 On The Complex Nature of the Druid, With an intro by Warren Ellis |
 Mar 9 2005, 10:24 PM
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Great Dragon  Group: Members Posts: 6,748 Joined: 5-July 02 Member No.: 2,935  |
I like the many different sides of the druid in Shadowrun. Because, really, the idea of any individual being a "true" druid is insane. You take a run through fantasy and you'll hit everything from the bisexual, reincarnating bards and priestesses of Marien Zimmer Bradley to Anne Rice's "God of the Grove" vampire cult and in between. Druids were magicians. And politicians. And priests. Sometimes even bards, possibly even warriors. What else can you say about them? Well, druids make great villains. Aside from a history of it in Shadowrun (Secrets of Power #2: Choose Your Enemies Carefully!), you can make a toxic druid intent on healing th eland (and avenging its desecration) in a pinch. Whether in the ancient days of Celtic hill-forts when a Pictish shaman would whisper to the chieftan's ear; or in 2064 when the Hermetic druid, in conservative business suit, dials the Prime Minister's telecom; it's pretty easy to make a druid with the right political connections. And so on. I should mention here that all the elements of popular belief about druids today-the worship of the land, the stone circles, the oral tradition, the blood sacrifices-work damn well in Shadowrun. As they should. Hell, we've even got elven druids who believe in reincarnation! Take a step sideways with the fey, eh? Whenever you talk about druids, Merlin comes into the picture. Which I think makes sense. Purported to be the son of the devil, schooled in arcane, ancient, and/or esoteric lore, an advisor to the king, e'en a prophet...fuck, give him a harp and woad dragon tattoos on the wrists, you'll make everyone happy. I like to think of Merlin as the Quintessential Druid: mystically powerful, enigmatic, resourceful, with strong political contacts, lusty, earthy, full of common sense and big plans, willing to dirty his hands with sword or hoe, too twisted or mad to be trusted by Church or knight and too useful or powerful to be outright killed. But that's just me. |
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Posts in this topic
Ancient History On The Complex Nature of the Druid Mar 9 2005, 10:24 PM
torzzzzz If you are taking merlin as a druid then who would... Mar 9 2005, 10:24 PM kryton Maybe Merlin is a Free spirit. Duke was reborn as ... Mar 9 2005, 10:51 PM Prospero QUOTE (kryton)Druidic culture and practices don... Mar 10 2005, 01:16 AM Crimson Jack QUOTE (Prospero) We actually have almost 0 actual ... Mar 10 2005, 02:07 AM Prospero Wouldn't it though?
One of the things I wa... Mar 10 2005, 02:17 AM Synner There are a lot of uncanny parallels between the C... Mar 10 2005, 02:33 AM Ancient History QUOTE (Synner) Current Anthropological theory is t... Mar 10 2005, 09:52 AM Demosthenes And on an IRL note, it's funny how similar the... Mar 10 2005, 09:56 AM Demosthenes QUOTE (Crimson Jack) It wasn't necessarily har... Mar 10 2005, 10:18 AM torzzzzz QUOTE (Prospero) @ torzzzz: Did you mean Cu-Chulai... Mar 10 2005, 01:32 PM hermit QUOTE And on an IRL note, it's funny how simi... Mar 10 2005, 01:29 PM Critias QUOTE (Demosthenes) Ellis is perfectly happy to ac... Mar 10 2005, 01:47 PM kryton We have some knowledge about the mythology but it ... Mar 10 2005, 02:00 PM Demosthenes QUOTE (Critias) QUOTE (Demosthenes @ Mar 10 2... Mar 10 2005, 02:07 PM Dawnshadow If memory serves, most of the barrow mounds and St... Mar 10 2005, 02:16 PM Edward I have not studied the histories myself but I have... Mar 10 2005, 03:03 PM nezumi Just on Saturday I picked up a copy of Joseph Camp... Mar 10 2005, 03:21 PM audun There's also the theory that there were no Cel... Mar 10 2005, 04:31 PM Crimson Jack QUOTE (Demosthenes) Peter Beresford Ellis is an en... Mar 10 2005, 08:29 PM Weredigo QUOTE I like to think of Merlin as the Quintessent... Mar 10 2005, 08:40 PM Prospero QUOTE (audun)There's also the theory that ther... Mar 10 2005, 08:59 PM Prospero QUOTE (Weredigo)QUOTE I like to think of Merlin as... Mar 10 2005, 09:02 PM Dawnshadow Prospero:
I always thought that making all of the... Mar 10 2005, 09:36 PM Prospero QUOTE (Dawnshadow)Prospero:
I always thought that... Mar 10 2005, 10:59 PM Crimson Jack Favorite Merlins in film: Nicol Williamson in Exc... Mar 11 2005, 04:04 AM audun QUOTE (Prospero)Another cool thing to think about ... Mar 12 2005, 09:50 AM Weredigo QUOTE One of the things I was really surprised abo... Mar 12 2005, 10:43 AM
Weredigo of course is could be wrong about my beliefs... b... Mar 16 2005, 06:38 PM  |
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