Humans

Humans are one of the most numerous races on the world of Alteria. They are most prominent on the Central Continent and on the Southern Continent, Kajim. Humans are often seen in positions of power among the nations of the world, even out right controlling some nations without the influence of other races. The Kingdom of Allodia is one such example, while the Gaul Empire is an example of races working together, as the Humans of Gaul work alongside the Elves of Elenimora.

Humans are often portrayed as malevolent, cruel beings, that exist only to cause suffering to the other races as well as Alteria itself. The situation is not helped by the Humans themselves however, as they often present themselves as if they are better than others.

Religion
Religion is very popular through out the culture of Humans. However widespread religion is rare in the lands of humans as various cultures and groups have there own views on it. Perhaps the most prominent religion used by any Human culture is the one followed by the Allodians.

While the mechanical-beings do not worship any sort of deity, they do regard the liquid-metal Qinite as holy. There most holy symbol is an immense obelisk supposedly made purely of Qinite, as a symbol of the power of one of Allodia's former rulers. The ground where this obelisk stands is regarded as holy-ground and anyone outside of Allodia's royal family would be executed immediately and there family purged, if they were caught on the holy-grounds.

Another religion, known simply as the Church, had newly begun in the Mezzrill Era. While a fledgling religion and largely ignored, it is seen as a religion that will prove strong in the future. The Church is a "reverse-image" of the original Alteria pantheon. It's three Gods, En, Li, and Qin are reversed-versions of Graal, Septimus and Urielkhaos respectively. En, is pictured as the God of Darkness, while Graal was the God of Light. Li, is seen as the God of Light while Septimus was the God of Darkness and Qin is pictured as the Goddess of Chaos, who will destroy the entire world upon being awakened. Urielkhaos was the Goddess of Balance and the one being keeping Graal and Septimus from destroying the world in there conflict.

Military
Like Religion, the military forces of Humans depends on the nation it serves. The military of the Allodians is made up almost entirely of mindless drones. Husks made to serve there masters as a never-relenting force. Commonly seen in groups known as Legions, with a single Knight at there head to command them. The Allodian's military forces also employ machines as guards or siege-weapons. However the entirety of the Allodian's military is unknown thanks to there seclusion.

Gaul
The Gaul Empire, referred to by the Elves of Elenimora as the Free Nation, also known as the Holy Empire whenever the Church is involved and Ornas, by the Mang'Kr. Originally just a small farmhold, the family residing there was one of the first to join the Orlkind and the small farmhold quickly grew over the years. In due time the farmhold had been the center point of a large city, Gaul. Ruled by the original owners of the farmhold, Gaul proved to be one of the better fiefs under the command of Orlkind. The family was considered to be some of the best the Orlkind had to offer and were part of the Council of Lords in all but name. However, Gaul proved to be as ambitious as the other fiefs in the Orlkind. When the Orlkind broke out in a Civil War, Gaul was among the factions that became independent and waged war against it's former masters. Unlike the other factions, Gaul formed alliances among the independent nations and focused on swallowing up those weaker than itself instead of out right attacking the Orlkind. This proved successful and the Gaul Empire was established.

Rivalling the Orlkind, Gaul was quick to go on the offensive under it's leader Antallon. Under the Emperor, were a cadre of powerful generals from all races including Elves such as Saito and even the Elven King of Elenimora, Leto. The Empire crushed the Orlkind and today stands as the single most powerful nation on the Central Continent, it's only rivals, the Eastern Warlords and forces of the other continents.

Northern Tribes
The Northern Tribes, known in there own scarce tongue as Ar'Ka'Nesh, are a group of tribal clans who have made the northern parts of the Central Continent into there homeland. Traditionally, a reliance on technology, Mana or the beasts that inhabit the world has been frowned upon by the Ar'Ka'Nesh who believe that they should mainly rely on themselves and there own people. This has led them to be labeled as primitive by most other cultures, although the Madjue was known to look on them favourably as did the Nomadic Elves. While not outwardly hostile to most, they became very aggressive to outsiders on there lands, especially in the presence of military or the ever popular attempts at "developing" the "uncivillized" mind.

The only known city the Northern Tribes controlled was the ancient city of Gesallem as they mostly stuck to there small tribal villages and encampments. Gesallem would become the center-stage of there war with the Gaul Empire in it's expansion and during it's Northern Campaign to put an end to the barbarian clans. The city fell to the Imperial army, but familiarity with the territories gave the barbarians an advantage and kept the Imperials from advancing forth from the city, causing stagnation in progress for the Empire. Regardless the campaign came to an end with the defeat of the Ar'Ka'Nesh when Imperial Captain, Vaughn Anurou managed to kill all of the tribal chieftans, following there traditions, he was now the sole leader of the tribes - there dissolution soon followed.

Allodia
The Kingdom of Allodia, referred to as the Sovereignty Allodia by it's people, is a large nation encompassing almost the entire landmass of the Southern Continent of Kajim. It's borders are locked down tight and the nation is extremely seclusive, only rarely making contact with the outside world through small rundown trade outposts and border towns. The Allodians are xenophobic to all races outside of there own. Considering the ordinary Human to be lesser than themselves and races such as the Elves, Mang'Kr, Bolgran and Madjue to be nothing more than abominations to be destroyed.

The Allodians are infamous for there ability to use the Mana of Kekzhou. There skills in the field of technology far surpass anyone else on the world of Alteria and few can even comprehend there complex designs, making reverse-engineering an unlikely event. Perhaps there biggest accomplishment in the field of technology was the use of the liquid-metal, Qinite. Found only in small pools around Kajim, the Allodians have used it to abandon there former human bodies for more "suitable" ones. Bodies made entirely of metal. Using rituals known only to the highest of the Allodians nobility, they have turned almost all of there nations citizens into mechanical constructs.

Orlkind
The Kingdom of Orlkind, Imperial Orlkind or Ruling Orlkind, was a large civilization founded by farmers and rebels on the Central Continent sometime during the Mezzrill Era. While originally created by Humans holding an Anti-Elven sentiment, they quickly became a kingdom known popularly for it's acceptance of other races such as the Mang'Kr who had helped sustain the Orlkind during it's early days, and the Bolgran, whom the Orlkind aided in there war with the beasts of there native lands.

However time proved to be an enemy to the Orlkind, and it's ruling body (The Council of Lords) became corrupt, rife with deceit and plots for power. Ultimately this sparked the Orlkind Civil War, when several of the Kingdom's fiefs claimed independancy from the council and begun fighting amongst themselves and the Orlkind for land. Among them was the Gaul, which rose to become the single most powerful faction of the civil war and quickly set it's sights upon the Orlkind. In the end, the Gaul Empire destroyed the Orlkind Kingdom, just as they had done to the Elven Kingdom of Elenimora.

In the current age, the Orlkind are nothing but remnant forces, hiding out in towns and cities that sit on Gaul's borders or are away from the Empire's sight. They bide there time, hoping for a chance at revenge.

Eastern Warlords
The Eastern Warlords are the largest ruling bodies in the Eastern Territories. In fact the region's name, Tǔ Dì, is rarely used thanks to the warlords. The warlords are not a unified body, instead they rule cities, towns and villages independently from one another. This is a sign of constant strife and the warlords have been at war with one another for thousands of years. Thanks to this, the Eastern Territories are heavily cited as the source of Cern Mana. The heavy chaos in the lands of Tǔ Dì have made bandits and pirates a prevelant problem in there lands.

While the majority of the warlords rule at most, two or three cities, there are a few factions that have become notable during there reign and are growing in power as ones who could possibly unify the entire Eastern Territories. One such man was is the former tactician Maga Nasa. Originally one of the serving strategists for the warrior Han Feng, Maga Nasa was the leading member of the coalition to slay the man. The destruction of Han's forces, saw Maga hailed as a champion. He went on to usurp the former territories of Han Feng and quickly turned on the other members of the coalition, taking control of several of there lands, pushing Maga Nasa into the position of one of the most powerful warlords of Tǔ Dì.

Another famous warlord was Cao Ci. He was viewed as one of the better and more honourable warlords and the civilians generally hoped for him to succeed. However Cao, joined the Gaul Empire, the first warlord to do so, and his land was absorbed into Gaul. It became the Empire's first foothold in the Eastern Territories. Under the continued ruling of Cao Ci and the Gaul Empire, his territories grew in power and soon became the strongest parts of the entire Eastern Territories, with huge walled cities, bountiful harvests and the protection of the Imperial armies.