The Issue with Fantasy Species: ‘Painted Humans’ and the Development of Th’emin

One of the most fundamental aspects of Fantasy worlds is the idea of Fantasy species. Though here in real life we only have homo sapiens left over the course of this planet’s history. The concept of having multiple intelligent, conscious species in one world at once is not a foreign idea at all since the planet we live on have seen multiple variations of different intelligent species. Neanderthals being the most well-known example of having another humanoid species which is separate from us as Humans living among our own.

In Fantasy worlds, however, humanoid species are commonly plentiful with multiple variations of species roaming the same world amongst each other. Many of which are nothing close to us as Humans, such as lizardmen, rodents, felines, hobgoblins, trolls, and ogres just to name a few. Though Fantasy worlds don’t have a great deal of need to replicate real life to the extent were the worlds completely become the same. The wanting to create worlds close enough to a grounded reality where Fantasy worlds begin to sound like a real place is something which is sought out after.

This does on the other hand leave the thought of differences amongst the Fantasy species. If the creator is under the impression to make a species who do not have the same ancestors as us Humans, one cannot avoid wondering why so many accepts of Fantasy species are just a replication of us as Humans. Or more accurately: why such species are so close to the same mentalities, behaviours, and culture patterns.

Humans and Fantasy Species: One of the Same?

One of the things which come to mind when I think of Fantasy species is the differences between the species in general. Due to how all Fantasy species derive from different animals’ — or other creatures for that matter — ancestry backgrounds. So, the idea of all Fantasy species being the same as Humans when it comes to anything and everything then become a rather weird thought to be under.

We as Humans have instincts and social behaviours that all stem from our ancestry background. Yet when a conscious, humanoid species deriving from lizards is put in place, the species then ends up just being a Human with scales in the way they talk, behave, and interact with each other. It is of course not that weird of an idea that this happens since it is a Human who makes it for an audience of other Humans. The notion of being able to accurately think and replicate within the boundaries of a theoretical species of a completely different ancestry background is a very difficult thing to do. Bordering impossible seeing how our life views, goals and thinking patterns will always be there to inflict the viewpoint of the thing we are making.

This problem can also be found within the idea of aliens. Both in Sci-Fi and the other lifeforms in real-life on other planets. Being able to imagine the mentality and aspirations of a species which is already theoretical from the start will always be impossible since there isn’t a real-life example of it. It does not exist (or at least not known currently with lifeforms on other planets). How can you replicate something that doesn’t exist?

What Can be Done?

While it is true that Fantasy species do not exist to be capable of replication to an accurate, grounded point. The answer for creation to a believable degree stems in the same idea which is used throughout the entire Fiction genre to create grounded, believable places. Which is in the understanding that no Fantasy concept whatsoever is real.

When discussing believable Fantasy worlds, one of the major disconnections between the disagreeing parties is the mix in arguments of ‘grounded’ Fantasy worlds versus ‘’realistic’’ Fantasy worlds. These two terms are used interchangeably. ‘Realism’ in Fantasy is an oxymoron. If the Fantasy world is realistic then no Fantasy concepts can exist within the world at all. As it states in the description of what The Eferian Day is on the “What is The Eferian Day?” page, the first paragraph in the explanation of the series states:

‘’Its primary purpose is to give a concise and simple understanding of magic functions apposed from mysticism and disbelief in grounded fictional worlds.’’

The usage of ‘grounded’ is important since it is a distinction from other Fantasy worlds that do not follow believable worldbuilding. Such as High Fantasy worlds who exist for different purposes and other mindsets entirely.

The wanting to create a grounded Fantasy world also include the wanting to make grounded Fantasy species. And to then bring those species to the point where they are seen as a fictional version of reality which could have a place in a real world.

The Development of Th’emin

One of The Eferian Day’s Fantasy species is Th’emin. Th’emin are Rodent humanoids who in the lore were created alongside the Elves and the other species after the original Yulis gave Sagen to them.

The mentality I have for the development of the Th’emin species have been to learn and use behaviours and instincts of real-life rats. And by knowing how rats behave with each other in real-life I am then able to bring those types of behaviours into the Th’emin species. Free, conscious species can become whoever they want. Just like how there isn’t a singular way to be a Human. But their instincts and behaviours will always be there to conflict with the Th’emin persons freewill. Just like ours.

As The Eferian Day’s species keep getting developed, there will always come new ways to think surrounding how these theoretical species would think and behave with each other and other species around them. And one of the things I always keep in mind is that Fantasy species too have their own aspirations and believes which can go against the ways we are used to among ourselves.

Since they aren’t Human, after all.