It's a trite observation, but it seems to me that fantasy races tend to be, at least superficially, archetypal or suggestive of myth, whereas sci-fi species are grounded in biology or some semblance thereof.

So to switch things up, I'm thinking I may offer Yazirians (skinny ape-creatures) and Dralasites (semi-morphous blobs) as PC races in my next C&C game, in place of the usual dwarf-elf-halfling-etc. Demi-humans tend to be unpopular choices here anyway, for whatever reason, but I suspect one of my players (a huge Star Frontiers fan way back) will play a dralasite.

This won't be a sword-and-blaster game, planetary romance, or a Spelljammer game, though I may run a Barrier-peaks-like adventure later on. I'm going to try to retain something of the generic flavor of D&D while dialing up some incongruities.

Anyone done anything similar? Any suggestions for species?

I almost played an Aslan in a D&D game. That DM never got the campaign started tho. And by "Aslan" - I mean the TRAVELLER lion-like race. He was going to be a scholar and magic-user.


- Ed C.

Quote from: FASERIP...
So to switch things up, I'm thinking I may offer Yazirians (skinny ape-creatures) and Dralasites (semi-morphous blobs) as PC races in my next C&C game, in place of the usual dwarf-elf-halfling-etc. Demi-humans tend to be unpopular choices here anyway, for whatever reason, but I suspect one of my players (a huge Star Frontiers fan way back) will play a dralasite.
...

This idea ROCKS.  Dralasites instead of dwarves and Yazarians instead of elves!  I love it. :cheers:

Beyond that ... um ... lemme think more ...

Very cool. Star Frontiers 'In a Dungeon' always sounded like great fun.

The authors of Rune Stryders pointed out that fantasy is barely fantasy anymore, since it's filled with stereotypes and concepts (dwarves and elves, for example) with which we are terribly familiar. So, by definition, adding Dralasites and Yazarians sort of redefines fantasy, making it fresh.

Or so the theory runs....

Check this out:

Mind Flayers + Drow = Ruthdii!

Quote from: FASERIPCheck this out:

Mind Flayers + Drow = Ruthdii!

Really? I don't see it. Please explain.

Shit, I don't know. I just like the idea of telepathic worms who live deep in the earth, inscrutable and hostile.

Particularly if I give them a friendlier counterpart on the surface, sans terrible mind-powers (a little like surface elves versus drow). Wasn't there a ruthdii faction without mind-powers?

Most Ruthdii aren't telepathic (Ruthdii Komar and Ruthdii Solex) - they just have some latent powers, but don't really manifest. The legendary Ruthdii Orvol are the only ones that can actually muster any real show of mental power in the form of psychokinesis.

Thanks, it's been a while since I read my HN pdfs. Still, I'll probably run with the idea of an evil, inscrutable, ESP worm race. Perhaps I'll give them a legendary surface counterpart similar to the Zoats (?) in the Olde World.

I'm a firm believer in changing facts to suit your needs.

There is an essay by David Brin entitled "Otherness" that you might be interested in reading. He compares the medieval idea of elves to today's idea of grey aliens and puts forth the idea that these may be a projection of our fears of the unknown in humanoid form. Might be right along the same lines you are thinking.

Quote from: FASERIPAnyone done anything similar? Any suggestions for species?

I do this very often since I hate those elves & dwarves

Now Star Wars may not exactly be SF but there's a hell of a lot to steal from. My most recent theft :

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ho%27Din

Here's the link for SW races.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Galaxy_Guide_4:_Alien_Races

Regards,
David R

Quote from: jeff37923There is an essay by David Brin entitled "Otherness" that you might be interested in reading. He compares the medieval idea of elves to today's idea of grey aliens and puts forth the idea that these may be a projection of our fears of the unknown in humanoid form. Might be right along the same lines you are thinking.

No no, Vulcans are space elves, descended from the Nox (from Stargate) who are space fey!

I don't understand the wlole concept behind this... when you bring so called "scifi race" to fantasy setting doesn't it then become "fantasy race"...?

And... most of fantasy and scifi raqces are just humans with slightly different looks... thats probalby the reason why these beings are caled races instead of species... and in some settings, for example Exalted even those tentacle headed being from Star Wars would be considered humans, while some other Star wars specieses would probably be called beastman, or what are they called (human-something else hybrid) but beastmen basicaly just differently looking human beings...

If you want trully inhuman "races" try to bring something like Horta to fantasy setting... I probably won't work well...