The gods of Good, Evil, and Neutrality originally created three races to personify their values: the elves, beloved of the gods of Good; the ogres, prized by the gods of Evil; and the humans, gifted by the gods of Neutrality to choose their own path. This structure was forever altered by the power of Chaos, who created new races out of the old.
While most races follow the tendencies inherent in their creation, each individual is free to choose his own destiny. Some elves turn away from the deities of Light and embrace darkness and evil, while some ogres reject the evil of their ancestors and strive towards righteousness. Humans, granted free will by the gods of Neutrality, chase their passions and find themselves draw to either side, their shorter life spans urging them to seek glory while they can.
The races of Ansalon are rich and diverse. Every race and culture has a distinct identity and place in the history of the world. A Qualinesti elf can trace his family history back to its roots in ancient Silvanesti. A minotaur sailor knows the name of the clan hero who was the founder of the family. A kender can identify every cousin in the long line that leads back to Uncle Trapspringer.
A Dragonlance character should understand his or her place on the world, starting with their race. Characters can reinforce the stereotype of their race, reject them, or ignore them completely. The development of a believable and memorable character depends on an understanding of the character's race and how others on Krynn view that race.