Eranyu (pronounced eh-RAN-yoo) is a mythical serpent in the legends told by many clans of Akwarai dwarves. The serpent is said to live in the center of the House of Sand and Knives, where they lie protectively coiled around a pedestal upon which sits the first and last grain of sand and drop of water.
Descriptions of Eranyu vary in every way. To some clans the serpent is little larger than an everyday mundane desert snake, while to others they are truly massive. Usually they are described to be covered in scales the color of sand and earth, but to a few clans of Akwarai they are feathered instead. None agree as to the details.
All, however, agree to Eranyu's purpose. The ageless time-snake was given the House of Sand and Knives by the gods as they ascended into full divinity, tasked with giving hardship, joy, and meaning to all dwarves within the desert. While some Akwarai take these stories literally, most do not, seeing in them instead parables of how to live in the harsh environment they call home.