Common name: Human
Individual: Human
Plural: Humans
Species: Humanoid
Classification: Mammalian
Number of sexes: 2 (male and female) for conventional reproductive purposes, though gender identity is the more important piece of identifying information for humans
Adult size: Average; heights generally range from 5’8” to 6’2” for males, 5’1” to 5’8” for females, though outliers on either side of the scale exist
Longevity: Mortal; average lifespan is approximately seventy years to eighty years, depending on where any given human lives
Preferred habitat: Flexible; anywhere with accessible fresh water
Range: Global
Associated Languages: Commercial Standard
Associated Languages: Commercial Standard
Debut: Sonnet (2018)
Physiology:
Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of human physiology is the wide range of possible coloring. Skin and hair colors vary from pale to dark and everything in between; eyes are typically brown or blue, though greens and hazels and greys (including black) are not uncommon, and other colors such as gold or violet are not unheard of either. Humans of Alland or Hydhern descent may also take on physical traits associated with those races.
Senses:
In general, humans are visual creatures, relying predominantly on their sight. Hearing and touch are also fairly strong, but the olfactory senses are comparatively underdeveloped.
Magical abilities:
Most humans have no significant magical abilities, though most have an acute awareness of the essential conditions around them. However, some humans of Alland or Hydhern descent can develop substantial magical ability. All humans may also use magic through the use of glyphs, spell-scrolls, or talismans, or by means of the Æʒim art of runeset.
Social behavior:
The odd hermit aside, humans are generally social creatures, preferring to live in communities ranging from tight-knit remote villages to bustling cities. However, they are prone to self-serving behavior; this in conjunction with their sheer numbers results in the need for structured government.
Reproduction and life cycle:
Like most of the sapient races, humans reproduce sexually via vaginal intercourse. Following impregnation by an anatomical male, an anatomical female will gestate the fetus for approximately nine months before giving birth, although pre-term and post-term births do occur on occasion. Humans are capable of interbreeding with individuals of the Allandarau, Hydhern, and (theoretically) Adragorian races, who are also of the humanoid species. A male child born of a human-Alland coupling will be human, while a female will be Alland; all children born to a human-Hydhern pair will be technically human, although their longevity will be considerably higher than that of their full-blooded human peers. Half-humans of either type will be more inclined to magical abilities.
Family units:
Marriage is widely practiced by humans, though it is socially acceptable to remain single or to live in a common-law partnership. A human may take a spouse of either sex. Many couples choose to have children, although it is not unheard of to choose otherwise. Children are raised by their parents unless they are orphaned or their parents are found to be inept guardians, in which case they will either be taken in by other relations, or--in nations where the governments take responsibility for its orphans--become wards of state eligible for adoption. Anyone can adopt, but the most common adopters are couples who want children but cannot conceive themselves. In nations where governments do not take responsibility for orphans, children are liable to be left to their own devices--often to tragic results.
