Humans

Humans are the main race living on Coryphiel. They are so widespread and populous that it is unusual to see creatures of any other race. Most other races were originally human, come from a mixture of humans and other creatures, or were created by Humans.

Humans control the vast majority of the civilised world, and have a variety of different cultures and nations. They have settled anywhere possible, adapting to any environment and surviving against the odds.

Being surrounded by powerful monsters and magical entities, humans have had to innovate to survive. As a result, humans are the most technologically advanced race in the world.

## Description

There's not much I can say about humans which you don't already know. If you are reading this, then you are probably human.

However, humans in Coryphiel differ from humans in a few minor ways. Firstly, their appearance can be a little more diverse and varied; vibrant and varied hair or eye colours are entirely possible. Additionally, the presence of magic allows for some outlandish options of appearance; a sorcerer may have glowing eyes and aspects of their apperance which are relevant to the magic they use.

It is important to note however that a human's appearance is not random, it is inherently tied to their ethnicity, their background, and their capabilities.

## Ethnicities in Coryphiel

### Tyrraneans

Tyrrus is a fair region with a temperate climate. Its people are descended from the remains of an ancient civilisation, and followers of Zythia. Most of Tyrrus is cultivated and dotted with villages and towns, there are five main city-states that control the region and are often at war with one another. Tyrrus claims technological superiority over other regions.

#### Erdannians

Erdannians are natives of Southern Tyrrus, where the Erdannian Empire has its heartland. This region is often known as the "Cradle of Innovation", due to the incredible technological leaps made by Erdannian scientists.

#### Whyteholders

People who come from Whytehold have been bred to be hardy and strong, due to millennia of militaristic traditions. Whytehold is in the South-East of Tyrrus. Whytehold people are generally tall and stocky, with blond or red hair.

#### Thassalians

The City-State of Thassalus is in the eastern part of Tyrrus, and is currently controlled by Whytehold. Its people are flamboyant and jovial, having a history of performance and song.

#### New Havenites

New Haven is a land saturated with magic, which works its way into the people indigenous to that region. People of New Haven have bright and bizarre hair and eye colours. The further one is born from New Haven itself, the less vibrant the hair. This appearance is sometimes shared by the people of the Everwood.

#### Wayfarers

Wayfarers are travelling performers and traders who wander Tyrrus, and some parts of Izir. They have strange traditions, and love to roam. Wayfarers have wide and varied appearances, but most are Tyrranean.

### Izirians

Izir is a vast desert that makes up the majority of Estiel. The Izirian people can trace their origins to ancient times, where they claim to have been the first proper civilisation on Coryphiel. According to legend, the civilisations of Izir have been destroyed three times in the past by monsters and dragons. Izirians are shrewd merchants, building enormous trade empires.

#### Alburunz

The Alburunz ("of Bronze") people of Izir are native to the central-western part of the desert, and have spread along the rivers of Izir. The largest city in this region is Alatheen, but many Alburunz prefer travelling the desert in trade caravans.

#### Baeid

The Baeids are a mostly nomadic folk who roam the deserts, herding animals and migrating based on the climate. They are renowned for warrior prowess and their skills in hunting and taming monsters. Many Baeids have been forced out of their native regions, and fled to the eastern mountains, where they gather in the city of Durabbalad.

#### Maranni

The Maranni are the people of the Izirian west coast. They are the most prolific sailors and sea traders in Izir, and their largest settlement is the great city of Irikkad.

#### Ancients

The Ancients are a people out of time. When the city of Izero was stuck into a time loop, and only brought out thousands of years later, it took the people of the city a while to catch up to modern events. The Ancients are a proud people, desperate to bring back the time of the Empire of Izero. They have ancient clothing and traditions, distinguishing them from other Izirians.

#### Yasadam

The Scendrasil Shore and the Bloodwater Delta are oddly verdant part of the deserts, due to the presence of the Scendrasil, the great tree of light. Most of the shore is either marshy floodplains or sweltering jungle. The Yasadam are some of the only people capable of effectivel navigating the shifting currents of the Bloodwater Delta. There are many rumours surrounding these folk, including accusations of forbidden magic practices.

#### Azathicans

Far, far to the east, beyond Azakkad, beyond Irikkad, beyond even the ruins of Ocathia, sits the cursed city of Azathica. The Azathicans dealt with powers they could not control and opened a yawning pit to the Abyss. Their home became shrouded in strange mists. The people were forever cursed to follow the orders of strange powers. Their skin turned to a deep purple, and their eyes became pure black. In Izir, it is bad luck to even whisper the name of this abhorred city

### Hirokiri

The Hirokiri live in the verdant but deadly jungles of Hirokir. This has had a profound effect on the people there, turning them into hardy and isolationist people. Foreigners may consider them rude and hostile, but they are actually incredibly friendly to one another and excel at working together for a common goal. In order to survive against the dangers of the jungle, they have delved into magical techniques that other nations consider to be profane. They have an odd appearance; their skin is dark but their hair is usually white or blond. Almost all of them bear tribal tattoos, which grant magical benefits.

#### Aram'Kaii

The largest of the Hirokiri cities, Aram'Kai is the City of Gold. The people of Aram'Kai are spirited traders and diplomats, who have festivals almost every week. The people of Aram'Kai have pink, purple, or orange eyes. They bear yellow or pink tattoos.

#### Zul'Garabi

The biggest port in Hirokir. Zul'Garab is the city of the dead, where ancient ancestors are honoured and craftsmen make fine trinkets from bone. The people of Zul'Garab have blue or green eyes. They bear white tattoos.

#### Vaik'Kaii

A centre of magical learning in Hirokir. Vaik'Kai is built upon large crystal deposits, which are heavily used in their magic. The people of Vaik'Kai usually have one eye a different colour to the other. They bear green tattoos.

#### Uum'Broxi

Considered a depraved place by most people, the city of Uum'Brox is closely connected to the Demons of Hirokir. The people of Uum'Brox have red eyes and black tattoos.

#### Szi'Zundori

The furthest north of the Hirokiri cities, Szi'Zundor is often wracked by terrible weather and is sometimes called the "City of Rain". This doesn't dampen the spirits of the people living there though. The people of Szi'Zundor have blue or silver eyes, and blue tattoos.

#### Outlander

Many Hirokiri people live among the jungles, in scattered tribes and primitive groups. These Outlanders are often shunned by others in Hirokiri society.

### The Shattered Sea

The Shattered Sea is a contested place with a long and bloody history of colonialism and war. Being such a central location in the world, people come to the Shattered Sea from all over the world, despite what the natives may want.

#### Shattered Sea Natives

The Natives of the Shattered Sea are often called "Savage Islanders", a name coined by the Calamaran Empire when it was colonising their islands and oppressing their people. The natives were Hirokiri people who left the mainland to settle the seas. They once lived all across the seas, but now only populate a few small islands. The natives are close to nature have have many old traditions. They lack technology, but have some powerful magic. They are exceptionally good at swimming.

#### Svoldians

Svoldians are the oldest natives of the Shattered Sea, and it is unsure when they first populated the island, but it is known that they have a common ancestor with the Whyteholders. The Svoldians live on an archipelago famed for storms and sheer cliffs, and so have become hardy and strong, even gaining some innate resistance to the harsh weather. They are generally quite tall and stocky. Their skin is tanned, but not dark. Their hair is usually blond or red.

#### Calamarans

Natives of islands colonised by invaders from Tyrrus, long ago. The Calamaran people are so named for the Calamaran Empire, which stretched across all the Shattered Sea. They arrived at the Shattered Sea much later than the Natives, but still long enough ago to be their own distinct ethnicity.

#### N'Shari

The N'Shari of the Dark Isles live on the southernmost edge of the world, an unnaturally cold place wreathed in mist. They have grey skin and are usually misshapen in some way. Many are obese and float around in magical chairs of bone. Others have too many limbs and horns of bone jutting from their skin. All have an affinity with dark magic and are not far from being demons.

### Shavhani

The Shavhani people live on the vast continent of Shavhan, and are fairly isolationist, having little influence in the history of the rest of the world. The Shavhani people have a strange way of viewing the world; placing high value in words and little value onto material possessions, unless they are innately tied to a tradition or piece of family history. Shavhani people also have strong martial arts traditions, it is an expectation in Shavhan to be the master of your own body and mind.

#### Xang

The Xang people live in the mountains and hills in and around the Xang Vale, a beautiful valley of forests and streams. This is the most civilised part of the continent, home to the three great cities; Vanh-Gu-Shei, Ao Mizhao, and Xangwu. The Three Dynasties rules this area. The people of this area have pale skin and dark hair, and are quite tall.

#### Zong'Kitou

The Zong'Kitou people (More commonly known as Zongols) are militaristic nomads who inhabit the vast expanse of steppes and savannah that covers the eastern part of Shavhan. They fight over matters of tradition, religion, and territory, and raid or subjugate settlements they come across.

#### Taigon

The Taigon people are the natives of the Shivarran Isles. Their race was almost completely eliminated by the Xang and the Calamarans. It is rare to see someone descended from the Taigon outside of the isles. The Taigon are taller, and darker skinned, than the other Shavhani ethnicities.

#### Chakrou

The Chakrou are descended from the inhabitants of the ancient Chakradei Empire, which once ruled vast swathes of land across east and south Shavhan. Their empire has long since fallen, and now they are mostly slaves or vassals to the Zong'kitou. The one place the Chakrou live in peace is Yangain.

### Nothindrians

Nothindrians, or ‘Bantams’ as they are called by other nations, are natives of the cluster of islands north of Shavhan, the coldest settlements in Coryphiel. They are an unusually short race of people, standing between 3 to 5 feet tall. Despite their size they are not to be underestimated, and have a fervour for warfare. Nothindrians have pale skin and light hair colours. They also have some resistance to the cold climate of their homeland.

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