Fantasy world is set in the 1600s-1800s period.
The largest and most well known species are the Retikivolk who are under the Guardianship of the Gods of Life and Death. Life is married to Death and they tend to equally praise both. Retikivolk are anthromorphs of different mammalian species by our reckoning, but the lack of things like horses and tigers would make them confused by the concept. They are currently trying to reform the grand empire they once had and lost under a number of ill advised and not God sanctioned crusades against humans when Humans decided to break from the Empire and form their own monarchy.
Humans, under the Goddess of Knowledge, primarily rely on superior technology and diplomacy, but their industrial revolution has made their economy dominant. Muskets and rifles have also rendered the old superiority of Dragons absolute, who have challenged their God and Leaders, toppling them. Left without nobles they have gone to work tryin gto form a society without them and forcused on interaction with other species rather than intimidation. Elves and their Sky Borne Cousins are generally separated from the world, focusing on perfection of body (Elves) or techno-magery (Sky Elves). There are also the Karzacs, which are large reptilian creatures that guard the "Gate", but they are on a large island far from the primary continents. Ikorns are somewhat small, salamander like humanoid creatures that guard their jungles jealously and are guarded over by the God of Chaos and Time. Wyrms and Orcs are minor races, but Orcs are becoming more important after joining the Human nation and are starting to become more civilized.
Sci-Fi one is much more complicated.
There consists the ten incorporated Species. Humans, Issidores (Human Aliens!), Sectians (Grays+Slenderman?), Kittersua (Bodyshapers), Ikalyions (Goos in suits), Casroon (Dwarf REptiles in space), Furlugs (Cowardly furry things), Dennertt (Feline-like with unique reproduction), Valeen (Immortal amphibious shark... dolphin... things.), Jeran (Family Value Beetles), Rohktan (Spiders), and Sprawlites (AIs). These represent species that share the Standard Language as their primary tongue, are well enough incorporated into each others cultures they can function as a multi-special bloc without needing too much special interfacing. They are relatively benign to one another and mostly work along ideological, cultural, and government lines as opposed to those defined by species. A complicated government-socio-economic situation motivates them much like today's human, which might not feel too out of place with them.
There is the Aktain Empire, which consists of amphibious creatures who suffer from extreme xenophobia and have the ability to put down the incorporated species if not for the fact they are unwilling to make that push due to internal strife.
There are the corrupted Species. The Ichtor, Progenitors of Humans, Kittersua, and Issidores that take body shaping and genetic manipulation to an insane extreme due to their motivations by the 'nightmare.' Tessilo, descendants of the Zettertax and progenitors of the Rohktan, Jeran, and Casroon that took cyber modification to such an extreme that only their brains remain in their vast cybernetic suits. Zettertax, who worship the Nightmare and seek to make its will manifest in reality are not as physically corrupted, but their emotional and spiritual states that they are twisted beyond most any recognition.
There are a number of Unknown species as well.
As for Gods? There are two higher powers. The Dream and The Nightmare. The Dream respects the will, the desires of free thinking individuals and support their pursuits by diverting and warning about the nightmares plots, as well as providing emotional encouragement to those struggling. The Nightmare is not quite the opposite, instead wanting to control all reality. It does not want destruction. Occasionally an amusing interlude here and there of destruction... but it wants control of the wills.
As for the soul? Very important for psychic powers, and intense corruption of such can lead to mental instability and physically morphed children.