Difference between revisions of "Humans"

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Humans are not natives of Gaeis.  Long ago the other races noticed strange footprints in the snow, in the sand, in the leaves.  They belonged to a new race: the Humans, who had come to Gaeis from Somewhere Else.  They are as sturdy, diverse and numerous as the rocks in a riverbed.
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Humans are not natives of Jaeis.  Long ago the other creatures of the world noticed strange footprints in the snow, bones in the sand, something rustling the leaves.  These were the heralds of the Humans, whose curiosity and ambition had led them to Jaeis from another world.  The Humans survived and prospered in the new world, and made both war and peace with the other peoples of Jaeis.  They are as sturdy, diverse and numerous as the rocks in a riverbed.
  
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[[image:man.jpg|300px]]
  
*Auslanders - The men and women of Ausland, a country to the west, across the Bleak Sea, are all extremely pale, almost albino.  They are a sparse culture, living in the midst of other humans and adopting the cultures of those around them.  As might be expected of such an orphaned people, they are very secretiveAn inordinate amount of Auslanders are born with a predisposition for the magical arts and are highly sought after as advisors and mercenariesAuslanders dress in loose robes and long, flowing skirts, with men and women both preferring to dress topless, as per their native culture.
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{{section|Physiology|Humans vary widely depending on geographical location, class, and genetics, much more so than any other race.  They stand between 5′ and 6′ feet tall, generally speaking.  Their skin-tone ranges from very dark to pale with hair in shades of blond, brown, black, and red, fading to grays and whites in old ageOther races envy the humans for the beauty of their eyes, in which can be found many vivid colorsHumans can live one hundred years or more, but very rarely are they actively contributing members of society at that extreme age.}}
  
*Bosemyans - These humans possess chestnut hair and stout frames.  The women are large-breasted and wide-hipped.  The men often sport full beards.  The style of their clothing involves a lot of fur.  The have small, dark eyes and large, strong hands.  Bosemyans are also known as "The Travelling People" because for the warm months of the year, the merchants and craftspersons of Bosemya travel the world in wagons, selling their wares in preparation for the cold monthsThe northern spur of mountain range known as The Widows is one of the most inhospitable and treacherous in times of bad weather.  As such, Bosemyans are tough-skinned and stubborn to a fault.  It is said that Bosemyans do not negotiate price and that any attempt to bargain will result in violenceWhile this is not exactly true, it should be noted that Bosemyans do not take being toyed with or underestimated lightly.  There is also the stigma of the Curse of Bosemya to deal with.  Legend says that the Bosemyan people are born with a curse which will one day turn them all into vicious animals called Goarers.  Once again, the truth is far less insidious: the curse is actually a disease which turns the hapless humans into Goarers, but these beasts are hardly evil and possess all the intelligence of their former lives.  All in all, Bosemyans are a people distrusted and very misunderstood by the rest of the world.
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{{section|Appearance|Humans like to distinguish themselves by tattooing their skin, styling their hair, lacquering their nails, and dressing in different fabricsThey are the most diverse race, and absorb much culturally from othersOccasionally, Humans even take on slight physical features of other races.}}
  
*Cydonyans - In Cydonya, where colors are forbidden, the men and women dress in monochromatic colors of black, grey, and whiteThey dye their hair pitch black or pale, platinum blonde and shave their heads, sometimes styling strange designs into their hair.  They regularly tattoo themselves as a means of expression.  The sandy plains and deserts of the South mean that Cydonyans dress in short, loose garments or form-fitting, very-thin fabricsThe face of their Titan-queen, Lady Donya is present even in jewelry, armor and weapon ornamentation, and clothing, often appearing as a cameo carved into inlaid ivoryCheckers, stripes, and damasque and other patterns are a staple of Cydonyan high-fashionCydonyans are an imperialistic culture, taking great pride in strength of arms and military service.  It is a city which allows women to freely engage in warfare and promotes an equality of the sexes.  
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{{section|Personality|Humans do not live as long as some of the other racesAware of this trait, many Humans are eager to work towards their extremely lofty goals and seek to affect the world in radical waysHumans have a tendency to desire control and immediate gratificationThey are also curious by nature and are liable to seek out more trouble than is good for themThey value independence and the survival and prominence of their race.}}
  
*Kadwallers - The humans behind the Wall are a modest, private and well-mannered people.  They consider themselves the epitome of intellectual civilizationMost Kadwallers have dark brown hair and blue eyes with soft, well-balanced featuresIt is a Kadwaller tradition for men and women to wear braided hair.  Kadwal is known as the Doorway to the North, and the kingdom's influence stretches far beyond the confines of the city of Kadwal.  The people there are industrious and hardworking, with a noble streak.  Kadwallers have forever been known as friends to the [[Trowls]] and many of that race live inside the city walls.  
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{{section|Habitat|Humans are the most widely spread of any of the beings of Jaeis, and have established many kingdoms and cities.  They live in houses and man-made dwellings above ground and tend to cluster around cities and centers of industryHuman dwellings center around immediate family.  Commonly, multi-generational households are foundAs beings somewhat foreign to the planet, Humans are uneasy when forced away from the comfort of their cities and others of their kind, and into the wilderness.}}
  
*Macherans - Known as the Jewel of the Coast, Machera is a city whose culture revolves around masks and extravaganceMasks of any style can be found in the city and no one there leaves the comfort of one's home without donning a mask to mark their identity and/or conceal it.  This is due in part to the large population of skin-changers and shapeshifters who can be found in the cityMachera is a city of high-intrigue and complicated politics.  Macherans also dress elaborately, loving bawdy songs and lustful behavior.  The women of Machera style their hair in towering bundles adorned with ribbons.  Polyamory is an accepted practice, however polygamy is notMacheran features are angled and sharp.  Macherans speak very fast, must to the chagrin of outsiders.
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{{section|Society|Humans are very concerned with concepts such as bloodlines, kingdoms and territoryDespite their abundant presence on the planet, Humans are viewed as outsiders by many of the other races, since the creation stories do not list them and many tales tell of their vagabond beginnings on the planetHumans possess little coherency as a race, often quarreling over small matters or their many differences of opinionThey are the founders and main proponents of [[Industrialism]].}}
  
*Solonians - Solonians possess golden hair and fair, freckled skin.  They have strong, squarish jaw-lines and keep themselves clean-shaven.  The Solonians value justice and safety above all else.  If a Solonian commits a crime, he or she is branded with a special iron on the forehead.  The specific brand each is given marks the crime which was committed.  The "Branded" are considered a lower class than the "Pure" Solonians, and are made to atone for their crimes, sometimes for the rest of their life.  Solonians who commit more heinous crimes are branded on their hands, feet, chest and forehead and sent to The Hollows, a secure underground city of criminals and unwanted elements.  Solon is also home to the Lumineri, a group which tasks itself with stamping out evil and spreading enlightenment and justice to the world.  Exactly what this entails is slightly unclear, but the Lumineri take what they do very seriously.  Pure Solonians are regarded as arrogant or overly-serious by most of the world, though they are also recognized as capable.  Branded Solonians are either pitied, sympathized with, or downtrodden and scorned by the rest of the world.    
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Humans favor burial as their favored means of funeral rite, and procreate at a much faster rate than any other race.
  
*Southlanders - The blazing Southern sun has tanned and darkened the skins of the humans living south of the Sea of Swords, as well as turned some of their hair to reds and goldsThe City of Brass is home to men and women with skin the color of coal who paint their face with white pigments and wear gleaming gold and brass jewelryMeanwhile, the men and women living alongside the Zjenithi in the city of Zjenahd are olive-skinned with black hair who favor thick mustaches and pointed beardsIt should be noted that many Zjenahdan humans possess a distrust or estrangement from other humans due to their close ties to the Zjenithi and their customs.  
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{{section|Relations|Humans have, since their arrival on Jaeis, been extremely close with the [[Goblyns]].  Goblyns have been historically bound to Humans, dedicated to protecting and serving the Human raceHumans respond to this with either appreciation and love, derision and abuse, or apathy and ignorance.  One thing is for sure: even after the [[Proclamation of Goblyn Independence]], Humans can no more get away from the Goblyns than they can stop breathing.  Humans, despite their adverse reputation for being planetary squatters, have built relationships with all the other races of Jaeis for good or illIn the South, the humans take strongly to the [[Zjenithi]], who maintain a powerful presence there.  Humans often find themselves attracted to members of other racesWhile most other races see this as distasteful and taboo, humans generally accept inter-species relationships, although there are exceptions there, as well.}}
  
*Spirenese - The custom in Spire is that when a young man or woman comes of age, they are given a flat gemstone which they use to adorn their browsThe setting for these stones is actually seared into their foreheads during a ritual called an "Avowal"During their life, a Spirenese man or woman may be gifted with more gems to adorn their brow, and each has a specific identifier marking the human's marital status and area of profession (merchant, craftsperson, land-owner, soldier, etc). Sometimes a family symbol is carved into or under-layed in the gemstoneSpirenese men and women keep their hair cut short, the better to deal with the winds that cut across the Dusk Hills.  The Spirenese possess almond skin and large, striking eyes of azure and grey.  They dress in tight-fitting, simple, yet fine, clothes with little ornamentation.  
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{{section|Motivations|Human beings are driven by emotionsThey are selfish, on the large, valuing the individual above allMost Humans seek to build relationships, achievements, and/or powerGiven their relatively short lifetimes and occasional frailty, Humans want it now, and they want it big.  They search for meaning in life and are constantly asking existential questions and wandering off to find the answers.}}
  
*Tenebrans - Tenebrans dress in long coats, replete with ruffles, lace, and high collars.  They have prominent, beak-y noses and sunken features.  Tenebrans could be considered "stiff" or aloof, perhaps even cold by other cultures.  They wear their hair long, frequently pulled back into pony-tails.  They often have an affection for the macabre, which may be due to the [[Grey Sisters]] who keep their temple and headquarters there or with the edict handed down from [[Prince Aitas]], which declared Tenebran independence from the Northern kingdom of Kadwal.  Aitas made Tenebra into an Entropist city and instilled in it his obsession with death.  As such, Tenebrans have perfected the art of assassination and made huge advances in the fields of healing and medecine, though few people are eager to submit to Tenebran medicine.  Tenebrans are also behind some of the most destructive weapons to date, including the advent of Tenebran steel.
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{{section|Max Caps|The Max Caps for all humans is normal (10).}}
  
*Threshans - Threshan men and women are huge by human standards, sometimes pushing seven feet.  Their body types run the gamut, however, from lanky to obese.  Many consider themselves superior to other humans and treat others with scorn or suspicion because of sizeThe Threshan people are a warlike people, and enjoy a good fight regardless of outcome.  To them, it is simply sport.  They take little seriously, and laugh often.  Threshans maintain a grudging repsect for Cydonyans, since those humans are also an aggressive lot and respect the power of Cydonya, a large, powerful figure.  If the Cydonyans have a unifying respect for the Threshans, however, they have yet to show it.  Threshans are heavily prejudiced against Vasterners, for economic, territorial, and philosophic differences.  Threshans are known for their profitable boat-building trade.  
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{{section|Powers|
   
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* '''Fisticuffs''' – For whatever reason, humans love to fight with their handsBeginning at childhood, humans exhibit a tendency to punch their way through their troubles.  To represent this, Humans receive a +1 to their Hand-to-hand Hurt score (2 instead of 1).
*Vasterners - Vast is the most technologically advanced city in all of Gaeis.  The city proper exists within a bubble, more or less cut off from the natural world completelyMana-fueled machines and appliances are an up and coming trend which far surpasses the technology of any other city. Vast maintains a standing army of Wardrone Gyr Golems and boasts many mechanical citizens. Vasterners dress in the peak of fashion: streamlined, pinstriped, and highly polished.  The Red Sky Company headquarters is located in Vast, which makes it the most powerful Industrial city, with Kadwal just behind it, boasting less economical might but more imperial might. The people of Vast are very diverse, making the sojourn to the Shining City from all over the world.  As such, there is little to tie them together physically, except for one thing: Vasterners love hats.  
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* '''Immutable''' - Due to the fact that they are not native to Jaeis, Humans are more resilient to the natural forces (including magic) of the world.  Humans receive a +1 to Magic Defense.  
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* '''Versatile''' – Humans receive a +2 to either a Save or Skill Check of the player's choice.
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* '''Get a Job''' – Humans receive the first rank in their first [[Occupation]] for free since they are quick learners and hard workers.}}
  
*Woodlanders - The men and women who make their homes in the woods (and by extension, close to the Sidhe) are a hardened, gritty people who have learned to live off the land instead of in seclusion from it.  This by no means implies that all of those humans get along with their Sidhe neighbors.  Indeed, some woodland human settlements are constantly at odds with more hostile, warlike Sidhe communities.  Woodlanders are a frontier people.  Most Woodlanders are of Naturalist tendencies.
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(Note: It should be mentioned that the races of [[Men]] and [[Humans]] are essentially the same race spread between the two distinct worlds of [[Jaeis]] and [[Halestia]], since both races possess the same powers and physiology, but the differences between [[Men]] and [[Humans]] is found in their cultures, and so they are mentioned separately here.)
  
 
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<noinclude>[[Category:Races of Otherworld]]
 
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{{Races Navigation}}</noinclude>
The Max Caps for all humans is normal.
 
 
 
[[Category:Races of Gaeis]]
 
 
 
{{Races Navigation}}
 

Latest revision as of 22:30, 19 May 2012

Humans are not natives of Jaeis. Long ago the other creatures of the world noticed strange footprints in the snow, bones in the sand, something rustling the leaves. These were the heralds of the Humans, whose curiosity and ambition had led them to Jaeis from another world. The Humans survived and prospered in the new world, and made both war and peace with the other peoples of Jaeis. They are as sturdy, diverse and numerous as the rocks in a riverbed.

Man.jpg

Physiology

Humans vary widely depending on geographical location, class, and genetics, much more so than any other race. They stand between 5′ and 6′ feet tall, generally speaking. Their skin-tone ranges from very dark to pale with hair in shades of blond, brown, black, and red, fading to grays and whites in old age. Other races envy the humans for the beauty of their eyes, in which can be found many vivid colors. Humans can live one hundred years or more, but very rarely are they actively contributing members of society at that extreme age.


Appearance

Humans like to distinguish themselves by tattooing their skin, styling their hair, lacquering their nails, and dressing in different fabrics. They are the most diverse race, and absorb much culturally from others. Occasionally, Humans even take on slight physical features of other races.


Personality

Humans do not live as long as some of the other races. Aware of this trait, many Humans are eager to work towards their extremely lofty goals and seek to affect the world in radical ways. Humans have a tendency to desire control and immediate gratification. They are also curious by nature and are liable to seek out more trouble than is good for them. They value independence and the survival and prominence of their race.


Habitat

Humans are the most widely spread of any of the beings of Jaeis, and have established many kingdoms and cities. They live in houses and man-made dwellings above ground and tend to cluster around cities and centers of industry. Human dwellings center around immediate family. Commonly, multi-generational households are found. As beings somewhat foreign to the planet, Humans are uneasy when forced away from the comfort of their cities and others of their kind, and into the wilderness.


Society

Humans are very concerned with concepts such as bloodlines, kingdoms and territory. Despite their abundant presence on the planet, Humans are viewed as outsiders by many of the other races, since the creation stories do not list them and many tales tell of their vagabond beginnings on the planet. Humans possess little coherency as a race, often quarreling over small matters or their many differences of opinion. They are the founders and main proponents of Industrialism.


Humans favor burial as their favored means of funeral rite, and procreate at a much faster rate than any other race.

Relations

Humans have, since their arrival on Jaeis, been extremely close with the Goblyns. Goblyns have been historically bound to Humans, dedicated to protecting and serving the Human race. Humans respond to this with either appreciation and love, derision and abuse, or apathy and ignorance. One thing is for sure: even after the Proclamation of Goblyn Independence, Humans can no more get away from the Goblyns than they can stop breathing. Humans, despite their adverse reputation for being planetary squatters, have built relationships with all the other races of Jaeis for good or ill. In the South, the humans take strongly to the Zjenithi, who maintain a powerful presence there. Humans often find themselves attracted to members of other races. While most other races see this as distasteful and taboo, humans generally accept inter-species relationships, although there are exceptions there, as well.


Motivations

Human beings are driven by emotions. They are selfish, on the large, valuing the individual above all. Most Humans seek to build relationships, achievements, and/or power. Given their relatively short lifetimes and occasional frailty, Humans want it now, and they want it big. They search for meaning in life and are constantly asking existential questions and wandering off to find the answers.


Max Caps

The Max Caps for all humans is normal (10).


Powers

  • Fisticuffs – For whatever reason, humans love to fight with their hands. Beginning at childhood, humans exhibit a tendency to punch their way through their troubles. To represent this, Humans receive a +1 to their Hand-to-hand Hurt score (2 instead of 1).
  • Immutable - Due to the fact that they are not native to Jaeis, Humans are more resilient to the natural forces (including magic) of the world. Humans receive a +1 to Magic Defense.
  • Versatile – Humans receive a +2 to either a Save or Skill Check of the player's choice.
  • Get a Job – Humans receive the first rank in their first Occupation for free since they are quick learners and hard workers.


(Note: It should be mentioned that the races of Men and Humans are essentially the same race spread between the two distinct worlds of Jaeis and Halestia, since both races possess the same powers and physiology, but the differences between Men and Humans is found in their cultures, and so they are mentioned separately here.)