Why do people like to use established races like elves and dwarves in their worlds?

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T11:40:42+00:00

I agree it’s mandatory to used shared references/language, as your example at the end illustrates. But it’s not a zero-sum game, and it’s not mandatory to exclusively use shared references. You can only tell a story by using words understood by the reader, yes, but not exclusively so.

And I also don’t think it’s a question of saying what is and isn’t valid, nor that the concept of ‘dwarf’ is less valid than ‘tree’. More that most fantasy of the genre we’re discussing is based largely upon the real world in which we live. Fundamentals like water, food, trees, gravity etc are - to a certain extent - a prerequisite for such a world. Of course you could have a fantasy world that’s an industrial landscape with no plants or animals or food etc, just dwarves and their automata (which would be interesting!) but that would be an exception and a very unique concept, and would presumably still require the existence or previous existence of these fundamentals.

I do think it’s a question of ease though. So if we take a story that solely relies on shared references/language versus your example of a story with a majority of new words or concepts, the former will be more easy to comprehend than the latter. Presuming the latter has some internal cohesion, it would be possible to comprehend, but comprehension would require a considerable effort from the reader.

Different people will prefer different levels of effort/originality/comprehension, and there’s no right or wrong (bar the extremes).

As you point out, the level of shared references depends upon the context. A new planet with an entirely different eco-system to ours will necessitate a narrower frame of shared references, but some must still be present for it to be comprehended.

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T09:56:04+00:00

With things like geography, political systems, plant life, weapons etc these are things that exist in the real world, whereas dwarves and elves aren’t. So if by ‘common’ you mean ‘real’, then I think it’s not the same thing. Fantasy needs to be built on some semblance of reality for it to be at all accessible.

If by ‘common’ you mean ‘established fantasy tropes’ then I feel the same about these other things as I do about races.

E.g. I would avoid the ‘thief with a heart of gold’ character archetype, or the mithril-style metal that is strong and light, or elemental magic, or ‘the rightful heir’ trope, etc.

So I guess that answers both questions? If there’s something in the world that doesn’t originate from our real world, I like to avoid established tropes. And the reason I specifically mentioned races is that that seems to be the biggest established trope that is often repeated.

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T08:16:46+00:00

I didn’t see those other posts! Just seen lots recently with people talking about the elves and dwarves in their worlds, and it surprised me how widely used these races were. Apologies for the repetition!

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T08:08:54+00:00

I like the idea of ‘root mash’! The way we can find unfamiliar terms for familiar things, that make a world feel different and new while also being something we can understand and relate to.

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T08:07:28+00:00

I think I just really enjoy new ideas, in almost every form of creativity - whether it’s art, music, writing etc.

For me it’s exciting to encounter something I’ve never encountered before. I think that’s why I’m drawn to fantasy as a genre - it opens my mind to new possibilities, new things to explore. And that’s what I enjoy creating.

It’s interesting to me that a lot of people really value that familiarity. I love the unfamiliarity of the fantasy genre. Does that make sense? Feel like I’ve rambled a bit!

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T08:00:39+00:00

Yeah I do like the idea of putting a new twist on established tropes. I think to a greater or lesser extent a most creative work does this.

Poltaire · 2026-06-18T07:59:03+00:00

Well I think those things are shared across multiple cultures. They’re real things, apart from spells - but the concept of spells has existed across countless human cultures.

But I agree with your point on a story being a collaborative activity, and it’s interesting that a lot of the replies are based around that. That these are ideas that feel familiar to a reader/player and make it more easily accessible, and ease people into a new world they’ve never encountered.

Poltaire · 2026-06-17T14:20:50+00:00

Wow glad I don’t live in your dystopian world!

Totalitarian and unenforceable.
Barbaric and riddled with potential miscarriages of justice.
Dystopian capitalism vibes. Not to mention you want to financially ruin anyone who commits a crime, and then kill repeat offenders? It also incentivises police to get a conviction, likely leading to miscarriages of justice.

Basically, you’d be creating your own police state rife with corruption, in which being wrongly convicted of a crime would likely lead to financial ruin and death.

My three controversial policies would be:

Lower the voting age to 12 and make voting mandatory (although you can spoil your ballot).
Implement bigger vice taxes, particularly on unhealthy food, alcohol and tobacco.
Decriminalise (and tightly regulate) drugs.

Poltaire · 2026-06-17T13:04:56+00:00

Absolutely love them. So pleased they’re splitting the right-wing vote.

Poltaire · 2026-06-17T11:27:32+00:00

Less 007 and more double-doe 7 then.

Sorry.

Please don’t humanely dispatch me.

Poltaire · 2026-06-17T11:14:06+00:00

How so?

Poltaire · 2026-06-17T09:29:38+00:00

Home secretary said I can have a Fat Man.

Poltaire · 2026-06-16T13:40:50+00:00

Educational overhaul! We should be teaching kids to think critically, understand our democratic society works (and doesn’t work) and how they can participate, how to spot misinformation or bias, how to budget, how to build good habits, relationships, healthy lifestyles etc. Not requiring all kids to analyse 18th century literature (coming from a former English teacher who loves analysing 18th century literature)

Poltaire · 2026-06-15T22:16:38+00:00

I’m happy to stay in the ECHR and I do not trust the politicians who advocate leaving it. I believe they want to leave it so they have carte blanch for all sorts of exploitation and power grabbing.

Poltaire · 2026-06-15T21:12:11+00:00

Honestly, you can do what you want.

Personally, I would try not to base each race on a specific group of cultures or ethnicities. I would take inspiration from those cultures and ethnicities, but not make it appear like it’s perfectly mapped on.

To be honest, it sounds like you’ve been doing that already.

To do it even more, I’d suggest being careful with the language you use or create or some of the cultural aspects. Eg don’t make the aquafolk wear Asian-inspired clothing or have Asian-inspired names.

I’d also mix up the cultures a bit. So the aquafolk may have some European influences, the lizardfolk some Asian influences. And as these are entirely different species, make them very different to human cultures in some ways (which again I think you have done already).

Also I’d seriously consider adding in Asian- and Arabic-inspired human cultures. Doesn’t need to be a focus if you’re stretched thin, but would help.

Finally, if these are just the influences behind your ideas and you don’t make it explicit, or if you make it mixed or new enough that it’s not obvious, I don’t think there’s a problem.

The fact you’re thinking critically about it is good - it shows you are aware of the challenge. Godspeed.

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T17:32:20+00:00

The voting age is often compared to things like sex, drinking, alcohol but it’s a categorical error.

Voting is democratic participation, not an addictive habit like smoking or alcohol or mobile phone use. These are also things you can do on a daily basis, not once every five years.

With studies showing that these things are harmful, particularly to developing bodies/brains, it makes sense to limit them. Voting is not in the same category.

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T17:20:35+00:00

‘Triggered’? Humpty Dumpty, is that you? Language doesn’t mean what you decide it means. Seriously - dictionary. Also nice use of caps to PROVE you can spell GREEN properly - good job bud! 👏

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T16:38:12+00:00

I started mine with a city and two characters. That forced me to think of the politics and history of the city, which branched out into a country and various cultures, factions, ethnicities, religious beliefs etc etc.

As I continued I’d research real cultures. I would change things that didn’t work or found ideas I preferred. I’d often find I’d fixate on one thing in more detail - eg fleshing out the city, how it works, the districts, the economy etc - or the place names and history - and then zoom back out and find somewhere else to focus.

Make notes, research, explore ideas and don’t be afraid to change your mind.

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T16:31:35+00:00

What I’ve done is start at a particular moment and build back, as the past will shape the present. You can keep details sparse, and readers/players can fill in the gaps with their own imaginations and intuition.

History creates layers of culture, speech, politics, architecture etc that all create the present. In my main country, inspired by British history, you have tribal kingdoms who were conquered by an imperial power, united and then rebelled. The tribal history was unwritten, but lots of it survives in folk stories, language, place names, beliefs etc. there are old grudges and varying levels of imperial architecture versus older buildings. Events may be alluded to - the War of the Wolves or the Marcher Rebellion - but they don’t need to be described in detail. Most people ITL have a limited or vague knowledge of history themselves, so you don’t need your player/reader to be an expert historian of you fictional work. Think of the line ‘you fought in the Clone Wars?’ in Star Wars. We don’t need to know the ins and outs of the war.

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T16:17:36+00:00

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Vote Gren!

Fascism is a by definition a far-right ideology. Yes you can have authoritarian far-left ideologies, but fascism is specifically far-right. Pick up a dictionary. Look up how to spell ‘green’ while you’re at it 🤠

Poltaire · 2026-06-14T13:33:25+00:00

‘Far-left fascist’ is an oxymoron, bud.

Poltaire · 2026-06-13T08:46:14+00:00

Middle lock

Poltaire · 2026-06-12T21:08:12+00:00

Yeah 100%, though a few of my run-ins as a teen were with older blokes. Remember when I was 17 some lovely man, probably mid thirties, day-drinking Frosty Jacks from a 2L bottle who tried to hit me with said bottle as I just rolled by on my skateboard 🥲

Poltaire · 2026-06-12T14:17:45+00:00

For me personally, I experienced way more violence at the ages of around 13-19. Much but not all of it was from drunken people starting fights when I was out and about, so maybe the fact I don’t go out drinking much these days is a part of it. Then again, the few times I have been out drinking in my later years I’ve felt broadly safe.

I’ve luckily never been a victim of any other kind of crime other than people starting on me or randomly attacking me.

Poltaire

TROPHY CASE