When the gods were dividing the realms among themselves, one god was granted the island that would become known as Lantis. This land was rich in resources including having vast amounts of rare, magical metals which contained fragments of the power of creation itself. Lanteans formed as an offshoot of humanity due to hubris and a desire to claim that power for themselves. Through experimentation and infusing their bodies with orichalcum, their ancient ancestors forever changed their race.
Lanteans are largely physically indistinguishable from humans they are descended from. Though as a whole they do tend towards olive complexions. Additionally, due to the properties of the trace amounts of orichalcum in their blood, lanteans also have longer lifespans than ordinary humans. Due to their perceived superiority and unwillingness to share their wealth and power, lanteans have developed a tendency towards isolationism and xenophobia that would beggar most elven nations.