Erdékai - the Crystal of Erdé ([eədeɪ:kaɪ])
Erdékai is one of the Six Elemental Crystals of the Crystal Circle. It is the pale brown Crystal of Erdé, the Element governing the ground1, rocks and mountains. Its Guardian Mage is Ty'qan at AFD553.
That is now what we call the Aszilousii River, as water has done what it has always done in engraving for itself a wider gulley. As I mentioned, no record sets a date to this tremour as none cold foresee this permenant effect at the time. But that same tremour, in the oral tradition of the Woodsmen, violently shook The Great Oak dislodging one of its roots.
Overcome by a sudden rush of the presence of Erdé, the nearby Foyii, once recovered from temporary nausea, set about investigating it. There, under the root, near to the base of the trunk, was a small, pale brown gem, which was transported to the Chief of the time with great reverence.
Thus the "Tale of the Five" tells of a journey of the first holders of the Elemental Crystals to discover where a "Governing Gem of Stones" could be found. Their trail, after many incidents and injuries, led them to Doon. It was there that they discussed, with the Chief, the Elemental Crystals and their capability of enhancing nature's balance for the betterment of the Realm. After having explained about their conundrum, The Great Oak's gem was laid before them. At that, the other five Crystals glowed and formed a temporary Linking with it, before dimming once more.
As those who listen to Nature - both the Mages and the Woodsmen - the Five were gifted the Crystal of Erdé with the condition that they also find a Sixth Guardian so that no one Mage could rule the others.
All the Sénaqaii are critical to Elemental Balance. By that, I am referring to both the Natural state and to the swell of Elemental Energy in the Orb. The brief descriptions below should be read with both those perspectives in mind.
Discovery of Erdékai
Date
As the Foyii have no particular need for accurately documenting past events, it has been difficult to ascertain a precise date Erdékai was discovered. That said, most of the other Elemental Crystals were found between 300BFD and 50BFD. With their significance in Qal'ath's history, it is not unreasonable to assume the Crystal of Erdé was unveiled within the same 250 Ana period.Manner
What is agreed - corroborated by the Bezélian Archives - is the manner in which it came to the hands of Woodsmen and, subsequently, the earlier forms of the Crystal Circle. The Forest of Doon is a wood that is especially elementally-aligned with Erdé. Many other open, natural locations have a greater mixture of Elements. Even Ormà has limited influence due to the density of the leaves there. Only Ousii truly breaks through, and that only until Everspring. This context is important, so I ask the Reader to bear with me.Within Doon stands The Great Oak, believed to be the source of the Shield of Everspring. While it bears the scars of time, ever has it stood as a symbol of the strength of both Erdé itself and the preservation of the lives of the Foyii. But it is not invulnerable to outside influence.
It is believed that the only reason that the lake around Elorah, South-East of Doon, is connected to Lake Paxeux is due to a ground tremour opening up a crack wide enough for waters to pass through.
From Woodsmen to Mage
Chronicler's Note:
As far as I can determine, the Woodmen never used the Crystal of Erdé directly. However, while the Crystal resided at the Chief's hut, it seems even aggressive beasts felt more at peace, only using their aggression when hunting. At least, that's how their tales go.
Despite their affinity to Erdé, very few Foyii actively engage in spellcraft. This is known to confuse outsiders, who wrongly believe Elemental Affinity is the same as Myst Sensitivity. Even so, warnings were passed down from that generation saying not to harness such a concentration of Power except when it was required.
While the Mages that would become an early-form Crystal Circle were too intent on studying their existing Crystals to properly document their findings, exceedingly-old papyrus manuscripts kept in the Elementally-stale chambre of the Bezélian Archives make mention of "realising a piece of the puzzle was missing."
Importance
Affecting Other Elements
- Restrains Ousii to prevent flooding.
- Resists Aevyen over a long period of time.
- Quenches Fyr
- Can shelter the needy from Ormà and Ethkiel
Affected By Other Elements
- Can have its power eroded by Ousii and Aevyen. It is particularly weak if those two are combined in the form of Ice (literal or mystical).
- Can be defeated by Fyr if its power is drained.
- Can be blanched by Ormà, and depending on how it is used, Light can reflect from Erdé obscuring it completely.
- Can be exposed by Ethkiel, especially in tandem with Ormà.
When Unbalanced
When the Elements are not in balance, more responsibility falls on the Guardian of Erdé. Were Erdékai's power to weaken, volcanic activity would increase, land tremors unsettle the soils and cracks open deep into the Orb of Savàni.Influence not Control
This said, the survival of Savàni is not down to the Crystal Circle alone. So, even if the Crystal had little impact in dangerous times, this would not risk the destruction of the entire Orb.The Element of Creatures
Save for Ancient-type beasts (for example, Dragons) and Mystically-invoked familiars, many creatures are aligned with one Element or another. Most "land-bound" ones have an affinity with Element Erdé, thus are more responsive to the Guardian Mage of Erdékai and other Mages possessing genuine Shards of that Element. Examples of creatures with Erdé Affinity are:Footnotes
- OOC: Earth is not really mentioned in my world. I have purposefully avoided using it to avoid confusion with 'planet' Earth. "Soil" is also never rendered "Earth", at least not on the Orb of Savàni (other Orbs exist, of course, but I don't intend on going to them). ↑
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Unique Incantations
Item type
Magical
Chronicler's Note:
It is often presumed that all outdoor settings contain a "balance" of Elements, except for the extremes - such as oceans or volcanoes. Yet mountain ranges are riven with streams, worn by Winds and shone down upon by Light and Sky. Even the seas are altered by the Winds and reflect the sun and moons. The Forest of Doon too, is different from the Brùha Foyblànii, which is less dense and, being in an icy and snowy region, is more influenced by Ousii and Aevyten than Doon is.
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