Maiko's Note
The Endulani are quiet. Not because they are passive, but because they are listening. To the wind. To the trees. To each other.
They don’t shout their truths. They live them. They are quiet like the mists they live among—but don’t mistake silence for weakness.
Their strength runs deep, like the roots of the Fleshtrees, and their loyalty doesn’t waver.
They honor sorrow in silence—but joy? Joy is a firelit dance, barefoot in the wet moss, drinking ronava until the stars blur.
If I were to belong anywhere on Madun… It would be in the whispering forest, among them.
The People of the Mist
Shindjal: Endulani
Faction:
Endulani
“Ledja wa shinja tei inshai.”
To write is to map the stars.
— Saying of the Shint’twalàni
1. Overview
The Endulani are an independent forest tribe living in the misty northern region of Endudjan. Known as the People of the Mist, they preserve the oldest knowledge of Earth through oral tradition and carved stone records. Peaceful and deeply spiritual, they resist the Empire’s control and follow a mystic path - one that leads some, through sacred mushroom rites, to commune with the goddess Sulmalàn in visions.
2. Origins & Background
The Endulani trace their roots to settlers who escaped into the forests after the chaos following the landing of the Theseus. Children and outcasts formed their own ways of life, eventually settling into tribal groups. Over time, these groups united into three branches - Ravens, Bears, and Wolves - each taking root in different parts of the northern forest. The memory of Earth was preserved by the Shint’twalàni, lorekeepers who chiseled ancient knowledge into the stone walls of hidden temples, anticipating the loss of digital memory.
3. Cultural / Environmental Context
The Endulani inhabit the dense, cool forests of Endudjan, where rivers wind through valleys cloaked in near-constant mist. Life revolves around the forest and its cycles: hunting, gathering, herbal knowledge, and spiritual communion with nature.
Their society is communal and leaderless - decisions are made in open gatherings, and respect is earned through wisdom and deed. They venerate Sulmalàn, the goddess of mist and memory, and practice mist burial, where elders are interred into sacred Mirewood ("Fleshtree") groves to become part of the forest’s spirit.
Each branch has a cultural focus:
Ravens: storytellers and river traders
Bears: coastal sailors and hunters
Wolves: farmers and herbalists
The three sub-tribes of the Endulani - Ravens, Wolves, and Bears - are each named for the animals they domesticated after arriving on Madun. These species were not native to the planet but were printed from DNA archives aboard the generational ship Theseus.
Ravens: Known for their intelligence and loyalty, the ravens were printed and trained by the forest-dwelling tribe now known as the Ravens. These birds became vital as messengers and companions.
Wolves: The Wolves are expert farmers and hunters. They bred and bonded with wolves not as pets but as partners. These wolves serve as guardians and work animals in the mountain valleys.
Bears: Living near the coast, the Bears domesticated powerful ursine creatures. These bears, while dangerous, were raised from cubs and trained to haul heavy loads, defend territory, and even sail with their handlers.
This domestication effort was only possible due to stolen access to the Theseus’s DNA printing facilities during the early post-landing years. The ancestors of the Endulani preserved and nurtured these animals in secret, giving rise to the sub-tribe names that still hold today.
4. Lore Snippets or Anecdotes
During the Mist Rite, young Endulani initiates sit in stone circles veiled in fog, consuming slices of Sulanum mushrooms carved with star-marks. Many return with wide eyes and tears, whispering of Sulmalàn’s voice - a sound like breath in rain. Others are marked forever by what they saw in the mist.
Endrek once traded a bundle of wolf fur for a flask of Sulborol from the Western Isles - he later claimed it made him see the forest’s heart.
Old lore tells of the first Sulejel, born from a dying Shint’twalàn during mist burial, who emerged with antlers made of light.
When Keith first arrives on Madun, disoriented and alone, it is the Endulani who find and shelter him. The scholar Asukul, seeing the threat the presence of a true earthlig represents, decides to hide the outsider from Imperial eyes. Keith is taken to the forests, taught the ways of the land, and slowly learns to speak Drabàshabal. The Endulani do not treat him as a prisoner nor a guest, but as one of their own - hoping that in time, he will become one. In return, Keith begins to see the world not as a mission, but as home.
5. Language & Terminology
Endulani: “People of Mist” (from “Endun” = mist + “lani” = people)
Bvaranapàsh: “Great River”
Shint’twalàn: “One who sees what is” → scholar/lorekeeper
Fleshtree: Sacred tree used in mist-burial rituals
Endujel: “Mistwalker” - Endulani dog breed resembling wolves
Common Saying: "Fèran ulei inshai.” - "Old as the stars."
Kis Wat’Eras: The Endulani name for Keith. Literally “Keith (actually 'kis' = to think) is the Earth,” this name reflects how they perceive him - an emissary of the old world who must now take root in the new.
6. Notable Locations / Figures
Bvaborul kòu Shint’twal: The Hall of Knowledge, carved into the mountain stone
Asukul: Elder Shint’twalàn, teacher of the last three students
Endrek: Raven-born, brave and curious young leader
Lijul: Wolf-born girl, attuned to nature and language
Borovil ("Maluk"): Bear-born stargazer, physically strong and intellectually gifted
7. Role in the World
Fiercely independent, the Endulani are hunted by the Imperi kòu Handjelani, who view them as both a spiritual threat and a repository of secret knowledge.
They are respected and sometimes envied by other tribes, such as the Awashalani, for their wisdom and independence.
Endulani traders maintain secret networks of quiet exchange with pirates of the Western Isles.
Sulejel, spectral forest guardians, are feared even by Empire troops.
Maiko's Note
The Endulani are quiet. Not because they are passive, but because they are listening. To the wind. To the trees. To each other.
They don’t shout their truths. They live them. They are quiet like the mists they live among—but don’t mistake silence for weakness.
Their strength runs deep, like the roots of the Fleshtrees, and their loyalty doesn’t waver.
They honor sorrow in silence—but joy? Joy is a firelit dance, barefoot in the wet moss, drinking ronava until the stars blur.
If I were to belong anywhere on Madun… It would be in the whispering forest, among them.
