Humans

Humans. Humanity, mankind, the Second People. They have been termed many things. To the Divine they are and were followers, servants, slaves, weapons of war. They are the most populous, wide spread, advanced species on Macalgra, far eclipsing all other sapient species in distribution and population.
Somewhere in the range of five hundred million humans live on Macalgra. They have established diverse societies, grappled with and finally grasped the power of magic, and harnessed technology and arcane study to build a titanic civilisation. This has come at times with struggle, war, and to the detriment of other species.

Creation

Humans were not the first mortal species. They were proceeded by the first people, unnamed, seeded by Drewel upon Macalgra to spoil the plans of her sister Frugi. Frugi destroyed the first people in rage at her sister's trickery, forever besetting the northern continents with magical catastrophes and harsh weather. When these mortals died, the gods saw they held souls like themselves. Frugi hatched a cunning plan, and so she created humans to multiple, and become an army, reincarnating until one day they would too hold souls like gods. Then, they would stand with Frugi against the darkness at the end of time.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Humans reproduce sexually. They have, generally (though not always) two biological sexes. Two individuals exchange gametes, which encourages genetic diversity. Gestation is usually nine months, before birth. Human's mature around 16-20 years of age. Courting methods vary widely by culture, and may vary. Situations outside this binary exist, especially when magical mutation has applied to individuals, though natural exceptions are also possible.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Humans now occupy every continent and almost every landmass on Macalgra. They are most densely found along the equator, but communities of humans can be found in the most inhospitable landscapes. Motivated by a desire to claim their own territory, intrepid settlers spread to every corner, no matter how hostile.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

Human gender ideals are diverse and varied. Cultures have often convoluted and contradictory ideas on gender itself. That it is a binary, a trinary, a spectrum, or an invention. It's separation from biological sex was not a revolutionary idea for many cultures. Among some, individual roles have always been tailored to the individual more than the sex. The example given by many of the Divine, their creators, led to very few societies with particularly rigid ideal on gender or sexuality. Indeed, though the Divine take gender identities at times, these are fluid, and unrelated to biology.

Average Technological Level

Human technology is diverse, powerful, and magically charged. Golems, Steamships, the AetherEngine, automated manufacturing, commercial enchanting, and many other applications of the technological-magic fusion of modern society are widespread. Most of the world exists in a post-scarcity state at this point, with food easy to acquire, almost without effort. The transition to this point was not peaceful, but it has become a steady status quo for several centuries.
Advancement has slowed, but it remains steady. Institutions such as the Collegium of the Arcane lead the way for new improvements in magic, enchantment, and technology.

History

Human history is long, and full of many winding stories. From their start in the cradle of civilisation, the ancient continents of Terrosea and Victellus, to their eventual migration to every landmass. Humanity's modern day truly began when they gained magic, around 9,000 years before present time. From that starting point, magic has shaped human civilisation.
Today, it is integral to human food production, manufacturing, war, architecture, clothing, transport and in fact, essentially every aspect of society. From Golems to Steamships, magic has provided innovations that allow intercontinental empires, global diplomacy, and grand conquest. It has not been without its troubles, the 29th century economic collapse among them, yet it has also reaped many benefits.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Humans have mixed relationships with their relatives and the other species of the world. Their brutal expansion at such a rapid rate left species such as the Aeondra devastated, with kingdoms conquered and their people subjugated. Others such as the Cura have always seen humans as lesser, for their relationship to the Divine is so much weaker. Cura regularly keep humans as slaves, a fact most human's resent deeply, yet attempts to subjugate the Cura have yet to succeed. The Dorcia have never had much contact with their ancestors, and the Whisper are something of an exotic oddity to humankind.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Divine

Lifespan

100 years ~

Average Height

5-6ft

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Human skin colours have a wide range, from dark browns to light pinks, tans, pale yellows, and reddish umbers. They possess a wide range of body markings, especially diverse among communities affected by magic. Though the average human varies little from place to place, extreme lines include tails, wings, scales and other mutations. The people of Petassius are particularly prone to such genetic afflictions.