Yon Crusade: Races
Rirykans
Humans
The dominant race of today's world owes much to the foundations laid by their former masters. Initially, elvenkind saw little difference between humanity and their other primitive rivals, the giants, the orcs, and the goblins. During the First Expansion, the elves killed all four of them alike, driving them ahead of the expanding bounds of their empire. During the Second Expansion, the integration of other races into the fabric of rapidly diversifying elven states became a competitive practice. Many elven rulers were quick to note that humans made excellent servants: they were strong and enduring, thrived almost anywhere, and were less aggressive and rebellious than orcs. Over time, humans formed larger and larger portions of the common population, gaining a level of acceptance that other "demi-elves" never achieved. For all the danger of keeping a large, sometimes restless underclass, the most successful states at the height of elven power found that the advantages of a well-managed human resource outweighed the risks – at least in the short and medium term. In the long term, humans under elven rule increased more quickly than the elven population, and were augmented by those who absorbed elven technology from beyond the fringes. In the twilight of the era, humanity found itself well positioned to inherit the world, hurrying the process along with a trend of rebellions and the rise of a large mixed-race population. The Great Death during the eighth millennium killed off everyone in large numbers and sent the world into a temporary dark age, but it ultimately signified the final transfer of ascendancy from elves to humans.
For the last several millennia, humans have been the most numerous of the mortals by some distance, holding dominion or population majority over many regions. On the eve of the Darktime, they comprised over half the population of Riryka and Chora. A keen race, humanity has no serious weaknesses and count adaptability and endurance as primary strengths. Their ancient savagery and aggression has been tempered by millennia of elven subjugation and accumulated historic record. Because they are numerous and would put every square inch of Riryka and Chora to plough or cobblestones if they could, many non-humans view humans with some degree of resentment. Their genetic invasiveness is quite a real issue to elves in particular. Nevertheless, their ascendancy has also brought many improvements and contributions to all of Riryka over the past four thousand years. Continental trade on the eve of the Darktime reached new heights largely under human guidance. People of many races live in the closest thing to humanity's trademark habitat: cities of unprecedented size and organisation. And though it was elves that invented piety, justice, and benevolent rule, it was humans that created chivalry. Unsurprisingly, whether they lead urban, feudal, or even simpler lives, it is humans who are now at the forefront of the Crusade to free the world of the Darktime.