Arduinlings

Arduinlings are nocts made of wood and stone. These organisms are capable of locomotion, made from the incorporeal forms of what the forest considers sinners and murderers (Those who harm plants ie. woodcutters, farmers, and any other plant based trade) who die in cursed forests.

## Biology

The forest's curse is oddly specific to what it curses, those who pick the seeds or the growths that house them from trees aren't affected by the death curse, but those that harvest lumber, leaves, or any non reproductive related parts from still living trees will be hunted by the forest, killed, and cursed to return as an Arduinling. Should the target of the curse escape the forest alive (which often happens), they will be attacked by Arduinlings that venture outside the forest.

They answer to a forest lord, a hamadryad connected to the forest loom.

## Lifecycle

Despite their similarities, Arduinlings are not dryads but rather a type of Noct.

### Birth

When the soul of a murderer or a great sinner rots under the ground, it makes a hollow cyst which draws rock and wood and moss to it. The cyst then Gathers up the peat into flesh, braids reeds into bone and takes rags for skin.

Arduinlings sprout from piles of rot after rainfall (ideally after a hot day), and emerge not unlike mushrooms from the smoking soil.

### Emerged

The emerged Arduinlings then begin their task, tirelessly bringing seeds to the borders of the forest, in order to expand it.They are considered pests as they attack livestock and people cursed by the forest.

### Bark

Adult Arduinlings that use the forest loom to get around and help maintain the forest.

### Sporecaster

Wizened Arduinling that uses its spores as a repellent. Sporecasters construct nests, which transport Arduinlings around.

## Arduinling nests

They create what are incorrectly called nests, which are in fact portals that use the forest loom, a wide spanning interconnected weave of roots from various forests, all joined at the horsegallow tree. These nests are used extensively during Chory, where Arduinlings will work tirelessly to spread out the forests seeds.

## Biology

### Eyes

Arduinling eyes are powerful optical sensory organs that have unusual properties. They allow Arduinlings to move rapidly from one place to another using portals called nests.

Other races have discovered their eyes powers, and now eyes are critical components to make portals to other locations that use ignition (via a heat core) rather than the forest loom.

### Exudate resin

A resin found in tree species in some realms of Welt, especially arduinlings. The resin is highly flammable, and burns slowly, making it a component of explosive devices, inflammable arrows, and is used as a fuel for various devices such as the rechargeable torch. However the resin is unfit for cooking fires as it invariably spoils the food.. The resin is also used as a waterproof glue for everything from construction to shipbuilding to kitchenware.

### Chickenwood

Arduinlings are sometimes made of chickenwood, a type of wood that when boiled, the broth and texture of the wood evokes the avian.

## Behavior

### Gravediggers

Arduinlings tend to gather corpses and deposit them in areas outside their forests, usually abandoned villages or tombs. These deposits are called pileups, and are a source of zombies and skeletons. The quantity of these pileups eventually lead to the formation of swamps.

### Glade

Glades are areas of worship for arduinlings, who commonly leave sacrifices of valuables atop a tree stump, possibly to appease their deity for the loss of a tree.

### Shipwreck

Arduinnlings are well known for burying any ships they find by dragging it onto land and burying it in earth.

## Trade items

Arduinlings provide many useful items such as wood, stone, resin. The Valhyr use their eyes to make portals and enchant their ballistas with their heads.

Wood: When arduinlings die, they turn into wood planks, useful for construction. Arduinling wood is extremely common on lumber markets.

Stone: Arduinlings often carry stones to throw at interlopers.

Resin: Tree sap acts as blood fro arduinlings, and upon death it accretes into globs that are usable as glue or as fuel.

Eyes: Arduinling eyes are vital components in order to make portals, and are sold in magic shops all around welt.

Heads: Valhyr use heads of enemies to make their ballistas target arduinlings to defend themselves.