Human

Created beings unsure of their identity or purpose

The humans of Escarnum came to Alm from the continent of Parosea, where they were enslaved by their creators, the supernaturally powerful “Overseers”. Kept from learning magic or training warriors, humans languished under this rule for many centuries—until, by some miraculous fortune, the gift of psionic power began to appear amongst their number.

With this aid—and that of their fellow slaves, the mor—the humans finally managed to overthrow and destroy their masters. Then, under the guidance of the awakened, they left their scarred cradle and struck out over a southern land bridge, toward the promised land of Alm.

Here they found the land rich beyond their hopes, and diverse beyond their imagination. Granted a land of their own by the powerful Brands, they settled for a brief time before their alliance quickly splintered into three factions unable to find peace. Through the Establishing War, these would become the three human nations—Aurion, the Kingdom of Light; Tenebrae, the Kingdom of Shadow; and Kalyvas, the Kingdom of Steel.

Playing an Almish Human

In many ways, nobody in Alm fully knows what it means to be human. As slave masters, the Overseers did everything they could to keep humans from developing a shared culture or history. Now, barely more than a generation from their escape, humanity is still discovering themselves—and deciding what they wish to become.

This lack of commonality makes humans versatile and adaptable, but it also means their nations rarely get along well. Aurion staunchly espouses the merits of their state religion, prescribing a correct set of moral values everybody is expected to uphold. Tenebrae embraces a grim pragmatism that finds the power to survive wherever necessary. Kalyvas finds strength in material permanence, rewarding dedicated study and artisanship. Whichever one happens to be their home, most humans who grow up in the three kingdoms are raised with a strong belief in their nation’s values.

Of course, not all humans care for the three kingdoms. The majority living outside the human nations can be found in the shared territory of Faradh, or in the various city-states of Independence. These individuals are likely to view the animosity between the three kingdoms with scorn, particularly if they left of their own accord.

Almish humans are perceived as… Determined, adaptable, opportunistic, interdependent, youthful, uncertain, passionate, rootless, ambitious, unreliable, selfish.

Names: Acacia, Cassius, Celes, Domiel, Enon, Eth, Eulalie, Evander, Fiolessa, Gaius, Lheraz, Lucien, Mordechai, Pietris, Rahel, Sephora, Tanis, Theron, Tyris, Yaryn.