Making Nonhumans different

[Yora]

I don't think basing elves on grief and dwarves on greed is a good idea. Most people I know would absolutely loath any such setting.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Way back in Dragon magazines #58-62 Roger Moore wrote a series of articles dealing with the major demi-human races (Elves, Dwarfs, Halflings, Gnomes and Half-Orcs) that was simply outstanding. The whole series was later reprinted in BEst of Dragon Vol III. He really got into the motivations and psychology of these races to a level I haven't seen since. Required reading if you can find it, imo.

 

[Niccodaemus]

The single most effective thing you can do to make non humans different is to disallow them as PCs