Personality: Aedin tend to be even tempered and calculating. They can control their emotions well, though when angered they are quite frightening. They can laugh at a good joke, but also know when to be serious. The aedin are often slightly quieter than other races, though this is somewhat of a generalization. They take a great love in the arts and tend to be very refined, only wanting the best. They are often very focused, but tend to jump from one focus to another. Some think that the aedin think so much that they never know what to think.
Physical Description: Aedin are slim and have an average height, being slightly taller than the elves they were fashioned after. Normally anywhere between 4�10� to 6�3�, aedin can be as short as elves or as tall as humans. They are slightly heavier for their height, due to their thick skin, weighing between 150 and 230 pounds. Their skin resembles that of earth, but different types of aedin have colorations of skin, such as marble, obsidian, gray stone, red marble, dirt, and so forth. Their hair is almost always the same shade as their skin, grows slowly, and is exceedingly thick, with no body hair what-so-ever. Their eyes often look like gems of any number of different colors.
Aedin wear extravagant, flowing clothing, much like the elves except often of darker colors. They�ll often wear purples, blacks, blues, and grays, though the aedin take great joy in the artistic values of their fashions, so will wear anything as long as they believe it looks superb. They love gems of all colors, and often have them embroidered in their clothing. Their armor combines the strength of the dwarven armors with the lightness of elven armor, making aedin armor all around superb.
Aedin move with grace and intelligence, often appearing aloof or arrogant in their posture, which is often true. They grow rapidly, reaching adulthood at age 20, and then age more slowly, living to be about 370 years. Aedin spend a large amount of time in adulthood, but once their begin to age again, they age quickly. Upon a natural death, aedin typically fall into dust.
Relations: Aedin think almost all other races below them. The only race they find even remotely close to them is the elves, though they hate all elves except the raven elves. Aedin can often find a lot in common with dwarves, for much of their society has drawn influence from the dwarves, and an aedin willing to get to know a dwarf can find many similarities in personality. Dwarves, on the other hand, rarely like aedin due to their distrust.
Alignment: Aedin as a whole tend to be true evil, though many are lawful evil. Some people true neutral or lawful neutral, leaving the evil tendencies of the rest of the aedin.
Aedin Lands: The aedin live almost exclusively within the Wethren Mountains, and have created intricate cities from the scraps of the dwarves. The aedin have taken the basic architecture of the dwarves and warped it into more beautiful creations. Aedin cities tend to be large and spread out, creating a small population density but retaining very large city sizes. Some areas of aedin cities are nearly inaccessible to outsiders for they are built with no entrance, relying on the aedins ability to go through earth as an entrance. Despite this, most aedin cities are easily navigated by outsiders.
Religion: Aedin revere Dyaramis and Aedirok all other deities, though many other deities are worshipped. Many temples to the Pantheon of the Earth can be found, and Zilok, demigod of gems often retains small shrines throughout aedin cities. Religion is very important for the aedin, but especially for the Thurisk clan, which is dedicated to clerical matters of the aedin.
Languange: The aedin don�t have a language of their own, though most speak terran, common, and elven, and many also read smatterings of dwarven, for there are many texts in the Wethren Mountains written in dwarves. Literature is often written in elven, but aedin tend to speak terran in their daily lives. Common is taught to all aedin as they see it important to learn the language of their neighbors.
Names: A trait the aedin have taken from the dwarves, their names tend to have harsher sounds in them. Aedin are given their names from their parents, and the names often ones that have been used before, much like the dwarven traditions. Their first name is the one given to them by their parents, and their last name is their family name. Upon reaching 20 years, many aedin take a second name to represent themselves entirely, though most aedin rarely use their second name. Male and Female names are often the same.
First Names: Azerogth, Begokth, Borottar, Caldrikth, Dorikogth, Gargonkve, Lharbrinth, Tharkvuth, Vyerogk
Family Names: Borjiris, Jhuldoth, Nolyinth, Rargyrmisht Skanigitth, Xiktargu
Adventurers: Aedin adventurers often have unusual circumstances that make them adventurers, for aedin �adventurers� are rare. More often, aedin leave the mountains to gain power, and prefer to work alone. However, aedin will work with others in order to gain their goals. They rarely gain bonds with their fellow adventurers, and are not above stabbing them in the back if that is what is required. Aedin will often become adventurers for money, power, or prestige, for aedin can well enjoy all of these things.
Aedin Racial Traits
� +2 Intelligence: Aedin are quick minded and learn easily.
� Medium: As Medium creatures, aedin have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
� Aedin land speed is 30 feet.
� Earth Travel: An aedin can enter earth and stone as a move equivalent action that does not provokes an attack of opportunity. The earth or stone must be unaltered, in that it has not been created into bricks or magically treated. The aedin cannot pass through metals of any kind. The aedin melts down into what some describe as a liquid and seep into the earth. The aedin can then move through the earth at a speed of 50 feet, much like burrowing except leaving no tunnel, ripple, or any other sign of its presence. The aedin must be in contact with the earth in order to liquefy, and once liquefied no none-magical attack may hurt it. A move earth spell cast on an area containing an aedin flings the aedin back 30 feet, stunning it for 1 round unless it succeeds at a DC 15 fortitude save. If falling, an aedin may make a reflex save (DC equal to 10 + 1 per 10 feet fallen) to instantly liquefy upon hitting the ground below and negating all damage. Exiting the stone and regaining physical form takes a move equivalent action and does provoke an attack of opportunity, unlike entering the earth.
� Darkvision: Aedin can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Aedin retain the ability to see color when using darkvision.
� Low-Light Vision: An aedin can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
� Weapon Proficiency: Aedin receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, handaxe, short sword, and battle axe as bonus feats. Aedin are all trained in war, and have influences from both elven and dwarven cultures.
� +2 racial bonus on Concentration checks. Aedin stay focused easily, and can easily push all other things from their mind when concentrating.
� +4 racial bonus on Spot checks. Aedin have highly advanced eyes and can see very well.
� +1 natural armor: Aedins have a naturally tougher skin.
� Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, and Terran. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Kobold, Draconic, Abyssal, Infernal, and Undercommon.
� Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass aedin takes an experience point penalty, her highest-level class does not count.
� Level Adjustment +3
� Layer 3
History of the Aedin
During the Aeon of Soaring Hearts, dwarves primarily inhabited the Wethren Mountains. Known to them as Korandor the Blessed, these mountains allowed the dwarves to the center of the entire Caerden continent. They had well worked out huge metropolises of such grandeur any would marvel at them, and found their race thriving within the great halls of Korandor the Blessed. The dwarves were separated by numerous clans, which together formed the whole society of the dwarven nation, and all were all very close within their clan. Honor ruled, and anything too far out of the norm was disliked, which made the unusual cultures of the other races disliked, as well as the awfully powerful magic that ruled the age. To this day, dwarves still prefer to be among dwarves and rely solely upon themselves.
During the year of 7,326 ASH, the Council of Clans that ruled over the dwarves exiled a dwarven clan known as the Aedin Cluissoth. They were known for dealing in dangerous alchemies and odd aberrations, but when a councilmember found the Aedin Cluissoth dealing in vile spells with a raven elf merchant lord, enough was enough. The clan was banished from the other dwarven nation, and found refuge in a small cave in the southern stretch of the Wethren Mountains.
Despite being somewhat shady and eccentric, the Aedin Cluissoth was very patriotic and could not deal with not being a part of the dwarven nation. They decided to create a gift to present to the Council of Clans in hopes of them letting the clan rejoin the dwarven nation. As a gift, they fashioned two beautiful statues, one appearing as a great dwarven woman and the other as a dwarven male. They dubbed the female statue Aedirok and the male Aedirog, and put such effort into ensuring the beauty of these statues that the Aedin Cluissoth spent many years on their forging.
However, disaster struck the clan from within. Vlaggor, the head of the clan's chief advisor, was the clan's hero and a mage of no small power. Vlaggor, despite what the Aedin Cluissoth wished to believe, was no divine hero; Vlaggor was a spiteful dwarf who had willingly been possessed by the elemental lord known as the Great Destruction. Millenia before, the Great Destruction had been responsible for much terror, but had vanished under unknown circumstances. Now, the only person who knew it existed was Vlaggor.
Vlaggor placed a small amount of the Great Destruction's essence into the statues, unbeknownst to the rest of the Aedin Cluissoth, and sealed the spirits within the statues. These were the children of the Great Destruction, a gift for the Council of Clans.
Therefore, when the Aedin Cluissoth arrived at the Council of Clans and presented the two magnificent statues to the Council, disaster struck. Vlaggor removed the seals, awakening Aedirog and Aedirok. The two spirits implanted within them were cruel, filled with hatred, and quite powerful. Aedirog made short work of the entire Aedin Cluissoth clan, and Aedirok tore down several officials before the dwarves could evacuate that immediate area. Vlaggor himself was slain, and it is theorized that he knew he would die once the seals were removed. Though it took some time, three dwarven high priests of Bandor raised an imprisoning shield over a large portion of the city, creating a sphere where the Aedirok and Aedirog were locked within. History tells that several thousands of dwarves were slain by the two creations in the dwarven capital, Laenderon.
The dwarves were forced to move their capital to a city to the north, and many of the dwarves left the city. Eventually, the dwarves lost all interest in the metropolis of Laenderon and it became utterly abandoned, simply great ruins of what was once a remarkable city. Time passed, and the two creatures stayed, unable to leave. The dwarves left the mountains of Korandor the Blessed during the Dwarven Exodus of 503 ABI, and the Wethren Mountains became home to few except explorers and slime. However, in 3,991 ACD a cult of Dyaramis fanatics became inhabitants of the mountains. The leader of this cult was told in a dream a way of breaking the seal created by the clergy of Bandor, and gathered his cult together to cast the ritual. Though it drained many of the cultists, the seal was broken, and the creatures were freed.
Aedirog quickly killed many of the cultists, but Aedirok stopped him in the process. The cult tried to speak with the pair, and found the creatures extremely intelligent. The cult, comprised almost entirely of raven elves, taught the two many things, and especially allegiance to Dyaramis, he who set them free. Aedirok, the more intelligent of the two, had spent the many centuries trapped within the sphere studying from the remains of the dwarven city, and knew much already.
After about a month, the leader of the cult received another dream, and this he passed on to Aedirok. The master of the cult, Ulairgon, and Aedirok sacrificed two of the cult members, a male and a female, to the elements of earth, and infused negative energy into the concoction, creating what they named the aedin. These two creatures resembled elves, except with skin like the earth and eyes of gems. Aedirok instantly fell in love with her creations, and nurtured them as her children. Aedirog quickly followed suit, but became jealous of Aedirok�s success, and created more aedin for himself. Overtime, the entire cult, with the exception of the cult leader, was sacrificed to become the aedin, thus creating a new race.
Overtime, Aedirok and Aedirog fashioned life into themselves, making their own anatomy more like the aedin's they have parented. Aedirok took Ulairgon as a lover, but was never able to have true children. Aedirok, in disgust, left the city of Laerderon and moved to the city of Haurato in the western areas of the mountains.
Centuries passed, and as the Aedin were left to their own dealings almost entirely, they grew quickly. Aedirog�s aedin became cruel and vicious warriors, but Aedirok's aedin split into three factions. Of Aedirok�s three clans, the Illidar clan became masters of the arcane and divine, holding much influence within the government; the Zanarkogth clan became powerful warriors, hiding in shadows, as well as the organized military of the aedin; and the Jalidargth clan became the masters of craft and creation, uniting the aedin as one great power.
Around 5,129 ACD, long after the death of the ancient cultic leader Ulairgon, Aedirog's aedin, known as the Hauratok, declared war against Aedirok, and for about two hundred years the aedin fought against each other. Battles of immense proportions raged deep under the Wethren, the people above completely unaware. Finally, Aedirok slew Aedirog and through and through a powerful ritual, absorbed his essence, gaining enough power to make Aedirok a grand goddess. The brutal warriors of Aedirog were accepted in with Aedirok�s aedin, and became known as the savage Hauratok clan. They were originally shunned, but have slowly integrated with the society, though even today they are still looked down upon as the weakest of the clans.
Laerderon, having been decimated during the civil war of the aedin (now known as the Thrashing of Aedirog), was replaced by Vimexil as the capital, though it was renamed Ulairgon after Aedirok's lover. It was during the first Aelthiurian War that the aedin were truly discovered, and, Aelthiur unable to claim them, pretty much left the Aedin alone. More time passed, and the raven elves became close allies with the aedin. It was the second Aelthiurian War that the aedin became known as a powerful race, for they fought viciously against the Aelthiurian Armies and fought well, though were eventually forced to concede some of their territory to Aelthiur. Upon the completion of the Aelthiurian War II, the aedin entered into an alliance with Aelthiur that has served both nations greatly, and the aedin have spread from their mountains to be found all over Caerden and not unheard of on other continents.
The aedin are spreading, their might becoming apparent.