If the Keepers were to be genuine in their quest for truth, as is their claim, it would not look like the light-hearted piece of half truths that was recently released to the general public titled such: Introducing the Aridola.
The information given about the Aridola is scarce, even more scarce than the information about almost everything else described in this document. We have gods of the human pantheon, talks of the earliest times of Noa (Terminus as you would know it). We have quotes from other races about them. But how much information do we have on the Aridola?
Their Race
If I were to ask this question, would you immediately huff and say, ‘Aridola, of course.’ I would invite you to reread the document at our disposal and keep that in mind. The Aridola are a people group to be sure, but definitely not unto themselves. For one, the people group of the Detidola are of the same race. We are only told that these people do not know or want to know their own origins. We are not told how far back their origins go, but only carefully worded phrases speaking of other races of which the Aridola have sung tales. Thus, we are left to ponder this on our own.
Take this painted portrait of an Aridola settlement. Are there items to which you could judge the size of these people? Trees are seen towering in the very back of these dwellings, but none inside the camp. From this forced perspective, the trees could be just behind the tents or they could be far away and the camp would be proper size for the Fae. The wagon dwelling in the front has three stories to it. Notice the size of the doorway then compare it to the size of the wagon’s hitching tongue. These people either have monstrous animals that pull their belongings, or they are pulled by normal sized domestics, making the dwellings themselves fairly small, having a horse’s shoulders come nearly to the top of the open doorway and it’s head to the lamp post. That would make the Aridola the size of a halfling or even smaller.
Then, there is the peculiar use of Ocirico when describing this group. It is possible that its use shows the unarguable bias of the Keepers, being mostly human, But, it could also be because the Aridola are a group of humans, either separated during the great Collision, setting up their own form of government, or lack thereof, or it could be that they were cast out, perhaps remnants of the House of Deviare who were not all killed but driven from human society, not once, but twice. This would explain why they prefer never to speak of their ancestry again, fearing the backlash from neighboring states. To this end, we approach our next topic.
Culture
Much is stated of their culture. It is flowing with love of all creatures and a fondness for singing and food. I personally do not trust anyone who claims to have no vices or flaws. An effort to conceal any and all sins generally means there is much to cover up. And we do get a glimpse of this, albeit accidentally. Look carefully at this painting of the same village.
Most folks would look at this portrait and see the colors, then magical lamps that suspend their lighted crystals inside the circles. You could also notice that those shopping and tending look peculiarly human. But you would not be looking close enough. This district extends into the crag of a boulder broken in two in the plains. The boulder is fairly round in size, as if it was carved or manipulated to be so. It could even be postulated that it is a cap, sealing off some entrance in the ground, placed there on purpose to block entrance to something sinister.
As the path retreats further into the rock, it grows darker and more sinister. Then, just as the painter was nearing the end of his canvas, he captured something that should have given him pause…
There are no red flowers around this rug. This, dear readers, is a blood stain. It leads back into the crevasse.
Who really are the Aridola? What dark secret does this encampment hold? Why are even the Keepers unable to unearth their history? And who are they bleeding out? Friend, if you meet such an encampment, be they halfling size or human size, trust not their intentions. Be wary of their mirth, for it appears to be only skin deep.
Benonai:
I love how cleverly you craft grand conspiracy theories from the smallest of scraps. Your tin foil cap is quite jaunty! Truly, your cogitations make me smile each and every time (though I often wonder about your childhood - what deep dark secret in YOUR past has shaped your perceptions of the world!).
Being a faithful Bard of Thronefast, I have always disagreed strongly with the aspersions you have cast on the noble House of Avendyr with your crazed theories.
But please, my friend, never ever change! You are indeed a treasure.