For some reason, I've always found humans very interesting in fantasy or sci-fi environments. They're often dismissed as "known" or "common", but how they are written to relate to other races tells us a lot about what we identify as the meaning of being human in general. And there's plenty of lore available on non-human races in the forgotten realms. But what about humans?

Races of Destiny does give some information on what sets humans apart from other races in the forgotten realms. In brief, there's:
* Human's are generally ambitious and proactive. This is often interpreted as being aggressive and short-sighted by other races.
* Humans are intelligent and (especially) highly adaptable. This is represented by the bonus feat and skill points, but it also helps explains another point.
* Humans have an uncanny knack for prospering everywhere. From tundra to temperate forests to desert to oceans.
* Humans are notably religious. Not necessarily zealous, but in the sense that no other race worships such a myriad of different gods in such a variety of different ways.
* Humans have an affinity for war. They lack the specialisation of other races (they can't field massive hordes as orcs can, they're not as capable skirmishers and rangers as elves, and they're not as tough as a dwarven shield wall) but make up for this in adaptability and versatility - and no two human armies fight the same way. Though if anything, humans are masters of horse cavalry.
* Humans, most of all other races, enjoy sports and competitions.

So there's that, but this most often seems to be eclipsed by the detail placed on other races. And in part, a lot of elves, dwarves, halflings, etc. act as pseudo-humans - taking a human psyche and personality and sprinkling some racial traits on top. This is somewhat understandable (I'm not sure anyone is interested in playing an elf who'd dismiss most IG happenings as transient and not worth getting involved in), but it does result in humans being a bit of everything and nothing.

But what about more subtle things?

One of the best descriptions to compare the innate racial psyche of major races goes as follows:
Dwarves and elves are creatures of the past. They are traditionalists, looking to their ancestors and past accomplishments for wisdom. They're dedicated to maintaining their racial identity, and maintaing the status quo of their environment. As long-lived races they find comfort in the known past, more than in the unknown future.
Halflings and gnomes are creatures of the present. They acknowledge the past but don't dwell on it, and they acknowledge the future but run with things as they come. In general, they are bon vivants - seeking to get the most out of the now.
Humans are creatures of the future. Every human (literally) dreams of what might be. When a human sees an ore veign, he sees potential wealth. When a human sees a new land, he sees potential adventure. When a human meets another, they see potential opportunities. Humans always move forward, always work to advance themselves (and their communities, if so inclined). Humans are ambitious to a fault, always reaching higher and higher - and become irrate and restless when confined to the present or forced to focus on the past to much. That doesn't mean humans are necessarily dismissive of their ancestors or history, but they draw on this to support further growth, not in and of themselves.

Overall, humans are competitive and ambitious in all things. It's their greatest strength, driving them ever onward against all odds. It's also their weakness as they can't stay still and properly consider their course.

Still, what about the smaller things?

Humans can dream. But do other races dream? Elves reverie, but this is always a recollection of past events - though they may at times receive visions. We assume that dwarves, halflings, gnomes, etc. dream but is this necessarily so?

Why do humans not have a patron deity in FR? Did something happen to the original patron deity of humankind? Or is it tied to the nature of humans themselves - who innately reject the idea of "the right way to be a human"?

I'd like to hear if there are canon sources to give more insight into the unique identity of humans as a race, from the perspective of humans or from other races.

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Aernoud Van Brabant: Heir of the House. Proprietor of the Beer Wagon.
"Go to the Mayfields, have a pint, and wait for this to blow over."
Aurelius: Sunmaster of Amaunator. Contemplative. Aspirant to Transcendance.
"Sol Invictus"

Small post: For the human patron deity, I always figured that Lathander was probably the closest thing to it. He does tend to favour humans overall (but not exclusively) and is a human himself (a god human, but still. Almost all gods were once mortals, anyways.) :3

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Humans have the majority of gods dedicated to them. They can't have a single god lording above their race because they are too varied for it.

I really wish this guy was in Faerun. Talk about some interesting RP.

Seriously though... there really isn't a god of humanity, but maybe that's just telling of what humanity is at this point in its evolution - adaptable to the extreme. You could argue that each race that has a devoted pantheon and creator god is treated by that god as an extension of their will, that in most cases the civilizations of elves strive to be like their creators, as do orcs, dwarves, kobolds, et cetera. Humans don't have a singular god to decree what they should do, and I think that's what makes them so very interesting.

Also I think unless a race is described as being incapable of dreaming or possesses a substitute for dreaming (like reverie), they dream. For example, there's a Races of Stone class called the "earth dreamer" which is meant for gnomes and dwarves, and they wouldn't be called 'dreamers' if the dwarves and gnomes had no concept of what that is. They'd probably call it something else, right?

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Mathus, Void Apostle of the New Moon

While Humans don't have that single patron deity, this is compensated via the splintering of the human race. Shadovar and Cormyrians are both human, but drastically different in deities, outlook, and bearing. This for me is why playing a human is fun. They get cultural diversity in a way other races don't. Yes, the dwarves and elves have that to an extent, but no where near as much. There's a ton of lore about all the different FR nations, by a slew of different authors which lets one pick and choose the type of human you want to play.

So I could give you standard traits for a Chessentian, but they'd be wildly different than a Sespechi or a Luskan.

*Edit* Now I'm tempted to start a "Human nation of the week" thread and go into detail.

Goddamn I miss playing a Rashemi I do love that human culture is so differentiated that gods will even have different identities from one culture to the next.

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Amalyth Le'Quella
Esenne