Attitudes toward Nations
Attitudes toward Races
Changelings
The origin of the Changeling race is unknown, though academics theorize they are descended from true Doppelgangers. Due to their natural ability to alter their shape and mimic people, they are untrusted and pushed to the fringes of society. Families of Changelings maintain long-running identities that are passed from parent to child, using the cultivated trustworthiness of an identity due to the lack of their own. Despite peoples' misgivings about Changelings they are largely tolerated in civilized society, but most prefer to use their identities anyway.
Elves
There three primary cultural groups of Elves living in Khorvaire: the Phiarlan (lit. spirit keepers) who immigrated to live among the humans (and later founded House Phiarlan and House Thuranni), the Tairnadal (lit. proud warriors) who first worked as mercenaries for the Kingdom of Cyre during the Last War, but later rebelled and conquered the region of Valenar, and those elves loyal to the line of Vol who went into exile on the principality of Farlnen.
House Phiarlan and House Thuranni enclaves are fairly common sights in the major cities of Khorvaire. Outwardly they sell entertainment, everything from simple plays for the masses to more refined affairs for high society. Travelling groups are also not uncommon, servicing towns that lie on the road and rail system of central Khorvaire. They also provide intelligence and assassination services for well-connected and monied clients. House Phiarlan came to Khorvaire from Aerenal 2,600 years ago and have lived among the humans ever since (which also gave rise to the race of Half-elves), so the sight of an Elf isn't something odd to anyone in the Five Nations.
The Tairnadal actually visited Khorvaire prior to the Human colonists coming from Sarlona, they created a beachhead in the region that would become Valenar and found glorious battles against the Dhakaani, goblinoids whose powerful empire covered most of western and central Khorvaire. They left Khorvaire to defend their homeland, Aerenal, against the intermittent attacks of the Dragons of Argonnessen, before the fall of the Dhakaani Empire and long before the arrival of Humans on Khorvaire. The next time the Tairnadal came to Khorvaire was at the behest of a ruler of Cyre seeking mercenaries to support their claim to the throne of Galifar. The Tairnadal host fought for Cyre until 956 YK, when the Elves announced they had an ancient claim to southern Cyre that predated the Humans' claim and by fighting again in the region they had earned it with their blood. Cyre was shocked, and unable to respond militarily as the Tairnadal conquered Valenar and harried Breland, Cyre, and Karrnath for the remainder of the Last War. The Tairnadal are disliked in Breland and Karrnath for their aggression, even after the Day of Mourning, but none hate the Tairnadal as much as the refugee Cyrans who they betrayed.
The final cultural group of Elves are exiles from Aerenal who were loyal to the line of Vol (the bloodline of the Mark of Death) when the abomination that is Erandis Vol was discovered and her line destroyed. These exiles travelled to the island of Farlnen in the far north of the Lhaazar Principalities and established their own home there. For the last 2,600 years the reavers of the Bloodsail Principality have been a terror along the eastern coasts of Khorvaire. Thus, Elves can expect a chillier welcome in the Principalities, but would not be mistaken for a Bloodsail Elf due to the group's distinct clothing, tattoos, and scars.
Gnomes
The Gnomes of Zilargo are very unobtrusive often considered harmless by the average citizen of the Five Nations, which is exactly how Zilargo wishes to appear. Zilargo is at the forefront of magical research, perhaps second only to the Arcanix in Aundair, and are absolutely the best elemental binders since the Giant civilization fell 41,000 years ago. Zilargo's secret police and spy agency, the Trust, is one of the best intelligence gathering operations in Khorvaire and likely has illicit ties to House Sivis. House Sivis (who bear the Mark of Scribing) maintain much of the intra-continent communication infrastructure, and notarize documents. Gnomes are clanish, and keep to their own communities when living outside Zilargo. They are considered very orderly and intelligent, if perhaps a bit gossipy.
Goblinoids
The Hobgoblins once ruled the Dhakaani Empire, breeding Goblins and Bugbears as slaves and warriors respectively. However the Daelkyr of Xoriat, the plane of madness, invaded Khorvaire 8,000 years ago. The Dhakaani, along with Orcish and Druidic allies, fought off the Daelkyr and sealed away Xoriat. Despite this the madness of Xoriat had infected the Dhakaani and within 4,000 years their grand Empire devolved into warring, fractious tribes. When the Humans immigrants arrived on Khorvaire, they found little challenge from the goblinoids and enslaved them to build the cities of the Five Nations. When the ambitious Galifar I sought to unite the nations under his rule, he promised to abolish slavery and thus earned the support of the goblinoids on his campaign. Galifar was true to his word, and the Code of Galifar (which the laws of the current Five Nations are based on) made slavery illegal and freed all slaves within the Kingdom of Galifar. Despite being emancipated, relations between goblinoids and the people of the Five Nations is poor as the goblinoids keenly remember their enslavement and there remains an aspect of xenophobia among the Five Nations.
During the Last War there was a massive need for mercenaries (which also led to the Tairnadal coming to Khorvaire, and the creation of the Warforged). House Deneith's answer was recruiting Hobgoblin tribes with the promise of gold and battle. For a time Hobgoblin mercenaries served alongside the armies of the Five Nations (notably Breland). One charismatic leader wished to revive the great Dhakaani Empire of old and through threats, promises, and cajoling convinced the others to betray their employers. The goblinoids conquered a region of eastern Breland they named "Darguun", enslaving the Brelish population. This betrayal is keenly remembered by Breland, and Darguun is the only signatory to the Treaty of Thronehold that allows slavery. Beyond Darguun, a number of goblinoid tribes reside in Droaam, once also Brelish land. Most of the Five Nations are built atop the ruins of the Dhakaani Empire (such as Duur'sharaat
Halflings
Talenta Halflings live a nomadic lifestyle on the Talenta Plains, but are generally very insular. Most of the people of Khorvaire would not have had any interaction with them, but would know them to be deeply traditional people who value the bonds of family over everything else. Cyran and Karrnathi soldiers would know Talenta Halflings as highly competent skirmishers and ambushers who prefer to fight on their own terms. More educated people might know of the rift House Jorasco's commercializing of healing services has created between Jorasco and Talenta Halflings.
More common are urbanized Halfings descended from those who came with House Jorasco and House Ghallanda when they took their place as Dragonmarked Houses and set up enclaves across the Five Nations. These Halflings are citizens of whatever nations they were born into, vary greatly in their adherence to the traditional ways, and are generally treated as any other citizen of their Nation would be.
Kalashtar
The Kalashtar look very much like humans and are likely to be mistaken for Riedrans by those without psionic senses. They live in self-segregated Kalashtar communities and are highly insular for fear of the Dreaming Dark and its agents. Kalashtar have strong monastic and psionic traditions hailing back from the ascetics of Adar who became the first Kalashtar.
Orcs
Orcs, like the goblinoids, are a race native to Khorvaire. Their states were eclipsed by the Dhakaani Empire which ruled most of central and western Khorvaire in antiquity. While the Dhakaani Empire fell, the Orcs continued to live on the periphery of civilized lands and in their traditional ways. The homeland of the Orcs are the impenetrable marshes and fenland of the Shadow March, which they share with the second wave of human refugees from Sarlona in the wake of the Inspired conquering that continent. The Orcs of the Shadow March peacefully co-exist with the Sarlonan refugees, which has given rise to Half-orcs, the Mark of Finding, and the creation of House Tharashk. The discovery of large caches of dragonshards in the Shadow March has brought the backwater to the attention of Khorvaire's economic interests.
Most Orcs hold true to ancient traditions predating the Sovereign Host and Dark Six. The Gatekeeper druidic tradition remains strong in the Shadow March and Eldeen Reaches, ensuring the passing down of the rituals and wards that keep the Daelkyr banished from Eberron. The Ghaash'kala tribe of the Demon Wastes worship the same source of divine power as the Church of the Silver Flame and have been for millennia before Tira Miron's sacrifice. They live rough lives in the hostile Demon Wastes, ensuring that nothing spawned from or tainted by Khyber escapes into Eberron. Despite some of their fellows' noble traditions, the Cults of the Dragon Below are common among Orcish tribes and vary from eccentric to dangerous since no two cults are alike in their veneration.
The Dwarves and Orcs of the Mror Holds region hate each especially for some ancient slight given long before the majority of the Dwarven race disappeared into the earth.
Riedrans
Riedrans, particularly Inspired, have opened diplomatic relations with the nations of Khorvaire and are funding much of the redevelopment of the war-torn continent. Because of this Riedran ambassadors and their retinues are present anywhere royal or noble power can be found. Most people have no reason to think that the Riedrans are interested in Khorvaire for any reason beyond economics and investment. Despite ultimately both being arms of Dal Quor, the nation of Riedra and the agents of the Dreaming Dark have no connections between them in order to protect Riedra. Dal Quor has not been aligned since over 40,000 years ago so not even the most learned of academics have reason to suspect the Quori have conquered Riedra.
Shifters
Shifters suffered terribly in the Church of the Silver Flame pogrom against Lycanthropy despite not spreading the contagious and maddening disease and relations with the Church, Thrane, and Aundair remain chilled. Outside of the Eldeen Reaches they are rare sights, and being able to tap in their bestial nature makes them natural woodsmen, explorers, and adventurers. It is still unknown if Shifters are descended from Lycanthropes, or if Lycanthropy occurs where Shifters congregate in numbers (one of the theories that led to the massacres of Shifters during the Silver Purge).
Warforged
Warforged were born in the Creation Forges of House Cannith as perfect soldiers to fight the Last War. Every Warforged was conditioned to fight and kill, though some have been better able to adapt to post-war life than others. Many of the living constructs feel purposeless since the cessation of the Last War and languish in simple labour jobs, others are angered by their original purpose and lack of choice in the matter and rally under the banner of the Lord of Blades to usher in a Warforged era. The more philosophical wonder where the souls of the Warforged came from, as House Cannith are not able to manufacture souls. The most knowledgeable wonder why relics and docents from the long-collapsed Giant civilization on Xen'drik are capable of integrating with a Warforged's body.
Attitudes toward Religions
Blood of Vol
Church of the Silver Flame
Cults of the Dragon Below
Dark Six
Path of Light
Kalashtar / Adar
Sovereign Host
Spirits of the Past
Tairnadal Elves
Undying Court
Aerenal Elves
