Binding and Unbinding

Druidic magical abilities are broadly defined as variations of "binding" and "unbinding" of organic matter, including both living cells (such as those of a human body) and natural substances such as natural fiber clothing, roots, dirt, wood, and stone. This process can create or break mental or physical connections between these things, as well as alter them at the cellular (or even molecular) level to change them.

This allows Druids to accomplish such feats as forming a telepathic bond with another creature, changing the properties of herbs to achieve specific effects, cause physical objects to attract each other or even fuse, break the bonds within substances so they fall apart, and altering their own body in a variety of ways including healing wounds, shapeshifting, and enhancing their senses and physical abilities. Some who have enough experience are able to travel between realms by binding and unbinding themselves to the plane, although this requires a keystone of sorts.

Rules of Druidic Magic

• Organic Tapestry - Druids are only able to affect natural materials and living organisms.
• An It Harm None - Druidic magic cannot directly harm a living being, or the spell will kill the druid on the spot. However, the rules of druid magic do not prohibit indirect harm. So while a druid cannot target someone and force their heart to stop, they can draw strength and speed from the earth and then use a sword to cut a living opponent into pieces. A living being, in this instance, does not include vampires or other undead.
• Do What Ye Will - Harm refers to loss of life, or injuries which break bones, shed blood, or kill. Siodhachan O Suileabhain is something of a prankster and has been known to bind someone's underwear to the skin in their middle back, or to bind one person's hand to another's which causes the first person to slap the second.

Power Source: Druidic Tattoos

When an initiate undergoes the tattooing ritual to bind with Gaia, the markings open a conduit that grants them power when they are in contact with the earth. It must be direct contact, meaning a Druid may need to take their shoes off or place a hand on a natural object (such as a tree or stone monument) in order to draw power. Urban areas that are paved over or don't have any accessible contact with the earth can block the Druid's touch and hence his powers. Some Druids will lay on the ground for greater contact in order to heal their woulds more quickly.

A Druid's primary tattoo begins on the sole of one foot and goes up the entire side of their body to the shoulder, then coils down around the arm. This grants their power conduit as well as the four animal-forms that they can shapeshift into, choosen by Gaia. The tattoos have a similar "feel" between most Druids, however they are not exact duplications as Gaia helps guide the process and may choose different styles for different Druids based on what the Goddess senses in the Druid, imprints of the surrounding geography, and the Master Druid's own influence in the process.

Some Druids may choose more ink work in a modern tattoo parlor as a means of self expression or way of enhancing the visual appeal of their Druidic tattoo, however these components are visual only and do not contain Gaia's blessing. If a Druid chooses to do so, great care must be taken to ensure their core tattoo is not marred or otherwise altered as it will disrupt their power conduit. However, it is possible to receive additonal components that are imbued with her magic, if the Goddess opts to grant them a new boon.

Power Source: Power Items & Druidic Charms

Given the limitations of needing direct contact with earth, some Druids have taken to storing raw power in various pieces of jewelry in order to have emergency reserves. The quantity is limited, but can be enough to help the Druid escape harm or deal with a situation more easily. The choice of materials vary with some preferring precious metals and cut jewels, others favoring plant-based cording and unfinished gemstones. If fashioned by the Druid, the materials must occur naturally, although they can use man-made blends as long as another magic user imbues it with power.

Druidic Charms, not to be confused with normal magical charms or talismans, provide the unique function of decreasing the time it takes a Druid to cast a spell. Druidic Charms have a specific magical purpose, but do not let the Druid do something they couldn't do with a spell. It is unrealistic to create a Druidic Charm for every spell a Druid can cast, but can be extremely beneficial to accelerate commonly used spells or a few overly complex ones. For example, Siodhachan O Suileabhain had several Druidic Charms attached to his amulet as actual charms (small trinkets) that aided him:

• General magic power storage for reserves
• Camouflage of self and anyone in contact
• See magical realm - enchantments and auras
• Lightning resistence
• Healing self or another
• Shapeshifting
• Unbinding a vampire as a means of killing it

As is the way with older beings, Druids from other ages were commonly trained in martial combat, including the use of swords, polearms, and the like. A few Druids are fortunate enough to have enchanted weapons in their arsenal. On the whole there is no disdain by Druids for using magical items, however their personal devotions to Gaia heavily influence their worldly outlook and what actions their moral conscience will allow.