Across the continents, irritation toward the druids was not uncommon.
They were too zealous. Too... different.
It wasn't just their doctrines—it was their unwavering protectiveness of nature. The creatures that inhabited it. The wild places others sought to tame or harvest, the druids vowed to defend with their lives.
More than that, they didn't merely coexist with nature—they melded with it.
They reshaped themselves, both body and spirit, to better understand the creatures they protected. Some took on the forms of beasts—wolves, birds, reptiles—losing their humanoid shape entirely for seasons at a time. Others built their homes within the dens of wild animals, sharing space with them like family.
To outsiders, it was... unsettling.
Their bond with nature wasn't just mystical—it was deeply personal, deeply emotional.
And among the creatures most fiercely guarded by the druids were the Beast Kings.
