Duranthi: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:10, 6 April 2025

Duranthi

Plural	Duranthi
Classification	History and Memory Born
Homeland	Terasil
Average Height	8 tall tall
Average Lifespan	200-300 years
Factions	Council of Stone

Duranthi are earth born humans beings native to Terasil, formed from the coalesced consciousness of earth and creativity. Their society is grounded in principles of endurance, stillness, and slow transformation, which shape all aspects of their culture and worldview.

Biology and Physical Traits

Duranthi are semi-mineralized human beings whose physiology reflects the influence of Oras and the spiritual memory embedded in the landscape of Terasil. They are marked by their dense, stone-like skin and long lifespans.

Stone-Skin Gradient: Duranthi who live near the Citadel Mountains—especially around Kar-Thal—tend to develop pronounced geological features, including hardened dermal plates, mineral inclusions, and angular facial structures. Those born or raised farther from the mountains exhibit more human-like skin with subtle stone textures or colorations. This **gradient of stoniness** is culturally significant and often interpreted as a sign of spiritual proximity and ancestral legitimacy.
Eidetic Memory: Many Duranthi, particularly those raised near the domain of Oras, exhibit near-total recall. This ability to retain precise civic and ancestral information is highly valued and contributes to societal continuity.
Geological Inheritance: Physical traits often correspond to local stone types—slate, basalt, quartzite—resulting in regional distinctions. While not always visible, these traits influence personal identity and social alignment.
Durability: All Duranthi exhibit high resistance to pressure, weather, and erosion. Their internal structures are dense, and their skeletal systems mineralized, allowing for long lifespans and gradual physical evolution.
Class Distinction: In traditional Duranthi society, visible stone density and refinement—such as obsidian clarity or embedded veining—are seen as signs of ancestral resonance. Though official caste divisions are discouraged, **social respect** is often unconsciously correlated to the presence of "deep stone."

Some Duranthi, known as Ancients, have endured for centuries. Many of these individuals are small, eroded, and slow-moving, their bodies worn by time but their memories intact. They are rarely seen but are revered as spiritual and civic elders.

Some Duranthi, known as Ancients, have endured for hundreds of years. These ancients are often very small due to years of erosion. These Ancients are revered for the continuity of their consciousness and the clarity of their thought.

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Culture and Society

Duranthi live in harmony with the land, guided by ancestral memory, ritual meditation, and a caste structure aligned with the natural world.

Spirituality and Beliefs

Duranthi spirituality centers around the belief that consciousness is inherent within the earth and that the slow transformation of stone reflects the deeper rhythms of existence. Their belief system is not based on divine command or revelation, but on memory and the enduring presence of the land itself.

The primary spiritual framework is the Stone Cycle—a philosophy that sees all existence as a continuous process of formation, erosion, collapse, and renewal. Rather than fearing dissolution, Duranthi embrace erosion as a sacred transition, a return to the greater whole.

They revere Oras the primordial spirit of earth, who is acknowledged as the stabilizing force and source of their essence.

Practices include:

Meditation – Tuning oneself to the memories of the surrounding stone to access ancestral memory or insight.
Communion Chambers – Cavernous spaces where Duranthi gather to harmonize with the land and one another.
Erosion Rituals – Ceremonies held for Duranthi entering decline, honoring their return to stillness rather than mourning loss. The remains of Duranthi are returned to the earth itself.

Spiritual authority is mostly decentralized. Lore keepers, the caste of spiritual historians and interpreters, guide reflection and practice through ancient inscriptions rather than doctrine. Belief is expressed through structure, not enforcement—through enduring participation in the rhythms of the land.

Mythology and Legends

The Duranthi mythic tradition includes creation, conflict, and continuity.

The Awakening

Describes the first emergence of sentient stone spirits, predating speech and form, when consciousness coalesced in silence.

The Erosion Wars

Historical conflicts of the spirits of earth, caused by external elemental intrusion and internal divergence. Their legacy is etched into Terasil’s terrain.

The Slumbering Ancients

Legends tell of colossal Ancestral spirits of earth, dormant in hidden strata, whose awakening would signal tectonic change.

The Shattered Pillar

A foundational myth centers on a monolith believed to have anchored the first consciousness. Its fragments are dispersed across Terasil.

Bibliography

Stone Echoes: Early Orasian Rituals and Records
The Measured Earth: A Geomantic History of Terasil
Before Wind and Flame: A Chronology of Isolation

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
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 {{Races Sections
-|Introduction='''Duranthi''' are earth born humans beings native to [[Terasil]], formed from the coalesced consciousness of earth and creativity. Their society is grounded in principles of endurance, stillness, and slow transformation, which shape all aspects of their culture and worldview.
+|Introduction=Duranthi are earth born humans beings native to [[Terasil]], formed from the coalesced consciousness of earth and creativity. Their society is grounded in principles of endurance, stillness, and slow transformation, which shape all aspects of their culture and worldview.
-|Biology and Physical Traits=Duranthi have skin of living stone, their bodies reflecting various types of rock. Over time, they undergo subtle changes due to erosion and mineral accretion.
+|Biology and Physical Traits=
+Duranthi are semi-mineralized human beings whose physiology reflects the influence of Oras and the spiritual memory embedded in the landscape of Terasil. They are marked by their dense, stone-like skin and long lifespans.
-* '''Living Stone''': Composed of various minerals and rock types. Body composition affects resilience and personality traits.
+* Stone-Skin Gradient: Duranthi who live near the [[Citadel Mountains]]—especially around [[Kar-Thal]]—tend to develop pronounced geological features, including hardened dermal plates, mineral inclusions, and angular facial structures. Those born or raised farther from the mountains exhibit more human-like skin with subtle stone textures or colorations. This **gradient of stoniness** is culturally significant and often interpreted as a sign of spiritual proximity and ancestral legitimacy.
-* '''Durability''': Resistant to temperature extremes, pressure, and physical damage.
+* Eidetic Memory: Many Duranthi, particularly those raised near the domain of [[Oras]], exhibit near-total recall. This ability to retain precise civic and ancestral information is highly valued and contributes to societal continuity.
-* '''Geological Variation''': Surface features vary by region.
+* Geological Inheritance: Physical traits often correspond to local stone types—slate, basalt, quartzite—resulting in regional distinctions. While not always visible, these traits influence personal identity and social alignment.
+* Durability: All Duranthi exhibit high resistance to pressure, weather, and erosion. Their internal structures are dense, and their skeletal systems mineralized, allowing for long lifespans and gradual physical evolution.
+* Class Distinction: In traditional Duranthi society, visible stone density and refinement—such as obsidian clarity or embedded veining—are seen as signs of ancestral resonance. Though official caste divisions are discouraged, **social respect** is often unconsciously correlated to the presence of "deep stone."
+Some Duranthi, known as Ancients, have endured for centuries. Many of these individuals are small, eroded, and slow-moving, their bodies worn by time but their memories intact. They are rarely seen but are revered as spiritual and civic elders.
 [[File:Duranthi - Male 01.jpg|thumb|A Duranthi male]]
 Some Duranthi, known as Ancients, have endured for hundreds of years. These ancients are often very small due to years of erosion.  These Ancients are revered for the continuity of their consciousness and the clarity of their thought.
@@ Line 71: / Line 77: @@
 Notable works include:
-* '''The Songs of Stone''' – Poetic descriptions of shifting landscapes.
+* The Songs of Stone – Poetic descriptions of shifting landscapes.
-* '''The Endless Echo''' – A meditation on geological time.
+* The Endless Echo – A meditation on geological time.
-* '''The First Fracture''' – Historical narrative of the [[Erosion Wars]].
+* The First Fracture – Historical narrative of the [[Erosion Wars]].
 |Music=[[File:Terassil.ogg|thumb|Orasian Music]]
 Music emphasizes resonance and percussion:
-* '''Resonant Drums''' – Large stone drums.
+* Resonant Drums – Large stone drums.
-* '''Chime Pillars''' – Monolithic tone-generating stones.
+* Chime Pillars – Monolithic tone-generating stones.
-* '''Echo Flutes''' – Wind instruments resonating in caverns.
+* Echo Flutes – Wind instruments resonating in caverns.
 |Dance=Orasian dance is grounded and slow, embodying geological forces. It often reenacts land formation, erosion, or the flow of mineral memory.
 |Art=[[File:Orasian - Art 03.jpg|thumb|An Orasian relief sculpture.]]
 All art is stone-based and often functional.
-* '''Living Carvings''' – Dynamic sculptures designed to evolve over centuries.
+* Living Carvings – Dynamic sculptures designed to evolve over centuries.
-* '''Monolithic Murals''' – Wall-carved memory records.
+* Monolithic Murals – Wall-carved memory records.
-* '''Sacred Obelisks''' – Landmarks resonating with ancestral energy.
+* Sacred Obelisks – Landmarks resonating with ancestral energy.
 |Education=Instruction occurs communally through oral tradition, echo transmission, and engraved teachings. Elders serve as guides, and learning is tied to experience and ritual.
 |Traditional Medicine=Healing practices are mineral-based:
-* '''Stone Reabsorption''' – Drawing minerals into the body for structural repair.
+* Stone Reabsorption – Drawing minerals into the body for structural repair.
-* '''Geomantic Restoration''' – Resonant meditation to restore cohesion.
+* Geomantic Restoration – Resonant meditation to restore cohesion.
 |Cuisine=Orasians do not eat; they absorb nutrients and energy from mineral substrates through direct contact.
 |Clothing=No textiles are worn. Instead, Orasians etch personal markings and embed ornamental stones to denote clan, caste, or spiritual alignment.
 |Livelihood=Core professions include:
-* '''Shapers''' – Architects and builders.
+* Shapers – Architects and builders.
-* '''Keepers''' – Historians and mystics.
+* Keepers – Historians and mystics.
-* '''Guardians''' – Defenders and spiritual sentinels.
+* Guardians – Defenders and spiritual sentinels.
-* '''Geomancers''' – Diviners who read the vibrations of the land.
+* Geomancers – Diviners who read the vibrations of the land.
 |Names=Names are descriptive and earned over time, often referencing formation or endurance.
 Examples:
-* '''Tahr-Thak''' – “Stone that withstands the tide.”
+* Tahr-Thak – “Stone that withstands the tide.”
-* '''Jek-Lak''' – “Echo of the mountain.”
+* Jek-Lak – “Echo of the mountain.”
-* '''Meh-Thak''' – “Stone formed under pressure.”
+* Meh-Thak – “Stone formed under pressure.”
 |Origins and Nature=Orasians are expressions of the earth’s latent awareness. Their formation occurred over geologic time, shaped by resonance and mineral density.
 === Formation of the Orasians ===
 Originally massive and formless, early Orasians have since refined into diverse, structured forms. Size and shape vary based on geological context and age.
-|Abilities and [[Osia]]=* '''Earth Manipulation''' – Limited terrain shaping and construction.
+|Abilities and [[Osia]]=* Earth Manipulation – Limited terrain shaping and construction.
-* '''Stone Communion''' – Sensing historical and spiritual memory embedded in stone.
+* Stone Communion – Sensing historical and spiritual memory embedded in stone.
-* '''Regeneration''' – Absorption of minerals to repair structural wear.
+* Regeneration – Absorption of minerals to repair structural wear.
 }}
 [[category:Orasians]][[category:Terasil]]