Ezan watched as the hämmelsall closed his eyes spread his arms. Ezan could see the soil actually churn and grow blacker as the hämmelsall worked. Ezan was a master of swordplay, good song and making friends with women, not of the arts of the earth. But even so, to his eye, the soil just looked better. It took all morning, and the hämmelsall was clearly exhausted. His black skin glistened with sweat, making him look even more like the soil he was tending. The farmland they left behind them, however, looked as if it were fresh loam just left by a glacier. And this on a plot of land that was mostly clay yesterday.

The Garduar are the descendants of human women and the Kale’khan. They have never clustered into any one area of Kale’urth, but may be found anywhere that farming is possible, even marginally. Farming the earth for resources is what they do best.

Physical:

The Garduar are short and stocky humanoids. By human standards they are round and fat. They have normal human number of fingers and toes. The Males can grow facial hair, and will wear it in colder climates. Both sexes tend to have full rich heads of hair throughout their lives. They are resistant to disease, and most of them die of old age, which tends to be a bit sooner than normal humans.

Their skin tones vary depending on their els, or “root”. The els is which aspect of Kale’urth that the Garduar has a natural affinity for. There are three types:

Soil: Brown to Black skin, sandy or dark hair, and green eyes.

Water: Blue skin, golden hair and blue eyes

Mineral: Speckled skin, that is a lot like granite. Hair is generally dirty metallic colored, with grey eyes.

Every member of his or her type can detect and analyze their substances. Those connected to the soil can determine the nature and quality of the local earth. Water types can sense underground water and tell the status of any water. Those with an affinity for minerals can detect the types and quantity.

While all members of the race have a natural detection, some become hämmelsall or Masters of the Root. Thesehämmelsall can not only detect what lies in the earth, but command it. Water can be pulled up towards the surface, soil can be transformed to become more fertile, and pure metal can be pulled from ore. The greatest of the hämmelsall, thehämmelsallum are able to create new springs from far away ground water, render soil as fertile several feet thick, and pull a sword out of iron ore. The hämmelsallum are the greatest treasures of the Garduar.

The Garduar live in small communities around the world, often on land that no one else wanted to claim. They often have surpluses of food to sell, and tend not to suffer from famine. Usually they are able to target their harvest very well to their goals. They usually have at least one hämmelsall of each type in a community, who will have an apprentice. If the hämmelsall dies, another Garduar will find his powers growing and fill the roll. This does not take place, unless the community has more than 30 members in it.

The Garduar are known not only for their fine farming, but their master design of metals and glass. Threehämmelsallum working together can create awesome objects such as swords, crystal sculptures, and other items of beauty.

The Garduar tend to be at risk for raiders, and often use their trade to purchase security from others. They can turn out a militia, and they have some ongoing training with weapons, but they at their hearts miners and farmers. Ahämmelsallm usually stays in his or her community, but some have joined other armies. In terms of scorched earth, finding your farms now baked clay, your springs all dry, and your mines inaccessible.