Where do Chondathans come from?

Located along the southern shore of what would later be known as Vihon Reach, King Jhaam would come to power and establish his realm around -5800 DR. In the years to come, he and his heirs would conquer the surrounding villages, which would later become the Twelve Cities of the Sword, and establish the country of Jhaamdath. However, as the kingdom evolved into the first and only human psiocracy of Toril, their realm began to change. Generations of cultural transformation, government reestablishments, and power-hungry leaders usurping control changed their peaceful nature into an aggressive imperial expansion.

In -278 DR, Jhaamdath's new emperor set his sites on conquering all of the surrounding lands. However, he would find an unexpected adversary as their growing need for resources would cause the devastating deforestation of the surrounding woodlands. These actions would lead to numerous battles with the wood elves of Nikerymath, and ultimately the kingdom's destruction.

After 20 years of war, desperate and facing ruin, the elves turned to the power of Elven High Magic. Their mages summoned a powerful tidal wave that decimated the Twelve Cities of the Sword, an event that would later be known as the Year of Furious Waves. Over the next 100 years, those who survived, including prospectors, farmers, merchants, and soldiers, colonized the lands north and northeast of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The cities they create would subsequently become Impiltur, Thesk, and the Vast, and their people would be known as Chondathans.

The generations that followed would migrate all across Toril. Those in Impiltur would move westward, settling in the valleys of Dalelands and others in the northern region of Dragonmere. Years later, families trekked further to live and form colonies surrounding the Sea of the Fallen Stars. Around the fifth century DR, the Chondathans would continue westward, finally arriving in Faerûn, settling what would be known as the Savage Frontier.

What makes Chondathans unique?

Generally, Chondathans are tall and slender, dusky or light-skinned, and have brownish hair that ranges from nearly blond to black, with green or brown eyes. The region a Chondathan is from will also affect their appearance, with those north and west of the Inner Sea lighter-skinned and those south having darker skin tones.

A rugged lot, the Chondathans are a prolific race due to their fearless willingness to travel far and wide within the Eastern and Western Heartlands. They are not afraid to risk everything if it means possibly bettering the lives of their loved ones. Despite their warrior history, Chondathans have earned a reputation as intelligent and skilled merchants responsible for establishing many trade routes throughout the area. Though, some still seek out the life of a mercenary or rogue.

Chondathan adventurers are motivated by potential wealth and fame and often judge others based on their riches and influence. They believe that true power comes from money, not might, and that everything has a price—so long as someone is willing to pay it. They tend to avoid bloodshed in favor of intrigue and rarely go against their word. A bad reputation is bad for business, after all.

To that end, Chondathans are competitive by nature and pride themselves on their independence. Acts of self-sacrifice, selflessness, and generosity are against their character and usually garner bemusement and surprise among their people. A far cry from the behaviors of their earliest ancestors.

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