Humans



Humans are a species born from bloodshed. Hailing from the distant land of Ortus, the Humans have evolved to fit the art of war. While tending to be weaker magically, they are masters of the blade, having invented the sword in the early days of their life. They have since developed more complex brains, although they tend to be widely varying and more suppliable than that of species like the Elders. Their strength lies in their determination and their numbers. In the few recorded occasions that great numbers of Humans worked together, they were never defeated.

Notable Human figures include Lord Thomas Reikhart VIII, who later became the God know as "Thomas."

Human Biology
Humans are akin to Elves, but they have rounded ears of varying shapes and sizes. Their musculature is also varying, but Elves are always the more lithe of beings, while the more muscular being the Men. Nothing really important about any other biological feature is noted.

Culture and Combat
Combat is the culture of Man. In the Human Kingdom of Ortus, it is recorded that they invented swords, and thus swordplay. There are many sword-styles, much like there are many forms of martial arts. These different forms of swordplay are matched to the races that adopted swords, and to the different kinds of swords that are smithed.

Taking pride in their invention, Ortus has schools of swordplay focused on each of the different styles that other races come up with. Of course, the most versatile form of swordplay is the style Humans use. The best swordsmen dual wield their weapons for greater deadliness.

Humans never invented the Shield. The Orcs did. An old Ortisian saying states "if you don't want to get cut, jump out of the way." On that part, rarely has it been seen that a Man has a shield in hand, and most likely, he was branded a coward.

Not only are shield-users called cowards, but Men who use Bows and other long ranged weapons entirely in the stead of blades are branded cowards as well. Archery has always been an Elf thing, but it was welcomed into Ortus as a side weapon. Crossbows were favored over normal bows, but some bows were compound, made of multiple materials. These bows are often barbed and spiked, to be used in bashing the foe's head in.

Magic
Humans are entirely unable to use magic. Even the Goldcrest Paladins and their Holy Magic. If a human were to use magic, it would be either parlor tricks, or aided by some other force. No Human is able to channel mystical energies unaided. Magic is a gift to them, given by a holy force such as Lord Thomas Reikhart, or given to them by Demons and Spirits to further their own goals. A joke told by the wives of some paladins is spoken to explain this in a simpler way: "Whenever a Paladin uses magic, old Lord Tom comes down and sprinkles some glittery light everywhere."