Men

It is held that Loelir the Lady of Light first sculpted the race of Men out of clay. She instilled them with a curiosity and drive not possessed by the other races, and resultantly, men strive to greatness during their comparatively shorter lives. Having been created by the immortal of light, men cannot see in the dark and children fear dark places.

Physiology

The race of Men begin adolescence at around 13, and are considered adults by the time they reach 16 or 17. Men live for at most 120 years, and at that point, they're wrinkly, feeble old fogies, mumbling to people that aren't there. As far as hair, eye, and skin color, this varies greatly depending on the region of birth. Men in the north are typically fair-skinned with fair hair. Men in the south have darker skin and dark hair and eyes. See the descriptions of the native people of Halestia for these specifics.

Of all the other races, vidari are the only ones capable of reproducing with humans. Whichever race conceives the child is the deciding factor in the race of the offspring. A female human who mates with a male vidara conceives a human child whose natural lifespan is doubled. A female vidara who mates with a human male conceives a vidara child whose natural lifespan is halved. Tell-tale signs of mixed heritage could include height, ear shape, and hair and eye color.

Size

Humans range in height, but average height varies in region between around 5′ and 6′ feet tall, but there are people who fall above and below this range, and females tend to be shorter than males. Humans are Size 0.

Appearance

The appearance of Men has much more variance than any of the other sentient races, and is heavily dependent on the locale. See the descriptions of the native people of Halestia for specifics.

Personality

Men are first and foremost ambitious; they strive to greatness and set lofty goals. Men often lack the age-instilled wisdom of the longer-lived races having at the most 120 years to experience all the world has to offer (often much less). Men vary in behavior much more than any of the other races and cover the full range from righteous, honorable heroes to despicable, sinister tyrants. Lastly, men are the only race to fear what they do not understand.

Habitat

Men live in all manner of places depending on region from stone halls to thatched-roof cottages. Their homes are usually made from nearby materials, and often consist of a mixture of stone and wood, wealth and availability allowing. Men also build vast cities and fortresses where a great number live together.

Occasionally a human will be allowed to live in the domain of the Vidari, most often because a Vidari has taken him or her as a mate.

Diet

Men enjoy a balanced diet of meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, nuts, grain, and vegetables: anything they can harvest or raise.

Society

Each country keeps its own style of government and local society. Some answer to a king and others answer to a council. Men take to science more than the other races, for they are not as gifted with magic.

Men observe the birth of their children by hosting great celebrations with family and friends. Men will usually have between 1–6 children. Weddings are a time of great joy and are attended by close family and friends of the newlyweds with copious amounts of delectable dishes and fine wines. Men greet death with a solemn and reverent attitude, many grieve and weep for their lost loved one and the vast amount of time that must be spent until they meet again in the afterlife. Men bury the deceased to allow them to return to the earth and clay from which they came.

Language

Men used to speak many languages based on their region. In recent centuries, a common tongue has been spread through the world, and while some people still hold to the old tongues, pretty much anyone speaks the common language of Men.

Relations

Men get along well with any of the other races, if they don't mind being called stuffy by the Vidari or weak by the Evengar. Out of all the sentient races of Halestia, they are most like the Firnoy, for both take to farming, herding, and merchanting.

Occupations

The occupations of men fluctuate greatly, but many able-bodied men are professional soldiers. Few men are miners because the Evengar are so much better at it. Because of their affinity for science, men dominate the ranks of chemists, astronomers, and inventors.

Motivations

Men aspire to lofty goals thanks to their ambitious nature. Acquiring power or wealth, exploring unknown places, vanquishing their enemies, or simply meeting challenges head-on are common ambitions among the race of Men. They also possess personal motivations such as protecting their loved ones, making a name for themselves, and just getting enjoyment out of life.

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, Men receive a +1 to their Hand-to-hand Harm score (2 instead of 1).
• Immutable – Due to their industrious nature, and many Men's aversion to magic, they receive +1 to Magic Defense.
• Versatile – Men receive a +2 to a skill check of the player's choice.
• Workaholic – Men receive the first rank in their first Occupation for free since they are quick learners and hard workers.