This text is an adaptation and still a work in progress.
Humans of RhyDin
Introduction
Of all the many races to be found in Rhy'Din, humans are the most numerous and the most varied. There is barely a stretch of road that does not know the touch of a human foot, and even the most isolated tribes of goblins or wild elves have seen a human face. The long loved races have seen the rapid growth of humans, their numbers rising to outnumber all other races.
Population And Distribution
Humans are found almost everywhere ? it is easier to list where humans are absent than it is to list where they can be found. Many humans are native to RhyDin, however, a vast number of humans settled in RhyDin from other worlds.
Variations on a Theme
Humans seem to have a much wider range of appearance, size, strength and other attributes than the other races. They vary from a tall, rangy barbarian Northman with fair skin and fiery hair to match his temper to the short and slightly built dark skinned inhabitants of the dense southern jungles.
Also humans have a wider range within an ethnic group. If you know an elf is a moon elf, you will know a lot about his likely appearance, his way of life and his beliefs. Likewise if you meet a gnome with greyish brown skin, stringy grey hair and suspicious, wary eyes you will know she is a Deep Gnome. Humans are different. The divisions between their different ethnic groups and cultures are not nearly so marked. One can say that a human from Amn will tend to be this, that and the other; but it is only a tendency, not a surety. Physical appearance, attitudes and way of life within one regional culture or race can show a wide variation. However one can say the majority of folk from this region will have one type of facial features, and act in a certain way.
It is not completely clear why this is true. We do know humans are a more mobile people than say halflings, and that they often migrate from one region to another as groups or as individuals. Therefore even the smallest of communities is likely to have members who were born elsewhere. We also know that humans are more adaptable than most races, both physically and mentally. They are quicker to learn from others and change their thinking that most of the longer lived races. Perhaps this is a reflection of their shorter lives. A dwarf may look back at events and ideas from 150 years ago as fresh in her mind, while to a human this is almost ancient history.
We also know that humans breed rapidly. The same 100 odd years that spans an elf?s childhood and adolescence can span three or four generations of humans. The process of selecting the right mother or father for your children and choosing certain mental or physical attributes happen a lot faster in humans, so the effects of these choices is more marked.
History
This article will not even attempt to present the events of vast, sprawling and complex tale that is human history in the realm. Instead we will outline some significant and recurring themes.
Ambition, prejudice and greed have led to endless conflict between different groups of humans.
As humans move into new territories there is a regrettable tendency to ignore the rights of those people already there. There have been numerous incidents of humans destroying the forest homes of wild and wood elves.
Goblinkin and orcs may raid caravans and villages, and Drow may enslave lesser members of rival families but no one race is as prone to preying on its weaker members as the humans. Bandits, slavers, priates and thieves all see humans not as kin but as victims and ready sources of money.
However it must be said that the history of humans is not all bad. Humans may wage war with one another, but countless have fought for just and worthy causes.
Life Cycles and Health
Most humans of the RhyDin have very similar life cycles and life expectancies to those of the developed lands of Earth. Although the life of the vast majority of humans is one of hard toil and scant luxury, the toll this takes on their life expectancy and health is balanced out by two factors which are a result of the widespread knowledge of herb lore, and simple medical cares.
In pre-industrial Earth societies, death in childbirth was the most common killer. One in four women died this way, and repeated pregnancy was the most common cause of long-term ill health. This is why healers are so important. Aside from herbal knowledge, human healers understand the concepts of hygiene, anti-sepsis and the importance of clean water in preventing the spread of disease.
Magical healing also allows more humans to survive battle and disease. However this is only available to some, those with the money or the contacts. Therefore although magic does improve health the actual numbers involved are smaller than the effects of contraception and hygiene.
A very small number of humans live a lot longer than Earth humans. Mages have access to longevity spells that can greatly extend their life spans.
Morals and Alignment
Humans can also vary enormously in their morals and courage, they can be angels or devils incarnate. Humans are capable of the most unbelievably heroic acts ? diving into the sea to punch the head of a huge shark threatening a friend, or walking through leaping flames to rescue a small child. However humans are capable of almost indescribable selfishness and evil. Parents may sell their own children to a brothel; clerics may take joy in the unutterable suffering of their human sacrifices. Most chilling of all are those who really do not care one way or another happens to those around them.
Most humans lie somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. They have within them the capacity for both good and bad deeds, but they muddle doing the best they can.
Humans also range the complete gamut of attitudes to laws and creeds. Paladins may place the laws of the land and the code of their orders above all, while human rogues can see laws as inconvenient irrelevancies. Much as with good and evil, most humans have a mix of attitudes to laws, sometimes valuing them and sometimes seeing them as secondary to other concerns.
Humans of RhyDin
Introduction
Of all the many races to be found in Rhy'Din, humans are the most numerous and the most varied. There is barely a stretch of road that does not know the touch of a human foot, and even the most isolated tribes of goblins or wild elves have seen a human face. The long loved races have seen the rapid growth of humans, their numbers rising to outnumber all other races.
Population And Distribution
Humans are found almost everywhere ? it is easier to list where humans are absent than it is to list where they can be found. Many humans are native to RhyDin, however, a vast number of humans settled in RhyDin from other worlds.
Variations on a Theme
Humans seem to have a much wider range of appearance, size, strength and other attributes than the other races. They vary from a tall, rangy barbarian Northman with fair skin and fiery hair to match his temper to the short and slightly built dark skinned inhabitants of the dense southern jungles.
Also humans have a wider range within an ethnic group. If you know an elf is a moon elf, you will know a lot about his likely appearance, his way of life and his beliefs. Likewise if you meet a gnome with greyish brown skin, stringy grey hair and suspicious, wary eyes you will know she is a Deep Gnome. Humans are different. The divisions between their different ethnic groups and cultures are not nearly so marked. One can say that a human from Amn will tend to be this, that and the other; but it is only a tendency, not a surety. Physical appearance, attitudes and way of life within one regional culture or race can show a wide variation. However one can say the majority of folk from this region will have one type of facial features, and act in a certain way.
It is not completely clear why this is true. We do know humans are a more mobile people than say halflings, and that they often migrate from one region to another as groups or as individuals. Therefore even the smallest of communities is likely to have members who were born elsewhere. We also know that humans are more adaptable than most races, both physically and mentally. They are quicker to learn from others and change their thinking that most of the longer lived races. Perhaps this is a reflection of their shorter lives. A dwarf may look back at events and ideas from 150 years ago as fresh in her mind, while to a human this is almost ancient history.
We also know that humans breed rapidly. The same 100 odd years that spans an elf?s childhood and adolescence can span three or four generations of humans. The process of selecting the right mother or father for your children and choosing certain mental or physical attributes happen a lot faster in humans, so the effects of these choices is more marked.
History
This article will not even attempt to present the events of vast, sprawling and complex tale that is human history in the realm. Instead we will outline some significant and recurring themes.
Ambition, prejudice and greed have led to endless conflict between different groups of humans.
As humans move into new territories there is a regrettable tendency to ignore the rights of those people already there. There have been numerous incidents of humans destroying the forest homes of wild and wood elves.
Goblinkin and orcs may raid caravans and villages, and Drow may enslave lesser members of rival families but no one race is as prone to preying on its weaker members as the humans. Bandits, slavers, priates and thieves all see humans not as kin but as victims and ready sources of money.
However it must be said that the history of humans is not all bad. Humans may wage war with one another, but countless have fought for just and worthy causes.
Life Cycles and Health
Most humans of the RhyDin have very similar life cycles and life expectancies to those of the developed lands of Earth. Although the life of the vast majority of humans is one of hard toil and scant luxury, the toll this takes on their life expectancy and health is balanced out by two factors which are a result of the widespread knowledge of herb lore, and simple medical cares.
In pre-industrial Earth societies, death in childbirth was the most common killer. One in four women died this way, and repeated pregnancy was the most common cause of long-term ill health. This is why healers are so important. Aside from herbal knowledge, human healers understand the concepts of hygiene, anti-sepsis and the importance of clean water in preventing the spread of disease.
Magical healing also allows more humans to survive battle and disease. However this is only available to some, those with the money or the contacts. Therefore although magic does improve health the actual numbers involved are smaller than the effects of contraception and hygiene.
A very small number of humans live a lot longer than Earth humans. Mages have access to longevity spells that can greatly extend their life spans.
Morals and Alignment
Humans can also vary enormously in their morals and courage, they can be angels or devils incarnate. Humans are capable of the most unbelievably heroic acts ? diving into the sea to punch the head of a huge shark threatening a friend, or walking through leaping flames to rescue a small child. However humans are capable of almost indescribable selfishness and evil. Parents may sell their own children to a brothel; clerics may take joy in the unutterable suffering of their human sacrifices. Most chilling of all are those who really do not care one way or another happens to those around them.
Most humans lie somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. They have within them the capacity for both good and bad deeds, but they muddle doing the best they can.
Humans also range the complete gamut of attitudes to laws and creeds. Paladins may place the laws of the land and the code of their orders above all, while human rogues can see laws as inconvenient irrelevancies. Much as with good and evil, most humans have a mix of attitudes to laws, sometimes valuing them and sometimes seeing them as secondary to other concerns.