Halruaan (ethnicity)

The Halruaans were an ethnic group of humans who made up the vast majority of the population of Halruaa and Nimbral. They also composed a tiny percentage of the population of Lapaliiya and the Shaar.

Culture
Nearly all Halruaans were lovers of magic, especially arcane magic. In fact, they had the strongest magic traditions of any of the human races of Faerûn.The average Halruaan was wealthy, and they cared very much about appearances, dressing in flashy, colorful, flamboyant garb as well as the possession of exotic pets. They tended to be a happy lot, and enjoyed treating each other with all kinds of pleasantries.



In contrast, Halruaans were often very suspicious of foreigners with anxieties about having their magical secrets stolen. They rarely desired to travel far from their homes and those that did were almost exclusively arcane spellcasters. They would work with certain races, like elves and dwarves, provided they had a proven reputation. They were tolerant, but not trusting of halflings and gnomes, and openly disliked the Crinti.

Education
Education was extremely important to Halruaans and they took pride in teaching their children to read and write at an early age. This prepared the youth for their tests for aptitude in the arcane arts, and their future years studying in the public schools of Halruaa.



Language
Most Halruaans spoke the Halruaan language, a dialect of the Netherese languages, and used the Draconic script. The wizards among them generally learned many other languages, especially dead and magical ones.

Magic
Halruaa and magic were linked with one another. Halruaans considered it a mark of honor and prestige to excel in the arcane arts, the mastery of which was viewed as the pinnacle of accomplishment. Interstingly enough, even the poorest commoner could cast simple spells. Magical flair was less important in the rural areas, where magic was valued more for it's pragmatic, every-day use. Despite this small difference, magic was an aspect of daily use whether in the items they used, their transportation and even how they cooked and traveled.

Even as magic was seeped in every aspect of Halruaan life, they left their own mark on the magical arts as a whole. It is said every kind of magic that is practiced has been researched, altered, improved and even perfected at one time or another by the Halruaan.

Religion
For the most part, the Halruaan people had abandoned the gods of the Netherese and taken up the worship of the gods of magic from the Faerûnian pantheon&mdash;primarily Mystra (the majority) and Azuth (one in six persons ) but also Savras and Velsharoon. The Halruaans of Nimbral primarily worshiped Leira before the Time of Troubles, when Leira was killed.

The daily worship of a typical Halruaan would involve prayers to Mystra requesting the protection of the Weave.

History
The Halruaans were the result of an intermingling of refugees from Netheril, led by the archmage Raumark, and the Lapal people, who were also the predecessors of the Tashalans. The Lapal were simple farmers and fishers when the Netherese refugees arrived. The Lapal taught the Netherese how to work the land, and the refugees taught the Lapal the magic arts. The two groups had merged within only three generations.

The Halruaan people split into two major groups near the end of the second century DR.

The group worshiping Leira emigrated from Halruaa and settled Nimbral.

Notable Halruaans

 * Daltim Flamefist
 * Harlakh Doroaver
 * Savras, before achieving deification
 * Ulraunt