Humans

Rivalled only by Elves in terms of their numbers, Humans are considered to be some of the most resilient peoples in the world, championing technology Pannotia-wide.

“Throughout my innumerable travels, there have been three certainties: What can go wrong, most likely shall. Wherever I go there will be taxes to face and finally, there will always be a human who will see what they want in me.” - Urhgok von Strauss, Orcish Tinkerer and Explorer during the Age of Heroes.

Unlike the Elves who are renowned for the mastering of the arcane or the orcs who lead the technological field, humans are instead known for their abundance and adaptability in the known World. Believed by many to have first established themselves on the continent of Ortim, Humans have gradually, over thousands of years, colonized lone landmasses untouched by the pre-existing races and have established themselves as a powerhouse in their own right by sheer numbers alone. Humans that were native to Ortim, were historically often forced to become indentured servants to the long established Dwarven Kingdoms, but have since evolved and grown into controlling their own, the likes of which even rival the ancient Elven ruling families and Orcish Chieftains. Due to aggressive expansion and exploration, Humans have adapted to form distinct cultures and governments -- all differing in world view, class structure and goals and for that reason it's not too surprising that the Humans that inhabit the Kingdom of Galudon range from all sorts of sizes and skin colour, creed and beliefs.

History

TBD

Physical Appearance

Humans have been categorized by other significant races such as the Elves and Orcs as being simple ‘inferior’ versions of themselves. This is due to the fact that when you place an Elf and a human side by side, the only true distinctions that can be made for a human in contrast to an elf are the lack of pointed ears, a shorter stature and that humans can be far more muscular than their traditionally lean elven cohorts. In truth, Humans are the most versatile in terms of phenotype as they can be a wide array of different body types, hair lengths, heights, weights and skin colours. They are bipedal, standing on two legs and possessing two arms. They are able to reach heights of up to 6 foot 7 inches, though this is rare for the vast majority of the Human race but there are some offshoot peoples who have an innate ability for such, such as the women of the Istis Clans. Humans can be incredibly strong, but always dwarf in comparison to the Orcs that inhabit the workhouses, factories and engineering companies. Humans are not born with tapped magical abilities, so mutations are uncommon, but rather the capacity to use magic is deeply occluded, and requires decades of training to fully tap into a person’s potentia; though never quite rivalling the innate talent of the Elven race.

Mentality and Creed

Due to the sheer number of humans and their prolific versatility to integrate themselves among other races and adapt to their environment, Humans have a vast array of different cultural offshoots, a great number of which are still waiting to be discovered. That said, Humans are attune enough to hierarchy that it's practically become a subconscious need for them to integrate into one, or create one from nothing. This stems naturally from thousands of years of tribal mentality, where one or two people are recognised as the de facto head or heads of a group whose word is law and must be followed until challenged and leadership passes to another. This is however not to say that Humans do not have the mind for individuality, in fact, quite the opposite. Challenge to leadership, even within a stable status quo hierarchy, is a constant with people wishing to press their own rule of law and moral code. This is where Humans excel. Fundamentally, their want for societal advancement will always dictate a need to question authority where necessary and this helps to further promote their own mental individuality and pursuits. Humans are loyal to those who they believe warrant their loyalty, making their hierarchies very prone to turbulence.

Humans as a consequence are very opinionated. Whether it be political, moral or quandaries surrounding personal dogma, each and every human is never truly a hundred percent the same. This is because Humans, despite the hierarchical structures in place, operate more to appease one's own self and dogma than to blindly follow any particular leader or central figure save for the rare occasions that their dogma and moral values line up in a manner deemed satisfactory to them. Even then, Human nature will eventually take over, reflection and evaluation setting in to probe the viability of the hierarchy established and whether change ought to be pressed. This is the inevitable by-product of the metaphorical safety net that hierarchy provides and the need for self evaluation and personal dogma spawns, so naturally, Human society can often be described as turbulent by scholars from other races when contrasting them to their own. Human governments rise and fall, Kingdoms are built from nothing but are just as easily reduced to rubble but it's this freedom and the lack of a true figurehead or central ideal that really sets the Human race apart from others.

When compared to other races, humans can be classed as extremely mundane. As a result, most if not all Human societies have taken to steam-powered technology to give them the much needed edge to match the might and intimidating strengths of the other known Races. A reliance on steam powered machinery is deemed necessary by humans in order to establish themselves as a global power in Pannotia and, as a result of being one of the most mundane of Pannotia’s races, critical for the functioning of their society as Humans lack the innate ability to utilize magic in the same way as the Elves, the immense strength of the Orcs or the sheer wealth of the Dwarven race. In a sense, their technology and social advancement, complete with the decadence and opulence that comes with it, make Humans a distinct and less feeble, more difficult to conquer species, so much so that they have managed to overtime garner the respect and friendship with the equally as technologically focused Orcish race.

With the primary focus on advancement and progress, Humans award themselves ample room for freedom of expression, sexuality, marry who they want, to conglomerate and so on and so forth, provided none of these freedoms are exercised in a manner that obstructs the overall productivity of the Human population. This as a result has created a huge melting pot in the capital of Galudon with different races calling it home and working in unison. Family dynamics are mixed and its not uncommon in the slightest to see same-sex partnerships or marriages between the different races of Pannotia expressing themselves however they please. Parliament, the legislative body of the Humans in Galudon, and government bodies elsewhere across the known world are naturally cautious about hindering these freedoms, for fear of inciting rebellious intent especially among the working class that enjoy these freedoms, though there is an extensive lawbook in each of these nations regulating certain behaviours that infringe upon others personal freedoms, such as assault, murder, theft and the like; though these often only apply to certain areas of Human settlements while others are left free for groups to run on their own; more often the less industrialised, run down areas. Here, the Human law enforcement steer clear, never truly wishing to impose their enforcement at the behest of the Human governments, never wanting to overstep boundaries that have been established for decades. Despite this, the system works. Most of the people are happy, even if questioning their governing bodies intent, all thanks to the copious amount of liberties awarded to Human settlements.

Religion

One might think that with centuries of progress, something that the Human race places at the forefront of their pursuits, Religion to some deity or theological ideology would have been naturally established, similar to that of the Elves, however, this is not the case. Instead, Humans will establish their own ‘micro faiths’ almost cult-like in worship to follow. For example, in the Kingdom of Galudon, the vast majority of the population, including other races, worship “The Philosophy of Bartleby”, a contemporary text with a large following that champions the technological advancement of Humankind by implementing it into all facets of Human life, be it work, relationships, the family unit. Shrines to the tome are often found inside of factories and workplaces but are not an uncommon sight to see makeshift in alleyways and poorer areas in the Kingdom. That said, the number of faiths and cults Humans follow are enumerable and just as many makeshift areas of worship crop up in worship to other ideologies and religious ideals as those to the Philosophy of Bartleby. This is widely accepted within Human society, as Humanity believes strongly in freedom of personal will, with scorn only coming to those faiths that appear to seek obstruction to their race’s technological and social advancement.

Culture

Human culture is largely influenced by the race’s mentality and creed. As such, hierarchical structures and the idea of personal freedoms coupled with technological progress remains stalwartly at the vanguard of most Human society’s cultural standards. Naturally, given the incalculable number of Human Kingdoms, settlements, hamlets and villages, the more niche cultural norms tend to differ, but most of the key Human traits remain constant throughout.

Fashion

Human fashion is as varied as the rest of the population. However, certain trends and accepted societal norms persist across class structures.

For grown men; trousers that reach the ground are the most accepted covering on the bottom. The working class may tuck a corduroy, leather, or thick broadcloth trouser into a pair of low working boots. They might usually pair it with a button down shirt, vest, and jacket. Upper class gentlemen tend to wear a well-tailored and fine-cloth trouser to the leather shoe, and their shirts, vests, and jackets are often equally fine. For theatre performances, or gatherings after dark, elegant, tight trousers of full length with polished shoes in a rich black are accepted. Top hats are accepted for men during the evenings, but working class men may wear a sunhat or other profession appropriate gear. Evening wear for men include very form fitting black trousers in rich fabrics, a black coat with tails, white vest and shirt, and colourful cravat. A hat is appropriate to wear outside, as are gloves.

Women generally speaking wear dresses, although the style can vary greatly depending on class and profession. Working class women’s skirts are worn a few inches above their ankle in order to navigate urban streets or countryside soil without dirtying their hems. For the wealthier ladies, hems above the ankle are only worn during the day, with full hems during the evening hours. Corsets are often worn, and necklines generally lower as the day progresses. Hats are worn during the day by women of leisure, although during the evening hours the hair is trimmed with jewels, flowers, and ribbons. Evening wear for women include ballgowns that always reveal the neck and shoulders as well as have hems sweeping the ground, often including a train. These are made from rich fabrics and are trimmed with ribbons, flowers, jewels, and lace. For both women and men, the more colours, layers, and rich fabrics you can add to an ensemble the better. While the wealthy generally do this through expensive trim, jewels, and other insignia of their political affiliations or other prestigious companies, the working classes will often add contrasting colours in the way of vibrant hats, sashes, gloves, and stockings/shoes. Leather harnesses worn to carry weapons, various gadgets or tools of the trade are seen on men and women of every social caste. You may also see mechanized accessories, eyeglasses, or other helpful gadgets worn freely about that person. Those able to afford these things usually flaunt them as a symbol of their status.

1. Special Notes: Slaves’ clothing are dictated by their current owners. Slaves taken as political winnings often are in the uniforms of the party/company that won them. Others are sentenced to some time in servitude by the Ironhurst authorities in the Galudonian capital as punishment for a crime. But in all cases, a collar is worn naming the slave’s owner and length of time in service. Once the sentence is up, the collar unlocks and the slave is free. It is often remarked that in Brasswatch Point you can see more than you’d ever imagined, while wearing the least. This neighbourhood in Ironhurst is famous for its Pillow Houses and theatres. Those who ply their wares here are famously underdressed. It isn’t unusual for most business deals to be sealed within the walls of the brothels here. However, the most successful of entertainers here are respected for the wealth and industry they provide.

Cuisine

Galudon, as a large urban centre, thrives from trade from all over the known world. With this influx of new peoples and ideas comes spices and the recipes to showcase them. Humans, especially, are an inquisitive bunch, and are always looking for rare spices and unknown delicacies which they can use to show off their wealth and commitment to progress. Early mornings at cafes are where the most news is learned, and being seen from the street in the most fashionable cafes give many social clout with a certain group. Coffee is considered a mainstay of every level of society. You can also see taverns delivering food to the working class in factories or warehouses. Street food is everywhere, with humans embracing fish, meat, and vegetables in their meals. Fish and chips is extremely popular, as are chophouses as gathering spots for late night suppers.