Need more IC positives in the region

[KiTTY ฅ≽^•⩊•^≼ฅ]

In this iteration of TDN, I feel like there's a lot of hammering in of the negatives of the setting. It's war-torn, it's oppressive and intolerant, it's dangerous, the weather is consistently terrible, taxes are punitive, and trade is stagnant with all the monopolies and closed roads. It's reinforcing the tone of the setting, which is all well and good, but it's all stick, no carrot. There's a wider world beyond what's represented in the module, and many places sound like they're doing far better. It stretches credulity why, outside of selfless or specific reasons, foreigners would come to the region, and more important, why foreigners and locals with the means to leave would stay, especially mages and clerics.

The positives of the setting need to be reinforced, too. Selûne is the main religion in Murann, but the locals are depicted as overwhelmingly xenophobic and intolerant in direct opposition to the dogma. This is also a setting where an absent-minded or tired mage/cleric could cast a cantrip in the wrong place by mistake, cause no great harm, and be executed for it. Magic is known to be unreliable and dangerous in the setting, yes, but in the real world, well-trained people working with deadly things like high explosives and volatile chemicals still make similar mistakes. Probably very few people would volunteer to work with those in a country where, on top of the inherent danger, any safety violation carried the death penalty. It's difficult to imagine a spellcaster with any sense of self-preservation choosing to remain in the region. There should be more IC incentives to counterbalance the negatives.

Speaking of riches, Amn is the Merchant's Domain and was traditionally a wealthy trade-centred country, but the currency being in silver means that the richest PCs right now have hundreds of gold, which, setting aside inconsistencies in the FR economy, really doesn't paint the picture. The region must surely have some specific riches and unique opportunities found in few other places to draw in adventurers.

 

[TwistyShape]

Fully agree with OP here.

As to why so many people may turn up, besides those forced here from the north I can only see it as a oppertunity rich area due to fallout from the war but, this feels like what we tell ourselves because theres no palpable reason otherwise. At the current point in time, I'd put the carrot in the "its coming" section, once resources free up but, that being said, I don't really know what the carrot could be? For the clerics/mages I suppose there could be something to do with the Alchemists Guild that is unrivaled and when it comes to Priests is a case of bringing help/faith to the needy/faithless, it would just help if there was something to reinforce this and, perhaps, over time we'll see it.

 

[KiTTY ฅ≽^•⩊•^≼ฅ]

Fully agree with OP here.

As to why so many people may turn up, besides those forced here from the north I can only see it as a oppertunity rich area due to fallout from the war but, this feels like what we tell ourselves because theres no palpable reason otherwise. At the current point in time, Id put the carrot in the its coming section, once resources free up but, that being said, I dont really know what the carrot could be? For the clerics/mages I suppose there could be something to do with the Alchemists Guild that is unrivaled and when it comes to Priests is a case of bringing help/faith to the needy/faithless, it would just help if there was something to reinforce this and, perhaps, over time well see it.

An example of an IC carrot for spellcasters might be that in the aftermath of Longest Year, some mineral or substance unique to this region has shown some promise in stabilizing the Weave, thus fuelling interest from alchemists and mages. It doesn't even need to be something with mechanical effects and could just remain a vague story hook. I just came up with this off the top of my head, so better ideas are out there.

 

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[turtleduck]

I get wanting more positives, but for me, and probably many others, the setting being grim makes hope and virtue feel worth something. When everyones struggling, choosing to be good, or just kind, actually matters.

On other nondescript servers, being a decent person is easy, whereas here its an uphill battle. That struggle makes it satisfying. If things were more comfortable, that contrast would be lost, and so would the reason to play a character who tries.

The draw for adventurers, and the countless refugees, is that Murann still stands, and isnt being actively ravaged. Go read the Narrative Introduction, under Amn and The Winter of Teeth.

The stick is the carrot.

You're right for a lot of places, but! Not all of them. Amn is far from being the best pick for an adventurer. It doesn't seem like it's the 'Merchant's Domain' anymore, and if it's neither relatively safe nor rewarding for an adventurer to stay around Amn... why wouldn't they dip for greener pastures? For example, the entire Sword Coast exists. They're doing great, comparatively. Not that far, either! I'm sure they still have plenty of goblins and kobolds left to cull for five silver each.

Let me add to all this by saying I'm loving a lot of the custom server lore, and I'm loving my time here on TDN. It's just hard to see a lot of adventurers wanting to stay in this grimdark, depressing town when we're not trapped here, lore-wise. I think that's the main issue, really- Amn is harsh, it's dangerous, and the setting has us treating steel like it's the rarest material on the earth. Just a hop, skip and a jump away though? You'll find cities and nations that are far more prosperous, far less likely to stick you in a torture mask for your racial composition, and far less likely to get sacked by orc hordes in the next month.

 

[Kameroth]

Youre right for a lot of places, but! Not all of them. Amn is far from being the best pick for an adventurer. It doesnt seem like its the Merchants Domain anymore, and if its neither relatively safe nor rewarding for an adventurer to stay around Amn... why wouldnt they dip for greener pastures? For example, the entire Sword Coast exists. Theyre doing great, comparatively. Not that far, either! Im sure they still have plenty of goblins and kobolds left to cull for five silver each.

Let me add to all this by saying Im loving a lot of the custom server lore, and Im loving my time here on TDN. Its just hard to see a lot of adventurers wanting to stay in this grimdark, depressing town when were not trapped here, lore-wise. I think thats the main issue, really- Amn is harsh, its dangerous, and the setting has us treating steel like its the rarest material on the earth. Just a hop, skip and a jump away though? Youll find cities and nations that are far more prosperous, far less likely to stick you in a torture mask for your racial composition, and far less likely to get sacked by orc hordes in the next month.

Big agree. From a foreigner or sellsword's point of view its a scale. You weigh out the bad and the good to see if its worth making a living and settling in the area. The scale's aren't entirely and utterly out of whack but it does need to be balanced out some. As stated there are locations that aren't utterly ruined and not far either but I believe this isn't likely the intent but its good to speak on these things to give perspective to how it feels now. With all the strife outside of those with a stake in the area for being a local or ties to a faith that demand duty the average mercenary would likely favor going just about anywhere else.

Fighting orcs, ogres, gnolls for a city that offers you little reason to be attached to it besides currently being in it does little to inspire a desire to remain. This doesn't mean I want the city to become friendlier, quite the contrast. Personally I'd say I'm in the camp of having the city be as hostile as it is but creating a bitter relationship between the city and its sellswords that feels more narratively fitting. A sellswords life should lead to having very tall highs and very rock bottom lows but as is its sorta just coasting for the average mercenary which invokes this feeling of struggling to find a reason for a character not to simply leave. Going up the sword coast may not be as grand or wonderful as base Faerun but its by no means so bad that you'd opt to remain in a city where you risk your life for small pay and to be spit on as you pass depending on your origins.

TLDR - Grimness and darkness is good but it should have a light in there that draws people into it elsewise its just an abyss you walk by without delving in. Locals are born in it but for those outside of that group it needs a bit more.

 

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[Kameroth]

I get where youre coming from, and its fair to wonder why people would stay when the Sword Coast is doing better. Which is why you, as a roleplayer, create those reasons.

As for adventurers and sellswords? Sure, a lot would leave. And they probably do. But not all of them are just chasing coin and comfort. Some might see a city in trouble and decide to stay because its hard, because they seek the challenge. I know Sho, for example, was in Murann because he was searching for tougher and stronger opponents. Be that physical or mental.

Maybe theyre idealists. Maybe they feel tied to Murann. Maybe they don’t have anywhere else to go. Opportunists generally flock to horribly war-torn areas for a variety of reasons. Theres so much to play with here, and theres so much good that can come from this.

These are just a few examples Ive come up with on the fly, being the titan of roleplay that I am. (pehehe)

My advice to people agreeing with this thread? Adjust your characters so they have a reason to remain here. Adapt to the setting accordingly. Its a city on the brink, its rough, and it sucks all around. Refugees are flooding in, the rain made it near-enough impossible to grow adequate food, and trade is very difficult with the Iron Fleet around.

THAT BEING SAID...

The narrative hasnt had time to kick off yet. Professions arent in yet, and whilst things like steel are difficult to obtain for now, thatll likely change as more gets added.

First and foremost the last bit of your message I fully agree with. The professions will make the land seem far richer with resources to warrant a desire to remain. As for the rest, yes I've done this as my current character but the problem lies less I suppose in "I can't believe it" and more so in "does it make sense when questioned by a reasonable PC." If a person asks you why you're here and you're not a veritable hero paladin or a local you really don't have a reason to remain. I could SAY he has ambitions for this or that but when that doesn't seem to make sense given the current events it feels like ludonarrative dissonance as of right now.

I would also like to reaffirm I do NOT want the setting to be significantly less oppressive I just mean when you're metaphorically digging through dung to find gold but all you find are rocks and all the people who are local to the dung spit on you while you're doing it and take what little you earn, you're probably gonna find a different hill.

None of this is to say I am greatly displeased with the server but it is to say its best to air these things out when you notice the scale turning too far in either direction. I'd have the same complaint if Murann was paradise. It needs balance to feel proper. Bad and good elsewise there's only room for select few archetypes of characters which leads to woeful stagnation.

 

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[Kameroth]

I think a more direct suggestion I could offer or something for people to think about would be this: When hard times like war come to a land culture and values get grinded down for many people as danger and doom inch closer. This is seen in many a story and in history. Something to maintain the setting but tip this scale in the other direction narratively would be driving home the importance sellswords play when war is on the horizon and you aren't sizing up to be the definitive victor. Despite needing to be paid higher sums they bring their own equipment, they pay your people who you tax to repair and maintain said equipment and are more than willing to kill your enemies for you. But I believe the origin of this post lies in the fact that it feels like culturally its a bit unrealistic for players experiencing the brunt of the city's bigotry or disdain when they're not in a position to do so. Granted I'm not on staff and I don't speak for everyone of course.

But from the points of views I've heard both IC and OOC from others is it seems like the narrative is pinning Murann to be in a bad way and there's an expectation that without aid things are going to get worse. When things like that happen culture, norms and tradition degrade (temporarily) in favor of being pragmatic to survive whatever horrible thing lies on the horizon. Thus, there's a culture shift that tends to SEEM like its going in the right direction by foreigners which is being offered more, being treated better with the caveat of fighting to protect this land that offers these potential boones/rewards. Temporarily feeling like you belong during this time to bring people together amid darkness.

BUT here's the neat thing. Implying the city isn't sieged, burned to the ground and left as a ruin desolate of life. Victory (with cost) can be had with the aid of these foreigners and then the most fun part comes in. The return of the aforementioned culture resurfacing. You've bonded from the strife with many a person, some might even be locals. You've gotten a taste of what it feels like to be a "part of the team" as it were. But now there's no obligation to honor you. Some will, some might not. This maintains that level of discontent but it feels narratively earned and fitting instead of "yeah we need help really bad but uhhh *hawk tuah* frick you man your different I'd rather my family get killed by orcs than look at you any longer!!!" this is obviously hyperbolized for the sake of entertainment but yeah.

The issue isn't that things are bad or people have a hard time coming up with a reason to be here, its making sure the narrative doesn't funnel into a easily stagnated archetype of character to fit the narrative. Its easy to write a character who will be in Murann but with death and closure being possible and in some cases likely doing this overlong becomes difficult if stagnation is allowed to remain. Thats just my two cents though. c:

 

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[Kameroth]

I think youve raised some thoughtful points, especially around how culture bends under pressure. But I want to push back on a couple of things.

First, about it being unrealistic for players to experience Muranns bigotry or disdain when theyre not in a position to. I actually think its very realistic. People dont always act in rational or fair ways, especially when scared or desperate. We see it in the real world all the time; ignorance and hate often thrive in unstable places. That doesnt make it nice, but it does make it believable. And even then, adventurers and sellswords do have it good. The regions a mess, and its full of danger, and that means coin. A competent sellsword, in one dungeon, can cover all licences with plenty left to line his/her pockets. You might not be liked, but youre still valuable, and its shown.

Second, on the idea that the narrative encourages a stagnated archetype. I just dont see that. You can absolutely write a character that fits the tone without falling into clichés, tropes or stagnation. Theres so much flexibility within the setting to explore interesting motivations, backgrounds, and arcs.

I can help you. DM me if you need it; Im more than happy to.

I didn't mean to imply that bigotry was going to up and disappear. What I meant was as things get worse pride fades when danger becomes less of a distant rumor and more of an immediate threat. I'd wager it starts by getting worse as people want something to blame yes the bigotry would in fact get WORSE. But the number of prideful people who don't want to service foreigners or be around them gets smaller when previous solutions fail. I.E the local army and militia's aren't enough to stop x, y, or z threat thus creating a cultural issue of culture and pride or potential disaster.

Secondly I think you're misunderstanding something. I do have a character, I fit one of the archetypes referred to fit into the narrative as it is. The archetypes can't be overly stagnated just yet as the server is still quite young. Its something for the future. Such as the commonly used foreign mercenary. You come to a place to ply a trade for violence in the desire for pay. Should the location provide much in way of pay for this risky endeavor you're liable to be more than willing to put up with a lot.

However, if I'm not misunderstanding OP. The issue comes a lot from how things are narratively right now and what they're leading to. That being that nothing keeps someone who isn't tied to the land by birth or obligation of faith there for long especially not if they're something other than human like half elf. Half elves likely suffer the worst from this but I admittedly only have this from speaking to the few half elf players I have had the pleasure to RP with and talk to OOC. The narrative seemingly pushes many people who don't have these familiarities or obligations away from the city which also doesn't feel like the intent as Murann for all its issues is a hub of trade. Admittedly its a hub of trade that is suffering right now from conflict but that brings us in a circle to my prior point. That when a nation suffers unless the intent is for the nation to come to full ruin measures are taken to incentivize aid from the large mass of players who are foreign mercenaries.

Furthermore the biggest point to note is that right now its fine and I agree with you and Twisty that once certain mechanics are implemented and given some more touch ups that incentives beyond doing good will flourish more and more. I love the cast of characters I've had the fortune to play with and since the server is still young many people remain due to their personal connections with others but while friends are a good anchor the regular risk of torture, maiming and poverty are ever present along with locals disdain even when the country is at the brink of potential ruin from invasion/war what have you. If you're not good natured or a local your reasons shrink quite drastically and I can't overstate how common that will become as time goes on. As players begin to make new characters to replace old ones, alts and the like the issue becomes more apparent as the oppression comes with little caveat to warrant staying especially if you're not human where you're treated doubly worse and paid what can only be considered likely average for the deadly work being done.

So long as mechanics continue to develop like professions all will be on the up and up but the server is still young and this isn't an issue immediately but with a hub of trade amid war culture will remain but as danger escalates the powers that be who likely enjoy their seat will (at least imo) opt to be pragmatic and utilize all their tools to protect their lofty positions. This does not mean becoming good and honorable but it does feel silly unless things aren't as bad as I've perceived. For an out of setting example Witchers may well be hated and feared but they still get called upon when there's need of them and then once the job is done and order is restored the people can safely go back to spitting as they pass save for the few who remember what they did. Those few will give a decent chunk of players a greater incentive as they've fought and bled and are more attached to the soil as they've tasted what it was like to be a part of it rather than consistently feeling like they're only tolerated with little to gain in way of fortune or safety from this. As for self motivated or callous characters I won't get into it right now as I've already provided a wall of text that's far too long.

TLDR; Keep being mean to foreigners and non humans just temper it with reasons to want to be involved and not simply watch from a distance beyond "i wanna help c:" to ensure character motivations do not become funneled towards being good or mean(local)

 

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[Kameroth]

History in the real world is full of examples of the exact opposite, that as things get worse, people are willing to lay blame for things squarely at the feet of The Outsider, whoever that is. I wont give specific examples, as I like to avoid touching on real-world politics/history, but there are plenty there to take from. Just because a society is under threat from external invasion doesnt mean they relax cultural norms / invite foreign mercenaries in, in fact its quite often the opposite. And even when the government does (See, Murann providing sellsword licenses to encourage adventurers), quite often the local populace resents these influxes of foreigners who do not mesh with / adhere to local cultural mores.



The Foreign Mercenary is an outsider, one who typically makes and spends coin by the fistful. When introduced to a struggling populace on the brink of starvation and uncertainty for the future, it is very likely for them to be viewed negatively, again, by the locals.



If there is nothing to keep your character in Murann, that is a failure of you, the player, to create a character that has a reason to engage with the setting. There are plenty of reasons a half-elf would stay in / around Murann, ranging from being familiar with the locale and unwilling to chance a dangerous overland journey to elsewhere, to familial or cultural ties to the Wealdath, etc., to any number of other things. I dont know what specifically about the narrative you see as pushing away these characters, beyond the fact that there is inborn anti-elven sentiment in the region due to years, if not generations, of conflict with the elves of the Wealdath. Again, the government of Murann approves of, tacitly at least, sellswords and mercenaries as it pays them very richly for their work. That does not mean the people share that approval.



There is no regular risk of torture, maiming, and poverty for characters. There is draconian enforcement of authoritarian laws, which falls narrowly on those who flaunt their disregard for them. The country being at the brink of potential ruin is exactly why the fist of the government is so tight, as the city very clearly stands on the brink of spiraling out of control. That is not the sort of environment that lends itself to a loosening of governmental control. Again, if you cant see a reason for your character to stay in Murann, that is because you, as a player, have failed to create a character who has a reason to engage with the setting. And the pay the average player can expect in a days work is easily 10 to 20 times what the average serf can expect to make in a year. Again, fueling resentment from the populace when faced with an endless stream of rich (and yes, a player with 150 silver is rich compared to the average person) adventurers.



You keep stating that Murann being under threat will lead to the government wanting to loosen their control, and the population being more accepting. As above, this is widely incorrect when compared with historical analogues. As youre comparing TDN to the Witcher and Adventurers to Witchers, that is exactly what is happening. The government is paying people it finds distasteful and undesirable to handle problems that are out of their reach to solve.



This is, again, a failure to create a character that engages with the setting. If your only takeaway so far from your time on TDN is that there are no reasons for your character to want to be involved, then perhaps this isnt the server for you, as rough as that is to say.

As to avoid creating another wall of text I would like to say immediately at least that I DO have a character who fits narratively but I don't intend to play him forevermore. As I stated before my issue isn't that its IMPOSSIBLE to create a character that fits. Its that over time as more characters are made and players come in that lacking reasons only become more and more apparent. As a human male with a desire to do good where he can I have a place but if I were to play a half elf sellsword who isn't local for example I have very LITTLE incentive to remain as the Murann is not the sole spire of civilization and safety and other places in lore are more than better off. Murann has the narrative to have these types of characters remain it just doesn't feel very represented as it is. c:

 

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[turtleduck]

History in the real world is full of examples of the exact opposite, that as things get worse, people are willing to lay blame for things squarely at the feet of The Outsider, whoever that is. I wont give specific examples, as I like to avoid touching on real-world politics/history, but there are plenty there to take from. Just because a society is under threat from external invasion doesnt mean they relax cultural norms / invite foreign mercenaries in, in fact its quite often the opposite. And even when the government does (See, Murann providing sellsword licenses to encourage adventurers), quite often the local populace resents these influxes of foreigners who do not mesh with / adhere to local cultural mores.



The Foreign Mercenary is an outsider, one who typically makes and spends coin by the fistful. When introduced to a struggling populace on the brink of starvation and uncertainty for the future, it is very likely for them to be viewed negatively, again, by the locals.



If there is nothing to keep your character in Murann, that is a failure of you, the player, to create a character that has a reason to engage with the setting. There are plenty of reasons a half-elf would stay in / around Murann, ranging from being familiar with the locale and unwilling to chance a dangerous overland journey to elsewhere, to familial or cultural ties to the Wealdath, etc., to any number of other things. I dont know what specifically about the narrative you see as pushing away these characters, beyond the fact that there is inborn anti-elven sentiment in the region due to years, if not generations, of conflict with the elves of the Wealdath. Again, the government of Murann approves of, tacitly at least, sellswords and mercenaries as it pays them very richly for their work. That does not mean the people share that approval.



There is no regular risk of torture, maiming, and poverty for characters. There is draconian enforcement of authoritarian laws, which falls narrowly on those who flaunt their disregard for them. The country being at the brink of potential ruin is exactly why the fist of the government is so tight, as the city very clearly stands on the brink of spiraling out of control. That is not the sort of environment that lends itself to a loosening of governmental control. Again, if you cant see a reason for your character to stay in Murann, that is because you, as a player, have failed to create a character who has a reason to engage with the setting. And the pay the average player can expect in a days work is easily 10 to 20 times what the average serf can expect to make in a year. Again, fueling resentment from the populace when faced with an endless stream of rich (and yes, a player with 150 silver is rich compared to the average person) adventurers.



You keep stating that Murann being under threat will lead to the government wanting to loosen their control, and the population being more accepting. As above, this is widely incorrect when compared with historical analogues. As youre comparing TDN to the Witcher and Adventurers to Witchers, that is exactly what is happening. The government is paying people it finds distasteful and undesirable to handle problems that are out of their reach to solve.



This is, again, a failure to create a character that engages with the setting. If your only takeaway so far from your time on TDN is that there are no reasons for your character to want to be involved, then perhaps this isnt the server for you, as rough as that is to say.

Again, as Kameroth said, they've not failed to find reasons for their character to be involved. I think it's a little needlessly argumentative to repeatedly state reasons why the server might not for them! The original conversation was just about how much worse Murann is compared to some very nearby city-states/regions, and I still stand by that. Yes, most of Faerun is in a state of disrepair, war, poverty, et cetera- but Murann seems to be the worst of ALL of this, and they lack many if not all of the upsides that adventurers might feel called to. Most of the server are playing foreigners and sellswords, and without the implicit desire to stay within Amn due to being a local, it really is just beginning to present itself as one of the worst places to find work.

As for reasons for a half-elf to remain in / around Murann, I actually have some input on half-elves on the server. As it stands, they're not even allowed to wear elven hairstyles, they're not allowed to learn Elvish at all, and I've heard that they're mechanically barred from entering villages deeper into the Wealdath. It seems like they're being barred from most of their elven heritage. If they're not allowed to mingle with the elves past what a Conclave human is allowed, and they're discriminated against harshly within Murann... I can't see one really having deep enough familial/cultural ties with the Wealdath to keep them rooted in the area. They're just second-rate humans as it currently stands.

 

[feeeesch]

You can 100% play a half-elf sellsword, and have a reason to stay in the city. Experiencing disdain from the locals inspires conflict, which in turn is good for roleplay.

You can do it. I believe in you. A reason why youre stuck in the city. A reason why you cant travel to the Sword Coast. Message me, and I will help you craft an enjoyable character.

Theres always room for the marginalised and the downtrodden. I play a character thats hated and a branded criminal.

Embrace conflict, and youll enjoy roleplay so much more.

I don't think that you're listening to anybody that has posted in here when you are repeatedly hounding this point. Especially when you're acting so combative about it.

He has already said that his character works in the setting and that he himself is not asking for reasons to stay in Murann, but this conversation is for the sake of later characters and for other players as well. You are approaching this with an extremely limited view.

I fully agree that conflict is great! And that even character concepts wherein you can embrace all of these things /are/ great! But you repeatedly replying to him and saying 'you can do it, i believe in you, message me and i will help you craft an enjoyable character'... Dude, I'm sorry but I just don't think you're actually approaching this conversation properly.

 

[Kameroth]

You can 100% play a half-elf sellsword, and have a reason to stay in the city. Experiencing disdain from the locals inspires conflict, which in turn is good for roleplay.

You can do it. I believe in you. A reason why youre stuck in the city. A reason why you cant travel to the Sword Coast. Message me, and I will help you craft an enjoyable character.

Theres always room for the marginalised and the downtrodden. I play a character thats hated and a branded criminal.

Embrace conflict, and youll enjoy roleplay so much more.

 

[Ami]

You can 100% play a half-elf sellsword, and have a reason to stay in the city. Experiencing disdain from the locals inspires conflict, which in turn is good for roleplay.

You can do it. I believe in you. A reason why youre stuck in the city. A reason why you cant travel to the Sword Coast. Message me, and I will help you craft an enjoyable character.

Theres always room for the marginalised and the downtrodden. I play a character thats hated and a branded criminal.

Embrace conflict, and youll enjoy roleplay so much more.

I'm honestly not sure if you're intentionally missing the point entirely, or not - I want to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it's not intentional, but it seems pretty intentional.

 

[CosmicLynn]

As for reasons for a half-elf to remain in / around Murann, I actually have some input on half-elves on the server. As it stands, theyre not even allowed to wear elven hairstyles, theyre not allowed to learn Elvish at all, and Ive heard that theyre mechanically barred from entering villages deeper into the Wealdath. It seems like theyre being barred from most of their elven heritage. If theyre not allowed to mingle with the elves past what a Conclave human is allowed, and theyre discriminated against harshly within Murann... I cant see one really having deep enough familial/cultural ties with the Wealdath to keep them rooted in the area. Theyre just second-rate humans as it currently stands.

Half-Elves are not full elves. They are not allowed in Y'Tellerian on that merit laone, but this isn't mechanically enforced at all. There is no palce where this is mechanically enforced. Half-Elf's are not elves, nor are they full humans -- but they are more human, in this setting of Murann, than they are Elf. Untrusted by both. This is by itself a very difficult place to put oneself in Murann.

I will say, as someone who plays a half-elf, I've found the Elves of the Wealdath quite inclusive - but that's with the Caveat of being one from the Conclave who would be there anyway -- but the Weald is not a place for visitors, so for people who just want to 'reconnect with their elf side' it's a way harder sell because they need people to help them survive against the forest, not bond with them over half-blood that barely matters anyway. Which is why you wouldn't get elvish anyway -- If you want that just play an Elf.

But that is good in it's own way; belonging is difficult and it's own angle to find. Do you want to try and force your way into human society on loose half-promises in a grim world that doesn't welcome you anyway? Or risk it all on some weird elves defending a forest that you don't belong to and never will?

Later characters: Will have a much easier time with this when languages get implemented and they can just learn Elvish through osmosis, especially with the frankly egregious amount of city elves these days.

My hope is that in Murann they find a reason to be for strict reasons of survival, as that's often a very powerful motivator -- or simply compassion or faith. To do right by those who aren't them and could never understand their struggle, to stand tall in the face of that. Even if it requires faith in a god to do so, which I see many Half-elves take this angle anyway. It is rough for outsiders, and I think as adventurers get noticed more - or the deeds get too big for the city to handle, they won't care what kind of ears you have so long as you're saving their asses.