The Aestarians were once a united people, flourishing within the walls of Waterdeep, a great city at the heart of the Wraith Coast. Following the cataclysmic fall of their home, the survivors of Waterdeep scattered across the Wraith Coast, settling in different regions. As the Aestarians integrated with the local peoples and adapted to their new environments, their culture evolved into distinct regional flavors, yet all still carry the legacy of their Waterdeep heritage.
Today, the Aestarians can be found in many corners of Faerûn, from the bustling cities to the rugged wilderness. Though dispersed, their shared history, sense of resilience, and ingenuity remain strong, tying the diverse groups together.
AESTARIAN CULTURES AND REGIONAL INFLUENCES
The Aestarians are now divided into four primary cultural groups, each defined not by their ancestral origins but by their adaptation to the land they now inhabit. These cultures reflect the traits they have absorbed from their new homes, while maintaining the core values of their lost city.
Caspian Aestarians (Coastal and Urban Influences)
After the fall of Waterdeep, many Aestarians found refuge in coastal communities around other ruined centers such as Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter. The Caspian Aestarians, named for their initial settlements along the coast, have become known for their skills in trade, diplomacy, and innovation. Over time, they adopted many of the sophisticated customs and systems of these cities, and they are often seen as cosmopolitan and urban-focused people.
Caspian Aestarians are characterized by their strong business sense, excellent craftsmanship, and wide-ranging connections. Many have become influential traders, merchants, and diplomats, often serving as intermediaries between diverse cultures and nations. Their adaptability, driven by a desire to rebuild their lost home, has made them some of the most successful Aestarians in the post-cataclysmic world.
Cultural Trait:
- Master of Commerce: You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill and can add double your proficiency bonus to any ability check made to barter, negotiate, or perform any form of trade or transaction. Additionally, you can speak one extra language of your choice, as Caspian Aestarians are often multilingual and well-versed in diplomacy.
Midlunder Aestarians (Northern and Rugged Influences)
A significant portion of the Aestarians, especially those from the more militaristic and resilient factions of Waterdeep, settled in the northern regions, around places like Luskan, Silverymoon, and the Spine of the World. These Midlunder Aestarians are practical, hard-working, and unflinchingly stubborn in the face of adversity. The harsh climates and rugged terrains of their new homes shaped them into people who value strength, self-sufficiency, and directness.
Midlunder Aestarians are known for their warrior culture, and many of them have taken up arms as mercenaries, soldiers, or adventurers. The Midlunders continue to carry the martial traditions of Waterdeep, focusing on defense, survival, and the protection of their kin. The northern environment has also nurtured their close relationship with the wilds, and many Midlunders maintain a deep respect for nature and its power.
Cultural Traits:
- Enduring Spirit: You have advantage on saving throws against exhaustion, and you can go twice as long without food and water before suffering any ill effects. Additionally, you can learn the Survival skill if you do not already have proficiency in it.
Morridane Aestarians (Rural and Nature-Based Influences)
Following Waterdeep’s destruction, many Aestarians seeking a quieter life chose to settle in the forests, marshes, and rural areas of the Sword Coast. Regions like the Mere of Dead Men, the High Moor, and the Thornwood became home to the Morridane Aestarians. This group developed a more rustic culture, deeply rooted in nature and the land. Their ties to the natural world are strong, and they have become known for their skills in herbalism, woodcraft, and wilderness survival.
Morridane Aestarians tend to live in tight-knit communities that focus on self-sufficiency and a quiet, contemplative lifestyle. They often have an air of mystery about them, seen as slightly reclusive but fiercely loyal to their kin. While many Morridane Aestarians continue to shun the hustle of city life, they are invaluable as guides, trackers, and healers for those who venture into the wilds of the Sword Coast.
Cultural Traits:
- Woodland Affinity: You have proficiency in the Stealth skill when in forests, swamps, or other natural, wooded environments. You can also communicate with animals and plants in a limited manner (they do not understand you, but they can convey simple concepts or feelings).
Thurian Aestarians (Arcane and Scholarly Influences)
The last group of Aestarians to settle away from Waterdeep are the Thurians, who sought refuge in regions with established magical traditions, such as Silverymoon, Waterdeep’s former arcane institutions, and the magical enclaves scattered across the Sword Coast. These Aestarians have become deeply involved in the preservation and expansion of arcane knowledge, particularly that related to Waterdeep’s storied history as a hub of magical learning.
Thurian Aestarians are known for their intellectual pursuits, particularly in the arcane arts. Many of them have become scholars, wizards, and researchers, continuing Waterdeep’s legacy as a center of magical learning. They value wisdom, knowledge, and the pursuit of magical power, seeking to uncover and protect the arcane secrets lost with their homeland.
Cultural Traits:
- Arcane Scholar: You can add your proficiency bonus to any Intelligence (Arcana) check made to recall information about magical traditions, history, or artifacts. Additionally, you learn one cantrip from the wizard spell list of your choice. This cantrip doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known.
AESTARIAN IDENTITY TODAY
While the Aestarian people are now spread across the Wraith Coast, they share common bonds that go beyond geography. The fall of Waterdeep unified them in their struggle to survive, rebuild, and preserve what they could of their once-great city. As they continue to adapt to new surroundings and form new alliances, the Aestarians maintain a strong sense of their shared heritage—a heritage of creativity, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of progress.
The Aestarians may have been scattered, but they are far from broken. As individuals and as a people, they continue to thrive in their new homes, contributing to the cultural, magical, and economic landscape of the Wraith Coast.
- Ability Score Increase: Your Intelligence and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
- Age: Aestarians reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
- Alignment: Aestarians do not tend toward any particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.
- Size: Aestarians vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. No matter where you fall in that range, your size is Medium.
- Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
- Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common.
- Cultural Trait. Pick an Aestarian culture. You gain the cultural trait detailed in that cultures description.
- Right to Bear Arms. Aestarian’s firearms are among the best in the Wraith Coast, and the aestarian’s are very familiar with their operation. You gain +1 to attack rolls made with simple and martial firearms.
- Well Educated. You have proficiency in two of the following skills: Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, and Religion.
- Industrial Revolution. When you make an ability check using artisan’s tools, you may roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
Source: Soulforge Adventures Homebrew