They aren’t quite human but they’re close – and they’re lots of fun!

1. Dwarfs – Grumpy. Bearded. Mine a lot. Drink a lot. Sing a lot. Short (but don’t tell the Campaign for Equal Heights I said that). Dwarves have come a long way (baby) in the evolution of the Discworld through the books. Pratchett has really created a fully realised dwarf world and culture (and it’s quite an amazing achievement). Traditionally miners, dwarves have moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork in huge numbers and this has created real cultural shifts and tensions within the dwarf community. And this leads me to…
2. Trolls – rocks in a vaguely human shape. Living and breathing and thinking, trolls originally seemed like the rugby league players of the Discworld, but, as with dwarves, Pratchett has through the books created a troll history and culture, and fully-rounded troll characters. Traditionally don’t get along at all with dwarves.
3. The Nac Mac Feegle – also known as Pictsies. Tiny humanoids who can out-drink and out-fight anyone. Sound a bit like an Irvine Welsh character (“Oh wailey wailey!”). Live in warrior clans with one queen or Kelda. Don’t like writing, but do like stealing.
4. Golems – golems were a really interesting addition to the Discworld because of their real world equivalent and the idea of a servant/slave race that attains emancipation through buying themselves from a capitalist society. In our world golems are a Jewish legend/history, and are very similar to Discworld golems – made of clay, baked and given life through holy words put in its head. These words (on the Discworld the chem) not only animate the golem but also give it its purpose or job. Because they are owned golems are considered machines but in Feet Of Clay the golem Dorfl is freed by placing the receipt of his purchase in his head in place of his chem. From then on freed golems have worked for money in order to purchase and free other golems.
5. Nobby Nobbs – Cecil Wormsborough St John Nobbs carries a signed letter from Lord Vetinari attesting to his humanness. Hmmmm….