Humans

Humans have been known to populate parts of Atios since before recorded history. In the present day they can be found in most parts of the world, but their largest populations still reside to the south of the Great Sea and to the east of the lands dominated by the Luminated Alliance.

Physiology

Humans have a variety of body shapes, sizes, and heights. Hair grows heavily from their scalps and from the faces of adolescent and full-grown men. Their skin and hair color ranges greatly from very dark to extremely pale. In the past, they've had a somewhat shortened lifespan due to disease and the fact that the human body is susceptible to injury. But recent advancements in magical healing have allowed most humans to reach old age.

In public places, contact with humans is sometimes avoided due to the belief that they release a variety of noxious smells, sounds, and fluids. Though it is true that humans expel flatulence, ooze mucus, and secrete foul-smelling perspiration from their glands, the frequency of these acts is somewhat exaggerated. Some elves even wear their light-blocking masks at night in the hopes of fending off the odors released by human passersby.

Myths and Stereotypes

It was once believed by many that humans grow long, hairless tails from their posteriors and, despite recorded evidence to the contrary, this myth still persists in regions without many humans. In illustrations found in ancient texts, humans were depicted as somewhat cat-like with long, whipping tails and whiskered faces.

Villainous, greedy, and manipulative are words that have been used to degrade and stereotype humans. Much of this reputation is due to the rapid growth of the Berian Empire, whose leadership has been exclusively human. The Empire’s methods of expansion have involved manipulation and control rather than violence. Though they have raised the sword against many uprisings, their ability to conquer a kingdom by controlling their supply of resources, claiming hostages, and leveraging personal situations has been extremely effective.

Human Populations

While they have scattered throughout Atios, humans are mostly associated with the Berian Empire. It is also common knowledge that a large group of humans in the Dwar Fell region evolved to become dwarves through the use of kinfire, though there are still many humans living in the areas around Dwar Fell.

The Berian Empire

One of the largest known populations of humans can be found in the Berian Empire, located in the region south and east of the Great Sea. The Empire includes a large number of island kingoms located beyond the Crimson City that are also made up of primarily humans as well as orcs.

The Crimson City, the capital of the Berian Empire, is seen by some scholars as the seat of human existence. Humans have always lived in this region and those found elsewhere are thought to have originally migrated from this area.

While the Great War is known by most as a battle between elves and dwarves, in truth, a large portion of the armies were made up of human and orc soldiers. While some of these soldiers hailed from Dwar Fell or the Luminated Alliance, many of them were mercenaries from the Empire, looking to make enough coin to support their families back home. This line of work led to the spread of humans from the region to other areas of Atios.

Dwar Fell

The other great human civilization was once located in the region of Dwar Fell. According to the Annals of Felinthal, this civilization was mostly decimated by the Starless Nights when they last appeared three thousand years ago. The survivors received kinfire from the elves and when the Darkness finally receded, they grew their community back into the massive city it once was.

In this time period, conflict quickly arose in Dwar Fell. Now that the Starless Nights had passed, some wanted to use kinfire for other purposes. After all, it was a powerful and magical substance. Others, however, felt that kinfire ought to remain untarnished and kept safe in case the Darkness was to return. These two factions eventually split, with one group staying in Dwar Fell and eventually evolving into dwarves through the use of kinfire (see Communion) and the other group leaving and settling in the woods to the northeast known as the Forests of Gargal.

The Forests of Gargal

The mysterious forests northeast of Dwar Fell did not exist prior to the Starless Nights when they descended three thousand years ago, and were said to contain trees that grew to the height of mountains. The mostly-human group who left Dwar Fell made a home in these trees. An account of these people and their society can be found in the journals of scholar Banalt of Deggen Fell, though it has never been corroborated. According to Banalt, who studied this group by ingratiating himself with some of their lower-ranked members, an entire city existed within the branches of these great trees.

“Their social structure is essential to everything. From what I understand, it's based on location. The highest levels of society have homes crafted of cedar boughs among the treetops. Most of them have never even touched foot to the ground.

"Those on the very lowest branches lead bleaker lives. Due to the density of the foliage and homes built overhead, they receive little-to-no sunlight. The garbage and waste of those above rain down upon them constantly.”

— Banalt of Deggen Fell, explorer and scholar

Centuries after this scholar made his discovery, the people of Dwar Fell made contact with some individuals at the edges of the forest who were willing to trade. They exchanged the healing plants and herbs found deep in the woods for some of the goods crafted in the dwarven city. This trade relationship continued on until one day the humans of the forest suddenly disappeared. It is only the memory of them recorded in books that survives to this day.

Effects of Kinfire

A population of humans in the region of Dwar Fell discovered many centuries ago that ingesting kinfire can lengthen a human’s lifespan. This process, known as Communion, led to the evolution of an entirely new species now known as dwarves. The effects of this exposure to kinfire created lengthened lifespans, rapidly growing hair, and the existence of kinfire in their bloodstream.

These dwarves, however, are not the only humans to have experimented with kinfire. In fact, before kinfire became so rare and difficult to procure, there were many recorded attempts to replicate Communion in order to expand one’s lifespan. Most subjects died in their attempts, but a few are known to have succeeded.

After the Darkness

When the Starless Nights returned, it was believed that the lands of the Berian Empire and Dwar Fell were mostly wiped out, swallowed by the Darkness. Only the city of Din'Lux remained. The small population of humans within the city walls that night were assumed by many to be the last surviving humans in Atios.

Before the Darkness struck, rumors had been swirling through the Berian Empire that the armies of Dwar Fell were about to lay siege to Din'Lux. Many of the humans in the city were sent a warning and told to flee. However a group of orcs (see the Moonsickle Company) had arrived, bringing claims of a terrible storm on the horizon. Some humans chose to leave the city while they still could, but others made the choice to stay.

Elias Talltide, an ambassador from the Empire, decided to remain in the city. Once the Darkness returned, Elias became the highest-ranked surviving official of the Berian Empire and became a representative for the small population of humans that remained. When Vath of the Tuskrippers took over the city, Elias was placed on the City Council, the governing body of Din'Lux.

Humans

Related Articles
The Berian Empire
The Crimson City