Races and Cultures: Edraldi
In the Empire of Splendour there is a saying 'Wherever there is tilled earth you find an Edraldi'. The Edraldi are a sentient race that intermingles with other races, commonly throughout the Empire. They are stocky, slightly shorter than humans (about 4' 6" tall on average), with broad faces, earth-brown skin and 'hair' that is more like tangled tree roots or branches. They like to live in rural areas, whether it is near cultivated farmland (as in the saying), wild woodland or mountain meadows (although they seem to dislike water-logged rice paddies).

The edraldi have mystical ties to earth, and the fertility of the soil. The presence of an edraldi community is said to increase the bounty of the harvest. The edraldi often refer to themselves as incarnate earth spirits, and their physiology is certainly strangely related to the earth. Although a living edraldi is a creature of flesh and blood, a slain one instantly turns into ordinary soil and stone. Edraldi seem to be immune to most diseases, and are strongly resistant to poisons. Some edraldi are able to eat earth and stone, others grow plants on their bodies. There are no noticable genders amongst the edraldi (and they keep their method of reproduction, as with much of their society, secret from outsiders), although observers of edraldi have noticed four different types based upon behaviour and ability, that can be differentiated by eye colour. These are commonly terms earth, stone, metal and gem edraldi.

Although they live in close proximity to humans and salsham'ai, little is known of edraldi society since they prefer to keep to themselves except for trading. Generally they are softly spoken and polite, but they are known to indulge in rituals or celebrations that involve them losing all control of their inhibitions, often emerging from their communities to cause havoc in the nearby lands. Some edraldi have become full Imperial citizens, usually as farmers, but there are a few edraldi Magisters. Edraldi dislike sea travel, and so they have not spread far beyond the Inner Continent. An offshoot, who call themselves the Ketwari can be found on the island of Or in the Hudan Technocracy. The ketwari are slightly more slender in build but otherwise identical to other edraldi. No equivalent species has been discovered in other lands, but a non-intelligent race of rock-monsters, known as Ur-edraldi can be found on Oksa and other islands in the Necklace of Plenty.


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Empire of Splendour
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ur-Edraldi

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