The Wayfarers
The floren noticed that a strange-looking weatherbeaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the talk of the tavern. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he lit up his pipe.The Wayfarers are a far-ranging group that oppose threats to the natural world and helps others survive the many perils of the wild. Members of the Wayfarers are spread far and wide, and usually operate in isolation. They learn to depend on themselves more than others. Survival in a harsh world also demands great fortitude and mastery of certain fighting and survival skills. Wayfarers who dedicate themselves to helping others survive the perils of the wilderness are more social than others who are charged with defending sacred glades and preserving the natural balance. The group took on the name Wayfarers after the Waystones first built by the Arbor Elves in the Averliss Woods. These encrypted, runic stones would glow green and blue to those who knew them, guiding their way through an otherwise dark and gloomy forest. The Wayfarers used said stones to guide others who they deemed worthy or of no threat to their surroundings, ensuring they would leave the woods unharmed.
Structure
Within the wilderness itself, experience outranks everything. Each Wayfarer tends to mark their face, body or hands with tattoos - resembling notches or lines - to signify the amount of years spent away from civilisation (Some Wayfarers also use paint). If a Wayfarer wanders upon another, the elder will take charge of the situation. It is considered rude, lethally so, if a younger Wayfarer does not submit or changes path when meeting an elder. Usually however it is considered a good omen if two Wayfarers find one another. The Wayfarers only operate a few outposts, preferring private sanctums or caches of goods in the wilds. But where those outposts stand, a variety of hierarchies have arisen and split into multiple groups:
Wayfarers
The base title for all members of the group. A Wayfarer is someone who has drunk deep from the sacred amber and believes the natural order must be respected and preserved. All Wayfarers give an oath to destroy the forces that seek to upset the natural balance. All of them understand that the wilderness is harsh, and that not everyone can survive it without assistance. As such, all Wayfarers have three base goals that all of them seek to uphold:
Protect Nature and its order
Destroy those who upset the natural balance
Protect those who cannot protect themselves
Wayfinders
More commonly known as rangers, Wayfinders almost exclusively focus on the third aspect of the Wayfarers' beliefs. They are known to escort lost travellers, convoys and other peoples through the wilds if the need arises. Most Wayfinders began their journey by protecting a group of individuals through hostile terrain.
Waystalkers
The Waystalkers are lethal killing machines who can mask themselves in almost any terrain. They seek out the unnatural and all of them deeply favour a single enemy that they would hunt to extinction if time allowed it. They protect the natural balance by slaying those that would upset it, having
Waywatchers
The Waywatchers are all-rounders, but are known for recruiting animal companions wherever they go. To accuse them of holding pets is a grievous insult, as they view Nature and its order the most important above all. Their animal companions are rather regarded as full-fledged members themselves, rather than one carrying ownership over the other.
Public Agenda
The combined goal of the Wayfarers is to restore and preserve the natural order, keep the elemental forces of the world in check, keep civilization and the wilderness from destroying one another, and help others survive the perils of the wilderness.
Many also seek to hunt dangerous game and monsters which they deem to be a threat to civilisation, such as a nearby city or trade route. All in all, the Wayfarers are best summed up as guardians, though who they guard depends entirely on them.
A member of the Waystalkers readying their bow.
"Where there is a will, there is a Way."
Founding Date
~2000 BE
Type
Guild, Adventuring
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