Feythorn Erina

The following is the Foreword to the journal of Beryl Cardan, half-elven sociologist, from her visits to the Erina people in The Dell.

When looking out from the hill of Daring Heights over the vast expanse of the Feythorn Forest, it seems impossible that beyond the farms and townhouses of the city, another town with a thriving population is literally within eyesight. And yet, as I began my sociological exploration of the Dawnlands, I was swiftly pointed towards the Dell and its people, the Erina.
The Dell sits at the bottom of a gorge, hence its difficulty to be seen on a casual overlook - indeed this is a key feature for their defence. Once you have climbed down there, you discover a wonderful community and a vibrant culture. The ground is rich here - below the floor level of the forest - and a wealth of clay is readily accessible to the Erina's naturally burrowing claws. The resulting pottery that has developed here is nothing short of art, and I was fascinated to learn how they celebrate their talent for sculpting clay all across their daily life. Other pottering species have claws, and one can see similarities between Erina pots and those of lizardfolk or dragonborn cultures, but the use of the Erina's fine back quills allow them a natural delicacy that is hard to imagine being replicated by even the finest artisans of other cultures.
Daring Heights is a place of commerce and trade by design, and so the discovery of a peaceful group living just nearby who produce incredible pieces of art ensured that the two groups would become fast friends, and a few Erina potters have even had their artwork put in galleries in Faerun - travelling across the world to see their exhibition.
As a small community suddenly engaging with other societies in a way they have never done before, as an exporter of culture and with both a flood of income (that they do not use or need internally) and access to the nearby markets of Daring Heights, the way of life for the Erina people is slowly, but significantly changing to adapt to the new ecosystem they find themselves in. It was my privilege to spend a few short weeks with them to learn all that I could from them and to write it down here.