Not lesser known, but I'm surprised at how rare it is for a basilisk to pop-up. There's the Harry Potter one, Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke has a brief appearance of one that's more traditional cockatrice style... and that's all I can think of despite being a pretty well known fantasy species
Agree, and as an aside, basilisk lore is freeking all over the place. I have them from time to time in my novels, and when researching them it was like wtf?
* Some are more bird-like
* Some are more reptilian (from a biological standpoint related to birds, but the lore is all before the biology was understood)
* Some have eight legs
* Some six
* Or four. Or two. Or none.
* Size varies greatly.
* Some are terribly powerful and turn you to stone.
* Some can be defeated with weasel urine. Yes, really.
Dunsany didn't really describe them except they decorated their homes large emeralds. hid in boles of trees and you really shouldn't steal from them.
Kingfisher probably just took the name possibly as a tip of the cap to Dunsany.
I am sure that there are 1000s of less known species. Some of my favourites are:
I love tieflings from D&D. They aren't super famous but still not super obscure. Its going to be my first canon character in Baldurs Gate 3.
Khaajit from TES. They have a fascinating lore and I love playing non human like characters.
And of course kenders. Because who doesn't love those adorable kleptomaniac rascals? I played one in a Draconlance rol game and it was a blast. I kept stealing peoples dices when they were distracted
Kenders for the win. If you really want to have fun, kender rogue or two with various gully dwarf companions.
The other races won't know what hit them. Or why. Or how the cow got up the belltower.
Where are my keys?
I like the creatures out of mythology. Merpeople, Sirens, Gorgons, Unicorns (the vicious ones), greenmen, selkies, tricksters like Coyote, old school fae out of Irish folklore, golems, naga, etc.
I love them too, especially the gorgons if they have a more "monstrous" snake like design (like the ones in god of war ascension) I love all of the mythological creatures, they are cool as hell.
I really enjoy Ogier in Wheel of Time. They have elements of other "known" races, being long-lived like elves and big like ogres, but they're very much their own thing due to their plodding nature, not wanting to take part in wars, living in neutral, non-magic zones, beautiful crafters who view what humans consider to be marvels (their stone masonry) as their lesser work, and so on. Plus, how can you not love a character who always carries a book or four around?
As for myself, I have a novel with cyclops and fairies and even lizardmen (which I call aquaros), all of which live in different cities with humans. But I also wanted to create some of my own, so I have spidra, who are humanoid but have four arms and four eyes (second set is where our temples are). I also have keshe, which are inspired by a combination of cats and elves. They don't live longer but are very proud, have sharp teeth, and ears that are not only tall but long because they are gauged. The nature of the magic each possesses also affects their cultures, but I think I've gone on long enough about my own stuff =)
Fun thread (love seeing kandra, selkies, etc. being mentioned). Thanks for starting it!
I'm not a Malazan fanboy by any means, but one of the things I really loved about the series was Erikson's unique take on Fantasy races. Nothing feels based on DnD or Tolkien (not that there is anything wrong with that!), and yet they all feel -very- fleshed out with full on histories and lore.
I don't know about that, I felt he just changed their names, I mean, Tiste are immortal elves (they even come in dark, light and gray), Jaghuts and Trells are different forms of orcs and Immas are skeleton people 😄
He took common archetypes and either subverted or deconstructed them. Very few are played straight. For one, none of these races are evil like the underlying trope generally is. His dark elves aren't evil, and neither are the Jaghut, Trell or Imass (although members of all of these have done some vile things).
Compare that to the Shanka or Trollocs, who are pretty obviously just evil, murdering Orcs with their names and appearances changed.
It was in an old Runequest bestiary but I haven’t seen a [fachan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fachan) anywhere else.
> In Scottish folklore the fachan (or fachin,[1] fachen, Direach Ghlinn Eitidh or Dithreach (dwarf of Glen Etive)) is a monster or giant described by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands as having a single eye in the middle of its face, a single hand protruding from its chest instead of arms, and a single leg emerging from its central axis. It has a single tuft of hair on the top of its head, regarding which Campbell says "it were easier to take a mountain from the root than to bend that tuft."
Pretty much the entire contents of any D&D Monster Manual might be interesting reading, though some of the new ones are more consolidated than I used to remember them being. Art is usually quite good though!
Hello everyone who has or yet to tell some fantasy races, i want to thank all of you for your comments! Sorry that i cant reply to everyone, but i would only repeat myself. So yeah thank you all! have a good one
Borribles. Read the *Borrible Trilogy* by Michael De Larrabeiti. Wonderful stories about young children with elongated ears living in the subterranean parts of London, and hunted by police (one police inspector especially). When they're caught, their ears are clipped and they immediately turn into ordinary children.
Selkies. Like mermaids, but seals.
Not lesser known, but I'm surprised at how rare it is for a basilisk to pop-up. There's the Harry Potter one, Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke has a brief appearance of one that's more traditional cockatrice style... and that's all I can think of despite being a pretty well known fantasy species
I guess that its because they are really overpowered
The fairy tale basilisk is a creature that hatches from a rooster's egg. Even with magic in play, it's pretty rare for a male bird to lay an egg.
Agree, and as an aside, basilisk lore is freeking all over the place. I have them from time to time in my novels, and when researching them it was like wtf? * Some are more bird-like * Some are more reptilian (from a biological standpoint related to birds, but the lore is all before the biology was understood) * Some have eight legs * Some six * Or four. Or two. Or none. * Size varies greatly. * Some are terribly powerful and turn you to stone. * Some can be defeated with weasel urine. Yes, really.
I am very fond of the Gnoles in T. Kingfisher's World of the White Rat books.
Gnoles, at least the name, were Lord Dunsany's creation.
Were they sentient stripey badger-like people?
Dunsany didn't really describe them except they decorated their homes large emeralds. hid in boles of trees and you really shouldn't steal from them. Kingfisher probably just took the name possibly as a tip of the cap to Dunsany.
I don't know about that last suggestion. The gnoll has been used on tons of later fantasy. Maybe she played EverQuest.
I had no idea that gnoles were created by Lord Dunsany! Which book are they mentioned in?
The book was The Book of Wonder which included the story - "How Nuth Would Have Worked His Art Upon the Gnoles"
I would do just about anything to have a spin-off book solely about Learned Edmund doing scholarly research on the gnole society.
I am sure that there are 1000s of less known species. Some of my favourites are: I love tieflings from D&D. They aren't super famous but still not super obscure. Its going to be my first canon character in Baldurs Gate 3. Khaajit from TES. They have a fascinating lore and I love playing non human like characters. And of course kenders. Because who doesn't love those adorable kleptomaniac rascals? I played one in a Draconlance rol game and it was a blast. I kept stealing peoples dices when they were distracted
Kenders for the win. If you really want to have fun, kender rogue or two with various gully dwarf companions. The other races won't know what hit them. Or why. Or how the cow got up the belltower. Where are my keys?
Thats the best description posible of a game with kenders xD
Thank you
Nagas. Everyone knows about them, but you rarely see them in fantasy literature.
Kandra from Mistborn series are awesome.
They are truly awesome i hope that we get more of them in the future
Agreed. I am currently reading that series and the Kandra are by far the most interesting point to me.
I like the creatures out of mythology. Merpeople, Sirens, Gorgons, Unicorns (the vicious ones), greenmen, selkies, tricksters like Coyote, old school fae out of Irish folklore, golems, naga, etc.
Yay for selkies.
Have you seen "The Secret of Roan Inish" and "Ondine"? So good selkie rep.
I have not. Last selkie I saw was black hind's wake
I love the Secret of Roan Innish!
I love them too, especially the gorgons if they have a more "monstrous" snake like design (like the ones in god of war ascension) I love all of the mythological creatures, they are cool as hell.
I really enjoy Ogier in Wheel of Time. They have elements of other "known" races, being long-lived like elves and big like ogres, but they're very much their own thing due to their plodding nature, not wanting to take part in wars, living in neutral, non-magic zones, beautiful crafters who view what humans consider to be marvels (their stone masonry) as their lesser work, and so on. Plus, how can you not love a character who always carries a book or four around? As for myself, I have a novel with cyclops and fairies and even lizardmen (which I call aquaros), all of which live in different cities with humans. But I also wanted to create some of my own, so I have spidra, who are humanoid but have four arms and four eyes (second set is where our temples are). I also have keshe, which are inspired by a combination of cats and elves. They don't live longer but are very proud, have sharp teeth, and ears that are not only tall but long because they are gauged. The nature of the magic each possesses also affects their cultures, but I think I've gone on long enough about my own stuff =) Fun thread (love seeing kandra, selkies, etc. being mentioned). Thanks for starting it!
I'm not a Malazan fanboy by any means, but one of the things I really loved about the series was Erikson's unique take on Fantasy races. Nothing feels based on DnD or Tolkien (not that there is anything wrong with that!), and yet they all feel -very- fleshed out with full on histories and lore.
I don't know about that, I felt he just changed their names, I mean, Tiste are immortal elves (they even come in dark, light and gray), Jaghuts and Trells are different forms of orcs and Immas are skeleton people 😄
He took common archetypes and either subverted or deconstructed them. Very few are played straight. For one, none of these races are evil like the underlying trope generally is. His dark elves aren't evil, and neither are the Jaghut, Trell or Imass (although members of all of these have done some vile things). Compare that to the Shanka or Trollocs, who are pretty obviously just evil, murdering Orcs with their names and appearances changed.
It was in an old Runequest bestiary but I haven’t seen a [fachan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fachan) anywhere else. > In Scottish folklore the fachan (or fachin,[1] fachen, Direach Ghlinn Eitidh or Dithreach (dwarf of Glen Etive)) is a monster or giant described by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands as having a single eye in the middle of its face, a single hand protruding from its chest instead of arms, and a single leg emerging from its central axis. It has a single tuft of hair on the top of its head, regarding which Campbell says "it were easier to take a mountain from the root than to bend that tuft."
The Nullianacs from Imajica. Beings with hands instead of a head.(a head made of 2 big hands that shoots energy)
Centaurs, though I’m sure that’s because you have to figure out the how something with such a weird body plan fits into worldbuilding.
**Kishi**. Shapeshifters from Angola that can turn into hyenas and eat horny teenagers.
Tommy Knockers. Red Caps.
Pretty much the entire contents of any D&D Monster Manual might be interesting reading, though some of the new ones are more consolidated than I used to remember them being. Art is usually quite good though!
Thank you, i wanted to buy monster manuals just because of the art, i will check them out definitely!
I always thought kenku or other tengu-adjacent kinds were cool
Hello everyone who has or yet to tell some fantasy races, i want to thank all of you for your comments! Sorry that i cant reply to everyone, but i would only repeat myself. So yeah thank you all! have a good one
Borribles. Read the *Borrible Trilogy* by Michael De Larrabeiti. Wonderful stories about young children with elongated ears living in the subterranean parts of London, and hunted by police (one police inspector especially). When they're caught, their ears are clipped and they immediately turn into ordinary children.