Esterrapedia - User contributions [en]

Senate Motions

2026-10-20T13:16:56Z

JHegmore:

This page holds a record of all Senate motions passed by the Senate throughout its history.
[[File:Senate Motions.jpg|border|thumb|586x586px|Thank the Spheres for the scribes. ]]
Unfortunately, weather and malady have conspired to rob The Concord of records pertaining to the first two Summits, The Civil Service will endeavor to keep safer records in the future.

* [[Senate Motions - Winter 222]]
* [[Senate Motions - Summer 222]]
* [[Senate Motions - Winter 223]]
* [[Senate Motions - Summer 223]]
* [[Senate Motions - Winter 224]]
* [[Senate Motions - Summer 224]]
* [[Senate Motions - Autumn 225]]
* [[Senate Motions - Spring 225]]
* [[Senate Motions - Autumn 226]]
* [[Senate Motions - Spring 226]]

File:Senate Motions.jpg

2026-10-20T13:15:11Z

JHegmore:

Photo by DarKSpiritPhotography

Ritter Kaptain

2026-10-20T13:01:54Z

JHegmore:

Part headmaster, part commander, part champion, Ritter Kaptains are the masters of Greenweald Colleges of War. Advisors to Barons, Battlefield Leaders, and foremost in the study of war. It is a title of great respect and great responsibility as the concerns of Ritters extend well beyond the shadowed trails of the Baronies themselves.

== Election ==
The election date for Ritter Kaptains varies depending on their College (details below). Any Fully-Fledged Ritter may nominate themselves as a candidate for Ritter Kaptain. All Ritters of at least two sword status may vote.
[[File:Ritter Kaptain Arholdt Runheldt.jpg|thumb|544x544px|Ritter Kaptain Arholdt Runheldt]]
{| class="wikitable"
|College
|Location
|Election Season
|-
|Eisen College of War
|Eisen
|Autumn
|}

== Term ==
Ritter Kaptains serve a term of two years, including the summit where they are elected. They may immediately stand for re-election after this term if they wish, there is no term limit.

== Powers and Responsibilities ==
'''Armsmaster -''' The Ritter Kaptain’s control over the College’s resources allows them to attempt to address crises through the liberal application of planned violence. Once per season the Ritter Kaptain can (through communication with their staff using the Concordian Postal Service) target one crisis within the Weald. The following season there will be an opportunity (often a downtime action, conflux, request or similar), allowing the Ritters to affect this crisis. Once per year, the Ritter Kaptain may instead target a crisis in the Concord as a whole, not just within the Weald, this also includes crises on the Concord’s borders, allowing the Kaptain to target enemy territories.

'''Warcrafter -''' College’s of War are often at the forefront of The Concord’s understanding of War. As such, Ritter Kaptains can dedicate their college to a particular focus. Once per year, in Autumn, through communication with their staff using the Concordian Postal Service, the Ritter Kaptain can direct the focus of the staff at the College towards a particular issue of war. This may be focused (“I want to help improve our armies fighting the undead within the forests of Vassertal”) or general (“I would like to improve our fleets”). This will result in a boon for the forces of The Concord in the spring season. This may manifest as a new trait, an opportunity, a disadvantage to enemy forces, or similar as determined by the Concord Team.

'''Warrior-Leader -''' The Ritter Kaptains have a variety of responsibilities within the Leadership of the Weald. Notably, they attend Gildenrat and it is the Council Ritter Kaptains (known as the Soldatenrat) who must approve the Champion of the Weald. The appropriate title is 'Kaptain'.

== History ==
Following the collapse of the Guilds between the defeats at the hands of the Zekartaal and the Plague Crisis, the first College of War to be rebuilt as the Eisen College of War by Baroness Saskia in 222AE. The Eisen College did what it could to support the remaining Ritters but it took some time before numbers were sufficient to elect a Ritter Kaptain, which first occurred in Autumn 225.

== Historic Ritter Kaptains ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Eisen College of War
!Name
!'''Elected'''
|-
|Ritter Arholdt Runheldt
|Autumn 225 - Present
|}

== Further Reading ==

* [[Greenweald Baronies|The Greenweald Baronies]]
* [[Ritter]]
* [[Concordian Titles]]

File:Ritter Kaptain Arholdt Runheldt.jpg

2026-10-20T13:00:25Z

JHegmore:

Photo by Sylphide Photography

Sage Superior

2026-10-20T12:51:35Z

JHegmore:

Once forbidden, the Sage Superiors are the masters of those that would speak the language of The Weald. Masters of the Covens, Sage-Superiors lead [[Wealdsage|Wealdsages]] in the pursuit of their duty to treat with the creatures, minds and curses of The Weald. The highest responsibility and the greatest power, Sage Superiors know things that are not meant to be known, do things that may need to be done, and will have to answer for it should they fail.

== Important Out-of-Character Game Design Note ==
The content on Esterrapedia is designed to be character-facing knowledge that would be reasonably learnable by any suitably well-read character, regardless of realm or occupation. However, for the Sage Superior, there are a number of powers and abilities that would likely be secret from the average Concordian. As the Story Team, we want these powers to be clearly written and available to players to read and understand the role.

As such:

'''''The knowledge on this page in the Election, Term, Powers and Responsibilities and History sections should only be known to characters of the Wealdsage archetype by default. Characters of other archetypes or realms should learn about them in play.'''''
[[File:368246183 3140708126073015 3872035737009674976 n.jpg|center|thumb|929x929px]]

== Election ==
The election time for Sage Superiors varies dependant on their Coven. Any Wealdsage from the region in which that Coven is based OR who has joined the same Covenant that the Coven is aligned with, may nominate themselves for Sage Superior. All members of the Coven vote for Sage Superior in a popular vote.
{| class="wikitable"
|Coven
|Coven Location
|Election Season
|-
|The Broken Vale
|Harbingers Nightmare, Resinderholz
|Spring
|}

== Term ==
Sage Superiors serve a term of two years, including the Summit where they are elected. They may immediately stand for re-election after this term if they wish. There is no term limit.
[[File:Sage Superior Stracken.jpg|thumb|Sage Superior Stracken]]

== Powers and Responsibilities ==
'''Align to the Covenant -''' The Sage Superior may align The Coven to a Covenant between Wealdsages and a Sovereign of The Weald in a similar way to how the Concord aligns embassies to particular foreign nations. Doing so affiliates this Coven with that Sovereign, granting particular knowledge, powers, and obligations upon that Coven while hopefully abating the anger or influence of that Sovereign.

'''Plenipotentiary of the Superior -''' Each Summit the Sage Superior may summon the attendance of a particular creature, intelligence or force within The Weald. Doing so requires a small ritual, requiring the attendance of a Storyteller, at least five Wealdsages and a sacrifice of appropriate magnitude. If the ritual is of appropriate quality, a representative of that creature, or perhaps the creature itself, will make itself available during the following Summit (be it in a Conflux or perhaps in Passage).

'''Behold the Mark -''' Sage Superiors are granted the powers and responsibilities the Shaman magnitude of the current Covenant that the Coven maintains. Sage Superiors are also entrusted with the knowledge and methods of inducting other Wealdsages into this Covenant.

'''First of the Last -''' Sage Superiors are recognised as the Supreme Wealdsage within a region. They should be treated with deference by all other Wealdsages; their appropriate title is ‘Sage Superior’. The Sage-Superior may attend Gildenrat.

== History ==
Prior to 183AE, Sage Superiors were found across all the Baronies, acting as the masters of the discipline. Many of these individuals are obscured from Greenweald’s history, their nature and deeds as obscured as their means. But following the [[Greenweald Baronies Historic Events|Night of Silver Blood]] in 183AE, this ended. Gatherings of Wealdsages in groups larger than four were rendered illegal and the Covens were broken.

In the year 224, Barons Gilbert Schwarz and Valentin Voght lifted this ban, and shortly after a new Coven was called in Resinderholz, returning the Sage Superiors to the fold.

== Historic Sage Superiors ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Sage Superior of the Broken Vale
!Name
!Date
|-
|Hildegard Abeln
|Spring 226 - ''Incumbent''
|-
|Wealdsage Stracken
|Summer 224 - Spring 226
|}

File:Sage Superior Stracken.jpg

2026-10-20T12:50:57Z

JHegmore:

Photo by Robyn Garner

Chapter Kaptain

2026-10-20T12:48:40Z

JHegmore:

The foremost [[Houndspriest|Houndspriests]], Chapter Kaptains command the ranks of these Greenweald warrior-priests in their pursuit of the cursed enemies of the Baronies. Chapter Kaptains act as mentor, battlefield commander, judge and archivist, having to account for a vast amount of concerns in their life or death decisions. There are few respected more by the commonfolk of the Baronies.

=== Election ===
The election time for Chapter Kaptains varies dependant on their Chapter (details below). Any Houndspriest may nominate themselves as a candidate for Chapter Kaptain. Only Houndspriests who are members of that Chapter may vote. In regions where there is only one Chapter, all Houndspriests from that region are members by default. In regions where there is more than one Chapter, Houndspriests must swear loyalty to one.
{| class="wikitable"
|Chapter Name
|Chapter Location
|Election Season
|-
|Kristov
|Krezenberg Abbey, Resinderholz
|Spring
|}

=== Term ===
Chapter Kaptains serve a term of two years, including the Summit where they are elected. They may immediately stand for re-election after this term if they wish. There is no term limit.
[[File:Chapter Kaptain Klein.jpg|thumb|Chapter Kaptain Volker Klein]]

=== Powers and Responsibilities ===
'''Kaptain -''' Chapter Kaptains are the foremost Houndspriests within their Region. They have the power to oversee disputes between Houndspriests, they have the power to remove Houndspriests from their chapter and oversee the promotion of Houndspriest apprentices.Chapter Kaptains are not able to order members of their Chapter (All Houndspriest are in some way equal) but Chapter Kaptains instructions should be respected and followed where they are not entirely disagreed with. Chapter Kaptains should be afforded respect by layfolk and particularly Houndspriests, their appropriate title being ‘Kaptain’. The Chapter Kaptain is a member of [[Concordian Documents - Gildenrat|Gildenrat]].

'''The Lay of the Land -''' Chapter Kaptains receive a briefing each Summit regarding particular concerns of curses, monsters and other maladies of the Weald requiring their attention. Some of these briefings may include actions to be undertaken, while other may require further assistance. In regions where there are multiple Chapters, they will have to agree on territory.

'''The Chapters Hand -''' Each Season, the Chapter Kaptain may decree a project of their own choice, this reflects the Chapter dedicating efforts of Houndspriests, Adepts and other resources towards this end. Actions could include, but are not limited to:

* Research into the historic, arcane, alchemical or divine nature of an element of the Weald or an individual.
* Pursuit of a particular monster or malady of the world.
* Additional training or support for a particular group of Houndspriests or the discipline as a whole.

This project should be communicated, by letter, to the Chapters Steward, who will be in contact each Summit by letter to communicate the ‘Lay of the Land’ briefing.

'''Houndmaster''' - Chapter Kaptains are responsible for the skill, moral fortitude and courage of the Hounds under their sigil. In circumstances where Hounds fail, err or act with malice, it is appropriate for punishment to levelled against the Chapter Kaptain as well. Chapter Kaptains are empowered to punish and reward Houndspriests as they see fit, provided matters are not requiring the input of a Concordian Magistrate.

=== History ===
Chapter Kaptains have existed since the first Chapter was declared by Krisov Letzer. Leaders of these warrior priests, Chapter Kaptains have been some the greatest heroes of the Weald, and in other circumstance, perhaps their greatest villains.

During the collapse of the Baronies through the Shaman’s War and the Plague Crisis, one by one the Chapters (like the other Greenweald guilds) collapsed. It wasn’t until Summer 224 that Chapter Kristov was wrenched from decay by the heroes of the Greenweald and support of the Baronial seat of Resinderholz.

=== Historic Chapter Kaptains ===

==== Chapter Kristov ====
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Name'''
!Date
|-
|Wenche Vanatoure
|Spring 226 - Incumbent
|-
|Maria von Heimstad
|Autumn 226 - Spring 226
|-
|Volker Klein
|Summer 224 - Autumn 226 ''(Deceased)''
|}

File:Chapter Kaptain Klein.jpg

2026-10-20T12:44:38Z

JHegmore:

Photo by Robyn Garner

Krahenmeister

2026-10-20T12:42:07Z

JHegmore:

‘Leader of the Birdfaced Murderers’, ‘The Last Mercy’, ‘Professor in-Absentia’, Krahenmeisters are the leaders of a region's Crow Doktors. They are responsible for organising the treatment of illnesses (vast or minor), the research into furthering the causes of mundane and magical healing, and ensuring that the regions Crow Doktors are of the highest quality. It is a title that carries extreme weight, as more often than not, it is life or death.

== Election ==
The election date for Krahenmeisters depends on their University. Any Crow Doktor who is recognised who is based in the same region as that university may stand for the title of Krahenmeister. All Crow Doktors who are based in the same region as the University may vote.
{| class="wikitable"
|University
|Location
|Election Season
|-
|Schloss Mortis
|Resinderholz
|Autumn
|}

== Term ==
Krahenmeisters serve a term of two years, including the Summit where they are elected. They may immediately stand for re-election after this term if they wish, there is no term limit.

== Powers and Responsibilities ==
'''Hypothesise -''' Each Summit the Krahenmeister may submit a research hypothesis to their University for testing. The hypothesis should be a single sentence outlining the thing to be tested, rather than a full description of the testing. The university will then test the hypothesis to the best of their ability. Wherever possible the university will do so safely, excepting in the most extreme circumstances or with the most dangerous subject matter. Examples of hypotheses include:

* ‘Hargrave Sickness’ is a mundane illness rather than a magical one.
* ‘Brughams Pox’ is spread by pigs.
* ‘Freewater Shivers’ can be treated by the application of Al-Asah’s antidote.

'''Sondern für Alle -''' Krahenmeisters are widely regarded as the foremost minds on disease treatment and research. As such the Krahenmeisters will receive a briefing each Summit regarding particular outbreaks across the Concord that may require their attention. Information will have more detail when it originated from territories with greater central control, and close proximity to the Weald, but may originate from anywhere within the Concord.

'''Central Control -''' There may only be one Krahenmeister per Barony.

'''Medical Director''' - The Krahenmeister is the leader of the Crow Doktor archetype within the region they are based in. While individual Crow Doktors answer to the their own skill and knowledge, the Krahenmeister is understood to be their leader, being owed their respect and deference. Their appropriate title is ‘Krahenmeister’. The Krahenmeister is a member of the Gildenrat.

'''Adjunct Limitation -''' The Krahenmeister has significant duties as the heads of their medical institutions. As such the Krahenmesiter may only undertake a special downtime action once per year. If they do undertake more than one, they are immediately removed from the title of Krahenmeister
[[File:Krahenmeister Vischerin.jpg|thumb|Krahenmeister Genfriede Vischerin]]

=== Powers of the Krahenmeister of Schloss Mortis ===
'''Mortis Gardens -''' The Krahenmeister of Schloss Mortis receives an income of herbs equivalent to a Tier 4 Herb Garden each season.

'''Cutting Edge Apothecary -''' Every Autumn Summit the Krahenmeister of Schloss Mortis may submit research for a new potion as per the rules for a Headmaster of a School of Magic.

== History ==
While Crow Doktors owe some of their history to the alchemical study of the Weald, the Krahenmeisters and the organised combating of diseases is purely a beast of necessity caused by the Blasserstreit plague. Never before had such research or central control been required, producing a whole new understanding of medicine and healing.

Only two Baronies ever had Krahenmeisters, that being the ‘Krahenmeister of the Eisen’, sometimes known as ‘The Bowman’ who oversaw the quarantine of Resinderholz from Vassertal, primarily through the use of powerful longbows to slay those who would attempt to make the crossing. There was only ever one ‘Krahenmeister of The Eisen’, a Doktor by the name of ‘Sandro Vactorin’, about whom very little is known.

The other Krahenmeister of note is the ‘Krahenmeister of Ortoentod’. Ortoentod being the foremost house of healing in Unster within the Barony of Vassertal. Ortohnetod was the first true university attempting to study the Blasserstreit, but unfortunately fell sometime in 214AE. The Krahenmeister in residence was a Crow Doktor named Kerstin Ruhibbauer, who is presumed have died within the Ortoentod.

The first Concordian Krahenmeister was elected following the reconstruction of Schloss Mortis in 226AE. The first of the position to be seen in more than a decade.

== Historic Krahenmeisters ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Krahenmeister of Schloss Mortis
|Name
|Date
|-
|Genfriede Vischerin
|Autumn 226 - ''Incumbent''
|}

== Further Reading ==

* [[Crow Doktor]]
* [[Greenweald Baronies Archetypes]]

File:Krahenmeister Vischerin.jpg

2026-10-20T12:40:27Z

JHegmore:

Photo by Robyn Garner

Wealdsage

2026-10-20T12:25:41Z

JHegmore:

One of the [[Greenweald Baronies Archetypes]]

== Overview ==
The arcane is just another tool the Wealders use to protect themselves and their townships from the predations of their cursed home. Many among the Baronies have some amount of a gift with spells and many more will force the matter through arcane training. Over time numerous small arcane traditions have sprung up in different Baronies, but none are so widespread or as influential as the Wealdsages.

Wealdsages learn the magic of the Weald itself, the magic of curses and of monsters. While they cannot wield such magic themselves, the knowing of it informs their lives and their power. When fire, steel, prayer, and bravery do not work, the Wealders turn to Wealdsages, those that know the woods and can speak in the language of roots and hatred. It is Wealdsages who adorn the brows of babes with foul runes to placate a curse, it is Wealdsages who mix the ichor to ward off the great beast, or draw it in. It is a Wealdsage who wanders the deepest paths that bend the light, to give offering and plead for mercy.

But it is also this knowledge and burden that festoon Wealdsages with distrust. The Greenweald is a corrupting influence. Many believe they could control it. Some others believe they can join it and live in unity. All who are lost to the wood are gone, and all become enemies of the Baronies when they do so. To become the hunted prey of a Houndpriest or Huntsmarshall. And so all Wealdsages must walk this fine line between knowledge and damnation.
[[File:Wealdsage Hildegard Battlemage.jpg|thumb|436x436px|Not all Wealdsages take the field of battle just to heal.]]

== Need: ==
'''Magus'''

Arcane magic is the core of a Wealdsages abilities and to do their work without it is folly.

== Recommended: ==
'''Apothecary / Mender / Artisan'''

A Wealdsage’s specialty in the arcane could lead them to diversify, either by influence of their Mentor or a profession held prior to becoming a Wealdsage.

== Shouldn't: ==
'''Divine Lore (Any)'''

The forest can feel the presence of the Spheres and those close to them. It is the shining light that lights the way for the Baronies. But for the Wealdsages it can be a brightness that washes out their attempts at diplomacy and learning. While they must be faithful followers of the Spheres (one of the first signs of corruption is turning away from them), they cannot be miracle workers.

== Costume Marker: ==

==== '''Weald Totems''' ====
Like a hunter garbing themselves in camouflage, Wealdsages adorn their form with tiny fetishes and totems. While not perfect in their obscuring manner, these Weald Totems are the beginning of their dialogue with the forest. They also act as an example of the Wealdsages expertise. A Wealdsage that specialises in monster lore may be adorned with pieces of alchemically treated bone or foul-smelling bulbs of fluid. One that specialises in curses may cover themselves in haunted objects, such as soil from a looted grave or a piece of flagstone from a ruined church. Those that treaty with fae may keep small objects of whimsy such as bells, tiny toy animals, or children's teeth. The volume of totems also goes far to demonstrate a Wealdsages experience, as they tend to accrue them over time.

==== The Heartmarker ====
However, there is one small totem that is different from all others. This Heartmarker is a private thing, not for the eyes of the Weald. It is a grounding rod that helps the Wealdsage avoid the allure of corruption. For some it may be a reminder of a family (such as a child's ribbon or parents jewelry), it may be a reminder of patriotism (a Baron's writ or a scrap of banner) or perhaps it is a shard of The Spheres (a tiny holy symbol or icon). It is this item that reminds the Wealdsage of what binds them to the Realms of mortal humanity.

But such Heartmarkers cannot be taken with a Wealdsage when they complete their work. The forest would know such items and see their bearer's actions as treachery. So Wealdsages will often leave their Heartmarkers with trusted friends, churches or officials, to be reclaimed when they return and prove loyalty. A Wealdsage never returning for their Heartmaker would be a sure sign of corruption. Often these individuals who are entrusted with a Heartmarker will closely monitor how the Wealdsage interacts with their Heartmarker upon being reunited with it. A disinterested or flippant attitude would be cause for concern.

== History: ==
The history of Wealdsages is less about them and more about their acceptance into the life of the Baronies. For there have always been those drawn in by the whispers of the forest. Early on in settlement by the would-be Wealders, those who were lured into the forest were often lured fully and completely. It was not until after many generations, well after the Baronies were established, that a role began to appear within many settlements concurrently. The wise sage, often aged enough to notice patterns in the forests predation. These sages would continue to advise their people and when the time came they would be the ones who would have to entreat with the curse, monster, or malady that had befallen them, as their advanced age would mean failure-induced death would be felt less harshly by the settlement.

However when they died, and countless of them have and will, their knowledge was lost. Those wisest among them began to take apprentices, passing on the accrued knowledge of years. In doing so, a sacrificial caste was created. Those whose very expertise causes them to be expendable, but also essential when all other methods fail.

Over the centuries, Wealdsages have become a part of life, with most settlements of not having one with perhaps an apprentice or two. Some Wealdsages have risen to prominence such as Niocresso Talins, a Lerona Mere-born arcanist who assisted with the construction of the Barons Road in Resinderholz by defeating a curse that caused all who worked on the road to grow blind. Santimayer Drolk was a Wealdsage from Ritterswald Barony that redirected a migration of Acrid Graalbeasts from the capitol. Drolk would fall to corruption a season later, murdering Baronness Pamela Westinbrock as she feasted and attempted to throw open the gates of the city for the woods before being slain by a Houndspriest.
[[File:Wealdsage Kestrel.jpg|left|thumb|434x434px|Wealdsages are slowly regaining knowledge lost to them since The Night of Silver Blood, for better or worse.]]

== Becoming a Wealdsage: ==
There has been a slow rebuilding of knowledge for Wealdsages following The Night of Silver Blood in 183AE, when a lot of material was lost with the burning of records at the hands of Houndspriests from Chapters Anselma and Benedikt. However, just enough experienced Wealdsages remain on the fringes of the Weald to reintroduce the ways things once were, and how new Wealdsages are brought into the fold.

The path to becoming a Wealdsage is not as straightforward or structured as other Guilds. Wealdsages are rarely recruited. The calling to become a Wealdsage often happens in a quiet moment or a bloody incident. A sacrifice made to appease a cruel fae has a mage curious to learn more about the work, or someone who has always heard the forest whispering into their ear and one day gains the ability to whisper back.

Whatever the calling, a mage of the Weald will seek out or cross paths with a fully fledged Wealdsage and become their Apprentice. It is rare for a Wealdsage to be mentoring more than one Apprentice at a time because of the intense bond and constant scrutiny involved. A Wealdsage needs to be certain that they are not simply leading weakwilled souls to become a free meal to the Weald. Because of this, the relationship dynamic between a Mentor and Apprentice can vary wildly from controlling and manipulative to deep mutual trust and respect - but notably this is a close connection forged that will last a lifetime and change both parties, for better or worse. Because Mentors are hard to find, it would be notable for a Wealdsage and their Apprentice to cease their apprenticeship, no matter how strained the relationship becomes.

During their Apprenticeship, rather than a series of trials or examinations, the Mentor will guide their Apprentice through a series of sacrifices. These sacrifices have no strict order or timeline, and are left to the Mentor to decide upon when their Apprentice is ready or force them to undertake them even if they are not. A Mentor could keep an Apprentice for years before recognizing them as an equal, or they could recognize an Apprentice as a Wealdsage in mere months if they have proven themself.

The Sacrifices that all Wealdsages make are as follows.

==== '''Sacrifice of Body''' ====
This is the pain and suffering that all Wealdsages know well. This is the giving of blood, bone and flesh to the Weald as a form of bargaining, placation or display of willingness to parlay. A fully fledged Wealdsage should be eyed with suspicion if they have all of their fingers and toes. An Apprentice needs to prove that they will not hesitate to carve pieces off themselves or others in order to ensure the work is done.

This is the easiest of the Sacrifices for Mentors to guide, or even force, their Apprentices to undertake. Mentors often use this Sacrifice as a testing method to see if an Apprentice is worth their time. Apprentices may recall their Mentor leaving them locked in a room with nothing but a blade and telling them that the door will not open until something has been removed.

==== '''Sacrifice of Humanity''' ====
Apprentices frequently mistake the Sacrifice of Humanity with the Sacrifice of Body, but they are not the same. While the Sacrifice of Body is about what you give to the Weald, the Sacrifice of Humanity is about what the Weald does to you.

This is the slow crawling influence of the Weald on a Wealdsage's soul and the ways in which it manifests over time. This Sacrifice is less of an Apprentice taking a specific action, but reckoning with the horror that they are being irreversibly changed in ways they cannot control. Notably, this Sacrifice of Humanity could involve the forging of a Pact with an entity of the Weald, for these Pacts are never made without leaving their mark.

An Apprentice has no say in the way that their humanity is affected, and are purely subjected to whatever cruelty the Weald has decided to inflict upon them. This could be Wealdmarkings manifesting on the skin or seeping from the eyes, nose, ears or mouth. This could be discolouration of the fingers, losing fingernails, hair or senses. This could even be growths forming on the body.

Some Wealdsages feel the loss of humanity in behaviours and habits undertaken without consciousness. Apprentices may feel compelled to wear elements of the Weald, dress themselves in bark, moss or leaves, or adorn themselves in totems crafted from the forest.

More than any other, it is the Sacrifice of Humanity that feeds the suspicions following Wealdsages wherever they go.

==== '''Sacrifice of Community''' ====
To become a Wealdsage is to accept a life on the fringes of society. Wealdsages are the last welcomed to the Hearth and also the closest observed when presenting themselves to the blessed flames. To complete the Sacrifice of Community, an Apprentice needs to prove that they have been cast out from society in a way that is truly a detriment to their life. Sacrificing a relationship where bonds are already strained is not notable.

Apprentices will often present themself in some way as a Wealdsage in training and then receive the consequences of doing so. They could be banished from their Haven by their Hargrave, forbidden from returning to their family home, shunned from the Church that they regularly communion or turned away by a romantic partner. Whatever form the Sacrifice of Community takes, it needs to be agonizing and unsalvageable.

An Apprentice that has the Sacrifice of Community as their final step to becoming a Wealdsage can often hesitate and resist severing themselves from close connections. It is not uncommon for a Mentor to reveal their Apprentice unwillingly to force this final Sacrifice, even at the risk of damaging the relationship between Mentor and Apprentice. A good Wealdsage knows that good Wealdsages need to exist for the Baronies to survive.

== Three Things Wealdsages Are: ==

==== '''Arcane knowledge carried heavily''' ====
A Wealdsages craft is knowing the secrets of the woods. They learn the secret paths, the ways the woods speak and they refine that knowledge. They trade it with other Wealdsages, with other arcanists and they try to arm themselves for every cursebreaking, beastspeaking or faecharming. But they also know that these sparks of understanding are the keys that unlock doors that should remain shut.

==== '''A part apart from others''' ====
Wealdsages are a key aspect of life in the Baronies. But their craft means that they are a step apart from much of society. To children, they are the strange boogeymen that live on the outskirts of town and feed children to their fae brides if they don’t eat their greens. To adults they are necessary dangers that they understand but avoid. To leaders, they are trusted advisors in dark times. To Houndspriests, they are disasters waiting to happen. To priests, they are a private flock that cannot be ministered on church grounds, lest it taint their arboreal diplomacy.

==== '''Sacrifice of skill''' ====
The strange nature of their work is that when all else fails, the Wealdsage is the last offering. When all other methods fail their final words are ‘Take me instead!’. This knowledge pushes their drive to be better, to be more knowledgeable. But also an amount of black humour and patriotism, why else would they pursue such a trade?

== Two Things Wealdsages Aren't: ==

==== '''Druid Hippies''' ====
Your task is to learn the language of an evil forest and the things that are inside it so that you can, if it comes to it, attempt to mollify it before its eats everything you’ve ever known. While a certain amount of Radaghast the Brown is likely to occur, you are likely a rather devout person who is doing their best to work under great pressure, rather than flippant friend of the forest.

==== Outwardly Faithful ====
Although you must hold the Spheres close to your heart in order to fend off corruption, Wealdsages cannot show their faith prominently. Wearing symbols of the Spheres, attending Ceremonies, and seeking blessing from a Priest are important, but the Weald will smell the Spheres influence on you, and refuse to parlay until you can win back their favour.

=== Further Reading: ===

* [[Sage Superior]]
* [[Greenweald Baronies]]

Wealdsage

2026-10-20T12:22:52Z

JHegmore:

One of the [[Greenweald Baronies Archetypes]]

== Overview ==
The arcane is just another tool the Wealders use to protect themselves and their townships from the predations of their cursed home. Many among the Baronies have some amount of a gift with spells and many more will force the matter through arcane training. Over time numerous small arcane traditions have sprung up in different Baronies, but none are so widespread or as influential as the Wealdsages.

Wealdsages learn the magic of the Weald itself, the magic of curses and of monsters. While they cannot wield such magic themselves, the knowing of it informs their lives and their power. When fire, steel, prayer, and bravery do not work, the Wealders turn to Wealdsages, those that know the woods and can speak in the language of roots and hatred. It is Wealdsages who adorn the brows of babes with foul runes to placate a curse, it is Wealdsages who mix the ichor to ward off the great beast, or draw it in. It is a Wealdsage who wanders the deepest paths that bend the light, to give offering and plead for mercy.

But it is also this knowledge and burden that festoon Wealdsages with distrust. The Greenweald is a corrupting influence. Many believe they could control it. Some others believe they can join it and live in unity. All who are lost to the wood are gone, and all become enemies of the Baronies when they do so. To become the hunted prey of a Houndpriest or Huntsmarshall. And so all Wealdsages must walk this fine line between knowledge and damnation.
[[File:Wealdsage Hildegard Battlemage.jpg|thumb|436x436px|Not all Wealdsages take the field of battle just to heal.]]

== Need: ==
'''Magus'''

Arcane magic is the core of a Wealdsages abilities and to do their work without it is folly.

== Recommended: ==
'''Apothecary / Mender / Artisan'''

A Wealdsage’s specialty in the arcane could lead them to diversify, either by influence of their Mentor or a profession held prior to becoming a Wealdsage.

== Shouldn't: ==
'''Divine Lore (Any)'''

The forest can feel the presence of the Spheres and those close to them. It is the shining light that lights the way for the Baronies. But for the Wealdsages it can be a brightness that washes out their attempts at diplomacy and learning. While they must be faithful followers of the Spheres (one of the first signs of corruption is turning away from them), they cannot be miracle workers.

== Costume Marker: ==

==== '''Weald Totems''' ====
Like a hunter garbing themselves in camouflage, Wealdsages adorn their form with tiny fetishes and totems. While not perfect in their obscuring manner, these Weald Totems are the beginning of their dialogue with the forest. They also act as an example of the Wealdsages expertise. A Wealdsage that specialises in monster lore may be adorned with pieces of alchemically treated bone or foul-smelling bulbs of fluid. One that specialises in curses may cover themselves in haunted objects, such as soil from a looted grave or a piece of flagstone from a ruined church. Those that treaty with fae may keep small objects of whimsy such as bells, tiny toy animals, or children's teeth. The volume of totems also goes far to demonstrate a Wealdsages experience, as they tend to accrue them over time.

==== The Heartmarker ====
However, there is one small totem that is different from all others. This Heartmarker is a private thing, not for the eyes of the Weald. It is a grounding rod that helps the Wealdsage avoid the allure of corruption. For some it may be a reminder of a family (such as a child's ribbon or parents jewelry), it may be a reminder of patriotism (a Baron's writ or a scrap of banner) or perhaps it is a shard of The Spheres (a tiny holy symbol or icon). It is this item that reminds the Wealdsage of what binds them to the Realms of mortal humanity.

But such Heartmarkers cannot be taken with a Wealdsage when they complete their work. The forest would know such items and see their bearer's actions as treachery. So Wealdsages will often leave their Heartmarkers with trusted friends, churches or officials, to be reclaimed when they return and prove loyalty. A Wealdsage never returning for their Heartmaker would be a sure sign of corruption. Often these individuals who are entrusted with a Heartmarker will closely monitor how the Wealdsage interacts with their Heartmarker upon being reunited with it. A disinterested or flippant attitude would be cause for concern.

== History: ==
The history of Wealdsages is less about them and more about their acceptance into the life of the Baronies. For there have always been those drawn in by the whispers of the forest. Early on in settlement by the would-be Wealders, those who were lured into the forest were often lured fully and completely. It was not until after many generations, well after the Baronies were established, that a role began to appear within many settlements concurrently. The wise sage, often aged enough to notice patterns in the forests predation. These sages would continue to advise their people and when the time came they would be the ones who would have to entreat with the curse, monster, or malady that had befallen them, as their advanced age would mean failure-induced death would be felt less harshly by the settlement.

However when they died, and countless of them have and will, their knowledge was lost. Those wisest among them began to take apprentices, passing on the accrued knowledge of years. In doing so, a sacrificial caste was created. Those whose very expertise causes them to be expendable, but also essential when all other methods fail.

Over the centuries, Wealdsages have become a part of life, with most settlements of not having one with perhaps an apprentice or two. Some Wealdsages have risen to prominence such as Niocresso Talins, a Lerona Mere-born arcanist who assisted with the construction of the Barons Road in Resinderholz by defeating a curse that caused all who worked on the road to grow blind. Santimayer Drolk was a Wealdsage from Ritterswald Barony that redirected a migration of Acrid Graalbeasts from the capitol. Drolk would fall to corruption a season later, murdering Baronness Pamela Westinbrock as she feasted and attempted to throw open the gates of the city for the woods before being slain by a Houndspriest.
[[File:Wealdsage Kestrel.jpg|left|thumb|434x434px|Wealdsages are slowly regaining knowledge lost to them since The Night of Silver Blood, for better or worse.]]

== Becoming a Wealdsage: ==
There has been a slow rebuilding of knowledge for Wealdsages following The Night of Silver Blood in 183AE, when a lot of material was lost with the burning of records at the hands of Houndspriests from Chapters Anselma and Benedikt. However, just enough experienced Wealdsages remain on the fringes of the Weald to reintroduce the ways things once were, and how new Wealdsages are brought into the fold.

The path to becoming a Wealdsage is not as straightforward or structured as other Guilds. Wealdsages are rarely recruited. The calling to become a Wealdsage often happens in a quiet moment or a bloody incident. A sacrifice made to appease a cruel fae has a mage curious to learn more about the work, or someone who has always heard the forest whispering into their ear and one day gains the ability to whisper back.

Whatever the calling, a mage of the Weald will seek out or cross paths with a fully fledged Wealdsage and become their Apprentice. It is rare for a Wealdsage to be mentoring more than one Apprentice at a time because of the intense bond and constant scrutiny involved. A Wealdsage needs to be certain that they are not simply leading weakwilled souls to become a free meal to the Weald. Because of this, the relationship dynamic between a Mentor and Apprentice can vary wildly from controlling and manipulative to deep mutual trust and respect - but notably this is a close connection forged that will last a lifetime and change both parties, for better or worse. Because Mentors are hard to find, it would be notable for a Wealdsage and their Apprentice to cease their apprenticeship, no matter how strained the relationship becomes.

During their Apprenticeship, rather than a series of trials or examinations, the Mentor will guide their Apprentice through a series of sacrifices. These sacrifices have no strict order or timeline, and are left to the Mentor to decide upon when their Apprentice is ready or force them to undertake them even if they are not. A Mentor could keep an Apprentice for years before recognizing them as an equal, or they could recognize an Apprentice as a Wealdsage in mere months if they have proven themself.

The Sacrifices that all Wealdsages make are as follows.

==== '''Sacrifice of Body''' ====
This is the pain and suffering that all Wealdsages know well. This is the giving of blood, bone and flesh to the Weald as a form of bargaining, placation or display of willingness to parlay. A fully fledged Wealdsage should be eyed with suspicion if they have all of their fingers and toes. An Apprentice needs to prove that they will not hesitate to carve pieces off themselves or others in order to ensure the work is done.

This is the easiest of the Sacrifices for Mentors to guide, or even force, their Apprentices to undertake. Mentors often use this Sacrifice as a testing method to see if an Apprentice is worth their time. Apprentices may recall their Mentor leaving them locked in a room with nothing but a blade and telling them that the door will not open until something has been removed.

==== '''Sacrifice of Humanity''' ====
Apprentices frequently mistake the Sacrifice of Humanity with the Sacrifice of Body, but they are not the same. While the Sacrifice of Body is about what you give to the Weald, the Sacrifice of Humanity is about what the Weald does to you.

This is the slow crawling influence of the Weald on a Wealdsage's soul and the ways in which it manifests over time. This Sacrifice is less of an Apprentice taking a specific action, but reckoning with the horror that they are being irreversibly changed in ways they cannot control. Notably, this Sacrifice of Humanity could involve the forging of a Pact with an entity of the Weald, for these Pacts are never made without leaving their mark.

An Apprentice has no say in the way that their humanity is affected, and are purely subjected to whatever cruelty the Weald has decided to inflict upon them. This could be Wealdmarkings manifesting on the skin or seeping from the eyes, nose, ears or mouth. This could be discolouration of the fingers, losing fingernails, hair or senses. This could even be growths forming on the body.

Some Wealdsages feel the loss of humanity in behaviours and habits undertaken without consciousness. Apprentices may feel compelled to wear elements of the Weald, dress themselves in bark, moss or leaves, or adorn themselves in totems crafted from the forest.

More than any other, it is the Sacrifice of Humanity that feeds the suspicions following Wealdsages wherever they go.

==== '''Sacrifice of Community''' ====
To become a Wealdsage is to accept a life on the fringes of society. Wealdsages are the last welcomed to the Hearth and also the closest observed when presenting themselves to the blessed flames. To complete the Sacrifice of Community, an Apprentice needs to prove that they have been cast out from society in a way that is truly a detriment to their life. Sacrificing a relationship where bonds are already strained is not notable.

Apprentices will often present themself in some way as a Wealdsage in training and then receive the consequences of doing so. They could be banished from their Haven by their Hargrave, forbidden from returning to their family home, shunned from the Church that they regularly communion or turned away by a romantic partner. Whatever form the Sacrifice of Community takes, it needs to be agonizing and unsalvageable.

An Apprentice that has the Sacrifice of Community as their final step to becoming a Wealdsage can often hesitate and resist severing themselves from close connections. It is not uncommon for a Mentor to reveal their Apprentice unwillingly to force this final Sacrifice, even at the risk of damaging the relationship between Mentor and Apprentice. A good Wealdsage knows that good Wealdsages need to exist for the Baronies to survive.

== Three Things Wealdsages Are: ==

==== '''Arcane knowledge carried heavily''' ====
A Wealdsages craft is knowing the secrets of the woods. They learn the secret paths, the ways the woods speak and they refine that knowledge. They trade it with other Wealdsages, with other arcanists and they try to arm themselves for every cursebreaking, beastspeaking or faecharming. But they also know that these sparks of understanding are the keys that unlock doors that should remain shut.

==== '''A part apart from others''' ====
Wealdsages are a key aspect of life in the Baronies. But their craft means that they are a step apart from much of society. To children, they are the strange boogeymen that live on the outskirts of town and feed children to their fae brides if they don’t eat their greens. To adults they necessary dangers that they understand but avoid. To leaders, they are trusted advisors in dark times. To Houndspriests, they are disasters waiting to happen. To priests, they are a private flock that cannot be ministered on church grounds, lest it taint their arboreal diplomacy.

==== '''Sacrifice of skill''' ====
The strange nature of their work is that when all else fails, the Wealdsage is the last offering. When all other methods fail their final words are ‘Take me instead!’. This knowledge pushes their drive to be better, to be more knowledgeable. But also an amount of black humour and patriotism, why else would they pursue such a trade?

== Two Things Wealdsages Aren't: ==

==== '''Druid Hippies''' ====
Your task is to learn the language of an evil forest and the things that are inside it so that you can, if it comes to it, attempt to mollify it before its eats everything you’ve ever known. While a certain amount of Radaghast the Brown is likely to occur, you are likely a rather devout person who is doing their best to work under great pressure, rather than flippant friend of the forest.

==== Outwardly Faithful ====
Although you must hold the Spheres close to your heart in order to fend off corruption, Wealdsages cannot show their faith prominently. Wearing symbols of the Spheres, attending Ceremonies, and seeking blessing from a Priest are important, but the Weald will smell the Spheres influence on you, and refuse to parlay until you can win back their favour.

=== Further Reading: ===

* [[Sage Superior]]
* [[Greenweald Baronies]]

Wealdsage

2026-10-20T11:58:45Z

JHegmore: Added "Becoming a Wealdsage"

One of the [[Greenweald Baronies Archetypes]]

== Overview ==
The arcane is just another tool the Wealders use to protect themselves and their townships from the predations of their cursed home. Many among the Baronies have some amount of a gift with spells and many more will force the matter through arcane training. Over time numerous small arcane traditions have sprung up in different Baronies, but none are so widespread or as influential as the Wealdsages.

Wealdsages learn the magic of the Weald itself, the magic of curses and of monsters. While they cannot wield such magic themselves, the knowing of it informs their lives and their power. When fire, steel, prayer, and bravery do not work, the Wealders turn to Wealdsages, those that know the woods and can speak in the language of roots and hatred. It is Wealdsages who adorn the brows of babes with foul runes to placate a curse, it is Wealdsages who mix the ichor to ward off the great beast, or draw it in. It is a Wealdsage who wanders the deepest paths that bend the light, to give offering and plead for mercy.

But it is also this knowledge and burden that festoon Wealdsages with distrust. The Greenweald is a corrupting influence. Many believe they could control it. Some others believe they can join it and live in unity. All who are lost to the wood are gone, and all become enemies of the Baronies when they do so. To become the hunted prey of a Houndpriest or Huntsmarshall. And so all Wealdsages must walk this fine line between knowledge and damnation.
[[File:Wealdsage Hildegard Battlemage.jpg|thumb|436x436px|Not all Wealdsages take the field of battle just to heal.]]

== Need: ==
'''Magus'''

Arcane magic is the core of a Wealdsages abilities and to do their work without it is folly.

== Recommended: ==
'''Apothecary / Mender / Artisan'''

A Wealdsage’s specialty in the arcane could lead them to diversify, either by influence of their Mentor or a profession held prior to becoming a Wealdsage.

== Shouldn't: ==
'''Divine Lore (Any)'''

The forest can feel the presence of the Spheres and those close to them. It is the shining light that lights the way for the Baronies. But for the Wealdsages it can be a brightness that washes out their attempts at diplomacy and learning. While they must be faithful followers of the Spheres (one of the first signs of corruption is turning away from them), they cannot be miracle workers.

== Costume Marker: ==

==== '''Weald Totems''' ====
Like a hunter garbing themselves in camouflage, Wealdsages adorn their form with tiny fetishes and totems. While not perfect in their obscuring manner, these Weald Totems are the beginning of their dialogue with the forest. They also act as an example of the Wealdsages expertise. A Wealdsage that specialises in monster lore may be adorned with pieces of alchemically treated bone or foul-smelling bulbs of fluid. One that specialises in curses may cover themselves in haunted objects, such as soil from a looted grave or a piece of flagstone from a ruined church. Those that treaty with fae may keep small objects of whimsy such as bells, tiny toy animals, or children's teeth. The volume of totems also goes far to demonstrate a Wealdsages experience, as they tend to accrue them over time.

==== The Heartmarker ====
However, there is one small totem that is different from all others. This Heartmarker is a private thing, not for the eyes of the Weald. It is a grounding rod that helps the Wealdsage avoid the allure of corruption. For some it may be a reminder of a family (such as a child's ribbon or parents jewelry), it may be a reminder of patriotism (a Baron's writ or a scrap of banner) or perhaps it is a shard of The Spheres (a tiny holy symbol or icon). It is this item that reminds the Wealdsage of what binds them to the Realms of mortal humanity.

But such Heartmarkers cannot be taken with a Wealdsage when they complete their work. The forest would know such items and see their bearer's actions as treachery. So Wealdsages will often leave their Heartmarkers with trusted friends, churches or officials, to be reclaimed when they return and prove loyalty. A Wealdsage never returning for their Heartmaker would be a sure sign of corruption. Often these individuals who are entrusted with a Heartmarker will closely monitor how the Wealdsage interacts with their Heartmarker upon being reunited with it. A disinterested or flippant attitude would be cause for concern.

== History: ==
The history of Wealdsages is less about them and more about their acceptance into the life of the Baronies. For there have always been those drawn in by the whispers of the forest. Early on in settlement by the would-be Wealders, those who were lured into the forest were often lured fully and completely. It was not until after many generations, well after the Baronies were established, that a role began to appear within many settlements concurrently. The wise sage, often aged enough to notice patterns in the forests predation. These sages would continue to advise their people and when the time came they would be the ones who would have to entreat with the curse, monster, or malady that had befallen them, as their advanced age would mean failure-induced death would be felt less harshly by the settlement.

However when they died, and countless of them have and will, their knowledge was lost. Those wisest among them began to take apprentices, passing on the accrued knowledge of years. In doing so, a sacrificial caste was created. Those whose very expertise causes them to be expendable, but also essential when all other methods fail.

Over the centuries, Wealdsages have become a part of life, with most settlements of not having one with perhaps an apprentice or two. Some Wealdsages have risen to prominence such as Niocresso Talins, a Lerona Mere-born arcanist who assisted with the construction of the Barons Road in Resinderholz by defeating a curse that caused all who worked on the road to grow blind. Santimayer Drolk was a Wealdsage from Ritterswald Barony that redirected a migration of Acrid Graalbeasts from the capitol. Drolk would fall to corruption a season later, murdering Baronness Pamela Westinbrock as she feasted and attempted to throw open the gates of the city for the woods before being slain by a Houndspriest.
[[File:Wealdsage Kestrel.jpg|left|thumb|434x434px|Wealdsages are slowly regaining knowledge lost to them since The Night of Silver Blood, for better or worse.]]

== Becoming a Wealdsage: ==
There has been a slow rebuilding of knowledge for Wealdsages following The Night of Silver Blood in 183AE, when a lot of material was lost with the burning of records at the hands of Houndspriests from Chapters Anselma and Benedikt. However, just enough experienced Wealdsages remain on the fringes of the Weald to reintroduce the ways things once were, and how new Wealdsages are brought into the fold.

The path to becoming a Wealdsage is not as straightforward or structured as other Guilds. Wealdsages are rarely recruited. The calling to become a Wealdsage often happens in a quiet moment or a bloody incident. A sacrifice made to appease a cruel fae has a mage curious to learn more about the work, or someone who has always heard the forest whispering into their ear and one day gains the ability to whisper back.

Whatever the calling, a mage of the Weald will seek out or cross paths with a fully fledged Wealdsage and become their Apprentice. It is rare for a Wealdsage to be mentoring more than one Apprentice at a time because of the intense bond and constant scrutiny involved. A Wealdsage needs to be certain that they are not simply leading weakwilled souls to become a free meal to the Weald. Because of this, the relationship dynamic between a Mentor and Apprentice can vary wildly from controlling and manipulative to deep mutual trust and respect - but notably this is a close connection forged that will last a lifetime and change both parties, for better or worse. Because Mentors are hard to find, it would be notable for a Wealdsage and their Apprentice to cease their apprenticeship, no matter how strained the relationship becomes.

During their Apprenticeship, rather than a series of trials or examinations, the Mentor will guide their Apprentice through a series of sacrifices. These sacrifices have no strict order or timeline, and are left to the Mentor to decide upon when their Apprentice is ready or force them to undertake them even if they are not. A Mentor could keep an Apprentice for years before recognizing them as an equal, or they could recognize an Apprentice as a Wealdsage in mere months if they have proven themself.

The Sacrifices that all Wealdsages make are as follows.

==== '''Sacrifice of Body''' ====
This is the pain and suffering that all Wealdsages know well. This is the giving of blood, bone and flesh to the Weald as a form of bargaining, placation or display of willingness to parlay. A fully fledged Wealdsage should be eyed with suspicion if they have all of their fingers and toes. An Apprentice needs to prove that they will not hesitate to carve pieces off themselves or others in order to ensure the work is done.

This is the easiest of the Sacrifices for Mentors to guide, or even force, their Apprentices to undertake. Mentors often use this Sacrifice as a testing method to see if an Apprentice is worth their time. Apprentices may recall their Mentor leaving them locked in a room with nothing but a blade and telling them that the door will not open until something has been removed.

==== '''Sacrifice of Humanity''' ====
Apprentices frequently mistake the Sacrifice of Humanity with the Sacrifice of Body, but they are not the same. While the Sacrifice of Body is about what you give to the Weald, the Sacrifice of Humanity is about what the Weald does to you.

This is the slow crawling influence of the Weald on a Wealdsages soul and the ways in which it manifests overtime. This Sacrifice is less of an Apprentice taking a specific action, but reckoning with the horror that they are being irreversibly changed in ways they cannot control. Notably, this Sacrifice of Humanity could involve the forging of a Pact with an entity of the Weald, for these Pacts are never made without leaving their mark.

An Apprentice has no say in the way that their humanity is affected, and are purely subjected to whatever cruelty the Weald has decided to inflict upon them. This could be Wealdmarkings manifesting on the skin or seeping from the eyes, nose, ears or mouth. This could be discolouration of the fingers, losing fingernails, hair or senses. This could even be growths forming on the body.

Some Wealdsages feel the loss of humanity in behaviours and habits undertaken without consciousness. Apprentices may feel compelled to wear elements of the Weald, dress themselves in bark, moss or leaves, or adorn themselves in totems crafted from the forest.

More than any other, it is the Sacrifice of Humanity that feeds the suspicions following Wealdsages wherever they go.

==== '''Sacrifice of Community''' ====
To become a Wealdsage is to accept a life on the fringes of society. Wealdsages are the last welcomed to the Hearth and also the closest observed when presenting themselves to the blessed flames. To complete the Sacrifice of Community, an Apprentice needs to prove that they have been cast out from society in a way that is truly a detriment to their life. Sacrificing a relationship where bonds are already strained is not notable.

Apprentices will often present themself in some way as a Wealdsage in training and then receive the consequences of doing so. They could be banished from their Haven by their Hargrave, forbidden from returning to their family home, shunned from the Church that they regularly communion or turned away by a romantic partner. Whatever form the Sacrifice of Community takes, it needs to be agonizing and unsalvageable.

An Apprentice that has the Sacrifice of Community as their final step to becoming a Wealdsage can often hesitate and resist severing themselves from close connections. It is not uncommon for a Mentor to reveal their Apprentice unwillingly to force this final Sacrifice, even at the risk of damaging the relationship between Mentor and Apprentice. A good Wealdsage knows that good Wealdsages need to exist for the Baronies to survive.

== Three Things Wealdsages Are: ==

==== '''Arcane knowledge carried heavily''' ====
A Wealdsages craft is knowing the secrets of the woods. They learn the secret paths, the ways the woods speak and they refine that knowledge. They trade it with other Wealdsages, with other arcanists and they try to arm themselves for every cursebreaking, beastspeaking or faecharming. But they also know that these sparks of understanding are the keys that unlock doors that should remain shut.

==== '''A part apart from others''' ====
Wealdsages are a key aspect of life in the Baronies. But their craft means that they are a step apart from much of society. To children, they are the strange boogeymen that live on the outskirts of town and feed children to their fae brides if they don’t eat their greens. To adults they necessary dangers that they understand but avoid. To leaders, they are trusted advisors in dark times. To Houndspriests, they are disasters waiting to happen. To priests, they are a private flock that cannot be ministered on church grounds, lest it taint their arboreal diplomacy.

==== '''Sacrifice of skill''' ====
The strange nature of their work is that when all else fails, the Wealdsage is the last offering. When all other methods fail their final words are ‘Take me instead!’. This knowledge pushes their drive to be better, to be more knowledgeable. But also an amount of black humour and patriotism, why else would they pursue such a trade?

== Two Things Wealdsages Aren't: ==

==== '''Druid Hippies''' ====
Your task is to learn the language of an evil forest and the things that are inside it so that you can, if it comes to it, attempt to mollify it before its eats everything you’ve ever known. While a certain amount of Radaghast the Brown is likely to occur, you are likely a rather devout person who is doing their best to work under great pressure, rather than flippant friend of the forest.

==== Outwardly Faithful ====
Although you must hold the Spheres close to your heart in order to fend off corruption, Wealdsages cannot show their faith prominently. Wearing symbols of the Spheres, attending Ceremonies, and seeking blessing from a Priest are important, but the Weald will smell the Spheres influence on you, and refuse to parlay until you can win back their favour.

=== Further Reading: ===

* [[Sage Superior]]
* [[Greenweald Baronies]]

File:Wealdsage Kestrel.jpg

2026-10-20T11:54:38Z

JHegmore:

Photo by DarKSpiritPhotography

File:Wealdsage Hildegard Battlemage.jpg

2026-10-20T11:49:58Z

JHegmore:

Photo by DarKSpiritPhotography