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  2. Humans


Humans

Basic Information
Unknown; everywhere Normal, ~70 years Omnivores Many
Physical description
Average, varies a lot Average
Cultural
Lots Common
Out-of-character information
Chris

Humans are without a doubt the most wide-spread and prolific species in the world. There are many hundreds of different races, inhabiting anything from forests to deserts to plains, and everything else in-between. They are an incredibly common sight in nearly every city, and most others welcome them as friends and allies.

This commonality of course also means that humanity is one of the greatest villains of the world, and just as they are welcomed in some places they are absolutely despised in others. All in all Humans are one of the most varying Species, and more often than not everyone will have a different opinion depending on where a particular Human comes from.

Overview

Language

As one of the most widespread and diverse species in the entire world Humanity has a number of ways of communicating and speaking with one another.

The primary language that most humans speak is what is referred to as Trade or Common tongue. No one is really sure where this language came from or who originally came up with it, but by and large it is the most common language spoken among humanity. The convenience of its understanding as well as the fact that it's easy to learn means that many humans learn to speak it shortly into their childhood.

Of course for the exact same reason it is also true that not all humans speak this language. There are dozens of individual tribes, cultures, and races of Humanity that have their own unique dialects. Some of these cultures never even come in contact with Trade tongue.

Language among Humanity is as diverse as the species itself.

Appearance

Speaking in general terms, Humans are bipedal beings standing upright with two arms of varying height and size.

Though other species are diverse in their own appearance, Humans quite often take the cake when it comes to this particular fact. Some have red hair, some blonde, some black. Some have skin as pale as snow, others as dark as night; some are even blue. There are dozens upon dozens of different kinds of humans that are found all over the world.

Many Human cultures tend to hold themselves to different standards as their people develop and grow. Articles of clothing, tattoos, hairstyles, and other smaller factors help Humans in setting themselves apart from their close cousins or kin.

It is not uncommon to see one Human dressed completely different than others, standing so far apart that they are very nearly unrecognizable. Their appearance is as varying as their language, and is entirely shaped by their region, culture, and many other factors.

Habitat

Humans are a hearty people, capable of surviving and even thriving in many environments that other species struggle with.

This quality of adaptation seems to be something almost unique to Humans, and more than any other species they can be found in a great many different kind of environments. Whether it's the driest deserts, the highest mountains, or the coldest tundras humans have a way of finding their place wherever they choose.

Different races and cultures of Humanity have adapted themselves to different environments, and often these people suffer when they meet their opposite. For instance, a culture that has spent the last few centuries within the great deserts would not fare well in the tundras.

Overall however, Humans as a whole seem remarkably capable of adapting to their surroundings.

Traits

More often than not Humans are seen by many other species as an 'average'. They are not all great and strong like Trolls, they are not natural craftsmen like Dwarves; instead Humanity seems to be almost a baseline that other species measure themselves by.

This is not to say that some Humans do not contain greatness – in fact many would argue just the opposite – but it is easy to say that Humans are in many ways the middle ground between other species.

Their greatest quality is likely the species' talent for adaptation. Their courage and ability to fit themselves into any environment is something greatly admired. The fact that in a world of ancient Elves and powerful Orcs Humans have survived for so long is in and of itself miraculous. Humanity has a way of overcoming challenges and rising up to meet whatever is in the way.

For many other species, however, Humans also boast a certain hubris. The simple fact of their numbers and their presence all over the world means that Humans have made many enemies over the years, fighting in wars and battles that are still held against them to this day.

Besides this it is important to remember that Humans are relatively frail beings. They are among the shortest-lived species, their bones are softer than those of the Orcs and in general they are less sturdy than the Dwarves or even Elves.

History

Background

Understandably Humanity has played a large role in almost every part of history. Due to their proliferation around the world it is rare that a major event has not somehow involved Humans of one culture or another. Though it is rare for the entire species to take part in a single conflict, it is almost without question that at least one tribe or sub-culture is somehow involved.

This is not to say that Humanity is somehow more important than the other races, but is a simple statement on just how prevalent the species has become within the world.

Whether they serve as mercenaries, merchants, or the direct instigators of conflict Humans have a way of inserting themselves into every situation. They are as always a confident people, and more often than not this leads them into the very middle of trouble. On rare occasions they manage to only skirt the outside of the conflict, but invariably they are somehow involved.

This level of involvement has lead many species to hold feuds with certain Human Tribes and Cities, creating lines of separation that lay even to this day.

Of course some Human Civilizations has thrived on being centrists, acting as safe havens for refugees and standing within neutrality. The History of Humanity is as expansive as the species itself, and the many cultures that lay beneath the Species branches are a reflection of just how much they have done throughout history.

As one would expect the variance and history of Humans is best recounted through the varying cultures, and it would be impossible to catalog in one single place.

Lore

"Expansion comes at a cost. That has always been true. Whether it comes in lives or gold, there is always a price that must be paid.

Over the centuries we have built cities, roads, even Empires. Always we had to pay in one way or another. Peace came with the same prospects. The more we pushed, the more we pressed, the harder it became to see eye to eye with the enemy. We fought for so long that a time when we didn't need to seemed almost impossible.

Yet here we are.

I thought that I wouldn't see it in my life time, I thought my sons would march to war and my daughters would watch them fall. It seems almost surreal in a way, but it is here. The Elves seem almost friendly now.

They are no longer the enemy within the trees. They do not rain down their arrows or carve us with their swords. Instead they bring food from their groves, gifts from the trees. Some of them laugh with us, others just observe as things change. For them the war has been a blink of an eye, a flare within lifetimes that last almost a millenia.

For us it was a conflict of a Generation, for them it was just a small flash.

Part of me is glad for that.

My children will not know war, instead they will know the friendship of these beings. Our city sits near their grove, and for the first time in decades I feel a small flicker of hope. Where once we were enemies, now we are allies bound together."

-Lieutenant Yaril, Recounting the Treaty of Alith

Humans are known all over the world and have been encountered by most species at least once. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to Humans, with some species hating them and others holding them as close allies.

A Species opinion on Humanity is not set in stone and can vary greatly from Tribe to Tribe. It is known that many members of the Human race are themselves rather isolationist and xenophobic, though this again highly depends on where you go and what city you enter.

When it comes to Humanity it is difficult to recount the complete history of the people, and there are many dozens of stories from different cultures, tribes, and peoples.

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