Deep Imaskari

Deep Imaskari are heirs to the lost empire of Imaskar. Few have survived when their slaves, having been abducted from other worlds and magical monsters (phaerimm) created by the war wizards of the Imaskari, were turned against them. Their empire crumbled leaving only ancient cities becoming ruins. Those few that survived fled deep down beneath the surface of Faerûn, purposely shutting themselves off from the events of the surfaceworld.

Living thousands of years in voluntarily chosen exile and under influence of strong magics practiced by their own wizards, the Imaskari turned into a human subrace adapted to life underground. Whilst barriers once held the Imaskari hidden from the outside world, and vice versa the outside world from the Imaskari, these barriers have now been breached. Imaskari are now starting to wander into a wider realm, exploring the surroundings of their underground home.

Personality
Deep Imaskari are guarded and detached, keeping an unconscious watchful eye in all their interactions. Even before their fleeing into the deep bowels of the earth, they were fascinated by magics. During their long isolation they have focused themselves on magical experimentation, never shunning risky outcome or dangerous spell preparations. Regarding their fondness and curiosity of everything magical, the surest way to gain a Deep Imaskari's friendship is by gifting it with magic, either an ancient spell scroll or mysterious artifact of the same nature.

Physical Description
Deep Imaskari are humans with pale, smooth skin that is soft despite its stone-like appearance. (This unusual characteristic is a remnant of the magical alteration that all the Imaskari underwent to survive in Deep Imaskar.) Deep Imaskari are tall and thin, with typical males standing close to 6 feet in height and weighing around 160 pounds. Females are usually about half a foot shorter and 40 pounds lighter.

Deep Imaskari prefer to be well dressed, with elaborate greatcoats covering simple, but elegant clothing in dark shades. They delight in dark rings as well, particularly magical ones.

Relations
Preserving their secret realm from the outside world, Deep Imaskari are used to avoiding contact with other races. The Deep Imaskari encountered exploring outside their known bounds of Deep Imaskar are more excited about meeting other races, although they eye humans from Unther or Mulhorand suspiciously.

Religion
Traditionally Imaskari wizards didn't allow their people to worship any deity, for no deity was worthy of the worship of the heady Imaskari from ancient times. Nowadays, religion is more common although the Imaskari keep themselves to the older Faerûnian pantheon by venerating Kossuth, Chauntea, Shar, Mystra and Grumbar. Few Imaskari choose the path of the cleric as a profession, so few temples exist in their realm.

Language
Deep Imaskari speak an ancient tongue known as Roushoum which uses the Imaskari script. This ancient language is nowhere spoken outside Deep Imaskari and few outsiders master it. Modern Imaskari have studied Common so to interact with other races more easily. The more adventurous Deep Imaskari venturing outside their own realm seeking new adventures usually pick of two or three Underdark languages, including Elven Drow dialect, Undercommon and Terran.