Durnathi

The Durnathi are ancient, sentient beings composed of living stone. Once widespread across all of Orethil, the Durnathi are now primarily found in the mountainous region of Terasil, though rare individuals or reclusive enclaves may still exist in other hidden parts of the world.

Origins and Nature

The Durnathi are believed to be among the oldest beings to walk the surface of Orethil. Formed in the deep memory of the world itself, they are not born but awakened—emerging slowly from the stone over centuries, shaped by time, magic, and silence.

Each Durnathi is unique in form, with features resembling carved statues or naturally worn formations. Their bodies are made of mineral, crystal, and stone, yet they move with a ponderous grace and possess immense physical strength.

Culture and Thought

Durnathi culture is centered on patience, memory, and balance. They see time not in days or years, but in ages. Their language is slow and resonant, often sung or vibrated through stone. It is said that when two Durnathi speak, the conversation can last for hours—or days.

They record history not in books but in veins of crystal, shifting strata, and fault lines beneath the mountains. To the Durnathi, knowledge is a geologic force.

Decline and Survival

The decline of the Durnathi presence across Orethil is attributed to ancient upheavals—wars, shifts in magical ley lines, or perhaps simply the slow erosion of their kind. Whether they are dying out or choosing retreat is unknown, for the Durnathi speak rarely of such things.

Today, they remain mostly in Terasil, where they are regarded with reverence, fear, or awe by other peoples. Some are guardians of ancient places; others slumber beneath mountains, dreaming in stillness.

Powers and Abilities

**Stoneform:** Their bodies are resistant to damage and immune to many mortal ailments.
**Geomancy:** Some Durnathi can manipulate earth and stone, especially in areas aligned with deep magic.
**Stone Memory:** They can recall events and vibrations stored in rock over millennia.
**Longevity:** They live for ages, though their perception of life and death differs greatly from other races.

In Other Regions

Though concentrated in Terasil, there are whispered accounts of lone Durnathi wanderers in the [[Ash