"I travel the back roads of human civilization, following a quest I do not always understand. Some unseen force, some inner desire, drew me away from my tribe and brought me to the towns and cities of humanity. Does this mean I reject my place as an ogre mage? I do not think so. Instead, I believe I am trying to enhance it.
I wander the edges of human settlements, drawn like an insect to the brightly burning torch of civilization. Like an insect, I cannot turn away from the intense heat. Like an insect, I will be destroyed if I get too close to the flame. I am fascinated, captivated, afraid.
But the fear flows both ways. While I fear the screaming mobs of humans with their swords and clubs and sharp-tipped arrows, they also fear me. To most of them, I am a monster. I look different. I sound different. I pray to different gods. Humans are quick to show fear toward that which is different. And what they fear, they often destroy.
Why did I leave my tribe? The answer is at once simple and complex. I was not like my tribe mates. I sought out knowledge and scholarly endeavors while my tribe mates reveled in combat and conquest. I was different, much different, and humanoids are less tolerant of differences than even the humans and demi-humans whose lands I now roam.
I live in humanity's shadow, but I am not a shadow of humanity. Indeed, those few humans who I have come to call on proclaim that I am more human than most of their kind. Sometimes I take this as a compliment, sometimes a foul curse, for I have seen the heights that humanity can reach and I have witnessed the dark depths it can sink to. They are grand, these humans, but they are also desperately dangerous. And the greatest danger lies in the bright center of civilization's flame, for it draws me toward its scrolls and books and epic ballads, where its searing heat can consume me. Perhaps it is better in the shadows, for the darkness offers some small protection from the flame.
Am I a monster? It depends on the point of view. To my own people, I am a weakling, a coward, a failure. To the humans and demi-humans who know me, I am a trusted companion, a learned associate and perhaps even a friend. To those who refuse to see beyond my appearance, I am a foul creature, a hated enemy, a monster. I am all these things and none of them. I am Kulung the Ogre Mage, the Tribeless One, the Searcher.
I am the Humanoid, and I walk the perimeter of humanity's blazing flame."
- Kulung the Ogre Mage, from Kulung's Tale
Humanoids
The humanoid races are the most important group after the demi-humans in virtually all realms. Broadly defined as monsters that have two arms, two hands, at least two legs, and stand generally upright, humanoids typically have their own cultures, societies, morals, values, and attitudes that vary greatly from the general human experience.
They are fecund, their short lifespans balanced by a very high birth rate. These races are generally evil and their gods and pantheons reflect this clearly. They compete with all the surface races for living space, and with most of the underground races who live above the Underdark realms also. They are all aggressive and territorial, and they would surely dominate worlds if not for a major weakness: Many are too chaotic to organize well enough to achieve lasting success, and those races which are lawful often factionalize into competing clans who waste resources skirmishing against each other. These races rarely dominate the world around them because they are divided amongst themselves.
From a distance, within the folds of a hooded cloak, or obscured by deep shadows, humanoids can be mistaken for humans. Only on closer inspection and in the light of day are they immediately seen for what they are. They bear the general shape of humanity, but they have startling — and often times frightening — differences. Some are taller or broader than the average human. Others are smaller, frailer. Many have misshapen features, wicked claws and fangs, thick fur or long, dank hair.
Humanity is one race; humanoid races are legion.