Greetings, Aetherius.

The Guild of the Arboreal has a long and rich history. Looking back
through time we see the founding of Khandava. Just beyond that - as
crisp and clear as an Aerish morning - we can see the enclosed village
of Lalwan Eryn, our ancestral home and the place where our powers were
granted to us. The Goddess of the Wilds looked upon these villagers and
recognized their balance with Nature - recognized their stewardship over
their surroundings - and thus, the Arboreal was born.

That was not the beginning.

The villagers of Lalwan Eryn were the displaced herbalists of the
Academia Sylvalis, fleeing in front of the horde as it poured into these
lands. Their knowledge in the realms of Science helped them achieve the
balance that was Divinely rewarded, and this Science is as important to
our history as anything could be. When Zangrilla Sylvia began to
methodically research the effects of primrose, recording the results and
drawing the now commonly-understood conclusion of the plant's effects,
the path that led to the creation of the Guild of the Arboreal began.

We are reawakening the legacy of the Academia Sylvalis and ushering in a
new age of science and understanding.

The Arboreals will soon begin offering research grants, pending
approval, to any who wish to contribute to the scientific advancement of
Aetherius. You may write up a grant proposal and submit it to the High
Priest, who will bring the proposal before the Council of Duir for
consideration. Should it be approved, funds will be provided for a tome
and other research materials. You will be paired with an Arboreal
Scholar who will help guide you as you research your topic, and, upon
completion, you will submit a tome containing your research results to
the Guild. The Guild will distribute the findings, for free, to the
major learning centers and libraries of Aetherius. Of course, upon the
submission of the completed research, the grant will be awarded to the
researcher.

The final award granted to a researcher - who has submitted a tome
complete with findings - will be a substantial one. They will not be
easy to get. The research must be conducted using sound scientific
principle, sources must be cited, and the methodology must proveable.
However, as stated, a substantial payment will be given for a completed
project. The value these tomes will bring to Aetherius cannot be
quantified.

What effects do the moons, and their phases, have on the various aspects
of Aetherius? Is their any way to predict plant growth or account for
differences in harvest yields? Can weather patterns be predicted, and do
they have any effects other than being an annoyance? Does there exist a
complete census of Aetherius? What are the psychological effects of
prolonged war on a civilian population? Can the current sociopolitical
tensions be traced back to past events? There are many questions that
need answering.

So, if you have an idea you would like to see researched, message me
with a synopsis. Should I see potential, I will ask for a full grant
proposal and we will consider your idea for this new program. It will be
difficult and the work will be intense, but please believe me - on so
many levels, it will be well worth it.

Of course, enemies of the Arboreal Guild, and those who belong to the
Guilds of Stavenn, are excluded from this program.

Help us reawaken the spirt of the Academia Sylvalis.

In Service of Nature,
Neotaku Ryvoan Faris, High Priest of Nature

Penned by my hand on the 17th of , in the year 490 AD.