So I am plotting out a World for a DnD game. In this world there are only three gods who each made three races. Dragons, Giants, and Proto elves/Celestial Elves (Name in progress as well). In this world all the other races came about by the Elves needing soildery for their wars against the giants and dragons. So they made the humanoid races (Humans, elves, gnomes, dwarves, and Orcs.). then stuff happened and the slave races rose up and slaughtered the celestial elves to the point of extinction. (They deserved it. Immortal bastards.) But besides the point. The dragons and giants did a little bit of eugenics as well and created the Giantkin (Goliaths, Firbolgs, Etc), while the Dragons made the Dragonkin (Dragonborn, Kobalds, Lizardfolk, Etc.). Eventually the slave races wizards tried their hand at it and made the Beastkin. (Harengon, Tabaxi. Loxodon, Etc).
So the main point of this is I need help making a unifying Genus for the Humans, elves, gnomes, dwarves, and Orcs to fall under
There's a solid argument for just using "humanoid". It's not like anyone in the game is talking in English to begin with. Use the word that the players know.
Yes, use of invented words can improve the flavor of the world, but it can also create confusion.
(In practice, it's probably not actually going to get used in conversation very often, so it won't matter if you do.)
Based on your templating, you could just call them humankin. (Or elvenkin, since most of them seem to be named after their creators.)
Well, conforming to beastkin, dragonkin and giantkin, wouldn't you use something of elfkin... celelstialkin... Those sound kinda crunchy, but might work.
You could name them, for example, Commonkin... as being the most common type of races?
I mean, Homo is in of itself a genus. You could use that as their general group and called them mankin or Mankind. That would honestly give a reason for why human has the Hu in it.
Andromorph! Hominiform! Anthropoid! Manling? Manling is a classic, but propably not one manlings would use for themselves.
They could be the Younger Races. Of course, some might argue (pedants!) that elves are humanoids, but also an Elder Race.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Thank you all for your ideas. I have been doing some research and I discovered a norse word for elf was Alfar. So I have named my proto elves the Alfar and their creations the Alfkin.
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So I am plotting out a World for a DnD game. In this world there are only three gods who each made three races. Dragons, Giants, and Proto elves/Celestial Elves (Name in progress as well). In this world all the other races came about by the Elves needing soildery for their wars against the giants and dragons. So they made the humanoid races (Humans, elves, gnomes, dwarves, and Orcs.). then stuff happened and the slave races rose up and slaughtered the celestial elves to the point of extinction. (They deserved it. Immortal bastards.) But besides the point. The dragons and giants did a little bit of eugenics as well and created the Giantkin (Goliaths, Firbolgs, Etc), while the Dragons made the Dragonkin (Dragonborn, Kobalds, Lizardfolk, Etc.). Eventually the slave races wizards tried their hand at it and made the Beastkin. (Harengon, Tabaxi. Loxodon, Etc).
So the main point of this is I need help making a unifying Genus for the Humans, elves, gnomes, dwarves, and Orcs to fall under
There's a solid argument for just using "humanoid". It's not like anyone in the game is talking in English to begin with. Use the word that the players know.
Yes, use of invented words can improve the flavor of the world, but it can also create confusion.
(In practice, it's probably not actually going to get used in conversation very often, so it won't matter if you do.)
Based on your templating, you could just call them humankin. (Or elvenkin, since most of them seem to be named after their creators.)
I think your proto/celestial elves need a name that will look good when followed by "kin", so there is dragonkin, giantkin and _____kin.
Maybe something similar to eldar or eladrin. And then you end up with "eldrankin" or the like.
Expanded 5e Spelljammer Cosmology
Well, conforming to beastkin, dragonkin and giantkin, wouldn't you use something of elfkin... celelstialkin... Those sound kinda crunchy, but might work.
You could name them, for example, Commonkin... as being the most common type of races?
"That is not dead which can eternal lie;
And with strange aeons even death may die"
-H.P. Lovecraft
I just call them all "sapients" which is useful cause it covers aliens with weird body plans and all sorts of other stuff too.
It's also worth noting that there's a difference between "sentient" and "sapient." A dog is sentient, a human is sentient and sapient.
You could try the name Tallmen from dungeon meshi
He/Him
Call me Rage or Rageguy or if you are technical little guy (gender neutral) call me _RageGuy139_
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Elves have Fey-ancestry.
Would that make them Feykin?
I mean, Homo is in of itself a genus. You could use that as their general group and called them mankin or Mankind. That would honestly give a reason for why human has the Hu in it.
Andromorph! Hominiform! Anthropoid! Manling? Manling is a classic, but propably not one manlings would use for themselves.
They could be the Younger Races. Of course, some might argue (pedants!) that elves are humanoids, but also an Elder Race.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Thank you all for your ideas. I have been doing some research and I discovered a norse word for elf was Alfar. So I have named my proto elves the Alfar and their creations the Alfkin.