The Race of Men

Settling in any land that will tolerate them, men have grown to become the most populous race in the Known World. Such a widespread nature has caused dissociation over the centuries leading to the formation of several kingdoms of men, each with it's own values, quirks and even gods.
Nudmia:
The eight disparate kingdoms of Nudmia form the heartland of the great Ossien Empire, a nation that has grown to rule over most of the world of men. Using all Nudmians' unique sorcerous abilities, they bring peace and prosperity wherever they go.
These kingdoms are divided between the four Nudmian races: the Bazyr who are infused with untamed magic, the Doyr that channel the forecity of dragons, the Gotyr who've a great connection to the sea and the Onyr who draw upon a connection to the leylines of the world itself. These four races prefer to keep to themselves but have cooperated over the centuries to create wonders.
One thing all Nudmians agree on is their creators: Elaron the Thronemaker, Etatia the Farwatcher, Hibraea the Wealthbringer, Luporus the Woodfather, Muheri the Wetnurse, Margul the Star Charter and Zantrel the Forceweaver. The Church of the High Seven has faithful through the entire myre. And has slowly been growing across the empire, though with resistance among further flung vassals.
Tiramyre:
The first myre to become the vassal of another, Tiramyre was inducted into the empire in imperial calender 293 after a the Winter of Death struck the world. The four kingdoms of Tiramyre were unprepared and famine threatened to bring an end to their way of life as a whole. One by one, the kingdoms of Krussna, Rina, Flemer and Munc agreed to submit to Ossien rule, which brought excess grain and meat from Nudmian storehouses to the needing. This vassalhood was strengthened 50 years later when the high elves of Ariamyre descended upon the land, trying to reclaim land that had since been settled by Tirans. The full force of the empire was brought down on Ariamyre and the War of Mages began, the single bloodiest war in the history of both men and elves. This filled the Tirans with a deepseeded respect for the Nudmians. Although the two lands do not always see eye to eye, among the Tirans stand the most stalwart of imperial loyalists.
Tiran orthodoxy claims that all life in the world is the creation of Gütt, the Supreme One. Thus it teaches a oneness with nature, taking only that which one needs from the wild which is seen as closer to the Supreme One's perfect design. It is this belief that keeps many Tirans from urbanising, instead preferring to life in simple villages or homesteads, surrounded by natures perfection. The Church of the High Seven of neighbouring Nudmia has attempted to assimilate the Supreme One into its pantheon, telling Tirans that it is only one among several gods, which has been given severe pushback across the myre.
Nazamyre:
The endless swampy marshes of Nazamyre stretches across the estuary of the river Gamator, a vast waterway that feeds most of the world of men. It's humid climate made it harsh to live in, causing its denizens to revile the heat from the sun and revere the softer darkness. From this congealed the Nazamian way of life, during the day they hide away in their homes and sleep and when night falls the emerge to operate in the cool.
The Nazamians created a thriving nocturnal society which inevitably attracted predators of the night. Over hundreds of years vampires began to emerge across the myre, asserting control over realm with surprising ease. The veneration of the dark caused the Nazamians to embrace the vampires as divine, too perfect to bask in the sun as lesser creatures were. Over just a few years the entire aristocracy of Nazamyre was replaced by the creatures.
The dukedomes of Nazamyre waver in and out of imperial fealty as the years go by. A lord may enter a temporary alliance with the Empire in order to stave off rivals and end the contract after a generation or too. A vampire's only real loyalty is to itself.
The Nazamians worship no god but their belief in the virtue of shadow has created a primordial religion in place of one. This faith places vampires above mortals and so every vampire is treated with reverence. This dark worship is the only mythology of men the Church of the High Seven has not tried to assimilate.
Drolunder:
The myre of Drolunder is by far the largest in terms of land mass, stretching from the western shores, across the vast praeries to the Shadowjaw mountains and filling the space from the river Morten along the southern Tiran border all the way to the great forest of Tam'lann. Despite this, her population is miniscule compared to the other myres, making up only a tiny fraction of men across the world.
The Drolish are split into two separate ethnic societies: The Russol are a sedentary group that make their home around the various lakes of the myre. A sparsity of wood in the land has caused them to experiment with structures of earthen make, thus their houses are often made with stone and clay. This fixation on earthern substances has made the Russol quite apt chemists, slowly learning to craft tonics and potions from their surroundings. In contrast, the Cantor are a collection of tribes that roam the landscape alongside their herds of buffalo. Subsisting entirely on the herd they ranch, the Cantor utilise every part of a beast in their life, using the bones to craft tools and their hide to make tents. The Cantor and Russol families are distinct but friendly, it is through the Cantor that each Russol village accesses trade and it is by the Russol that the Cantor are given shelter and medicine in times of need.
In the year of imperial calender 589, the Ossien Empire set her sights on Drolunder in what became her first colony. Instead of the empires typical practise of integrating land through trade, policy and security, she had to lay the groundwork for a wider society in Drolunder. Rather than making deals with the local kings they stationed a governor in the myre, whose mission was to ensure all of Drolunder's far flung hamlets were respecting and thus benefitting from the Rights of Man. To do this, the village of Munyarnton off the coast of the great lake Lugen was developed at a never before seen rate into Drolunder's first and only city from which he would be able to govern the region.
Gyanlund:
During the Winter of Death a dwarf hold in the Shadowjaw mountains by the name of Kharak'or was abandoned, it's residence completely evacuated as the Shadajar dwarves consolidated their resources to better survive. A few years later, men and gnomes who had retreated into the mountains following an ethnic persecution from the Tiran kingdom of Krussna settled in the old halls, naming it Sheldelak after the lake directly above the hold with which the city's plumbing system had been built millennia prior.
As the people of the newly founded Sheldelak slowly explored and became accustomed to the landscape, they stumbled upon a family of stone giants in the surrounding area and strived for peaceful cooexistence with them. Meanwhile dwarves sook to resettle the hold of Kharak'or and were surprised to find it inhabited. When news spread of it's new squatters, an expeditionary throng was sent to clean them out, with force of necessary. The new denizens had no other place to go and so sought the aid of the giants. When the exterminators arrived what they expected would be a dicisive victory against men running home to the planes became a full scale battle against a militia of men, gnomes and giants. After the dwarves had been routed, returning to An'gakhor, the 6 giants who had perished in the battle were given a heroic funeral, being entombed in massive sarcophgi in the city square. The man who had girst fostered relations with the giants and pleaded for their aid was crowned prince and thus the Principality of Gyanlund was born.
The Shadajhar dwarves have long since plotted to retake the hold and in imperial calender 628 offically went to war with the principality. Knowing full well that defeat would mean genocide, the Gyanish elected to become a vassal of the empire who sprung to their aid. The war has been a gruling stalemate with the men heavily entrenched in Sheldelak and the dwarves practically immune to counter attacks across the harsh terrain of the mountains. As such the struggle for control of the city persists to this day.
Marlund:
The island nation of Marlund is the only nation of men to retain her sovereignty in the face of the ever expanding Ossien Empire. Protected from all threats by the great sea that surrounds her, she has become one of the most prosperous nations around as well as the trade capital of the Known World.
Rather than venerating a god or other form of higher power, the Marlish, who can all their bloodlines back to the nations founder, Marlin the Great, venerate their ancestors and record great heroic deeds for all time. It is for this reason their society has taken on a feudal flavour of anarchy with houses forming, gaining renown and servants over generatons, and either being amalgamated into other houses or fading away.
The Three Greats represent the closest thing Marlund has to a cohesive governing body; the houses of Campar de Caimanes, Ribero and Minero de Diamantes who frequently make treaties for the betterment of all Marlish.
Drakmyre:
Not all men are self governing. In Drakmyre, the land of dragons, humans are pinned at the bottom of a strict social heirarchy, slaves at the beck and call of scaley masters. Dragons, dragonborn and even sniveling kobolds are held above the man in this supposed god-kingdom. Their suffering is not myre wide, however, as metallic dragons and their blessed, who are held in lower esteem in the myre, are far kinder than their chromatic kin.
The men of drakmyre have been under the boot of their masters for as long as any of them know. Whether they fell under the heel of the god-emperor Baelus the Conqeuror before his establishment of the land or were captured abroad and brought in is a question most haven't the time nor will to ponder. The most important thing to a Drakmian man is the here and the now, making sure his chores are done before his master or mistress lopps off his head.
There are whisperings among the slaves that soon the Ossien Empire will invade Drakmyre and rid men of this plight. The wiser know that even if every man in the world went to war with Drakmyre they would surely lose as the magic and might of dragons will not be surpassed by men for ages to come.
Rules:
Playing a man or woman in the Known World will entail different rules depending on which subrace is played. To play a man of Tiramyre, Nazamyre, Drolunder, Gyanlund, Marlund or Drakmyre you will be using the rules detailed in the Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition Players Handbook with only a change to the language (instead of common they know Tiran, Nazan, Drolish, Tiran, Marlish and Drakish respectively and still know one other language of their choice). To play one from Nudmia will require some changes to the rules depending on which of the following subraces you choose. If playing any of the subraces detailed below, please substitute the typical ability score increases and gain the following additional effects. Please note that none of the subraces below can be variant humans.
Bazyr:
Ability Score Improvement. Your Consitution and Wisdom scores both increase by 1.
Untamed Potential. Your body is brimming with the wild magic passed down through your bloodline. You know one sorcerer cantrip of your choice and you require no components to cast it. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for this cantrip
Doyr:
Ability Score Improvement. Your Constitution and Charisma scores both increase by 1.
Fangs of the Dragon. You may make an unarmed strike attack as a bonus action on your turn, using your sharp teeth. On a hit, you deal 1d4 piercing damage.
Gotyr:
Ability Score Improvement. Your Strength and Dexterity scores both increase by 1.
A Life at Sea. Your people are most at home when riding the waves. You have a swim speed of 45ft and can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to 5 + your constitution modifier (minimum of +0).
Onyr:
Ability Score Improvement. Your Inelligence and Charisma scores both increase by 1.
Darkvision. Your eyes are adapted to the cavernous depths. You can see in dim light within 30ft of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Geomantic Tapping. You may tap into the ley lines from which your people draw power. If you have not moved on your turn you can teleport up to 30ft to an unoccupied space you can see. Your movement speed is then set to 0ft for the remainder of your turn and cannot be increased by any means.
Men and the classes:
As the most widespread race in the Known World, men have many different practises which lead to a wide variety classes. While all classes available in the Known World are playable as a man, the classes that would be the most common among man adventurers are detailed below.
Artificers:
All men of the empire may practise the Alchemist Specialty at the Andern Alchemical Research University. Russol practise the Alchemist Specialty. Gyanishmen practise the Artillerist Specialty.
Barbarians:
Gotyr practise the Path of the Storm Herald (sea). Cantor practise the Path of the Butcher. Drakmians practise the Path of Wild Magic, though not by choice.
Bards:
All men of the empire may practise the Colleges of Eloquence, Lore and Valour at the Royal Music College.
Clerics:
Nudmains practise the Arcana, Eldritch, Family, Forge, Guardian, Knowledge, Life, Nature, Order and Peace Domains. Tirans practise the Light and Nature Domains. Nazamians practise the Twilight and Death Domains. Gyanishmen practise the Light, Nature and Forge Domains.
Fighters:
All men of the empire may practise the Banneret, Battlemaster and Bulwark Warrior Martial Archetypes at the Blade Castle. Nudmians practise the Battlemaster and Bulwark Warrior Martial Archetypes. Tirans practise the Battlemaster and Cavalier Martial Archetypes. Nazamians practise the Eldritch Knight Martial Archetype. Russol practise the Champion and Living Crucible Martial Archetypes. Cantor practise the Cavalier and Champion Martial Archetypes. Gyanishmen practise the Battlemaster and Rune Knight Martial Archetypes. Marlishmen practise the Cavalier and Samurai Martial Archetypes. Drakmians practise the Bulwark Warrior and Champion Martial Archetypes. The Order of the Bleeding Rose are a knightly order operating across the world of men that practise the Deathless Warrior Martial Archetype. Onyr practise the Soul-blade class which combines the Crystalised Heart Sorcerous Origin with the Battlemaster Martial Archetype. Nazamians practise the Soul-knight class which combines the Haunted Sorcerous Origin with the Eldritch Knight Martial Archetype.
Merchants:
Nudmains practise the Apothecary and Blacksmith Guilds.
Monks:
Nudmians practise the Way of Shadow. Doyr practise the Way of the Ascendant Dragon. Nazamians practise the Ways of the Long Death and Mercy. Marlishmen practise the Way of the Four Elements. Drakmians practise the Way of the Leaden Crown.
Paladins:
Across the Ossien Empire there are several knightly orders that swear the Oaths of Ancients, Crown, Devotion and Redemption. The Marlish Guardios delas Riberas swear the Oath of Open Sea.
Rangers:
Nudmians practise the Gloom Stalker Conclave. Tirans practise the Beast Master, First Responder and Hunter Conclaves. Krussnans practise the Swarmkeeper Conclave. Nazamians practise the Gloom Stalker and Hunter Conclaves. Marlishmen practise the Monster Slayer Conclave.
Rogues:
Many criminal organistaions across the world of men practise the Assassin, Swashbuckler and Thief Roguish Archetypes. All men of the empire may practise the Inquisitive Roguish Archetypes in the Blade Castle. Gyanishmen practise the Scout Roguish Archetype. Marlishmen Practise the Swashbuckler Roguish Archetype. Drakmians practise the Asassin, Scout and Thief Roguish Archetypes.
Shamen:
Marlishmen practise the Curse Binder, Spirit Warrior and Witch Doctor Spititualities.
Sorcerers:
Bazyr commonly produce Wild Magic sorcerers. Doyr commonly produce Draconic Bloodline (Silver) sorcerers. Gotyr commonly produce Storm sorcerers. Onyr commonly produce Crystalised Heart sorcerers. Nazamians commonly produce Haunted sorcerers. Onyr practise the Soul-blade class which combines the Crystalised Heart Sorcerous Origin with the Battlemaster Martial Archetype. Nazamians practise the Soul-knight class which combines the Haunted Sorcerous Origin with the Eldritch Knight Martial Archetype.
Wizards:
All men of the empire may practise the Abjuration, Evocation, Illusion and Scipture Arcane Traditions at the Calite University of Magecraft or the Plague Doctor Arcane Tradition at the Andern Alchemical Research University. Marlishmen practise the Sangromancy and Transmutation Arcane Traditions.
Naming Convention:
Nudmians:
Men of Nudmia have an English given name and a shortened latin noun for a surname e.g. Thomas Foc, Lillian Domin & Reneas Gram.
Tirans:
The Tirans will have a German given name and a mythical beast for a surname e.g. Sigismund Hydra, Erica Hippogryph & Heinrich Grendel.
Nazamians:
The Nazamians will have a French given name and a french adjective that describes their family's physical features for a surname e.g. Antonin Grand, Camille Laid, Mateu Fort.
Drolunder:
The Drolundish will have slavic given names and the same sex parents name as their surname e.g. Boris Alexisen, Anastasia Olgasdotir, Dimitri Vladimirsen.
Gyanlund:
The Gyanish follow the same naming convention as the Tirans.
Marlund:
The men of Marlund will have a Spanish given name and a surname referencing the deeds of their forebears e.g. Diego Aguja de Ambar, Lucia Gran Defensora, Fabio Asesino de Dragones.
Drakmyre:
The men of Drakmyre may have a name from the Tiran, Nazmian, Drolish and Marlish naming conventions above in any combination, derived from a mixed lineage e.g. Lucio Gorgon, Clementine Nataliasdotir & Fritz Professor de Magico.