Qiendi
The qiendi are strange, hairless humanoid that live deep underground. They're found beneath the mountains of Nuveric, where they live in small, tight-knit communities. Their gaunt and oftentimes mangled bodies are covered in crystalline formations. These formations are natural, but painful growths that all of their kind experience over the course of their lives. Despite their thin frames, qiendi are orcish in appearance, especially in their facial features and skeletal structure.
Qiendi don't come into contact with other sapient species often, but when they do, they're incredibly cautious. They don't trust outsiders, but aren't openly hostile unless provoked or when they feel threatened. Their species is fluent in abyssal tongues, aklo, and they have a decent grasp on undercommon. Qiendi communicate telepathically, but unfortunately, their powers cause outsiders to suffer from temporary psychosis.
Qiendi were surface dwellers at some point in history, but their true origins remain elusive. Many theories point to them being the descendants of a demon lord's empire, but there's no agreement on whether the stories are true or simply a myth. The story in question recalls the rise and fall of Fardros, a demon lord who wished to ascend to true godhood. He was the embodiment of hedonism and narcissism. Fardros lured in potential followers by promising to give them anything they desired. All they had to do in return was build him a fortress, which was later named Shaldorn Keep. He kept his word to his followers, but their insatiable greed eventually drove most of them to madness.
His corruption of Nuveric's inhabitants helped him ascend to the position of a minor god, but he wanted more. Fardros's main domain was that of madness, but also tireless ambition. He intended to brute force his way into power, but was struck down by several deities after he polluted the mind of their followers. His reign as somebody of importance was brief, and as quickly as his empire appeared, it crumbled into ash. Fardros was crowned the god of foolishness and humiliation, and those that he corrupted were cursed to live a painful existence underground.
They would no longer be able to indulge in the pleasures of life. They would never again be beautiful. Everything Fardros had given them was stripped away in an instant before they were forced into darkness. No historical records of Shaldorn Keep exist, so the story's true nature is believed to be a warning about selfishness and corruption. Unfortunately, it's the closest thing anyone has to an answer for the qiendi's puzzling existence.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The qiendi are a bipedal, humanoid race with ancestral ties to both humans and orcs. On average, their height is on par with humans, though they tend to appear shorter due to their poor posture. They have sharp teeth and even sharper claws, as well as two eyes, and a bat-like nose. Their frames are quite thin, oftentimes emaciated due scarce food sources. The most important and unusual thing about them is the various crystalline formations that grow on their bodies. While some qiendi have clusters of small crystals scattered on their bodies, others may sprout fractured horns of stone, or appear to be covered in gemstone scales.
Qiendi do not grow hair, nor do they grow fur. Due to frequent malnourishment among their species, qiendi are more susceptible to serious injuries. Many have limbs that have healed incorrectly and when they break their bones, they continue on as normal despite the pain. Their skin is stretched tight over their bones and appears to be dull and dusty.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Food sources are limited deep underground and as such, qiendi have adapted to these harsh conditions and feed on carrion to survive. Subterranean animals, humanoids, even their own who have perished; carrion is an important part of their diets. Fungi that grows on these bodies is also harvested for food, as well as being used in primitive medicines. Qiendi are scavengers and will take anything that they can get. They gather water from cavern mosses and breed various anthropods as if they were livestock. Qiendi have significantly slowed metabolism rates. They need far less calories to thrive when compared to surface humanoids.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Qiendi, despite living deep underground, are not completely blind. They're able to see in the dark to some degree, though in general, their eyesight is poor. They have exceptional hearing and a sense of smell, the latter of which can sometimes lead desperate qiendi to the surface. They can communicate telepathically, but not efficiently as their powers cause outsiders to experience psychosis.
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