The Forest Friend

A Forest Friend is a Ranger of very rare faith and dedication. When a Ranger becomes a Forest Friend, he or she is made responsible for the balance and well-being of all life -- both plant and animal -- in a wide geographic region, such as a specific forest, grassland, or desert.

A Forest Friend will never get lost in his own territory. Spells or powers that cause directional confusion will not prevail against a Forest Friend. Moreover, attempts to surprise or backstab a Ranger of this status will also end in failure.

Simply by concentrating, a Forest Friend can know the emotional and physical status of any plant or animal native to the territory under his are. Indeed, without concentrating, the Forest Friend is aware of the intensity and vigor of all life under his care; this awareness is best described as being able to hear a song of immense interleaving, complexity, and beauty -- a song that resides in the background of the Ranger's awareness that never repeats or grows tiresome, but instead carries in its harmony all the grace and beauty of life.

When a Ranger becomes a Forest Friend, his or her animal henchmen will live at least as long as the Ranger, even if the animal's normal lifespan would indicate otherwise. In essence, the animals stop aging when the Ranger attains Forest Friend status and only begin to age again when the Forest Friend dies.

A Ranger, drawing strength from coexistence with nature, is protected from all physical illness by that by that same coexistence. The effect of this is that the Ranger has a 70% resistance to all natural diseases and resists supernatural (accursed) diseases at a rating of 35%.

Should a Forest Friend be in the dire need, he or she can call out across the known lands for other Rangers to come and aid. This is a silent, yet beckoning call that is heard only in the minds of the recipient Rangers. The range of this call is 50 miles beyond the Forest Proper per level of the Forest Friend. It is conceivable that a powerful enough Forest Friends' awareness in this capacity might span the entire known world.

After a Ranger attains the mantle of Forest Friend, he or she soon discovers that the area of effect and duration of all of the Powers are doubled. This is especially beneficial for such powers as Turn Tidal Wave and Heal Land.

Should the laws of nature be threatened within the Forest Proper, the Forest Friend can attempt-- by willpower -- to force back or neutralize chaotic or destructive supernatural forces.

In effect, the Forest Friend can force spirit combat against any entity using chaotic or necromantic powers at +4 to Willpower.

Should a Forest Friend leave his protectorate for more than one full year, he or she forfeits the title or Forest Friend and becomes once more simply a Ranger. It is only possible to regain status as Forest friend if the Ranger completes a dangerous quest that directly benefits nature, gains one level of experience, and gains one point of Faith.