Fleeing the Cataclysm deep into the Ringard Peaks, ancestors of today’s humans found safety in what became known as Lake
Haven. Despite being high in the mountains, the underground hot springs that feed this lake maintain a comfortable
environment year round. An emphasis on fishing and farming has led to the foundation of many small settlements on the
shores of Lake Haven and the island of Havenal. While enough natural resources abound to support the local population, a
lack of any concentrated natural resources limits exports to exotic crops such as cocoa or tea.
Culture
The shores of Lake Haven and the island in its centre, Havenal, are dotted with
small human villages separated by terraced farms. Common crops are rice,
corn, cocoa, and tea. Most families specialize in a specific industry, trading with
their neighbours to meet their needs. Multiple rivers provide access to the
interior of Havenal. Each river system and its communities have developed their
own distinct traditions and sometimes even dialect. With so much time spent on
farms or in fishing boats, much martial training takes advantage of the tools at
hand, with staves, kamas, nets, slings, and spears being almost universally used.
Common pets and familiars include bats, hawks, lizards, owls, toads, turtles,
snakes, and otters. Larger animals are more rare and highly valued.
Relations
Humans living on Havenal tend to be relatively insular, to the point where they
are often distrustful of even neighbouring human communities let alone other
races. Humans living on the shores of Lake Haven and on the slopes of the
Ringard Mountains have significantly more exposure and tolerance towards
other races. Humans find they have much in common with dwarves and
halflings and find the skills of those races to be a good fit with their own. Some
humans, rebelling against the isolationist tendencies of their home, fulfill their
wanderlust traveling with the gnomes of the Blightmark. Many humans, content to enjoy the abundant resources of Lake
Haven, don’t understand the nomadic lifestyle of the oroc or elves. The complicated courts of the edari are needlessly
convoluted in the minds of many humans.
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