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.

The Halruaan Diaspora

The Halruaans are divided into a number of small subcultures, owing to the time they have spent among other peoples. The cultural enclaves of Halruaan folk came to be called netyarl, a reference to those who "wait for the Netyarch," as the wizard-kings of old Halruaa were called. Netyarl tended to be insular, attempting to maintain and propogate as much Halruaan culture as its inhabitants could recall, with varying degrees of success.

The Lapaliiyan Diaspora

The Halruaan refugees who fled the blue fires into the nation of Lapaliiya had it quite difficult.

• As the Lapal League had long raided into Halruaa, they considered the sudden arrival of these desperate immigrants an attack on their sovereignty, and a great many Halruaans died on the swords of the Lapaliiyans.
• After a period of internment in disease-ravaged camps, the Lapaliiyans released them and allowed them to set up netyarl, with two requirements: they must abandon their worship of Mystra and Azuth, and any magicians must serve the city they dwelt in.
• The Lapaliiyan resentments never quite faded, leaving Lapaliiyan diaspora quite accustomed to active and legal marginalization.
• They also evolved a tradition of secret reverence of Mystra and Azuth who became the keepers of true Halruaan magical secrets, while other wizards became civic workers whose Art was put on a Lapaliiyan leash.
• To this day, the truly powerful mages in Lapaliiyan netyarl are secrets hidden by the whole of the community, hoping they will one day lead their people out of Lapaliiya and back into a proud heritage of wizardry.
• The Lapaliiyan Elder is xxx.

The Dambrathi Diaspora

Halruaans only made it as far east in Dambrath as Herath, establishing netyarl in both that city and in the much smaller Westwatch.

• Many of those who came here did so through the Nath Pass, meaning a great many miners and those with religious experiences formed the enclaves here.
• Because of the restrictive religious practices of Dambrath, the worship of Mystra and Azuth went deep underground, forming mystery societies to which only certain members of the netyarl were initiated.
• In recent days, however, the people of Dambrath rose up against the Crinti (a caste of wealthy landowners made up of drow and half-drow) and overthrew them, and did so with the aid of the Dambrathi Elder and their apprentices.
• The Dambrathi Elder is xxx.

The Shaaran Diaspora

The Halruaan diaspora found homes among the small settlements along trade routes through the Shaar, forming netyarl in Kormul and Fryndul near Lake Lhespen, in Shaarmid, Firesteap, and Alamontyr north of there, in the trade towns of Kethmar and Channathgate east along the trade route from Fryndul, and among the folk around Talar Bay.

• These places were already familiar with Halruaan ways, and were used to the wizard-folk holding themselves apart, so the creation of the netyarl was a normal and respected outcome.
• These enclaves often formed a sort of "magicians' quarter" in the towns that held them, with diaspora working as spellcasters, fortune tellers, alchemists, scriveners, and similar occupations.
• The Shaaran Elders are xxx, xxx, and xxx.

The Tymanthan Diaspora

The Halruaan diaspora settled in Tymanther's new cities, sequestered in their netyarl – which suited both the refugees and the warlike dragonborn building a new nation.

• The leaders of Tymanther were happy to have magical aid from these folk, and largely left them along otherwise…officially, at least.
• In truth, the people of the Tymanthan netyarl were favored targets of harassment, without equal status in the laws of Tymanther.
• Still, they are known for being a stalwart people who band together to uplift one another.
• The Tymanthan Elders are xxx and xxx.

The Calishite Diaspora

The first netyarl were established in Calimshan, and given protected by the local government, who sought an alliance with the nation of wizards, hoping to benefit from their knowledge.

• When the genie wars began, however, the netyarl were forced to close in on themselves to defend their folk.
• Many of them were wiped out for their magical lore, so the diaspora in Calimshan learned to make alliances where they could, such that many of the Calishite diaspora include genasi in their number.
• The Calishite Elders is xxx.

The Turmian Diaspora

Though Halruaan refugees found sanctuary in Turmish, their welcome was not a warm one.

• The general xenophobia and poverty of the nation in the aftermath of the Spellplague led to many netyarls becoming well-defended and protected by magic, patrolled by constructs to ensure Halruaan folk were not attacked for their wealth or lore.
• In the years since, Halruaan wizards have become insular and suspicious, distrustful of those not of their blood.
• Turmian diaspora tend to speak Halruaan exclusively and have evolved strident and orthodox societal rules.
• The Turmain Elders are xxx and xxx.

The Thunderpeaks Diaspora

The furthest afield the Halruaan diaspora reached was those scattered among the Cormyran and Sembian communities on both sides of the Thunder Peaks.

• These Halruaans are all descended from merchants who found sanctuary among trading allies in the unsteady years after the Spellplague.
• They actually held on to the least amount of Halruaan culture, integrating strongly into the cultures of their neighbors.
• Many of the other diaspora consider them "only barely Halruaan," although they do bring a great deal of wealth and contacts with useful mercenary companies to the table.
• Only a few actual netyarl were ever established here – for the most part, most of the diaspora simply lived among their neighbors.
• The Thunderpeaks Elder is xxx.

Other Diaspora

A rare few others managed to find homes outside of diaspora areas, but these individuals or small family clans did not significantly impact the identity of Halruaan diaspora. Still, several of them were powerful wizards, and there are even a few Elders among them.

• The other Elders are xxx and xxx.