Caladaran
Contents
Appearance
Caladaran are sapient humanoids noted for their tree-like appearance, typified in their tall, thin bodies and bark-like skin. Their hair often has a mossy or grass-like texture, with colors ranging from tan, to green, to black. Their skin, as well, follows the general color range of tree bark, ranging from near-white to dark brown. Although they have the longest life-spans of any Avendarian race, their appearance often remains largely unchanged throughout their adulthood. While they consider themselves related to trees, they do not have outward manifestations like leaves; their shape is less ent-like and closer to human.
Culture
Knowledge, wisdom, and individualism are of primary importance to a caladaran, and not necessarily in that order. Virtually all caladaran are learned in one way or another; he is usually particularly well-read, a scholar, or sage. Wisdom is key to every caladaran, which they have both a natural affinity for, and they attempt to encourage. This usually comes from reflection, study, exploration, or discussion. Caladaran often enjoy conversation when it leans toward philosophy or scholarly pursuits, and grow more disinterested as the topics become more banal. A caladaran is always strongly independent, and acts of his own accord. He does not easily bend to the whim of others unless it aligns with his own pursuits, giving him a natural inclination toward law and its enforcement.
In general, a caladaran prefers to avoid physical violence, instead using his most powerful tool: the mind. This may manifest itself simply, like choosing to embrace magic or psionics, or it can extend to a more generalized focus on peace or restraint. Because the caladaran race is naturally inclined toward goodness, there is an element of compassion in even the most embittered elders. The avoidance of personal evil often places powerful caladaran healers at odds with dark-hearted adventurers, only redoubled by caladaran autonomy and the inclination of oppressors to regard healers as tools.
Relationships
The closest races to the caladaran are the aelin and the ethron. The aelin have a strong connection to the caladaran through their shared worship of Iandir, and the realization of the necessity of law. For a caladaran, there is much to respect in the aelin desire to anchor their wild passions, although they often chide the aelin as a whole for their notable lack of wisdom. On the other hand, the ethron and the caladaran share common ties in a love for wisdom and an embrace of nature. A caladaran can often find ready allies in their pursuits in the ethron, who often ask "what" before "why". The lack of serious ethron scholarship, however, can quickly become a bother, if not an outright hindrance.
The caladaran find some affinity with the polar races, the shuddeni and the ch'taren. However, this affinity is primarily related to scholarship; their paths quickly divide when it comes to religion, personal philosophy, or militancy. Humans, despite their obvious diversity, find much to appreciate in caladaran wisdom and study. Caladaran often serve as cherished advisers to human nobility, able to resist or challenge lusts for expansion and conquest. The war-like alatharya, srryn, and kankoran races often find little common ground with the caladaran unless it is the individual caladaran who has acclimated to them. For example, a balance-seeking caladaran may find value in an alatharyan Knight, or a caladaran druid may find some connection to the naturalist aspect of a Girikhan pack. The caladaran and the nefortu often have the least similarity, opposed as they are in both attitude and proclivity.
