaining the balance. Historically, this dogma brought the Emerald Enclave to blows with the nations of Chondath and Turmish over their logging operations in the Vilhon Reach, as following the Enclave's demand meant logging would be too expensive and inconvenient.

Secondly, the Emerald Enclave was to control human expansion, as nature was a finite collection of resources, its raw materials could be exhausted, wildlife driven to extinction, and as such, not all areas need to be developed, not all farms needed to plant more food to feed ever-expanding settlements, and not all cities needed to be connected via roads.

The Emerald Enclave believed that everything in nature had its place and it recognized that nature encompassed more than just forests. Balance between plains, mountains, rivers, and forest was important and anyone who sought to reshape the nature to their monetary gain was to be opposed. Similarly, the magic needed to be controlled and never be used for mass destruction – the creed adopted following the disaster known as the Rotting Wars. The Emerald Enclave warned against the use of magic on a grand scale as it was nothing but a disastrous accident waiting to happen.

Lastly, despite the Enclave's true functions, they always presented themselves as a united front to the outside world. Any internal disagreements were always only voiced internally and never outside the Oakenhall of Ilighôn. Actions showing discord and disagreement within the Enclave was disrespect to the Elder Circle of Three and weekend the organization as a whole.

The Emerald Enclave of the post-Spellplague era believed that the natural order had to be respected and preserved, and that forces that would upset that natural order should be destroyed. They were also to keep elemental forces in check, and prevent the wilderness and civilization from wiping out one another. They also accepted that the wilderness could be harsh, and some could not survive in it without aid, and so they would help them.

Abilities
All members of the Enclave were taught a unique language – "druidspeak", that had some similarities to thieves' cant. "Druidspeak" was never taught to outsiders and it usually took a year or more to learn it.

Members of the Elder Circle received magic divine gifts from the patron gods of the Emerald Enclave. They became hidden from magical sight, under the constant effects of the nondetection spell, they became unaffected by any sort of charm, indoctrination, and mind control, and immune to all mundane and magical diseases and afflictions such as lycanthropy. Lastly, the Elders received the gift of dramatically slowed aging process, aging only a year per decade. Similarly, they only needed to sleep one night out of ten. Additionally, they also received a special gift from the deity they worshiped. Eldathyn Elders could breathe underwater and transport themselves to the Elemental Plane of Water at will, Mielikki's faithfuls could shapechange into treants and healing when transforming back, and Silvanintes could meld into stone and travel to the Elemental Plane of Earth at will.

Spells:
 * Faith-magic zone
 * Re-target
 * Windlance

Initiation
Initiates were required to serve neither good nor evil, to not serve any other organization (apart from the churches of Eldath, Mielikki, or Silvanus), to be innocent of crimes against nature, and to have performed at least one act that benefited nature in the Vilhon Reach. The rites of initiation were held each full moon at the Oakenhall – the House of Silvanus at the heart of Ilighôn.

Possessions
Members of the Emerald Enclave did not wear uniforms, instead, each individual was adorned with an article of clothing or jewelry green in color. Most commonly it was a green pendant, or a pair of emerald earrings. Druids of high standing could be discerned by their eyes that turned bright green color and shimmered with Silvanus's holy symbol.

Relationships
The Emerald Enclave was at odds with the Red Wizards of Thay for many, many years, mages of the Zhentarim, as well as other wizards, in fears of the spellcasters abusing the Art and unleashing a disaster similar to the Rotting Wars.

Founding
Many considered the to be the year when the Emerald Enclave was established. However, that was not entirely true, as that was the year when the Church of Silvanus built a shrine to their deity during a ceremony in Midsummer Night. The shrine was known as Oakenhome, or the House of Silvanus, on the isle of Ilighôn. It initially was a small druidic conclave for those who mastered shapechanging and was able to reach the island in a shape of a bird. The actual temple's construction was finished just a few years later. The druids of Ilighôn quietly watched the developing civilization and increasing ships passing the island, entering into the Vilhon Reach. In the, the druids of Oakenhome joined the Emerald Enclave, eventually becoming the center of the organization.

The Enclave's initial goal was to protect the interests and resources of nature within the Vilhon Reach in the face of despoilers of nature.

During the Time of Troubles of the, when gods walked on Toril, Malar's avatar personally entered the Gulthmere Forest to destroy the members of the Emerald Enclave there.

After a while, the Enclave began to concern themselves with preservation of nature throughout all of Faerûn. To accomplish this feat, they started splinter cells in other areas that it believed may become threatened, such as the High Forest, Cormanthor, the Wealdath, and the forests of the Great Dale. These cells were small, often consisting of only a few people keeping a close eye on organizations dangerous to their aims. Such groups were known to keep a watch on the church of Talos and the People of the Black Blood.

Post-Spellplague
After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, the Sea of Fallen Stars drained, turning the isle of Ilighôn into mainland and part of the nation of Turmish. This change resulted in the organization becoming perverted and xenophobic, bent on destroying all forms and manifestations of the Spellplague. Much of the order died or left for Gulthandor. The remaining druids, led by the increasingly mad female eladrin Cindermoon (formerly Shadowmoon Crystalembers), were less capable and experienced, and harbored a deep hatred of the spellscarred.

Several agents were sent to the plaguelands south of Turmish, and the organization also tried to stop the scar pilgrimages that passed through, usually by violent means.

The Second Sundering
The Enclave was revitalized in 1486 DR when the Chosen of Lathander, Stedd Whitehorn, cured Cindermoon of a Shar-induced madness and the Great Rains refilled the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Along with other factions, the Enclave rose up to oppose a plot by the Cult of the Dragon to return Tiamat to the mortal realm.

The Elder Circle

 * Lady Shadowmoon Crystalembers (later Cindermoon), Hierophant of the Emerald Enclave in the 14 century DR.
 * Shinthala Deepcrest, Grand Cabal of the Enclave in the 14 century DR.
 * Ashenford Torinbow, Elder of the Enclave in the 14 century DR.

Other Circles

 * Delaan Winterhound
 * Tick Tary Tanner, Archmage of the High Forest
 * Rolen Naïlon, High Priest of Silvanus

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Jewel of Turmish
 * Lies of Light &bull; The Ruby Guardian
 * Board Games
 * Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: The Zhentarim
 * Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: The Zhentarim

Connections
El Enclave Esmeralda