Human
Eberron Rising from the Last War pg 29, PHB pg 29
Human
There were the stories of a restless people who long ago took to the seas and rivers in longboats, first to pillage and terrorize, then to settle. Yet there was an energy, a love of adventure, that sang from every page. Long into the night Uriel read, lighting candle after precious candle. She'd never given much thought to humans, but these stories fascinated her. In these yellowed pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land.
In the reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds.
A Broad Spectrum
With their penchant for migration and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century.
Variety in All Things
Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and custom s in the many different lands where they have settled. W hen they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdom s that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.
DWARVES ARE STOIC. ELVES ARE WISE. GNOMES ARE cunning. And humans? They can't make up their mind, so they try to be all of these things at once.
The first human settlers came to Khorvaire about 3,000 years ago, landing in the area now known as the Lhazaar Principalities. From there, they began a slow but inexorable spread across the continent, disrupting the placid elven empire of Aerenal and leaving further ruined remnants of fallen Dhakaani goblin kingdoms in their wake. During this migration, they founded the settlements that would grow into the Five Nations. Even today humans make up the majority of the population in these countries. Despite their relatively short lifespans-or perhaps because of them-humans are innovative, adaptable, and aggressive, always pushing their limits and pursuing new ideas.
Humans prove extremely diverse; a barbarian from the Demon Wastes has little in common with a Brelish rogue. When creating a human character, consider where you're from and how that's reflected in your class and background. Chapter 2 presents an overview of the nations of Khorvaire and ideas for characters tied to those lands. Aundair is a logical place of origin for a wizard character, but your wizard could be a down-andout arcanist from the alleys of Sham or a Lhazaar pirate with a knack for the mystic arts.
If you want to jump-start your ideas for a human character's origins, you can roll on the Human Origins table.
HUMANS AND DRAGONMARKS
- The Mark of Making is found in House Cannith, which has used it to become one of the most powerful houses, creating an abundance of both magical and technological wonders.
- The Mark of Passage aids the humans of House Orien in operating the lightning rail and trade caravans running across the continent.
- The Mark of Sentinel makes the bodyguards, mercenaries, and Sentinel Marshals of House Deneith widely respected across Khorvaire.
- The Mark of Handling appears in House Vadalis, which uses it to breed fine mounts and other creatures.
- Humans also number among House Tharashk and manifest the Mark of Finding with their half-ore kin.
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