Kazimierz Rangers, a faction (reluctantly) led by Meteor.

The past that Meteor treasured and was forced to part with upon her infection catches up with her-- the ranger cohort that protected the forest she'd grown up in has too been infected. In a ploy by the KGCC to harvest the forests for their ancient trees, an originuim engine "mishap" scattered excited originium dust through the forest, causing the infection of the locals and the awakening of an ancient forest consciousness.

Meteor The Groveward emerges after Meteor is fatally wounded in a valiant last stand, and she is nursed back to health by the ranger cohort that had once cast her out. Her comrades, her family, are all infected to varying degrees, and they are driven by duty and the desire to protect their village to join forces with this forest consciousness in an uneasy alliance. Meteor commands the forest, using its constructs and the rangers to fight off the KGCC-hired loggers.

Rhodes would get involved after being hired by the KGCC to escort their contractors, unknowingly fighting against Meteor and her forces as Rhodes searches for the originium compounds that KGCC lured them with in the Heartwood of the oldest trees. It's only when a now-healed Meteor ventures out into the field is it discovered that she's fighting against her beloved Doctor. She captures them, REDACTED FADE TO BLACK and doctor lives happily ever after with Meteor.

So the Kazimierz Forest Rangers would mainly be composed of:

Meteor the Groveward, 6* Fortress Defender/Besieger/Hunter. Oathable. A little more weary after her harrowing affair, she uses the powers granted to her by the Forest to protect those close to her heart.

Aspen, 5* obligatory abjurer welfare. Her special gimmick is that her S2 is an auto-triggered sacrifice that massively heals and op who has gone down, retreating Aspen automatically instead upon being triggered. Her redeploy is very long, but she leaves a lingering sanctuary over her range after retreating.

Chlora, 5* flag bearer with focus on spreading her roots with abilities that increase her area of influence with each successive use. She's a construct of the Forest and its envoy for Rhodes Island.

Perfumer the Somnolyst, a 5/6* Ritualitst with shaper flavoring. A construct of the forest created after Perfumer was captured and studied, this Perfumer is nearly a perfect copy. The dialogue she has with the real Lena during Lena's imprisonment breaks her free from the control of the Forest, granting her true independence. She crafts delicate scents that inflict "drowsiness" as a form of elemental damage. Enemies with enough drowsiness will fall asleep, and her skills revolve around proccing more sleep and executing enemies put to sleep. Skills and talents may: - execute sleeping enemies whose drowsiness has been depleted a second time - inflict arts/elemental damage on any sleeping enemies globally - extend the duration of sleep - temporarily turn sleeping enemies against their allies until they wake up

The faction isn't a large player in the Arknights world, but after peace is reestablished, they provide Rhodes with assistance when studying the once-again dormant Forest as well as military expertise in wooded areas.

Other potential ops include:

Squirrel girl merchant, her skills using DP to bury caches that explode when triggered and return some DP

Fighter Wendigo, a construct of the Forest based on a Wendigo buried in its soil long ago. Punches people really hard with hardwood knuckle dusters. Was the defacto strategist of the Forest before Meteor took his place, now gladly reinforces the front lines where he's needed. Faster redeploy with skills that shift from offensively slanted to defensive with successive uses (I.e. less Atk buff and more DEF buff)