Human

This entry is for the Madrian variants of the primate species. It is assumed that the reader is human. If not, find more comprehensive information about the Earth version of the species at Human - Wikipedia.

Humans as a race came into being on Madrian at the end of the Age of Myth. The myth of their creation follows;

*"The deity known as the Great Hunter had pursued a divine beast known as the Jongura across the void. The beast was powerful and cunning, but the hunter was able to track the beast to Madrian where it was devastating vast swaths of land. After a long and savage fight, the Great Hunter slew the beast. Madrian had observed this battle and found herself enamored of the victorious god. The goddess decided to lay with the Great Hunter and from the sweat of their coupling the first humans were created. Those that scavanged meat from the Jongura became orcs. The others spread across the land to hunt for themselves and became the first tribes.'*

**Norn**

The Norn originated from the tribes that settled in the Grey Peaks. They are taller than average for humans, generally ranging from 6'5" to 7'. Their body type is stocky and muscular with almost blocky facial features, including a thick brow. They tend toward paler skin tones, with blue or green eyes and lighter hair, typically blondes or reds. Norns of keep their hair long, often braided in a variety of fashions. Men usually grow full beards. They have a long history with the dwarves and of fighting giants alongside them. Culturally they are tough, physically oriented and honor battle. Children are raised to know how to fight, both with and without weapons. They are a quiet hardy people used to the cold of the mountains and the dangerous monsters that dwell there.

Earth equivalent - Norn are culturally modeled after the Norse countries and the name comes from the fates in Norse Mythology.

**Mera**

The tribes of humans that settled in Tieralto became known as the Mera. They typically have dark hair and eyes, and cream to tan or dark brown skin tones. Men typically keep they hair short and sport varying styles of facial hair, especially mustaches. Women traditionally grow their hair long and wear it out of the way in elaborate braided styles. Mera fashion includes bright colors, ornately decorated leather and jewelry. Fine boots and pants are favored, worn with loose blouses. This decoration is partially practical as it is quite common for Mera to use jewelry and other baubles as currency in place of coins. The Mera are most famously known for their horses, both in raising and riding.

Earth equivalent - Inspired by Spain and Mediterranean countries with ideas of horseman and dueling warriors.

**Jonguran**

Jongurans are direct descendants of the first settled human tribes on Madrian. Sharing their name both with the beast hunted by the Great Hunter, and the land he made from it's bones. They of average human height with lean bodies built for the open savannah prevalent in their homeland. They have dark brown to nearly black skin tones, eyes commonly in shades of violet or blue, and dark hair. Jongurans of both genders are known to keep their hair extremely short to very long, often based on familial traditions. Their homeland is also part of Tamera's favored hunting grounds, this along with the extremely varied biodiversity of the region, has led to a strong spiritual connection with nature. As such they have great respect for the various totems and greater working knowledge of natural magics.

Earth equivalent - Jongurans are inspired by Sub-Saharan peoples and myths.

**Raf**

Early human tribes that wandered south from the Jongura made their way to the great deserts of Rafiah. There they built the first human empire using magic learned from jinni and ancient goblin wizards. Raf are descended from these tribes. Of average height, they tend to have narrow frames and skin in shades of brown and bronze from living under the desert sun. Their hair is sandy brown to cream colored and they generally have brown eyes, though occasionally gold occurs. Raf generally keep shorter hair for practical purposes. Wealthier men and women often keep it long as a display of lifestyle. As a people they are known for their inventiveness and mechanical aptitude and the prominence of the Thieves' Guild. The last due to its role in the overthrow of the tyrant pharaohs of the ancient past. The Raf are a warm and friendly people with strong traditions and deep concepts of honor and debt.

Earth equivalent - the Raf are inspired by Middle-eastern cultures, but strongly influenced by Egyptian myth and the Arabian Nights.

**Mezralli**

Mysterious to most others on the continent are the human tribes of the Mezorale. The Mezralli are typically a few inches shorter than the human average with long limbs. They have black hair and eyes that are often compared to a jungle cat's. Due to the heat and humidity of their homeland they wear very little clothing, often nothing more than a loin cloth. They do however have a practice of using body paints in a wide variety of pigments. These paints are made of a variety of natural and sometimes magical ingredients. The Mezralli have legends stretching back to the days of the Priest Kings and are distrustful of religion and those who serve it. They otherwise live peaceful lives secluded from the woes of the outside world and secure within the wilds of their lands.

Earth equivalent - tribal groups of South America.

**Baro**

Baro come from the human tribes that settled into the lands that would become the Northern Baronies. They tend toward average height and light skin, not quite as pale as norns. They have blue to brown eyes and tend to have blonde, brown and sometimes red hair. The Northern Baronies has a long history of conflict, this has led to a certain homogenization of culture for the Baro. They pick up inventions, styles and customs of other peoples and mix them into their own. This habit has given the Baro a weaker cultural identity than other humans.

Earth equivalent - The white European cultures.

**Cao Wu**

Cao Wu are descended from tribes of humans that made their way through the regions of Mezorale further north. They and the lands they claim as home are named for their first emperor. Skin color tends to be similar to Baro and Mera peoples. Eyes are usually dark brown, though hazel and amber colors are not unusual. Cao Wu have distinctive eyelids similar to those of the Amato. Hair is almost exclusively black with very rare variation. They are of average human height and build, though diet keeps many thin and slight. The traditional hanfu garb of the region is distinctive with a variety of silk, cotton, linen and wools patterns created in with a wide selection of colors and designs. Regardless of gender hair is kept long, though often kept up in buns, topknots or ornate styles.

Earth equivalent - continental eastern Asian cultures, primarily Chinese of the Three Kingdoms era.

**Amato**

Tribes that moved even further north than Cao Wu settled in Amato. Their ancestors mixed among the Ryujin and distinctive fey of the region. Physiology is extremely close to the people of Cao Wu. Amato do tend slightly paler and have more variation in eye and hair color from elven heritage. Much of their culture was absorbed from the Ryujin and while sharing similarities to the regions south has its own distinctive styles. Clothing includes a variety of kimonos with patterns varying between austere to elaborately decorated, usually with natural imagery. Hair styles are similar to those in Cao Wu with regionally distinctive variations. Shorter hairstyles are more common than further south. Adherence to concepts of honor which reinforce the feudal hierarchy are prominent in much of Amato life. This has given them a reputation for stoicism among foreign traders. This is not helped by their isolationist treatment of much of the Continent.

Earth equivalent - feudal Japanese, especially from the Sengoku period.