Human
Origin
The Dying Birth
According to Imperial myth, humans were formed from one singular being of the Heighastan Plane who was left behind after the inundation. This being, who remains unnamed, became so broken at its inability to return home that it brought itself to a beach by the sea and peered into it longingly. After such a time, it perished of hunger and fell into the water below it.
The meeting of the Heighastan Being with the reflection in the water caused all the reflections in Nedia to momentarily fracture. Out of these fractures fell the first Humans, scattered all across Nedia wherever water could be found. As shards of one being, they quickly congregated into small communities, instinctually trying to become whole again.
Maletsokish Lore
The Maletsokish believe that humans, particularly the Dobrid, were born of the union between Fornien of the Seven Eyes and Bokoren the Sonorous during the second chapter of the Traditional History of Maletsok. It is understood that they were crafted from "the salt of the sea and the sediment of the rivers," and granted sentience by the Halflings in Maletsok, known as Pelozerians. Imperial scholars reject this assertion, on account of the stature disparity between the Dobrid and the other Maletsokish folk.
Cultures
Humans are the most diverse of the species in Nedia. They boast numerous cultures and styles which are even further divided into subcultures. The following are the generalized human cultures in the Ethelan Empire. The descriptions herein are not to be understood as steadfast and prescriptive; rather, they are attempts at categorizing the vastness of the human experience.
Dobrid
The Dobrid are the race men of Maletsok. Although not technically believed to be native to Maletsok (modern scholars propose their ancestors settled on the lands in antiquity by nature of their tall stature), they are considered "Maletsokish" in their own right by virtue of their involvement in the Scared History of Maletsok.
The Dobrid are organised into fiefs -- called The Dobrid Nations or Lents -- divided upon cultural lines. Each of these Lents is ruled by a Lentuard, who in turn are ruled by the central authority of King Drystan of the House of Gralin. The Lentuards together make up the Dobrid Mustering, who advise the King and promote their regional agendas.
The Dobrid are renowned across the Island for being skilled academics and entrepreneurs, with an abiding drive for advancement and pursuit. Many Dobrid Nations were among the first to welcome the Ethelan to Maletsok, as the Empire offered great opportunity for commercial and intellectual stimulation. As Maletsokish folk, the Dobrid tend to follow Luthaenoism, usually leaning toward the cults The Society of Trading Hands ,Aemerlings, the Stormfolgers, and the Wallenbrack as they are cults to their parent gods.
Being competitive businessfolk and proud intellectuals, the Dobrid are quick to turn to infighting and civil war. Historically, the King has operated as a peacekeeper during disputes in the Kingdom that threaten the societal order. During such times, the King would mediate by the grace of Fornien of the Seven Eyes, whose wise conclusions were seen as law. However, since the peace of the Empire and the constant presence of the Army, the King’s position has fallen from a great mediator and font of knowledge to a mere token of cultural importance. Today, most Dobrid would place their allegiance in Empress Arieldas rather than their own King. The heir to the realm, Princess Llywela Gralin, is eminent around the Lents for being stunningly beautiful and yet without a husband. Many nobleman have tried to win her appeal, driven by romantic affection, political motivation, or both.
Dobrid buildings are similar to their neighbours. In the case of the Nations near The Condados, they build their houses of wattle and daub supported by timber. However, most Dobrid dwellings are two storied, with a first floor of stone and mortar, and a second of wattle and daub. They roof their buildings in a slate-stone, varying based upon national or municipal colour. In their larger cities, their buildings can reach as tall as four or even five stories tall. In the Nations near the Dumadhur Clans, they build with brick foundations and stone pillars. In cases like these, some buildings have reached as high as 8 stories. In Capital City of Farenport, all building techniques are incorporated into a great urban expanse beyond explanation.
Brafolk
The Brafolk are an nomadic people shrouded in mystery and intrigue in the Maletsok Territory. Their language is unlike any other found on the Islands, and their culture can border on malicious. They can only be found in the Uremseach Desert Wildlands, a land where no ones dares go. Only the most academically gifted know that the Brafolk are descendants of a lost nation of Dobrid humans that settled in the Uremseach Desert after the eruption of Mount Darbreduun. They chose to settle the harsh desert climate due to their cult, Brafolkism, which worships a demon whose name is known only to the Brafolk. Their cult is condemned by most in Maletsok for being abjectly evil, and they fled to the desert searching for refuge.
However, although their religion demands actions of disorderly cruelty, including the sacrifice of life to their object of worship, many adherents try to practice their religion in a manner more palatable to the common order to maintain good relations with the outside world, such as only sacrificing dedicated sacrificial animals. They mostly try to appease their life-worshipping Halfling neighbours.
The Brafolk are intensely insular and distrustful of outsiders. However, much like their Dobrid cousins, most love a good trade and a healthy dose of knowledge. They often trade artisanal items, such as leatherworks and tapestries which they craft from their pack animals. They may also trade services, such as translating ancient texts and deciphering ancient histories. All this they do for humble provisions such as fresh water and fruits, grains, and fine linens.
The Brafolk are distinguishable for their white robes and orange hoods and scarves that often cover their faces. Their characteristic piercing blue eyes are also a reliable identifier, especially in contrast to their typically darker skin.
Belsumese
The Belsumese are a resilient and resourceful people, hailing from an arctic homeland to the south (see Belsumese Empire). They characteristically have dark hair and eyes, and skin that is leathery from prolonged sun exposure. This leathery and wrinkled skin is a standard of beauty among the Belsumese, as it implies that the person is a hard worker, and can support a family.
This pragmatic worldview carries into all that the Belsumese think and do. Their arctic homeland is fairly inhospitable, making most aspects of their culture related to survival. This includes their predisposition to overeat when presented with ample food, but also an ability to do hard work for 12 to 14 hours a day with little rest.
Famously, the Belsumese follow Dailism, a religion surrounding a Divine Mandate by their Goddess Eledhor to subjugate the world under their rule, commanded by Her. This has led to the Belsumese developing a very detached view of other races and nature itself. Sustainability and preservation of nature -- although once important aspects of their survival -- have been lost in favour of land development, advancement in technology, and the bending of creation to their own will. The Divine Mandate has, in effect, turned a once agrarian and subsistence culture into a stunningly industrious and prolific society.
With all this in mind, the Belsumese are incredibly full of life. A thankful and cheerful disposition is common among them, and nothing brings them more joy than a good invention or a hearty meal. At the same time, however, they possess an unparalleled prejudice of other races. Being chosen by Eledhor herself has given the Belsumese a sense of superiority, making them less inclined to enjoy the company of strange-looking races, and outright hostile to those that do not resemble humans.
Haref
The Haref hail from the southern plains of Harefo , a vast land of foothills just north of the Mykigron Corridor and the Putonto Woods.
Argellor
Famous for their farming and magic, the Argellora are a people of prosperity and cultivation. They have a deep knowledge of the arcane arts, which has cast their land Argellor in a Hundred Year Famine.
Askros
Askros is a mysterious and thick coastal land, and the men of that land are no different. They are numerous and greatly varied.
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