Human

Humans are restless, taking to the seas, the mountains, valleys, meadows, and caverns to carve out their homes and societies against all odds. Originating from ruined Pontos, the humans traversed a great wall of mist in the ancient days and landed on Auldenon, then spread to the four winds and now occupy space in almost every corner of the continent. Humans are incredibly diverse, predominant, and hold more power today than ever.

## Description

Humans are among the most common race found on Auldenon, and according to some folklore across the continent, humans must have been shaped by the earth itself. Their skin, hair, and eyes reflect naturally occurring colours of the world, covering all extremes of the spectrum from dark to pale tones. Humans are often equated to chameleons, as they have an appetite to change their appearances more regularly than most, curating various styles over their brief lives. Many humans have formed families with other races, and distinct traits passed on from a partner’s lineage, such as pointed ears or unnaturally coloured eyes, is not unheard of.

## Personality

Despite their shared origin in the age of ruined Pontos, there is no such thing as a typical or normal human. Whether having a penchant for adventure or conquest, humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people on the continent. Humans– as anyone else– have varying morals, ideals, customs, and traditions that span the different regions they have settled. Despite their relatively short lifespans, humans are known to leave a lasting impression; they are constantly outrunning time, and the nature of their existence demands that they build something that will outlast them and cement their place in the annals of history. Some humans are very traditional, finding comfort in lasting institutions and systems, while others are well suited to a life of adventure that rejects comfort and lives each moment as it comes. Humans have survived many years due to their numbers and ingenuity, leading to a reputation as opportunists looking for changing political, social, and commercial dynamics.

For the most part, humans are a welcoming group. They enjoy helping others and feel a need to improve upon their surroundings. Above all, humans tend to be enterprising and stubborn; if need be, they find the will to survive by any means necessary.

## Abilities

Human adaptability is one to be marvelled at, surviving in temperatures of both extremes, in many different ecologies, with innate radical endurance and abilities to adjust to many altitudes or climates. The human body is also radically adaptive, with many internal processes and feedback interactions that allow them to reach homeostasis and heal themselves in an impressively short time. Human intelligence and mental elasticity give them advantages in learning multiple skills and disciplines throughout their lives at almost any point.

The human body is, unfortunately, as brilliant as it is betraying. Humans live the shortest lifespans of all people on the continent; they’re highly vulnerable to disease and require eight hours of rest on top of proper nutrition. Additionally, the human mind is easily susceptible to mental corruption, especially by magical charm.

## Society

Human settlements stretch across the continent in every direction, and their societies have evolved over thousands of years since a time before ruined Pontos. Their communities and groupings can be as large and impactful as empires or as small and secluded as villages, with varying morals, faiths, institutions, dialects, and cultures that can often be as oppositional as they are complimentary. Humans tend to progress forward, hoping to change their historical mistakes via codes of law and by altering their traditions as necessary. There's a common notion that humans are ever-reaching for immortality. Their way of achieving it is by uniting into these now ubiquitous societies and indelibly marking the earth so a world of long-lived beings and immortals will not overshadow their historical existence or progress.