Families and Rapid Growth: The first thing any non-human would use to describe this species would be how many of them there are. Humans are the most populous race in the world by a long shot, to the point that they have gained control of almost the entirety of the northern continent. Most human accounts of this phenomenon would attribute it to the intrinsic superiority of their race, while a more realistic analysis would likely reference their rapid population growth. While their reproduction rate isn’t anything unusual, humans are unique in their tendency to keep producing children until they are no longer able to. Their family units tend to have a minimum of 2-3 children, and often go far above that. With most hominid species only ever reproducing one or two times in their entire lives, this does come off as unusual.
Normally, this increased rate of reproduction would only affect the growth of humanity, not the spread of their nations. This brings in another factor, that being humanity’s adaptability. Humans are unique in their ability to survive in nearly any environment that can be found in this world. Most species, including my own, can only survive on a large scale in climates and ecosystems they were created to live in. Exemplars can somewhat ignore their limitations, though will still be somewhat uncomfortable in foreign lands. Where my kind will likely only ever be able to live in āina Hānau, and perhaps some parts of the jungles forming a border between the two continents, humans could theoretically settle just about anywhere. Many among their kind take this as justification, that their kind was meant to conquer the entire world. Given the tales I have heard about their patron god, perhaps there is some truth to that.
Variance: Distrust of other species is nothing out of the ordinary, but humans are largely unique in the way they can develop biases against their own species. Humanity’s ability to adapt to any environment has led them to develop many sub-races, typically categorized by the color of their skin and certain facial features. Where most races form feuds and bigotry based on the beliefs of other communities, humans will assume superiority over other sub-races purely based on these physical differences. This comes off as fairly alien to my kind, as any variance in our appearances are minimal and not related to one’s home or community. Humans have gained an association with the Ideal of Hatred, a natural assumption given their seeming habit of villainizing others based on arbitrary differences. They are hardly the only race to have developed a habit of bigotry and conquest, yet have certainly earned their reputation as being warlike, violent creatures.
Technology: If there is one perception of humanity that is actually positive, it would be their impressive technological exploits. Where other hominids were blessed with specialized physiques that allow them to survive their environments with ease, humans were forced to rely exclusively on tools to make up for their deficiencies. This led to a pattern where tools were continuously improved upon until they had vastly outpaced cultures in similar levels of development. While other cultures may match or even exceed humanity in metalwork, masonry, or architecture, none are so consistently advanced in every known form of technology. Weaponry is the notable standout here, with plate armor and innovative steel forging techniques allowing their militaries to excel in large scale conflicts. The kālai seem hesitant to adopt these new technologies, which feels like wasted potential to me. I, for one, would appreciate not having to constantly repair wooden houses from sea damage.
Cultures and Nations: Human kind has been a divided people since long before the rise of the Divine Empire. While they may have been created by the god Aeon, the varied environments that humans have settled have led them to fall under the influence of a variety of faiths. Some historians cite the conflicts between the church of time and the nations formed from this cultural evolution as the reason Aeon was eventually slain. That does of course raise the question of why the empire later turned on the higher beings, but that is a separate issue. Though said empire has come to control the majority of the territory on the northern continent, there are some civilizations that have managed to maintain a foothold in their ancestral lands. This section will provide a brief summary of all major human nations I have been able to study, with more details being provided in their own dedicated sections.
The Divine Empire: As much as I dislike referring to the Divine Empire as the default for humanity, it is hard to deny their dominance. Unified under the Duman imperial family, who claim relation to the godslayer Elric Dunam, the empire has maintained a vast amount of holdings formed from hundreds of formerly independent kingdoms. When my people hear of this, they often wonder how any one family is meant to take command of so many cities all on their own. Based on what I’ve learned, it can be concluded that they really don’t. The Divine Empire is functionally a loosely organized alliance of nations held together only by religious ties and the military strength of the central holdings. The different holdings act like entirely different countries, to the point where it would be best to describe each in their own segments.
- Central Holdings: As the core of the empire and seat of the imperial family, the Central Holdings tend to be seen as representing the nation as a whole. It is the only holding not governed by a duchy, instead granting full control to the Dunams. The nobles here are known for their strict hierarchy and etiquette, resembling a strange game or performance for outsiders such as myself. Beyond that, central culture seems focused around trade and manufacturing, with very few raw materials and agriculture being produced there. This focus on trade and diplomacy is what allowed this region to become so dominant, but it is worth considering whether this is a valid long-term strategy.
- Saint’s Domain: Despite rejecting all higher powers, the church of Myriad Saints remains a dominating cultural influence. When emperor Elric the First founded the church, he granted it these holdings in order to strengthen their position and hold the various holy cities. Each of these cities is tied to one of the five saintly callings, and exist to train and cultivate exemplars that follow the associated Ideals. While this territory is technically not required to follow the emperor’s commands, it often serves as the source of the imperial family’s military strength.
- Southern Borderlands: These holdings are usually seen as being the farthest culturally from the rest of the empire, despite directly bordering the Central Holdings. It has experienced a lot of cultural evolution due to its close proximity to the southern continent, and tends to take a much more moderate position. There is a large Ikati population within, who despite being seen as outsiders have still had a lot of influence. Due to its constantly evolving culture based heavily around artistry and climate being similar to āina Hānau, this would likely be the only region of the empire where the kālai would be able to establish themselves.
- Northern Protectorate: Due to their shared borders with both Burach and Stormveil, the people of the north have been forced to develop a very militaristic culture. Boasting the largest military of all the holdings, its fortresses remain well stocked despite the empire not having been at war with their neighbors in over a century. Due to their reputably severe nature and separation from the Central Holdings, the northern folk are often feared or looked down upon by the rest of the empire.
- Eastern Barrens: Legends say that the east was once a mighty empire, before a conflict between their gods left the land broken and infertile. The gods may have fled, but the scars of their conflict remain. The Eastern Barrens are the main source of metals for the empire and act as the imperial family’s most loyal vassals. This is likely due to their lack of agriculture making it doubtful that they would be able to stand on their own. Despite being of comparable size to the Central Holdings, these subservient lands often serve as an extension of the emperor’s power.
- Western Pridelands: Being the last region to submit to imperial control, the westlands have a reputation for insubordination. It is rumored that the duke of the west is referred to as their king behind closed doors, and that the cities there operate under their own legal codes. Whether true or not, the Pridelands were once home to the church of the sea, and likely did not give up its faith without a fuss. Even the people of the Borderlands still consider themselves to be imperials first, while west makes itself out to be something of an outlier.
Burach: The forests of the far north are said to be closely tied with powerful deities and spirits, as well as those who worship them. Though referred to as a single nation, most believe that Burach is split between dozens of independent tribes with different cultures and belief systems. They are most commonly perceived as being barbarians and savages that the empire must defend itself against, so getting any concrete information on the subject has been a challenge. What can be said is that of the eight formal invasions of Burach by the Divine Empire, none were successful in creating a single outpost. Until proper, non-violent contact can be made with any of the tribes, the cultures of the far north will have to remain unknown.
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The United Holdings of West Isles: On an island chain off the coast of the Western Pridelands remains a set of city states who have all managed to maintain their independence from the empire. Many attempts have been made to occupy these nations, though none lasted very long. The combined naval force of the islands is famously insurmountable, with all the nations uniting as one to push back the supposedly larger military. Despite the obvious animosity, the West Isles have maintained trade relations with all major nations throughout history. Their diplomatic influence has grown substantially as a consequence, which has led to a long standing alliance with Stormveil, Ikoloni, and the Ikati nation of Umseben. This alliance is said to be the only thing keeping the Divine Empire from conquering the entire world, and is a great mark of pride for the isle folk.
Trade Cities: Despite being referred to as cities, these organizations have neither a permanent location nor any formal government. They are merchant bands whose populations rival most mid-sized cities, traveling as one in set paths across the continents. These bands carry small stores and stands designed to be collapsed and carried on beasts of burden, allowing them to set up impromptu merchant districts at any city they visit. The Trade Cities are one of the few unaffiliated groups able to operate in the Divine Empire without resistance, mostly due to the economic boon they provide. Cities being visited by them can expect to exchange more goods and currency in a single week than they would normally do so in a year. You’d be hard pressed to find someone whose opinions on the Trade Cities were entirely positive or negative, and they have remained quite popular, if not typically trusted.
Stormveil: Not much is known about the nation of Stormveil, as its rulers have maintained a strict code of isolation since well before the founding of the empire. What little I have been able to gather about its culture has been from second hand accounts and “scholarly pieces” of dubious veracity, so there isn’t much to be said. The only fact that is generally agreed upon is their religion, in which the people worship a pair of deities. Their “Heavenly General” seems to be a god of storms, perhaps a greater deity, and represents the ruthless and untamed elements of nature. The “Stone Bearing Lord,” on the other hand, has no easy comparisons and appears to have been conjured from context that I cannot guess at. It is yet one of many legends that imply an existence either above or parallel to the higher beings, though provides no further evidence one way or another.
Ikoloni: Though once a large series of colonies made by the West Isles, Ikoloni has since claimed independence and exists as a unified nation. Attempts have been made by both their old masters and the Divine Empire to reclaim the territory, but the Ikolonian’s alliance with the ufezela of the neighboring nation of Isehlul was more than enough to repel any invaders. It is unknown how this alliance was formed given Isehlul’s habit of killing any humans that approach their lands, but it seems to have remained intact in the century since it was formed. Culturally, Ikoloni resembles a fusion of western and southern traditions, with courtly intrigue and feudalist caste system operating in underground cities. Despite being the youngest major country on the map, this land is making headway towards becoming a power capable of manipulating world politics. Whether or not this potential will bear fruit has yet to be seen.