The Tribes
Humans
Last updated 8/15/2015.
Of all the races in the Eternal Forest, the humans are the least equipped for living in the natural world. Until the formation of the Lands of Order, the human race was very tiny. Their tribes never consisted of more than a handful of people and little to none of their history was recorded. The mapping of the territories and the trade opportunities they opened gave the human race the chance to thrive. Commerce gave the human race the ability to settle down and band together as one tribe.
Once the humans had a unified home, their culture changed from scrounging to farming. They cleared the trees in their territory and turned the lumber into sturdy homes. Soon, the city of Meadowgold was erected, and the human race grew exponentially. But their new way of life didn’t sit well with some of their neighbors.
Given their reverence for the trees, the elves clashed with the humans almost immediately. Tensions rose as Meadowgold continued to clear away the forest to farm and raise livestock. A few battles between them are recorded in the history books, though many more are thought to have taken place. After the Great War, the two tribes settled into a non-violent, mutual hatred of one another that lasted until the Blight.
Lady worship came slowly to the humans after the forming of the Lands of Order. Since humanity showed no reverence for the forest, they had no interest in a deity which called for its preservation. As faith gradually found its way into the tribe, effort was taken to show a bit more care for the forest. They stopped clearing more land than they needed and worked to replant some trees. These efforts did nothing to appease the elves, but it helped the human race find a balance between their faith and their economy.
The city of Meadowgold-and thus the entire tribe-is led by a Lord or Lady depending on gender. This leader often gains their title due to already having a great deal of wealth and influence. In most cases, the new lord or lady is chosen by the previous from his or her advisors or confidants. If the Lord or Lady dies before naming a successor, those closest to him or her argue and fight amongst themselves until the new leader is mutually agreed upon or only one is left alive.
The human’s closest allies are the dwarves. The dwarven ways of business and craftsmanship allow the two tribes a healthy working relationship. The road between Meadowgold and Stonemouth is the widest and most well traveled road in the Lands of Order due to centuries of trade goods moving back and forth. To this day, most of the food in Stonemouth originated in Meadowgold while most of the farming tools in Meadowgold were forged in Stonemouth.
Of course, not all humans agree with the way things are done in Meadowgold. Roughly two hundred and fifty years after the Lands of Order were formed (after the last recorded battle between the humans and the elves before the Tri-leaf Pact) a group of humans broke away from the rest of the tribe. Driven by a strong faith in the Lady, they lived in the Wilds between Meadowgold and Moon-hollow. There they sought to live in a manner which didn’t hurt the forest as the elves did. As time went on, this group of humans began to revere the elves and their way of life. Noticing this, the elves allowed them to live close to Moon-hollow and mingle in their society. They were dubbed the Harmonious. Though the Harmonious had found favor with the elves, they were not seen as equals by them. The two races were deeply segregated, remaining so up until the Blight.
Spoilers for Eternal Forest below.
After the Blight and the signing of the new Tri-leaf Pact, tensions between Meadowgold and Moon-hollow lessened substantially. Trade routes were opened between the elves and the humans and the two tribes entered into the greatest era of peace they’d ever experienced.
Once the humans had a unified home, their culture changed from scrounging to farming. They cleared the trees in their territory and turned the lumber into sturdy homes. Soon, the city of Meadowgold was erected, and the human race grew exponentially. But their new way of life didn’t sit well with some of their neighbors.
Given their reverence for the trees, the elves clashed with the humans almost immediately. Tensions rose as Meadowgold continued to clear away the forest to farm and raise livestock. A few battles between them are recorded in the history books, though many more are thought to have taken place. After the Great War, the two tribes settled into a non-violent, mutual hatred of one another that lasted until the Blight.
Lady worship came slowly to the humans after the forming of the Lands of Order. Since humanity showed no reverence for the forest, they had no interest in a deity which called for its preservation. As faith gradually found its way into the tribe, effort was taken to show a bit more care for the forest. They stopped clearing more land than they needed and worked to replant some trees. These efforts did nothing to appease the elves, but it helped the human race find a balance between their faith and their economy.
The city of Meadowgold-and thus the entire tribe-is led by a Lord or Lady depending on gender. This leader often gains their title due to already having a great deal of wealth and influence. In most cases, the new lord or lady is chosen by the previous from his or her advisors or confidants. If the Lord or Lady dies before naming a successor, those closest to him or her argue and fight amongst themselves until the new leader is mutually agreed upon or only one is left alive.
The human’s closest allies are the dwarves. The dwarven ways of business and craftsmanship allow the two tribes a healthy working relationship. The road between Meadowgold and Stonemouth is the widest and most well traveled road in the Lands of Order due to centuries of trade goods moving back and forth. To this day, most of the food in Stonemouth originated in Meadowgold while most of the farming tools in Meadowgold were forged in Stonemouth.
Of course, not all humans agree with the way things are done in Meadowgold. Roughly two hundred and fifty years after the Lands of Order were formed (after the last recorded battle between the humans and the elves before the Tri-leaf Pact) a group of humans broke away from the rest of the tribe. Driven by a strong faith in the Lady, they lived in the Wilds between Meadowgold and Moon-hollow. There they sought to live in a manner which didn’t hurt the forest as the elves did. As time went on, this group of humans began to revere the elves and their way of life. Noticing this, the elves allowed them to live close to Moon-hollow and mingle in their society. They were dubbed the Harmonious. Though the Harmonious had found favor with the elves, they were not seen as equals by them. The two races were deeply segregated, remaining so up until the Blight.
Spoilers for Eternal Forest below.
After the Blight and the signing of the new Tri-leaf Pact, tensions between Meadowgold and Moon-hollow lessened substantially. Trade routes were opened between the elves and the humans and the two tribes entered into the greatest era of peace they’d ever experienced.