Humans
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Humans (Embla plumbata) are a diverse species of carbon-based intelligent organisms originating on the planet Olaris in Aylathiya. With significant populations across most of Cosmoria, Humans earned a reputation as one of the most expansionist species. They consistently rank amongst the most populace species therein. Consequently, Humans are diverse, with a remarkable amount of variation in size and appearance.
Humans are typically bipedal vertebrates with a tough endoskeleton composed of protein strengthened by calcium compounds. Their brains and most sensory organs reside in a case of bone resting atop their shoulders. On their two arms and two legs are generally five digits, although some populations have six. Humans, while originally having large amounts of hair, are hairless compared to the ancestors from Olaris. Most of it remains on the head and crotch, with males retaining significantly more hair across the face and body.
Humans share their home system of Helyar with another species known as the Kya. Due to the Kya's marine environment, Humans had a leg up on them, resulting in Helyar being dominated by Humans for most of its history. As of late, the Kya's sovereignty over Helyar has increased greatly, with many considering it to belong to them as Humans have largely abandoned the system.
Features
Humans metabolize organic carbon-based compounds using oxygen as the principal electron acceptor in this metabolism. They use water as their solvent and their internal fluid is slightly basic compared to pure water. Other prominent elements include nitrogen and phosphorous as both are used in abundance in their double-helixed genetic material known as DNA.
Generally, Humans are a bipedal species that range in height from 1.5 - 2.0 meters, with two legs used for motion and two arms. Each arm ends with hands that generally possess five digits for grasping and using tools. They have two eyes with pupils that come in many colors but usually brown, blue, or green. Other colors, such as purple, yellow, and cyan are common among certain populations of Humans. Their nose is set slightly below and between these eyes and above the mouth used as a sensor for smelling and breathing.
Variation
There are a number of groups that, mentally, are indistinguishable from Humans. Physically, these groups are nothing like their original form, however. When most think of Humans, they picture an individual from Olaris or Aegyn, the prototypical Humans most similar to their progenitors. Most of the groups are cultural divisions based on superficial traits. Intelligence has remained constant across all Humans.
There is a great deal of genetic diversity among Humans. The progenitors of Humanity, a small group of about 100 on Aegyn, are the basis from which all other comparisons are made. Since this group most closely resembles the "Aegan" ethnicity, there have been many movements to abandon this point of comparison. Humans originally had muted brown coloration and most retain this trait. Groups not considered to be part of the "Aegans," were usually the result of some level of genetic tinkering.
Humans from Err, one of the largest and most ancient cities on Eos, possess several unique characteristics compared to their progenitors. While much more sexually dimorphic, this group also has exotic hair colors such as pink, cyan, and white. With a more carnivorous diet and greater musculature, the inhabitants of Err bear characteristic fangs that distinguish them from most other Humans.
Ekrosians are another group of Humans known for their role in Ohko's Civilization. They live throughout Aylathiya, but most commonly in the Finale and Eos systems. Ekrosians possess a larger skull, pronounced brow ridge, and wider pelvis in addition to several other distinguishing characteristics. Usually tall and thick, this group was most likely genetically engineered within 10,000 years of the emergence of Humans, potentially by the Second Aeternal Society.
Vlanoans are far more culturally distinct than they are physically distinct. With only a handful of physical features that identify them, the cultural weight behind being a "Vlanoan" created an entire variant of Humans. Most Vlanoans live in isolated communities when not on the planet Onaud, which they dominate. A bizarre phenomenon, the Vlanoans represent the unique tendency amongst this species to create entirely arbitrary classifications. Most intelligent species are far less perceptive of these classifications.
With the great genetic diversity of Humans also comes the great physical diversity. The Thalians, for instance, are a robotic people group modeled after Humans. Common in Sagittarium, this group is mentally indistinguishable from others, a challenge to a biological definition of "Human." The Kshi are a similar, albeit cybernetic, people group.
There exists another group, known as the Kristals who, while entirely inhuman in appearance, are also considered Human. When creating Humanity on the planet Olaris, Father Zaphenim modeled their brains after that of the Kristals. Just like the Thalians, the Kristals are mentally indistinguishable from other groups.
The Bahattes are a highly genetically-modified offshoot of Humanity that is generally considered a distinct species for mostly cultural reasons. Reproduction between different groups is usually not a barrier to being considered Humans; if a machine can be a Human, reproduction is not the main classification. Created in Sedrua, the Bahattes have only recently culturally integrated with Humans.
In Azurullya, a strain of Humanity known as the Argetsen took hold not long after its initial colonization. Some genetic engineering or a freak thaumic mutation led to this group developing chimerism. Beings that an Argetse consumes are liable to have their genetic material stored and passed down in auxiliary genes to future generations. The variety of traits manifested within the Argetsen from other species makes it difficult to classify them as a single group, but cultural isolation in Azurullya has led to a shared identity with them. The manifested traits aside, the Argetsen look similar to Aegan Humans. Azurullya's dictator Moonmoon, although an Aegan himself, has manually undergone chimerism to represent his people. Or perhaps this trait was created to mirror his appearance.
Society
A large contributing factor to the widespread distribution of Humanity is their tendency to live in complex social groups. This tendency creates an array of groups divided by all manner of common traits. Such groups often break away from broader society to form independent communities, a direct cause of Humanity's rush to colonize space. Furthermore, it is this same tendency that creates the phenomenon of Mars, the pan-ethnic Human identity made manifest in Cosmoria. Species such as the Ror Units, Bahattes, Lyncisians, and Zythyns have all been able to integrate into Human society and this Martial identity.
Science and Thaumaturgy
Mastery of both physics and Thaumaturgy has greatly changed Human society. In the past, Human civilization relied heavily on Thaumaturgy, creating a caste system in which those who could use it became tremendously powerful. Under the Triumvirate Civilization, Thaumaturgy waned in importance, giving rise to a technological revolution that diminished the power of the Thaumic elite. With the rise of science came a new elite, usually those who owned the large machinery or facilities it took to build the technological marvels found throughout Human society. The conflict between the users of Thaumaturgy and the owners of machinery has created a great deal of strife.
Nachleben are powerful beings that are the result of High Technology. These entities, which included the Kaiser who ruled Humanity for thousands of years, have a great deal of influence in the politics of humanity. These beings are usually tremendously intelligent and, as machines, are virtually immortal. On the opposite side of the Nachleben are the Overlords, ultra-powerful Magi whose Thaumic potency allows them to dominate entire civilizations. Examples include Father Zaphenim, the creator of Humanity. Overlords exist on an entirely different level than the Nachleben and are relevant on the scale of all of Cosmoria. Wars between civilizations ruled by the people and civilizations ruled by Nachleben or Overlords are another great driver of history.
Politics, Trade, and Government
Humans are not very loyal creatures, the ability to quickly change allegiance between groups, so long as friends and family do so as well, creates a highly tumultuous political environment. For many species, Humans are seen as unstable or impressionable. Other species view the deeply bound identities found within Human societies as intimidating, many will throw away their lives for goals that other species simply do not understand. At the juxtaposition between incredible shiftiness and remarkable steadfastness, Humans have created a large variety of governments to manage the vast empires they have formed throughout history.
Currently, the vast majority of Humans live within the Greater Martial Consilium, a vast empire ruled by the Imperator, someone who is believed to be the representative of Mars in Cosmoria. Most other populations live within the Commonwealth of Aggregate Aylathiya and Thalvett.
History
Humans are considered to have emerged in 1 CE, as Father Zaphenim created them. Zaphenim created them to be potent users of Thaumaturgy, capable of exploring the more abstract facets of reality as he could. This is why they have very large brains relative to their body size and highly centralized brains. Where many species have distributed brains small compared to their body size, human brains use twenty percent of their total energy. This was no problem for the original population, whose powerful abilities made foraging or even outright creating food a simple task.
Organized into a civilization shortly after their creation, Humanity would begin asserting authority over nature. Vast continent-spanning empires would reshape the natural world as entire forests were razed to make way for farmland and inconvenient species were driven extinct. As the First Aeternal Society collapsed, Humans scattered across its territory, only to be reunified by the Second Aeternal Society, which fell shortly thereafter.
In about 54,752 CE, Sedrua encountered Humanity and "uplifted" those living on Aegyn, granting them virtually unlimited materials from a small asteroid in exchange for loyalty. This would last for millennia as Human civilization developed very slowly. Human Magi, or users of Thaumaturgy, would soon craft primitive breathing apparatuses and propel themselves to nearby habitable worlds. Albedo would be the first settled followed by Petra and Thalsiedeln. These planets soon had vast populations as the Magi ruling class deported millions to work the fields on these new worlds. As Humanity came under the control of the Triumvirate Civilization, they would be united under the province of Anthrovia.
The collapse of the Triumvirate Civilization in 80,588 CE CE saw Humanity, a now-advanced interstellar species, quickly ascend to take power. With help from a handful of outside nations, Humans formed Erstes Konsortium, cementing their power over a great deal of territory. After losing over half of their population during the Ma'eau War, Humans rebounded to a place of galactic prestige by the formation of the Dominion of Astraeus. By this time, largely due to Martial Civil Religion, or the worship of both Mars and the state that was believed to be its embodiment, species from across Cosmoria would be considered "Human." In the present day, almost every species common in Martial Space is considered in some way Human. To external species, however, "Human" refers strictly to the biological category.