#calpina

 It’s a common thread that cultures tend to look down on other ways of living that are drastically different than their own, a sentiment universally born from ignorance and best avoided by those who profess wisdom.

One of the most common of these is between so-called “civilization” and the wild places, those living in the comfort of settlements viewing nomads and hermits, or even those living in less permanent or hardy structures as being ignorant, strange, and simple folks, while on the opposite end, such people often view city folk as frivolous, soft, and wrapped up in silly systems.

While such groups could surely come to understand each other if given the opportunity, today we will be focusing on an archetype revolving around being forged into hardy survivalists by the swamp.

There are certain parallels between this archetype and others that involve moving between the land and water, but truly these “brutish swampers” are not only the sum of their environment, but also their culture, being insular and mistrusting of deceitful city-folk ways.

 Though obviously boats are preferable, these swamp-folk are skilled at moving quickly and safely through most swampy terrain.

Almost like a ranger, they are also extremely familiar with using the swamp to their advantage in a variety of ways.

Stubborn and set in their ways, these swampers tend to be extremely resilient to being convinced or intimidated by others, making it hard to affect their outlook or opinion of others in the long run.

Rough-housing and physical contests of strength are a common pastime among such groups, so they often prove quite adept at grappling and wrestling foes, be they man or beast.

Certain rage powers prove useful to these barbarians, including those that enhance unarmed combat, make movement easier, ward them against magic, and even enhance a bit attack, should they be particularly chompy.

This archetype offers plenty of thematic fun tied to the swamp, but it also proves to have the advantage in not only marshy terrain, but also when it comes to resisting influence, as well as grappling. In their most ideal situation, these warriors engage in hand-to hand combat in swampy water, attempting to force their foe below the water’s surface to make wrasslin’ much easier.

 In a position as a hero, this archetype is just begging to be paired up with a sheltered city-dweller, one with whom they can banter with, but also learn from each other. As an antagonist, however, it can be easy to boil them down to one-note “hick villains” with no other qualities of note. It might be wise to consider how to subvert that.

  When bandits attack the carriage the princess was riding in, many assumed the worst, but a scrying spell has revealed the princess is still alive in the care of the reclusive bog people. However, when sent to retrieve her, the party discovers she doesn’t want to go back.

 The Marsh of Dissolution has always been a place favored by chaos, leading to many swampfolk therein manifesting a ganzi heritage. However, this mystical confluence has more meaning than that, for the marsh contains traces of a lost species of chaotic outsider that resemble great frogs.

Whether it is a devotion to protecting travelers, or perhaps minimizing their effect on the environment, there are some druids that serve as guardians of the roads and highways.

On the one hand, they keep travelers from taking overmuch from the environment as they travel, not to mention preventing attempts to despoil nature, or even accidental spreading of disease from far away places that local flora and fauna have no protections against.

On the other, these druids know the wilds are dangerous to the unwary, and also seek to protect those travelers in turn, watching out for bandits, predators, and monsters alike that would seek to use the roads as their hunting grounds. Places with volatile or dangerous weather might even go as far as to make sure travelers have shelter when needed.

I imagine that such druids know the value of roads in interconnecting civilization, even if such is not their charge. That being said, these druids are much more socially-oriented than most, and may offer stewardship over important roads, either those with a lot of traffic, or those that connect distant settlements together.

 Focused as they are on travel, these druids pick up certain spells not normally associated with their traditions, such as those that enhance land speed, improve one’s abilities to pick up a trail, curse a foe so nature turns against them, ward against entrapment, travel long distances instantly through plant life or to a predetermined location, magically discern the best path to a location, or travel long distances as a being of air or along a rolling wave of earth.

Those of these druids that choose mastery over a divine domain gain access to powers of Community, Liberation, Protection, Travel, or Weather, or perhaps one of the subdomains of those.

Surrounded by an aura of fleetness, these mystics cause swift travel along a road to be even faster and less taxing than it would be otherwise, extending this to fellow travelers nearby.

Veterans of travel, these druids not only can spot even the most hidden of paths, but also recognize changes in the weather with ease.

True to their nature as guardians of both travelers and of the nature they pass through, these mystics can place a minor curse on others to make roads or the wilderness nearby seem off limits, foliage seeming thicker and impassible, or roads seeming unnervingly open and uneven to the targets. While this does not outright prevent them from traveling to areas they have been warded against entering, their movements are hampered.

Interested in a druid capable of making travel downtime all the safer? This archetype is certainly useful in that regard, protecting the party and hampering foes. While their unique domain options are tempting for the rare build potential, if one were to turn away from that for an animal companion, I would pick either an animal associated with civilization, a flying critter, or something agile and mobile. Beyond those choices, I recommend a support build focused on battlefield control.

 As one might expect, most road keepers are more cosmopolitan than most other druids, which I know I’ve said about both the urban druid and indeed the river druid we covered two weeks ago. Their association with travel also means they likely have a greater appreciation with domesticated animals used for riding or pulling loads.

  In Ironbark wood, it is important to never stray off the path, and the road keepers patrol it regularly. This is due to the sheer number of malicious fey in the forest, including the ego-sapping calpina, which swarm in the spring to find prey to feed their hatching young.

 Far from his home, the trox druid known as Old Shell knows the trials and tribulations of his people, but rather than bitterness, he seeks to guide others along safe journeys. So he wanders the trails, eagerly greeting fellow travelers as long-awaited friends.