Humans are populous throughout Aerune, especially on Elomawan, and many of them have no visibly obvious ethnicity, being children of mixed bloodlines for several generations. However, some humans do come from a more concentrated heritage, displaying physical traits of their ethnicity and understanding their culture’s particular language, in addition to Common.
Note: This list pertains primarily to humans on the main continents of Feraweth and Elomawan, but does make some mention of the lesser-known continent Khemperet on the other side of Aerune’s wide globe.
ABORIGINAL
Aboriginal is the collective term for any of the smaller human tribes, nations, ethnicities, etc that are scattered across Aerune. They all have their individual names, languages, and cultures. They are not often part of a larger human social structure such as a kingdom or colony, and they tend to have highly specific relationships to their neighboring creatures and peoples. They do not have a generalized trend in how they treat gender differences, hierarchy/authority, magic, or religion.
Aboriginals can be of nearly any size or build, though most tribes tend to be on the smaller-to-average side for humans. Likewise, they can be any skin and hair color combination, though many tend towards bronzed to medium or dark brown skin with a variety of hair colors. Their hairstyles, clothing, jewelry, and facial hair styles all vary widely between groups.
Aboriginal names, likewise, depend on their specific culture. They may only have one name, or may have several. They may give their clan or family name first, or their personal or nickname. Some tribes will have an obvious difference in male and female names; others won’t. Likewise, their languages are unique to their tribe, though other races will usually refer to any Aboriginal language as simply Aboriginal.
Note: If you want to play an Aboriginal character, make sure you come prepared to co-create their tribe and culture with your DM.
ELYMIAN
Elymian (eh-LIE-mee-ahn) humans are native to Elomawan, specifically the lush lands surrounding the enormous lake Heartsrain. They are relatively easy-going and tend to excel at interracial relations, getting along especially well with Ophidians and merfolk, as those are their most common neighbors. Elymians are best on the coast and on the water, being sailors and fishers most often, and they make excellent traders, merchants, and pirates.
Elymians make little note of gender, as all are expected to be providers and caretakers for their families of any generation, and all people are expected to do whatever work best suits their abilities and interests. They are, in general, a people who love their families - and who love the very concept of family - so they welcome in individuals who marry into the clan regardless of their sex or the sex of their spouse.
Elymians tend to be of medium human height and average human build. Their skin color can range from olive to a hearty brass color. Their hair is almost always black, often thick and straight; some keep it relatively short, while others let it grow long into thick braids. Men often sport facial hair in the form of moustaches and short beards. Their clothing is typically practical and unadorned in natural colors and loose, comfortable cuts.
Elymians usually only have one name, a personal one bestowed at or shortly after birth by their family. There is some difference in the naming patterns of men and women. Male names include Aleco, Ottavio, Lattanzio, Cicco, Landus, Alberico, Nicholaus, Basilius, Raos, and Leon. Female names include Scipione, Joannis, Ioannis, Melis, Alphana, Vitalia, Agata, Stefania, Paola, and Euthalia. An Elymian coming from a particularly distinguished family or noble house will add “of [location]” to their name when making introductions, and some long-time sailors or traders may add “of [ship name]” as well.
The language that most Elymians speak is simply referred to as Elymian, or occasionally as Elymi.
ISLANDER
Islander humans originate from a set of islands to the south of Feraweth. Over time, they spread into southern Feraweth’s mainland to live alongside the gnomes and dwarves there. While Islanders typically have their own specific culture based on their island of origin, they can often act as an overall nation in terms of political power. This, however, does not stop the occasional competition or in-fighting between Islanders of different cultures and descent. Most Islanders have very strong ideals of family and heritage and a penchant for upholding their particular traditions.
While Islanders do distinguish between social male and female ideals, neither is valued above the other, and a person of any gender is expected to be humble and supportive of their family and their traditions. The family line takes priority over either parent’s sex, and both men and women can maintain their own family line or “wed into” their spouse’s family line; it’s usually the wealthier or larger family line that adopts in the new spouse. Same-sex pairings are not uncommon, nor are they taboo.
Islanders tend to be on the shorter side for humans and of lean to average builds. Their skin color can range from pale ivory to warm copper. Their hair is almost always black, fine and straight; it can be kept very short, shoulder-length, or very long, falling loose or woven into braids. Men rarely have beards, but occasionally do sport moustaches. Their clothing greatly depends on their individual status and occupation: nobles or otherwise privileged persons often wear beautiful, richly-colored silk robes, while commoners are more often dressed in practical, undyed cloth.
Islanders typically have two or three names. The first name they give is that of their family, the second they give is of their home island (often omitted, based on audience), and the last name they give is their personal name. To outsiders, there is no obvious difference between the personal names of men and women. Family names include Aoyama, Fukui, Hara, Chinen, Eguchi, Horie, Imai, Kibe, Miura, and Seki. Island-of-origin names include Biei-cho, Higashi-Naruse, Kitashiobara, Kiso-cho, Nakanojo Kuni, Yoshino, Inesho, Kamihatso, Minamiogu, and Totayawa. Personal names include Choi, Minji, Yujin, Jiwon, Chen, Liu, Zhao, Sun, Seo, and Kasun. Any Islander who introduces themselves with only their personal name is either outcast, disowned, orphaned, or very far from their home land and culture.
The language that most Islanders speak is most often referred to as Islese (pronounced eye-LEEZ).
IXTAN
Ixten humans (pronounced ISH-tehn) are native to central-to-western Feraweth, in many of the continent’s more remote and primal regions. They have varying levels of insularity, with those on the easternmost end of their range being less xenophobic and often working well with Khemrians and other races. Ixteni have a culture rich in ritual, religion, and community magic, and most of their day-to-day activities are imbued with a sense of both practical and mystical usefulness. They often venerate small, local pantheons instead of the more common deities of Feraweth and Aerune, and they tend to give significant import to their ancestors as well.
Ixteni have few social differences between genders, and they remain equal in terms of opportunities and occupations. However, Ixteni are technically a matrilineal society. Women are considered the heads of their families and the ones responsible for the family’s wellbeing, as well as the ones responsible for hospitality to non-family guests and the relationships between families. Ixteni make no fuss over same-sex or opposite-sex pairings.
Ixteni tend to be of short to average height with average to thick builds. Their skin can be warm golden to darker brass hues. Their hair is either dark brown or black, usually straight and of medium thickness, kept at shoulder-length (though some will cut it shorter or grow it longer into braids). Men often sport moustaches and occasionally short beards or goatees. Their clothing tends to be colorful with patterns similar to wildlife, flowers, or simply personal preferences. Most of their outfits are loose and flowing to keep them cooler with few layers and not often long-sleeved or ground-length. Wealth is most often displayed in the amount or lack of gold jewelry.
Ixteni have two names, a personal name and a family name, though many who are outside their homelands will only offer the personal name in an introduction. There is a notable difference between the personal names of men and women. Male names include Luis, Rafael, Cesar, Manuel, Miguel, Axel, Joaquin, Hibram, Leodanis, and Heriberto. Female names include Elodie, Paola, léa, Noemie, Viridiana, Alondra, Emeline, Tania, Itzel, and Ana. Family names include Abascal, Aiza, Bello, Cardoso, Dali, Escamilla, Herrerra, Ojeda, Prieto, and Soto.
The language that most Ixteni speak is usually called Ixten or just Ixt (pronounced ISHT).
KHEMRIAN
Khemrian humans were originally immigrants from the continent of Khemperet; they landed on southwestern Feraweth and slowly made their way to the plainslands of central-eastern Feraweth. They live in easy camaraderie with the centaur nations who rule that area and tend to interact with other races reasonably well, with the settlements closer to the eastern coast being more open than those farther inland. They are fiercely devoted to their bloodlines, including extended family and family-by-marriage, and tend to have subcultures unique to their families that supercede local or racial culture.
Khemrians are patriarchal; Khemrian women are not necessarily barred from a given occupation or opportunity, but men are generally given preference when all else is equal. Men are considered the heads of household, responsible for their family’s wealth and wellbeing. Most Khemrian men are respectful towards women and do not make false claims about a difference in intelligence or capability, and some men (usually heads of household) will “sponsor” the progress of an ambitious woman of their family (often daughters or granddaughters). Despite the inequality of genders, any outright violence towards or abuse of women will swiftly draw the outrage of that woman’s entire family, making such instances few and far between. Relationships and marriages between those of the same sex are not terribly frowned upon, though they are definitely less common than opposite-sex unions.
Khemrians tend to be of medium height for humans, with an average to thicker build. Their skin is most often a warm bronze or brass color, and their thick hair is either dark brown or black. Men usually keep their hair close-cropped, while women typically grow it long. Men almost always have facial hair, usually a combination of moustache and beard, from goatee-length to a long, full, thick beard. Khemrian clothing is usually adapted for heat, consisting of flowing robes or wraps, long wide sleeves, and headwraps; much of it is pale-colored and undecorated, but nobility or wealthy individuals will often have an “indoor” outfit that is far more colorful, patterned, and heavy. Only women usually wear jewelry, though the men will occasionally wear heavy gold or gemstone rings for further denote their wealth and prestige.
Khemrians have one of the longest names out of the human ethnicities, often comprised of four to seven words. The first word in their name, usually an adjective or noun given at birth to describe them, is their personal name. Some personal names will include both the given name and also a second word that begins with “al-” to create a name like “Matta al-Ameen” (“Matta the Trustworthy” this pairing should be treated as the Khemrian’s full personal name. The next word or pair of words is their father’s name (or “child of” + their father’s name). Some Khemrians also have their father’s father’s name as the third word (or pair of words) of their name, though this practice is usually only in wealthy or noble families. The last word of their name is their family name.
Unisex personal names include Sahem, Izaz, Kohinur, Ihtisham, Azmi, Khayrat, Intisar, Farah, Zayn, and Ehsan. Male personal names include Junaid, Arham, Umair, Saad, Aariz, Daniyal, Kareem, Rashad, Samir, and Tariq. Female personal names include Manahil, Aiza, Nimra, Shaista, Alishba, Shiza, Bisma, Sana, Farheen, and Insha. Family names include el-Amin, Nejem, Saab, Tawfeek, Naji, al-Zahrani, Bekhti, Jaouhari, Kassem, and Zafar. If a Khemrian has “child of” in their name, it usually takes the form of “ibn” or “bin” (“son of”), “ibnat” or “bint” (“daughter of”), or “bani” or “banu” (“child of”). For example, a full (longer) Khemrian name could be Matta al-Amin banu Salman bin Hasab al-Fulan: Matta the Trustworthy, child of Salman, son of Hasab, of the family al-Fulan. Some Khemrians would shorten it, either removing the “child of”/”son of” to make it Matta al-Amin Salman Hasab al-Fulan, and/or by removing the grandfather’s name to make it Matta al-Amin Salman al-Fulan. It would be the individual’s choice on whether he wanted to be addressed as Matta or Matta al-Amin in conversation. If he were a noble, he would be addressed as Lord al-Fulan, not Lord Fulan or Lord al-Amin or Lord Salman. Non-Khemrians often bastardize or otherwise mis-nickname their Khemrian fellows, resulting in frustration, irritation, offense, or simply a long-suffering correction.
The language that Khemrians speak is most often just called Khem.
NGONGO
Ngongo humans were also immigrants from Khemperet long ago. They crossed the opposite ocean, finding themselves on southeastern Elomawan in lands primarily populated by half-giants and dragonborn. They moved only a little to settle into south-central Elomawan, between the southern edge of the Heartsrain to the southern ocean, living and working alongside naga, dragonborn, and goblins. Ngongo tend towards physical prowess, enjoying and valuing the body’s capabilities for the advancement both of the individual and the community. They are highly efficient hunters, warriors, scouts, and guardians, but they also maintain a love for music and art, often expressed in clothing and jewelry.
Ngongo are matriarchal, with a definite social difference between men and women. Women are considered the final decision-makers in family affairs and tend to hold authoritative roles in businesses, guilds, and other organizations. Despite this difference, men and women are considered equals, and a Ngongo human will fervently defend their fellows of any gender, regardless of personal relationship. Ngongo tend to have a fairly high occurrence of non-binary and trans people.
Ngongo are some of the largest humans, usually quite tall and with average to thick builds. Their skin is dark, ranging from warm dark brown to nearly perfect ebony. Their hair is thick, coarse, kinked, and almost always black. Their hairstyles range from shaven, to close-cropped, to tightly woven or braided, to corona-like auras of full-body hair, to long locs. Many men have short-to-longer beards, though just as many remain clean-shaven. Ngongo clothing tends to be wildly colorful, with or without patterns, and often worn in draping layers (though not usually in the form of robes). Men and women alike bedeck themselves in flashy, colorful jewelry of all kinds.
Ngongo often have only one name, a personal name given at birth, though many have and continue to use a nickname acquired in their youth for some remarkable deed or misfortune. Their names often have a meaning in their own language, from a noun like “love” or “truth” to a request or directive like “is quiet” or “be thankful” to a more community-oriented phrase like “we praise” or “we have waited”. To an outsider, there is no obvious difference between names for men and women. Personal names include Bongani, Chikondi, Farai, Kgosi, Lesedi, Masego, Nthanda, Retha, Sekai, and Taonga. Their nicknames can be a similar name or a more illustrative phrase, like “Lionslayer” or “Windracer” or “Singing Storms”, either left in their own language or translated to Common for non-Ngongo to more easily use. Nicknames include Chikomborero (Blessing), Dudzai (Confessor), Gwinyai (Strong One), Mopantokobogo (Big Man), Rangarirai (Remembers), Wadzanai (Come Together), Zadzisai (Pledged/Oathed), Zivai (Must Know), Chenai (Be Clean), and Dambudzo (Troublemaker).
The language that Ngongo speak is often referred to as simply Ngongo or occasionally Ngo.
NORDGUARD
Nordguard humans originated on the large island of Umardothiel and spread across the cold sea into northern Elomawan. As they migrated, they left Umardothiel largely empty, which was later colonized by the last strong population of high elves many generations later. From there, the Nordguard continued south and west, establishing the kingdom of Nimrine on the northwestern coast of Elomawan and becoming some of the primary human sailors and traders between Elomawan and Feraweth. Where Elymians are masters of inland sailing, Nordguards reign supreme on the vast oceans. Like the Ngongo, Nordguards prize physical strength and ability, focusing primarily on the arts of war and feats of great strength. They have more of a sense of their entire ethnicity as one large family than most other human groups and will often come to the aid of a Nordguard stranger for no reason other than their apparent shared heritage.
Nordguards are nominally patrilineal, following the old tradition of the fathers of a large family becoming the captain of the family ship as they sailed forth from Umardothiel. Modern Nordguards are considered equal regardless of sex, and some have even replaced the tendency to include their father’s name with theirs to include their mother’s name, instead. They do not make any particular distinction between love, sex, or marriage between two adults, regardless of gender.
Nordguards are, like Ngongo, some of the largest humans, being tall with average to thick builds. Their skin is pale, ranging from fair to slightly ruddy with freckles. Their hair is either blond or red, usually kept long and often braided. Men usually wear their facial hair long in thick moustaches and bushy beards. Their clothing tends to be pragmatic and durable, and even commoners will often wear the equivalent of light leather armor on a daily basis. They often craft sturdy jewelry from steel or iron, disdaining more fragile or delicate items.
Nordguards typically only introduce themselves with their given personal name, though they often have longer names they use amongst each other. There is some difference between names for men and women, though it can be less-obvious to outsiders. Nordguards’ personal names are often followed by their father’s (for men or some women) or mother’s name (for some women) and the suffix “sen” (-’s son) or “dodr” (-’s daughter). Some Nordguards also have a surname based on their occupation or their family’s traditional occupation, while other Nordguards have a surname based on their birth town or current residence, or even the current ship on which they serve. A Nordguard’s personal name doesn’t change with time, but their surnames usually do, which can result in some confusion among outsiders - which is why they often only offer their personal names to non-Nordguards. Personal names include Agnar, Brandr, Brynja, Dagr, Einar, Frodr, Gunhild, Hallr, Kjellfrid, Magnhild, Oddr, Ragnbjorg, Sigsteinn, Tryggr, and Unnar. A Nordguard with an occupational surname will almost always translate it into Common if she mentions it at all.
The language that Nordguards speak is referred to as Nord or Norse.
VASHTAR
Vashtar humans are native to central Elomawan. They are the human keystone that linked the migrating Nordguard and sailing Elymians to form the bulk of the human population that expanded through Elomawan and currently holds a massive swath of land from north to south through the middle of that continent. Vashtari are known for their intelligence and their rich, complex culture; they value and produce some of the finest human arts, including clothing, jewelry, blankets, tapestries, and sculptures. Though they tend to be religious, their pantheons of choice range from local, relatively unknown gods to the primary gods honored across Aerune. Vashtari are typically friendly and polite to any race, able to work alongside personalities of all types in nearly any industry. Their overall strength of families, culture, and sociability has lifted them to the position of the most populous and common human ethnicity on Aerune.
Vashtari have almost no social or cultural distinction between men and women, and while their outfits may present a strong visual difference, no gender is raised above the other. All Vashtari are expected to contribute to the health and success of their people on both the small scale and large. Their dedication to their families mean they tend to value opposite-sex marriages more than same-sex, though they mind less if the relationship is based on love or sex and not on building a family. Vashtari have a fair number of non-binary or trans individuals among them, which occasionally complicates the preference of child-producing marriages.
Vashtari range from short to average height for humans, and their builds are lean to average. Their skin ranges from warm copper to reddish medium brown. Their hair is almost always black, kept short on men and long on women. Men often have short beards and/or moustaches. Their clothing is often extraordinarily detailed and well-crafted, loose and graceful in fit, though their working outfits may be much more pragmatic and bland if their occupation is one of hard labour. Women especially are often bedecked in layers of fine, intricate jewelry, including circlets or bindi jewels upon their foreheads.
Vashtari have two or three names, though as the most populous ethnicity of human, this can vary widely, and Vashtari are not shy about adopting other ethnicities’ or other races’ naming conventions for ease of communication and cohabitation. They are a people prone to nicknames and will often have half a dozen names that they answer to, depending on the race and language of those speaking with them. Most commonly, though, a Vashtar will have a given personal name, their family name, and occasionally will include their father’s given name (for women) or their mother’s given name (for men) after theirs but before the family name. Personal names include Kishor, Baburaoiji, Kiran, Ashok, Mahesh, Sachin, Nutan, Sai, Amol, and Shalmali. Family names include Rane, Kulkarni, Soman, Joshi, Desai, Nalawade, Pawar, Kolte, Kadam, and Jadhav.
The language that most Vashtari speak is referred to as Vash.
