[TerXIII]

This is precisely my thought process on the matter. We've got three sentient races in the game, and since we're post-apocalyptic high fantasy, we've decided that elves and dwarves are evolved from proto-humans, while the current incarnation of humans are actually crossbreeds between the two species.

The other races are a result of the two sorts of radiation spread about the planet, arcane radiation (magic), and the metal the dwarves harness as a power source for their technology.

We've opted to make the sub-sentient races somewhat fractured, and not actually get involved in politics at all. For the most part, we're sticking to tribal/feudal societies for the orcs, goblins, kobolds, and trolls, but we still don't like the idea of these races really being anything more than advanced critters that occasionally raid villages and hamlets. We also don't like the idea of them having a widely "known" language.

I'm overly pessimistic about the idea of difference species being able to interact prosperously. I'm especially pessimistic about the idea of a shared morality or code of ethics. This makes for some interesting gameplay, seeing as you are going to be interacting with creatures whose morals and ethics are entirely different from your culture. For instance, Elves see little problem with the hunting and eating of other sentient creatures they view as "lesser", whereas dwarves have a structure of businessmen in their society, whom you may consider to be morally bankrupt, however, they do indeed have their own moral codes and rules. Lying, cheating, stealing, and assassination are no problem, so long as it is in the greater good of their particular faction.

It's minor foibles like this that I see becoming entertaining, and if I allow other players to take on these roles, rather than forcing them to be humans, there will be human systems of morality at play, and as such, I cannot trust players to act like dwarves or elves naturally would.