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Specter of Death

Omnipresent Moderator
Staff member
Hey Ya'll! This is a bit of an odd topic, but whatever, I like your guy's input.

I am working on an OS and an OFW with its own lore (original story and original fantasy world). Though I am just in the beginning stages of creating the lore, I thought that it might be easier to get some good ideas. So, I would like to ask ya'll about your favorite or most creative race idea. Just share it here!

Now, by no means will I be using any of the ideas for my own use, but it is always easier to brainstorm when you can look at some already brilliant ideas! I will also be posting some of my own ideas here for you guys to judge for yourselves, and maybe give some input.


Thanks!!
 

Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist
Figured you might still want some input. Personally I've always been a fan of dwarves, especially in fantasy settings that include differences and rivalries between hill and mountain dwarves and include an outcasted sect like dark dwarves.
 

shadowkitty

Mistress of Shadows
I love reading a book with all types of little magical creatures.. like water nymphs and forest fairies.

My book I am writing now has different sorts of Dragons, big, medium and small, and certain types in certain areas like ones that live on mountains, in volcanoes, in the ocean and fresh water, waterfalls and even tiny ones that live in the forest amongst the trees etc... Some eat flesh, some are herbivores, some even eat rocks. A bit of variety makes it interesting.
 

Seanu Reaves

The Shogun of Gaming
I always had a thing for shifters. Like that assimilation race we talked about but also like doppelganger "wonder what they actually look like" races. They always stood out to me as someone who likes infiltration.depending on the amount of magic they can be vary different in terms of size. Plus a fun time to rant about thw philosophy of identity :p
 

Specter of Death

Omnipresent Moderator
Staff member
Thanks for the input guys! I have made some significant progress now, especially with some of your guy's help! I will post my rough ideas tomorrow!
 

Asiaxfani

Well-Known Member
I would personally recommend trying to venture out of the basic fantasy forms. Sure, you of course can get creative and interesting with the 'common' races like humans and elves etc., but why not give a try to actually making your own ones? A OFW doesn't need to rely on existing stereotypes :)

(and no, I'm NOT saying I'm against elves or dwarves or the like, I'm just saying there might be other ways to go as well)
 

Specter of Death

Omnipresent Moderator
Staff member
I see what you are saying. But at the same time, that is kind of difficult. I don't know If I said it or not, but I'm going to not only try and take common fantasy-tropes and make them my own, but take totally original ideas and mix them in there.

Sir Dulac gave me the idea of an Avian Race. I'm also working on a water based race as well. But all are still developing.
 

Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist
*cough* mermaids *cough*
 

Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist

Majir-Dar

Confused Khajiit
Tolkien took inspiration from ancient myths and such (I believe some Norse stuff and obviously some Germanic stuff with the elves and all), you could do the same. Go learn a little about another culture's pantheon of deities, change one detail of one of their little creatures, and own it. If it worked for the father of modern high fantasy, it could work for you.
 

Majir-Dar

Confused Khajiit
Now that I think about it, back when I was building a fantasy world I did actually make one original creation (with the intent of creating more), the others were your average stuff with the inclusion of naiads because, well, water elves d*mmit.

Anyway, here I share the Darjeel race/species/thing. Basically an orc with reptilian, translucent skin looking back on it, but it has a few interesting traits it can call its own; and even if it didn't, providing a fresh face can still liven things up for a read.

Darjeel:

Very humanlike, save for a light coating of golden scales, reptilian eyes, and supernatural strength. They live and govern Bloodrock and those that leave are never welcome to return. They live in tribes where only the chieftain is allowed to mate.

The chieftain may be replaced at any time by a stronger Jeel through a fight to the death using no weapons. The fight has to take place in areas sanctioned by the Shaman and witnessed by all of the tribe (or at least most for the larger tribes out there). Larger tribes often have full-sized arenas.

The Grand Chieftain has power over all tribes and works with the High Shaman to ensure the stability of the nation. However their power is fairly limited, especially in contrast to other kings. Generally tribes are allowed to do virtually whatever they please. [Thinking back on it, you could almost think of early America before the Articles of the Constitution was written up to fix the initial errors of the original, un-cut constitution]

Chieftains can only be male and shamans can only be female. Shamans cannot marry or have sex and essentially only exist to heal wounded warriors/hunters and lead the tribe spiritually, as well as deal with funerals. The next shaman is selected by the current shaman as soon as the current shaman takes office.

Bloodrock itself is a mountainous region, its temperatures ranging from cold to temperate to hot.

The Grand Chieftain is selected by all the shamans from all the chieftains after the previous Grand Chieftain dies. They must undergo a series of tests that range with each ceremony. Once a grand Chieftain historically killed his entire family to prove his loyalty to his land.

The High Shaman is selected by the current High Shaman as the High Shaman initially assumes her title; the selection is included in her induction ceremony.

Women in the tribes gather plants and make clothes; men make the houses, guard the borders of their walls, hunt, and go to war. In large tribes males are allowed to mate but the male can be fought for mating rights with the female.

Whenever a new chieftain comes to power he must make a suit of armor from the previous chieftain's bones, eat the previous chieftain's innards, and offer the previous chieftain's flesh to the shaman.

~~

If it reads like a haphazard mess of information, it's because that's how fifteen year old me wrote it, I just wanted the info on a sheet of paper so I could remember for future use. Anyway, that's Darjeel for you.
 

Seanu Reaves

The Shogun of Gaming
How do they produce a large enough population to require (exaggerated) birthing limits? Or are genetics a nonexistant thing, and the natural incestuous nature means the race can still function without horrible mutations?

That was the main thing that jumped out to me, there is no explained or obvious way their society could even have a large village, let alone be large enough to have something reminiscent of a Colosseum.
 

Majir-Dar

Confused Khajiit
How do they produce a large enough population to require (exaggerated) birthing limits? Or are genetics a nonexistant thing, and the natural incestuous nature means the race can still function without horrible mutations?

That was the main thing that jumped out to me, there is no explained or obvious way their society could even have a large village, let alone be large enough to have something reminiscent of a Colosseum.
I'll grant you, it's a good question, so essentially you're asking how did the populations get so large if only the chieftain could mate.

A couple things to this really, from a writing standpoint, this was only meant as an outline, not a fully developed genetic and historical account of the species. From a lore standpoint, I do state that the chieftain changes on a whim, and it was meant to be assumed he could take on multiple wives (again, this was an outline for my own personal use, so there would be holes in it like this). Another thing, as for the larger tribes, those came about when Darjeel from smaller tribes went to a different one. Darjeel can move within Bloodrock, it is only after leaving the nation that they become tainted in that regard.

And before you ask, yes the border is fairly secure, but yes it is also possible that a Darjeel leave Bloodrock and return as if everything is normal if he or she is willing to lie. However, there are harsh punishments for being caught lying, and if a Darjeel leaves then it would normally be for a variety of pretty decent objections to the culture/rules. In other words, it's kinda like you either really like it there or you really don't.

Anyway, though I went on a bit of a tangent, did I answer your question? I don't think I really did to be honest, so if you need or want more clarification, you need only ask. Building worlds is a tedious thing, that's why I left much of what I was writing as outlines so I could build on it as I was actually writing the world. Wiggle room in a way, and I would likely be at my most creative when actually developing the plot and characters so the end product would be better as well.
 

Majir-Dar

Confused Khajiit
Oh, and another thing, the larger tribes have a policy where other males can mate but they can also be challenged by other males. It's also, in a sense, a more rapey society in those larger tribes (calling it a tribe is a little wrong, as it's more like a full on city but anyway). I say this, but you also have to understand the Darjeel have no real concept of rape as we do. They have the concept of taking a woman by force, but this is not looked down upon as we would look down upon such things. The women would resist to make sure the male was strong enough to be a good father and to protect her and such, but after that it's not that the man is a criminal, he becomes a father... or not if the mating was unsuccessful.
 

Majir-Dar

Confused Khajiit
Dude. Majir. I really appreciate this man. I am getting so many great ideas.
I've been where you're at so I kinda know what you're going through. Creating actual original products (rather it's creatures or whatever else) is probably the hardest part of fantasy because so much has already been done. I still stick to my advice on getting inspiration from ancient myths, though. You would think there would be nothing interesting in Greek mythology because it's been so done, right? Well when I was looking into there were still a lot of untouched creatures, and it's not like the Greeks were the only ones with a religion they eventually stopped believing.

Good luck with your story.
 

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