Chondathan
Chondathans are one of the more common human ethnicities, found in great number throughout the Western and Eastern Heartlands. Their prominence throughout the Realms was due in large part to the extensive trade routes they established, rather than military conquest.
Chondathans are hardy folk, not afraid to take risks, travel, or settle new lands, and are always looking to better themselves and their families monetarily. As Chondathan culture has taken root in so many distant lands, Chondathans are comfortable in most human societies. Many Chondathans are merchants of one sort or another, selling their skills and the fruits of their labors for coin. Although Chondathans make skilled mercenaries and cunning rogues, Chondathan culture has not encouraged study of the Art or great religious fervor. Notable exceptions exist, particularly in the study of the Art among the Netherese-influenced Chondathan cultures that lie north and west of the Inner Sea.
Chondathans are slender, tawny-skinned folk with brown hair ranging from almost blond to almost black. Most Chondathans are tall and have green or brown eyes, but all builds and hair and eye hues may be seen. Those Chondathans who dwell north and west of the Sea of Fallen Stars (except in Sembia) are more likely to have blue eyes and have fairer complexions and darker hair than those born in the South, evidence of a significant Netherese heritage. In Chondath itself, particularly in the lands bordering Sespech, a significant Shaaran influx in recent centuries has given many natives of Chondath more of an olive-skinned hue.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The widest-recognized trade language of Faerûn, Common, is a sign of the widespread Chondathan culture. In addition they speak the closely-related Chondathan dialect, which shares usage of the Thorass alphabet with the Common language.
Culture and cultural heritage
Because of their widespread distribution across the Realms, Chondathan society varies greatly from between nations, and even between cities. As a people however, they have a shared emphasis on trade, exploration and freedom as opposed to the draconian structure that often accompanies a life of religious or arcane devotion. Considering the diverse lands in which they have settled, the Chondathan people are not over proud of their ethnic heritage and often identify themselves by the nation or kingdom in which they live. Their most commonly shared cultural value is their focus on garnering wealth, power and prestige for their own.
The Chondathan people are fiercely competitive, and extremely self-reliant. They look upon acts of altruism and selflessness with bemusement and surprise. Those Chondathans who take on the life of adventure are attracted by the potential riches and fame they can claim for their own.
Encompassed species
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