Damaran

Overview

Found primarily in the northwest of Faerûn, Damarans are of moderate height and build, with skin hues ranging from tawny to fair. Their hair is usually brown or black, and their eye color varies widely, though brown is most common.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Alethra, Kara, Katernin, Mara, Natali, Olma, Tana, Zora

Masculine names

Bor, Fodel, Glar, Grigor, Igan, Ivor, Kosef, Mival, Orel, Pavel, Sergor

Family names

Bersk, Chernin, Dotsk, Kulenov, Marsk, Nemetsk, Shemov, Starag

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Lawfulness was prominent in nations with large Damaran populations, with the exception of Aglarond, with its significant elven influence, the Vast, whose population leaned on the Chondathan side, and the city of Telflamm, home to its Shadowmasters. Save for these exceptions, those who were seen as having unscrupulous morals were often shunned from Damaran-centric societies. In contrast to their strong morality, or perhaps as a result of it, Damarans were seen as a proud and stubborn folk.
While many individual Damarans have taken up their culture's passion for adventure, hearkening to their generational struggle to reclaim the Easting Reach from the demons of Narfell, they have, as a whole largely stayed put in the same region of Faerûn. Those that stayed in their ancestral home often chose lives as farmers, lumberers or miners.
Adventuring was more popular among Damaran youths, especially those of noble birth. Taking a few years to explore the realms and possibly claim new lands for their family's holdings was seen as a rite of passage to prove their worth in regards to their familial inheritance. These expeditions were often sponsored by the benevolent churches that were prevalent throughout the Easting Reach. This tradition has dated back centuries before the Era of Upheaval.

Outlook

They tended to view life as a series of challenges that had to be overcome. Trust and respect were never freely given, but earned, and life was meant to be spent in the services of a greater good. The history of their people was never revered and nobles were not placed upon a golden pedestal; rather, the failures of their forebears served as lessons against the hubris of unchecked power.
True heroism and self-sacrifice was held in the highest regard among the Damaran people. People were judged by their actions rather than their birth, as was common within other cultures.

Religion

The church was central in the lives of the Damaran people, and as such they tended to live a disciplined lifestyle, with stark sense of morality. Many people eschewed personal gain in favor of dedication to one of the deities popular in the northeast, such as Ilmater in Damara, or Chauntea.
Despite the prominence of faith in the lives of the Damaran people, there was no universally-shared religion. While religious fervor and passion were greatly admired, Damarans were largely regarded by their individual code of conduct.

Encompassed species

• Human