There may well have never been a human empire, nor the legends of the Dragon
Slayers, if many millennia ago, a few dwarves had not set out from their home
in Grimwarg to seek adventure in the distant peaks of the Windwall mountains.
They had hoped to find good stone, valuable metals and a new home, but found
only barren rock and a few tribes of wild barbarians living in inhospitable
caves in the frozen heights. And though these creatures appeared to the dwarves
as weak and primitive – their lifespan was barely longer than that of
most animals – they immediately recognised the willpower and lifeforce
that had been instilled in these creatures. Impressed by the barbarians, the
dwarves stayed and began to teach them of the world, the Gods and the art of
Never would those dwarves have thought that their actions might change the
world forever. Greedily, the humans devoured their knowledge, learning each
move and all the wisdom of their teachers, and this wisdom spread like wild
fire. Soon, the first smith’s hammers began to ring in the Windwalls and
formed the first of the great swords that were to become the human’s trademark.
With these weapons, they descended from the mountains and took control of the
plains, their numbers ever increasing. The Age of Swords had begun.
Although the mighty dragons were the indisputed rulers of the land of Fiara,
even their formidable might could not stop the humans’ advance. With lances
and swords, they confronted the ancient lizards and accomplished the impossible,
a feat that neither dwarf nor elf had managed: They drove back the dragons.
With courage and creativity, they defeated one mighty dragon after another and
filled the once empty plains with villages and cities.
With their victory over the ancient rulers of Fiara began the rise of the humans,
a race that was both good and bad, courageous and cowardly, strong and yet weak,
the strangest and most varied of all races of this world. And with their rise
came cities, trade, money and war.
are a race of cities, trading and craftsmen. Thus there is always more than
enough work to be done and an ever increasing number of settlements to be expanded
and fortified. It is not at all unusual for a young man to leave his parents
and work his way across the country, taking on odd jobs to pay his way, trying
his luck here and there until finally deciding upon a craft to learn. To his
life’s end, he will then work maybe as a fisherman, farmer or carpenter.
are the backbone of the human armies. They are recruited in times of war from
the lower levels of society and instructed in the use of the halberd. With these
simple, but effective weapons, they repel orcish lancers or try to hold back
storming trolls. To this end, the human blacksmiths supply them with heavy armor
that offers good protection against most weapons and ensures their survival
on the battlefield. Armsmen are usually simple folk. But with their hearts of
oak and under the command of the right leaders, they have won many a battle
for the human armies. Over the course of the years, many of them have become
experienced fighters and these few devote their time to training of new recruits,
ensuring that the skill of Armsmen is ever increasing, gaining them more and
their first wars against the orcs and – in darker times – against
the elves, humans know that not every foe will face their armored units on the
battlefield. Often, their warriors were ambushed and slain without a chance
to retaliate, or their enemy would retreat and flee out of reach even before
their units arrived. Since those days, scouts have been an integral part of
the human armies. They carry only light armor and are more maneuverable and
much quieter than their comrades. They take up position on the flanks of the
battle, warn of surprise attacks and advance secretly into enemy territory,
where they gather reconnaissance about their foes. Scouts are usually recruited
from simple hunters and trackers that wish to serve their country in times of
has always been dangerous to humans. Their thirst for power and conquest is
stronger than that of any other race, and they cannot resist the allure of magic.
Thus it is not surprising that the Mage Wars and the evil-doings of the Circle
were mainly due to the influence of human Mages. After centuries of guilt that
the humans brought upon themselves through these acts, magic is not a desirable
thing. Faith, however, is a major driving force for humans. Their short lifespan
drives them to bind deeply with religion, with many of them devoting their lives
to Aonir, the God of Stars or Tiara, the Sun dancer. Healing and consolation
are their duties, but should war threaten the land, many of them will don their
armour and take arms, joining their comrades in battle. With healing hands and
righteous rage, they are a symbol for the presence of the Gods, for hope and
for the indomitable human spirit.
magic is disliked and mistrusted by the common people, magic is hard to learn
in human territories and its use often frowned upon. The leaders of the human
realms, however, know of its power and would not be so foolish as to ignore
its potential in battle. And so they encourage and foster its learning in secret,
favoring the magic that, like white magic, best suits a human’s natural
abilities: Mental Magic. A skilled Mage can use this magic to manipulate their
foes, cause them harm or even paralyse them. The art of fast hypnosis or enchantment
has been honed to perfection in some schools. A well-trained Enchanter can stop
his enemies in their tracks and completely paralyse them. With this advantage,
even huge armies of orcs that would otherwise have crushed the human forces
can be easily defeated. Their ability to render large numbers of enemies unable
to fight in a short period of time has secured the Enchanters position behind
the human line-up.
long years of war against the Dark Races took their toll on the human armies.
Their reserves depleted, many regions fell to the dark ones and battle for battle,
the human ranks were decimated. It was in this time that groups of volunteers
began to form in the occupied territories and resist their oppressors, groups
that became known as Daikin. They were hardly more than farmers or craftsmen,
and nary among them could afford to buy weapons or armor. Inventive and deft as
they were, however, they were able to craft simple weapons and the leather armor
that would become their trademark. And were they not able to drive out their dark
oppressors, they were at least able to flee and join the remaining armies in the
free lands. There, they proved a worthy addition to the cumbersome ranks of the
Since this time, any volunteers wishing to join the army serve among these light
troops, who to this day bear the traditional leather armor of the Daikin. A recruit’s
duties include securing fortresses and strongholds or patrolling the borders of
the realms. On the battlefield, they reinforce the flanks of the army and attack
enemy archers or mages that the armsmen cannot reach quickly enough.
are the most noble warriors of the human realm, protectors of the people and faith.
In Aonir or Tiara’s name, and under the command of the king, they are always
ready to protect the innocent and defenceless with their lives. Fearing neither
weapon nor magic, their courage and faith are unshakable.
Before the Convocation War, Paladins were organised in great orders, the greatest
of which, the Iron Falcon, covered the whole of the Northern Realm. Now the few
surviving Paladins serve the new realms where they can, always on the look-out
for brothers from the disbanded order.
Paladins are masters of combat with sword and shield, and through their faith
and devotion are bestowed the power and will to use the pure, white magic of the
Gods. They are a noble ally for those that win their trust, and a relentless foe
for those that incur their wrath.
the halls of the secret schools come not only scholars and masters of enchantment.
There are also a select few who devote their lives to the dangerous path of offensive
mental magic. They can enter their victim’s thoughts, break their spirits
and destroy them with the sheer power of their magic. This power is feared, since
neither armor nor shield can offer protection. Any warrior that locks eyes with
a mentalist knows that his end is near, and fear strikes deep into the hearts
of those that witness a comrade falling dead, as if struck down by a ghost.
A mentalist’s training is long, and many fail to meet the harsh requirements.
Only those whose spirit is clear and cold as ice can attain this level of mental
magic, and for the rest, there is only madness.
the battlefield, the crossbow is surpassed by the lightning-quick elven bows,
but in the hand of a marksmen, it is nonetheless a deadly weapon. Rising from
the ranks of the scouts, they shoot not only faster than their comrades, but with
uncanny accuracy. Marksmen are rare, and their training costly, thus most warlords
ensure they are equipped with chain armor, thereby ensuring them the best possible
protection and the longest possible use of their skill.
Usually, marksmen take position behind the ranks or on the walls of strongholds,
whence they can rain a deadly hail of bolts onto their foes.