Human

Humanity. No other creature in the World perplexes the Powers quite like this species. By all accounts, it is painfully mysterious, with nobody, not even the ancient Dragons of the World, or the extraplanar creatures including the gods know exactly where they came from. Humans aren't the strongest species by a long shot. Nor are they the smartest, a title held by the Dragon Emperors. They aren't exceptional in any way shape or form, base creatures composed of averages.
Humanity then must be the most exceptional of all creatures on the World. How else then can this species be found in every corner of the World, surviving in every habitat, and thriving to boot. Humans are capable of tapping into any source of power, surmounting any obstacle, and performing impossible feats. Humans are the most populous singular species of intelligent creatures, and form the majority of the world powers, the dominant heads of great empires and kingdoms. In their pride, bipedal creatures of similar design are named "humanoids" due to their resemblance to this dominant species.
Perhaps most interestingly, despite being everywhere and so potent, humans have the shortest natural lifespans of any humanoid. An individual person is born, lives and dies in a fiery blossom of passionate life, leaving the other races, particularly elves, confused on how a creature can fill the experiences of hundreds of years into a decade or two. It is perhaps this burning need to matter that makes humans so potent, their mortality.
Fear the Humans.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Humans have defined species similar to themselves under their name: humanoids. A central torso with organs held within a container built of muscle, fat and strong bones. Bipedal legs extend from the lower torso, with two arms from the top, with opposable fingers giving humanoids the ability to interact with the world in ways animals cannot. On top of the torso is the head, home of the mind, perhaps the most important part of the body in some cultures.

Growth Rate & Stages

Humans are extremely fast growing creatures, taking at most 14 years to reach physical maturity, although they continue to mature into the middle of their second decade. The remain at this stage of adulthood for several decades, but age hits humans hard, fast, and early. A human reaches venerable age at 60 years old, middle to young age for many other humanoids. For a human to reach a century in age is an extreme feat, and the body has nearly become useless from the toll of age.
These examples are for humans that aren't afflicted by outside forces, and most humans die before their fourth decade, be it from disease, war, wildlife, accidents, or any other danger in the world.

Ecology and Habitats

Humans live everywhere. While the majority live in safe, stable lands, humans with magical abilities are able to make the most hostile environment bend into a habitable home, with sanctuaries at the bottom of the ocean, on top of mountains, on all four moons, and even on extra dimensional planes.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Worldwide. Extraterrestrial & Extraplanar.

Average Intelligence

Humans are the benchmark other species are judged. The average human of average intelligence serves as the most average of all intelligences.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Culture is so different among humans that is may as well be that every individual human is its own distinct ethnicity. However, broad strokes can be made over the species as a whole, with mere hundreds of distinct ethnicities, with defining features including their mythologies, languages, dining, architecture, and skin tone. As humans are absorbent to their environment, a human in the desert will be different in nearly every way from a human from a forested taiga.
To humans, difference is grounds for conflict, and anything not us is a threat and must be destroyed. Do not underestimate a human's capability for destruction.
(Examples of different human races, in broad strokes, can be found elsewhere. Some are better than others)

History

Human history doesn't have a starting point. By all accounts, they either appeared suddenly and quickly made their influence known to the other species already there, or were always here, and the ancient creatures one day finally took notice of the creatures, creating the first historical accounts of humanity. To reiterate, humanity did not create their own history first, it was another intelligent creature such as dragons, aboleths, or the Gods that recorded their history until recently.
What archeology has told us however is that humans have always been a social, fast spreading species, even in their most primitive forms. However, only within the last 10,000 years have humans collected into noticeable masses, forming cities alongside the primeval Eladrin. Humanity acted like a sponge to its environment, taking in the ecosystem, the spiritual and physical forces of the world, magic. While humans are neither the creators nor masters of the art, humans have conducted the most wars, with peace the exception to the rule of human mentality.
With the innate human desire fueling them, humanity made themselves into the most common society, but are so extensive in their variety that a clan mere miles away from another human clan can be entirely different from its neighbor. As such, tribalism is the oldest and most natural state for humans, though they are far from the only species like this. However, humans are smart enough to construct greatness for themselves, building cities, altering the geography, and forging empires thousands of miles across under one singular banner.
Humans were never given an easy break, forging their destiny as a species out of their might and will. They are the conquering species.

Origin/Ancestry

Unknown

Lifespan

40-80 years

Average Height

5'2" - 6'8"

Average Weight

150 lbs