Non-human race
From KneeQuickie
A non-human race is a race, species, or designation of intelligent beings who are not humans. Non-human races are found in many conworlds where they are usually derivative of mythology (often Northern European, such as Nordic races), but may include a variety of modern elements.
Non-human races are often a staple in Fantasy stories, and are used as a vehicle for a concept, such as a statement about racism (such as the mutants in the Marvel comic-universe) or to explore a psychology that could not be done otherwise with a human character. Using non-human races also brings a level of diversity, where certain races will only be found in certain areas: Mountain-dwelling Dwarves, forest-squatting elves, swamp-bound orcs, and so on.
Non-human races are generally divided into the following: Near-human, humanoid, and alien.
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Near-human races
Near-human races are used to describe humans who have evolved from a separate path, or possess underlying features while still functioning as humans in terms of behavior and anatomy. The majority of fantasy stories utilize near-humans as a staple. The difference between human and near-human can either be stated and exploited in a story depending on the author's desire for verisimilitude. Oftentimes, this can be entirely understated and not even discussed (as most fantasy does).
- Uestî are the humans found on Mark Rosenfelder's Almea. They possess traits normally found on humans, with some exceptions, such as flatter noses and the lack of body hair.
- Neek's conworld, Ti Hpimahttanqmin has humans, though notably different, such as the growth of horns, physical development, and altered genetics (WZ-based gender determination, where males possess ZZ-genes, and females ZW).
Humanoid races
The use of certain races are oftentimes considered stereotypical or clichéd in conworlds, but oftentimes conworlders can use them to good effect. Note that many conworlders develop the races further, disguising them through name changes and different cultural artifacts and memes; this allows the writer to utilize an archetype without being explicitly labeled as cliché.
- Humanoid aliens are oftentimes staples of science fiction stories. The most notable of these are small, frail and gray or green creatures with large eyes, thin-slit mouths, and vestigial noses. Most conworlds, however, that employ them have a much different idea. The difference between humanoid aliens and aliens is form: True aliens are limited by the writer's imagination, and can take any form, such as being derived from silicon, operating on a different spatial or temporal dimension, or simply being abstractions of consciousness.
- Cyborgs/robots are obviously not a biological race, however can exist with a civilization, motives, and cultural artifacts, as well as language. They can be their own culture, such as the Borg from Star Trek, or simply denizens of a highly technological civilization, such as Star Wars.
- Demons are generally evil and possibly otherworldly beings, often associated with the desire to wreak chaos and havoc, the underworld. Demons exist as a stereotype in fantasy as malignant creatures that are composed of pure hate and lies, generally attempting to undo society. Subtypes include succubi, tentacle monsters, and fallen angels.
- Dragons are massive reptilian creatures that are found in, with some variation, nearly all human cultures. They oftentimes have wings, breath fire, and hoard treasures depending on the relevant mythology. Killing a dragon is generally not a pedestrian feat.
- Dwarves are short-humans, as their name should imply, who tend to live in mountainous regions, operating as smiths, forgers, miners, et cetera. They're often depicted as rugged and bearded, and according to some fantasy mythologies, even the females are bearded.
- Gnomes are usually shorter in stature and subterranean, having a strong affinity for the element of earth. They appear in conworlds as one of several races, or petrified in gardens.
- Goblins are depicted as small humanoids covered in hair, living in unruly bands and conquering the lands around them. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings featured goblins as synonymous with orcs.
- Elves are perhaps the most iconic of fantasy races, and heavily associated with Tolkien and other imitators. Elves typically embody the epitome of nobility and grace and live far longer than humans, often indefinitely. Oftentimes elves are seen as being better than humans at anything. They may be paired with dark elves, an evil and fallen counterpart.
- Merfolk are aquatic humanoids generally depicted with a human torso and the tail of a fish in place of legs. They are often associate with song and the sea. Variants include the siren and the cecaelia.
- Orcs are brutish, warlike humanoids generally depicted as strong and dark (or green) skinned, possibly related to trolls or goblins.
- Trolls
- Vampires are former humanoids who return from the dead, generally requiring the consumption of blood to survive. Depending on which myth they are derived, a victim who is killed by a vampire rises up as a vampire, or the target is needed to be drained of all their blood and replaced with a drop of vampire blood. They are often used as a vehicle in fantasy to explore the psychology of the undead, mortality and morality. More broadly, they are a subgroup of the undead.
Alien races
Aliens run the gamut in creativity, though oftentimes aren't as ephemeral in form or design. Considering that aliens are bound only the imagination of the author, aliens can range from microbes to complex organisms made of silicon, breathing methane gas, or whatever.
Non-human races in conworlds
The use of non-human races is a very common convention in conworlding, though it is not by any means a requirement.
Middle-Earth
Tolkien's Middle-Earth contains a variety of non-human races, most of which are superficially similar to humans.
- Dwarves
- Hobbits (halflings)
- Elves
- Ents
- Orcs
Star Trek
In the science fiction arena, Star Trek provides a slew of non-human races, many resembling archetypes from mythology. Because of production costs, most aliens featured through the many TV series are humanoid. The list is potentially endless due to the sheer size of space, but among the most well-known and developed are:
- Borg
- Klingons
- Romulans
- Vulcans
