Within this entry can be found a brief overview of the four sapient species of Terrilia; a quick look at their characteristics, cultures, technologies and magical abilities, and relations with other races and species. If you wish to learn more of the individual species, relevant encyclopedia entries may be found under the 'Sapient Species' heading.
Characteristics
Humans are by far the most numerous sapient species on Terrilia, having long since populated every corner of every continent. They stand around 1.5 to 1.8 metres tall, and live on average to around 60 years, though strong mages live far longer. They have a fairly average magical ability, with most able to perform small magical feats with training, while mages are able to create complex effects such as telekinesis, changing of Materia properties, and limited telepathy using their bound Vis. Humans make up for their lack of strong magical ability with their inventiveness; most of the world changing products of the Industrial Revolution such as locomotives, cotton mills, and modern firearms, are the result of human ingenuity.
Nations and Culture
Human nations range from small coastal city states, to vast continental and colonial empires. Some nations are young, while others are the descendants of centuries old kingdoms. Most nations retain a monarchy, though in recent years the shift to a more democratic style of government has accelerated, with many nations, including the Helgish Empire, having parliaments with full law-making powers. Each nation has its own distinct culture, but most have some form of class system, with ruling nobility, a mercantile middle class, and a hard-worked labour class. Usually, it is rather difficult to change class. In recent times, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, working classes have begun banding together and agitating for better rights.
In general, human societies do not discriminate by gender, and women have been equal to men since the first hunter-gatherers, but most do have a slight tendency towards patriarchy. Human societies have very mixed attitudes towards sexuality and gender variance, with some viewing anything other than heterosexuality as a sin, while others freely accept those of any sexuality or gender identity. Likewise with race, some nations freely accept those of any race, human or otherwise, while others look down on non-humans, and still others are violently xenophobic to anyone outside their own borders.
Magic and Technology
Human nations vary in their approach to magic, but most only allow the upper -and sometimes middle- classes unrestricted access to magical training, with the lower classes mostly being barred from developing their skills. Those in the lower classes with a strong or exceptional affinity, however, may be placed in specific military roles, or specialised industrial roles for which a trained upper class mage cannot be spared. Around one percent of humans show a strong enough Vis affinity to be worth training, though the figure varies between ethnicities and even families, and a still smaller number make it into the ranks of the armed forces.
Most human technology is a fusion of mechanical engineering and Vis power. Since the Industrial Revolution, great factories have sprung up, powered by
Steam Engines, allowing for the mass production of everything from ceramic plates, to rifles, to locomotive parts. The mages employed to run the steam engines are usually lower class mages trained only in their specific tasks.
Relations and Conflicts
With the exception of some empires and kingdoms, particularly those bordering elven or dwarven states, relations between human nations and those of other races are usually cordial, if not always particularly warm. Many human nations have treaties and trade deals with many elven and dwarven commonwealths and kingdoms. Most human nations do, however, prefer the hardworking and grounded nature of the dwarves, to the esoteric and highly magical ways of the elves, most likely because of the unpredictability and apparent danger of the strong magic the elves wield.
Intra-human relations, in contrast to the above, are frequently more brutal. While non-human races boundaries are usually respected, the same cannot be said for human borders, and many a war has been fought over minerals, strategic locations, and lines of succession. While most of the human race is usually in some form of peace, brokering deals and signing treaties, the sheer population of humans guarantees that most nations have a stake in a war currently raging somewhere in the world. Recently, more conflicts have been arising within nations themselves, with the lower classes pushing to improve their lot, and in some cases attempting to overthrow the established nobility. There are some who fear tensions coud overflow and result in a war the likes of which has never been seen on Terrilia.
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