Humans

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## Humans

### Subgroups

Crystal-Caste
Metal-Caste
Glassfolk
Sekrai
Ignans
Trolls

### Notable Examples

Erin Ruunaser
Tess Ruunaser
Dainix

### Typical Characteristics

Relatively round ears High degree of adaptability to strange environments Normally resemble shades of the earth

**Humans** are one of the three Elder Races.

They were one of the first three of the Twins' creations, alongside the Elves and Ancients. They are known for their adaptability, and have a large variety of subraces, most of which evolved during the First Days to survive the elemental extremes of the surface. Humans are also often some of the most skilled and versatile mages, and it is not uncommon for a human mage to hold power over more than one element; however, only unadapted humans have ever been recorded as possessing power over more than three. Humans stand as a point of balance in the world of Aurora, able to shift in any direction without losing themselves in the process.

## Subraces

### Ignans

A race of fire-influenced humans that live in large, isolated communities in the world's deserts. They produce unique and rare products and textiles, and are well-trained at fighting off the dangers of the deserts with their innate fire magic and fireproof physiology. Their coloring can vary based on where they live, but the Rauan population have red-gold hair and eyes, and paler flame-patterns on their tanned skin. The Ignans don't have individual city gods, but instead one god of the people as a whole, called Caliban.

##### Volcanic Ignans

Extremely fire-influenced humans. They almost exclusively live in active volcanoes, since almost anywhere else would be too cold for them. Due to these extreme environments, little information can be gathered about them.

### Sekrai

Water-influenced humans that live in underwater habitats, often coral reefs. They are amphibious, capable of breathing air as well as water, but don't often go above the surface, finding it unpleasant. However, Sekrai piracy is not an uncommon occurance. Due to the water isolating them from the harsher surface world, Sekrai are extremely vulnerable to elemental corruption from elements other than water. Sekrai mages for elements other than water may never even encounter enough ambient elemental energy to realize they have abilities. Their appearances can vary.

##### Deep Sekrai

A subrace of Sekrai that are adapted to live at extremely high pressures. They cannot survive in areas of lower pressure and are hairless and bioluminescent, allowing them some light in the depths of the ocean. The god of the Sekrai, Kiska, manifests as a Deep Sekrai and doesn't interact with her people much; she spends most of her time hunting and exploring the bottom of the sea, much deeper than almost anything else can go.

### Glassfolk

Fire- and stone-influenced humans. Almost all of them possess latent fire magic, which they can focus to beams of light, like lasers. They used to rule over the Crystal empires, using their more common elemental magic to keep the crystal castes in line, but have since been overthrown by the Adamant caste. They are very sparkly in the sun.

### Metal-Caste

Metal (stone)-influenced humans that come from Ironhill, located in the southernmost eastern continent. There are various types, including Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. They are sturdy and strong, and their metal skin makes them nearly impervious to physical damage. Metal-caste have a unique quirk to their people: at the onset of puberty, each develops a "spark" that gives them a sense of motivation and self-awareness that they don't possess in childhood. Unfortunately, this makes them targets for slave traders, who value their physical strength and their unsparked complete willingness to obey. If a child is exposed to trauma too early, it is possible they will never develop a spark. If a metal-caste is struck by natural lightning, they undergo a transformation they call "being chosen by the sky," where they develop a wanderlust and gain lightning magic.

### Crystal-Caste

Crystal (stone)-influenced humans that rule over the Crystal empires. There are subraces for almost every type of gem, with the ruby, sapphire, and emerald castes ruling over empires that all pay allegiance to the larger Adamant Empire. The crystal-caste have vibrant, saturated eyes and hair the shade of their gem affiliation, and are generally hardier than normal humans. There is tension between the three smaller empires, but the empires themselves are mostly made up of individual cities that affiliate with one empire or another. Crystal-caste mages are very rare, and tend to have very specific skill sets but be very good at their one "trick" (a crystal-caste water mage might be able to exclusively transform water to ice, for example). While gods are present in the region, they don't rule, instead advising a mortal line of succession.

##### Adamant-Caste

A subrace of crystal-caste humans. They are not actually affiliated with the adamant metal, which is found exclusively in the core of the earth; instead, their true crystal affiliation is diamond. Notably, they cannot become mages, but can redirect and amplify the elemental magic of others.

### Trolls

Comparatively rarer stone-influenced humans, also called the Stonekin (needs source). Similar to the metal-caste, but they're covered in rough, stony plates and horns that can be more irregular. While their rocky armor is usually dull earth tones, their eyes can be vibrant jewel shades and they sometimes decorate their armor with carvings or gems. They are around eight feet tall when fully grown. They are sedentary, not usually leaving the mountains and valleys where they first adapted.

### Other Races

##### Sirens

Wind-influenced humans born at random around the world, although they are more likely to be born in elemental hot zones. They don't have latent magic, but their voices are especially charismatic and persuasive.

##### Lightning-Influenced Humans

Unnamed lightning-influenced humans born randomly around the world, similar to Sirens. They think much quicker than other people and are extremely energetic and quick to react, but can have trouble connecting with other, "slower" people.

##### Ice-Influenced Humans

Unnamed ice (water)-influenced humans that live in colonies at the poles. Their icy armor is not biological, but instead grows on them in their cold habitats and will melt in hotter weather. Underneath the icy plating, they are slender, pale humanoids. All of them possess latent water magic specialized for ice shaping.

##### Life-Influenced Humans

Humans born with an excess of life influence can result in a number of unique mutations or abilities, but as long as the person is born with them, it doesn't seem to be harmful. These mutations can appear as extra limbs or resemblances to chimerical mutations. Some, termed "chameleons," can alter some aspects of their physical appearance at will, such as the color of their skin and hair.

## References

1. ↑ The Three Elder Races (comicaurora.com)
2. ↑ Sorry for asking so much, but. What can you tell us about Ignans (tumblr.com)
3. ↑ Would Volcanic Ignans be able to survive living among normal Ignans? (tumblr.com)
4. ↑ Is there a specific era Aurora is set in? Are there any points in history you were inspired by? (tumblr.com)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "*Okay, so basically...*" to "*though they cannot themselves be mages*": messages in #aurora-discussion in the OSP discord server (discord.com)
6. ↑ I saw three different varieties of sekrai on the elder races page. (tumblr.com)
7. ↑ Any trivia on about Kiska you can give at this time? (tumblr.com)
8. ↑ What is “the subjugation thing”? I couldn’t find anything about it in the extra lore or by searching about glassfolk on your page. (tumblr.com)
9. ↑ Hi Red! Can you tell us anything about glassfolk? (tumblr.com)
10. ↑ Can you share anything about metalcaste, since the shiny dragon-punching lady is stated to be one? (tumblr.com)
11. ↑ sorry if youve answered this question before and i couldnt find it, whats the deal with the red, blue and green haired humans on the three elder races lore page? (tumblr.com)
12. ↑ "*Two regions are more heavily stone-influenced...*" to "*so most new people in the area move into an outlying Emerald city*": messages in #aurora-discussion in the OSP discord server (discord.com)
13. ↑ If there’s a book series called the Adamant King, and so much time has passed since the storm spawned that people have no idea what was at the center... (tumblr.com)
14. ↑ Can you tell us a bit more about Trolls? I just realized practically no one talks about them. (tumblr.com)
15. ↑ "*Anaklusmos, wind influenced humans are basically sirens...*": message in #aurora-discussion in the OSP discord server (discord.com)
16. ↑ *"I actually have brought up life-adapted humans. They tend to have stable mutations, either extra limbs or some very limited shapeshifting"*: message in #aurora-discussion in the OSP discord server (discord.com)
17. ↑ "*An excess of life influence can produce unexpected abilities in people, including some transformative abilities..."* to "*can change the color of their skin and hair.*": messages in #aurora-discussion in the OSP discord server (discord.com)