Humans are one of the civilized races inhabiting Eo, due to their high birth rate they are the most numerous race and thus usually hold the fate of the SpellForce Universe in their hands.
Background[]
Before History[]
Humans, like the other humanoid races of Eo, are the descendants of the Shapers. Among others ancestors of humans suffered the most during the fall of the Shaper Empire being reduced to nothing more than savages living in caves and deserts for thousands of years.
Early Days[]
There may well have never been a human empire, nor the legends of the Dragon Slayers, if a thousand years 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 recognized 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 forging.
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 undisputed 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.
All Mighty[]
Thanks to the dwarves humans managed to get out of their caves and build great kingdoms all across the world who were at war each other. After a period of war and misery a powerful warlord and magician known as Chlerus the Blessed One succeeds in conquering and uniting all human kingdoms under his rule. He established the Hybernian Empire and started a dynasty of god emperors that shook the very foundations of the world and ended the dominion of dragons on Eo. This era in history was the zenith of the human power but like all civilizations it too collapsed.
War of the Six Races[]
in -750 BC War of the Six Races occurred and the result of the war was not favourable to humans. Although the light races emerged victorious and The Black Legion was defeated humans lost their unity, with the hyberinian empire disintegrating into the kingdoms of Highmark, Nortander and Empyria.
Culture[]
Humans are numerous and thus the cultures they develop will be such as well. Human societies tend to follow a few basic patterns (rulers-nobles-middle class-lower class) and a proclivity towards clannish organization. Aside from those, a given culture is also greatly influenced by its environment and availability of resources.
Government[]
Humans do not have a single government ruling over them all. Their governments is as numerous as their cultures with some living under a theocracy and others a kingdom.
Religion[]
In present day most humans worship the Guardians but there are those who worship the Renegades and the Hybernian Emperors.
Units - SpellForce 1[]
Worker
Humans 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.
The 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 armsmen.
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.
Since 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 war.
Magic 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.
On 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.
Armsmen 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 more respect.
Since 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.
From 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.
They 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.
Units - SpellForce 2[]
Hard-working, they are taking care of the construction of the buildings and are simultaneously looking after the provisioning of raw material. In the case of an attack they prove their loyalty and help in defending the bases.
They are the backbone of the realm, the basic troops, which constitute the core of any army. They are wearing strong armors from the fine forges of the realm. Not only their iron armor but also their heavy shield provides great protection and their flashing blades are an example of the special sword forging skills of the humans. Apart from their duties in battle, the soldiers are in times of peace also guards in the cities and at the borders of the realm.
They combine the skills of scouts and marksmen. Their armor gives them the free movement of a ranger, but also provides the necessary protection to survive duel in battle. Even though the crossbows of the humans are not as accurate and long-range as the bows of the Elves, they are still a deadly threat to more lightly armored units.
Mounted Crossbowman
The first attempts after the Convocation to reintroduce the cavalry into the army lead to the emergence of these mounted scouts and runners. However, one soon recognized that these cavaliers were capable of much more. Equipped with the advantages of wild equestrian people, these long-distance fighters are hard to get for the enemy and their outstanding speed quickly brings them to the important scenes of events and just as quickly away from them.
The knights of the Orders of Dawn, the Iron Falcon or Tiaras have always been steady companions of the Army of Light. In among the realm they combine the mobility of mounted crossbowmen with heavy armor and an unexcelled sword arm. Their faith does not only give them power, but also the ability to effect divine magic against the Undead, which makes them particularly effective against these enemies.
The Order of Dawn had for a long time been looking for a way to protect the Light People from the flying creatures of the dark. Under the leadership of Master Matricus, the Order finally managed to utilize the gryphon taming for more than just a few chosen ones. Thus the mages of the order learned the gryphon flight. They sweep over the battlefield like the wind, unreachable for swords and axes, while they weave their feared mental spells above the heads of the enemies, in order to break the spirit of their adversaries.