It is believed that Adharita were among the first creatures to move across the surface of Aldrea-muvarin. It is said the first Adharita were born of a powerful surge from the elemental_plane_of_wood, awakening ordinary plants to sentience. There are adharita all over the planet now and some of the older Adharita spend much of their time dormant, appearing as oddly shaped plants, only awakening when needed.
Because of their age and their connection to nature, Adharita are highly valued as guides in the wilderness and many act as stewards of nature, stepping in when other races may throw an ecosystem out of balance or endanger a forest.
Councils of Ents, groups of moving, animated bushes, tiny flowing fields of flowers, masses of sneaking vines, these are all members of the Adharita. They are divided into two main categories, perennials and annuals. The perennials are typically larger and include the ent. Living for potentially thousands of years, perennials are often slow to change or react, but possess great knowledge and strength. Typically perennials are more wooden and less humanoid in appearance.
Annuals are smaller, faster-growing and quicker to react to situations. They tend to stay near perennials, with the perennials being the guiding force while annuals protect them and deal with other races. Many younger annuals grow their bodies into a more humanoid appearance (looking like leafy elves or humans) when they grow up near an established settlement of another race. Perennials tend to look down upon this.
Ivy shifted silently as Fennel laid themself on the forest floor. Their time had come. One day, so would her's. Far from home and having spent half their life away from the grove where they was born, Fennel felt no fear. Content to return to the soil, they closed their eyes. Immediately the leaves that adorned their head became just a bit less vibrant, and Ivy knew they were gone. She knelt down and said a quick goodbye. They had finished their quest, but Fennel could not complete the Journey home. She went back to the grove alone…
…She returned 10 months later and took up camp on the spot until she saw the beginnings of a seedling and a new life.
Short Stories About Interesting Creatures
All Adharita begin life as a lumpy looking seedling with stunted proportions and typically look about the same. These seedlings are raised in a nursery by perennials and are raised there until they have sprouted enough to move about safely on their own. Adharita reproduce through the spreading of pollen and as such have no concept of “parents.”
Modern technology and non-nature magics confuse many adharita, but they do work alongside other races with agriculture and trade as long as their end of the bargain is upheld. If you cross an adharita community, prepare to wait a very long time for them to be willing to trust you again, potentially centuries later when some of the older perennials have died.
When an Adharita becomes an adventurer it is often to protect their homeland or to get revenge on those who may have burnt down or otherwise polluted their home. Others travel the land teaching others how to live in harmony with nature or to experience more of life.
Adharita are typically named after the plants that make up their body, but will sometimes go by names of nearby “flesh being” cultures to help with communication.