====== Humanity ======

Humans are, well, ordinary human beings, like you or me. While they may have predilections towards magic, psionics, or other special disciplines, as far as modern science is concerned they are not genetically dissimilar from each other, yet are significantly dissimilar to werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural creatures on a genetic level.

==== Magi and Witches ====

While most people can utilize magic in some form or another through sufficient study and understanding, some humans are more attuned to it and have an advantage when attempting to control it. These gifts and talents tend to pass through established bloodlines, although there are instances of undocumented bloodlines turning out a powerful magi now and then.

  * Elemental Magic: Some humans choose to focus on developing powers through elemental affinities - by choosing a limited number of foci to draw from, they increase their ability to control these foci. Others merely develop a single focus or thematic focus, either for reasons of talent (or lack) or available time to practice.
  * Ritualistic Magic: Ceremony and ritual has been used to invoke the forces of magic since the dawn of humanity, with varying degrees of success. Mages and witches tend to be better at getting actual results from their rituals, though.
  * Worldly Magic: Others choose to use their gifts to 'pull' magic out of the world as if it were tangible energy, and use that power to change the world to their advantage. This can be very powerful, but often has drawbacks, not least of which is using up the essence of magic in the area for a time. Abuse of worldly magic is believed by some to be responsible for the gradual death of magical creatures

==== Psions and Psychics ====

At the other end of the human scale, psionics is not known for being hereditary (at least in experiments done to date) and seems to almost be random in its development. The government has been heavily involved in experimentation to induce and refine psychic powers, as has many other world governments. Publicly, there is no acknowledgement that any of these experiments bore fruit.

==== Mortality ====

Humans have a short, brutish existence. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, they are far more likely to attempt to suspend, disrupt, or destroy the processes that would bring them to an untimely death or decay due to age. Vampires may have been the first major attempt by humanity to extend their lifespan, although the truth of that rumor is disputed. Even in the modern day, creams, potions, poultices and powers that can suspend or reverse the aging process and thus effectively grant immortality to death by natural causes are highly valued, and those who can manufacture them sought out by the rich.