If you're not familiar with the rock/paper/scissors system, as used in many video games, this is how it works:

Generally, water is weak to wind.
Wind is weak to fire.
Fire is weak to water.

It's a lot of fun for battles.

____

Okay, I have already determined that the fire/flame/earth race is going to be human, and the wind/sky/air race is the elves...

What I need is a third race, to be water/ice/sea. This is my main character, so he needs to be very humanoid. I already thought about dwarves and giants, and they won't work. Faeries are on hold for a fourth non-elemental race.

What else could I have? I need help brainstorming!

And sorry, my post above is short -- I have to go teach a piano lesson right now!

Was that first sentence meant to be a question?

I said that earth is the humans. Is that what you're asking?

Here's the information on everything, copied from my documents. (again, was teaching piano earlier, so I didn't have time to dig this out, lol)

Racial Elemental Talents
The three races each have their own special talents, related to their elements. Individual talents vary, but stem from their race's element.

Woodelves can:
have extremely limited control of the wind (directly around their person)
influence wildlife through the wind (unexplained)

Humans can:
have extremely limited control of fire – can start a fire with anything, and can make nearly anything burn. Fire still hurts them, and it can get out of control easily.

ice/sea/water element can:
have extremely limited control of water – mostly in seafaring. The best sailors ever.
Can be nearly invisible in fog, when wearing appropriately colored clothing – more so than the other races, it has to do with their genetic pool (lightcolored hair/eyes/skin)
convert water vapor to water to ice, and vice versa

Races
There are three races in this world. They are elemental – wind/air/sky (woodelves), earth/fire/flame (human), and sea/water/ice (unknown).

Elves heavily dislike fire, even to the point of eating very little food that is required to be cooked. They instead do all their cooking in one place, in a communal oven, making large amounts of jerky and bread goods, a few times a year. They know the forest well enough to survive on greens for long periods of time as necessary. Building a fire is a last resort, even in the winter as they are fairly impervious to cold.

Humans are very sensitive to cold weather (snow, ice, even long periods of rain & low temperatures). [need to add more info on the humans, and on the water-element)

Racial Characteristics and color-essence
Elves
tall/thin/willowy, pointy ears,
naturally good woodsmen, archers
forest green, chocolate brown, robins egg blue, royal purple

Humans
[I have stuff but I haven't written it yet. I'll come back and add it when I do.]

Third Race
starlight, seaspray, fog
blues of all shades, cream, seafoam green, gold, grey

If in truth they can blend into the fog, perhaps they are like humans, but thinner - more transparent. I'm not sure if you want to go the route of ghosts, but something like that might work.

Very intriguing concepts. Have you considered making the human the water element and putting a dwarf or other creature as the fire? If you can't find a satisfactory humanoid race for water, you might consider rearranging so that you can use the humans/elves for water and find something less humanoid for the other elements.

I don't think that anyone would draw the line between these and ghosts, really... that is an interesting thought, though. I like that as an extension of the blending in with the fog...

Considered dwarves, and realized that everyone does that... ::cough:: you know me... ::cough:: Dwarves are (in modern fantasy lit, thanks to Narnia and LotR) the earth-dwellers, the smithies, the masters of metal. And ever since LotR, everyone's got their own reasons for why dwarves and elves don't get along. Due to my plot -- not going there. Cliche. No thank you.

But that is a thought, I could do something else for the fire element... it could be interesting...

I like these concepts Jenni. I'm not sure I really know how to resolve the issues you are coming up against, but I will look forward to seeing this fleshed out more.

LOL....

Sorry 'bout that, I probably should've used another form of designation between the explanation of elements and the actual short description of races.

Okay, I did the same thing until I saw your post. lol

Are you not sure of the race you already have for water/ice and might want a different one or do just need a name? You could have mer-people, perhaps with legs.

I think I've worked something out, Griffin, thanks. I probably will post it here on HW after I get it typed.