Aurlûnoren Human

Aurlûnoren Humans also known as simply Aurlûnoren Men are the human inhabitants of the Aurlûnor Velande. They originally were the most dominant people group in Southern Syltör 74,000 years ago prior to Elven arrival. Some are descendants of old Kings that once ruled the region, as well as local tribal chieftens. Modern paleoanthropologists place these people under a supergroup known as the Ghûren (Ancient Men), with the modern descendants being known as Dawou Aurlûnoren.

Prehistory
The first two groups known to modern archaeology are the Kozenstejn Culture and a collective of archaeological cultures known as the Pannotosyltoric Nomads (associated with the mythical "age of wanderlust" in Viridian oral tradition by some historians). Little is known about these ice age hunter-gatherer tribes, other than that they were the ancestors of many of the Velande's humans and humans across much of Syltor.

The southwestern Kozenstejn peoples eventually broke up as they remained in the regions they dwelled, and the southwestern Kozenstejn became what are known as the Pan-Ghûrenic peoples. There is no doubt that the Pan-Ghûrenics were not a monolithic culture, however the term only applies to the archaeological record prior to the emergence of recognizable individual cultures.

The most famous of the ice age Pan-Ghûrenic artifacts are a series of cave paintings at the Lao Gushi cave in northern Imperial Province. Dated to around 74,000 BCA, it depicts simple human figures hunting deer and lindworms among other beasts, and walking through dangerous mountain passes. Another ancient cave painting, found in the Ghûdong cave in Nir Province, depicts canoe-bound figures fighting sea serpents and whales; some archaeologists have suggested that its makers were in fact Pannotosyltorics who had migrated across the sea from Haven or Ummarnu.

Among the Pannotosyltoric migrants, four major groups were established. The YP (Yamu-Piken) humans were a jungle people who quickly began inhabiting the thick Ashuran rainforests, and eventually boated across the sea into modern-day Tacua and breaking off to become the "true" Piken. The Yamu emerged from the YP humans that stayed behind in the east. The Pi-Medjayim peoples stayed in what is now Sharla, living around the coast. However, we do not know of a name for this group as they are only known from the archaeological record and were not recorded until after their disappearance.

The Pan-Ghûrenics divided into four or so recognizable major groups around 12,000 years ago: the Dawou, Paleonirine, Fai, and likely the now-lost Syros Dugout Canoe Culture as well. The other five, however, have been able to maintain some kind of cultural continuity since this pre-agricultural time- a mind-boggling feat made possible by their cohabitation with the more long-lived Elven peoples who would show up in the coming millennia. Collectively known as the Ghûren, these peoples lived as foragers until the development of grain-based agriculture.

Early History
Agriculture arose independently in western Syltor around 11,500 years ago, as primitive Dawou Ghûren peoples domesticated wheat and millet. From the north of the Bay of Heaven, agriculture caught on among the Ghûren, Kumiho, Seraan, and neighboring tribes over the course of about 600 years. The first proper settlement was located at what is known today as the Yu'shen mound. The settlement, known by paleoanthropologists as "Yu'shen A" was built in 15,000 BCA, but occupied for thousands of years after as the locals learned to farm. Though not much is known about this particular site, remains of clay housing were found on the site. There have also been multiple other areas of the region such as the multiple hovels belonging to the Paleonirine peoples and thatched huts that were built by the largely sea-fairing Fai peoples.

The Decline and Conquest of the City-States
Around 3,840BCA, Sachómar would have growing tensions between themselves and Ardol, and according to paintings and old writings, a war would happen between the two sides. Bronze weapons alongside copper weapons were seen used during these conflicts, indicating that their settlements had grown to a particular size, and the discovery of copper and tin within the region, namely from trade by the Yu'shen. Together with the Dawou city states of Yuen and Xie, as well as minor naval support from Huairin, Sachómar would be victorious.

Almador's expansion would eventually put them into conflict with their former allies now biggest adversaries, the Huang, who previously conquered the Yu'shen, but primarily used their old city as the new center of their powerbase as a more centralized kingdom. Though, it was more in name, for the many city-states surrounding the Huang, quietly refused to pay tribute to their new overlord, and would remain nominally independent, even forming alliances against the Huang. Though, the Huang was proven to be much stronger than the city-states, as much of their military was more advanced thanks to the advent of trade from Almador. This however, would prove to be the downfall of the Huang, as Maxion had also influenced its rivals.

In the year 3,836BCA, 4 years after the earlier conquests of the southern city-states, Maxion would begin his northern campaign, and attacked the Huang in a surprise attack. The many city-states that were against the Huang, quickly jumped on the opportunity to declare their independence. This moment of weakness saw the downfall of the Huang, and the subjugation of the Heartland Dawou. Yu'shen would be sacked, and over the ruins, the settlement of Tarmen (Highplace) later Lonya (Highpeak) would be found, to act as the new capital of the Kingdom of Lonya. Multiple other settlements such as Ridde (Farm Land, known today as Pangnin), Lingrinwë (Fish Village), and Elen (Star, also known as Dun) would be founded individually down the line. Maxion's conquests would continue eastward, where he would conquer the other peoples such as the Yi'yen, the Nu and the costal Fai.

Under Almador
Aurlûnoren humans in the Almadoric period were treated as second-class citizens below Celestial Elves. Many of them were either simple laborers, farmers and merchants, while modern estimates say 15-25% of the population were enslaved peoples serving under varying tasks such as hard labor for construction projects, farming for nobility, to be used as throwaway troops in wars, or serving higher lords of the Kingdom. While Maxion was said to have only enslaved those who opposed him rather than the ones who joined him, accounts of a freed Dawouic slave, who bought his freedom through fighting against the varying creatures that are in the modern Lûnwirmar arena, described the following, "Both those who were loyal and those who weren't were enslaved. There was no difference between the two, except treatment. If you were not a descendant of a loyal clan, you'd be treated as a wild animal. If you were, you'd be treated as a domestic animal."

Aurlûnoren humans were seen as a valuable commodity in trade, as they were traded with the First Dominion of Ashura despite hostile relations, to Kumiho clans, and were even recorded to have been purchased as eunuchs for the royal courts of the Dwarves of Erebor, though it is unclear if they had actually served the Dwarven Kings, as sources are often mixed with Brothaic sources, and it's likely that it was actually a tribe that was near the area that purchased them.

The Warring States
The ensuing chaos and breakup of the Almadorians would also see the rise of minor Aurlûnoren human princedoms, kingdoms and dukedoms. The Kingdoms of Yong, Shen, Hua, Locendur, Morlinmar and varying other small principalities and duchies mostly found in modern day Nir and western Tamaka Provinces. These regions are known to have more human populations, namely due to the fact that many humans migrated to and lived in. Locendur was known for being one of the most tolerant regions of the Kingdom, hosting a large human population, allowing the formation of the city of Jingli, which would serve as the regional administration following the collapse of Almador. Shen and Hua would be a divided pair of Yi'yen towns that would often fight with once another, and saw petty squabblings, often taking nearby kingdoms for support. Both sides of the river would often see soldiers guarding over the area as a border post. Yong would be another Yi'yen settlement that controlled over portions of the Ha Anga Bayou, and often fought against the Angans but sometimes also integrated with them. Yong would be more of a confedeation of small settlements and tribes within the region as a sort of a coaltion to defend themselves from outsiders.

Modern Day
The fall of Melwende and Linye in the year 94BCA would be a major turning point for the varying cultures, with many Aurlûnoren humans siding with the growing power of Sareariel Lelya-Earcala due to her accepting humans into her forces, as well as those she deemed as "True Almadorians". Unlike Maxion the Conqueror, Sareariel would pledge to free all Aurlûnoren humans under her rule. In the year 0CA, many Aurlûnoren humans in the Heartlands and around the Ha Anga Bayou would become subjects of the newly formed Aurlûnor Velande. Unlike Maxion however, Sareariel kept her promise, and the abolition of slavery and ending of the practice of eunuchs would mark the beginning of what many Aurlûnoren humans would call the "Second Golden Age of Aurlûnoren humans". All the Aurlûnoren humans that fought under Sareariel and those who also opposed her were given equal status to Celestial Elves, and were allowed to be put into government positions.

Over the next quarter of a thousand years, the Aurlûnoren humans would birth many famous scientists, writers, and literature novelists, as well as theologians of the country's dominant religion, Twin Dragon. The most famous of these figures was a man by the name of Guo Yun, a former tax collector, administrator, and priest, who wrote books such as The Fourty-Four Ways of achieving Harmonious Balance, Beautification is Balance, and The Myths of Perfection, and the Beauty of Imperfection. Guo Yun would see the fifth month of the Twin Dragon Calendar named in his honor due to his notable contributions to the growth of the domination of faith in daily life and philosophy.

Today, the number of Aurlûnoren humans tripled their previous count while they were under Almador. Though they are still a minority, Aurlûnoren humans are respected figures within the government and throughout the Velande. Animosity between them and the Celestial Elves decreased over the course of a thousand years, and many would even start to interbreed.

Appearance
Aurlûnoren Men are no different from regular humans, with the exceptions of those who might have bred with either Kumihos or Celestial Elves. Their average heights can fluctuate, but an average Aurlûnoren Human male can grow up to be 5'9, while females grow to be around 5'5. Their hair and eye colors tend to fit their environments of either the warm jungles of Tacua Province or the cool mountains of Alvada.

Aurlûnoren humans were famous for their invention of a type of clothing known as the dawoufu, which is worn by a large majority of the population. Their invention would even reach the Kumiho of Hampo Province through slavery and contact, creating their own variant known as a nanbok. They also seem to care a lot about how they appear, and usually, males have a tradition of keeping their beards nice and fresh looking, grooming it and keeping it nice looking. More ragged and gruff appearing males are seen as warriors, soldiers, or that sort. Females on the other hand, tend to try and keep up with their beauty, by applying lots of make up on their faces and wearing the finest garments.

Culture
Aurlûnoren humans are quite diverse in their cultures. However, the four most prominent cultures that are largely widespread are the Dawou, Yi'yen, Nû and Fai cultures.

Dawou
The Dawou culture (Dawou meaning "Hill People") is among the most dominant of the Aurlûnoren humans, in which many foreigners would lop the entire Aurlûnoren human group into one, and is the most often word that many people would use when describing one due to their mostly pre-dominant presence in settlements or in writing. The Dawou are known for their architectural feats, their hill mound settlements, and their clothing styles. Much of the Dawouic culture is borrowed in Aurlûnoren culture, fused together with Almadoric culture, creating a unique blend between each other. Dawouic foods are often intertwined with Almadoric cuisine, which creates a unique blend. Clothing culture is rather important, as Dawou are extremely picky when it comes to wearing appropriate attires to certain events, formal, not formal, and other sorts. For example, it is considered rude to wear a military uniform when walking into a house, or a woman wears very little clothes when walking into a palace or holy site.

Yi'yen
The Yi'yen culture is in fact two different cultures that fused together into one. One from the people of the former settlement of Yi, and the other from the Yen tribe that was neighboring the settlement. Much like the Angan Celestial Elves, the Yi'yen are well known for their fishing and the inventors of advanced rice farming. They are additionally responsible for the domestication of the Guojiang cormorant, and the Short-nosed alligator, which the latter has a complicated relationship with, as some are domesticated for food and hide, while others are kept as pets for comfort or hunting. Yi'yen are well known for creating cairns, which are possible to have been apart of their native religion. Modern Yi'yen cairns are Twin Dragon shrines depicting Twin Dragon deities, though appearing more human than elven, and are found throughout the Ha Anga Bayou, and other parts of Nir Province. The most famous cairn is located in Northern Nir Province, which has been untouched for 4500 years, and has been viewed as a pilgrimage site for those on their way to the Nantian Monestary.

Nû
The Nû culture are relatives of the Yi'yen, but were more war-like. Known to have attempted to try and take back their homeland on multiple occasions, the Nû are expert blacksmiths, and lived in a region that was full of iron deposits as well as copper. The animosity against the Fai and later the Kumiho, would see the groups fight over deposits of resources. The Nû would attempt to take on the Kumiho clans, but would fail every time they tried, and eventually, they were enslaved by the Kumiho. Upon the abolition of slavery, the Nû would start becoming more professional metal works in the region, but the animosity between them and the Kumiho continued, with reported racial attacks made on each other by the former guard force, and citizens.

Fai
The Fai culture or the red haired people are the the only one of the four groups that have an unknown origin story. Although their cave paintings depict them arriving via sea, and fighting sea monsters in the Endless Sea, not much is known about their prior lives. They are known to be master sailors and navigators, and are often recruited in the Dragon Navy. Due to their preference to migrate over seas, many Fais are located along the coasts of the Lothranis Sea. Deep sea fishing was perfected by the Fai and was taught to the Dawou through trade. There is a story that surrounds a group of Fai who sailed beyond, and would eventually reach the isle of Kumuur, and eventually became known as the Silvayish people, though this is unknown if it is true. However, Silvayish peoples such as Breton Aerouant claims to have Fai roots within them, due to the similarities of culture they practice such as sea-based building, and cuisines.