Ah, humans. Now, there’s a lot of us, to be sure, flung far across all these lands, and more besides. We battle like orcs and dream like elves and work harder than all but the dwarves at their forges—and we cover all Astora.— Olram Faravaerr, Merchant
Humans on Astora are widespread, can be found in most regions, and, in general, are fierce and disagreeable, which can often lead other races to view them with contempt. They are renowned for their diversity and ambition and, although they lack specialization, they can excel in many areas.
Description
Humans typically stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds, with men noticeably taller and heavier than women. Thanks to their penchant for migration and conquest, and to their short life spans, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. Their skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, their hair from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight), and their facial hair (for men) from sparse to thick. Plenty of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, and they may demonstrate hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Members of this race are often ostentatious or unorthodox in their grooming and dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, body piercings, and the like.
Humans as Player Characters
Aasimar
Aasimar are human-based planetouched, native outsiders that have in their blood some good, otherworldly characteristics. They are often, but not always, descended from celestials and other creatures of pure good alignment. While predisposed to good alignments, aasimar are by no means always good.
Description
Aasimar bear the mark of their celestial touch through many different physical features that often vary from individual to individual. Most commonly, aasimar are very similar to humans, like tieflings and other planetouched. Nearly all aasimar are uncommonly beautiful and still, and they are often significantly taller than humans as well.
While several aasimar are immediately identifiable as such, others are even less distinguishable than tieflings from their human ancestors, commonly standing out with only one unusual feature. Most aasimar have pupil-less pale white, gray, or golden eyes and silver hair, but those descended from planetars can also have emerald skin, while those descended from avoral celestials might have feathers mixed in with their hair. Those descended from ghaeles often have pearly opalescent eyes. Solar-descended aasimars often have brilliant topaz eyes instead of silvery or golden skin, and those with couatl or lillend lineage most commonly have small, iridescent scales. Many aasimar also have a light covering of feathers on their shoulders, where an angel's wings might sprout. As in tieflings, aasimar bloodlines can sometimes run dormant for generations, reemerging after being hidden for some time.
Aasimar as Player Characters
Tieflings
Tieflings are human-based planetouched, native outsiders that are infused with the touch of the fiendish planes, most often through descent from fiends—demons, Yugoloths, devils, evil deities, and others who have bred with humans. Tieflings are known for their cunning and personal allure, which makes them excellent deceivers as well as inspiring leaders when prejudices are laid aside.
Although their evil ancestors could be many generations removed, the taint lingers. Unlike half-fiends, tieflings are not predisposed to evil alignments and vary in alignment nearly as widely as full humans, though tieflings are certainly devious.
Description
Tieflings tend to have an unsettling air about them, and most people feel uncomfortable around them, whether or not they are aware of the tiefling's unsavory ancestry. While some look like normal humans, most retain physical characteristics derived from their ancestors, with the most common such features being horns, non-prehensile tails, and pointed teeth. Some tieflings also have eyes that are solid orbs of black, red, white, silver, or gold, while others have eyes more similar to those of humans. Other, more unusual characteristics include a sulfurous odor, cloven feet, or a general aura of discomfort they leave on others.
In many other ways, tieflings are similar to humans physically. Tieflings are, on average, just as tall as humans and weigh slightly more. Tiefling skin is usually human-like in color, though extending past normal human colors into reddish hues as well. Tiefling hair is also often the same color as human hair, though dark blue, red, or purple are common shades amongst the race. Although it is not always the case, tieflings tend to have better reflexes than their human kin. This, along with their natural propensity for hiding and deceit, helps to give tieflings a reputation for thievery and duplicity.
Tieflings who have strikingly inhuman features are often killed at birth by their horrified parents or others. Only those tieflings with subtle features or born to someone indifferent to their appearance, either out of acceptance or cruel purpose, are likely to reach adulthood. Those tieflings who do reach adulthood can be expected to age at roughly the same rate. They have life spans roughly 20 to 40 years longer than normal humans.
Tieflings as Player Characters
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