Okay, here I go being strange again. But, well, that's me!
I've had a nitpick about the RPG use of the term Race, and I finally
decided I wanted to get it off my back and discuss it a bit. I think
people will find it humorous at the least, and informative at the most, so
I guess I can justify taking up your time :)
The definition of "race" is:
1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more
or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical
characteristics.
or...
2. Biology: An interbreeding, usually geographically isolated population
of organisms differing from other populations of the same species in the
frequency of hereditary traits.
So, by using the term "race" to describe an elf, dwarf or halfling, you
are stating that they are still human because they are all still within
the same species.
As I see it, they are all different species of hominids. They all have the
common characteristics to put them in the same
Kingdom->Phylum->Class->Order->Family, the family being Hominidae. I'm not
sure what the deciding factors are that put us in the Homo genus, so I
won't say that for sure. However, my belief is that elves, dwarves,
halflings and other such RPG creatures fall in the genus Homo.
Why are they all in that genus? Well, let's look at other species that are
also Homo. The Neanderthals are H. neanderthalensis, while we are H.
sapiens. They are a separate species from us, but in what way are they
different? Well, for starters, they are a bit smaller. They have a smaller
brain. They have a thick brow. They have a very thick ribcage that makes
them tougher and more capable of recovering from serious injuries. Their
noses are flat and wide to help them adapt to the extremely cold climate.
Elves and dwarves really sound, to me, as being as closely related to
humans as neanderthals. If a neanderthal were alive today, you would know
that he was not quite human, just as you would a dwarf or elf. But you
would say that they are humanoid, or human-like.
So, my belief is that they are all different species in the Homo genus and
are not, in fact, just a different race of human.
So...should we all tell WotC to go and rename their Races chapter to
Species? :)
Oh, and to try to stay on Fudge topic: would the Deryni be a separate
species, would they be a sub-species of sapiens (H. sapiens deryni), or
would they just be plain old H. sapiens with a racial difference?
--
Brad Younie
President
Carnivore Games
brad@carnivoregames.com
http://www.carnivoregames.com/
"Now Playing" (Roleplaying in Every TV Genre)
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