The Human Race

In the world of Solitude, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons.

Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty kingdoms on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds.

A Human Female

## Characteristics

With their penchant for migration and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight); males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. Often the biggest downfall of humans is their greed and that they're easily manipulated.

## Names

Having so much more variety than other cultures, humans as a whole have no typical names. Some human parents give their children names from other languages, such as Dwarvish or Elvish (pronounced more or less correctly), but most parents give names that are linked to their region’s culture or to the naming traditions of their ancestors.

## Believes

Humans who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups.

Humans are known to be quite religious people. Most peasants worship Martha, as she is the one that gave them life and their crops to feed them and sustain them. Astair and Felumbra are also commonly prayed to, since humans believe that law and order is what keeps a kingdom from turning in to chaos, and since humans are often very spiritual, Felumbra has a strong influence as well. Most minor gods are considered worthy of prayer as well by the humans, but Martha definitely holds the highest position in their minds, with Astair second and Felumbra third.

## Human Traits

It’s hard to make generalizations about humans, but your human character has these traits.

#### Age

Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

#### Alignment

Humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

#### Size

Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

#### Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on.

## Variant Human

If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from the *Player’s Handbook*, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait.

#### Ability Score Increase

Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

#### Skills

You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.