- "The Silinese are delicious prey to the ericadi."
"I thought they eat minerals and crystal."
"Like crystalline bones. And they probably can’t tell the difference between Silinese and human and Theelin, not until they get a taste—and by then it's too late!" - ―Lio Graf to Jecki Lon
Ericadi were creatures native to Siline. They were considered the planet's most dangerous animal and apex predator, and they held deep cultural significance to the Silinese. Ericadi were ceremonially hunted as part of the great hunt portion of the planet's Crowning Convocation, which coincided with the eruption of geothermal red diamond geysers every seven to ten planetary years and the creatures' migration. Although the traditional great hunt involved slaying the creatures and dissecting out their precious liver stone,[1] by the decades leading up to 134 BBY,[2] the rules of the great hunt were amended to only tag the creatures with trackers due to ecological concerns.[1]
Description
Ericadi were Siline's apex predator. At over three meters tall at the shoulder, they were considered the planet's most dangerous species. Ericadi had iridescent scales as thick as a humanoid hand, with diamond-sharp edges that covered the creature's body and shifted with motion, wind, and breathing. Ericadi had six spindly three-jointed limbs that moved slowly, as well as two sets of fast-beating and humming wings, which were not used for flight. They had five deep garnet red eyes, each the size of a humanoid head, and spiraling rows of needle-like teeth strong enough to chew crystals, minerals and rocks in a mouth that was large enough to fit a whole humanoid inside. Surrounding the head was a mane of flexible spines visually similar to Silinese hair filaments. These swirled slowly around the head. When an ericadi was angered, it raised the scales on the posterior neck in a display of aggression while making a loud, echoing, gnashing sound.[1]
A smaller freshwater counterpart of the ericadi also existed. When first seeing a image of the ericadi, they reminded Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon of giant cicadas of Thies IV.[1]
Behavior
Ericadi consumed crystals, rocks, and minerals, which included the crystalline bones of Silinese individuals. They digested this inorganic material with a specialized organ referred to as a liver stone. This shimmering black diamond-looking crystal pummeled minerals while they passed through the creature's digestive tract. The ericadi had multiple distinct lifecycles: They spent the majority of their time in burrows, but when the geothermal red diamond geysers erupted every seven to ten planetary years, they made their way to the surface to migrate to ocean for mating and nesting.[1]
Ericadi in the galaxy
The ericadi held a deep cultural significance to the Silinese. Historically, the scales and liver stones of the ericadi were harvested due to their financial value. They were also hunted as part of the great hunt, the third and often last stage of the Crowning Convocation, which also coincided with the eruption. In the historical rules, combatants had to kill as many ericadi as possible and collect their liver stones.[1]
As Siline became unified and the Crowning Convocations became international and more civilized, killing ericadi was outlawed, largely due to ecological concerns of over-hunting. In the contemporary rules, the ericadi, were abducted from their natural migrating paths to the sea and brought to the hunting arena. There, they were tagged with trackers for scientific studies. In case of emergencies, the Convocation participants were also given hummers that could ward ericadi off, though this would result in their immediate disqualification. Before the rule change, the great hunt was the most deadly part of the Convocation, but the amended rules improved safety and allowed participants to interact with many more ericadi than before. Nevertheless, the great hunt still was a difficult challenge. To tag the ericadi, the combatants would provoke the creature into lifting up their neck scales, allowing for the tag to be being secured in the bone loops underneath the scales. The changes were controversial among the Silinese population due to the lucrative trade of the scales.[1]
During the Crowning Convocation[1] in 134 BBY,[2] the great hunt was secretly sabotaged by the Siline-native human Lionine Graf. Graf hired a group of mercenaries led by the off-worlder Orisent and the Silinese Parnix, in hopes that the sabotage would help facilitate Siline joining the Galactic Republic by damaging the people's hold on tradition. The conspiracy involved the mercenaries infiltrating the hunting arena, slicing the cam droids, and releasing a pair of lyleks as a distraction while they killed and harvested ericadi. A few hours into the great hunt, the conspiracy led to its premature conclusion. In the aftermath, the illegal hunting of ericadi was thwarted by Jedi Padawans Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar, who were able to stymie the poaching and call for help from Silinese authorities and their Masters.[1]
Appearances
- The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown (and audiobook) (First appearance, in book)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The events of The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown take place in 134 BBY per the following reasoning. The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown establishes that Jecki Lon is the Padawan of Sol and Yord Fandar has yet to undertake his Jedi Trials. The novel also states that Lon has been Sol's Padawan for at least two years, as well as that Sol had not taken a Padawan for years after his former Padawan, Verosha Aniseya, left the Jedi Order. From this, at least four years have passed since Aniseya left the Order. "Lost / Found"—the events of which take place in 132 BBY per the reasoning here—establishes Aniseya left the Order six years before its events, equating to 138 BBY. The episode further states Fandar passed his Jedi Trials two years before its events, meaning he must have passed his Trials in 134 BBY.