Editing Exploring the Halls of Arden Vul: Archontean Empire (section)

==People of Stone==
The society of the People of Stone is two-tiered. The upper tier is composed of the established clans, most named after a type of rock or similar substance (e.g. Malachite); members of these clans are the elites, and enjoy special privileges within stoneholds. It is said that members of a clan will go to any end to rescue a clansperson, or at least to recover their body and life-stone. The lower tier of Stone-person society is composed of the clanless. Some of the clanless were born that way, others were exiled from their clans for misdeeds, while still others are survivors of clans that imploded or were eliminated in factional politics.

The clanless do much of the mining and shaping, usually under the supervision of a Stone-person from an established clan. When Stone People die, they are said to ‘take to the stone’; whether this is literal or figurative is an open question among human sages, for Stone People are particularly tight-lipped about such intensely intimate practices.

The Archonteans know of only two Stone People settlements, although its sages suspect that other holds exist on Irthuin and in the southern jungles. One known settlement is Durildor, or Deephold to humans; this small settlement is set in the mountains of Mithruin. The Children of Durildor are technically citizens of the Archontean Empire, although they are quite reclusive. It is said that ancient Emperors swore oaths of support to persuade the Stone People to come to Archontea, and that the price of their arrival was near immunity from imperial rule and law.

The other known settlement is Kazildor (Stonehome to humans), a major hold lying beneath the mountains north and west of Narsileon. The Stone People of Kazildor have refused all requests on the part of the empire to exchange ambassadors, so little is known of Kazildor itself. Perhaps to fend off more such requests, the Stone People of Kazildor have recently established a small permanent embassy in Narsileon. In return for certain advice and smithy work, the exarch has allowed them to operate their own trading factor in Narsileon, and has granted them certain monopolies.

Stone People are generally around 4' tall, are hairless, and decorate their grey skin with intricate scarification patterns. Their society is cooperative and ruled by council, though the clanless are not represented.

Stone People names are usually derived from types of rock or stone, and/or stone-related crafting, mining or related skills. Given names vary widely, but clan names are relatively few in number, and are of great antiquity. 
*People of Stone clan names: Gest, Granite, Jade, Malachite, Obsidian, Tapper
*People of Stone male given names: Etsil, Gedric, Grist, Jasper, Scoria, Utor, Zhorak
*People of Stone female given names: Bressia, Dunita, Grishia, Hergist, Norita, Sable