Mortals are human beings in mythology who have played in important part in influencing the course of events within the various storylines and folklore of individual mythologies. They tend to have their own origin stories and are often depicted as being slightly better in many aspects than the general population. This could be physical or mental capabilities.

Mortals have been depicted in various mythologies as being in direct conflict with the Gods to signify the power of the human gift of free will. They might not agree to the gods and are then punished or cursed leading to a shift in the storylines. There are also many cases of mortals who have been blessed by the gods and appointed to help the gods achieve what they need. Some mythologies also focus on the exploits of these mortals and these are then added to the list of legends and folklore.