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Hyned Hynt, also known as the Old Path, and often erroneously called the High Hunt, is an elven druid society. It is known to be the oldest, and perhaps the first, druid society in Nora. They seek to protect all wilderness and consider even common agriculture to be outside the natural balance. They prefer to avoid bloodshed, but the more severe elements within the order are not above terroristic attacks to make their point.
The current archdruid is Elder the Second, who is held to be both ancient and wise, as well as stead-fast in his beliefs.
The members of this society hold the belief that only the elves and those with elf-blood preserve the natural balance of the world, while all other races (whether they mean to or not) can only defile that balance.
Origins
According to legend, the Hyned Hynt was created by the druid Tegtarian in order to preserve the peace and to foster a single culture between the different elven tribes.
The World Tree
The Old Path has been the guardians of Gadanbalad the world tree for over a thousand years. Greatstaff Island, on which it lies, is forbidden save for those who are expressly welcomed by the Old Order.
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Masks
Elders of the Old Path tend to wear a mask called an ysbryd. They wear this mask in order to symbolize that they no longer speak as themselves, but rather as an extension of nature itself.
Ceremonies
Many religious ceremonies were arranged to please various primal spirits of weather, trees, the hunt, engineering prowess, and fertility. There were also darker spirits that symbolized the dangers of the forest. The Old Path hold magnificent festivals of rain, sun, spring flowers, and fruits. There are also "Dark Rituals" involving bloody sacrifices. Rituals are held at night under the light of burning bonfires. Druids toss the leaves of herbs into a fire that causes vivid dreams.
Taboos
Unlike most other druid societies, the Old Path shuns all metal objects regardless of use, holding that metalworking is the foundation of corrupt technology.
The Old Path also feels arcane magic is a corruptive force that only leads to hurt the primal world.
Curiously, however, the Old Path does not have a taboo against eating the dead of humanoid races, including other elves.