Humans (World 6)

"A medium-sized creature prone to great ambition."

~Dwarf Fortress on Humans.

Humans
Two Humans; a young female and an elderly male.
Weight	Medium
Height	Medium to Tall
Lifespan	60-100 years
Characteristics	Adaptable and ambitious

History

The Humans of this world were migrants, sent to settle in new lands.

Physiology

Humans are slightly shorter then Elves, but still much taller than the Dwarves or Kobolds. Their skin colour is often determined by the region they live in; ranging from snow-white, to olive and tanned, to almost pitch-black. Natural hair colour can be blonde, brown, red, grey or white and even then, some Humans choose to dye it whatever colours they wish. Eye colour is also the same, coming in blues, greens, browns or even greys.

Human females often weigh less and stand slightly shorter than the males.

They have shorter life-spans compared to Dwarves and Elves, rarely reaching 100 years of age. In some extreme cases, Humans may exceed that age, although 120 seems to be the highest limit.

Personalities

Humans, like the other races, can be gruff, secluded, boisterous, outgoing, cowardly, intelligent and everything else under the sun. No two Humans are quite alike, both in personality and appearance. Their differing mindsets and opinions (even on a close family-level) are often seen as interesting by the other races, who tend to be more alike in temperament to one another within families and regions.

They value personal achievement, new developments and instant gratification. This is often thought to be due to their shorter life-spans, so they feel driven to achieve what they can in what little time they have.

Humans are known as empire builders. The Human lust for success and to shape the world as they see fit, has driven them to raise many mighty civilisations throughout history; however, that same ambition is often their downfall. Conflicts between races are more common within the Human race than any other, as conflicting interests and changing desires slash with the old and the foreign.

Skills

Humans often build a larger skillset than the other races, being quite skilled at a number of different things. Those who stick to a singular profession can often become world-famous; utilising the Human's capacity to generate vast resources and wealth to their advantage.

Their tendency to look for the new and innovative, means they have branched into many trades and crafts, including the fortes of the other races. Many Human blacksmiths and sorcerers have existed through the ages, whose works are comparable to those of the common work of the Dwarves and the Elves.

However, the art perfected by Humans is that of alchemy. The Human drive to learn and discover the world around them has lead to experimentation with all sorts of materials and minerals, unlocking their strange and hidden properties. The art of the alchemist is a secluded one, but by distilling, heating, combining and breaking they can learn how to create powerful potions, unique objects and rare materials.

Culture

Families

Humans view the relation between family members as an unbreakable bond; above all other oaths and promises, family comes first. Any action taken against a family member of a Human will often result in great acts of revenge and bloodshed.

Unlike the Dwarves, great pride is not always placed upon a family name.

Homes

Humans often band together, forming above-ground settlements. The Humans of this world belonged to a Nordic-style civilisation, with their buildings reflecting this.

Large cities and metropolises were not found, instead the Humans favoured smaller towns and villages.

Leadership

Humans were ruled by Chieftains, who were elected by the townsfolk. It is unknown whether there were any rulers above the town level.

Religion

The dominant religion within this world recognised four main deities; Vosk, Aurin, Udd and Freya. They are seen more as cultural icons, rather than subjects of organised worships. However, priests and temples for each one did exist.

Relations

As far-reaching as they tend to be, Humans try and make allies with as many as they can. Their ability to produce food and goods quickly makes them popular trading partners with the Dwarves, however their lack of reverence for the old-ways often doesn't sit too well with the Dwarves, who prefer the tried and tested methods.

Due to their aggressive expansions, Humans may gain the ire of the Elves, who see their growth over the land as impeding nature. Most Human settlements incorporate trees and flowers somehow, if only as small gardens, which tends to ease the Elves trepidations.

As Human towns grow larger, they become less and less easy to defend from thieves. Due to the Kobold's stance on ownership, they may not realise that a settlement is even in the hands of a Human. The two races will often butt-heads over this, leading to conflict. However, the Humans see the Kobolds abilities to survive in a harsh world, with seemingly no resources, as incredibly smart and talented and will often make friends with a Kobold; if they promise not to steal from them.

Language

The Humans speak the common tongue, although more archaic forms of their language do exist. Due to the widely-known nature of their language, ciphers and codes are often developed in order to pass secrets from one another, without another listener hearing them.