A Guide to the Humans of Faerun

Humans are the most divergent, populous and widely spread of all the races of Faerun. Ranging
drastically in appearance, culture and beliefs they’re often considered confusing and
unpredictable to the other civilized races.

This is a record of most of the human peoples known in Faerun, though it is worth noting that
each has been described broadly and even within each group of humans there is much diversity
of appearance and culture.
-Ivellios Galanodel, Devout of Oghma

1. Western Faerun
● Calishite
● Chondathan
● Illuskan
● Tethyrian
2. Central and Eastern Faerun
● Damaran
● Mulan
● Rashemi
● Turami
3. Minor Groups
● Bedine
● Ffolk
● Gur
● Nar
● Shaaran
● Sossrim
● Ulutiun
● Vaasan
4. Far Away Lands
● Chultan
● Durpari
● Halruaan
● Lantanna
● Maztican
● Shou
● Tashalan
● Tuigan
● Zakharan
 
Western Faerun
  
Calishite

Primary Language:
Alzhedo.
Physical Traits:
Height - Shorter than average
Skin tone - ‘Tawny’ to brown
Hair - Primarily brown or black, often curly or wavy
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Calishites are descended from the slaves of an empire ruled by genies that
occupied Southern Faerun for thousands of years. Their masters eventually fell to
infighting followed by an uprising against them, leaving the Calishites free to form their
own societies.

Modern day Calimshan is the largest and most successful of those societies, though in
the past its borders stretched much further east, almost exceeding that of the early genie
empire itself.
Culture:
Calishites are known for their love of life's luxuries, big and small. Although those
prejudiced against them often describe this as greed most Calishites see it as a zest and
passion for life and a desire to enjoy all that it has to offer.

Calishites view magic with respect, and in some ways an almost bored acceptance due
to its relative commonality as they have a strong Arcane tradition second only to the
Halruaan in the modern age. The high number of Calishites who have some form of
genie blood in their ancestry means that Calishites also have high numbers of Sorcerers
within their population. Divine magic and fervent worship of the gods is present and
respected but less common than some other cultures.

In Calimshan society is heavily hierarchical, with great cultural importance placed on a

person's ‘place’ in society. This is not however set in stone, in the rare instances where
someone of ‘common’ blood finds their fortune they are welcomed into the cultural elite,
in the the rarer still instances that those of the cultural elite lose their wealth they are
dismissed as little better than commoners. Calimshan is notorious for placing women in
lower social standing than men, although this too is nothing that ambition and wealth
cannot overcome, it is still regarded as a shameful and backwards belief by most other
human cultures.

These cultural beliefs and practices are not however universal even within Calimshan,
and even less so within the independent city-states around the lake of steam and
Calishite neighbourhoods that exist in most of the world's major trading cities.
  
Chondathan

Primary Language:
Chondathan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average
Skin tone - ‘Tawny’ in Chondath, ‘light’ in the Dalelands and Cormyr, ‘olive’ in Sespech
Hair - Primarily brown or black, often curly or wavy.
Eye color - Primarily brown or green.
History:
The Chondathan are a people originating from an ancient nation called Jhaamdath
which occupied the area now known as the Vilhon Reach off the Sea of Stars. Conflict
with the Elven kingdom of Nikerymath was ignited by the felling of large swaths of the
Chondalwood forest for timber to expand the Jhaamdath naval fleet and eventually
resulted in the destruction of Nikerymath. In revenge the High Mages of Nikerymath
unleashed a gigantic tidal wave that crushed the twelve cities of Jhaamdath and
reshaped the land to create the are now called the Vilhon Reach.

Their revenge however was short sighted as the survivors of Jhaamdath expanded
outwards, colonizing the northern end of the Sea of Fallen Stars in the areas now known
as Impultur, Thesk and The Vast, bringing with them fire, axes and a deep seated hatred
of the Elves.
 After a few centuries the Chondathans expanded west, settling in the Dalelands and
Cormyr, but by this time the people, long since removed from the devastation of their
homeland had forgotten most of their hatred for the Elves.

Not long after the settlement of Cormyr the area devastated by the tidal wave began to
see major resettlement, almost three hundred years after the disaster, eventually
creating the nation now known as Chondath, where the hatred of the Wood Elves still
holds strong to this day, buoyed by frequent skirmishes with the Elves of the
Chondalwood and plagues blamed on the Elves throughout its history. At its height
Chondath covered as much territory as ancient Jhaamdath, but plague and war with the
Elves weakened the nation to the point where it lost control of its northern colony (now
the nation of Sembia) and its southern territory, now the independent nation of Sespech.

In time the Chondathan would continue to emigrate westward, settling the west coast of
the Sea of Stars and intermingling with the Tethyrian cultures in the Western Heartlands.
Culture:
Chondathans are renowned for their often mercantile cultures, and ‘entrepreneurial spirit’
having spread and developed through travelling the Sea of Stars and settling new and,
often hostile, lands. In most Chondathan societies wealth is king, with little to no regard
given to notions of ‘noble blood’. As such many Chondathan nations and city-states are
oligarchies or tyrannies. The exceptions to this rule are the Dalelands, who value gold
only for its use in purchasing practical goods and Cormyr, where the Feudal system has
been adopted and the nobility are highly regarded.

Chondathan cultures tend to have fairly few Wizards and Sorcerors are rare as
Chondathans have rarely mixed with magical beings in their history, however they often
have a strong religious fervor and produce many Clerics and (more rarely) Druids. Many
of the gods that hold sway in the current pantheon owe their power and place to being
spread by Chondathan settlers in ages past and it’s often said that the Chondathan
conquered a continent with gold and gods. The exception to this is Cormyr and the
Dalelands where arcane spellcasters are generally well respected and fairly common,
likely because of mixing with people of Netherese descent.
  
Illuskan

Primary Language:
Illuskan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Tall
Skin tone - ‘Fair’.
Hair - Primarily blond, red or light brown. Often black further south.
Eye color - Primarily blue or grey.
History:
Also known as the ‘Northlanders’ the Illuskan people are the descendents of the ancient
nation of Illusk in the far North West of Faerun. They existed peacefully alongside the
giants of Otheria for almost a thousand years before falling in a war against the giants,
the cause of which is long forgotten.

The people of Illusk survived on the far off island of Ruathym until about one and a half
thousands years ago when the increasing population caused them to travel outwards,
colonizing the islands of the Trackless Sea including the Northern Moonshaes.

At around the same time the legendary thane Uthgar Gardolfsson sailed east in hopes of
reclaiming the site of ancient Illusk now that the Giant kingdom had long since fallen, but
found instead that it had already been settled by the Netherese as an outpost city.
 Uthgar and his men sacked the city, but in the process their dragonships were burned by
the defenders and they were forced to flee inland to escape reinforcements to the city.
There they mixed with lower Netherese nomads to become the people now known as
the Uthgardt barbarians. Legends claim that he died in battle slaying the Gurt, the Lord
of the Pale Giants, breaking the giants power in the region and being raised by the god
Tempus to the state of Demigod for his actions.

The Illuskans would settle the majority of the North, but a series of natural disasters,
invasions by Orcs and Tethyrians migrating into the region in great numbers eventually
drove them back to their island homes.

Over the following centuries the Illuskan would try and try again to settle the mainland,
eventually founding the cities of Waterdeep and Neverwinter (though both now are
mostly dominated by Tethyrian peoples and culture). Illusk was also conquered, now a
weak shadow of its former self with the fall of the Netherese empire. After its sacking by
Orc forces and subsequent rebuilding the city was renamed Luskan. However the
descendents of the Netherese still cling to power in Luskan in the form of the Arcane
Brotherhood, who wield great power and influence over the city.
Culture:
Illuskans measure a value of a person based on their strength, martial prowess, valor
and honour. Their societies have often been martial in nature and their longstanding
cultural practice of raiding the settlements of other peoples (as well as their own) have
given them a perhaps well earned reputation for savagery and violence.

However despite this reputation Illuskans are known for their bravery in battle, especially
against the Orcish tribes that plague the North and their trustworthiness when it comes
to a promise or deal struck. Deception, lies (even lies of omission) and trickery are
despised by the Illuskan people and any authority a person holds in society must be
earned. There is no class divide in Illuskan society, the most powerful of individuals is
only separated from the least by the respect of their peers. Wealth holds little value to
the Illuskan people, to acquire it through any means but warfare is seen as shameful and
to use it for luxury is seen as cowardly avoidance of lifes struggles.

Illuskans view magic with suspicion and distrust, and the Arcane Brotherhood are only
tolerated in Luskan because of their immense power. Sorcerers (especially of Draconic
heritage) are fairly common amongst the Illuskan, but viewed as being no different than
Wizards. An exception is made for Bards (usually referred to as Skald) who are greatly
respected amongst the Illuskan as the keepers of their long oral history and legends.
Divine magic is well respected, with Clerics of gods of War and Weather most highly
worshipped.
  
Tethyrian

Primary Language:
Chondathan and Calant (a sing song dialect of Common).
Physical Traits:
Height - Average
Skin tone - ‘Dusky’ to ‘light’.
Hair - Usually brown, but all colours are common.
Eye color - Blue most common, but all colours are common.
History:
The history of the Tethyr can be traced back as far as written records, where they
appear in Elvish and Dwarven texts as nomadic tribal groups that inhabited what was
then the great forest that covered western Faerun.

They lived in peace, either independently or as vassals of Dwarven or Elven kingdoms

until the human nation of Calimshan spread northward, conquering lands as far north as
what is now the northern borders of Amn. After several centuries of rule by the Calishites
they rebelled over a period of several hundred years.
 Following the end of their rebellion the first king of Tethyr was crowned, founding the
nation almost two thousand years ago. Two centuries later Tethyr and Calimshan would
have their royal families intermarry, founding the beginnings of the Shoon Empire.

Following the collapse of the Shoon Empire the Tethyrians in what is now Tethyr and
Amn migrated north, settling the wide uncivilized lands of the Western Heartlands and
eventually subsuming the people that lived there as well as the few Illuskan settlements
through integration.

With the exception of Tethyr and Amn Tethyrian dominated regions are almost entirely
city-states and with a few brief exceptions have always been so.
Culture:
The Tethyrian people are known for their abhorrence of slavery and the strong
importance they place on family, and community ties. They’re known for a vocal
suspicion of kingdoms and empires and a preference for independent communities that
only form loose alliances with their direct neighbours. Tethyrian loyalty to family and clan
is paramount. However when a Tethyrian finds themselves without a family or clan to call
their own they often transfer that loyalty to a settlement, guild, organization or nation
instead.

Tethyrians don’t have a strong cultural practice of literacy, despite the literate being well
respected. As such most Tethyrian Wizards are taught in master and apprentice
arrangements, rather than formal schools. Sorcerers are fairly common due to the varied
nature of Tethyrian heritage. Divine magic and the gods are respected, but less formally
practiced than by other peoples. Above all however Tethyrians respect and admire
Bards, in Tethyrian culture they are the keepers of history and their function is to
commemorate the lives of the dead.

Due to the wild and untamed nature of the lands that the Tethyr occupy Druids and
Rangers are common amongst them. And their lack of respect for authority granted by
hereditary title means that many bandits style themselves as ‘freedom fighters’, a
popular figure in Tethyrian stories. Although Tethyrians place little importance on
concepts of ‘nobility’ or bloodlines there is still class division, as is seen in nations like
Amn and city-states like Waterdeep where the wealthy merchants rule society.

The freedom loving nature of Tethyrians extends even to the feudal system ruled nation
of Tethyr. Many rulers of Tethyr have found themselves facing outright rebellion or even
civil war when they’ve overestimated their positions of authority.
 
Central and Eastern Faerun
  
Damaran

Primary Language:
Damaran.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average
Skin tone - ‘Tawny’ to ‘fair’.
Hair - Primarily brown or black, usually straight.
Eye color - Primarily brown, but varies widely.
History:
The Damaran people are a mixing of the Nar, Rashemi, Sossrim inhabitants of the far
North East and the Chondathan people that migrated north several hundred years ago
as the great glacier in the North began to retreat, uncovering the land that is now
Northern Damara and Vaasa. These people gathered together in order to survive the
harsh climate and frequent monstrosities left over from the fall of the ancient empires of
Narfell and Raumathar who destroyed each other in a war that unleashed greater magic
and evil into the world than either was able to contain. The retreating glacier uncovered
many long buried tombs and ruins that to this day on occasion spew forth some form of
ancient evil.

The Damaran people are named after the first nation founded by them, Damara and now
represent the majority of humans in the neighbouring nations of Thesk and Impiltur.
 The history of the Damaran people is a constant and recurring series of battles against
the harsh climate that they inhabit and great evils of demonic, undead or uncivilized
races, often unleashed on them posthumously by the hubris of the ancient empires who
once claimed their lands.
Culture:
Damarans are known as being practical, hard working, severe and for having clear
black-and-white moralities. In Damara bravery and self sacrifice are held in the highest
esteem and the harsh lessons learned by the consequences of the fallen empires whose
lands they now inhabit have taught them to view hubris and magic with great distrust.

Damarans are often very religiously devout, having an inordinate amount of Clerics and
Paladins of good aligned gods due to their cultural leanings towards selflessness and
their frequent conflicts with the Undead and Demonic forces.

Although Damaran culture does have inherited positions of nobility even the highly born
must prove themselves worthy, respect for authority must be earned in Damaran society,
it is not given lightly.
  
Mulan

Primary Language:
Mulhorandi, Untheric or Chessentan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Tall
Skin tone - Pale brown.
Hair - Primarily black or dark brown, usually straight. Many Mulan shave their hair.
Eye color - Primarily hazel or brown.
History:
The Mulan are the descendents of Slaves brought to Faerun by the ancient Imaskar
kingdom (which once occupied the desolate land now called the Plains of Purple Dust)
from another plain of existence. Unfortunately for the Imaskar they brought with them
their own gods and enraged by the treatment of their people these gods annihilated the
Imaskar at the head of a mass slave revolt. The two pantheons then founded the nations
of Mulhorand and Unther respectively. Throughout their history, lead by their living god
kings the Mulan have conquered and occupied nearly the entirety of the east and south
of the Sea of Stars at different stages, leaving behind them ruling classes of Mulan
descent.

Chessenta and Thay are the most prominent examples of this, though Mulhorand also
subjugated people to it’s East, of which little is known by the rest of the people of
Faerun.

Perhaps the most important event in the history of the Mulan people is the ancient
‘Orc-Gate War’ roughly three thousand years ago. The last descendent of the Imaskari
ruling Wizards that brought the Mulan to Faerun opened a portal through which a great
army of Orcs entered into ancient Mulhorand and Unther. What followed was a
decimating war, where the Orcs managed to manifest their own deities to battle the
walking gods of Unther and Mulhorand. Many gods perished on both sides, but the
Untheric pantheon was particularly devastated, with all but three of its gods falling in
battle.

The remaining gods of Unther were lead by Gilgeam, who over time became embittered
by the loss of his kin and became a cruel and tyrannical leader. Gilgeam ruled over
Unther with an iron fist until his death at the hands of the god Tiamat during the Time of
Troubles less than a century ago. Recently Unther has been invaded by Mulhorand
which, now lead by the mortal descendents of the abdicated god kings, seeks to free
their long separated kin from the cruelty that they have endured.

Chessenta also suffered under the rule of Unther until about seven hundred years ago,
when the great hero (and claimed demi-god) Tchazzar united the city-states of
Chessenta and drove out the armies of Unther. With Tchazzar’s mysterious
disappearance only a few decades later Chessenta has been divided into bickering and
warring city states ever since.

Similarly the land of Thay was part of Mulhorand until about a thousand years ago when
a group calling themselves the ‘Red Wizards’ led a rebellion that freed the land from
Mulhorand rule. Unfortunately since that time the descendents of the Red Wizards of
Thay have become fierce tyrants that rule their land through fear and magical domination
and are considered by many the single greatest civilized threat to every other nation on
the Sea of Stars.
Culture:
The Mulan differ greatly depending on which of the four major nations they come from.
The Mulan of Chessenta are a martial people who place great cultural value on military
might and the gods and little on the arcane arts. The Mulan of Thay respect the arcane
arts and nothing else. The Mulan of Mulhorand and Unther revere and fear the divine
above all else respectively.

In general the Mulan believe in discipline and order and are strongly resistant to change,
the legacy of millennia of rule by living gods or tyrannical and powerful wizards. Mulan
society is strictly ordered into castes, with the Clergy or Arcane Spellcasters wielding
almost absolute power, farmers, merchants and skilled craftsmen below them and slaves
sitting on the bottom of the heap. Although transitioning between classes is possible in
Mulan societies their rigid social structures makes it a rare and difficult occurrence.
  
Rashemi

Primary Language:
Rashemi.
Physical Traits:
Height - Short
Skin tone - Dark.
Hair - Thick and black.
Eye color - Brown.
History:
The Rashemi history begins with the fall of the ancient empires of Raumathar and
Narfell, who mutually destroyed each other through magical warfare. For almost a
century afterwards the people of the area now called Rashemen was under the rule of
Eltab, a demon lord summoned by one of the fallen empires during their war, until aided
by a sect of witches who had fled the remnants of Raumathar the hero Yvengi slew Eltab
and liberated his people.
 Shortly afterwards the witches aided Yvengi again in turning back a Malhourand army
sent to conquer the newly liberated land.
From then on Rashemen was a land of two united cultures, the warrior Rashemen and
the Raumviran witches. The witches lived amongst the Rashemen and aided them with
their magical knowledge and power and in exchange they were given the right to select
the ‘Iron Lord’ of the Rashemen, the leader of the Rashemi people.

After the rebellion of the Red Wizards of Thay the Rashemi have fought off invasion
attempts by Thay no less than twenty times, with the Rashemi berserkers bolstered by
the nations witches proving a powerful fighting force.
Culture:
The Rashemi view life as an unending series of challenges to be faced and overcome.
Status and respect is earned in Rashemi society and emphasis is placed on personal
accomplishment and strength.

Each male in Rashemi society must participate in a coming-of-age ritual called the
dajemma, in which they must leave Rashemen for at least a year, journeying and
experiencing the world outside their own society before they are considered an adult.
The dajemma is not required for young women to be accepted as adults, but is
nevertheless encouraged.

Rashemi are often considered competitive by other peoples, as most desire to always be
proving themselves (and as such their worth in society) through some kind of show of
strength or ability. Similarly Rashemi often have little interest in the trappings of
‘civilization’, seeing luxury and wealth as just an expression of weakness. This does not
however mean that they show no respect to their elders, who they see as sources of
wisdom. Although the strength and deeds of the elderly are in the past they are in no
way diminished for being so and they are afforded the full respect of their past
accomplishments as if they had performed them just yesterday.

The Rashemi view the arcane arts with respect, both as something to admire in
Rashemen’s witches and to be wary of in the Wizards of Thay. Male Rashemi are also
respected, but are usually kept separate from the rest of society and live in secret
enclaves where they craft magical items for use by the warriors of their people. Due to
the blood of ancient Raumviran running strong in the Rashemi Sorcerers are relatively
common. Divine magic and the gods are given little thought by the Rashemen, they have
no tradition of organized religion and death is viewed with little fear, as it is then that a
Rashemi’s accomplishments pass into legend and thus immortality.
  
Turami

Primary Language:
Turmic.
Physical Traits:
Height - Tall.
Skin tone - Dark.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown.
History:
The original inhabitants of Unther and Chessenta the Turami were driven out or
enslaved as the Mulan expanded Westward.

Although they still live in their traditional lands the Turami are now most well known for
the nation founded by those driven from their lands called Turmish. Settled in a resource
rich and easily defended valley on the coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars it has become a
major trading power and is considered possibly the most peaceful, prosperous and open
trading nation on the inland sea.
Culture:
Turmish culture is renowned for its hospitality, inclusiveness and honesty. This may well
be one of the major reasons behind the success of Turmish as a trading nation, although
there may be more profitable ports to trade at the safety and ease of trading at a
Turmish port is an attractive prospect.

The other reason is likely the ease with which the Turmish work with the Elves and
Dwarves that share their nations lands. Goods produced in Turmish, especially armor,
are renowned for their fusion of Dwarven, Elven and Turmish designs. It’s often said that
it’s hard to say what’s more important to a Turmish warrior, his beard or his armor.

Although not opposed to the study of magic it’s not as common in amongst the Turami
as elsewhere. Neither are they particularly devoted to divine magic. Instead the Turami
have a strong martial tradition.

The Turami are known for a variety of customs that other peoples consider odd, the most
commonly encountered of which is the tradition of the ‘Guest Dish’. Anyone visiting a
Turami home, whether as a friend, or on business, is expected to bring a dish of
(preferably heavily spiced) food.
 
Minor Groups
  
Bedine

Primary Language:
Midani.
Physical Traits:
Height - Shorter than average.
Skin tone - Light brown.
Hair - Primarily black, often curly or wavy.
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Bedine are a group of people that share a common heritage with Calishites. Coming
from their homelands to the desert of Anauroch left behind by the fall of Netheril they
intermingled with some of the surviving Netherese to create a distinct ethnic group.
Culture:
The Bedine are a nomadic people, constantly moving from oasis to oasis in the
Anauroch desert. They are a hardy people, devoted to their tribe, a loyalty that allows
them to survive such a harsh environment. Magic users are not uncommon amongst
them due to their Netherese heritage and the magical nature of the desert they inhabit
and they show great deference to the few gods they worship.
  
Fflok

Primary Language:
Illuskan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - Light.
Hair - Usually brown, but all colours are common.
Eye color - Blue most common, but all colours are common.
History:
The Ffolk were originally a group called the Talfir that lived on mainland Faerun and
were closely related to the Tethyrians. They fled to the moonshae islands almost two
thousand years ago to escape the rule of a tyrant and elected their first king shortly
therafter, the hero Cymrych Hugh who slew the Kazgoroth, a monster that was an
aspect of the god Bhaal.

The Ffolk waged war against aggressive Illuskan settlers in the northern Moonshae Isles
for most of their history before a diplomatic marriage united the two people.

A large wave of Tethyrian immigrants moved to the Moonshaes over a thousand years
ago and integrated with the Ffolk, though this changed their cultural traditions little.
Culture:
The Ffolk believe primarily in a single god, called the Earthmother, which is an aspect of
the goddess Chauntea, with religious practices and beliefs mainly being lead by Druids.

They have a strong connection to the isles which they believe is a physical manifestation
of the Earthmother and reasonably friendly relations with the Fey creatures that inhabit
many of its forests and waters.

The Ffolk are divided into a dozen small kingdoms, ruled over in entirety by a High
Queen.
  
Gur

Primary Language:
Gurri.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Dusky’ to ‘light’.
Hair - Usually brown, but all colours are common.
Eye color - Brown most common, but all colours are common.
History:
The Gurs are also called Selûne's Children or the ‘People of the Highway’ and their true
origin is surrounded in mystery. Clues in their language lead some scholars to believe
that they’re the descendents of Rashemi who fled the chaos caused by the mutual
destruction of the ancient Narfell and Raumathar Empires, living amongst and mixing
with other cultures on their way across the continent so as to be vastly different in
appearance by the modern age.
Culture:
The Gurs are a largely nomadic people that make their living by hunting, mending
clothes and smithing in settlements they pass through and offering their services as
soothsayers and fortune tellers.

Gurs have a love for music and dance and this coupled with their apparent comfort with
magic, appearance as ‘outsiders’ and odd culture makes them the subject of fairly
frequent prejudice. A common accusation is that they bewitch and steal youths from the
villages they visit. Although on occasion they do leave a settlement with more members
than they arrived with this is because of said youths being attracted to the culture and
apparent freedom of the Gurs’ lives, rather than any use of magic.
  
Nar

Primary Language:
Damaran.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Dusky’.
Hair - Usually brown.
Eye color - Brown most common.
History:
The Nar are the descendents of the ancient empire of Narfell. When their homeland was
destroyed in a mutually destructive war of magic with a neighbouring Empire many Nar
fled to other lands and dispersed across Faerun.

Those who didn’t are referred to as the Nar, a group of mostly nomadic people that roam
the lands of their people’s former kingdom, avoiding the dangerous ruins and eeking out
a living as best they can.

Culture:
The Nar are nomadic in nature and deeply suspicious of outsiders who they are
concerned will awake the things best left buried in their civilisations ruins.
The Nar have higher than average amounts of sorcerers because of their fallen nations
dealings with demons, but they are still uncomfortable around magic, being surrounded
by reminders of its potential destructive power as they are.
  
Shaaran

Primary Language:
Shaaran.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Dusky’.
Hair - Usually black or brown.
Eye color - Brown most common.
History:
The Sharaan are the mostly nomadic people of the Shaar grasslands and have been for
time immemorial.

Culture:
The Shaaran are renowned horse riders, hunters and not infrequently bandits. The
openness of the Shaar tribes to outsiders varies greatly despite their otherwise similar
cultural roots and mutual cooperation.
Outside of the Shaar the Shaaran are common in lands that have occupied regions that
the Shaaran have previously lived in and as such they’re common in Sespech and as far
East as Calimshan. In these places they’re for the most part completely integrated into
the cultures of the area.
  
Sossrim

Primary Language:
Damaran.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - Snow white.
Hair - White.
Eye color - Bright blue.
History:
The Sossrim are the reclusive inhabitants of the remote land of Sossal on the Great
Glacier in North Faerun.

Culture:
Little is known of Sossrim culture as they only come down from the Great Glacier to
trade with the people of Vaasa and Damara, and even then infrequently.

They are said to be related to the Frost Folk, a people of similar appearance with
otherworldly powers who come down from the Glacier during the harshest winters to raid
and plunder civilized lands.
  
Ulutiun

Primary Language:
Uluik.
Physical Traits:
Height - Short.
Skin tone - Dark.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown.
History:
The Ulutiun have lived in the Far North West of Faerun for as long as history records.

Culture:
The Ulutiun are a nomadic people who somehow manage to survive in the harsh and
inhospitable far North of Faerun, living on the glaciers and ice flows.

The Ulutiun are lead by shamans and venerate nature spirits.

  
Vaasan

Primary Language:
Damaran.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - Fair to Olive.
Hair - Black (thick beards).
Eye color - Brown.
History:
The Vaasan are the remnants of the Netherese Empire that fled Eastward. They make
up a minority of the population in the Northern Moonsea and in Vaasa.

Culture:
The Vaasan have long since lost touch with their Netherese roots, instead worshipping
the gods of the Faerun pantheon (principally Bane) and taking on the cultural practices
of their Damaran and Chondathan neighbours.
 
Far Away Lands
  
Chultan

Primary Language:
Chultan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Tall.
Skin tone - Dark brown.
Hair - Primarily black, often curly or wavy.
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Chultan were guided to the Chult peninsula from their original homeland, an
unknown southern island, by their god Ubtao two thousand years ago.

Ever since then they’ve lived in nomadic groups within the jungle of Chult, which they
believe to be a sacred extension of Ubtao with the exception of the sacred city Mezro,
which until very recently was isolated and hidden from the world by powerful illusion
magic before its leaders finally decided to open it to the outside world.
Culture:
The Chultan people worship the jungle of Chult and (most) things that dwell in it as
sacred to Ubtao. They are strongly in tune with the nature of the jungle, something which
allows them to survive in an environment that often spells death for even the most well
prepared of outsiders within a matter of days.
Divine magic is limited in use by the Chultan as they worship only Ubtao, with his priests
being druidic in nature. Arcane magic is practiced, but cultural tradition dictates that
there may be only one arcane magic user in a tribe at a time. Those who are deemed to
have the talent are sent to the sacred city of Mezro where they study at the college there
and are then assigned to a tribe for life.

The Chultan people are lead by six immortal ‘Baras’, holy warriors of Ubtao that guide
his people from the sacred city of Mezro.
  
Durpari

Primary Language:
Durpari.
Physical Traits:
Height - Relatively short.
Skin tone - Brown.
Hair - Primarily black, often curly or wavy.
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Durpari live in the far South East of Faerun and are relatively isolated from even
their closest neighbours, the Mulan. Their culture has existed there since before the
appearance of the Mulan, making them one of the oldest continous civilizations in
Faerun.

After the Mulan gained their independence they soon began to raid the Durpari’s lands
for slaves, leading to a collapse in their society that would last for hundreds of years.
Eventually the Mulan turned their attentions inwards and to the North and the Durpari
were able to rebuild their societies.
 In the modern age the Durpari are a relatively isolated people again, however their
seaports are filled with traders from far off Kara-Tur and the luxury goods that they bring
have enriched the Durpari considerably.
Culture:
The Durpari are divided into three different kingdoms with slightly different cultural values
and caste systems. They do however have one thing in common, which is the Adama, a
set of religious beliefs taught by a religious teacher called Satama who guided the
survivors of the Mulhorand conquest of the Durpari on their way to rebuilding their
nations.

The core principle of the Adama is that everything is the Adama. Every individual, every
god and even existence itself were just aspects of the Adama.

Satama taught that each person must be reborn many times and improve themselves
with each reincarnation, striving towards becoming one with the Adama. Crime and
violence is considered as dangerous to oneself as it is to the victim as it jeopardizes a
persons chance of enlightenment and a favourable reincarnation.

As killing, even in self defense, is frowned upon by believers in the Adama most Durpar
who use arcane magic focus on illusion magic. Although this is mostly to enable
non-lethal ends to confrontation it is also considered more permissible to kill someone
through illusion than through other methods as the person must have believed in the
illusion to have been killed by it and was thus partially responsible themselves.

The Adama is not worshiped itself and there is no temples built to it, instead people
worship as most people in other lands do in temples devoted to the regular gods, who
represent the Adama.
  
Halruaan

Primary Language:
Halruaan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Light’ to ‘olive’.
Hair - Primarily black, often curly.
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Halruaan are the descendents of ancient Netheril that fled to the farthest South in
Faerun they could before its fall. There they created a nation in an easily defended
region bordered by mountains, mixing with the local inhabitants, and waited for their
enemies to come for them. Their enemies never did and the Halruaan eventually formed
their own culture and new way of life, though still strongly influenced by their Netherese
roots.
Culture:
In Halruaa Arcane talent is the measure of a man. A full third of their society is capable
of Wizardry to at least a limited degree and those with the ability for ‘the art’ are firmly on
top of Halruaan society. Other forms of magic, such as sorcery and divine magic are
viewed with contempt.
Although not as magically proficient as the people of ancient Netheril the Halruaan are
undoubtedly the most magically proficient people in Faerun and their economy is
enhanced greatly by the export of magical goods to the rest of Faerun.

Halruaa is a hermit kingdom and does not easily allow foreigners to visit, keeping to itself
and making sure everyone else does too.
  
Lantanna

Primary Language:
Lantanese.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - Light.
Hair - Primarily copper.
Eye color - Primarily green.
History:
As far as history records the Lantanna have always lived on the island of Lantan
alongside the Gnomes and worshipped Gond the Wondermaker.
Culture:
The people of Lantan and its surrounding islands worship Gond through the creation of
ever more intricate and masterfully crafted devices.

Magic is mostly disregarded in Lantan, anything magic does something mechanical can
(and should) be invented to replicate. Little else is known of Lantan and its inhabitants,
they’re notoriously reclusive and only ever seen when they come to ports to trade, what
is suspected to be the least of, their inventions.
  
Maztican

Primary Language:
Various.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - Light brown/’Dusky’.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown and green.
History:
The people of Faerun group the various cultures of Mazica under a single term, despite
their extreme variety.

Maztica was ‘discovered’ by mercenary explorers from Amn several decades ago and
now several small trading ports and colonies have been established there.

Shortly after the arrival of the Amn explorers Maztica was rocked by a violent conflict
between the god Zaltec, the bringer of war and eater of hearts and the returned god
Qotal the feathered serpent. In the end Qotal emerged victorious and replaced his
brother as the chief god of the Maztican people.

Some Mazticans of the Nexalan people have journeyed to Faerun in small numbers,
mostly in Amn.
Culture:
The people of Maztica have widely varying cultures, though all worship the same
pantheon of gods and do so with vigor. The Mazticans don’t make the same distinction
between divine and arcane magic as the people of Faerun as their principal forms of
magic Hishna and Feathermagic, were given to them directly by the gods.

Due to a lack of available metals the Maztican people had not developed metallurgy and
instead used weapons made of volcanic glass and relied on magic to protect them in
battle.
  
Shou

Primary Language:
Shou.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Yellow-Copper Hued’.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown and green.
History:
The Shou are the most populous and powerful of the people that inhabit far off Kara-Tur.
Very little is known about their history by the people of Faerun.
Culture:
Little is known of the Shou, they’re really seen other than the occasional trader on the
Golden Way or arriving in Durpar by sea. Rumour has it that their Empire is larger than
any that’s ever existed in Faerun and that they worship a different pantheon of gods
called ‘The Celestial Bureaucracy’.
  
Tashalan

Primary Language:
Tashalan.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Olive’.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown and green.
History:
The Tashalan are the original human inhabitants of the Chultan peninsula. However the
arrival of the Chultan and the rise of the Yuan-Ti pushed them back to the end of the
peninsula.
Culture:
The Tashalan produce some of the finest, if not the finest, wines in all of Faerun and are
renowned for their love of hunting, spicy traditional foods and respect for divination and
fortune telling.

In most Tashalan settlements snakes are banned and killed on sight.

They worship the common pantheon as well as several Yuan-Ti gods.

  
Tuigan

Primary Language:
Various.
Physical Traits:
Height - Average.
Skin tone - ‘Yellow-Copper Hued’.
Hair - Black.
Eye color - Brown and green.
History:
The Tuigan are the numerous tribes of people that inhabit the lands known as ‘The
Endless Wastes’ between Faerun and Kara-Tur.

Recently they were united for the first time in their history by a great warlord and invaded
Faerun, only being turned back after they had looted and pillaged much of the North.
Culture:
The Tuigan vary vastly between the tribes in cultural practices and religious beliefs. It’s
believed that most worship the gods associated with wind and earth and that they also
worship natural animal spirits.
  
Zakharan

Primary Language:
Midani.
Physical Traits:
Height - Shorter than average
Skin tone - ‘Tawny’ to brown
Hair - Primarily brown or black, often curly or wavy
Eye color - Primarily brown.
History:
The Zakharan are the people of a sub-continent to the East of Faerun and South of
Kara-Tur where the Calishite and Bedine originally came from.
Culture:
Little is known about the Zakharan. It’s believed that they still live under the rulership of
powerful genie lords like the Calishites of old. They occasionally raid ships on the trade
route between Faerun and Kara-Tur and have been known to close it off entirely.