what makes a d&d sub race stick?

[Jay R]

Better the LotR and BG versions than seven little old men hanging around with a teenaged gal ...

I once had a PC with two henchmen -- dwarves named Felix and Doli, who were out to get revenge on the dragon who had killed their five brothers.

You had to think in more than one language to recognize that the names "Felix" and "Doli" meant "Happy" and "Grumpy".