Humans

It seems in the early days of the game, it was presumed your human would be of a medieval European style background.  Little detail was put into describing humans, unless it revolved around your social standing.  As various settings got published, any number of human cultures. In most cases, they seem to match some real world culture with the serial numbers filed off.

For my generic D&D world, I do like to have a base human (as represented by the system’s given core rules) and then some regional benefits. In the interest of keeping options open, I shy away from specific cultural associations and instead lean towards generic descriptors, examples below:

• Humans are ubiquitous throughout the lands.
• Humans are often viewed with mistrust by other races, however they tend to be distrusted "equally" among the lands, including by other humans.
  
• Human kind have spread for ages, meaning folk of all appearances can be found in enclaves in any given region.
• Most humans are seen as adults when they move out from under their parents roof, often by their mid teens.
• Humans speak a regional tongue common to most folk of the area, and some may speak a pigeon trade language or the languages of other nearby folk.
• The further one gets from population centers, settlements become increasing agrarian and simple. Human cities operate at an almost an early renascence level of technology, wherein sorcery is the logic and science of the land. Outlying regions can be near antediluvian is daily life.
• Depending on upbringing, Humans can have additional traits (rule information modified to fit your system)
  
• Common: Nothing particular, you have the typical game stats and languages for humans.
• Cosmopolitan: You hail from an area where cultural exchange is the norm, allowing you a chance to communicate with creatures despite language differences and gain a bonus to social interactions when you do share a language.
• Hill Folk: You gain a bonus to climbing and leaping.
• Northmen: You can travel across and survive the snow and ice with no penalty
• Dune Dweller:You gain a bonus to survive hot and dry climates, ignoring heat that would hobble others.
  
• Forrest Runner: You can always find food and water for 1d4 creatures in woodlands.
• Horse Lord: You have a bonus to ride and handle horses and similar mounts.
• Sea Dog: Bonus to swimming, seamanship, and ocean survival.
  
• Outlander: You have a skill or talent that is un-heard in the region, but you do not initially speak the common tongue.
• Noble: Double your starting money and gain a bonus to social interactions among the upper crust.