Humans

The humans are the most populous race, having several nations in the East forming the Human Federation. One such nation, now modern-day Kolitsnaya, conquered & subjugated modern day Svartalfheim long ago, driving the Svartalves underground. This is something for which the Svartalves still hold a grudge (but they also have a grudge against the other elves for not helping out. Svartalves collect grudges like keepsakes.) The Svartalves, as seen elsewhere, eventually took back their lands with the aid of Mordanic dwarves, and are likely to come to violence with any human unwise enough to set foot on their homeland uninvited.

Humans are a stubbornly prideful people, suspicious of outsiders. Yet, should one win their friendship one finds a paradoxical quality of "private openness", an unreserved warmth and generosity shared only with intimates. None of the human nations are what one would call "wealthy" but the humans make do. The grinding poverty of the average peasant's existence makes the military an attractive option for the young and healthy, so there is a very large standing force available across the Federation, albeit lacking in decent equipment.

Human society is still mostly a feudal affair (although the leadership stresses that all are equal in the eyes of the state), with national leaders devolving power to deputies and apparatchiks, who manage lands and serfs, and when the need arises, raise armies. In addition, there are roving bands of raider tribes that prowl the borders. Many half-orcs are to be found here, and some foolhardy raider tribes envision themselves the successors of the Orcish warbands of old. (Nobody with a sense of history would agree, and they'd probably think the raiders foolish to invite the reprisals drawn by the warbands. But then, nobody ever accused barbarian raiders of being smart.) Human leadership is divided on what to do about these tribes, as for all their lawlessness they are occasionally useful.