The Koradi race is a secretive and protective one defined by the natural environment. Though they rarely interact with outsiders, they live in clan-like communities that share in a mutual relationships with the lands they call home.
History
Before the Qualinesti split form the Silvanesti there was another schism among the elves, the divergence . After their arrival in Ansalon, descendants of the elven voyagers from the world above disputed. Some, the youth, wished to begin building an empire, a civilization like and greater than the one they had left in their troubled past. Others remembered that past clearly and personally, they sought peace and a return to simplicity and a life away from political machinations and the destructions of war.
Eventually this dispute lead to the divergence. While the younger generation began building their empire in the silvanesti forest, the elders travelled elsewhere. These peace seeking elves eventually adapted to and melded with the nature they so loved and admired and became the Koradi. The koradi live in relativley small peaceful clans scattered throughout the forests of Ansalon like those in Sancrist, Kayolin, Lemi, and even in small conclaves in the Silvanesti and Qualinesti woods.
Appearance
Though koradi aren't plants themselves, their attunement with nature has given them biological traits similar to those of the
plants they deem sacred. Koradi skin often takes earthen tones that deepen as they age to help them blend into the local
lands. Eye colors vary greatly but are generally hazel or green in tint with an almond-shaped iris. Their hair ranges from common human tones to vibrant greens and misty whites.
Those who are born with less exotic skin tones generally find an easier time interacting with human society, though even
the fairest-skinned koradi will have a noticeable tint. However, the most distinguishable feature of koradi lies in
their more naturalistic elements. Koradi from the deep woods will have bark-like skin that resembles trees, while those from
the swamp have amphibian-like skin. All koradi have various plant-like markings or growths over their bodies — sometimes
symmetrical and sometimes not. These markings help the koradi blend in with the local lands and are used by outsiders
to further differentiate them from one another. Koradi with the largest and most visible markings are held with the highest esteem among their community.
Clan and Community
Koradi are an extremely resourceful folk that often create the tools they need from materials found in their homeland. Asthey will almost never purposely harm a plant or tree, they instead gather these materials from tree limbs that have fallen due to a storm, or animals that perished due to natural causes. However, the bulk of their resource gathering comes from trading among their own clan and with neighboring koradi clans.
These resourceful folk tend to organize themselves into clans that support and protect each individual member. Any materials or wealth they obtain are usually shared among their clan, though koradi will still keep personal belongings of high importance to themselves. Koradi clans often revolve around one or two resources native to their homeland and will freely trade with other clans and the few creatures they trust, exchanging materials found in one region for those found in another.
Slow to age, slower to anger, and slower still to act, the Koradi live at harmony with nature. It is not uncommon for a Koradi to sit beneath a sapling and not wake until the Sapling is a lumbering tree which has grown in and around them. In such cases the Koradi will wait for the tree to fall, if it ever does, accepting the blessing of being a part of the forest they so love. In times of peace the Koradi can sleep for centuries, persisting off photosynthesis and a rudimentary root system.
Nature's Wardens
As creatures who thrive and live off of the land, koradi have an obligation to protect their homes from anyone who seeks to
cause harm to them. Hunters who (often unknowingly) stumble into a koradi clan's territory must be extremely careful to avoid harming the environment so as to avoid being confronted by them. Harming a single koradi or sometimes even a single tree they hold sacred can cause the whole clan to turn against someone. On the other hand, koradi will guarantee safe passage through hazardous terrain to people who prove their alliance.
Koradi are not greedy beings and will rarely perform tasks in exchange for money. They instead prefer to barter using goods and services. Because they often have to share their lands with good-aligned fey, they tend to have an instinctual trust for fey and fey-like creatures— especially with dryads and other woodland protectors. Koradi will usually stay away from pachova, vulpin, and dwarves, and will keep a close eye on any humans they encounter. But a koradi will be quick to trust a kender or irda.
Regardless of race however, a koradi holds a creature’s respect towards nature (or lack thereof) above all else. It is for this reason that those who do gain the trust of a koradi clan are usually been druids or hermits.
Artful Hunters
Koradi are magical beings with a deep love for art, lore, and above all nature. Their equipment is expertly crafted from
natural materials and may be decorated and adorned for many years after being crafted. While many take up roles within
their clan as dedicated farmers or healers, some will go on to train as silent trackers and warriors, perfecting their hunting
and magical abilities in the process. Becoming a protector within your clan is viewed as a sign of great honor.
Though few ever leave their clan and the local lands, the ones who leave the comfort of the woods may do so as a result
of their natural curiosity, a desire for a better life, or sometimes even exile. They tend to put their skills to use in the outside world as sages, rangers, soldiers, herbalists, witch doctors, and sometimes even adventurers.
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