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Typically, the rule of thumb is proper nouns should always be capitalized. But if it isn’t a proper noun (a common noun: "the generic name for a person, place, or thing in a class or group"), it’s lowercase. While there are a lot of other rules out there for capitalization, that’s the main focus in this instance, so I'll do my best to reign myself in.
And, of course, all bearing in mind that all of this is to the best of my understanding, so if you know or find out I'm wrong about something, please, let me know!
> As stated above, since shadowmire, human, etc. aren’t a proper noun, just a common noun, they aren’t capitalized. The only reason shadowmire would have need of being capitalized is if it was referring to a specific group of creatures or people that go by that name, rather than a common racial name.
However, things can get, well, wibbly-wabbly here.
Often, high-fantasy authors have the penchant of capitalizing every fantasy race name. Which, of course, usually excludes “human.” Grammatically, they aren’t supposed to unless we’re talking about High Elf Shevana or something—which is because it’s a proper title. But, for some strange reason, they do. In this case, since it’s often just accepted even though it’s not grammatically correct, it becomes a matter of consistency. In a lot of cases, it boils down to deciding on what you want and why you write it like that, and sticking with it. Stay consistent, and most people don’t seem to care and just accept it. Personally, doing that with all fantasy races without any semi-obvious reason or need annoys the crap out of me nowadays, but hey. To each their own. Anyway.
But doing that
can serve a purpose.
Kingdom Hearts, for example, does this, but I’d say there’s a good reason for that—a lot of the names for their Heartless and Nobodies use common words (in English, anyway). By capitalizing them, it sets them apart in written form and makes it easier to understand. Capitalized for the sake of clarity.
> Since I mention it above regarding the shadowmire not being a specific group name, figured it’d be applicable to touch on that. Apologies if it’s just repeated knowledge to you! The Jumpers here is an example of a group name: that isn’t their race, it’s a title for a specific group of people, who can be of any race so long as they can and do (or used to) world-jump. Same concept with Templars, I believe. A Templar is someone apart of the Knight’s Templar, which is the name of a specific group of knights.
Again going into
Kingdom Hearts, you have the Heartless and Nobodies, which encompasses a wide range of a group of very different creatures with their own racial name. And, again, those are common words, so if they weren’t capitalized, it could be easily confused in written form. Characters have even called others out on being heartless before, I think, of course referring to the condition of being a heartless jerk rather than being one of the Heartless.
On the item front, the Holy Grail is the name of a specific object, whereas a holy grail would be a non-specific grail that someone considers holy. Brooklyn Bridge is specific, “the bridge” is a common noun (“He walked across the bridge,” vs. “He walked across the Brooklyn Bridge”). Which is where I get King’s Curative and Crimson Curse. Specific curative/curse name. Only, for the Curse, you have my stylistic/nickname choice of capitalizing “the Curse.” Though, I think I did that with the King's Curative for a couple posts without thinking about it.
Drust with his Black and White Knights also fall under this spiel. Lowercase black knight/white knight could be misunderstood as a common knight who’s one of those colors in some form. “A black knight stood guard at the door,” vs. “A Black Knight stood guard at the door.” One reads like it could be describing skin or armor color. The other indicates otherwise. They’re also sort of a mix of a race and specific group name. Hence the capitalization of Knight with them—similar vein as Templar or Heartless, and it sets them apart from a common human knight when in written form, adding that bit of clarity.
Random side note, too, going with my stylized reasoning for the shortened “the Curse,” you also have KH’s Organization XIII. When they refer specifically to that without the number, they always capitalize “Organization.” I always figured that was because it’s intended as a shortened, nickname-esque version of the whole thing rather than the common noun usage. It isn’t any ol’ organization, but THE Organization. Or, you know, maybe it’s just a prideful thing on the Organization’s part. They’re just so awesome and powerful that they can’t be associated with a common noun.
But, again, it’s that wibbly-wabbly sector filled with what works for your writing’s needs, clarity, and intentions rather than what the rules of capitalization demand you to do.
In conclusion, capitalization rules are like every other rule in writing; learn them, figure out how it’s supposed to be done and why for the sake of learning what does or doesn't work and is easiest to understand, then twist it all to fit what you need and your personal style to make things clear in a complicated story.
Just, you know, bear in mind that too much of a good thing gets old, fast, especially without even a vague idea of why it's there. I once red a book that capitalized every little term that had to do even slightly with magic, and I couldn't figure out why for the life of me. Some I understood, but most of it left me wishing I had a red pen. Its seeming pointlessness got on my nerves, fast. Though, I didn't finish the book for more pressing reasons on top of that to see if it ever explained it, so that could be on me.
Aaaand grammar rant concluded.
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