Cultures of the Moonshaes

I’ve arrived in Caer Callidyrr, the capital of the Moonshaes. It’s a vibrant port town with travelers from all over the isles. Above the docks and cobbled streets rise the alabaster towers of the caer, the Moonshavian word for castle. It’s a relic from another age, and its white walls gleamed in the sunlight that poured through a break in the clouds. I found rooms at the Inn of the Dancing Dolphin, which is well named for I saw a group of dolphins playing outside the harbor. The specialty of the house is something called rarebit, which is melted cheese on toasted bread. We don’t have cheese like this in Chult. It’s made from cow’s milk, and it’s creamy, smooth, and smells delicious. We don’t have a lot of cows back home, so we use goat’s milk instead.
Five distinct cultures, only two of which are human, claim the surface of the lush and bountiful Moonshae Isles. The relatively peaceful Ffolk dwell mainly in the southern islands. The Northlanders sail the seas from their harbors on the northern islands. The Llewyrr elves maintain their secluded vigil in the mountains while the eladrin rebuild their reclaimed realm. Meanwhile, the firbolg maintain their ancient strongholds.

Ffolk

The Ffolk are the first humans to settle in the Moonshaes, coming from what is now Tethyr a thousand years ago. The distance, separating sea, and influence of the Earthmother caused the Ffolk to develop a culture quite distinct from their mainland cousins.
The Ffolk are organized into a number of small kingdoms, loosely collected under the leadership of a High King. They are primarily an agricultural society, though they fight savagely when called upon to defend their homes.
Most Ffolk worship the Earthmother and venerate the wisdom of the druids, who are her servants. The Ffolk have a strong rapport with the flora and fauna of the isles, as well as a healthy respect for the fey who dwell amongst them.
The Ffolk traditionally have olive skin, dark eyes, and dark brown to black hair. However, relations with the Northlanders and the ports of the Sword Coast have created diversity in the population. Ffolk with fey ancestry have brilliant green eyes.

Northlanders

The Northlanders originated in the lands north of the Moonshae Isles. They came to the Moonshaes first as raiders then as settlers. Over the centuries, they wrested much of the northern Moonshaes from the Ffolk.
The Northlanders are a resilient war-ready people who face constant adversity and overcome it. They scorn agriculture in favor of fishing, whaling, and raiding. In the past, the Ffolk kingdoms were their favorite targets, but they’ve found better targets along the Sword Coast, especially in Amn.
The Northlanders primarily worship Valkur and have a healthy respect for Tempus and Umberlee. Since forging a peace with the Ffolk a few generations ago, some Northlanders have come to venerate the Earthmother as the spirit of the islands.
The Northlanders are predominately Illuskan but accept anyone into their ranks who is strong and fearless. Historically, they are tall, fair of skin, and pale of hair, but that is by no means the rule after centuries of living alongside the Ffolk.

Eladrin

Because of the recent influx of fey, the Moonshaes contain a higher population of eladrin than any other region in Faerûn. The fey kingdom of Sarifal is primarily composed of eladrin and ruled by the noble eladrin, the leShay. Not all eladrin in the Moonshaes come from Sarifal, but the overwhelming majority do.
When Sarifal first returned, House Kendrick led the mortal Moonshavians against the fey to maintain control of Gwynneth. The Moonshavians ultimately lost all of Gwynneth to eladrin and feared that the fey would overwhelm the entire archipelago. However, the leShay were satisfied with their home isle and stopped their conquest at the sea’s edge.
In the intervening decades, relations between the mortals and the eladrin of Sarifal have warmed appreciably. House Kendrick is attempting to forge an alliance, or at least an understanding, with High Lady Ordalf. Meanwhile, Prince Araithe, Ordalf’s son, wishes to expand his understanding of the mortal world outside of Sarifal’s borders and has granted his subjects permission to venture into the wider world.
The Ffolk and Northlanders have slowly acclimated to the presence of the eladrin and learned their seasonal aspects. They vastly prefer the spring and autumn varieties. Summer eladrin are to be placated as quickly as possible, while winter eladrin are to be comforted and cheered. Fortunately, the eladrin seem incapable of counterfeiting their emotions and their aspects to take advantage of the mortals.
Not all of the Moonshavians are willing to forgive the eladrin for the conquest of Gwynneth, especially those from Caer Corwell. Others find their magic unsettling and frightening. The strength of the eladrin discourages outright attacks, but tension remains.

Firbolg

The history of firbolgs in the Moonshae is long and convoluted and their interaction with other races depends on where that particular tribe has landed.
Moonshae firbolg follow the demigod Grond Peaksmasher, son of the giant-kin god, Hiatea. He encouraged them to withdraw from the other races of the Moonshae and brought them to the island of Oman during the Era of Upheaval. When the fey descended upon the Moonshaes, the fomorians claimed Oman and enslaved many of the firbolg. These thralls eventually became disfigured like their masters.
This was not the fate of all firbolg, however. The Blackleaf tribe of Gwynneth live in the Cambro mountains and have recently been forced to abandon their seclusion to deal with the advancing threat of shadow emerging from Citadel Umbra. Some have even allied themselves with Prince Araithe in this struggle, resulting in powerful wizard firbolg.
Other than Snowdown, where any firbolg haven has been thoroughly invaded, tribes can be found on every island. The Norland tribes of the Jotunhammer are the most aggressive, having allied themselves with the duergar and other dark forces in order to maintain their hold against the ever-advancing Northlanders. In other parts of the isles they are, for the most part, content to stay out of sight and wish only that their territories be respected. Clearly marked by tree carvings, a firbolg territory should not be entered without a good explanation for the encroachment.
Once thought to be a scourge on the land, new songs recant tales of firbolg aiding noble causes against forces such as the Black Bloods and the rising shadows. Some firbolg have even, for whatever reason, abandoned their tribes and quietly joined forces with adventuring companies seeking to fight common foes.

Llewyrr Elves

Centuries ago, the Llewyrr were moon elves dwelling in the verdant woodland known today as Neverwinter Wood. They fled the destruction of the Crown Wars by sailing across the sea, seeking the fabled isle of Evermeet. A fierce storm forced the refugees to make landfall on the Moonshaes, where they met the leShay. The leShay permitted the Llewyrr to settle among the mountains of Gwynneth.
Llewyrr possess the same physical attributes as their moon elf ancestors, except that the Llewyrr have snow white skin and golden hair. They are traditionally vegetarians, eschewing all meat. The gender imbalance that once plagued their people has nearly vanished since the return of the fey to the Moonshaes and their numbers have soared in recent years.
Unlike many elves, the Llewyrr don’t worship Corellon Larethian or the Seldarine. Instead, the Llewyrr venerate the Earthmother, her children, and archfey who watch over the islands. Since the fey arrival in the Moonshaes, the llewyrr have sworn fealty to High Lady Ordalf of Sarifal.