Humans - The Master Race

[DM Leverage]

Mulan
- Playable Ethnicity -

Members of this ethnic group have dominated the eastern shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars since the fall of ancient Imaskar. At various times in their long history, they have made up at least the ruling elite of Ashanath, Chessenta, the Eastern Shaar, Murghom, Rashemen, Semphar, Thay, Thesk, and the Wizards' Reach cities south of the Yuirwood. Mulan are generally tall, slim, and shallow-skinned, with eyes of hazel or brown. Their hair ranges from black to dark brown, but all nobles and many other Mulan routinely shave off all their hair. As a race, Mulan are arrogant, conservative, and convinced of their cultural superiority over the rest of Faerûn.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Player's Guide to Faerûn


Regions: Chessenta, Chondalwood, Mulhorand, Thay, Unther.
Racial Feats: Sacred Tattoo, Theocrat.

Since the fall of ancient Imaskar, the Mulan have dominated the eastern shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Led by two pantheons of deities, the ancient Mulan empires of Mulhorand and Unther conquered at various times Ashanath, Chessenta, the Eastern Shaar, Murghom, Rashemen, Semphar, Thay, Thesk, and the Wizards’ Reach cities that lie south of the Yuirwood. In their wake, these empires have left ruling elites composed almost exclusively of Mulan. After millennia of rulership, the Mulan have become arrogant, highly resistant to change, and wholly convinced of their cultural superiority.

The Mulan are firmly wedded to the use of magic, with the only major point of disagreement being whether to pursue the arcane or divine tradition. For many generations the god-lings, powerful avatars of the Mulhorandi and Untheric deities long resident on Toril, ruled both empires as incarnate gods. The somnolent rule of the god-kinds permitted the development of a powerful priest class in Mulan cultures that has long struggled with practitioners of arcane spellcasting for power. Their heavy-handed clerical rule prompted repeated rebellions by wizards and sorcerers, leading to the dominance of Thay by Red Wizards of Mulan descent.

Mulan are generally tall, slim, and sallow-skinned with eyes of hazel or brown. They lack much body hair, and many, including all nobles, shave any hair that they do have. Hair color on an unshaved Mulan ranges from black to dark brown. The lower classes of Thay, Mulhorand, and Unther often have significant Rashemi or Turami blood, leading to darker complexions. The folk of Chessenta have long mixed with the nearby Chondathans, and pure Mulan features are rare there.

The Mulan have a long and proud history, viewing both their society and their culture as eternal. Rapid change is regarded with suspicion, and the arcane arts either warmly embraced (Thay) or viewed with deep distrust (Mulhorand and Unther). Mulan believe themselves to be more civilized, more prosperous, more creative, more powerful (should they choose to be), and in all other ways superior to all other ethnic groups. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, Mulan are dismissive of other cultures’ accomplishments and openly arrogant with respect to their own.

The history of the Mulan is largely the history of Mulhorand, Unther, Chessenta, and Thay, as detailed in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.

Four thousand years ago, the Imaskar Empire suffered a great plague that decimated its population. The wizard-rulers of Imaskar opened a pair of great portals to another world, pulling forth over one hundred thousand humans, then closed the portals and sealed all connections to that world forever. The Imaskari enslaved and oppressed these people (the Mulan), and the slaves offered countless prayers to their deities that went unheard because of the Imaskaran barrier.

Through the intervention of Ao, the slaves' deities were able to send powerful but mortal versions of themselves through alternate methods, bypassing the barrier. The deities battled and defeated the Imaskari, settling the lands to the west along with their followers. The nations of Mulhorand and Unther were born from these events, and after years of war, the divine manifestations agreed to abide by their common border and pursue conquest of other lands.

Nine hundred years later, another great portal opened to an unknown world, calling forth unnumbered hordes of orcs. The humanoids attacked the northern reaches of Mulhorand and Unther, drawing the divine manifestations into battle with the barbarous enemy. In response, the orc clerics summoned manifestations of their deities, resulting in may deaths on both sides. Eventually the orcs were defeated and fled to elsewhere in Toril.

Over the next two thousand years, Mulhorand's daughter states broke free, forming the nations of Murghom, Semphar, and Thay. Mulhorand existed in a state of slow decline for hundreds of years until the end of the Time of Troubles, when Ao removed the Imaskari barrier. This allowed the Mulhorandi manifestations to reunite with their primary essences. Ruled by a true mortal for the first time in its history, Mulhorand went through a brief period of repression and martial law, then stabilized somewhat as the clergy, long used to ruling the country, reestablished a state of normalcy.

With the death of Gilgeam the Tyrant, Unther lost its lone manifest deity. Anhur, the Mulhorandi god of war, had long been pressing the pharaoh to take a more active role in the world, and the change in Unther was the catalyst that the young pharaoh Horus-tep III (LG male human Clr 4/Pal6 of Horus-Re) needed. Realizing the border treaty between the deities was no longer valid without the presence of the manifestation of Gilgeam in Unther, the Pharaoh allowed the clerics of Anhur to lead an army into Unther. Greatly aided by the Gold Swords, a skilled foreign mercenary company lead by Kendera Steeldice (LG female human Pal 11 of the Red Kinght), the army of Mulhorand marched around the Alamber Sea as far north as the city of Shussel, conquering most of Unther in the process. Mulhorand's military energy is currently being used to end or divert slave revolts and train former Untheric slaves in the service of the temples of Mulhorand.

Back in Skuld, the pharaoh had become quite enamored of the mercenary Kendera, whose dedication, skill, and experience impressed him greatly. With the able-bodied men of the country camped to the west, Mulhorand faced a severe shortage of workers in all disciplines. Under Kendera's advice, Horustep III has passed a law allowing women to work in the same jobs as men and is considering plans to restructure the inheritance laws to be more equitable among all siblings.

Now Mulhorand has expanded its territory by nearly half, with the remainder of Unther barely able to organize a coherent defense. Thay, Chessenta, and other nearby nations have taken care to treat Nulhorand carefully, and diplomats from many nations visit Skuld, hoping to stay in good favor with the pharaoh. The remainder of Unther trembles at the thought of next year's campaign, but the pharaoh's militar advisers caution him not to expand too quickly.

Source: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting; History of Mulhorand

Outlook

The Mulan believe in order and discipline and are strongly resistant to change, the legacy of millennia of undying rule by the god-kings of Unther and Mulhorand. They haughtily believe that they are either the chosen of the gods (in Mulhorand, Unther, and Chessenta) or above the gods (in Thay) and hold their culture above all others. Unlike most other human cultures, the Mulan believe they dwell in an earthly paradise, where stability and security shall reign for all eternity. The afterlife is merely a mirror of the mortal realm. In Thay, such beliefs have been twisted to regard undeath as the mirror of life, while in Unther the centuries-long tyranny of Gilgeam made a horror of both this world and the next. Mulan are indoctrinated from a young age to revere their cultural traditions, to respect the law, and to honor the servants of the gods (or the Red Wizards, in the case of Thay).

Although not drawn to adventuring, the Mulan seen outside their traditional homelands are usually adventurers of one sort or another. Some have fled enslavement or been driven into exile due to differences with the local authorities, whether they be mercenary lords in Chessenta, cultists of Tiamat in the remnants of Unther, bureaucratic priests in Mulhorand, or autocratic Red Wizards in Thay. Others are sent abroad as agents of one of the Mulan realms, serving as representatives of a Thayan enclave, tracking down relics plundered from a Mulhorandi tomb, fighting in a Chessentan mercenary company, or spying on those who have designs on Unther’s carcass.


Mulan Characters
Mulan typically make good fighters, whether trained in the mercenary armies of Chessenta, the church armies of Unther and Mulhorand, or the wizard-led armies of Thay. The road to power in Mulhorand and, until recently, Unther lies in the various priesthoods. As a result, many Mulan in those realms are clerics of one of the Mulhorandi gods, Hoar, or Tiamat. Chessenta has its fair share of clerics as well, many of whom serve various Faerûnian deities, but only the churches of Kossuth and several evil Faerûnian deities are strong in wizard-dominated Thay.

In Mulhorand, good-aligned deities with strong martial traditions employ many paladins in their service. Wizards and clerics are well established in Chessenta, Mulhorand, Thay, and Unther, although their efforts are much restricted in Mulhorand by the bureaucracy of priests. Bardcraft, brought back by Chessentan mercenaries from western Faerûn, is held in high esteem in Chessenta but is otherwise almost unknown in lands dominated by the Mulan. Monks are found in large numbers only on Mulhorand, where most orders are integrated into the church of Thoth. Rogues are common in the teeming cities of Mulhorand and Unther, where priests are more corrupt than pious. Mulan are almost never barbarians or druids, as they have always lived in cultures established by the god-kinds and their clerics. Likewise, Mulan rarely find their calling as rangers, for the Mulan dwell in long-settled lands with few forests or other areas of wilderness.

Prestige Classes: Many Mulan take up the divine prestige classes of arcane devotee, divine champion, divine disciple, and divine seeker. Assassins and blackguards devoted to evil deities are not unknown in Mulan societies and are especially prevalent in Thay and Unther. In Thay, almost all Mulan wizards of sufficient skill eventually choose to join the ranks of the Red Wizards.


Mulan Society

Despite the fragmentation of the Old Empires of Mulhorand and Unther, the Mulan have changed little despite the passage of centuries. Strict class divisions segregate Mulan society into the nobility (including all clerics and arcane spellcasters), the commoners (farmers, merchants, and skilled craftsman), and slaves (everyone else). Although upward and downward mobility is possible in Mulan society, primarily by joining the clergy or studying the Art, the Mulan discriminate against most other human ethnic groups and races and preserve strictly defined class roles.

Despite the centuries-long presence of the god-kings, the Mulan are not particularly reverent, nor are they overly interested in commerce. The Mulan aspire to power, preferably backed by magic, and engage in endless intrigues to accumulate personal power no matter what the cost to ideals to which they nominally ascribe.

Mulan place great stock in education, and all members of the nobility and middle class receive some amount of instruction as a child. Many youths are apprenticed to a powerful wizard (Thay) or join the church of one of the god-kings (Mulhorand and Unther) at a young age and are raised apart from their families. As adults, the Mulan are expected to serve their role in society and not make waves. Death is a lifelong obsession for most Mulan, who spend their entire lives preparing themselves for the afterlife. The Mulhorandi epitomize this obsession, planning every detail of their journey into the afterlife.

Outside Mulan-dominated lands, Mulan keep to themselves, forming isolated enclaves apart from the local society. Thayan enclaves are simply the latest such example of the Mulan holding themselves apart from and above other races and human ethnic groups when dwelling in foreign lands. Of necessity, some cross-pollination of cultures does occur through trade contact with neighbors, but expatriate Mulan prefer to limit such contacts whenever possible. Mulan from the Old Empires almost never venerate deities other than their homeland’s pantheon, and most Thayans can hardly be bothered with any gods. Few Mulan see the point of any languages other than the local dialect of the Common tongue.


Language and Literacy

Depending on their homeland, Mulan speak one of the various tongues of the Rauric language family--all derived, at least in part, from the slave argot of ancient Imaskar. The language of Unther is Untheric, while the language of Mulhorand, Murghom, Semphar, and Thay is Mulhorandi. Untheric employs Dethek runes for its alphabet, suggesting a strong tie between the gold dwarves of the Great Rift and the early inhabitants of Unther. Mulhorandi is rendered in the Celestial alphabet, first introduced by a manifestation of Thoth.

In Chessenta and the Wizards’ Reach, Chessentan, a tongue closely related to Untheric with strong Chondathan and Shaaran influences, has largely supplanted Untheric. The folk of Chessenta have long used the Thorass alphabet in addition to Dethek runes, and Chessentan is almost exclusively written using Thorass characters. Both Thay and the cult of Set render Mulhorandi in the Infernal alphabet, consciously repudiating the rule of the current god-kings.

Common is less frequently spoken in Mulan-dominated lands than elsewhere in Faerun, but it still widely known nonetheless. Mulan who learn second tongues often choose one of the other Rauric languages mentioned above, Aglarondan (among the cities of the Wizards’ Reach), Chondathan (Chessenta), Durpari (southern Mulhorand), Rashemi (Thay and the Wizards’ Reach), Shaaran (southern Unther), Shou (Semphar), and Turmic (Chessenta and Mulhorand).

All Mulan are literate except for barbarians (very rare among this ancient race), commoners, and warriors.


Mulan Magic and Lore

To the Mulan, magic is a tool for intrigue. Divination and illusion magic are particularly valued, for they facilitate the subtle plots that Mulan spellcasters employ.

Spells and Spellcasting
The Mulan have strong traditions in both arcane and divine spellcasting, the former a legacy of ancient Imaskar and the latter the result of the millennia-long residence of the god-kings among them. These two spellcasting traditions have long been at odds with one another, manifested most clearly in the separation of Thay from Mulhorand.

In Thay, nearly all arcane spellcasters aspire to join the ranks of the Red Wizards, where specialization in a school of magic is taken to an extreme not seen elsewhere in Faerûn. Of those spellcasters who are of lower rank, wizards outnumber sorcerers, and bards are almost unknown. In Mulhorand and Unther, where the practice of arcane magic is much restricted, most spellcasters are clerics of one of the many Mulhorand god-kings. Paladins are found in greater numbers than in other cultures, but rangers and druids are all but unknown. In Chessenta, bards outnumber other practitioners of the Art, and clerics of both the Faerûnian and Mulhorandi pantheons are common as well.

Spellcasting Traditions: Mulan favor spells that ensure personal defense and enable one to learn a deity’s will. Combat spells, particularly those of an elemental nature, are also common. In Thay, arcane spells of elemental fire are much preferred. In Mulhorand, Murghom, and Unther, spells that safeguard tombs of the dead or inflict curses upon the living are much favored. Commonly known examples include augury, bestow curse, commune, fireball, glyph of warding, and symbol.

With their history of god-kings and powerful magic, Mulan spellcasters cast spells somewhat differently than their counterparts elsewhere on Faerûn. Those with the Southern Magician feat are able to occasionally cast arcane spells as divine spells, or vice versa.

Unique Spells: Although Mulan spellcasters have created large numbers of spells, both arcane and divine, various cultural influences have combined to ensure that few are widely known. The priesthood of Thoth has long striven to keep arcane Mulhorandi secrets hidden from the outside world. Infighting between individuals as well as the various schools of magic in Thay has kept most Red Wizards spells from becoming widely known, even among their fellows. In Unther, the now-dead god Gilgeam kept very tight wraps on all new spells, seeing them as a threat to his continued rule.


Mulan Magic Items
The Mulan have traditionally discouraged the creation of arcane magic items, in large part for the same reason that they study of the Art has been discouraged--to preserve the power of the priests. While such cultural discouragement of magic item creation continues to hold true in Mulhorand and, to a lesser extent, Unther and Chessenta, it has been wholeheartedly rejected by Thayan Mulan. As indicated by the burgeoning number of Thayan enclaves scattered across Faerûn, the Red Wizards are responsible for a large fraction of the widely known types of magic items in use in Faerûn today. The Red Wizards have created many unique magic items as well, but they jealously hold such secrets for themselves.

Various magical staffs are quite common as well, as the quarterstaff is the original symbol of authority in the lands of the god-kings. Khopeshes, scimitars, and swords are commonly crafted with brilliant energy, ghost touch, holy, throwing, thundering, wounding, and unholy special abilities. Whips are often given the wounding special ability. Quarterstaffs typically receive disruption and holy special abilities. Armor is typically crafted with cooling, fire resistance, or lightning resistance special abilities.

Common Magic Items: Incense of meditation, necklaces of prayer beads, oil of timelessness, phylacteries of faithfulness, scarabs of protection, rods of rulerships, staffs of healing, and vestments of faith. The numerous priests in Mulan lands produce enough of these items that they may be purchased at a 10% discount in any large city in Mulhorand or Unther (due to the Thayan rejection of religion, this discount does not apply in Thay).

Iconic Magic Items: Among the more powerful magic items in many a Mulan spellcaster’s arsenal is the ankh of ascension, which makes all her spells function better.


Mulan Deities

The Mulan are the last major human ethnic group to venerate a pantheon of deities other than the dominant Faerunian pantheon. Until the Time of Troubles, the Mulan of Mulhorand, Murghom, and Semphar venerated the Mulhorandi pantheon, while Unther, Threskel, and parts of Chessenta venerated the Untheric pantheon. Following the deaths of Gilgeam and Ramman during the Avatar Crisis, the Untheric pantheon effectively vanished, its last members (Tiamat and Assuran) absorbed into the Faerunian pantheon. The Mulhorandi pantheon finally awoke to its own dire position. Today, the Mulan of Mulhorand, Murghom, Semphar, and Unther venerate the Mulhorandi pantheon, while those who dwell in Chessenta, the Wizards’ Reach, and Thay largely venerate the Faerûnian pantheon.

Assuran, the Lord of Three Thunders, is known as Hoar in other lands. He is a deity of justice and vengeance, venerated by Mulan of Unther and Chessenta, although his cult is strongest in the cities of Akanax and Mourktar. Hoar’s church has declined in influence in Unther as Anhur’s has grown, but it remains strong in Chessenta where Hoar, in his guises as Assuran, is venerated as a god of storms and regarded as one of the celestial patrons of the country.

Horus-Re, the Lord of the sun, is worshiped primarily by Mulhorandi who govern and administer. Although his faith is strongest in Mulhorand, his church has attracted an increasing number of adherents from the ranks of the fallen Untheric god Gilgeam who have renounced their formerly wicked ways. Clerics of Horus-Re rule vast estates in the name of their deity, and control an immense amount of wealth and power in Mulhorand. Women in Mulhorand and Unther have long worshiped Isis, the Bountiful Lady, known as Ishtar in Unther. She has a very strong following among good-aligned arcane spellcasters.

Before his death the Untheric god Gilgeam blamed Tiamat for all Unther’s ills, driving many Untherites who opposed his harsh rule into her embrace. The Dragon Queen earned her moniker as Nemesis of the Gods when she slew the Supreme Ruler of Unther during the Time of Troubles, an act of liberation that has earned her church large numbers of adherents, even among nonevil Mulan. In neighboring Chessenta, Tiamat has many followers as well, for there she is known as Tchazzar, the red dragon Father of Chessenta. In time, her church is likely to contract when Tiamat’s true nature is finally revealed.


Relations with other Races

The Mulan view members of other human ethnic groups with disdain. The Turami minorities of Mulhorand, Unther, Threskel, and Chessenta are generally tolerated, (except in Unther, where they are almost universally despised), but they are always considered members of the lower class. North of the Wizards’ Reach, the Rashemi form the bulk of the lower class of Thay. The Red Wizards nominally restrict their ranks to Mulan wizards and sorcerers, but many look the other way if they find a Rashemi spellcaster skilled in the Art and willing to pretend to be a Mulan, although powerful Rashemi wizards can dispense with the charade.

The Mulan get along with the gold dwarves of the Great Rift, thanks to centuries of trade, and are inclined to view all the Stout Folk in similar light, although arctic dwarves and wild dwarves might prove an exception. Rock gnomes are largely unknown, so the Mulan view them as little dwarves. Halflings are similarly rare, as the largest nearby concentration of then hin lies in far-off Luiren, and are generally treated much like dwarves as well. Elves and half-elves are almost unknown to the Mulan and the subject of great superstition, stemming in large part from the frustrations Unther’s armies experienced long ago while attempting to subjugate the Yuirwood. In Mulhorand and Unther, the Fair Folk are seen as wizards by the bureaucracy of priests, and thus are regarded with the same combination of fear and loathing as Red Wizards of Thay.

The Mulan despise half-orcs, a legacy of the Orcgate Wars handed down for centuries. Western Chessenta is a notable exception, particularly in the city of Airspur, where half-orcs are tolerated. Of the nonhuman civilized races, Planetouched, particularly aasimar, are the only race looked up to by the Mulan. After millennia of intimate involvement with the god-kings, aasimar of Mulan descent are seen as descendants of the gods and thus worthy of great respect. Tieflings engender fear rather than reverence, for they are seen as the spawn of Set and Sebek. Genasai are scarce, although fire genasi of Mulan descent are treated as full-blooded Mulan in Thay and welcomed into the School of Evocation.


Mulan Equipment

Mulan favor simple, unadorned clothing, such as white tunics, black headdresses, belts, and sandals. In colder climes, more colorful garments may be worn, but the fashion is for clothing to remain plain, a tradition originally begun so as not to challenge the majesty of the god-kings. Tattoos are the most common form of adornment, often depicting stylized representations of various beasts and monsters, cryptic runes, and abstract designs.

Arms and Armor
In ages past, Mulan employed bronze weapons, typically khopeshes or scimitars, and many relics fashioned of bronze are still in use today as ceremonial attire or because they bear powerful magic. Modern-day Mulan favor steel swords, introduced after the gold dwarves passed on the secret of forging steel, and composite bows, which were used to great effect during the Orcgate Wars. Most other weapons employed in western Faerûn, with the exception of longspears and other pole arms, are employed to varying degrees by the Mulan as well.

Quarterstaffs are favored in Mulhorand, particularly by clerics, and whips are the weapon of choice of many Red Wizards. The armor of choice of most Mulan is scale mail, although they have adopted chain mail and breastplates in recent centuries. Heavy armor is almost unknown, possessed only by the greatest warriors.

Common Items: Scale mail, banded mail, scimitar, khopesh, light mace, heavy mace, shortspears, composite longbow.

Animals and Pets
In lands ruled by the god-kings, the Mulan revere felines as divine agents, reflecting the lingering influence of the Cult of Bast centuries after that minor Mulhorandi goddess evolved into Sharess. Horses are highly prized in greater Mulhorand, particularly in Murghom and Semphar. Perhaps because of its large population of centaurs, Thay is not particularly known for its horses. Instead, black unicorns form the heart of Thayan cavalry squadrons. In Thay, arcane spellcasters of Mulan descent employ imps, quasits, shocker lizards, stirges, tiny snakes, and toads as familiars. Members of the Order of the Magi in Mulhorand prefer animals associated with their patron deity, particularly hawks and ibises.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Nar
- Playable Ethnicity -

Descended from the survivors of Narfell’s cataclysmic destruction, the Nars consist of twenty of more nomadic tribes that inhabit the dry grasslands east of the Giantspire Mountains and north of the Rawlinswood. Further details of their history may be found in the descriptions of the Damarans and the Rashemi.

Nars are short and stocky, with darkly tanned skin tones and straight, raven black hair, usually worn to the shoulders. They are some of the finest horsemen in Faerûn, and famed breeders of the legendary Nar heavy horse. Although they once spoke Narfelli, a forgotten tongue strongly influenced by Abyssal, the Nars now speak the Damaran tongue common to lands near the Easting Reach as well as a smattering of Common. As most Nars can be considered barbarians, few can read or write, but those that do employ the Dethek runes adopted by speakers of Damaran.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Netherese
- Playable Ethnicity -

Perhaps the best-known and most influential of the humans who built Faerun’s ancient civilizations were the Netherese of ancient Netheril. Netheril was founded in -3859 DR by dark-haired, fair-skinned humans who dwelt along the shores of the Narrow Sea, a body of water now lost beneath the sands of Anauroch. At its height, Netheril encompassed all the lands now buried beneath Anauroch, with colonies stretching westward to the Trackless Sea, and floating cities high above distant lands. The cities of the Narrow Sea came to be known as Low Netheril, while the civilization of the clouds was known as high Netheril, famous for magic of surpassing power.

Although all Netherese used the Draconic alphabet, the language of Low Netheril, and the commoners of High Netheril was Netherese, while the nobles of High Netheril spoke Loross. Both groups venerated the same pantheon, which included gods such as Amaunator (Lathander), Jannath (Chauntea), Jergal, Kozah (Talos), Moander, Mystryl (Mystra), Selune, Shar, and Targus (Garagos). The clergy were far more influential in Low Netheril than in the arcanists’ soaring cities.

High Netheril collapsed after Karsus destroyed Mystra in -339 DR, and all but four of High Netheril’s ancient floating cities were destroyed. There of those—Anauria, Asram, and Hlondath—were saved by the influence of Mystra and landed safely just west of what are now known as the Desertsedge Mountains, where they founded surface realms of the same names. Asram fell victim to a plague spread by the goddess Talona in -33 DR. Anauria fell to an orc horde in 111 DR, and Hlondath was consumed by the sands of Anauroch and abandoned in 329 DR. Inhabitants of these eastern “Netherese survivor states” eventually migrated south into Cormyr and east into the Moonsea region. Their descendants were largely absorbed into the burgeoning Chondathan culture of the eastern Heartlands and are now accounted as northern Chondathans or Vaasans.

The fall of Low Netheril had less to do with Karsus’s folly and more to do with the ever-encroaching lifedrain spells of the phaerimm. As the pace of desertification increased, starting around -461 DR, most of the inhabitants of Low Netheril gradually migrated westward. Most scholars divide the westward-bound Netherese migrants into two groups. The southwestern group founded realms in the river valleys of the Winding water and the River Chionthar, while the northwestern branch formed isolated city-states scattered across the Savage Frontier. Little evidence of Netherese culture remains among the descendants of either branch, for both groups were later subsumed by immigrants from across the sea to the west (the Illuskans) or by the native tribes of the region (the Tethyrians).

Four small groups of pureblooded Netherese are believed to survive in the present day. The Marsh Drovers of the Farsea Marshes are thought to be descendants of Anauria who were never absorbed by the Chondathan inhabitants of Cormyr. The Tunlar barbarians of the Plains of Tun are believed to be descendants of the Rengarth barbarians (cousins of the Low Netherese) of southern Netheril. The nomadic barbarians of the ride north of the Moonsea are believed to be descendants of the Angardt barbarians of northern Netheril (also cousins of the Low Netherese). Finally, the fourth floating city of High Netheril, known as Shade, survived the fall of Netheril by vanishing into the Plane of Shadow. Shade reappeared in 1372 DR, after generations of warfare with the malaugrym in the shadow-plane. Shade now rests on the northern shore of the Shadow Sea, which was once the Shoal of Thirst.


(The Shadovar - people of the city of shade - are detailed in their own Human ethnicity post)

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Rashemi
- Playable Ethnicity -

These humans are tough, sturdy, and well adapted to life in the harsh dangerous northeaster reaches of Faerûn. They are descended from the nomadic tribes that won the Orcgate Wars and built the empire of Raumathar. Not only do Rashemis dominate Rashemen and Thay, they also form significant minorities in Aglarond, the Endless Wastes, Thesk, and the Wizards' Reach region. Rashemis tend to be short, stout, and muscular, and they usually have dusky skin, dark eyes, and thick, black hair. They cherish their strong ties to their land, appreciating its beauty while respecting its harshness. They display little of the arrogance that marks other groups whose ancestors once ruled empires.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Player's Guide to Faerûn


Regions: Aglarond, Hordelands, Rashemen, Thay, Thesk, Rashemi
Racial Feats: Aftersight.

Concentrated in the harsh and dangerous northeastern reaches of Faerûn, the Rashemi are tough and sturdy, undaunted by extremes of weather or human cruelty. Despite their relative isolation from the rest of Faerûn, most Rashemi are surprisingly well versed in the affairs of other nations, for many travel extensively as youths as part of a coming-of-age ritual known as a dajemma. Although Rashemi barbarians and rangers are widely known across Faerûn, members of this ethic group also make skilled wizards, sorcerers, and clerics.

Descended from the nomadic tribes that fought and won the Orcgate wars and later built the empire of Raumathar, the Rashemi are the most numerous human ethic group on the Priador plateau and in the lands that border Ashanath, the Lake of Tears. Outside Thay and Rashemen, Rashemi minorities are also found in Aglarond, Damara, the Great Dale, Impiltur, Mulhorand, Narfell, the Wizard’s Reach, Mulhorand, Semphar, Thesk, and Unther. Although not widespread, Rashemi culture has had a significant influence on both Damaran and Tuigan culture, and in its day the Rashemi empire of Raumathar rivaled the power of Mulhorand and Unther.

Most Rashemi average about five and a half feet in height, with stout and muscular builds. Most are dusky of skin and dark of eye, with thick black hair. Rashemi males are unusually hirsute and often sport bushy black beards. Although handsome, many seem almost ursine in nature. Baldness is almost unknown among Rashemi males, although inhabitants of Thay are known to shave all body hair in imitation of the ruling Mulan. Female Rashemi wear their black hair long, often in elaborate braids.

The Rashemi display little of the cultural arrogance common to other major human ethnic groups whose ancestors once ruled empires. Instead, they see themselves as inhabitants of a harsh but beautiful world ruled by place spirits, and cherish their strong and abiding ties to the land. Most Rashemi identify themselves by national origins (for example, Rashemmar, Thayan, or Theskan) rather than ethnicity, although centuries of harsh rule by the Mulan of Thay have done much to strength sympathies between the Rashemi of Thay and the inhabitants of Rashemen. Little emphasis is placed on the acquisition of wealth or ancestry, as each child is expected to earn his or her own place in the world.


History

The Rashemi arose from various tribal peoples who lived in the land of Rashemen long before the fall of Imaskar in -2488 DR. They were warlike and insular, fighting against the efforts of more numerous tribes to claim parts of Rashemen for their own. They fiercely resisted Mulhorandi efforts to tame the lands north of Lake Mulsantir. Since the Rashemi could not be pushed aside, the Mulhorandi who governed the northern frontiers of their empire employed them as mercenaries against other tribal peoples in the area.

The opening of a large portal on the Priador Plateau in -1076 DR and the subsequent arrival of a vast horde of orcs marked the end of the First Empire of Mulhorand. During the Orcgate Wars of -1075 DR to -1069 DR, the Nars, the Rashemi, and the Raumvirans, the Sossrims, and other tribes all served as mercenaries in the vanguard of Mulhorand’s armies. Although the orcs were eventually defeated, Mulhorand’s hold on its far-flung northern provinces was broken.

Although most of the northern tribes returned to their ancestral lands and traditional way of life, both the Raumvirans and the Nars saw the collapse of Mulhorand’s northern provinces as an opportunity to establish empires of their own. Over the course of the next two centuries, the Raumvirans gradually conquered much of the Endless Wastes while the Nars extended their rule south and west along the shores of the Easting Reach. By -900 DR, the Raumvirans established the empire of Raumathar with its capital at Winterkeep, stretching from the northern tip of Lake Ashane to the western shore of the Great Ice Sea and from Sossal to the Lake of Mists. The Nars established the empire of Narfell from the uplands of Impiltur to Ashanath.

Both empires turned their attention to the Priador Plateau, populated by nomadic tribes of centaurs and gnolls. Raumathar saw the Rashemi tribal lands between Lake Ashane and the Sunset Mountains as a corridor through which it could settle the Priador Plateau, while Narfell saw the land of Rashemen as a natural chokepoint to contain its rival’s ambitions. The two empires fought many battles on the eastern shore of Lake Ashane, leading to its appellation as the Lake of Tears. The Rashemi clans divided into three camps: allies of Narfell, allies of Raumathar, and those who struggled to remain independent.

In the centuries that followed, battles between the conjurers of Raumathar and the sorcerers of Narfell became increasingly common, turning the Priador Plateau into a sprawling battlefield fought over by Rashemi mercenaries in the employ of both armies. Matters came to a head in -150 DR, with the summoning of numerous powerful monsters and minor deities that consumed both empires in a great conflagration. The city of Kensten (modern Bezantur) was consumed by an avatar of Kossuth, while an army of fiends led by the demon lord Eltab invaded Rashemen.

In the wake of their mutual defeat, the surviving inhabitants of Narfell and Raumathar retreated into tiny enclaves, leaving the surviving summoned beings as the only real power north of the Alamber Sea. Both Unther and Mulhorand quickly sent armies north before the Summoned could establish their own realms. In -148 DR, the southern armies defeated an alliance of the Summoned, and Mulhorand reoccupied the Priador Plateau. In Rashemen, however, the demon lord Eltab and his minions still ruled the land.

Eltab’s rule came to an end in -75 DR, following the emergence of the Witches of Rashemen. The earliest witches were of Raumviran descent, a secret sisterhood formed in the dying days of Raumathar to preserve that empire’s magical lore. The alliance of the Rashemi and the Raumviran witches finally liberated Rashemen from demonic rule. The hero of this conflict was a warrior named Yvengi, who wielded a great magical blade named Hadryllis against Eltab, severely wounding the demon lord and forcing him to flee.

Yvengi declared Rashemen a free and sovereign land, defying machinations by the Mulhorandi to extend their rule north of the Priador. Undeterred, Mulhorand launched an invasion of Rashemen in -45 DR. Rashemen would have most likely fallen to the invaders if not for the continued alliance of the witches and the berserker lodges against this common foe. Rashemen’s defenders sent Mulhorand’s imperial army fleeing back across the frontier, forever cementing the land’s independence. The battle won, the witches once again retreated into the shadows, leaving Rashemen to the allied clans of the Rashemi. All the leaders of the sisterhood asked in exchange for their assistance was the right to select Rashemen’s Iron Lord, or huhrong.

In the years following Rashemen’s defense of its independence, the Rashemi were effectively split into two populations. Those who dwelt on the Priador served the ruling Mulan and adopted the laws and mores of the Mulhorandi, while those who dwelt in Rashemen slowly claimed much of fallen Raumathar. At various times, Rashemen has held territory spanning from the Icerim Mountains to the northern shore of Lake Mulsantir and from the eastern shore of Lake Ashane to the eastern slopes of the Sunrise Mountains.

In 922 DR, the Red Wizards sacked the Mulhorandi provincial capital of Delhumide, sparking an insurrection against the Mulhorandi god-kings that led to the establishment of the magocracy of Thay and the subjugation of the Rashemi inhabitants of the plateau to a new set of masters. After centuries of complacency, the Rashemi inhabitants of Rashemen found their land under attack by Thay’s new rulers in 934 DR. Once again the Rashemi battled a Mulan-led army marching north through the Gorge of Gauros, and once again the Witches of Rashemen proved instrumental in repelling the invasion.

In the centuries since, the armies of Thay have attempted to invade Rashemen no less than twenty times, each time without success. Each time the Rashemi berserkers and witches have met the armies of gnolls, centaurs, and Thayan Rashemi beneath their Mulan masters, the Fangs of Rashemen have prevailed. The most recent threat to Rashemen unfolded in 1359 DR, when the Tuigan horde swept westward from the Endless Wastes. After overrunning Citadel Rashemaar and marching across the northern reaches of the Sunset Mountains, the Tuigan horde swept into Rashemen’s territory, supported by a Thayan army poised to strike from the Gorge of Gauros. Aided by a fierce winter storm that pinned down the Thayan army, the Rashemaar eventually drove the Tuigans across Lake Ashane into Thesk where they were defeated by an alliance led by Cormyr’s King Azoun IV.


Outlook

The Rashemi view life as an unending series of challenges to be faced and overcome. They place a strong emphasis on strength, whether it is physical strength among the folk of Rashemen or magical prowess among the Thayan Rashemi. Respect and status must be earned, and a great deal of emphasis is placed on individual accomplishment. Childhood among the Rashemi reflects this cultural outlook, as youths are subjected to greater and greater tests as they mature. Admittance into the ranks of their elders must be earned.

The most common reason for adventuring among the Rashemi is the coming-of-age ritual known as the dajemma. Rashemi youth are encouraged (required, in the case of males in Rashemen itself) to go on a yearlong journey to see the world, after which they are accorded the status of adults. Naturally, some fall into a life of adventuring during such a trip, although most eventually return home and settle down. The Witches of Rashemen have their own reasons for setting out into the world, including the recovery of ancient magics hidden across Faerûn and the effort to oppose the machinations of the Red Wizards of Thay.


Rashemi Characters
The Rashemi have a long-standing warrior tradition dating back to the Orcgate wars, and barbarians, rangers, and fighters play a prominent role in Rashemi society. Likewise, the Rashemi hold arcane spellcasters in great respect, including the mysterious wychlaran and the greatly feared Red Wizards. Clerics, druids, paladins, and monks are relatively rare, for the Rashemi do not have a strong tradition of organized religion outside the Witches of Rashemen. Rogues are almost unknown, for the Rashemi have never placed a strong emphasis on the accumulation of wealth.

Prestige Classes: The most common prestige class for Rashemi is, of course, the hathran, although a small number of Rashemi wizards living in Thay become Red Wizards.


Rashemi Society

Rashemi culture varies widely from Rashemen to Thay to Thesk, although each society exhibits some common traits. In Rashemen, contests of physical and martial prowess are common, including snow-racing, skiing, wrestling, drinking, and the like. In Thesk, most contests revolve around the accumulation of wealth through skill at trade. In Thay, the influence of the Red Wizards has raised magical prowess above all other forms of contests. The Rashemi of all three lands share a common suspicion of excessive civilization, which is often seen as soft or weak, and place little emphasis on inherited titles or wealth.

The Rashemi have never placed a strong emphasis on schooling for a variety of reasons. In Rashemen, the land is continually beset by outside threats that require warriors, not scholars. Those who do study as children are usually tutored by one of the mysterious witches. In Thay, the ruling Mulan have long been suspicious of academic inclinations among the lower classes and discourage the lower class (specifically, the Rashemi) from excessive study. Rashemi youths are given to carousing and competing with their friends. As adults, the Rashemi are expected to settle down and contribute to society, although industriousness is not as highly respected as it is in other lands. Elderly Rashemi are respected for their wisdom and their mental strength, even if their physical faculties have faded. Their past accomplishments are not forgotten, even if they no longer can perform such feats. Death is seen as a time of celebration, for it is then that a Rashemi’s deeds enter into legend.

Outside their native lands, the Rashemi congregate in groups of fellow exiles. Their nights are spent wandering from tavern to tavern, challenging the locals to contests. Few find steady work except as mercenaries, and those who do quickly spend their meager con on their fellow expatriates.


Language and Literacy

Rashemi speak Common and their national language, whatever that may be. The Rashemi language, derived from Raumvira and the dead language Halardrim, uses the Thorass alphabet introduced by Chondathan traders traveling along the Golden Way. The Rashemi tongue is commonly employed only within the borders of Rashemen. In fact, more Rashemi speak the Thayan dialect of Mulhorandi as their mother tongue than speak Rashemi. Other languages with a significant number of Rashemi speakers include Aglarondan, Chondathan, and Damaran.

The most common secondary language among the Rashemi are Mulhorandi (particularly the Thayan dialect) or Rashemi, depending on whether they live in Rashemen or Thay, respectively. Those Rashemi who dwell farther west often learn Chondathan, Damaran, Aglarondan, Chessentan, or Untheric.

All Rashemi characters are literate except for barbarians, adepts, experts, warriors, and commoners.


Rashemi Magic and Lore

The Rashemi have a strong Spellcasting tradition, stemming from the twin influences of Raumviran and Mulan culture and the plundered lore of Narfell, Raumathar, and Mulhorand. Rashemi bloodlines often give rise to powerful sorcerers of an elemental nature, derived from a small amount of Raumviran ancestry. In Rashemen, female Rashemi spellcasters are usually wychlaran, adopting the hathran prestige class as they rise in level. Male arcane spellcasters of that land often focus primarily on the crafting of magic items. In Thay, those few Rashemi who aspire to wizardry usually specialize in one of the eight schools of magic and then adopt the Red Wizard prestige class if allowed to.

Spells and Spellcasting
The Rashemi favor spells of conjuration or those that enhance their personal fighting prowess, although spells that aid survival in a harsh climate are common as well. Favored spells include bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endurance, endure elements, magic weapon, Tenser’s transformation, and the various summon monster spells. The Witches of Rashemen are more inclined toward spells of concealment and charm, drawn primarily from the schools of Enchantment and Illusion, while Rashemi Red Wizards favor spells from their school of specialization.

Spellcasting Traditions: The dominant spellcasting traditions among the Rashemi are those of the Hathran and the Red Wizards of Thay.


Rashemi Magic Items
Among the Rashemi, the art of crafting magic items is the preserve of the vremyonni (the “Old Ones,” or male wizards) of Rashemen. Many of the items the Old Ones create are designed for use by the female witches or by the land’s fabled berserkers. The Witches of Rashemen favor magic whips and various magic masks. Items commonly crafted for Rashemi warriors include armor with the warming property, and greataxes, swords, and scimitars with the berserker property.

Common Magic Items: Amulets of natural armor, bracers of armor, boots of the winterlands, gauntlets of ogre power, and rings of wizardry. The folk of Rashemen jealously guard items made by their vremyonni, but in other Rashemi lands these items are commonly available at a 10% discount on the purchase price in any small city.

Iconic Magic Item: Rashemi berserkers and champions sometimes wear the mask of implacable, which grants its wear bonuses against foes who gravely wound her.


Rashemi Deities

Traditionally, the Rashemi venerate “the Three”--Chauntea, Mielikki, and the Hidden One (Mystra), a trio of goddesses introduced centuries ago to Rashemen by the folk of Thesk. They also venerate a host of local place-spirits and spirit-heroes little known elsewhere in Faerûn. The spirits of Rashemen do not have names, but express their actions through miracles, omens, and by dispatching servitors. Outside Rashemen, many Rashemi nominally venerate the deities of Mulhorand as well. However, centuries of persecution by the Red Wizards of Thay have ensured that such worship is confined largely to the home. Small cults of the four elemental deities, particularly Kossuth, exist as well, legacies of Raumviran influence over the culture of the Rashemi.


Relations with other Races

Northeastern Faerûn is largely devoid of nonhuman civilizations, leaving the Rashemi generally ignorant of nonhuman cultures other than the centaurs and gnolls of the Thayan Plateau. Dwarves are perhaps the best-known race, as the dwarven kingdom of Siremun in the Firepeaks to the east has long traded with Rashemi traders in the markets of Almorel. Elves, half-elves, and halflings are viewed as objects of wonder, long associated with the fey creatures of the North Country. Gnomes are also regarded as creatures of magic. Half-orcs, tie flings, and genasi are regarded with long-standing suspicion, the legacy of centuries of folklore that have grown up around the Orcgate Wars and the conflagration unleashed by Narfell and Raumathar. Aasimars are closely associated with the various Mulhorandi priesthoods and treated accordingly. Among human cultures, the Rashemi get along best with the Nars and the Sossrims. Despite the close proximity in which many Rashemi and Mulan dwell, relations between the two cultures are tense at best, with hostility (usually cloaked) the norm.


Rashemi Equipment

Centuries of interaction with the cultures of the east have led to the infiltration of many Tuigan and Shou influences in Rashemi tools, weapons, and gear. Rashemi often wear warm clothing of leather, buckskin, hide, and fur, making the best use of the materials at hand.

Arms and Armor
Favored armor in the colder reaches north of Thay includes thick hide armor, often made from the pelts of bears or snow tigers, and large steel shields. Northern Rashemi warriors employ all manner of weapons, including greataxes and shortspears. They favor curved swords such as the scimitar and sabre. Rashemi native to more temperate climes are more heavily influenced by the East and favor nunchaku, sianghams, and spiked chains.

Common Items: Hide armor, studded leather armor, nunchaku, siangham, spiked chain, sabre.

Unique Items: Rashemi from colder climes sometimes use ice axes as weapons (treat as light picks, but they deal both slashing and piercing damage).

Animals and Pets
Rashemi favor large canines and small felines as pets. The Rashemaar favor big working dogs with heavy coats, bred to serve as pack animals or sled dogs. The Witches of Rashemen favor ravens as familiars, although owls and cats are not unknown. Rashemi dwelling in warmer climes, such as Thay, evidence the same reverence for cats as do the Mulan. Equines also play an important role in Rashemi society. Less commonly employed steeds include the black unicorns of Thay.


Rashemi Region

Rashemi native to the land of Rashemen should choose Rashemen as their character’s region. By contrast, the Rashemi region reflects a character from Thesk, Thay, or Mulhorand, where Rashemi tend to be an underclass ostracized by their neighbors.

Preferred Classes: The Rashemi region is preferred by barbarians, clerics, fighters, monks, and sorcerers. A character of one of these classes may choose a regional feat and gain her choice of the bonus equipment below as a 1st-level character. A Rashemi character of any other class may not select one of the regional feats here and does not gain the bonus equipment at 1st level.

Automatic Languages: Common, Rashemi

Bonus Languages: Centaur, Damaran, Gnoll, Mulhorandi, Orc, Tuigan

Regional Feats: Aftersight, Mind Over Body, Saddleback, Stealthy.

Bonus Equipment: (A) sabre*; or (B) hide armor* and light warhorse; or C wand of cure light wounds (20 charges).

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Raumviran
- Playable Ethnicity -

Descended from the inhabitants of the great empire of Raumathar, the Raumvirans retain little of their former glory. Their history is described under the Damaran and Rashemi ethnic groups.

In the present day, Raumvirans are concentrated along the shores of the Lake of mists and the city of Almorel. Physically, Raumvirans bear a close resemblance to the Rashemi, indicative of centuries of close ties between the two groups. Although taller on average than their western neighbors, the Raumvirans are also generally stout and muscular, with dark eyes and thick black hair. Raumvirans are generally of lighter hue than the Rashemi, evidence of significant Sossrim heritage dating back to the height of their long-fallen empire.

Members of this ethnic group speak Raumvira, a tongue closely related to Rashemi, Dwarven, and a northern dialect of Imaskari. Raumvirans employ an alphabet of Dethek runes taught to them before the founding of Raumathar by the Siremun dwarves of the Firepeaks, a range of mountains to the east of the Lake of Mists.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Shaaran Nomads
- Playable Ethnicity -

The grasslands of the Shaar are home to nomadic tribes of long-faced, yellow-skinned humans. Conquered by the armies of Calimshan at the height of the Shoon Empire, the Shaarans of the eastern grasslands reverted to their nomadic ways once the Shoon Empire collapsed, while those who dwelt along the shores of the Shining Sea and the Lake of Steam settled in cities and founded such realms as Lapaliiya and the ever-changing Border Kingdoms. Today, Shaarans are found as far west as Calimshan and as far north as the Vilhon Reach. The inhabitants of Sespech are largely of Shaaran descent, having been brought north to serve in Jhaamdath’s armies centuries ago.

Speakers of Shaaran employ an alphabet of Dethek runes, adopted from the gold dwarf traders of the Great Rift before the rise of the Shoon Empire. If there ever was a Shaaran pantheon, it was long ago subsumed by the more powerful Jhamdaathan and Calishite cultures. Little record exists of Shaaran culture before it was assimilated by its more powerful neighbors, for the Shaarans have long maintained a nomadic way of life and an oral history.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Shadovar
~ The People of Shade, descendants of Netheril ~
- Ethnicity requires DM permission -

The shades are here, and they mean business. Their appearance has greatly troubled the councils of the wise and learned, and hardly a city in Faerûn does not hear rumors about these mysterious strangers. Who are these enigmatic beings? They are nothing less than a piece of living history, torn from Faerûn's half-forgotten past. Their ancestors and their flying city departed Faerûn over 1,700 years ago just as their homeland, the Empire of Netheril, was annihilated by a cataclysmic tragedy born of a desperate attempt to save the empire from the ravages of its greatest enemy. The most advanced arcane nation of its time, Netheril boasted magical knowledge not seen on Toril since its destruction - until now.

The city escaped the destruction thanks to great magic that shifted the city and all its people into the Plane of Shadow. Safe from the disaster, the refugees (who call themselves Shadovars) maintained their culture and society throughout the centuries that followed. Free to practice their arcane spells and experiment with the stuff of shadow, the city's noble rulers became suffused with the dark energy of their new home. Already wizards and sorcerers of considerable ability, they grew ever more potent as they mastered the tenebrous substance of their new environment.

The City of Shade returned to Faerûn abruptly in 1372 DR, appearing in the sky over the Dire Wood and then proceeding directly to Anauroch, where it has remained since except for brief forays into neighboring lands. Basing their home high over the Shoal of Thirst, the Shadovars lost no time in establishing the Empire of Shadows. They have made it clear that they consider the entire expanse of the great desert to be their rightful territory, and the disappearance of several Zhentarim caravans from the southern portion of the wasteland is considered testimony to the Shadovar claim. Thus far, the new masters of the Anauroch have not deigned to take action against the Bedine, the nomadic peoples who inhabit the desert, considering them beneath notice. Their attitudes towards races and cultures beyond Anauroch have ranged from aloof to curious, and from disdainful to aggressive. With an agenda and goals known only to themselves, the Shadovars represent one of the most intriguing mysteries - and greatest dangers - in Faerûn today. Many eyes are turned towards Anauroch and the strange city that looms in its sky, hoping for some sign of the Shadovars' intent, and for sufficient warning to react should the city's return prove the prelude to a war of conquest.

Brief History

While the Shadovars make no secret about their connection to Faerûn's past, they have been reluctant to reveal the entire extend of what they know about their own - and Toril's - history, except when doing so has advanced one or more of the High Prince's specific goals. The Shadovars prefer that none realize they themselves do not possess all the answers to these questions, and that one of their primary goals is to learn as much about Netheril as possible.


The Refugees

A single flying city miraculously escaped the catastrophe unscathed, purely by happenstance. The city's ruling noble, a powerful arcanist, had for some time been experimenting with movement between Faerûn and the Plane of Shadow. His studies eventually enabled him to move not only himself freely between the two, but other people and objects as well. In the weeks preceding the cataclysm , the arcanist - known to the City of Shade only by his chosen sobriquet of Lord Shadow - had already contemplated the feasibility of moving an entire flying city into the plane to which he had been traveling for some time. He gave the order for the city to prepare itself for the experiment mere days before Karsus cast his spell. On the very eve of the disaster, Lord Shadow transported his entire city, and all its inhabitants, to the plane of Shadow. Once there, he was pleased to see that his predictions were correct. The city and its citizens suffered no immediate ill effects from the journey. However, he was concerned and dismayed by the discovery that, for reasons he did not yet understand, he was unable to move the city back to Faerûn.

Unraveling this mystery took weeks, and when the city returned to Netheril its inhabitants could only gape with horror at what it found. For days the city journeyed across the ruins of Netheril, searching desperately for survivors, to no avail. Presuming this hideous revelation to be the work of the hated phaerimms, the Netherese thirsted for revenge. Lord Shadow realized, however, that a single flying city was no match for the phaerimms. moreover, he considered it likely that the Netherese dwelling in his city might well be the last of their race. He concluded that he could not afford to risk losing his city and subjects as well. Vowing that one day the city would return to Faerûn to reestablish the rined empire, the arcanist transferred his city back into the Plane of Shadow, where, through unforceen circumstances, it remained far longer than he had originally planned.


The Organization

Headquarters: The City of Shade, normally located floating above Anauroch just off the northeast coast of the Shadow Sea.
Members: Approximately 500 shades among the approximate 25,000 shadovars.
Hierarchy: Militaristic
Leader: Telamont, the High Prince of Shade
Religion: Shar
Alignment: NE, LE.
Secrecy: Medium
Symbol: The shades neither possesses nor use a symbol to represent their city or society as a whole. Each of the twelve Princes of Shade and High Prince Telamont employs his or her own individual heraldic device. These sigils were first used in the Netherese Empire, and have long since passed out of common heraldic lore and experience. A knowledge (history or nobility) check against DC 24 is required to recognize that the symbol is Netherese in origin, and a second Knowledge check (DC 30) is required to correctly identify the exact Netherese noble family.

The Shadovars have a discrete culture and civilization. They do not constitute an organization in the generally accepted sense of the word. But because the actual number of shades is small (about five hundred shades dwell in the City of Shade), and because they guard their privacy and motives so zealously, they are functionally similar to a secret society.

The shades make up only a small percentage of the flying city's population. The remained of the city inhabitatns are of two types: Normal humans who are the descendants of the netherese who entered the Plane of Shadow over 2,000 years ago but who did not become shades, and humanoid slaves that the Shadovars have acquired both in the Plane of Shadow and in Faerûn.


Hierarchy

The Shadovars dwell in what is best described as a mobile city state ruled by a government that combines features of a monarchy, meritocracy, and magocracy. The city is ruled by its High Prince, Telamont, a powerful arcanist and shade. His power and authority are absolute. All Shadovar live and die by his command. Telamont has been the High Prince of Shade for as long as anyone living in the city can recall. Only his sons and trusted associates know that he is as old as the city itself and has ruled since it was first built at his direction.

Serving the High Prince as extensions of his authority are his twelve sons, the Princes of Shade. Like their father, the princes are shades and arcanists. Competition among this circle of archwizards is simultaneously fierce and regimented, much like Shadovar society.


The Determinists
Centuries of survival on the Plane of Shadow taught the Shadovars that survival is accomplished only when every member of the society understands his or her role and works for the betterment of the city as a whole. Thus, Shadovar society is strictly hierarchical, but it is also a meritocracy. Everyone is expected to work for the security and survival of the community, to the best of each person's capacity. This capacity is determined by a specialized battery of tests administered to each free citizen shortly after he or she reaches the age of ascension (13 years old). The tests are administered by Prince Lamorak's circle of Determinists. Once the Shadovar's aptitudes are known, he is trained to develop them until he reaches the age of majority (18 years old), when he enters his profession full-time. Occasionally a Shadovar exhibits such dramatic improvement in skill or aptitude over time that the Determinists administer a second round of resting and sometimes alter the Shadovar's original designation. These instances are rare, however, due to the sophistication and accuracy of Prince Lamorack's assessment methods.

Typical Determinist: NE male ahde Wiz 8 / Sha 5.


The Arcanists
Below the royal family, but far above the average Shadovar in authority and importance, are the wizards and sorcerers of the City of Shade. Taking their name from the ancient Netherese term for wizard, the arcanists are the magical backbone of the city. They staff the institutions of learning, train the talented in the secrets of the Art, and support various missions as the twelve princes command. There are approximately one thousand arcanists living in the city, of whom roughly two hundred fifty are shades. The shade arcanists are by far the more powerful representatives of the group, and they hold the positions of highest authority among the arcanist assemblies and organizations.

Typical Arcanist: LE numan Wiz 4/ Sha 3.
Typical Senior Arcanist: Le shade Wiz 8 / Sha 7.


The Military
Some Shadovars who demonstrate only minimal magical aptitude find a respected place in the city's military. Most begin as low-ranking soldiers, but ample opportunity exists for the able and intelligent to earn promotions into the ranks of the officers. The City of Shade suffered innumerable attacks from a variety of hostile creatures during its long sojourn in the Plane of Shadow, and the army bore the brunt of these offensives. Now that the Shadovars have come back to Faerûn, the High Prince has ordered that the military's numbers and readiness increase as swiftly as possible.

The City of Shade's army currently numbers approximately three thousand soldiers. The bulk of these numbers are human descendents of Netheril, while about two hundred are shades (including all the officers above the rank of lieutenant). The High Prince is the commander of the army, but he relies on a triumvirate of generals - Shelkar, Vadebryth, and Tyrrollus - to develop and implement military strategies on all but the most dire of occasions. Each general commons roughly one thousand troops, and there are many specialized squads and divisions within the army. Some of these groups vie with one another in rivalries that range from mostly friendly (such as that between the First Expeditionary Division and the Royal Scouts) to dangerous (such as that between the High Prince's Personal Guard and General Shelkar's Black Swords).

Typical Shadovar Soldier: LE human Ftr 1 / Sor 1.
Typical Shadovar Lieutenant: LE human Ftr 3 / Sor 1.
Typical Shadovar Captain: LE shade Ftr 5 / Sor 3.


Commoners
Shadovars who show no aptitude for spells higher than 0 level or for warfare are assigned ot one of the common ranks of society. These folks make up the bulk of the inhabitants in the City of Shade. They know their places and understand that they city's survival depends not only on their ability to work hard for its future but also in their obedience to their society's structure. The Shadovar commoner is loyal to his princes and devoted to his city. The rare citizen who displays behavior or commits acts that may undermine the city's safety or security are discovered, often by the nobility's paid informants, and put to death.

Typical Commoner: LE human Com 2.


Crafters
The City of Shade requires constant maintenance, due to the stresses it endures while moving through the atmosphere. There are hundreds of crafters in the city, each specializing in one of a number of trades (masonry, paving, carpentry, metalworking, leatherworking, and similar tasks). Many have managed to learn one or two arcane spells (0 level) to help ease their labors. These spells are typically mage hand, mending, open/close, or prestigidation. All crafters are human. They and their families expect reasonable treatment from their betters, and their wages are sufficient to allow them to live comfortably if not luxuriously.

Typical Crafter: LE human Exp 4.


Merchants
Even in the treacherous and strange Plane of Shadow, the City of Shade maintained an economy. Its merchant class was skilled in obtaining raw materials and other goods from the places the city visited in that dark realm, and making them available to their fellow citizens. Prices are strictly controlled, as is the minting and distribution of currency. Thus the economy is artificial, intended more as a means of regulating supply and demand than allowing anyone to earn a profit.

Typical Merchant: NE human Exp 4.


Servants
Those citizens who show no aptitude for magic, religion, crafts, or any other useful employment join the ranks of the personal servants. These folk are assigned primarily to domestic roles such as maid, valet, messenger, and street cleaner. While they have no hope of bettering their lives, many hope and dream that their children fare better.

Typical Servant: LE human Exp 2.


Slaves
Slaves occupy the lowest rung on the Shadovar social ladder. Some slaves are Shadovars who exhibit absolutely no useful skill or talent; others are citizens convinced of non-capital offenses. The majority are humanoids captured by the Shadovars on a slaving expedition or acquired from slave traders.

The slaves of the Shadovars expect nothing better than lives of menial labor and drudgery. How a slave is treated is left entirely to the individual slave owner. Some, particularly among the aristocratic segment of society, prefer to regard slaves as favored pets, but there is no recourse for a slave whose master decides to treat him with brutality. The slaves of the city know better than to attempt revolt or flight, however. Their masters possess power at least several orders of magnitude higher than that of the typical slave. Worse, the Shadovars have no reservations about simply slaying rebellious slaves out of hand and acquiring more later.

Typical Slave: LE orc Com 1.


Appearance and Personality

The physical traits of a shade are described in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. Shadovars who are not shades are identical to their outsider masters, but lack the distinctive gray cast to their skin.

The Shadovars dress in clothing that seems (to other residents of Faerûn) outdated to the point of antiquity; their courtly attire may appear outlandish and alien. They favor dark colors such as black, burgundy, charcoal gray, dark green, and midnight blue. members of the upper class wear a great deal of jewelry; gems and jewels are also often cunningly woven into their ensembles. They are also fond of gilt, gold thread, and cloth-of-gold accents. Common folk wear simpler garb as befits their trade, and slaves are permitted only serviceable, unadorned clothing that is only marginally better than simple homespun.

Having lived in a magical society for generations, the shades are completely comfortable with magic, and most have at least some magical ability. Because of their isolation and aloofness, their mannerisms and equipment are exotic and old-fashioned. Ruled by powerful wizards and sorcerers, the shades have access to an almost unlimited number of potions, scrolls, and minor magic items.

Shades were once humanoids, but they have traded their souls for the essence of shadowstuff.

Most shades appear as humanoids of their former height and appearance, but with grayish or nearly black, dusky skin and veiled eyes. They are often thinner than normal for their races. They favor somber clothing and wear armor if they so desire.

Source: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting; "Shades"

(The Netherese whom the Shadovar descend from are described as dark-haired, fair-skinned humans)

Source: Forgotten Realms: Lords of Darkness.

[DM Leverage]

Shou of Kara-Tur
- NPC Ethnicity -

The Shou are but one of many human ethnic groups in far-off Kara-Tur, albeit the most numerous and powerful. Similar in appearance to the Tuigan, they are yellowish-bronze in hue, with black hair and broad, flat features. At its height, the Shou empire extended as far west as the eastern shore of Brightstar Lake. Today, Shou traders are rarely seen west of Semphar, although their emperor has recently established an embassy in Elversult and made use of a ship-size portal that opens somewhere on the Sea of Fallen Stars. The Shou worship a pantheon of deities known as the Celestial Bureaucracy and employ the Draconic alphabet to represent the Shou language.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Sossrim
- Playable Ethnicity -

The Sossrims are the inhabitants of distant Sossal, a frozen land that lies between the Great Glazier and the Great Ice Sea. With skin as pallid as snow and hair with the fine, silver tint of an icicle, the Sossrims have completely adapted to their arctic environment. Sossrims speak Damaran and use the Dethek runes. They are believed to venerate the gods of the Faerûnian pantheon, although the worship of relatively benign aspect of Auril seems to be predominant.

During the Orcgate wars, the Sossrims fought in the armies of Mulhorand alongside the Raumvirans and the Rashemi. After the followers of Gruumsh were defeated, the Sossrims retreated to their northern lands, where they established the isolated kingdom of Sossal. The Sossrims briefly fell under the sway of Raumathar at the height of that empire, but they have otherwise retained their independence. Before the retreat of the Great Glazier, Sossrim traders were seen as far south as northern Impiltur, but now they rarely venture beyond Vaasa or the northern reaches of Damara, Narfell, and Rashemen.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Talfir
- Playable Ethnicity -

Elven writings dating back to the Crown Wars mention a dark-haired, fair-skinned human tribe in the heart of the great forest of Shantel Othreier. The Talfir were the original human inhabitants of the Chionthar river valley in the Western Heartlands. Speakers of Talfiric, a long-lost human tongue based on the Draconic alphabet, the Talfir gradually disappeared over a thousand years ago, their culture overwhelmed by refugees from Low Netheril, Calishite settlers from the south, and Chondathan settlers from the Dragon Coast. Several deities of the Faerûnian pantheon are believed to have first been worshiped by the Talfir, including Tempus, who vanquished the Netherese god of war.

The Talfir left little in the way of ruins or artifacts, although Irieabor lies atop the ancient crypt of the Talfir monarch known as Verraketh the Shadowking, who mastered shadow magic. Talis, a ruined city of the Talfir, lies in ruins along the banks of the River Reaching in the depths of the Reaching Woods.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Tashalan
- Playable Ethnicity -

Uncounted thousands of years ago, the human tribes of the Chultan peninsula, now known as the Tashalans, were enslaved by the saurian Creator Race. As with all things, the saurian civilization eventually collapsed and their human slaves won their freedom. However, many members of this black-haired, olive-skinned race took to venerating the snakes they once served, leading to the rise of the yuan-ti. Others, however, turned away from their dark masters, seeking to forge their own realms on the peninsular between the Shining Sea and the Great Sea.

Today Tashalan culture is largely confined to the middle of the Chultan peninsular and the isle of Tharsult. Over the centuries the Chultan tribes drove the Tashalans out of the Jungles of Chult, the Halruaans and Dambrathan drow assimilated the native Tashalan cultures of those lands, and the yuan-ti enslaved those Tashalans who contested their control of the Mhair and Black Jungles. Most Tashalans are natives of Tashalar or the realms of Samarach, Thindol, or Tharsult. Tashalan traders may be found in Calimshan, cities on the shore of the Lake of Steam, and Lapaliiya, as well as Halruaa, Dambrath, and Luiren.

Tashalans speak Tashalan and employ the Dethek alphabet. They venerate both the Faerûnian pantheon and the gods of the yuan-ti, with the followers of Talona and Savras being most prominent.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Tethyrians
- Playable Ethnicity -

The Tethyrian culture is a melting pot of Calishite, Chondathan, Illuskan, and Low Netherese elements. This unique background makes Tethyrians among the most tolerant, though fiercely independent, ethnic groups in Faerûn. They inhabit a vast territory stretching from Calimshan to Silverymoon, and from the Sea of Swords to the Sea of Fallen Stars. Tethyrians are of medium build and height, with dusky skin that grows fairer with father north they dwell. Their hair and eye color varies widely, but brown hair and blue eyes are the most common. Tethyrians are proud of their diverse heritage and protective of their freedom, so they tend to distrust powerful kingdoms and empires.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Player's Guide to Faerûn


Regions: Amn, Calimshan, Cormyr, Dragon Coast, the North, Tethyr, Western Heartlands, Waterdeep.
Racial Feats: Caravanner, Oral History, Shadow Shield, Shadow Song, Spire Walking.

The Sword Coast has long been home to native human tribes who intermingled with wave upon wave of immigrants, whether they arrived as conquerors or refugees. In recent centuries, these disparate groups have gradually coalesced into a relatively new ethnic group known as Tethyrians, occupying a vast territory stretching from Calimshan to Silverymoon and from the Sea of Swords to the Sea of Fallen Stars. After centuries of enslavement and oppression by one group or another, Tethyrians are fiercely independent, protective of their freedoms and suspicious of threats posed by powerful kingdoms and empires. Given their disparate ancestry, Tethyrians have never developed a unique language of their own, instead adopting the language of the latest wave of conquerors or refugees. Today most Tethyrians speak Chondathan.

As Tethyrian culture is a melting pot of Calishite, Chondathan, Illuskan, and Low Netherese, Tethyrians are tolerant of and comfortable with members of other ethnic groups, with the notable exceptions of upper class Calishites and, to a lesser extent, Mulan of Thayan descent. In Calimshan, Tethyrians compose the bulk of the lower classes and have long been discriminated against by the largely Calishite upper classes. Outside Calimshan, many Tethyrians are craftsmen or caravanners, while others find employment as mercenaries in the employ of other realms. Tethyrians make skilled fighters and rogues, reflecting the struggle to survive successive waves of conquest and generations of warfare. Tethyrian culture has a long tradition of bard craft, reflecting the absence of a Tethyrian empire at any point in history and the corresponding reliance on itinerant bards to preserve and spread Tethyrian oral history.

Tethyrians are of medium build and height, although taller and broader in build than most Calishites. Their skin tends to have a dusky hue, although on average they are increasingly fairer in complexion the farther north one travels along the Sword Coast, reflecting a decreasing fraction of Calishite heritage and an increasing fraction of Illuskan and Low Netherese ancestry. Tethyrian hair and eye color varies widely, with brown hair and blue eyes being most common.

Most Tethyrians are proud of their multi-ethnic heritage, seeing their society as having defeated all would-be conquerors through assimilation rather than empire. Tethyrians are suspicious of remote rulers and large realms, a cultural bias reflected in the predominance of city-states over kingdoms and empires in Tethyrian-dominated regions. If Tethyrians have a common weakness, it is their reluctance to come together in common cause with those who are not their immediate neighbors.


History

The history of humanity along the western coast of Faerûn is largely of assimilation, conquest, and slavery, but it begins with primitive tribes dwelling in relative isolation, their presence tolerated by the great empires of other races. Fragments of elven lore dating back to the height of Shantel Othreier and Keltormir speak of small tribes of humans dwelling beneath the boughs of the great forests that once stretched from the Spine of the World to the Shining Sea. Likewise, fragments of dwarven lore dating back to the height of High Shanatar also indicate that scattered human tribes dwelling in what is now Tethyr and Amn swore fealty to the rulers of House Axemarch as well.

The first migration into the western tribal lands began with the establishment of the Calim Empire in -7800 DR. The djinn brought with them human slaves, the progenitors of today’s Calishites. In -6100 DR, these Calishite forebears established the human-ruled nation of Coramshan, absorbing the native human tribes that dwelt south of the Marching Mountains into the lower class of Coramshan.

The establishment of the First Kingdom of Mir in -5330 DR marked the beginning of High Shanatar’s decline and the northward-spreading influence of humanity. By the fall of High Shanatar in -2600 DR, Calimshan had become one of the great centers of human civilization in Faerûn, and the human tribes that once dwelt peacefully under dwarven rule in what is now western Tethyr had been enslaved by their new Calishite rulers. By the end of the Third Age of Calimshan in -900 DR, Calishite hegemony extended into the Calishar Emirates, lands that would become eastern Tethyr and Amn.

The first stirrings of rebellion among the human tribes that would in time become known as Tethyrians began during the Nigh wars, a series of incursions by the drow that weakened Calishite control over the local dwarven and human populations. By -650 DR, these regions were largely free of Calishite control, although surrounded by Calishite territories. Inspired by this rebellion, revolts among enslaved humans became common in other Calishite territories between -670 DR and -370 DR. The clans were forced to defend their independence on numerous occasions, culminating in the crowning of Tethyr’s first king in -212 DR.

The Age of Shoon began in 27 DR, when Qysar Amahl Shoon III inherited the crowns of Tethyr and Calimshan, thanks in large part to the scheming of his great-great grandfather. In the centuries that followed, the Imperium’s reach extended around the Shining Sea, deep into the Shaar, and north into Amn. The armies of Qysar Shoon VII pushed north beyond the Cloud Peaks in 361 DR, where they were in turn met by the armies of Cormyr, which marched west and then south into the heart of Tethyr. Although neither the Shoon Imperium nor the Forest Kingdom of Cormyr formally claimed the region north of the Cloud Peaks and west of the Sunset Mountains, their activities leg large waves of settlers into the region.

Since the fall of the Shoon Imperium, Tethyrians have slowly spread throughout the Western Heartlands and north along the Sea of Swords, settling new lands and establishing powerful city-states. One major group of Tethyrians migrated west to the Moonshae Isles in 467 DR, where they intermarried with the native human tribes, known as the Ffolk. Another major wave of Tethyrian migration helped found the kingdom of Phalrom in 523 DR after the fall of the older Illuskan-ruled realms of the Sword Coast North to the ever-worsening orc hordes. The Realm of Three Crowns collapsed in 615 DR in the face of unrelenting attacks by orcs and the withdrawal of elves and dwarves from the alliance. In the aftermath the largely Tethyrian population established Delimbiyran, the Kingdom of Man, in 616 DR. Delimbiyran collapsed in 697 DR after the royal house died out, but lesser successor states continued to occupy the lower Delimibiyr river valley for centuries thereafter. Meanwhile, Tethyrian settlers pushed north along the Dessarin river valley, eventually reaching the cities that now make up the Silver Marches.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Tethyrian history since the collapse of the Shoon Imperium is the utter absence of any large empires in its annals. Even Waterdeep, perhaps the most powerful Tethyrian-dominated city-states, has never attempted to forge a Tethyrian empire.


Outlook

Tethyrians view life as a struggle to be survived through ties to family, clan, and tribe. To a Tethyrian, freedom is the most precious gift, and the enslavement of another is the greatest sin. Although an individual may guard his or her freedom through skill at arms or the accumulation of wealth and status, these are merely different means to a far more precious end. Loyalty to one’s kin and neighbor and generosity to those in need are considered far more lasting than the fleeting favor of Lady Luck. Although it has been many generations since the majority of Tethyrians dwelt in tribes, the cultural tradition of loyalty to those held dear is as strong as it ever was. Where a Tethyrian lacks kin or clan, his loyalty is transferred to settlement, guild, company, band, or other organization from a young age.

Tethyrians usually take up a life of adventure in hopes of redressing a wrong to family, clan, or tribe, or in search of the freedom to chart their own course in life. Many would-be adventurers are inspired by tale of the legendary Tethyrian heroes of yore, whose exploits have been recounted for generations by traveling bards. A Tethyrian adventurer would rather wield a blade carried by his ancestors than have a new one forged, and would rather spend his last coin on a bard’s tale than a pint of ale.

Tethyrian Characters
Bards occupy an honored role in Tethyrian culture, and many aspire to the rank of master bard. Fighters and rogues are common in civilized regions, while rangers flourish among outlaw communities. Clerics and, to a lesser extent, druids are quite common as well, as the intermingling of cultures has produced a great deal of theological strife in centuries past. Wizards and sorcerers are also commonplace, although they rarely work in concert together. Monks and paladins are rare among Tethyrians, as adherence to a code of conduct rarely stands the test of family, clan, and tribal loyalties.

Prestige Classes: From their dim origins many centuries ago, the Tethyrians have a dark legacy of shadow magic, so more than a few Tethyrian rogues become shadowdancers. Tethyrian rogues also dominate lands such as Amn and the Western Heartlands, so the guild thief is common as well. The paths of the lore master and archmage are both attractive to Tethyrian wizards. Good-aligned Tethyrian heroes often become Harper scouts, while those native to Cormyr frequently serve as Purple Dragon knights.


Tethyrian Society

Although the cultures of most major human ethnic groups exhibit regional variations, Tethyrian culture exhibits much greater regional variation than most. Tethyrians dwelling in Calimshan, Tethyr, and Amn share much in common with their Calishite neighbors. Similarly, Tethyrians dwelling in the North hold much in common with Illuskan culture, and Tethyrians of the Western Heartlands exhibit many culture traits shared with the Chondathans who dwell to the east.

Nevertheless, Tethyrian culture does exhibit certain unique characteristics. Tethyrians place a high value on personal freedom, and regard kingdoms and empires with a great deal of suspicion. Noble minded rebels are much admired in Tethyrian folklore, ensuring that many common bandits of Tethyrian ancestry refer to themselves as “freedom fighters.” Tethyrians despise class divisions based on heritage, as they have long been subject to prejudice by their Calishite neighbors to the south. However, class divisions based on wealth and personal accomplishment play a strong role in many Tethyrian societies.

Aside from bards, Tethyrians have not traditionally had access to book learning, although those who do are much esteemed by their peers. Childhood is short, with even the youngest children expected to contribute to their family’s way of life. Adults earn their keep practicing the same trade as their parents, and many have the same surname as their profession. Familial, clan, and tribal bonds require that adults look out for one another, so the elderly and those who cannot earn their keep turn to relatives and friends for support. In death, the body is buried quickly and simply. The person is celebrated through stories and songs, their memory preserved and maintained through bardcraft.

Outside Tethyrian-dominated lands, Tethyrians usually form an insular underclass, welcoming of others yet holding themselves apart. Tethyrians have little resistance to adopting local deities, languages, and dialects, but their traditional ties to other Tethyrians serve to isolate them from their non-Tethyrian neighbors. Tethyrians usually organize themselves into extended clans and guilds, dominating one or two trades in the surrounding culture.

Language and Literacy

Most Tethyrians speak Common as their primary language, usually a singsong dialect known as Calant that is heavily influenced by Alzhedo and popular along the Sword Coast. They employ the Thorass alphabet. As Talfir and other languages of the original western tribes vanished long ago, there is no ancestral “Tethyrian” tongue. Instead, Tethyrians have always adopted the languages of the latest wave of immigration. Today, most Tethyrians speak Chondathan, a legacy of the mercantile invasion from the east in recent centuries, although a few speak Illuskan or Alzhedo instead.

All Tethyrian characters are literate except for barbarians, commoners, and warriors.


Tethyrian Magic and Lore

Tethyrians have strong arcane and divine spell casting traditions. Bardcraft is revered, and many master bards are of Tethyrian stock. The varied nature of Tethyrian heritage has produced many sorcerers as well. Likewise, the strong influence of Calishite and Netherese cultural traditions has echoes in the large numbers of Tethyrian wizards, although most learn their craft through a traditional master-apprentice relationship, not by attending a formal school.

Spells and Spellcasting
While their numbers are small in total, both incantatrixes and shadow adepts form a proportionately larger fraction of the Tethyrian spell caster population than in any other human ethnic group. The clash of competing cultures and faiths has given rise to a large number of clerics among the Tethyrian population, and the absence of kingdoms has permitted both druids and rangers to flourish.

Spellcasting Tradition: Tethyrians favor spells that shield them against mind-affecting spells, enable one to escape imprisonment, and facilitate travel, including find the path, freedom of movement, Leomund’s tiny hut, nondetection, and whispering wind. The burgeoning reliance on the Shadow Weave across Faerûn is reminiscent of a Tethyrian tradition called Talfirian magic, dating back to the reign of Verraketh Talember the Shadowking. Talfirian songs are still known to Tethyrian bards.

Unique Spells: Many commonly employed arcane and divine spells were created by Tethyrians, although such achievements are often attributed to other cultures. One spell still little known outside the Tethyrian population is Verraketh’s shadow crown.


Tethyrian Magic Items
Tethyrians favor magic items that facilitate survival when traveling, allow discreet movement, shield against divinations and enchantments, and enable one to escape from captors. Edged weapons are commonly crafted with flaming, keen, and throwing special abilities, while bludgeoning weapons are often given disruption, ghost touch, and holy special abilities, reflecting the ever-present dangers of trolls and the undead hordes that issue forth from countless battlefields in Tethyrian-held lands. Armor is typically crafted with ghost touch, shadow, and silent moves special abilities, gain reflecting the omnipresent threat of undead as well as the long history of Tethyrians employing guerilla tactics against invading armies.

Common Magic Items: Hats of disguise, horseshoes of speed, Murlynd’s spoons, rings of mind shielding, and vets of escape. These items are prevalent in Tethyrian lands and can be purchased at a 10% discount in any large city in Tethyr, Amn, or the Western Heartlands.

Iconic Magic Items: As Tethyrians have tended to co-opt the magical devices of other cultures rather than invent their own, there are a few magic items unique to Tethyrian culture that are not of Calishite, Chondathan, Illuskan, or Netherese origin. Those that do exist tend to be variations in form of well-known items such as those listed above. Perhaps the most uniquely Tethyrian magic item is the figurine of wondrous power (blue quartz eagle), much favored by Tethyrian caravanners and Tethyrian bandits alike.


Tethyrian Deities

The melting pot nature of Tethyrian culture has ensured that most deities of the Faerûnian pantheon are venerated in Tethyrian-occupied lands. Tempus is believed to have been a Talfirian deity who defeated the Netherese god Targus (Garagos). Netherese refugees brought with them the faith of Amaunator (reborn as Lathander), Chauntea, Talos, Mystryl (reborn as Mystra), Selune, and Shar. Illuskan invaders introduced worship of Auril, Mielikki, and Oghma. Calishite armies introduced the faiths of Ilmater and Tyr. Chondathan merchants carried with them the teachings of Deneir, Helm, and Waukeen. Newer deities have arisen and been adopted as well, including Cyric, Kelemvor, and Siamorphe. Other deities that enjoy large Tethyrian followings include Eldath, Milil, Shaundakul, and Torm. Six of the most prominent churches in Tethyrian-occupied lands include the faiths of Cyric, Helm, Ilmater, Kelemvor, Oghma, and Siamorphe.

Siamorphe is originally a Tethyrian goddess, worshiped primarily in Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate, and Tethyr. Her church has waxed and waned in centuries past as waves of idealism and cynicism have swept the nobility, but Siamorphe is currently ascendant. The church of the Divine Right is most popular among the nobility, although Siamorphe is also seen as a guarantor of just rule by many commoners.


Relations with other Races

Tethyrians hold the Proud Peoples (elves and dwarves) in high esteem, bordering on reverence, for Tethyrian folklore contains stories harkening back to the age when their ancestors dwelt in the shadow of the great dwarven and elven empires. In Tethyr, however, where elves and Tethyrians still come into regular contact, the Fair Folk are regarded with a fair degree of suspicion and hostility. Tethyrians get along well with Halflings, reflecting the large number of Small Folk who dwell in Tethyrian-occupied lands and their shared history of migrating northwards along the Sword Coast to escape the grasping reach of Calimshan.

Tethyrians are indifferent with respect to gnomes, paying the Forgotten Folk little heed, even though they dwell in Tethyrian-held lands in relatively large numbers. Tethyrian reactions to tie flings and half-orcs are sharply split. Those Tethyrians who dwell north of the Cloud Peaks and have had to battle innumerable hordes and the devilspawn of Dragonspear Castle despise those with monstrous blood running in their veins, while southern Tethyrians view them in sympathy with the Calishite perspective as simply members of the lower class. Genasai are regarded with suspicion, seen as little better than the genie-worshiping Calishites, but aasimar are often mistaken for elves or half-elves.

Among human cultures, Tethyrians view Illuskans as overly warlike and Chondathans as overly greedy, but they usually get along well with members of both ethnic groups if they live in close proximity. The Mulan are despised as slavers, although that sobriquet is more properly reserved for Thayans. True hatred is reserved for Calishites, an enmity bred from familiarity and the product of centuries of discrimination against and enslavement of the various Tethyrian tribes. Other cultures are largely unknown in Tethyrian-held lands, but human immigrants, no matter how exotic, are usually welcomed and then assimilated within a generation or two.


Tethyrian Equipment

Through centuries of assimilation, Tethyrians have adopted the best arms, armor, and other equipment of other cultures. As such, the equipment lists found in the Player’s Handbook can be seen as reflecting the Tethyrian norm. Regional variations do exist, with Tethyrians of the South favoring Calishite arms, armor, and equipment, Tethyrians of the North being partial to Illuskan equipment, and Tethyrians dwelling along the western shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars following the lead of Chondathan culture.

Arms and Armor
Despite adapting to local conditions, Tethyrians do share some preferences. Favored weapons include blades of any sort (the bigger, the better--that’s why they call it “the Sword Coast”), lances, maces, and short bows (adopted from the Calishites who adopted them from the elves). Tethyrians wear the heaviest armor practical for a task, which can range from chain shirts and bucklers to spiked chain shirts and bucklers to spiked full plate and a large steel shield. Moreso than most human cultures, Tethyrians have a strong knightly tradition, and the typical Tethyrian soldier is a mounted one.

Animals and Pets
Tethyrians are partial to canines, particularly those bred for herding, hunting, or working. Falcons (treat as hawks) and swamp ferrets (treat as weasels) are commonly employed in hunting and often serve as familiars. Ravens are also favored as pets or familiars, particularly in the vicinity of the High Moor.

Horses are especially prized by Tethyrians as steeds and draft animals; when they go to war, the mounts are as heavily armored as the soldiers. Flying steeds, particularly griffons, hippogriffs, and pegasi, are highly prized as well, and are often available for sale in Irieabor.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Tuigan Nomads
- Playable Ethnicity -

The nomadic tribes of the Endless Wastes and the Quoya Desert are known as the Tuigan, although that name is actually the name of but one of fifteen major tribes who wander the wasteland between Faerûn and Kara-Tur, tribal members are yellowish-bronze in hue, with black hair and broad, flat features. Each tribe has its own dialect, derived in varying degrees from the old empires of Shou, Raumvira, and Imaskari, each of which conquered or extended its influence over the Endless Wastes at its height. The tribes of the Endless Wastes adopted the alphabet of Thorass from traders passing eastwards along the Golden Way to Kara-Tur long ago. The tribes are believed to worship Akadi, the elemental deity of air, and Grumbar, the elemental deity of earth, as well as several beast totems (Horse and Tiger).

Since the defeat of the great Tuigan horde in 1360 DR, members of the Tuigan tribe have been found in small numbers in western lands such as Semphar, Thay, Thesk, Narfell, and Rashemen. It is this group of immigrants who are best known to the inhabitants of Faerun.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Turami
- Playable Ethnicity -

After their gods precipitated the fall of the Imaskari Empire in -2488 DR, the slave-race known as the Mulan migrated westward to the shores of the Alamber Sea. This migration in turn displaced the native Turami, who were driven westward along the southern coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars until they reached the coastal basin now known as Turmish. Generally tall and muscular, with dark mahogany skin, flat faces, and curly hair, the Turami are the primary inhabitants of Turmish, although they form minority populations in Chessenta, Unther, and Mulhorand as well.

Speakers of Turmic, the Turami adopted the Thorass alphabet from Calishite and Chondathan traders. No historical evidence exists suggesting the existence of a Turami pantheon distinct from the Faerunian pantheon commonly venerated today, although that does not mean that one did not exist. Turmish, the homeland of most Turami, dates back to the founding of Alaghon in -37 DR.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn

[DM Leverage]

Ulutiuns
- Playable Ethnicity -

Although the Ulutiuns have long inhabited the polar reaches of Faerûn, these short, dark-haired, broad-faced humans with light-brown skin are actually migrants from the northern reaches of Kara-Tur who moved westward across the polar icecap millennia ago. Speakers of Uluik, a tongue that only in recent centuries acquired a written form based on the Thorass alphabet, the Ulutiuns are divided into two major groups.

The Sea of Moving Ice, the Ice Peak, and the Cold Run (as the icy reaches of the northernmost Sword Coast are sometimes known) are home to the Ice Hunters, the westernmost group of Ulutiuns. Believed to predate the arrival of both the Netherese and the Illuskans, the Ice Hunters venerate nature spirits and are led by shamans, not unlike the more warlike Uthgardt tribes and the barbarians of Icewind Dale. In the east, the Great Glacier is home to the majority of Ulutiuns, including the Iulutiuns, the Angulutiuns, and the Nakulutiuns. They favor hide armor and weapons such as battleaxes, garnoks, hand axes, harpoons, iuaks, light picks, nets, ritiiks, shortbows, throwing axes, and tridents.

Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn