Other "races"
Many fantasy stories and worlds refer to their main sapient humanoid species as "races" rather than species. In most such worlds these races are related, and capable of producing viable offspring together, typically having diverged from one root species – most often either elves or humans – by magical or divine influence. The usage of the term in this context was popularized by J. R. R. Tolkien and was further adapted and spread by the use of races in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games. Many fantasy settings use the terms "race" and "species" interchangeably.
In role-playing games, "race" typically refers to any species that can be used as a player character. In older editions of Dungeons & Dragons, the primary non-human player races (dwarf, elf, gnome, halfling, and half-elf) were called "demi-humans". Later games such as Shadowrun use the term "metahuman", and define these humanoid races as subdivisions of Homo sapiens.
Other races include Orcs, which were popularized in Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. They are now used in many fantasy worlds and are often depicted as large, green brutish creatures with more muscle than brains (although Tolkien's Orcs, while savage, are cunning and probably as intelligent as a man).
Other races include various humanoid creatures that appear like animals like wolves, bears, boars and other animal species.
Read more about this topic: Fantasy Tropes And Conventions
Famous quotes containing the word races:
“Women are most fascinating between the ages of thirty-five and forty, after they have won a few races and know how to pace themselves. Since few women ever pass forty, maximum fascination can continue indefinitely.”
—Christian Dior (1905–1957)
“Listen, my friend, there are two races of beings. The masses teeming and happy—common clay, if you like—eating, breeding, working, counting their pennies; people who just live; ordinary people; people you can’t imagine dead. And then there are the others—the noble ones, the heroes. The ones you can quite well imagine lying shot, pale and tragic; one minute triumphant with a guard of honor, and the next being marched away between two gendarmes.”
—Jean Anouilh (1910–1987)