In Dagorhir, characters run the gamut of types, from many cultures in a variety of real or fictional worlds. This article hopes to lay out some noteworthy thoughts as to what race you feel is best for your new character.
As to the matter of your species, we all choose ours for different reasons. Some like the way a particular race looks, others love the language, fighting style, or culture, and still others may have a hero of that same race. Maybe you want to choose a similar race to a friend, or maybe you'd like to be something different altogether. Some realms, units, or households require or prefer a certain race in order to join; others are open to all.
Another thing to consider is how "in-character" you'd like to get. You can in theory be anything you want, but to appear to be of a certain race can take a lot of work. Humans, for example, are easy- come as you are, in garb. Nothing to it. Other races with differing skin colors, features, or appendages can be tricky. Drow, fire elves, orcs and goblins come in a few different shades than your average human. Are you willing to get painted up for special occasions? As an elf, are you willing to wear the prosthetic ears, if you are an elf of that sort? Races with wings or tails can be even more complicated. While you don't have to completely "become" your character (many of us don't, unless we're at an event), you may want to consider how much it's going to take for you to go all-out.
Some questions to ask yourself before you choose a race:
- What races do I idolize/ What races are my heroes? (Gimli? Drizzt? Nosferatu? Frodo? Eragon? William Wallace? Captain Sparrow?)
- What races did my friends choose? Does this matter?
- What are the characteristics I want my character to embody? Is there a race that values those more than most?
- What alignment is my character?
- How does my character relate to the other races in the group I'm part of?
- Does the household/unit/realm I want to join restricted to a certain race/alignment?
- Do I have the necessary equipment (paint, prosthetics, etc.) to become a race of differing appearance? If not, can I afford it if I wish to do so?
- If the language differs, is it one that I can speak/write/understand? How well?
- What sort of name will my character have? What language/culture is it from?
- What gender/age is my character? Does that affect their standing with my preferred race's culture?
Now that you've at least given these some thought, ask yourself how important these questions are to you. Your friends may all be dwarves, but maybe you're looking for something different. Maybe you know a few words of Drow, but prefer something with less paint. Do you idolize Legolas, but are looking for a race with a little more muscle? Does the name "Parshewind" fit better as a demon or an angel? It's all up to you.