Humanity

Humanity, once the most powerful, civilized, and populous race of all the world, has been reduced to scattered bands of illiterate barbarians. Once the masters of The Imperium of Man, they now struggle to survive in the steppes and the wastes. Humanity, now are a rare sight in The Civilized Lands, has had its pages torn from the book of history.

History & Lore

Human history ended with the fall of The Imperium of Man. While no race was spared the ravages of the fall and The Age of Sorrows , humanity fell the furthest. Once the dominant race, or at least "the first among equals", humanity was driven to the brink of extinction. As the records from this dark age are spotty, it is known that humans were felled in mass by wars, famines, and plagues. In particular, The Man-Fever ravaged human populations and remains endemic in human communities to this day.

The Man-Fever

The Man-Fever is the most feared disease among humans and halflings alike. This cursed state eventually transforms a human into an orc and a halfling into a goblins .
The first signs are sudden bursts of temper towards one's family and friends. The victim then runs an extreme fever. This is followed by a yellowing of the eyes and greying and toughening of the skin. As the victim's temperament worsens, he is subject to increasing levels of irrational rage, lashing out at those around him. He builds muscle and his teeth thicken and jut from the skull. In the worst cases, the victim loses all ability to recognize his family or clan, and is reduced to a mindless, killing beast: a feral orc.
The first steps of the transformation can take weeks to months. However, the last stages of the transformation can take days, months, years, or never manifest. Some victims can live for decades in this half-transformed state, as a half orc . Others will fully physically transform, becoming orcs, but mostly retain their minds and relationships with those around them. Others progress in their transformation both physically and mentally, becoming feral orcs. Why some only become half-orcs and why some "go feral" is unknown. A half-orc lives his life under the constant threat that any day he could "go feral".
While humans hold a number of beliefs about the disease's cause and its means of spread (demons, spirits, an ancient curse), but scholars are unsure. What is known is that the disease made its first appearance during The Age of Sorrows. No cure has ever been found, but some physicians claim to have found tinctures that slow or stop the transformation process.
Human clans react to The Man-Fever in a variety of ways. Some kill anyone who displays signs of the curse. Others will banish the victims. The resultant orcs will often form clans of their own. And some clans, seeing the usefulness of half-orcs and orcs on the battlefield, will keep them in the clan but keep watch on them for signs of going feral.

A People on The Brink

Having been pushed to the most marginal lands (barren hills, steppes, and deserts) human life is a constant struggle for survival. Humans clans forage, farm meager gardens, tend herds, and raid the farms and settlements on the edge of their territory. Human clans are small and nomadic, always on the move looking for fertile pasture land for their herds or targets of raids. In years of plenty, they can carve out a meager existence but, starvation, disease, and attacks from outsiders are a constant threat.

No Kings, No Lords

Humans bow their knee to no king nor law, they live free, past the frontiers of civilization. While the elves wall themselves up in their cities and the dwarves bury themselves below the earth, humanity feels the wind on the open steppe and goes where it pleases.
Humans organize themselves into clans, each with five to ten family groups. Every individual owes their loyalty to their family, clan, and no others.
Clans are run in a roughly democratic way. Human's value practicality and good ideas above any rank or position. Clans are led by their ruling council, which sits one representative from each family. The representatives are chosen by the head of each family, who often choose themselves or there eldest son. The council then elects a chief from its ranks to lead the clan.
The chief leads only as long as the council sees fit. The clan’s victories and defeats and the fatness or leanness of their herds are all held at the feet of the chief. The council can choose to replace him at anytime they are dissatisfied by his leadership.

The Way of Steel

The clans follow The Way of Steel; the path of honor and valor. A man’s worth is proven by his strength in battle, his prowess on the hunt, by the enemies he vanquishes, and by the herds he has taken from them. Women are judged on the number of children they bare, their beauty, and their abilities with a sword. In The Way of Steel all must be ready to fight.

Variation in All Things

While there are no human subraces, humans come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. One curious feature is that variation can be seen within human clans, not just between clans.

Technology & Steel

The technology a human clan employs is highly variable, depending on the materials available around them. Some will build semi-permanent villages from lumber, others use the skin of their herd beasts to craft yurts, and others make use of caves and other natural shelters. Some clans make their tools and weapon from animal bone, while others retain the knowledge of smithing and craft tools and weapons of the finest steel.
In fact, human steel is renowned for its durability and quality, and is highly prized. These human clans carefully guard the secrets of their steel and regard its forging with religious reverence.

Magic & Religion

Humans are a superstitious race, seeing signs and portents all around them. The gods and spirits are powerful, wrathful, and fickle, and need constant appeasement. Humans fear magic, both arcane and divine, shunning mages, witches, and miracle workers alike. Those few that are born with magical abilities quickly learn to hide them or face shunning and exile.
As superstitious as humans are, they will pray to whichever and whatever gods and spirits they believe can aid them or their clan. In their village shrines, humans will give prayer and offerings to Lanal - Goddess of Peace, Good Harvests, and Fertility, The Great Father, The Holy Lady Chantrel, or the spirits of field and flock, depending on which they believe can aid them.

A Fallen People

Humans live in the shadow of their past glories. All around them are the remains of The Old Imperium; crumbling ruins of great cities and once fertile fields reduced to barren desert wastes. Knowing that they used to be the masters of a world they now must wage constant battle against has left many humans with melancholy and rage. Many long for the days of their former glory; others spurn the stories of The Imperium as tales of effete weaklings.

Ancient Power

But, some of the most ambitious crave the power of The Old Imperium and dream of rebirthing it in their image. But, one of the gravest taboos in human society is the avoidance of Old World ruins, artifacts, and magic. Many humans hold that the ruins of the Old Imperium are haunted by ghosts and spirits and any relics brought out of them will bring evil curses down on the clan.
Still, those ambitious few flaunt those taboos and by savaging the ruins to find items of power and ancient treasures. Some of these adventures reject the taboos of their people as meaningless superstitions, others believe but are willing to risk the consequences.

Relations With Outsiders

Humans are seen by most of the civilized races with a mixture of pity and fear. All can see how far they have fallen, but many live in fear of their raiding parties coming over the horizon to pillage and steal. The Civilized Races look down upon their rough manner and their illiteracy. Combined with the fact that they breed so quickly, many elves and dwarves are becoming increasingly alarmed by their roving hoards.
In addition, many are concerned that humans carry The Man-Fever, and shun them for fear of their plague.
Humans clans have the most contact with the clans of the other uncivilized races they encounter such as the orcs, mountain elves, and desert elves. They clash at the edges of their ranges, trade, and cement the occasional alliance with intermarriages.

Ability Score: All +1
Languages: Imperial, and one other language
Humans start as illiterate and must spend one language or proficiency slot to read and write the languages that they know.
Favored Classes: Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue
Rare Classes: Artificer, Paladin, Wizard, Druid, Cleric, Warlock
Life Span: 50-70 years
Homeland: deserts, mountains, grasslands, steppes, deserts


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Parent ethnicities

• Greater Humanity

Diverged ethnicities

• Half-elf
• Lesser Elves