Order of the Branch and Bramble

The Order of the Branch and Bramble, though decentralized, operates through a tripartite structure that reflects its guiding ethos: knowledge, engagement, and silent influence. Its divisions—the Scribes, the Ambassadors, and the Shroud—serve overlapping roles, each contributing to the Order’s quiet mission of balance between civilization and the wild.  

The Scribes

Stationed within the Order’s sanctuary, located in a self-contained pocket dimension sustained by ancient druidic Magic, the Scribes are charged with collecting, cataloging, and analyzing knowledge of the natural world. These scholars, chroniclers, and naturalists work tirelessly to expand the Librum Animus, a living compendium of the world’s creatures, environments, and metaphysical patterns. More than archivists, the Scribes are theorists and philosophers, constantly refining classifications, interpreting field reports, and seeking insight into the principles that govern natural life.   The sanctuary itself—equal parts arboretum and archive—is a place where scrolls grow on vines and enchanted ink flows like sap from ancient trees. Communication between the Scribes and their field counterparts is maintained through enchanted parchment and messenger beasts, allowing the Librum to remain current despite the Order’s far-flung operations.  

The Ambassadors

Often mistaken for itinerant druids or wandering rangers, the Ambassadors serve as the Order’s link between the wild and the settled world. They travel Rolara’s borderlands, offering counsel to isolated communities, intervening in ecological disputes, and observing the behavior of rare or magical creatures. Their field journals, sketches, and collected lore form the raw material of the Scribes’ work.   The Ambassadors are also known to participate in the hitching tradition popularized by the Order. Identifiable by their carved branch-and-spiral tokens, they frequently rely on goodwill and shared code phrases to secure transport across the continent. The Order’s informal network of sympathetic travelers, often marked by hidden glyphs near roadways and forest paths, ensures that Ambassadors can move swiftly where they are needed.   Ambassadors are expected to act autonomously, adapting to local customs and environments while upholding the Order’s principles. Some remain stationed near specific sacred sites; others are constantly on the move.  

The Shroud

The most secretive arm of the Order, the Shroud is neither acknowledged nor formally organized. Its agents operate independently or in small cells, their existence known to only a few. The Shroud handles sensitive matters that require discretion—disrupting poachers, sabotaging destructive magical experiments, or feeding rumors to nudge political factions away from environmental harm.   Members of the Shroud often have overlapping affiliations with spy networks, arcane societies, or resistance movements, allowing them to act without drawing attention to the Order as a whole. Their presence is difficult to detect; their goals, while aligned with the Order’s vision, are pursued through methods the rest of the organization may not fully condone.   Even Samael, the Order’s founder and spiritual figurehead, is believed to have only partial knowledge of the Shroud’s operations. This plausible deniability preserves the Order’s neutrality and allows the Shroud to act decisively when needed.  

Samael and the Pocket Sanctuary

At the heart of the Order’s functioning lies Samael, a druidic prodigy whose mastery of translocation and planar geomancy gave birth to the Order’s sanctuary. Though youthful in appearance, Samael is revered for his insight and unwavering vision. His magic sustains the pocket dimension, a flexible and tranquil space where nature and arcane structures blend seamlessly. Within it, time flows gently, allowing research and meditation unburdened by the passage of days.   Samael avoids overt leadership, preferring to guide the Order through suggestion, consultation, and shared purpose. He serves as a bridge between the Order’s branches and is said to possess an uncanny understanding of where and when his presence is most needed. Some believe his connection to the land is so deep that he can hear disturbances across Rolara as clearly as footsteps on forest loam.

The culture of the Order of the Branch and Bramble reflects the organization's guiding principles—reverence for nature, pursuit of understanding, and the maintenance of harmony without allegiance to crown or creed. Though its membership spans a wide range of temperaments and talents, the Order is united by shared customs and an ethos passed quietly from mentor to student, from firelight to fieldwork.  

Harmony with the Natural World

  At the core of the Order’s philosophy is a deep respect for the wild. This reverence shapes everything from the architecture of their sanctuary—where stone paths wind around living roots and library shelves grow from shaped trees—to the conduct of its members in the field. Harm to natural creatures or sacred places is avoided unless no other course remains. Even conflict is treated as a disruption to be repaired rather than an opportunity for conquest.   Members are encouraged to consider the long-term consequences of their actions, not only upon ecosystems but also on the cultures that depend upon them. This perspective informs their neutrality in political conflicts and their reluctance to take sides in wars or territorial disputes.  

Exploration and Discovery

  The Order values firsthand experience. Curiosity is nurtured, and members are encouraged to undertake journeys into little-known regions of Rolara. Whether through tracking the migration of rare beasts or studying magical anomalies, exploration is considered a form of service to the greater balance.   New findings are reported to the sanctuary, debated, documented, and sometimes disputed. Ambassadors return with sketches, stories, or samples, which the Scribes then interpret and preserve. The exchange between these groups is more than functional—it forms the beating heart of the Order’s mission.  

Scholarship and Teaching

  The pursuit of knowledge is treated with solemnity. The Librum Animus is not merely a book, but a collective memory. Contributions to it are considered sacred, and errors are corrected only through consensus and careful review. Scribes often serve as instructors to junior members, while senior Ambassadors take on apprentices in the field.   Teaching extends beyond the Order. Ambassadors frequently offer guidance to local communities on ecological stewardship, herbal medicine, and conflict resolution. In some regions, their visits are anticipated as eagerly as those of traveling bards or healers.  

Neutrality and Diplomacy

  The Order’s refusal to engage in political conflicts is a point of pride and burden. Members are expected to maintain impartiality, even when witnessing injustice. The Order intervenes only when imbalance threatens to spiral into greater harm—be it the overhunting of a forest, the corruption of a sacred spring, or the awakening of an ancient beast.   Ambassadors are trained in mediation and cultural navigation. Many are fluent in multiple dialects, familiar with local customs, and able to speak across divisions of class or species. Their reputation as neutral parties allows them access to places others cannot go.  

The Quiet Influence of the Shroud

  Though its existence is rarely discussed, the presence of the Shroud influences the culture of the Order in subtle ways. Members are taught that not all truths are meant to be known, and that secrecy, when exercised in service of balance, is not a vice. Whispers of clandestine actions and hidden agendas serve as a quiet reminder that even the most benevolent philosophies must occasionally work unseen.  

Community and Tradition

  Despite their far-flung missions and solitary travels, members of the Order maintain a strong sense of kinship. Gatherings at the sanctuary are marked by communal meals, storytelling, and shared rites. Seasonal festivals are observed with quiet ceremony—planting trees at the spring equinox, lighting lanterns for lost members at the winter solstice.   Campfire songs, riddles in the old tongue, and ritual markings made in ash or dye are common across regions, creating a thread of familiarity even between members who have never met. The Order’s folk traditions, passed down in soft tones and worn journals, keep its culture alive as much as its formal structure.