Why are they isolationist? Why have they prevented their tech/education/knowledge from spreading to others? That requires a determined effort. Why are they making that effort? What sort of clothes do they wear, if any? What do they eat? What does their flag or national symbol look like? wiki any nation (preferably a smaller one) and fill in the data they have listed for your group. The key is to have more information than appears in the book; that way the reader will get the clear sensation of the data they receive being part of a linked whole, which is very conducive to reader immersion.
@Simpson17866 Nice! You're really good at thinking these things through. Defiantly gonna be using that with the Egalia. And consider how that affects everything else, might figure out a way to make them more non-human. @RWK They are isolationist because of their advanced tech, they did that because the first ones there didn't want the other races destroying each other with it. Mostly by now it's just their way of life, and in general nobody's too bothered to try and make them share. Hm, clothing is something I need to think about for pretty much everyone. Diet, I think they mostly photosynthesize and eat some minerals or something to supplement it. As for flags, I have a very weak visual imagination. No clue. That's a good point, I'll work on that. Thanks!
Research is beautiful I was looking up what made humans the best endurance runners in the world, and I learned that we're actually not, so I googled what animals actually are Maybe the same could work for flags?
Part of me wants to be lazy and just say 'flags were not a thing that developed' but then I'd probably need to think up something to replace it. But you know that actually is a thing I think I like? Hm. Must do research. . . Which I am bad at. At least when it's something more in depth than a quick google. You know I do like the 'no flags' idea. I've got different species and eyesight varies between them, so a flag might not be the best way to convey information. So what's a good flag substitute that would work for everyone. Hm. Maybe they have a sound instead? A song? That would be interesting, a world where they use songs the way we do flags. And everybody should have decent hearing I think. So yep. Songs. And I have a composer in the family so maybe he'll help me out with that.
Personally I've found that the easiest way to develop a new race it to pick one out of the crowd, give him/her a name, then write a page or two about them and see what happens. Look things over, see what you like, what you don't, note is down, do it again. It also helps to drop them into different settings, combat, daily life, romantic interest, dealing with outsiders, etc.
Musing, I am going to off you a different approach in terms of designing a 'fantasy' race. Make your race an allegory for something. What this means is that you take something you believe in, or are afraid of, and make your race represent that. If this idea interests you, here is a study on the idea being put into practice by Clive Barker. (His Allegory is very 'adult' btw, so be warned.) https://www.writingforums.org/entry/horror-a-study-on-cliver-barker-part-14-rawhead-rex.63836/ I wish you the best of luck. -OJB
@Antaus It's a good thought. That's what helps me, but thing was I felt like I needed to know a little bit more before I felt comfortable writing them. @OJB Thank you for the advice. The thing is, I don't really want to be so strict with my races. I intend for them to be people, just not human. Plus I'm not a big fan of deliberate allegories. Drive me nuts.
It's your call, but for me that's what helps me get to know a race. For every story I write, I've probably written an entire set of encyclopedias worth a crap no one will ever read, just to figure out what I'm doing.
Ill probably end up with an excylopedias worth of stuff, I'm just a very 'develop as I go' worldbuilder.
The tall thin description put me in the mind of a daddy longlegs. Physically weak checks out. They could live in termite mounds except made of brick and plaster and such with doors and furniture and other modern furnishings. Tall mounds are like mansions.
I feel like I need to edit my original post, I've already decided against tall thin things and went with plant people. And yes, anthems but maybe somehow slightly different? Feels like there's an idea there. Hm. Anyway, I'd say the original topic is pretty much solved. Thanks for all the help everyone!
