With hold over some of the largest settlements, and with the revered Knight’s Order under their charge, it may seem that the Humans of Erendorn are one of the most united races in the land. But Human pride is a powerful thing and there are many divisions within this population.
Queen Annka and the Council of Seven
The Humans of Erendorn are led by Queen Annka who, after her father died, shouldered the responsibility of protecting the race. The Council is comprised of seven individuals, each occupying an elevated position within the Kingdom. But Queen Annka’s most entrusted member of the Council is her advisor.
Humphritt
Humphritt is the link between Queen and Kingdom. While Queen Annka is a strong leader with an iron will, running the Human Kingdom is no easy feat. Humphritt’s role is to help guide her when the right decision seems clouded and distant.
Guldriv and Quayle
Two prominent members of the Council are Guldriv, the Ambassador for the Human Kingdom, and Quayle, the Keeper of Coin. Guldriv deals with all the political relations between the Humans and the other races of Erendorn while Quayle is in charge of handling the treasury.
Hybor
The Human Army is also represented on Queen Annka’s Council by Force Commander Hybor. Under his orders, the Army deals with any threats against the population, whether internal or external. On the Council, Hybor offers unparalleled experience in strategy and warfare.
Feltor
Feltor is not only the Keeper of Peace within the Human Kingdom but also the Royal Guard Commander of the Cityguard. Punishing criminals and enforcing the law is the primary focus of the Cityguard, as well as quelling revolts. While they do not get involved with outside threats, the Cityguard have been known to enter the dungeon depths on specific missions.
Tentis
Tentisis one of the most learned and powerful mages, an accomplishment that has positioned him as Head of the Mages’ Guild, which he has great influence over. Tentis is also the Keeper of Knowledge, a role he fulfils with a little assistance from another council member.
Hovine
Hovine is the Seeker of Knowledge and as such is permitted to scour the lands for information. While some consider him to be nothing but a glorified spy, Hovine’s role in the Kingdom is very important. He gathers invaluable information which he then passes onto Tentis before it is permanently stored in the library at the Mages’ Sanctum.
The Mages' Sanctum
The Mages’ Sanctum is integral to the future of the Human population in Erendorn. This institution not only leads the way in the study of Magic, but also spearheads the constant search for knowledge. Every piece of information that is collected is then stored inside the vast library that is contained within the Sanctum’s graceful walls.
It is not an uncommon sight to see eager Mage novices gathering outside this impressive architectural giant, eyes glimmering with the hope that they will be recruited. But this place is not just for aspiring spellcasters. Many attend this institution to seek counsel, especially regarding aspects of the unknown that can’t be explained elsewhere.
Human Sorcerers
Human Sorcerers are proficient mages who have dabbled in unconventional practices such as Void Magic. While not necessarily evil, their attraction to shadowy incantations has made them feared among many Humans and they are often considered to be outsiders.
Since the Mages’ Sanctum does not tolerate the learning of dark magic, aspiring Sorcerers must learn these spellcasting abilities elsewhere. Because of this, there have not been many Human Sorcerers - but there is one that has left her mark across the scapes of Erendorn.
Umza the Gifted is one of the most proficient Human Sorcerers the Kingdom has ever seen. Wielding powerful Void Magic, she alone created the first Stone Golems of Erendorn. Since then, this knowledge has spread across the lands, and Golems are now a fairly common sighting.
The Knight's Order
The Knight’s Order is an esteemed institution within the Human Kingdom. Valuing strength and ability above all else, only the most highly skilled warriors can join the Knight’s Order. This is determined by a challenger’s success in the demanding Duelling Tournaments.
Duelling Tournaments are held by The Knight’s Order in the main city as well as in other Human settlements. These awe-inspiring displays of tactical combat place a fully fledged Knight against a challenger, who must show promise and defeat 5 other challengers in order to join the Order.
As well as being popular public spectacles, the Duelling Tournaments ensure that only the most impressive and proficient fighters become Knights. There are four ranks within the Order: Knight, Knight Champion, Knight Master and Knight Supreme Master, of which there is only one and he goes by the name Paterius. But no matter the ranking, Human Knights are all highly trained fighters who fearlessly enter battles with some of the most formidable creatures of Erendorn.
The Templar Order
The establishment of this new Order was born out of a disagreement between The Knight’s Order and a group of its members who were frustrated with the fact that, despite knowing magic, they were not permitted to use their spellcasting abilities as much as they wanted to.
The Templar Order is focussed on marrying the two worlds of combat and magic. While Knights embrace strength and skill, the Templars prefer to utilise their magic without shunning physical prowess, like other Mages do. This means that they are constantly at odds with The Knight’s Order due to the conflicting nature of their belief systems.
The cultural and philosophical differences between the two Orders meant that the Templars were only allowed to create their institution if it was built on the other side of the Kingdom, away from the Knights.
Human Beastmasters
Within the Human race of Erendorn, a small number of individuals are born with an innate gift that gives them the ability to communicate and bond with certain wild beasts. These individuals are known as Beastmasters. Once bonded with an animal, usually a bear or a wolf, the two almost become the same living being. All thoughts are shared between Human and Beast. When one suffers, the other feels its pain with the same intensity. And if one dies, so does the other.
However, this practice is generally shunned by Human society. It is so controversial that young Beastmasters will try to suppress their desire to venture into the wild for as long as possible because they know what it would mean: a life of solitude away from Human civilisation. But when they do finally succumb to the irresistible urge, Beastmasters often prefer their new life because the bond between Human and Beast is often much stronger than any other form of relationship.
While Beastmasters only bond with one animal, there has been an exception to the rule. Lucan the Free is a legendary Beastmaster among the Humans. Pursuing a nomadic life completely absent of social interaction, Lucan has bonded with multiple wild animals and is to this day the most proficient Beastmaster known to humankind.
Rufus Gelton
For a large part of his life, Rufus Gelton has travelled across Erendorn, venturing through every type of terrain while learning about its lands. Although he enjoys his nomadic life as a wayward loner, he remains close friends with Quayle, the Keeper of Coin, and often provides him with helpful information when foreign problems arise - for a fee, of course.
In recent times, Rufus brought forward crucial information that helped to quell a Mantisar scourge that was threatening Human civilisation. Over 3,000 Humans were slain in an underground ambush attack on the main city. In response, Queen Annka summoned an urgent meeting with the Council, desperate to find a solution to the brutality that was being inflicted upon them.
At Quayle’s suggestion, Queen Annka agreed to pay whatever was necessary to seek out Rufus and obtain information from him. After searching the surrounding landscapes, the nomad was eventually found in a tavern speaking to patrons about his various adventures and discoveries. After a long discussion and a hefty payment, Rufus Gelton began telling Quayle about the obscure secrets of the Mantisar.
Rufus told of how a power-hungry Empress uses a telepathic system to whisper commands to the Mantisars, controlling their minds and robbing them of free will. Her orders were communicated through a receptor that all Mantisars are born with. This, Quayle realised, was an especially important discovery. It meant that if the receptors were removed, the Mantisars would be freed from the Empress’ clutches, hopefully putting an end to the carnage that they were inflicting across Erendorn.
Following Rufus’ advice and the Human’s victories against several Mantisars, the fact that the receptors could be removed became widespread knowledge to all races of Erendorn. Thousands of Mantisars have since been liberated from the Empress, and thousands more civilians have been saved from future torment. While Mantisars are still a threat, the massacres they wreak have reduced and some have even become integrated into various race settlements, including the Human’s.
Rufus Gelton continues to be an important source of knowledge among the Humans. His extensive travelling means that he has more first-hand experience of Erendorn than anyone in the Kingdom. He still travels across the lands and remains very rich - at Quayle’s unfortunate expense, that is.
But the Human Kingdom doesn't only include fearless Knights, powerful Sorcerers and adventurous Beastmasters. Along with its teeming civilians, there are rogue Bandits, dastardly Outlaws, eagle-eyed Rangers and heinous Necromancers. Of all the practices in the Kingdom, necromancy is the only one that is outright banned. Considered to be a warped and despicable form of sorcery, Necromancers are hated among the Humans and are feared more than even the most powerful Sorcerers.
While Bandits and Outlaws are also disapproved of, they are much more tolerated in the Kingdom despite their nefarious antics and tendency to cause trouble. Rangers are the free spirits of this race, choosing to roam freely across Erendorn instead of staying rooted in one place. Occasionally, they will pass through one of the Human settlements, but their affinity with adventure means that they never stay long.
Have you read about the nine foot menaces of Erendorn yet?
