CotE Character Creation

The player characters are part of this expedition in association with one of the Elders of the Council. The player characters are part of an Elder's household: his family, his apprentices, his retainers, and his servants.

Race

The following advice should be taken into account when choosing a Race for Halruaan characters.

Human

• Halruaans are humans, built using Variant Humans rules.
• It is quite common for Halruaans to take the Elemental Adept, Mage Slayer, Magic Initiate (Wizard), Ritual Caster (Wizard), Spell Sniper, or War Caster feats for their bonus feat.

Other Blood

• Though less common, it is also entirely possible for those with an elven or orcish parent may be born into Halruaan diaspora society. Such children are sometimes regarded as odd, but formally made welcome, especially if they express skill at arcane training of any sort.
• The plane-touched are often found in Halruaan families as well, and these genasi, tieflings, and aasimar are regarded as full-blooded, proper Halruaans without hesitation.

Other Races

• Halruaans are willing to adopt non-humans as their own, in particular when a promising apprentice is taken in by a Halruaan wizard of note and skill. Though the process of learning not just wizardry but how to be Halruaan as well is grueling, there are many who are considered of the diaspora because of it.
• Halruaan wizards never take in apprentices who are not prepared to join their people, however – Halruaans teach only other Halruaans, or those who are studying to become part of the netyarl.
• It is also entirely possible for someone of another race to have married into a Halruaan family.

Backgrounds

The following advice should be taken into account when choosing Backgrounds for Halruaan characters.

Halruaan Diaspora

You have dwelt in lands not your own, a generational refugee from the destruction of the homeland, Halruaa. You have dwelt in a netyarl, one of the cultural enclaves of your people, turned inward, desperate to preserve your culture. The nation and people who your people sought sanctuary among may have treated you well or badly, depending on the specific situation, but you and your people have upheld the one dream: the Enstarment of Halruaa, as they call the reclamation and re-settling of the homelands (the term "enstarment" being a phrase in the creation of magic items for the act of placing magic within the mundane vessel).

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, and one other based on where your netyarl was located.
Language Proficiencies: Halruan, and one other based on where your netyarl was located.

Feature: Among the People

No matter where you go, if there are Halruaan diaspora there, you can find sanctuary for a time: food, shelter, basic clothing, and even work if you wish it. If you are in trouble, your people may hide you, depending on who you are running from.

Netyarl Proficiencies

Halruaan diaspora characters receive a Skill and a Language proficiency based on where the netyarl they grew up in was located.

• Lapaliiya: The diaspora of the Lapal League learned subtlety and going unnoticed, being proficient in Stealth. They speak the local Tashalan language.
• Dambrath: The diaspora of Dambrath learned to help with animal rearing and care, being proficient in Animal Handling. They speak the local Dambrathan language.
• The Shaar: The diaspora of Shaaran settlements were steeped in mercantile efforts, being proficient in Persuasion. They speak the local Shaaran language.
• Tymanther: The diaspora of Tymanther quickly learned that meekness among the dragonborn of this nation earned them only further harassment, so they quickly became proficient in Intimidation. They speak Draconic, using the local Tymantheran dialect.
• Calimshan: The diaspora of Calimshan gained the ire of the genie warlords for their original alignment with the Calishite nobility, forcing them to deny such allegiances in order to survive, being proficient in Deception. They speak the local Alzhedo language.
• Turmish: The diaspora of Turmish became insular and suspicious as Turmish descended into poverty and anarchy, protecting themselves through being proficient in Insight. They speak Turmic, the local language.
• The Thunderpeaks: The diaspora of Cormyr and Sembia became knowledgeable in local laws and history, gaining a reputation as sages and scholars, being trained in History. They speak Chondathan, the local language.

Other Backgrounds

Not all Halruaan characters have the above Background. Feel free to take an entirely different Background, and swap in one or two elements from the above Background to reflect your origins. You may even choose to not take any of the above traits, although a Halruaan without training in Arcana and the Halruan language is fairly strange.

Classes

The following advice should be taken into account when creating Halruaan characters.

Barbarian

It was once very uncommon to find anyone in Halruaa with the kind of origins that led them to becoming barbarians. Today, however, the Halruaan diaspora has found their way among the peoples surrounding their fallen lands, many of whom embrace the power of this class. Some barbarian paths that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xxx

Bard

Once, bards were considered less-capable magicians at best. With the rise of the diaspora, however, bardic traditions that remember secret Halruaan lore and keep the tales of their homelands alive are cherished and valued. Some bardic colleges that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xxx

Cleric

Halruaan clerics were almost always exclusively Azuthan or Mystran in origin – those called by other gods almost inevitably left Halruaa to tend to other lands where their gods were revered and needed. This propensity has only sharpened with the diasporia. Many of the branches of diaspora are forced to hide callings to service among the nations in which the Halruaans have found sanctuary. Some cleric domains that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xxx

Druid

There was a time when druids were all but unknown in Halruaa, a type of spellcaster found beyond the Walls. Halruaans who have gone among other peoples have sometimes found themselves with a connection to the land that would have confused their ancestors. Some of the druid circles that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xxx

Fighter

Though most of Halruaan military conflict was resolved through the use of mighty spells, there has always been a need for folk skilled with sword rather than spell. Halruaan fighters are often very knowledgeable in the capabilities of magicians. Some fighter archetypes that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xxx

Monk

Halruaan society has always included a place for cloistered, disciplined contemplatives. Mystran and Azuthan orders were common in old Halruaa, and monks made up many of the clergy found in the temples of the Nath Basin. Today, Halruaan monks are much rarer, as the diaspora did not have the luxury of establishing cloisters where they might be trained. Still, a few old masters who survived the Spellplague and have taught a body of followers over the years. The presence of such a master in a netyarl is a source of pride for its people, many of whom contribute food and goods to the master and his apprentices that they might keep a vital part of Halruaan culture alive. Some of the monastic ways that might be found among Halruaans include:

• Way of the Jordain (New): Though House Jordain fell along with the rest of Halruaa, the traditions of that hallowed institution remain. The Jordaini were completely without magic and very scholarly, as well as trained in the arts of fighting. They were the preferred advisors and bodyguards for the Elders of Halruaan society, forbidden magic so that their advice might never tempt them to seek power themselves (as magic is political power in Halruaa). This tradition has continued among some of the diaspora.

Paladin

Holy champions of both Azuth and Mystra were found within the church and military structures of old Halruaa, and there are still those who hear the call aplenty among the Halruaan diaspora, especially in those communities in need of protectors. Indeed, many of these paladins are at the heart of the great call toward the Enstarment of Halruaa once more. Some of the oaths that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xx

Ranger

The old protectors of the Nath Basin and watchers in the mountains of old Halruaa were rangers, though even then they did not fit in well with Halruaan society. Those diaspora who found themselves close to wild places have much more room for these folk among them, however, and quite a few have volunteered their skills in the Enstarment. Some of the ranger archetypes that might be found among Halruaans include:

• xx

Rogue

X

Sorcerer

X

Warlock

X

• The Magehound (New): Though its secrets were well-preserved by the church of Azuth, the Halruaan magehounds were warlocks who bound their pact with an entity whose nature and identity were secret. One of the early magisters elevated into Azuth's service after death, this magehound seeks out those who use the Art to the detriment of society. In Halruaa, the magehound warlock was given legal standing to perform these hunts, and they were the pinnacle of the law, testing Jordaini monks for magic, and hunting down renegade or criminal magicians and magic-thieves.

Wizard

Wizards in Halruaa partake of traditional, Netherese-style arcane disciplines, specializing in one of the eight schools of magic. Though it is possible for a Halruaan wizard to take a tradition other than one of the PHB ones, they are definitely studying non-Halruaan magic at that point, and are likely to be regarded as someone who has rejected their heritage.

However, wizards are among those most likely to study an Arcane Lore, which are frequently derived from other wizard traditions, effectively allowing Halruaan wizards to double specialize.