The Emerald Enclave
“The Balance of Nature Must Be Preserved”
Overview
The Emerald Enclave is a far-reaching network of wilderness survivalists, druids, rangers, and nature-worshipers who have pledged to protect the natural world from those who would exploit or destroy it. They are the voice of the wild places, speaking for the forests, mountains, and creatures that cannot speak for themselves.
Unlike the Order of the Gauntlet’s crusade against evil or the Lord’s Alliance’s concern with civilization, the Enclave’s primary loyalty is to nature itself—and to the delicate balance between the civilized and the wild.
Founding and Philosophy
The Emerald Enclave has ancient roots, predating most modern factions. It was reformed in recent centuries to combat increasing threats to the natural world: rampant deforestation, elemental corruption, unnatural plagues, and the expansion of civilization into sacred lands.
Core Beliefs:
- Nature is not a resource to be exploited—it is a living system that must be respected
- Balance must be maintained between civilization and wilderness
- Natural cycles (life, death, growth, decay) are sacred and must not be disrupted
- The strong protect the weak, but nature itself is neither good nor evil
- Those who corrupt or destroy nature must be stopped
Not Anti-Civilization: The Enclave recognizes that humanoid settlements are part of the natural order. They do not seek to destroy cities or drive people back into caves. Instead, they oppose excess—the lumber baron who clear-cuts an entire forest, the wizard who poisons a river with alchemical waste, the cult that awakens a slumbering primordial.
Structure and Organization
The Enclave is decentralized by design, operating more like a network than a hierarchy:
Leadership:
- Elder Circle - Archduids and master rangers who meet rarely to discuss major threats
- Regional Guardians - Experienced members who coordinate efforts in specific areas
Members:
- Watchers - Full members who have proven their dedication
- Springblades - Initiates learning the ways of the Enclave
- Affiliated Circles - Independent druid groves and ranger bands aligned with the Enclave’s goals
There is no central headquarters. The Enclave meets in sacred groves, ancient forests, and wild places. Communication happens through natural messengers—animals, plants, and magical means.
Who Serves the Enclave
- Druids - The spiritual core of the Enclave, wielding primal magic
- Rangers - Scouts and protectors of the borderlands between civilization and wilderness
- Barbarian Tribes - Some tribal warriors who revere nature ally with the Enclave
- Hermits and Wilderness Guides - Solitary individuals who know the deep places
- Nature Clerics - Those who worship gods of the natural world
- Awakened Beasts - Magically sentient animals who serve as agents and allies
Goals and Methods
Primary Objectives:
- Protect sacred groves, ancient forests, and pristine wilderness
- Combat unnatural threats (aberrations, undead plagues, elemental corruption)
- Restore lands damaged by civilization or dark magic
- Maintain the balance between predator and prey, growth and decay
- Stop those who would exploit nature beyond sustainability
- Preserve knowledge of the natural world and its secrets
How They Operate: The Enclave prefers subtle action—preventing problems before they start, guiding events from the shadows, and working through natural forces rather than direct confrontation.
When necessary, they can be devastating. A druid who calls down lightning or summons beasts is not to be trifled with, and rangers who know every trail and ambush point are deadly opponents on their home ground.
Reputation and Perception
Among Rural Folk: The Enclave is respected, if not fully understood. Farmers and hunters know that the druids keep darker things at bay and that rangers patrol dangerous borders. They are seen as eccentric but helpful.
Among City Dwellers: Mysterious, perhaps superstitious. Urban folk rarely encounter the Enclave and may view them as backwards or irrelevant to “civilized” concerns.
Among Loggers and Miners: Feared and resented. Those who make their living extracting natural resources see the Enclave as an obstacle to profit.
Among Other Factions:
- The Order of the Gauntlet sometimes clashes with the Enclave when “destroying evil” means killing natural creatures
- The Lord’s Alliance views them warily—useful for dealing with natural threats, but potentially obstructive to expansion
- The Harpers generally get along well, as both prefer working quietly
Current State (1491 DR)
The Enclave has been increasingly active as unnatural threats multiply across Faerûn. Demonic corruption, undead plagues that blight the land, and reckless exploitation of magical resources have all drawn their attention.
On the Sword Coast, they are particularly active in:
- The High Forest - Ancient woodlands under threat
- The Sword Mountains - Monitoring elemental disturbances
- Neverwinter Wood - Cleansing lingering corruption from the Ruining
- The frontier around Phandalin - Keeping watch over ruins and wild places
What the Enclave Wants from Adventurers
The Emerald Enclave seeks capable individuals for tasks such as:
- Investigate corruption or blight in a forest
- Stop loggers or miners from desecrating sacred sites
- Deal with unnatural creatures (aberrations, corrupted beasts)
- Recover druidic artifacts from dangerous ruins
- Mediate between a settlement and angry natural forces
- Cleanse elemental corruption or undead contamination
- Protect endangered species or sacred groves
The Enclave rarely pays in gold—their rewards tend to be knowledge, magical herbs, druidic blessings, or safe passage through dangerous wilderness.
Allies and Rivals
Allies:
- Druid circles and nature priests
- Tribal communities living in harmony with nature
- Individual rangers and wilderness guides
- The Harpers - When goals align
- Some members of The Lord’s Alliance who value conservation
Rivals:
- Exploitative merchants and resource barons
- The Zhentarim - Their greed often leads to environmental destruction
- Sometimes The Order of the Gauntlet - Over methods and definitions of “evil”
Enemies:
- Those who corrupt nature with dark magic
- Demon cults that blight the land
- Undead plagues that poison soil and water
- Cults seeking to awaken destructive primordials
- Anyone who would burn a sacred grove or poison a river for profit
Symbol and Recognition
The Enclave’s symbol is a green leaf or tree within a circle, representing the cycle of nature and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Members often wear green and brown, carry staves or living wood tokens, and may be accompanied by animal companions. Some bear tattoos of vines, leaves, or animals sacred to their patron deity.
The Balance
The Enclave’s philosophy of balance can be difficult for outsiders to understand. They will defend a village from a rampaging monster, but may also stop hunters from driving a predator species to extinction. They will help farmers survive a drought, but oppose a dam that would destroy an entire ecosystem.
They see the long view—not just this year’s harvest, but the health of the land for generations to come.
For those who respect nature and seek to live in harmony with it, the Emerald Enclave is a valuable ally. For those who see the wilderness as merely a resource to be extracted, they are a formidable obstacle.
Related: Factions, The Order of the Gauntlet, Sword Mountains, Neverwinter