Vulcan Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world It helps that many fantasy races are very niche-based. In other words -- dwarves are mountains/underground' date=' elves are forests, lizardmen are swamps, orcs are badlands, and humans tend to be everywhere.[/quote'] And you notice that in a standard fantasy setting, elves and dwarves have 'historically' become less common as humanity spread. There's that pesky evolutionary pressure at work, the humans out-competing elves and dwarves for resources. It would be unlikely in any setting for there to be a true balance between various sapient races. It's almost a genre trope that humans are slowly pushing everyone else into extinction, even with various divine entities in the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world And you notice that in a standard fantasy setting, elves and dwarves have 'historically' become less common as humanity spread. There's that pesky evolutionary pressure at work, the humans out-competing elves and dwarves for resources. It would be unlikely in any setting for there to be a true balance between various sapient races. It's almost a genre trope that humans are slowly pushing everyone else into extinction, even with various divine entities in the picture. In many settings, elves come first, then dwarves, then men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world In mythology, giants/titans come first, then elves/dwarves (which are often the same thing), then men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DusterBoy Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world In our own ancient past, we shared the Earth with other (presumably sapient) hominid species. It's just that only Homo Narrans (ie humans) survived, for whatever reason. And everyone knows Elves aren't hominids. They aren't even animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world Are they vegetable then? Or mineral? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrine Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world Sapient mana? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world Depends on whose book you read. Lucius Alexander What do you think a palindromedary is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DusterBoy Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world Neither. They're of faery. They live half in our world and half in that world, which accounts for so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmakaze Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world This is SciFi, but for a really disturbing version, try The Sparrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DusterBoy Posted January 5, 2010 Report Share Posted January 5, 2010 Re: What are the chances of multiple sentient races to evolve/be created on one world This is SciFi' date=' but for a really disturbing version, try The Sparrow. By Mary Doria Russell. Been there, read that. Really good book, but as you say, disturbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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