Human

Races

Humans

Culture

Human Culture

Overview

Among the races of Rise of Empires, Mankind is the youngest. He has no great monuments to his name; he has crafted no majestically intricate cities as Elves have. He has not doggedly and unwaveringly mastered a craft as the Dwarves have. His piety is neither renowned nor universal as the Drow. He is not singular in his purpose as are Orcs. The life of a man is relatively short; He can boast neither longevity nor years of wizened study. As other races have found a certain comfortable niche to fill within the world Mankind has no set purpose. And so it is the nature of man and man alone, to change the world to his purpose, whatever that purpose should be.

Youth

The life of a human is uniquely lonely. There is little value to the concept of family and though most children born will receive the entirety of their education from their parents, they will seldom return to their estranged families after seeking their way in the world. Humanity, uniquely, has no sense of racial camaraderie; a child born has no more expectation placed upon him than some day he will grow to make his way in the world. The average family will have no more than a single child which would suggest that the population of mankind is in decline, which would be so were it not for those children born outside of families. The world is dangerous and orphans are commonplace. Be their parents lost one of many constant wars or devoured by ravenous orcs, most humans will grow up never knowing their parents.

Nobility

Given the frequency of bastard children and orphans, it is not surprising to note that those families who have persisted through the generations have taken great pains to upkeep and document their family tree. Noble houses are rarely recognized and once established have the unnerving tendency to be assassinated or likewise terminated. Those that do persist therefore do so with a great deal of pride and rightly so as this bloodline's persistence is no easy feat. A noble is treated with respect and often granted title and holdings within the kingdom as is fitting considering it was most likely a nobleman who placed the king on the throne if not directly then by influence.

Politics

Humanity through its long and sordid history is largely unique in its tendency of forming and breaking groups, guilds, organizations, and other such factions. It is this tendency to political ambition that leads to the great accomplishments of mankind. While being a master of trade and industry or of sword and shield will gain one renown.. There is little else that measures a man's worth than those that follow him. The ability to rally his fellow man to a cause is the difference between a peasant and an emperor and it is this constant struggle to obtain following that shapes the dealings of mankind. While Mankind has never practiced any form of leadership by the people per se, their leaders are only those capable of being made leaders by their peers and underlings. This has the unfortunate side effect of near constant regicide as opposing factions attempt to put forth their own candidate to the crown. Kings will rise and fall as will factions but somehow mankind remains, by and large, of a singular purpose and continues towards it in spite of leadership.

War

Mankind is a race constantly beset by strife and conflict. Some suggest that it is this constant peril that keeps their wits sharp and their progress continual. Man constantly strives to obtain perfection. They are ambitious and often ruthless. He is prideful, boastful, and arrogant. Needless to say, they have a tendency to make enemies on their path to power. The cities of men are often lain siege by the disgruntled or vengeful forces that he displaces in his pursuit of his dream. Whether this be by a small band of ratmen attacking suicidaly in response to their tribe mate’s slaughter, or a Horde of barbarian clansmen, angry at the loss of ancient territories. Regardless of reason, conflict is inevitable for humanity and as such nearly every man is prepared to rise to battle.

Purpose

With no niche to fill within the world, mankind is ever changing, constantly under attack, and never satisfied. As Mankind has no place, neither indeed does an individual man. Each must carve out his own way in the world. His future is uncertain, and the only thing he can be sure of is the rise of the sun the next day. Each day is a new beginning to strive forward towards his goal. Through divine mandate, blood oath, a personal promise, or sheer force of will; a man will find the purpose that drives his life. Be it Love, Power, Wealth, or Tranquility. Within each man is a driving force, and the passion to fight for his dream.

The Gods As They Are Known By Men

Talathas - A god of chivalry, influenced by men as much as they have been influenced by him. The young status of the faith has often left Talathas at the end of many a joke... but the god has proven more often then not to inspire victory against all odds. His aspect is that of an armor clad knight.

Adalia - Often referred to as the mother of mankind, she has usually been present in at least a lesser and/or motherly form to all men of every age. She is usually seen as a figure of nurturing and unconditional love. Her aspect is that of a plainly dressed female.

Kamalini - Man's adopted mother, a figure of lust, compassion and all too often corruption. She is usually depicted beside her ruthless and long honored lover...the lord of the netherworld. Her aspect is an alluring woman and dark hued roses.

Kinarugi - The only god with more names then the empires of man, he is given the roles of death, the afterlife, war, and honor among various other titles thousands of generations have bestowed to or from him. As head of the Nether pantheon he has been known as Kinarugi, Khaldun, the Attestor, the Arbiter, and a multitude of others. His aspect is that of the Raven or one of his Nine children.

Narindun -The self named "Keeper of Man". Narindun was once a mortal necromancer but found his ascendancy when he reformed with the part of his soul used to make his dread scythe "Endbringer". Narindun warns of war between the immortals and claims he is the herald of the defence of mankind, It is unclear how much of Narinduns former mortality remains.

Makil - One of two gods seen as more ancient then all others including Kinarugi, little is known other than this god being a piercing pure light shining on even in dark times. Little is known beyond that.

Nalar - Seen always as the moons to Makil's sun, equally as old but even less known then his ancient counterpart.

The Humans of Teiravon

The Humans of Teiravon are the most diverse people of all in the known realm. They hold territory of every type and worship more gods then any elf, dwarf or even orc. They are curious, short lived creatures of an average height of five to six feet. They can accomplish much in what others refer to as gestation for their own kind, and as such have propelled themselves blindly surpassing empires, technologies, and cultures far older than their own. Many see this as their weakness that their downfall will be themselves; while others sense they are constantly improving as a whole, destroying the weak and enhancing the strong. Humanity at its core is a constant reach for control, mastery, or sheer might in the shortest amount of time, as the average man won’t see his thirtieth birthday.

But humanity is evolving. -Larry Niven

Historically Speaking

Man’s history has been written slightly shorter than their emergence into the realm, this is in part that many other sapient species were here first, and as such should by all right (with much proof offered) take some credit, or blame, for the outcome of all men.

“Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both yes and no.”

-JRR Tolkien

Most historians have traced mans civilized emergence to the eastern coast of the Dyn Region, south of modern day Ameresh. There, ancient ruins crumble under the weight of an even older jungle that grows upon it and the few artifacts to be found point to an all too familiar path of War, Bloodlines, Societies and Cultures.

The first King of man was a warrior leader by the name of Mu-re-tu. He unified some tribes and conquered even more. By his old age, for which he died from, he had won numerous battles and killed many men. This fact is corroborated by the dwarves, whom speak of men at this time with great favor and respect.

Some generations later, a descendant of Mu-re-tu by the name of Jyn (Zjhen), became King of Mu-re-tu’s lands and people. However Jyn was opposed by a rising confederate of western tribes. Men whom favored the older nomadic ways but knew the benefits of walled cities; and so a new kingdom arose around a grand capital city on the western coast of the Dyn Region. The city was named Shen-tu, or “Suns rest”.

In retaliation to the new enemy and their grand city, Jyn ordered the building of an even greater city where his fore fathers had ruled from. The eastern coast became the home of Jyn-pal, or “Jyn’s city”.

Wars erupted and independent tribes flocked to both sides of the conflict, others were conquered or recruited as front lines changed. By this time the dwarves had become reserved in dealing with men and also had problems of their own, orcs were moving up through the delta in hordes and began an assault upon the mountain fortress there. Before the dwarves disappeared to the caverns of the land, they left with men great secrets of metallurgy and forging, and besides the gift of fire, became the biggest influence to mankind.

The wars between these two great kingdoms had drained so many of their will to continue on, and many were weary that the recently successful orcs to the near north would soon turn south and treat the tribes of men to the same fate their lost Dwarven friends must have witnessed.So it is then that the two kingdoms ended their war, and drew lines on early maps. The people of Shen-tu to the west, and the people of Jyn-pal to the east; then there was peace. Jyn had three brothers and now some six legitimate heirs to his throne. So he told them to forge their own kingdoms elsewhere, for he would not see his own sons fight for his seat but promised it instead to a longtime friend and comrade in arms named “Tiber”, thus angering many and losing so much trust earned in the years before.

Nevertheless, four of his six sons went off to forge their own kingdoms in far off lands. Khall and Ahm across the south seas forging the great empire of Khallusia and Ahmshel, Seru west through Shen-tu and across the seas to the elven lands never to be heard from again, and Ku’mel west to the desert islands he eventually named “Ka’mella” and “Ki’mella” for his twin daughters.

Jyn eventually grew old like his fathers before him, never falling in battle but to their aged beds, and the fighting Jyn attempted to circumvent began. Tiber assumed the throne just as Jyn had wished, but the two remaining sons felt it was their right and that they would oust then duel each other for their father’s legacy. The youngest two brothers did just that, and with much support, J’nas and Temut sent Tiber running across Orc infested delta lands and swamps ending the rebellion with a public fight in which Temut mortally wounded his brother and as the tales go, J’nas congratulated and bowed to his brother before promptly dying.

Tiber ran, but did not run alone; he had been an honored and loved Jynese warrior and friend to the royal family. So he gathered those loyal to him, and campaigned to unite the tribes stuck between the orcs and the mountains. Tiber created a powerful group of warriors named Val Guards and a walled town aptly name...“Valgard”. A third Kingdom arose and for a millennium the three remained the only civilizations of men and surrounded the orcs keeping them at bay.

It was these one thousand years that so many men north of the mountains remained in tribes at constant conflict with one another. Beginning to find themselves able to trade and learn from the dwarves now appearing on the northern side of the great mountain ranges, the tribes grew, united, conquered and forged kingdoms like their more ancient brethren had done thousands of years before to the south.

One leader grew above so many others, a tribal leader and warrior named Merenthal. He, influenced by tales told by the dwarves of men from so long ago, wished to build a grand city on his side of the mountains in the north. So Edana was constructed and many flocked to the idea of a city.

But just as the first cities of old, enemies arose with jealousy or just pride of their own; a man from Valgard, south of the mountains and descendant of ancient people marched against Merenthal’s creation… “Edana”.

War

When men run out of words, and so very few words they actually have, they resort to their other strengths; which so happens to be that of the orcs... Warfare.

The most recent or memorable wars among men have been between themselves, which has further alienated them from the other races, except the orcs, which only see rats to kill. Men grow increasingly stronger each generation from their warlike tendencies. Even those who claim to be peaceful and avoid wars end up fighting sooner or later. It is as if mankind has no other choice.

THE FAITH OF MAN

“As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see then about what they can.”

-Gaius Julius Caesar

Being the diverse species they are, men have adopted multiple religions from the old to the new.

The majority of men, throughout the world worship some part or being of the Nether Pantheon. It is their oldest faith and coincides with their warlike nature to an exact; often making war civilized and challenging other newer gods fiercely. Made of Ancient gods and daemons this pantheon has lost much luster in the promises of the younger gods.

Many have tried to intertwine the pantheons and others destroy them. What is known is that humans will always look to gods for their morals and reasoning.

Men usually preach their faiths proudly unless established such is against their dogma. Being proud and often arrogant it is dangerous for men to mix their nature with deities; thus why they so often find reason to fight for no visible gain.

It is also often the short lives of men that attract them to the promises of godly afterlives which fuel their ambition as well as their beliefs.

Humans have the shortest lifespan of all the races. Their natural lives (without benefit of the arcane) usually only last about eight decades. They are also the most prolific of all the races. However, of all the races, they are the most balanced in their abilities. Stronger than the Elven races, though not as powerful as the Orc or Dwarves; more dexterous than the Orcs and Dwarves, yet not as much as the Elves; and their minds were honed sharp with curiosity...

Technical Info

Available Alignments

o All

Available Classes

o Fighter

o Monk

o Cavalier

o Ranger

o Archer

o Mage Slayer

o Assassin

o Bard

o Thief

o Dark Cleric

o Light Cleric

o Berserker

o Dragoon

o Druid (Forester)

o Druid (Shapeshifter)

o Aeromancer

o Geomancer

o Necromancer

o Pyromancer

o Aquamancer

o Alchemist

o Cook

o Blacksmith

o Tailor

o Woodworker

Racial Feats

o Weapon Specialization (Race Feat)

o Wealthy Lineage

o Leadership

o Warfare Training

Racial Bonuses

o Humans are the exception to the case, in speaking of "Racial Bonuses". They are the youngest race to have been borne on Teiravon, but have adapted quickly despite their harsh surroundings. Their continuing ingenuity has allowed all Humans to learn quickly, and adept in almost i any circumstance.

As such, Humans start with an Extra Feat Point.