Human
Humans are the most common and widespread sentient species in Zurith, followed afterwards by the elves, and then by the dragons. They originated from what is now designated as the 'Old Lands', although their history in the Old Lands has long since been lost to the passing of time. Those who originally came from the Old Lands refused to speak of it after arriving in Aefareth and the Eastern Continent, other than to say that a terrible tragedy had occurred.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The external human body consists of a head, hair, neck, torso (which includes the thorax and abdomen), genitals, arms, hands, legs, and feet. The internal human body includes organs, teeth, bones, muscle, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and blood, lymphatic vessels, and lymph.
The human body has four limbs (two arms and two legs), a head and a neck, which connect to the torso. The body's shape is determined by a strong skeleton made of bone and cartilage, surrounded by fat, muscle, connective tissue, organs, and other structures.
Biological Traits
Besides the anatomical differences, humans also have a few more differences between the genders than the elves do. Female humans are typically shorter and of a lower base weight than male humans are - although the opposite is also possible.
Humans are typically covered in a light layer of body hair, which is usually thicker on males than on females, and most males grow thick beards as they progress into their adult years. Humans have a lifespan of about 90 years, and the average life expectancy is around 70-80, although this is lower in some kingdoms.
There are also some differences found in the natives of some of the human kingdoms, which are usually attributed to the biological traits and features of their ancestors from the Ancient Kingdom.
Genetics and Reproduction
Human reproduction takes place by internal fertilisation via sexual intercourse. The average gestation period is 38 weeks. Embryonic development in the human covers the first eight weeks of development; at the begining of the ninth week the embryo is termed a fetus.
Growth Rate & Stages
Development of the human body begins with fertilisation in the womb, where an embryo and later fetus develop until birth. Growth and development occur after birth, and include both physical and pyschological development, influenced by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors - among others. Development and growth continue throughout life, through childhood, adolescence, and through adulthood to old age, and is referred to as the process of aging.
After birth, the three main stages of growth are: infancy and childhood, puberty, and adulthood.
Infancy and Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In development psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood (learning to walk), early childhood (play age), middle childhood (schooling age), and adolescence (puberty through post-puberty).- Prepubescence
- Neonate (newborn)
- Infant (baby)
- Toddler
- Play age
- Schooling age
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a girl, the testicles in a boy. In response to the signals, the gonads produce hormones that stimulate libido and the growth, function, and transformation of the brain, bones, muscles, blood, skin, hair, breasts, and sex organs. Physical growth--height and weight--accelerates in the first half of puberty and is completed when an adult body has been developed. Until the maturation of their reproductive capabilities, the pre-pubertal physical differences between boys and girls are the external sex organs. On average, girls begin puberty around ages 12-13 and end puberty around 18-19; boys begin around ages 13 and end around 18. The major landmark of puberty for females is the onset of menstruation, which occurs around the age of 14; for males, it is the first ejaculation, which also occurs around the age of 14.Adulthood
Biologically, an adult is a human or other organism that has reached sexual maturity. In human context, the term adult has additional meanings associated with social and legal concepts. In contrast to a legal minor, a legal adult is a person who has attained the age of majority and is therefore regarded as independent, self-sufficient, and responsible. In all human kingdoms of Zurith, the age of legal majority is 18 years. Human adulthood encompassess psychological adult development. Definitions of adulthood are often inconsistent and contradictory; an adolescent may be biologically an adult and display adult behaviour but still be treated as a child if they are under the legal age of majority. Conversely, a legal adult may possess none of the maturity and responsibility that is supposed to define them; the mental and physical development and maturity of an individual has been proven to be greatly influenced by their life circumstances. On the other side of the coin, some human kingdoms, notably the Kingdom of Caelestis and the Kingdom of Tuntemattomaan where children are raised to be warriors, may be treated as an adult even before they reach the age of legal majority in most matters of life. Both Caelestis and Tuntemattomaan, due to high rates of mortality in both children and adults, treat adolescents as full adults around the age of sixteen, although they are not officially considered adults until the age of eighteen. In the Caelestis, this goes so far that royal heirs are considered capable of ruling from the age of sixteen onwards, and Caelestians are allowed to join the Caelestis' standing army at sixteen.Ecology and Habitats
Humans are a very resilient species and can adjust to living in most environments, examples being the humans who live in the Khelas Desert and the Maelia Glacier of Aefareth. However, for the sake of resources, humans are best suited for living in prosperous environments with fertile land.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Humans are an omnivore species, and consuming a variety of plants, meat, and fish. Typically the larger settlements such as cities and towns do not hunt or forage for their food, and get it brought it from elsewhere. Smaller settlements like villages usually hunt for their food more than they buy from traditional stores.
Biological Cycle
Humans, compared to the elves, faeries, and dragons, have relatively short lifespans, and they are deeply impacted by the passing of time, so many humans strive to accomplish as much as they can throughout their lives as soon as possible as they do not have a lot of time to do so.
Behaviour
While humans are capable of peace, they are not necessarily a predominately peaceful species. The histories of the human kingdoms of Zurith are filled with coups, revolts, inter-kingdom wars, and general violence - and to this day, crime is not an uncommon thing to find in a human kingdom. However, they are on good terms and are relatively peaceful towards species like the elves and dragons, and a lot of kingdoms have achieved some kind of level of overall peace with the other kingdoms, although there are still often conflicts and wars.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Humans are a very social species, and primarily live in settlements ranging from small ones like villages to large ones like cities. Human kingdoms are ruled by monarchies, and the two inhabited continents, Aefareth and the Eastern Continent, are home to a multitude of kingdoms. Below the monarchy are the nobility, which usually control the individual settlements.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Humans are found on two of Zurith's major continents: Aefareth, and the Eastern Continent. They were originally from the third continent, the Old Lands, but they were forced to leave their initial home for their current homes.
Average Intelligence
Humans are a sentient and highly intelligent species, however their intelligence is inferior to that of the elves and the dragons.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Commonly recognised sensory systems for humans are vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, balance, and visceral sensation. Most humans have senses that are inferior to those of animals, but some humans through Zurith have honed their senses to be more sensitive, and have developed better hearing, sight, and even smell. Humans from Varken are also rumoured to be capable of sharing the senses of their wolf companions.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Human names differ greatly from kingdom to kingdom, depending on the culture and the ethnicity the human descends from.
Major Organizations
The humans have split into many kingdoms over the past 13000 years. At first, there were only twenty or so, but now there exists over 40. These kingdoms are:
- Kingdom of Vitrum, Felhedell, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Tuntemattomaan, Felhedell, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Aes, Felhedell, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Ayuipan, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Sofía-Larimar, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Sofía, Kailes, Aefareth (merged with Larimar)
- Kingdom of Larimar, Kailes, Aefareth (merged with Sofía)
- Kingdom of Kuya, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Aluila, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Vaesal, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Xeria, Kailes, Aefareth
- Creorus, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Hevaria, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Nerian, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Ceoris, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Nisha, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Meadia, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Khelas, Kailes, Aefareth (dissolved)
- The Khelas Desert Tribe, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Nainyth, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Aevarin, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Ailaeniel, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Juniper, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Solaris, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Xairis, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Cisian, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Caelestis, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Khuidian, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Laerutis, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Neviel, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Airolyra, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Veavia, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Caenait, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Tiryn), Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Xera, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Kikha, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Avavia, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Keothen, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Vaerin, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Celyra, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Aekrurid, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Nereitis, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Vainia, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Khaehan, Kailes, Aefareth
- Kingdom of Lehlian, Kailes, Aefareth
- Varken, The Eastern Continent
- Kaecheon, The Eastern Continent
- Kazukami, The Eastern Continent
- Yuanhua, The Eastern Continent
- Xinzou, The Eastern Continent
Average Technological Level
Humans have a wide range of technological advancements, depending on the kingdom in question, but common things are stuff like aqueducts, paper, blacksmithing, candles, armour, weapons, medicine, among others.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The human species have a vast array of languages spoken throughout the human kingdoms, with most kingdoms having a different native language - although the overarching international language is Common.
Common Taboos
Since learning about the destructive possibilities of it, humans have strictly tabooed the use of dark magic.
History
The history of the human species is greatly unknown, before the arrival of the humans onto Aefareth and the Eastern Continent at the very least. It is unknown how the human species came to exist, or what their early history was.
What is know, is that by the time they arrived on the two other continents of Zurith, however, they had already a developed social structure, and had already developed different technologies to help with construction and bio-waste - although the humans that landed on Aefareth had to somewhat make amendments to these technologies in order to abide by the conditions that the Spirits of the Earth had set in exchange for allowing them to build kingdoms on their land.
After the new Aefarethens split off into smaller groups and built the first 15 of their kingdoms, those that were chosen to lead the kingdoms were offered to integrate their bloodline with the bloodline of royal elves (or noble in the case of the Arcane Elves) so that the royal houses of each kingdom would be elven hybrids, granting them the capability of magic.
As the first few centuries after the fall of the Old Lands and the Ancient Kingdom passed, more and more kingdoms were founded on Aefareth and more technologies were developed, until it has gotten to the point that it is currently.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The humans greatly respect and revere the elves, and are somewhat fearful but also respectful of the dragons. Their opinion of the faeries is rather unsavoury, however, since it was the faeries that tried to incite them into using the ruinous dark magic.
Scientific Name
Homo sapiens
Lifespan
83 years
Average Height
152.5 cm - 165.6 cm (for females)
170.5 cm - 188.3 cm (for males)
170.5 cm - 188.3 cm (for males)
Average Weight
48.5 kg - 57.1 kg (for females)
62 kg - 76.8 kg (for males)
62 kg - 76.8 kg (for males)
Average Physique
Humans are typically slim, and most have little muscle build as a base factor. However, a variety of factors such as diet and exercise regime can affect this.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Although there are some common characteristics, a human's colouration is largely dependant on the kingdom they are from and is more elaborated on in the individual ethnicities for the humans.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
- Aekruridian
- Aesian
- Aevarina
- Ailaenielan
- Airolyran
- Aluilan
- Avavian
- Ayuipani
- Caelestian
- Caenaitian
- Celyran
- Ceorisian
- Cisiani
- Creoran
- Hevarian
- Juniperian
- Kazuhanaku
- Keotheni
- Khaehani
- Khelan
- Khuidiana
- Kikhani
- Kkonnamuin
- Kuyan
- Laerutian
- Larimari
- Lehliani
- Lianhuan
- Meadian
- Nainythian
- Nereitian
- Neriani
- Neviellan
- Nishan
- Shuiliani
- Sofían
- Solarian
- Tirynai
- Tuntemattomaani
- Vaerina
- Vaesali
- Vainian
- Varkeni
- Veavian
- Vitrumi
- Xairisian
- Xeran
- Xerian
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