I'm not really one to critique but it seems your work is quite solid thus far. I Like how you managed to make your dwarves the same but different.
I know they are only subspecies/cultures, but more info on the Gnomes and Goblins would be good.
Also it's good that you seem to be going for a bronze/iron age fantasy rather than a medieval one. that's quite cool, and it's a breath of fresh air to the genre. Maybe you could have more references to the mythos of the time?
Also, are there any humans? Any other elements? Would air users be crazy-good archers? why are the eleves the only ones with domesitcated creatures?
edited 4th Apr '11 2:33:47 AM by doorhandle
Humans don't show up until the second/third age, by which point the elves, orcs, and dwarves are pretty much extict, or at least have very, very small populations. From what I put together so far humans don't go beyond neolithic levels* , though most are nomadic hunter-gatherers.
The elements are earth, fire, air, water, plant, lightning, light, and dark, but there aren't any races that have the others like the elves and such do. Animals and plants have different elements, but aren't able to use the magic.
Elves are the only ones with domesticated animals because they're the only ones who were in a situation to do so. Orcs and dwarves didn't need any beasts of burden because of their magic, orcs didn't need any food animals because of their good plants and hunting was enough to make up any thing they couldn't get the plants to do, and dwarves never really made the attempt.

I've got five races in my world (they don't really fit the Five Races trope though, I think). It's a bit "every race for themselves" as far as diplomacy is concerned, orcs don't get along with elves and almost everybody hates dwarves, while dwarves hate everbody. What I'm typing out here is basically just an overview of the races, to see if they make sense. History is omitted unless abolutely necessary. This overview covers the time at the very end of the First Age. Not all traits or developments were present at the creation, they were invented over the course of time to try to avert Medieval Stasis.
Quick note on magic: It's elemental based, each race can use any of the elements but naturally create/replenish only one element as part of their biology, so they tend to have more access to the element and sees more use than other kinds. Magic is expended as it's used and needs to be replenished.
Elves live in the northwestern plains. They're the tallest race, standing at ~7 feet tall. They have long pointed ears and light colored hair. They're the only race that has domesticated animals, mainly cattle. There's a bit of a cultural differentiation between those elves who live in the cities and those who live on cattle anches, but they still all see themselves as part of a singular society. Elves have fire magic (fireballs and such, changing the level of heat). They're the only race to use steel (instead of just copper, bronze, iron) because their fire magic helps them to have hotter fires to use for forging/smithing. They also create minotaurs, which work like super-soldiers and are created from a magical Frankenstein-esqe process. Elves seek power through understanding and knowledge of magic.
Orcs live in the western forests. They average 6 feet tall, have green skin, and have enlarged lower canines. They naturally have a high strength, which they build on with regular recreational exercise. They live in villages comprised of several families, and each village has its own leader. Orcs use plant magic (move/control plants, accelerate growth, change some physical properties), and only plant magic. They see using other forms of magic as wrong and unnatural because they are born with only plant magic. Orcs have better agricultural systems than the other races thanks to their plant magic. They are able to accelerate their crops growth and yeild, so harvests are often and plentiful. They also have Orcwood, which is wood enhanced by magic to be as strong as metal, and use it as their primary building and weapon material. Orcs seek power through the proper use of magic.
Dwarves dominate the northcentral and northeastern regions of the world. They're the shortest of the races, around 4.5-5 feet tall. Males have long beards, females usually don't have beards or mustaches but do have long sideburns. They live in grand above- ground stone cities and have a much bigger population than the other races. They have earth magic (move boulders, dirt, earthquake, etc) and use it as if it were blood magic. The use of blood isn't necessary, but the dwarves have long forgotten that. It allows them to direct the flow of magic so it'll have a greater effect in a smaller area, or increase the efficiency of use so they don't run out of "magic points" as fast. For example, due to their small size some dwarves will gather rocks and boulders around them like a battle armor mech-thing, controlled by magic. They'll paint lines of blood along the rocks between the parts where they'll "connect," so the magic will flow along those lines instead of through the whole rock. Because of the focus on blood they're big on ritualistic sacrifice, in order to collect the blood of the victim to put in a magic reserve, and to add the power of the victim's magic to the city. The captial city of the dwarves is built a top the location of a wellspring of unlimited magic, making them the superpower of the world. Dwarves seek power through the accumulation of magic.
Goblins are orcs who split off from the main culture and live closer to dwarven territory. Their culutre is mix of orcish and dwarven. They look pretty much the same as orcs except paler and they sharpen their teeth.
Gnomes live beneath the eastern mountains. They're dwarves who split off from the main group long ago when the use of blood magic was beginning, the dwarves liked it and the gnomes didn't. They pretty much fit the classic dwarf culture, prefering to stay underground and mine and do craftwork and ignore the other races.
Holy crap, this is the longest post I've ever made on any site
edited 31st Mar '11 4:36:55 PM by stingerbrg