Humans

> *"They're tougher than they look, and much too difficult to kill. Rhikiásha never know when to give up."* -- Shudhiú Orín, Ménadris of Iétxe Miétheir
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### Intro

Humans are a race of Jørþejm. In Rīkljanar, their native language, they refer to themselves as the Rīkljan. In Elvish, they are known as Diceinartho and in Giantish, Rhikiásha.

### History

Humans come from a realm known to them as Jânhejm, or the Green World. Not much is known about the native realm of the humans, as is predominantly the case with all of the races of Jørþejm. What little is known of Jânhejm is known through legend and stories passed on through the ages. If there had been any written records of human history before the Collision, they were lost in that event.

When the Collision happened, mankind, along with the Elves, Dwarves, and Giants, each found themselves a few hundred strong at the base of what would come to be known in Rīkljânar as Mount Hejmiz. Very quickly, the humans found themselves united under the leadership of a man named Katrīk Støžak, or Katrīk the Tree. A priest of the human religion, Rijanajt (The Way of the Green), he quickly connected to the natural magic of Jørþejm, despite it being mankind's first interaction with any kind of magic. He quickly made efforts to communicate with the other races, and within his lifetime, a peace was brokered between the four races with the goal of living harmoniously together in their new world. This peace was known to all as The Accord, and to men, Støžak's Peace. A result of The Accord and the peaceful, albeit at times uneasy, interaction between the races was the unofficial adoption of the Rīkljanar language as the common tongue between all four of the races.

By the time of Katrīk's great-great-grandson Katrīk III, in the year 132 A.C., the four races had spread out across the Continent and were beginning to grow uneasy with the peace. Humanity's first conflict with another race arose between the men of the Eastern Forest and the elves of the Aluveia Desert. Many men and elves lost their lives, and as news of this conflict spread across the continent, some sought to strengthen bonds between neighbors, but many more saw it as an opportunity. Conflicts broke out across the continent, men fought against elves, giants fought against dwarves, and the peace that had held for more than a century was broken in less than a year. This event became known to all as The Shattering.

In the aftermath of the Shattering, most of the humans in Jørþejm retreated to places where they were most connected to Klijân, (The Green), places where their magic was strongest and their communities were safest from the dangers posed by the other races. Those who did not remained in the Free Cities, strongholds against The Shattering that were able to keep it outside their walls that did not crumble as so many others did when their diverse populations turned on one another.

Over hundreds of years, following their retreat into nature, humans developed into two distinct subcultures, the Tamaløren (Sea People) and the Lasaløren (Forest Men). Despite their distinct cultures and the differences in religious expression, the two maintained fairly good relations with each other, rarely engaging in any conflicts beyond local squabbles. Today, nearly every forest in Jørþejm is dotted by Lasaløren settlements. Similarly, most of the islands off the coast of the continent, especially in the east and the northwest, are Tamaløren territory.

Notable Events
 Jâkīns (The Mushrooming)
 The Three Moons War | 794 A.C.

### Culture

Humans can be separated into two main cultures, the Tamaløren (Sea People) and the Lasaløren (Forest Men). Many small differences exist between them, but the degree to which they interact mostly keeps these differences to the surface level. Cultural manifestations such as music, cuisine, dress, art, and architecture are fairly different, however they both maintain a deeply rooted affinity for nature that is inseparable from their practice of Rijanajt. Human followers of Barseu are very rare within human territories, however many of the humans who live in free cities abandon Rijânajt to follow Barseuno, and they are frowned upon for this by humans who still hold to Rijânajt. As is the case with the other races, the men living in the free cities are a minority among the human population.

The Tamaløren live their whole lives by the sea, sometimes settling further inland along navigable rivers, but mostly living on one of the many islands off the coast of the Continent. Hardy and tough, the Sea People are known for their ability to weather harsh conditions and scratch out a living where most others would see nothing by salt, stone, and sand. Of the two human cultures, the Tamaløren are the more warlike, often supplementing their modest livings off fishing and trading with coastal raiding and piracy. The free cities are often the victims of these raids, as the wealth that they offer is often seen as bountiful compared to the risk of taking it.

More restrained and refined in many ways than their seaside relatives, the Lasaløren find peace in the depths of Jørþejm's vast expanses of forests. Considered by many other races to be brave, or even foolhardy, the Lasaløren live relatively at ease amongst the ancient trees and creatures found there. The Way of the Green thrives in the communities of the Forest Men, deeply connecting them to the flora and fauna around them. Even the dark creatures who come out in the forests at night seem to mostly leave the Lasaløren alone. Because of this, it is commonly rumored outside the forests that the men there sacrifice their children to the forest in exchange for safety there.

### Notable Human Characters

* Djon mo Lejanar
* Vekþan mo Lejanar