Shaarans
Shaarans
The humans who roam the plains of the Shaar are known as Shaarans. They have wandered the grasslands as nomads since before the area's recorded history began, enduring the hardships of an inhospitable environment, dangerous enemy tribes, and a host of predators from both the plains and the surrounding areas. This constant struggle has honed them into a tough, proud people who are loath to give up their ways, even in the face of conquest.
The typical Shaaran is long-faced and yellow-skinned, but not very tall (about 5-1/2 feet, on average). Her hair and eyes are usually black or dark brown. On rare occasions, a Shaaran is born with bright green eyes - a sign of good luck among the nomads. Few Shaaran males wear facial hair, and both genders cut their hair short.
Nomads: A Shaaryan nomad's most prized possession is her horse - a magnificent animal that thrives on the grasses of the plains where the nomads roam. In fact, Shaarans refuse to take their horses out of the Shaar because the animals never seem to fare well elsewhere. Almost invariably, they grow weak and eventually die if denied the opportunity to feed on their native grasses. A Shaaran carries everything she owns on her own horse or, if she is wealthy, on a pack horse. Children are practically born in the saddle.
The dozen or so tribes of Shaarans share a common culture, but each also maintains separate elements of its own tradition. Outsiders have difficulty distinguishing among the different tribes, but the nomads can readily identify one another's tribal affiliation by the differences in dress, horse coloration, dwelling styles, weapon styles and decorations, and traditional roaming territories. Some tribes view women as equal to men, and a few have elected female chiefs.
No one has ever tried to unify the Shaarans. Some regions of the Shaar (particularly in the western half) have been conquered on occasion, but in each case, the Shaarans simply waited until the conqueror's power base vanished, then resumed their way of life as though nothing had happened. Occasionally, two tribes form a close bond, usually through a marriage between a powerful family from each tribe. Such a relationship allows the tribes to reap the benefits of mutual protection, share water, and avoid territorial disputes with one another for several generations. Over time, though, inter-tribal relationships always change, as new bonds form and old alliances fade away.
Townspeople: The humans who dwell in the communities scattered across the Shaar are most often Shaarans who preferred a settled way of life to the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors. Most of these towns and cities arose as a result of trade meets between various tribes, usually in prime locations where natural resources were abundant. Others were founded when nations and empires attempted to conquer or settle certain regions of the Shaar. The most significant settlement effort occurred during the Shoon Imperium, when the Shoonach held all the territory from the Shining Sea to the Landrise. The settlements founded during that period still exist, though they no longer owe anyone allegiance. Regardless of how and why they formed, the various urban centers in the Shaar have always remained small by Faerûnian standards, and they subsist primarily on the trade that passes through their markets and the sale of the few meager resources (such as fish, salt, lumber, or worked goods made from animal parts) that they have available.
While the majority of the people in these towns and cities are Shaaran, other ethnicities are also represented. Most often, such individuals arrive via trade caravans that wind their way through the grassland on a regular basis and simply decide to stay. Some locals are descendants of traders who came from as far away as Durpar, Turmish, and Amn. Whatever their origin, the residents of these towns live together in relative harmony and share two common purposes: survival and prosperity.
Human Tribes of the Shaar
Although the tribes of the Shear share many features - including ethnic heritage, common enemies, and a nomadic lifestyle - they are as different in other ways as a merchant from Waterdeep is from an assassin in Thesk. Some tribes maintain good relations with others, and some allow bad blood that has passed down for many generations to divide them from other tribes.
Below are a few details about the largest and best-known. tribes that roam-the Shaar. Several smaller and more isolated tribes exist, but they are, less visible to outsiders visiting the plains than those detailed below.
Ankheg: The Ankheg Tribe roams the region of the Shaar that lies between the Firesteap Mountains and the Shaarwood, stretching from the Duskwood to the Landrise. The people of this tribe have adopted the ankheg as their animal symbol, and their raiders have adopted elements of its fighting style.
Cheetah: The Cheetah Tribe claims the territory between the Uthangol Mountains and the Great Rift, as far east as Council Hills. The raiders of this tribe have trained themselves to run like the cheetahs that roam the grasslands.
Eagle: The Eagle Tribe reveres the giant eagles that soar overhead, and its raiders take pride in the superior vision and leaping ability they have cultivated in imitation of the great birds. The tribesfolk wander the territory in the far western part of the Shaar, between the Shining Sea and Lake Lhespen.
Hyena: The Hyena Tribe controls all the land south of Council Hills between the Riftwood and the Sharawood. Like their namesake creature, the tribe's raiders employ hiding and tripping attacks in battle.
Lion: The members of the Lion Tribe roam the plains from Lake Lhespen to the Landrise, south of the River Shaar. Its raiders imitate the great lion when they attack, entering a slashing frenzy when they charge opponents.
Rhinoceros: The Rhinoceros Tribe wanders the area between the Great Rift and the Landrise, and from the Chondalwood to the Amtar. Like the horned beasts from which they take their name, Rhinoceros raiders have learned how to heighten damage when charging.
Если вы хотите что то добавить или присоединится к команде редакторов - пишите комментарии
Внимание! Имеется скрытый контент, доступный только подписчикам. Подписка - бесплатна. Детальнее - читай здесь.
Вы можете присвоить себе следующие роли, чтобы расширить видимый контент: Silver Marches Daggerford Baldur's Gate Neverwinter Waterdeep Deadsnows
RSS канал данного сайта Подпишитесь на Boosty или Patreon
Комментарии