Hominins

  During The Dragon Wars, Humans were forced to flee to the furthest corners of the planet. Between hiding from new predators and living in strange lands, they evolved into very different species, only clinging to a fraction of their original bloodlines.   Thousands of years later, hominins rule Saani. On the streets of nearly every capital, 6 distinct species intermingle together. Some are far from their homes, but still part of them.  

Fur-Bearers

Native to the colder reaches of Daylon, Fur-bearers, like their names suggest, are covered in a thicker layer of fur than other hominins. They are descended from some of the first humans that were guided to safety, and since their chilly homes were rarely under threat from dragons, their evolution was more focused on keeping warm and finding food. Subspecies of fur-bearers evolved southward as settlements became warmer.   Both sexes have mane-like hair surrounding their heads and necks.

Manikins

Manikins are a race of small, 3-and-a-half foot tall hominins that evolved in the expansive grass plains of Mirgla. Their ancestors' group allegedly lost their way trying to reunite with their kin up north, and unexpectedly encountered the infinite ocean before reaching safety. With no wood, boats, or choice, they built their settlements out of the dirt that surrounded them. They eventually grew shorter, letting them easily hide among the tall grass, out of the sight of dragons or the gigantic wildlife they shared the plains with. They could also use less materials to build their homes, which looked like small hills to an unknowing eye.

Harocs

Some of the Manikin's ancestors backtracked to find safety in the Haroc Mountains (it is unknown whether the race named themselves after the range or vice versa). While it gave them sturdier shelters, encounters with dragons and other dangers were much more common, and could not be hid from. Only the strong survived, and Harocs were born. Standing at about seven or eight feet tall, a stereotypical Haroc ripples with muscles under their earth-toned skin, sporting hands bigger than a Tellara's head. In ancient times, hunting parties would descend to the grasslands below to kill huge game that could feed their tribes for months. Perhaps it was this way that they encountered their timid neighbors, reuniting hominins for the first time since they were the same species.

Tellara

The Tellara most resemble their Human ancestors, probably because they continued to live in the same area Humans once ruled. Left behind after Mohhi-Shee's ascent to godhood, they evolved to climb and swing through the thick Tellaran Jungles at breakneck speeds to escape their predators. They are quicker, lighter, and more acrobatic than their ancestors, and their feet are more jointed and make use of an opposable thumb-toe to better cling to the branches many call home.  

Garin

Not all humans had waited to be delivered to safety; in fact, some ran headfirst into enemy territory. Warlord Garin the Great led an army full of such people south, bent on conquering the dragons themselves. Garin lost his life in the conquest, but his underlings continued on. In even deeper danger than the Harocs, these fighters truly knew nothing else. In the rare event the army conquered a dragon, they would make its base theirs, using it for rest, tactics, and family-growing. Their skin came in brighter hues to distract the enemy, and their teeth and claws became weapons of their own. They were not the only species fighting for their lives against the dragons, however. Once the dragons were finally sealed away by Mohhi-Shee and Alnii, the Garin fought a menagerie of terrifying beasts to gain territory of their own. After hundreds of years, the first regulated government was created: a monarchy under a supposed descendant of Garin (in fact, Garin never had any children, and the royal family later claimed that they were chosen by the warlord). Saigar eventually grew into a prosperous nation, but their bloodlust has never truly left their culture.  

Neplings

With time, many Humans (and later, Tellara) were able to sail beyond the main continent. Present on the Nepilene Islands even before the Dragon Wars began, Nepling's evolutionary process had more time to take hold, and as such was much more dramatic. Clad in fish-like scales and fins, they can easily swim the long distances between islands. They're amphibious, and as such their settlements not only cover the tops of islands, but often spill over the sides, miles into and under the sea.