Looking at these recent comments, I think I may have figured out why I'm so uncertain as to capitalize or not to capitalize race names. It has to do with common vs. proper nouns, as well as the historical usage of certain "critters". Let me explain. I do not use traditional fantasy race names like elves, dwarves, etc., but I do have some creatures called ogres, goblins, giants, etc. Of course, I have humans as well. It seems to me that humans, ogres, goblins, giants, etc., are indeed common nouns; however for those races who have distinct names, belonging do district cultures with their own history, lore, and language, would these not be proper nouns? I think they would.
My problem originally arose when I had "human" listed with, or in the same sentence with, another one of these proper noun race names. It just looked, well, funky (for lack of a better word). Thus, I have been struggling with finding some rule to either make them all consistently lower case or all consistently capitalized -- but that may not be possible. I may have to live with a mix of common noun (lower case) race names along side other proper noun (capitalized) race names.
My problem originally arose when I had "human" listed with, or in the same sentence with, another one of these proper noun race names. It just looked, well, funky (for lack of a better word). Thus, I have been struggling with finding some rule to either make them all consistently lower case or all consistently capitalized -- but that may not be possible. I may have to live with a mix of common noun (lower case) race names along side other proper noun (capitalized) race names.