A thought experiment

[Nebra Reppalk]

Okay, so Mith has already declared how the creation of the different races occurred in the CtS universe, but I'm still thinking about other possible origins. We know how it usually goes: Elves are associated with trees and magic, dwarves with metal and the earth, and humans are adaptable/special/"normal". You get the point. Also, drawing from D&D 3E, there's a dwarf god (Moradin Dwarffather) and an elf god (Corellon Larethian), and even an orc god (Gruumsh), but there's no god specifically devoted to humans.

I want to do a thought experiment, and I'd love it if we could play with this. So, let's take a standard fantasy setting. Humans, elves, dwarves, halflings and gnomes if you want them, orcs, the works. Let's toss the idea of gods creating the species out of the window. Magic works, there's dragons and such, and there might even be gods, but let's just say that all life evolved in a manner pretty much similar to what happened here in our universe.

So the experiment that I'm proposing is: Where did these species come from? What are their closest relatives in the animal kingdom? (Side note: Please, if you disagree with the theory of evolution: Please do NOT post your opinions on why the theory is wrong here. I'd like this thread to be a thought experiment, not a flame war.)

Let's just assume that human evolution worked the same way it did here. Not that we evolved from monkeys mind you (common misconception) but rather chimpanzees (if I remember biology, our closest relative) and the species Homo sapiens had a common ancestor some indefinite amount of time ago.
So, who had a common ancestor with dwarves? Elves? Dare I say pixies?

I'll start by suggesting the origins of dwarves:
I'm thinking that they'd be closely related to canines. Canines tend to favor "sure things" more than the curiosity displayed by humans and other simians. (I remember an article, might have been in Muse actually about some experiment where monkeys would look under different lids for treats, while canines would choose the same lid.) So, let's just say that this less inquisitive nature also manifested in their relatives, dwarves, a good mechanism for survival because they avoid potentially dangerous situations for something safer and more well-known. Also, dogs are stereotyped for having a great deal of loyalty, and some breeds are rather loyal. Dwarves tend to place loyalty to clan and kin above anything else. At least in my experience dwarves take betrayal very seriously. Plus with the dog's cousin, the wolf, we have that pack mentality thing going. I'm trying to think of other supports but at the moment my brain's not quite working.

So, feel free to come up with your own ideas, build off of other people's, or challenge them. Let's see where this thought experiment goes.

[Vinom the God-King]

I propose that all Elves, Drow, Dryads, Nyphes and other anthromorphs of the natural variety are all desendents of a Base Line that we will call the Elf-Kin.

[Sir Gawain of Orkney]

I propose that all Elves, Drow, Dryads, Nyphes and other anthromorphs of the natural variety are all desendents of a Base Line that we will call the Elf-Kin.

I would go further and say that all the humanoids likely came from the same common ancestor.

However, I'm going to play around with Nebra's idea, but it's a much more interesting idea that they evolved independently.

On that idea, I'd say the if Dwarves and dogs are closely related, then so are cats and Elves. They are both graceful species that are as much at home in trees as they are on ground (Just look at how leaf jumped from that tree in the earlier strip). Both are often depicted as hunters that can travel silently.

If by halflings, you mean Hobbits, I'd say they're similar enough to humans that they share a common ancestor.

Pixies are easy. They are related, and not too distantly, to birds. Specifically, Magpies. Enough said.

[Nebra Reppalk]

I would go further and say that all the humanoids likely came from the same common ancestor.

Yeah, when I discussed this with my friends they said that all humanoids coming from one ancestor was more likely than different evolutions. I did think that elves would share a more common ancestor with humans than humans and chimpanzees. Going off the whole half-elf thing I thought that since the species could still breed together it meant they had only diverged relatively recently (on an evolution timescale). Plus the living in trees things is a good support. But I think there can be some support for elves sharing an ancestor with cats. If we combine that with the dwarves-dogs scale then that explains some of the racial tension (going with the cat-dog stereotype).

I was going to propose that orcs might be evolved from amphibians or reptiles, but being cold-blooded doesn't quite pan out for them.

[Sir Gawain of Orkney]

I was going to propose that orcs might be evolved from amphibians or reptiles, but being cold-blooded doesn't quite pan out for them.

Maybe insects. The type you find when you turn over a rock. Like ants or rollipollis.

[Vinom the God-King]

Pixies are easy. They are related, and not too distantly, to birds. Specifically, Magpies. Enough said.

I'm going to have to disagree, pixies aren't organic...

[Nebra Reppalk]

Yeah, if orcs are some sort of insectiod, then it would explain their tendency to work in large groups and why individually they're weak but together they're a formidable force. Some sort of hive mind going on there.

(I once mentioned this discussion to a friend and he thought it was ridiculous. I think we're getting some cool ideas.)

[hkmaly]

I was going to propose that orcs might be evolved from amphibians or reptiles, but being cold-blooded doesn't quite pan out for them.

Maybe insects. The type you find when you turn over a rock. Like ants or rollipollis.

Actually, in several worlds including the D&D one and the Tolkien's Arda orcs were created from elves. Not sure why you are going so far with theyre origins ...

Given the look, orcs might evolved from wild boars (or suidae, speaking of biological family).

[hkmaly]

I would go further and say that all the humanoids likely came from the same common ancestor.

Yeah, when I discussed this with my friends they said that all humanoids coming from one ancestor was more likely than different evolutions. I did think that elves would share a more common ancestor with humans than humans and chimpanzees. Going off the whole half-elf thing I thought that since the species could still breed together it meant they had only diverged relatively recently (on an evolution timescale). Plus the living in trees things is a good support. But I think there can be some support for elves sharing an ancestor with cats. If we combine that with the dwarves-dogs scale then that explains some of the racial tension (going with the cat-dog stereotype).

Actually, "the half-elf thing" is hard to explain biologically. There must be magic somewhere in it - either magic helping the crossing or magic as an explanation for much of differences between humans and elves.

It is interresting we identify both elves and dwarves with predators, dismissing the whole "elves are treehuggers, they must be vegetarians" thing valid in many words. On the other hand, elves really seems similar to cats. Especially the subspecies of elves which are not so treehuggers :-). Drow Tales or Pratchett are both seeing it clearly.

[hkmaly]

I propose that all Elves, Drow, Dryads, Nyphes and other anthromorphs of the natural variety are all desendents of a Base Line that we will call the Elf-Kin.

Actually with Convergent evolution already running at full speed to make elves, dwarves and humans seems so similar there is no problems with Dryads being in fact plants or part of plants, evolved into humanoid shape. It will be harder with Nyphes, water is not alive so can't evolve ... also, it is really hard question if mermaids are mammals (evolved from delphins for example) or fishes. I mean, on most mermaids ilustrations, we clearly see the typical mammal features, on the other hand there are scales ...

[firelander]

Gnomes are actually just like humans descents of monkeys. But unlike humans they came from the littler monkey types. I think this because the current races of little monkeys are able to make crazy inventions, and they can be quite loud.

[hailstorm]

i also think that dwarves, elfs, humans and everything elce like that had to come from single ancestor they're all to simalar to not have had