From Caernest

Other Races Views of the Verdanni

Bragni:

Bruintaur:

Consanguineo:

Dazhdvog:

Freylings:

Q'Nassi:

Sektari:

Tavorshk:

Verdanni:

Zaranni:

The Verdanni are a plant-based race, similar in some ways to late-medieval Venetians.

Contents 1 Appearance 1.1 Physiology 1.2 Preferred Weapons and Armour 2 Lands and Holding / Geography 2.1 Notable Locations/Areas of Interest 3 Politics 3.1 Relationship with Wyrms 3.1.1 Resistance Against Wyrms 3.2 Non-Draconic Politics 3.3 Allies and Enemies 4 Economics 4.1 Imports and Exports 4.2 Coinage 4.3 Local Trade 5 Religion 5.1 Beliefs and Deities 5.2 Hierarchy 5.3 Holidays and Rituals 5.4 Locations 6 Culture 6.1 Death and Birth 6.2 Family 6.3 Holidays 6.4 Arts and Entertainment 7 Technology 7.1 Houses / Dwellings / Architecture 7.2 Special Gear and Equipment 7.3 Magic vs. Technology 8 Magic 8.1 Technology vs. Magic 8.2 Racial Magic

Appearance

Verdanni have green to brown skin with pointed ears and slim lithe bodies (similar to elves of other settings). They tend to have colorful patches in their hands and feet, and almost always have bright and colorful hair and eye colors. Verdanni do not have "whites" in their eyes, instead having pupils and irises that cover the entirety of their eyes. They also are known to have traits that could be found in plants; some having serrated edges along the backs of their ears, hands and/or feet, others having thorns or even spines (like a cactus), and others having woody bark-like skin.

Physiology

Verdanni, being plant-based beings, are completely physiologically incompatible with other living beings when it comes to "physical romance".

Preferred Weapons and Armour

Weapons - Verdanni Club, Machete, Longbow, Javelin
Armour - Materials: Leaf, Wood     Style: Scale

Lands and Holding / Geography

Notable Locations/Areas of Interest

In the ancient days, the Verdanni constructed bridges to join their islands. Most of these bridges were built with living trees, joining large gaps, and were truly wonders to behold. Some of the bridges included trees that grew right up out of the water, to support them in the middle, but most relied on the natural strength and flexibility of trees. The branches of these trees would interweave to give each other strength, and some incorporated vines for function and aesthetics. The graceful arches and incredible living "wood work" was something some would travel across Kaernest to see.
When the dragons came, more than a few of these bridges were destroyed. Still others have been destroyed in the following years, sometimes by the Warri, to keep the Verdanni separated, sometimes as "punishment". Today only a few of the ancient wooden bridges stand. The remaining few are well cared for and often mark an area were the Verdanni have been strongly subjugated and allowed to keep these relics of better times.

Politics

Relationship with Wyrms

The Verdanni are ruled by 8 wyrms, each with their own area of control. These dragons all collaborate to control the population of the verdanni as a whole. They do not allow each other to overthrow any of the other wyrms, to avoid any one of them getting an upper hand. The 8 make use of large numbers of warri to help run their principality, and as servants, agents and priests. The verdanni do NOT appreciate this. They loathe the warri. The wyrms have almost equal number of humans and warri in the upper levels of their hierarchy.
There is a fairly central island, known appropriately as the Isle of Palaces, that each of the wyrms has its own palace on. The island is set up so that each wyrm has roughly the same amount of space, each set around a central palace that the 8 use to convene a joint court between them. Even when any of the wyrms are not at "court" in their palace on the isle, they keep a full staff along with a number of guards.

Resistance Against Wyrms

Non-Draconic Politics

Traditionally the Verdanni were ruled by 9 princes, each ruling their own principality, which each encompassed one primary island, and the smaller islands that surrounded it. The 9th principality was turned into the Isle of Palaces. Under the influence of the Wyrms, the princes are figureheads; puppets of the Wyrms. Most of the current princes cannot trace their lineage back at all; having been put in place by the ruling dragon. One principality is actually now lead by a Warri, and another by a Human. The two princes who are hereditary, have been cowed into submission to the point where the people they rule no longer have any trust for them.

Allies and Enemies

Economics

Imports and Exports

The most notable trade good of the Verdanni is their wood. They have developed breeds of plants that far exceed the plants in other areas of Kaernest. Their plants are more hearty, bear more fruit, seeds and vegetables; their flowers are brighter, even their trees have harder wood, and burn hotter. Related, the Verdanni produce excellent linen, cotton and other plant based textiles, as well as exporting food, including grains, fruit and vegetables. Some finished goods are exported, but this is less common than raw materials.
The Verdanni tend to import stone goods, and try to import metal tools when they are available, but this is something of a rarity. The Verdanni are miserable ranchers and livestock keepers, so they import almost all of their meat and work animals. They also do not have skill in boat building, so they import small craft as available and allowed by their draconic "keepers".

Coinage

Local Trade

Religion

Beliefs and Deities

The central figure of Verdanni religion is "The Great Tree"/"The Tree of Life". Each locality, larger than a village (more than 500 or so inhabitants) keeps a branch of the tree of life in its center.
The other major part of the Verdanni religion are the 4 figures of the seasons. Each season is personified in one of four "avatars". The avatars that are out of season are typically thought of as sleeping, although out of season avatars have visited people. Since the arrival of the dragons, the avatar of summer has not been seen. This has fostered the belief, not only among the Verdanni, but among the other races as well, to some degree, that something has happened to him.
Verdanni also have their own version of "angels" that are akin to dryads and nymphs; the spirits of plants and bodies of water.

Hierarchy

Holidays and Rituals

Locations

Culture

Death and Birth

Family

Holidays

Arts and Entertainment

Technology

Houses / Dwellings / Architecture

Special Gear and Equipment

Magic vs. Technology

Magic

Technology vs. Magic

Racial Magic

The Verdanni are able to step into standing (living) trees and step out of a standing (living) tree somewhere else. There is only one specific type (genus) of tree they can use this way. The type of tree is said to be offspring of the Tree of Life. They cannot step into one and step out of another randomly, they must know the location of the one they are to step out of, having visited it at least once. Additionally, this ability can only be used while the sun shines on both trees.
When stepping through, Verdanni are limited as to what they can bring with them. Their racial affinity limits what they can take with them (for game terms, they are limited by weight and material, wood (living or manufactured doesn't matter) counts as less weight to bring through than other materials; living (sentient) beings and metal count as more weight than baseline materials; other Verdanni are treated as wood).