Originally shared by Robert Bohl
Is there any point to humans as a fantasy species? Is there anyone who finds them exciting? If so, what’s your favorite thing about them?
Is there any point to humans as a fantasy species?
Is there any point to humans as a fantasy species?
For my part, I see nothing that interesting about humans in most settings. The sole exception I’m aware of is Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed / Evolved. In that world, humans were not in power. The continent was previously controlled by dragons, and “now,” by giants. As a result of humanity being de-centered from power, an idea of a human archetype is created. As I recall it, humans in that world were seen as impatient, fractious, and inventive. I like that a lot.
For my part, I see nothing that interesting about humans in most settings. The sole exception I’m aware of is Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed / Evolved. In that world, humans were not in power. The continent was previously controlled by dragons, and “now,” by giants. As a result of humanity being de-centered from power, an idea of a human archetype is created. As I recall it, humans in that world were seen as impatient, fractious, and inventive. I like that a lot.
That’s a reason I like humans in fantasy settings – because they can be a clear commentary on us in the midst of all the fantasy. You can say something about human nature when compared to other species’ nature.
That’s a reason I like humans in fantasy settings – because they can be a clear commentary on us in the midst of all the fantasy. You can say something about human nature when compared to other species’ nature.
90% of the time when I play a fantasy game, I play a human. I don’t find being other cultures that interesting, mostly because I rarely find fantasy cultures interesting. I also tend to play women and WoC when I’m playing fantasy, so it’s not a bunch of white people. I love playing humans in fantasy. They’re my favourite. If only because I love seeing human nature in places that are different and mystical and exciting and seeing what those worlds allow for facets of humanity.
90% of the time when I play a fantasy game, I play a human. I don’t find being other cultures that interesting, mostly because I rarely find fantasy cultures interesting. I also tend to play women and WoC when I’m playing fantasy, so it’s not a bunch of white people. I love playing humans in fantasy. They’re my favourite. If only because I love seeing human nature in places that are different and mystical and exciting and seeing what those worlds allow for facets of humanity.
The typical advantage to humans is that they tend to be a little more diverse than the other races, which trend more towards monoculturalism. Like, Middle Earth humans had fancy pants Gondor, feisty independent Rohan, mercenary pirate Haradrim and whatnot, but elves are just elves and hobbits are just hobbits, they’re all pretty much the same.
And then there’s the weird but fun tendency to say that humans can and will breed with anything. Half elves, half orcs, Tieflings and Aasimar, humans get around. Which you can read like Babylon 5 and say that our deal is building melting pot communities, or like Star Trek and say that every human is Kirk, butting into everyone’s business and making out with the natives.
The typical advantage to humans is that they tend to be a little more diverse than the other races, which trend more towards monoculturalism. Like, Middle Earth humans had fancy pants Gondor, feisty independent Rohan, mercenary pirate Haradrim and whatnot, but elves are just elves and hobbits are just hobbits, they’re all pretty much the same.
And then there’s the weird but fun tendency to say that humans can and will breed with anything. Half elves, half orcs, Tieflings and Aasimar, humans get around. Which you can read like Babylon 5 and say that our deal is building melting pot communities, or like Star Trek and say that every human is Kirk, butting into everyone’s business and making out with the natives.
James Etheridge – I believe there were multiple cultures of elves and dwarves, but that in the era of the LotR books, most humans didn’t know about them, and the books didn’t focus on that fact.
James Etheridge – I believe there were multiple cultures of elves and dwarves, but that in the era of the LotR books, most humans didn’t know about them, and the books didn’t focus on that fact.
There were definitely multiple cultures of both elves and dwarves, but I’ll stop before I start with the nerdsplaining 🙂
There were definitely multiple cultures of both elves and dwarves, but I’ll stop before I start with the nerdsplaining 🙂
Kate Bullock would you be interested in a “fantasy” game with only humans? What if all elves/dwarves/etc tropes were recast as human cultures?
Kate Bullock would you be interested in a “fantasy” game with only humans? What if all elves/dwarves/etc tropes were recast as human cultures?
I need to include “ethnic minority” to the Traitor playbook’s list that explains why you’re living in the demihuman enclave.
I need to include “ethnic minority” to the Traitor playbook’s list that explains why you’re living in the demihuman enclave.
Just today I asking my self if Humans bring any thing interesting to a sci-fi/fantasy setting. All i could think of was making them the bad guys. Like Orcs. Fast breeding, mean, war-like. Humans land on a planet kill or enslave all the inhabitants and pick it clean of resources, then move on.
Just today I asking my self if Humans bring any thing interesting to a sci-fi/fantasy setting. All i could think of was making them the bad guys. Like Orcs. Fast breeding, mean, war-like. Humans land on a planet kill or enslave all the inhabitants and pick it clean of resources, then move on.
Nery Mejicano – In the game I’m asking this for, humans are the bad guys (though you can play a human). This is at the cultural level. Individual humans are not guaranteed monsters.
Nery Mejicano – In the game I’m asking this for, humans are the bad guys (though you can play a human). This is at the cultural level. Individual humans are not guaranteed monsters.
youtube.com – There Goes The Planet
youtube.com – There Goes The Planet
I think the thing that makes humans interesting in the context of fantasy races is ingenuity. I like to think of them a little like the way they are portrayed in David Brin’s Uplift novels (even though that’s a sci-fi intergalactic civilization). Everyone knows who their ancestors are and political and social expectations are pretty set…”Wait! who the hell are these humans?! How have they taken up so much political space so quickly?!”
I think the thing that makes humans interesting in the context of fantasy races is ingenuity. I like to think of them a little like the way they are portrayed in David Brin’s Uplift novels (even though that’s a sci-fi intergalactic civilization). Everyone knows who their ancestors are and political and social expectations are pretty set…”Wait! who the hell are these humans?! How have they taken up so much political space so quickly?!”
I kinda like the Adventure Time no humans thing. There’s the one human surrounded by candy people, talking animals, and elemental beings. On the other hand I also love the idea of worlds with only humans, like firefly, no demihumans or aliens. Both approaches allow you to skirt the weird dynamic of ‘humans are just diverse and adaptable, but elsewise boring’.
I kinda like the Adventure Time no humans thing. There’s the one human surrounded by candy people, talking animals, and elemental beings. On the other hand I also love the idea of worlds with only humans, like firefly, no demihumans or aliens. Both approaches allow you to skirt the weird dynamic of ‘humans are just diverse and adaptable, but elsewise boring’.
Humans are always interesting in stories, because they’re us. In fantasy, they’re going to be more diverse and less stereotyped than elves and dwarves and so on. And elf and dwarf characters are just humans that are slightly different shapes, anyway.
Humans are always interesting in stories, because they’re us. In fantasy, they’re going to be more diverse and less stereotyped than elves and dwarves and so on. And elf and dwarf characters are just humans that are slightly different shapes, anyway.
What Saul Alexander said. Slightly different shapes, and portrayed with really long lives. Heck, clearly they are all of the same species or genus as in most D&D type fantasy, they can interbreed…
What Saul Alexander said. Slightly different shapes, and portrayed with really long lives. Heck, clearly they are all of the same species or genus as in most D&D type fantasy, they can interbreed…
I love playing humans in FRPGs because they aren’t assumed to have anything inherent in their nature, and because all playable nonhuman species are exaggerated versions of humans anyway. Also, many of the other “good” fantasy races tend to be traditionally portrayed in media as avatars of the Good Old Days now receding into the mists of time due to the rapid encroachment of Uncaring Progress, and while I am deeply sympathetic to the idea that we shouldn’t destroy the past to make way for the future, the distinct undertone of “This was a lovely neighborhood before them furriners moved in” always makes me gag.
I love playing humans in FRPGs because they aren’t assumed to have anything inherent in their nature, and because all playable nonhuman species are exaggerated versions of humans anyway. Also, many of the other “good” fantasy races tend to be traditionally portrayed in media as avatars of the Good Old Days now receding into the mists of time due to the rapid encroachment of Uncaring Progress, and while I am deeply sympathetic to the idea that we shouldn’t destroy the past to make way for the future, the distinct undertone of “This was a lovely neighborhood before them furriners moved in” always makes me gag.
Wright, I’m afraid you’d hate Demihumans :).
Wright, I’m afraid you’d hate Demihumans :).
Maybe, maybe not. I’d have to play it to see! 🙂
Maybe, maybe not. I’d have to play it to see! 🙂
I say that because there’s a stat called Effulgent, which is about the dying spark of the Golden Age majesty in a fallen age. 🙂
I say that because there’s a stat called Effulgent, which is about the dying spark of the Golden Age majesty in a fallen age. 🙂
Chris Shorb I’ve run many fantasy games without playable races like elves, dwarfs, etc. The answer is yes. I love games where humans are the only playable race. I’m a weirdo.
Chris Shorb I’ve run many fantasy games without playable races like elves, dwarfs, etc. The answer is yes. I love games where humans are the only playable race. I’m a weirdo.
Kate Bullock I don’t think that’s exceptionally uncommon. Lamentations of the Flame Princess cuts the elves and dwarves in its default setting. Most of my favourite fantasy fiction has casts that are largely (or entirely) made up of humans. How many non-human characters are there in Game of Thrones? Only a few, and none are protagonists.
Kate Bullock I don’t think that’s exceptionally uncommon. Lamentations of the Flame Princess cuts the elves and dwarves in its default setting. Most of my favourite fantasy fiction has casts that are largely (or entirely) made up of humans. How many non-human characters are there in Game of Thrones? Only a few, and none are protagonists.
Humans bring a relatable perspective, and they provide the norm against which other creatures and magics are judged to be fantastical. You can leave them out, but they’re still there as a baseline inspiration, because all stories that we tell are about us (and need to be in order for us to care).
Humans bring a relatable perspective, and they provide the norm against which other creatures and magics are judged to be fantastical. You can leave them out, but they’re still there as a baseline inspiration, because all stories that we tell are about us (and need to be in order for us to care).
I like some settings without demi-humans. Played in a few pirate campaigns sans demi-humans. Never missed them. But Forgotten Realms has to have elves. No doubt.
I like some settings without demi-humans. Played in a few pirate campaigns sans demi-humans. Never missed them. But Forgotten Realms has to have elves. No doubt.
Just wanted to point out that in Tolkien’s novels, the hobbits represent us. Many of the human-like figures in the story are not exactly human like Gandalf and Aragorn. It’s even suggested near the end that the hobbits are changing from one generation to the next and may be ancestors to what we think of as humans along with, or perhaps instead of, the races of “men”.
Just wanted to point out that in Tolkien’s novels, the hobbits represent us. Many of the human-like figures in the story are not exactly human like Gandalf and Aragorn. It’s even suggested near the end that the hobbits are changing from one generation to the next and may be ancestors to what we think of as humans along with, or perhaps instead of, the races of “men”.
Logan Howard – I definitely want to throw into this game that sense of “these could also be your ancestors” that LotR gave us.
Logan Howard – I definitely want to throw into this game that sense of “these could also be your ancestors” that LotR gave us.