i. It is rare to find such a balance as this in this world. Usually there is within one area one power succeeding and one failing, the balance of power occasionally shifting between them. The job of the druid is to aid the failing side, attempting to bring a balance between the powers of the forces. This land is different. Here, both groups vie for power in an unceasing battle in which neither side is able to gain an advantage over the other. It is almost a druid's dream. With the forces already in balance with each other, there seems little to do. I do not know how this balance has been achieved. From what I have seen, in this battle both of the opposing forces – the adventurers and human settlements against the various monster clans - are extremely powerful. There is bound to be one more powerful than the other. Yet, the adventurers never cease in their attempt to thin the monsters ranks, but their enemy’s number seems always to be as unbroken as ever.
It is, however, not a good balance. An unfortunate consequence from these battles for power is that the land is all but forgotten. It becomes important for there to be a local population of druids and rangers to be its caretakers as it is not able to defend itself. Without anyone to care for it, only desolation will ensue as the forces continuously reap it for all its worth, taking and not replenishing, resulting in bare, ruined soil. The resulting land would not be habitable for anyone. With such a large amount of forces on both sides as there are here this outcome would seem inevitable.
Of troubling note to me is the fact that I have seen few such druids or rangers in my stay here, yet war continues to ravage the land around us. This is immensely worrying. There is little evidence of their presence here – and the land is suffering. No blade of grass can grow for want of a humanoid to step on it. Fireballs and other magical forces are thrown about with little regard for what they hit. Until I find these hidden druids I have decided to stay for as long as is necessary and tend to the woods as I am able.
In the mean time I wonder at what has caused this peculiar state. I sense that there are forces at work here which are beyond both adventurer and monster control, keeping either from gaining advantage. Perhaps, it is little more than an unusually perfect balance in power between these two forces. If this is the case I have never seen anything like it. Whatever case it may be, I wish to learn what it is. If I succeed, I might just be able to make a difference here and create a better state of balance.
ii. Today, I decided to stop by the store outside the inn to sell some unneeded goods. On my return, I was fortunate enough to see someone, who wore a cloak adorned with the symbol of the Tree Father, browsing the goods near the auctioneer. As I described above, my attempts to find the druids of this land have so far proven rather unsuccessful. Keen to find out whether or not this fellow was indeed another druid, I approached him and asked him as such. The fellow was a half-elf by the name of Lauro, and to my delight he told me he was indeed a druid, and a fellow follower of Silvanus. I immediately implored of him whether he knew of anything which would account for the current state of these lands. He told me that he did not know himself, but said that the lands here were once inhabited by an evil god (the name of which remains a mystery to me), and that many monsters were attracted by his rule. When the rule of the evil god was disrupted, the monsters, no longer under his command, fled into the wilderness and created lairs of their own. Attracted like moths to the flame by the riches inevitably collected by these monsters over the years, adventurers came seeking to carve their own fortunes. So far, their efforts have done little to diminish the dug-in population of monsters in the region. It occurs to me now, perhaps in gaining an understanding of the past, perhaps too will the present become clear.
I then asked my fellow druid companion whether he knew any other druids in this land- of which he responded he knew only two others, but he explained that he was relatively new here. He also further confirmed my earlier gatherings about the existence of a local Druidic Circle. He himself had yet to join, but perhaps one day intended to. He did, however, know the existence and whereabouts of a druidic gathering circle, and kindly offered to show me its location. When we arrived a half-hour’s later, I must admit it was not the druid’s circle I had expected. Instead of trees or stones, the circle was constructed out of pillars and statues. The only things familiar to me were the offering stones in the circle’s centre, of which there were two. The circle itself was located in a field which is heavily populated by ogres and giants, not a safe-haven hidden from such creatures. I asked him if he knew how often the circle was used, but alas the half-elf druid did not. While we were headed back to town we discussed our individual philosophies. It would appear that this Lauro fellow and I share many similar views. I look forward to learning more of him and working with him again in the future.
It seems my investigations into the situation this land is in is slowly coming together. I now know there are other druids; although I still suspect they are relatively rare. I also know of the existence of a Druid’s Circle somewhere in the area, which I still hope to find. There are still more secrets to be learned of this intreguing land, and this old druid intends to find them.
