Human

Humans of Aerith are like Humans of any other world. They vary greatly in appearance, demeanour, social structures and skills. Their greatest strength is their diversity and desire to build strong and long-lasting structures and dynasties. They do their best to leave their mark on the world, knowing they have such short time to do so. They are ambitious, noble, cunning, wise, and love much and freely.
Their love of travel has placed them on three different major sections of Starhelm, and they used to control most of the centre of the continent until the Fractioning destroyed Starhelm City, separating the Humans from each other.
Humans vary extensively from region to region, and even within the same community or city. They can be large or small, thin or fat, with lots of hair or no hair at all. Their skin and hair colour ranges from pale white to dark black, and everywhere in between. The typical Human height is from five feet to 6 and half feet, weighing one hundred and fifty pounds to two hundred and fifty pounds, with women being slightly smaller in height and weight.
The Humans of the cities tend to be softer of skin and those that do not work hard labour have no calluses or rough skin. The Humans of the steppes are typically more broad of face and darker of hair. Barbarian tribes have varying degrees of physical traits, depending on their environment. The barbarians near the Elves of Aspenshield and Brightbough are more often on the fairer side, and slim of build. The Humans of Essillion are more rugged and rough but still clean and groomed, while the Humans of Avandar are more tanned and wear brighter colours.
Humans are as varied as the stars but one thing runs through all Humans without fail; their desire to leave a legacy. Ambition, versatility, resourcefulness, and pride are hallmarks of Human nature and they can lead individuals or kingdoms to great heights or massive collapse, sometimes both.
The Human Pinnacle Alucar represented these traits in Humans evidently. When he fractured into twelve pieces each carried with them a piece of this Human nature. War, honour, creativity, love of learning, greed, love, practicality, deceit, community, travel, nobility, justice; these all represented the Human psyche in one way or another.
Humans share all of these to one degree, some more than others. The greatest strength of a Human is their ability to navigate through these traits as the moment requires. The greatest and most honourable king might have fought his way through war, greedy for success or love, with a desire to build a kingdom of hope and community, filled with life and death.While this holds true for other races also, none embrace it more than Humans do.
Society rises and falls with the passage of time and what was once acceptable in years past is no longer. Humans value strength, wealth, wisdom, and family. The head of the family is typically the father, and that can extend upwards towards the leader of a village or city. Hereditary titles are common and many kingdoms have fallen because of poor leadership being passed on from father to son.
In Essillion, they keep to the traditional ways and have a King as their leader. He has a royal council but they all must defer to his decision. His son will inherit his title and take over when he is dead. Priests, teachers, and revered military men are afforded prestige and privilege, with the nobility being the highest level, down to the middle class of merchants and tradespeople, finally ending in the peasantry.
Avandar has a different approach. Their city was founded on the ideals of escaping the old ways and doing something new. They established a council to give different voice to as many people as possible. They have a social structure as any city but theirs is divided amongst constituents who have representation for their interests. Their council manages six aspects of their city; Agriculture, Arcanum, Harbour, Merchant, Military, and Religion.
Barbarian tribes all vary with how they structure themselves. Most have a model of strongest is the leader, but not all of them share that ideal. Some are lead by their shamans, some are based on an Oligarchy, some a Matriarchy, and some have no clear leadership at all.
The Dwarves and Halflings in the east are great allies to the Humans of Essillion and have been for centuries. The Dwarves, in particular have been kind to Essillion, giving up the rights to the mines in the mountains, which are historically Dwarven owned. The Dwarves of Shalehaven and the Humans of Essillion have long been friends and visit each other’s city often.
The Gnomes of Hollow’s Point are also on friendly terms with the Humans of Essillion and the Barbarian tribes in the north, near Aspenshield Forest. They trade items of value, knowledge of nature and mechanics, and help protect each other from any Goblin incursion above the Barrier Guard. The Mottled Peak tribe are particularly useful in guarding the borders against Goblins who try to establish any settlements or raid the Humans or Gnomes of Hollow’s Point.
In Avandar the Humans have allied with the Grippli to great effect. Without their help the Harbour Fortress of Brightwave might still be under Goblin influence. The swamps of the Grippli are infringing on old Human lands but the Humans of Avandar and the Grippli of Bogbrook have established a large trading route, giving each other great benefit. The Grippli have built roads and established schools and shops in Bogbrook, and the Avandarians have clear access to Brightwave and the lands beyond. In addition, the Humans help keep the Lizardfolk and Bullywugs at bay against the Grippli of Bogbrook and the surrounding areas.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Varies and extensive

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Worship:  Shards of Alucar; Sovereign Beings, Luminare Primes

Racial Features

Ability Score Increase: Your ability scores each increase by 1

VARIANT HUMAN TRAITS

Ability Score Increase: Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1

Skills: You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice

Feat: You gain one feat of your choice

Lifespan

Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century

Average Height

Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall

Average Weight

Humans vary widely in weight and build, from barely 100 lbs to over 250 lbs

Average Physique

Human size is medium

Geographic Distribution

• Ancient Plains of Alucar
• Avandar
• Essillion
• Lutien's Vale
• Northguard Plains
• Southguard Plains
• Steppes of Centos