Human

Humans charging into battle.

Humans, the youngest of the civilized races and the rowdiest of them all. Known for fierce and disagreeable behavior, they inhabit the southern lands of the continent. They are renown for their diversity and ambition, being just as likely to spend their lifes farming as they are to spend it marauding.

## Society

### Origins

Humans seldom find the need to record their deeds or their history, believing that their life past death in the halls of Odin is enough of a remembrance for their best - however, the one text that has survived centuries in their writing and in their mind is that of their creation.

The tale of Humans does not begin in Midgard, instead their birthplace is that of Asgard - Back when Odin, Villi and Vé still lacked their godly titles, they gazed upon the tree of Yggdrasil and grimaced at it's state of affairs, Ymir the Father of all Giants roamed it's many branches, doing with them whatever he wished. Some of the branches saw themselves covered in blood, being overrun by parasites while others lay trampled beneath the Giants footprint. It was time for gods of Asgard to stop the father of Jotunheim, but they lay indecisive - the sin of the world's first murder placated them.

It was only when they saw the first remains of the tree's bark, violently torned off by Ymir wash off in the shore of Asgard did they finally decide upon their move - they could not stand while Yggdrasil died a slow death to the Father of all Giants and as such each of the brothers gifted the pieces of bark with their essence - Odin gave the bark it's spirit, Villi gave it sense and Vé gave it life and from the bark emerged the first two humans, the male they gave upon the name of Ask as an honor to the great ash tree and the upon the female they gave the name Embla after the great elm. Upon restoring life upon Yggdrasil's bark, the gods embarked on their quest to slay Ymir in a battle that lasted centuries - and upon Ymir's corpse the gods used it's body to shape the mightiest branch of Yggdrasil into Midgard, a land great enough to honor the wounded tree and gifted it to Yggdrasil's children, Ask and Embla - the very first Humans.

### Culture

Born off the will of Odin, Humans have made their name known across the land as ruthless raiders and unscrupulous merchants taking whatever benefits them under threat of axe or deceptive trades - this aggression and lack of morals is not only in display against those different from them, Humans have no qualms to strike at kin who host different tribal banners if it means a higher chance of survival for their own tribe.

In fact, that was the truth for most of their life as the tribes of Midgard only recently became united under the banner of High King Svensson of Gyldenheim in answer to the growing threat of the Giants.

The day to day life of a human is as varied as their appearance, there are those that spend their life farming or fishing while others train to fight giants or raid their racially different neighbours - additionally, the tribe to which they belong dictates a lot of their social culture, from what they find attractive to what they believe is correct problem solving.

### Religion

The human religious beliefs revolve around the legend of the world tree 'Yggdrasil' - a massive tree that holds all of the world aloft and connects the various races and realms together by it's branches. The legends that first spoke of 'Yggdrasil' had theorized that the tree held nine branches, one branch to be claimed by each race powerful enough to claim it.

In current times, humans believe that only six of it's mighty branches to have been claimed - Asgard, the largest of it's branches belongs to the mightiest gods and warriors of the lands ; Jotunheim, the branch that spawned from the death of Ymir held by the Giants of Frost ; Alfheim, the lushest branch of the tree is the dominion of the Elves ; Svartalfheim, the smallest branch of the tree is occupied by the Dwarves ; Helheim, the branch most feared from the eyes of the common folk is the land of punishment for the dishonorable dead, thieves, murderers and those that fail to uphold their bravery in the eyes of the gods; And the last most beautiful branch of the tree is that of Midgard, the branch that was gifted to the humans by Odin and the other Asgardians as a present to their children.