Man Upon Aion - A Report
Apart from the prominent non-human races that prevail on Aion, several different species and ethnic groups of man exist there. Not the least of these being ourselves, Homo Sapiens.
The Humans (Homo sapiens sapiens)
Modern humans seem to have appeared upon Aion in numerous waves, and originate from numerous portal incursions at different points in history. These groups have mostly remained distinct, though trade does often occur between them.
The Cro-magnons
The most culturally primitive humans that live upon Aion are 2 different cultures of what are believed to be Cro-magnon Man. One exists in the northern-reaches of the main continent, and its adjacent subcontinents, with the other in the tropics. The northern group has various cultural adaptations to the climate there, which varies from temperate to very cold. It is assumed that many aspects of their culture tend to resemble the earth-borne group from which they arose, which is assumed to be tribes of Cro-magnons in Europe during the late Palaeolitic. Both groups of Cro-magnons have retained the mastery of fire and use it as they always have.
The tropical culture of Cro-magnons are unusual by comparison but share many similarities with their northern cousins. While their weaponry and language is directly comparable, their visual art and material cultures are very distinct. Jewellery and carvings are more often made of bone, but also of hardwood, and various bodily ornaments such as feather-or-wildflower headdresses are common, body-painting with ochre for status purposes is ubiquitous. Paintings and petroglyphs are done within stone shelters such as outcroppings and under ledges, and tend to be more symbolic than the generally naturalistic animal depictions found in the north. Clothing is markedly different, usually no more than a loincloth is worn to protect the genitals, and women will often go bare-chested. Other items of clothing are usually ornamental rather than utilitarian, such as head-dresses and arm-bands, woven baskets and pouches are made very often to serve as containers or carriers. Tropical Cro-magnons are generally somewhat slighter and wirier than the northern group, and their skin is distinctly brown, compared to the more olive-skin of the northerners. As opposed to the mostly mammal-heavy game hunted by Northern Cro-magnons, the tropical group will hunt various dinosaurs and other large reptiles, not only to eat but also to produce leather, some of which is even thick and tough enough to build their huts and tents out of. The religions of both groups of Cro-Magnon are mainly a kind of paganism that places emphasis on the totemic nature of local fauna and elevates some of the more powerful ones as subjects of worship. Among all Aion Cro-magnons, the only pets ever kept are the ever present camp-dogs, semi-domesticated forms much like the Dingo.
The Cult of the Death-Beast
Living in a few well-developed city-states along the equator of the main continent, are a group of monument-building people believed to be of Mesoamerican origin, known to other cultures as “Cult of the Death-Beast”, though they naturally have their own name for themselves. Their iconography and language in particular denotes Aztec origins, and a string of large city-states exists along the more fertile parts of equatorial Pan-patria, ranging into the Trans-orient. Many aspects of their language, technology, material culture, trade, politics, cuisine, and weaponry are directly comparable to those of the Aztecs of Mexico. Apart from their ancestors, they have developed a distinct culture in which worship and iconography are dominated by a reverence for various carnivorous dinosaurs common in the area. Whereas blood-sacrifices were made using brutal weapons in Aztec Mexico, these Aionian Mesoamericans invariably make sacrifices by offering human victims to large theropods such as Allosaurus, Megalosaurus or Tyrannosaurus rex. A temple is maintained far outside the city walls, where through conditioning, the local theropods have come to partly rely on these sacrifices as hand-outs. The victim is tied to a ceremonial dais at roughly dinosaur-chest-level, and loud, heavy drums are played in order to draw the predators in for the ceremony. Usually preparations for a sacrifice involve armed soldiers and priests emerging in order to make a pilgrimage to the temple well beyond the city. Much of their artistic and material culture resemble that of a typical Aztec style, apart from particulars of iconography, in which dinosaurs of various sorts are invariably prominent. Ceremonial attire differs from their ancestors by including head-dresses and other important ceremonial wear using the feathers, skins and claws of some kinds of dinosaur. Megalithic structures such as pyramids and temples are an iconic part of this culture, as are the various sculptures and statues associated with them. Although these may be associated with various deities and ceremonies, the most prominent deity is the “Death Beast”, an iconographic representation of the wrath and power of a large carnivorous theropod Dinosaur. These people also place an emphasis on hunting-parties in order to provide the populace with meat for their diets, as they do not usually keep livestock. The most commonly hunted animals are various dinosaurs ranging from small to fairly large (though invariably only herbivorous types), as well as tropical ungulates and small game such as rodents and birds. As with the true Aztecs, various crops including Maize are farmed to feed the populace, but the occurrence of semi-tame theropods outside the city-limits which are fed with hand-outs, manages to repel many kinds of herbivore that would ruin these crops.
The Seafarers
It is believed that large refugee-groups of African slaves, at sea during the Golden Age of Piracy escaped their fate by inadvertently coming through a portal to Aion. These people quickly established their own culture of seafaring and trade fashioned after the culture they left behind. Now, this group of people sail to all corners of Aion's continents in search of trade and conquest, using large wooden sailing-ships which resemble a contrived imitation upon the typical galleons of the ages of Piracy. One important aspect of their culture is the preservation and maintenance of weapons, and the production of new ones. Antique guns and canons are still in use by many of these people, often repaired and serviced in order to work well, but traded scrap-metal and metal smelted from traded goods are invariably used to produce new guns and cannons which though inferior to the originals, serve their purpose well. Gunpowder is one of this groups biggest secrets, and they constantly try to keep this asset from making it into the hands of non-human races such as the Dinomachy. Treasures such as jewellery and precious stones pillaged or traded from other cultures are commonly coveted and seen as investments for the future. Trade is very important to these seafarers, and this is often how they obtain most of their materials for clothing and other necessities as well as their diet, but this is augmented greatly by the fact that they commonly fish the oceans for fresh food, including fish, crustaceans, clams, oysters and seaweed. Material culture consists of things such as flags and clothing made from dyed textiles, as well as the art of wood-carving, though jewellery mostly consists of precious stones from elsewhere set in copper or gold. Music is a mix of hearty sea shanties that have been handed down over generations, and newer songs that draw upon both this, and their African ancestry. Musical instruments often consist of tin or silver flutes as well as skin or wooden drums, including bongos. Having to live a lot on rations at sea, culinary tradition is somewhat utilitarian, things such as hearty stews full of cured meat and different vegetables, as well as various dry pastries and biscuits that can be kept on a boat without spoiling. Fire is not only used to cook and for warmth, but also in combat against the vessels of rival seafarers. Livestock is not usually kept, but tame exotic birds such as parrots are common pets, as well as domesticated Proviverrids which serve both as companions and rat-catchers. The ports of these seafarers are generally important communities, not only for the sailors themselves but also for trade with other groups of humans, and non-human races such as Flying Folk and the Dinomachia. Sometimes the families of sailors will choose to dwell at port rather than risk a dangerous life at sea. Port buildings, like their all-important ships, are generally made from logged hardwood held together by metal bolts and nails.
The Vikings
Another group that has survived the transition to Aion living very well are the scattered communities of Vikings based in the Northern Hemisphere of Pan-Patria. Much of their culture, weaponry, traditions and transport greatly resembles what is known about the Vikings found between the 9th and 11th centuries. Conquest of neighbouring communities is very important to these people, and usually exists instead of trade, but their seafaring nature has led them in some places to rely on the great sea-cow Hydrodamalis, as a food-source. Although they are mostly based in Pan-patria, they journey quite widely by sea in order to seek conquest and to pillage goods and treasures from neighbouring cultures. Their runes and carvings differ from those of our vikings by the prevalence of Irish Elk, Mammoth, Woolly Rhinoceros, and other more anachronistic animals seen in the North of Pan-patria. Within their communities, Goat-camel are raised for meat, wool and milk, and semi-domestic horses are kept both as mounts and for meat. Dogs are the most common companion animal, but occasionally feathered theropods no larger than a man may be kept either as companions or guard animals, which may not only savage an intruder but call loudly to alert the village to danger. Fishing at sea is also done to augment their diets with another source of meat and essential oils. Hunting of larger animals such as mammoth or rhino is sometimes done during times of scarcity, or to provide a greater store of cured and dried meats for hard times ahead. Their culinary skills greatly resemble their ancestors back on earth, apart from featuring meats that are different from those they left. Although runes and designs are often done in stone, a practice resembling scrimshaw exists where runes are carved in mammoth-ivory for ceremonial purposes. They are proficient at smelting metals in order to make various swords, knives, war-axes, spear-tips and helmets, and the hilts often bear intricate runic designs that may portray culturally significant animals including elk and Mammoth. War, expansion and conquest are part of their lives as seafarers, though they find relatively few items of use among the Cro-magnon and Neanderthal communities, instead finding richer pickings among the more advanced civilized groups of humans. Physically, the Aion Vikings differ very little physically from the ones found during historical times on earth, apart from sometimes having genetic admixture from other groups of human they come in contact with.
The Dinoamchain Cronies
A distinct culture of human is found within the main continents-and-subcontinents of Aion, that seems to be derived from a cooperation between stranded humans, and the Dinomachia. These humans live within medieval-style city-states that mostly resemble those of the Dinomachy, and it is assumed that they learned most of their culture and technology directly from custodianship by them. It may have been a protracted political scheme by the Dinomcahia in order to gain yet more power upon Aion, and expand their influences to different human cultures. Largely it seems to have worked, and numerous city-states can be found across Quant-occident, Pan-Patria and Trans-orient. Though much of their culture and technology is derived from the Dinomachy, their iconography and artistic endeavours differ to a great degree. Visual emphasis is placed upon their relationship with the Dinomachy, and their genesis as a group that was so generously uplifted by them. As with their custodians, various vegetable and fruit crops are grown, and domestic kinds of harmless dinosaur are kept as livestock in order to provide meat, leather and eggs. Different mid-sized dinosaurs are also kept as mounts for transport and other purposes. Pets include small, harmless domestic-theropods (like Compsognathus) kept as companions and mousers, and a particularly common practise is breeding hardy freshwater Bothriolepis into ornamental breeds of unique appearance. Physically, these humans seem to be of Mediterranean origin, short and muscular with olive skin and fairly prominent facial hair in men. Architecture is mostly derived from that of the Dinomachy with houses made from bricks, masonry and wood, and the ruling class living within large, castle-like fortifications. Dramatic and musical traditions consist of woodwind and percussion instruments, epic poems and choral singing, as well as protracted pantomimes and plays. Clothing and material culture is fairly advanced, with tailoring and various textiles seemingly learnt from their custodians, the Dinomachy. Carved trinkets and polished precious stones are common items of monetary and cultural significance, artwork varies from carved stone embellishments on buildings, to tapestries and fine paintings made on bleached-tanned hide or textile. Their culinary practices generally resemble those of the Dinomachy, but with a few notable differences only of interest to the specialist. They have a language that seems to be an unusual halfway between Dinomachian languages, Greek and Latin, which is hardly surprising given this people's origin.
The Barbarians
Within the equatorial lands of Pan-patria live clusters of communities derived from modern humans that have lost or rejected all their original technology and culture. These people are generally nomadic, setting up temporary villages when they find an area that is particularly fruitful for food, hunting and trade. Material culture includes various uses of textiles and leather-work, clothing is mostly utilitarian and fashioned from leather or dyed-textiles woven from tough plant-fiber. Precious stones and other visually pleasing items are commonly pillaged from other communities of human, or non-human races. Artistic expression consists of ornamental burnt-engraving on the surfaces of large sheets of leather, as well as textile patterns and ornamental jewellery such as head-dresses or necklaces which often have trinkets such as precious-stones or carnivore teeth woven into them. Weaponry is at a stone-aged level, consisting of spears, war-clubs and knives made by pommeling knapped stone-blades of various shapes and sizes. However, opportunistic use of found or stolen weapons from other races and cultures is quite common. Food is generally foraged or hunted from the surrounded countryside, plant matter such as wild grain, nuts, fruit, root vegetables and wild-greens, and game varying in size from fish or rodents to ungulates and fair-sized Dinosaurs. These are not only used for their meat and leather, but particularly attractive teeth, claws, jaws or skulls are kept, polished and made into jewellery or ceremonial attire. Food is commonly roasted or stewed over an open fire, though campfires are not usually needed for warmth in the tropics. Pets among the barbarians include domestic Proviverridae kept as companions and mousers, as well as small theropods like Compsognathus, which serves a similar purpose. Dingo-like semi-feral dogs are often kept and bred, both as domestic-companions and to aid in hunting. Their religious beliefs generally consist of ancestor-worship in reference to the beginnings of their time upon Aion, and their distant origin upon earth. Physically, they seem to have conformed over their time here, into tall muscular people that are more robust and attractive compared to other local groups of human such as the tropical Cro-Magnons, their skin is a light olive tone but usually significantly tanned from outdoor living. Each community is led by one or two ruling families that keep the order and politics of the group for mutual benefit, both the father and mother of a ruling family have equal high status. Treasure and other goods are often sought by pillaging neighboring communities of humans, as opposed to trading with them, and they do not trade with non-human races either.
The Technophiles
The other group of modern human present on Aion refer to themselves as the Technophiles or Tinkerers. These widespread communities have maintained some significant vestiges of the technological know-how they originally had on earth, and the augmentation and conservation of antique tech originating from recent portal incursions is very important to them. They are also able to use much of the know-how that is a hallmark of humanity, such as smelting and production of metals for various purposes, gunpowder weapons, medicine, weaving textiles on a loom, and even proficiency with maintaining and mending the circuitry and mechanisms of electronics. They live a relatively egalitarian life in permanent communities, consisting of well-constructed houses made from hardwood, which is logged from nearby forests. Weaponry consists of both newly made knives and spears, but also heirloom weapons kept from earlier migrants to Aion through the portals, such as guns and some stockpiles of grenades. However, their mastery of metalwork and gunpowder means they have produced relatively crude-but-efficient, brand new guns and rifles, as well as devised chemical weaponry and explosives. Despite their technology, fire is still used to cook food, mostly over crude stoves or improvised hotplates, as well as simply over an open fire. Their communities are invariably fringed with large tracts of farmland containing different vegetable and grain crops such as maize, tapioca, yams, daikon radishes, tomato, field melon, gourds, fruiting Rosids, grapes and various others. Livestock consists mainly of domestic water buffalo as well as goat-camel, which are kept for meat and milk, and harmless dinosaurs such as Thecodontosaurus, Protoceratops and Caudipteryx, kept for eggs, leather and meat. Their mounts mostly consist of semi-domesticated horses and sometimes Macrauchenia (which share a horse-like temperament), but some northern groups have used older human traditions to raise tame mammoth or mastodon for hauling and transport. Pets sometimes include exotic companion-birds such as parrots (usually traded from seafaring folk), as well as Proviverrids, small theropods and semi-domestic dogs, all of which make affectionate companions but also serve to control pests like mice and locusts. Their clothing generally fits modern standards, but these days is mostly woven from new textiles made from plant fibre or animal wool, as well as leather. Jewellery mostly consists of heirlooms originally brought from earth, passed down over the generations with significant sentimental value. Artistic endeavors include embroidery, painting and wood carving, and music mostly consists of jolly singing done together to the tune of songs maintained in their collective memories from previous times on earth. Some communities will be fortunate enough to have kept and maintained vehicles (such as jeeps or motorcycles) from earth over the generations, which inevitably get mended and re-mended, augmented over time, with plant-based biofuel made from palm oil being the most common choice for fuel. In addition to this, they have some proficiency at fashioning new forms of transport resembling bicycles and foot-driven scooters. Physically, this group is mostly a mix of various ethnicities that came through at one-stage-or-another from cities on earth, genetic drift has rendered later generations into a mixed-race skin-tone and a genetic diversity that will probably benefit the health of their community. Unlike some other human communities on Aion, the Technophiles have diverse culinary traditions that consist of different fusions of various dishes seen on earth today, they are also able to make corn flour for baking. Having a relatively modern, liberal political mindset, the Technophiles tend to try to maintain a sense of respect with other non-human races, and they freely trade with the Flying Folk, Dinomachia and Forest Folk, as well as some other groups of humans.
The Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis)
The Neanderthals of Aion's northern hemisphere are distributed more sparsely than the northern groups of Cro-Magnon, and are believed to have ventured to Aion from further-back in the Palaeolithic. From what is known about Neanderthal culture and social dynamics, these tribes differ relatively little from their ancestors back on Earth. It is thought that their position as apex-predators allows them to hunt larger game than the Cro-Magnons in general, including Mastodon, Mammoth and Rhinoceros. The religion of Aion's Neanderthals seems to be mostly a paganistic worship of the Woolly Mammoth itself as a cultural symbol, with bones and tusks both being revered and often arranged into constructed configurations which will serve as trail markers or ceremonial sites. Although hides, furs and skins are invariably their most common attire, only the leader of the tribe is permitted to wear the wool, skin or ivory-carvings from a mammoth. As with their ancestors, they usually dwell within caves, and journey between specific cave sites in search of food and game. War between tribes is rare, but those killed in battle are invariably consumed in acts of ritual cannibalism. Relations with other races, in particular non-human ones, is usually tense and xenophobic, although they commonly trade and even cohabit with groups of Homo sapiens, most usually Cro-magnons, hybridization is common. There is an emerging culture of vagrant Neantherhals that seek to integrate among the more civilized and advanced groups of humans, particularly in Pan-Patria. It is becoming apparent that differences between their language and human languages, is not the result of anatomy, but culture. Generally their physical appearance differs little from the Archaeological and genetic data ascertained from earth-borne Neanderthal fossils, although generally the ones on Aion have a tendency towards fair hair and light skin-tone.
The Tailed Folk (Homo eucadata)
Found only on the island-continent of Champsopia, this Hominid seems to originate from a portal incursion that dates as far back in Aion history as 1 million years ago. These foundlings are hypothesised to have been Denisovans, but seem to have evolved in some unique ways since then, both culturally and physically. The main physical difference is that all members of this species have a true bony-tail consisting of derivatives of the vertebrae that would usually make up the Coccyx, which they lack. This tail is flexible and functional, able to stand erect or twitch from side-to-side, and is tipped with a small tuft of dark body-hair. It is hypothesized that initial inbreeding from a population bottleneck during their early colonization on Aion led to a mutation which soon resulted in this trait being phenotypic for the whole population. These people hold their tails as a cultural and symbolic source of pride, and a significant amount of folklore has built up around it. Another unusual trait of these people is their language, which consists mainly of hand-signs, body-language and various sequences of whistling, it is unknown how this language arose, though it is possible that their tails placed a cultural emphasis on body language over talking. As far as material culture and weapons are concerned, they are at a stone-age level much like the Denisovans were, weapons include stone-knives, spears tipped with stone points and stone axes, as well as bone-clubs with sharpened points. Jewellery and trinkets made from various bones, stones and teeth are fairly common, including necklaces. Music consists of woodwind such as bone-flutes, as well as both wooden and skin drums, singing is restricted to some kinds of ceremonial chanting. Clothing is mostly minimalist but includes skin-cloaks and loincloths (which invariably leave the tail exposed), usually they go barefoot. Artistic traditions mainly consist of ochre body-paint, jewellery and various symbolic petroglyphs. Dwellings may be made in caves, or in temporary villages consisting of huts made from skins and woven wickerwork, woven bags and pouches are commonly used as containers for useful goods. Having a diet similar to primitive Homo sapiens, they feed on a wide variety of foraged plant matter such as greens, root vegetables, nuts and fruit, as well as eggs and wood fungus. The meat portion of their diet is obtained solely through hunting various animals, including wood-grubs, clams, fish, rabbits, birds, ungulates, large reptiles and even fair-sized dinosaurs. Food is usually cooked over a fire, but fire is also sometimes used to scare up game or to clear land. Physically they resemble a somewhat slighter version of a Neanderthal, but are still more robust than the average human. Their skin tone varies from olive to brown, body and head hair is usually dark but dirty blond is also not uncommon.
The Titans (Homo sapiens titan)
The most mysterious variety of human found on Aion are the Titans, these war-like, oversized people that tend to mainly occupy the subcontinent of Titania. Reaching 10 feet tall at maximum, and weighing up to 250 kilograms, the skeleton is suitably very robust for this purpose, and their bodies are athletic and muscular with wide hips. Skin tone is generally olive but can also freckle in some cases, body hair occurs more extensively in men. Men have prominent beards and moustaches that do not extend over the neck, hair in general is usually dark but can vary from black to fawn. It is not entirely clear where these people come from, as no such group was ever found by Archaeologists on earth. The current hypothesis is that they are a holdover from the earlier times when the Star Children tried to colonize Aion in earnest. It is believed that they genetically modified vagrant groups of Cro-magnons into a large-bodied, robust kind of intelligent-workforce that eventually established a society of its own once Star Child colonialism failed.
These oversized people are generally defensive and war-like, keeping to their large city-states scattered around Titania. Their technology appears to be at the iron-age level, with prodigious swords and heavy spear-tips being their main form of weaponry, as well as flails and clubs made from iron. Their hand-weapons are generally too large for other races to wield, and are devastating in battle. Their cities consist of large dwellings made from masonry and brick, with thatched-or-wooden roofing. Temples, large arenas and castles appear as prodigious stone fortifications in a vaguely medieval architectural style. Hunting, fighting and war are all valued as virtues among both men and women. Blood-sports are held in great low-sprawling arenas, where often large wild beasts including dinosaurs are pitted to fight against Titan warriors or soldiers, though just as often, skilled warriors are pitted against each other. Hunting parties will go out into the countryside at regular intervals to bring back game for meat and sometimes to produce leather-goods, prey varies from deer-sized up to some rather large kinds of dinosaur and pachyderm. Their diet is supplemented greatly by a variety of fruit and vegetable crops, although they have not mastered the use of grain to make flour. Carcasses of large animals are frequently roasted on a spit and consumed at large gatherings, along with roasted spiced vegetables. Their material culture consists of some kinds of jewellery, such as precious stones or carnivore-teeth set in copper or gold, leather adornments such as headbands, armbands and knot-work are common too. Clothing consists of leathers garments produced from the hides of various dinosaurs, as well as undergarments and other soft garments made from plant-fibre textiles, which are usually dyed. Armour used during combat will often use plates of iron, or even pieces of armoured hide from some kinds of dinosaur. Society places equal status upon both men and women, and there is little if any difference in body-size between the sexes. Cultural moires include an onus upon the individual to live in bravery, resolution and honour, even if their vocation is an unremarkable one like a farmer. Their religion consists of modest stone temples and steeles embellished with various symbolic designs and motifs, these esoteric elements are hard to decipher but seem to refer to a time before history, when beings regarded as deities saw the Titans as subjects, only later granting them freedom.
The Pygmies (Homo floresiensis)
On the Pumillio Islands, that lay between the Trans-orient and Titania, lives a tribe of primitive Hominid pygmies believed to be of the same species as those once found on Flores during earth's Ice Ages. Being the most primitive species of early-man present upon Aion, they live in tight-knit tribes leading a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. They forage a wide range of nuts, fruits and wild vegetables, as well as hunting various game ranging from coastal fish and shellfish, to birds, rodents and even relatively large game such as Pygmy Elephants. Their weaponry consists of spears and pommelled knives tipped with large sharp flakes of stone, stone hammers and axes are also used. Meat and forage is eaten raw and mastery of fire is completely absent, but food may be marinated in fruit juices or even cured in containers of brine in order to add flavour. Language consists of a sort of partway between ape vocals and human language, with various words and a sort of sentence structure. Artistic and material culture is mostly absent, but visually pleasing fangs, tusks or claws of animals may be kept as objects of beauty, as are certain precious stones found afield. Clothing is minimal, consisting of loin cloths or skin-cloaks, fur cloaks are sometimes worn in harsh winters. Spiritualism is virtually unknown, but communal chanting and whooping is a common form of ceremony, as is the burial of their dead. Their groups consist of several family units ruled by an alpha pair and their children, who may be deposed by challengers. Skin tone is generally quite dark, and body hair covers most of the skin apart from the chest, upper arms, face and buttocks, males will often have prominent beards and moustaches.
The races of Aion are so varied and distinct, both human and otherwise, that their coexistence here is always a tenuous one, with war and political strain a potential threat at any time.
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