D&D 5E I thought WotC was removing biological morals?

[Faolyn]

I think this is what seals it for me. It’s that being homocidal is part of what makes a redcap a redcap. Much like the “if a Devil stopped being Lawful Evil it would stop being a Devil” thing.

In Ravenloft (specifically Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey), it was stated that fey can physically change "species" over time, when their mentality changes. A sweet little flower faerie may, due to events, turn into a greenhag. I like that explanation enough that I use it in all of my games. A particularly sadistic, bloodthirst fey is likely to become a redcap, and a redcap who manages to lose their bloodthirstiness may become something else. I could even see going so far as to see a fey turn into a celestial or fiend (or vice versa), given unusual circumstances. But this is solely due to their innately magical, quasi-immortal nature and isn't applicable to mortal creatures.

 

[Undrave]

In Ravenloft (specifically Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey), it was stated that fey can physically change "species" over time, when their mentality changes. A sweet little flower faerie may, due to events, turn into a greenhag. I like that explanation enough that I use it in all of my games. A particularly sadistic, bloodthirst fey is likely to become a redcap, and a redcap who manages to lose their bloodthirstiness may become something else. I could even see going so far as to see a fey turn into a celestial or fiend (or vice versa), given unusual circumstances. But this is solely due to their innately magical, quasi-immortal nature and isn't applicable to mortal creatures.

That could make for a fun character concept...a former Redcap...

 

[Remathilis]

The centaur is a monstrosity.

Per Ravnica and Theros:

Fey. Your creature type is fey, rather than humanoid.

So PC centaurs and medium fey while MM centaurs are large monstrosities.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I guess that’s what confuses me though. I don’t think green skinned orcs or white haired red eyed drow look like people. Nor does in the latter case a black widow themed, demons worshipping matriarchy remind me of any culture on earth.

I think this is becoming a Rorschach and people project what they bring.

so while I don’t think efforts against racism should be discouraged, I think this is anything but simple or consistent.

if we want to say WOTC is doing their best to avoid racism I can shrug and say ‘ok’ but the basis on where they draw lines and take stands seems nearly arbitrary.

I’ll just say this: the bigoted language in certain species‘ or cultures’ descriptions is well documented. A few posters in past threads have even posted the origins of some of said language to make it clear that people aren’t posting about figments of imagination.

 

[Umbran]

I guess that’s what confuses me though. I don’t think green skinned orcs or white haired red eyed drow look like people.

Start with this: It isn't about just you.

This is about effects of repeated imagery and depictions in large populations over time. This is a statistical effect, not a Warpiglet effect.

 

[grimslade]

On topic response:
Redcaps are fae spiritual embodiments of indiscriminate murder. They aren't used as a symbol of racist propaganda or sniggering prejudice in the real world so labeling them as evil is perfectly suitable.

Off-topic philosophizing and navel-gazing:
This is where we get into the whole D&D default setting. I do not mean Forgotten Realms, but the underpinning narrative of D&D as a game. The Great Wheel Cosmology, Demons, angels, and devils being spiritual embodiments of their alignment. Djinn, efreet, and marid are spiritual expressions of their element. The fae in D&D are spiritual beings or biological? Undead, are they inherently evil from contact with the negative energy plane, or is magic just animating the meat and bone? Prime Material humanoids are both spiritual and biological beings. The biological dies and the spirit travels to another plane. Does a redcap die and have a soul go somewhere? Or is it reborn in a pool of blood in the feydark?

I could do talk all about how I would handle it in my campaign, but there is a basic understanding that the WotC design team operates under and that will determine whether redcaps are definitively evil. Whether a redcap who stops murdering stops being a redcap and transforms into another fae.

 

[Charlaquin]

Zombies are broadly linked to immigrants, those that come in legally and not.

I’m sorry, what!? Zombies, in the form popularized by George A. Romero, are a metaphor for consumerism, not immigration

 

[mrpopstar]

In Ravenloft (specifically Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey), it was stated that fey can physically change "species" over time, when their mentality changes. A sweet little flower faerie may, due to events, turn into a greenhag. I like that explanation enough that I use it in all of my games. A particularly sadistic, bloodthirst fey is likely to become a redcap, and a redcap who manages to lose their bloodthirstiness may become something else. I could even see going so far as to see a fey turn into a celestial or fiend (or vice versa), given unusual circumstances. But this is solely due to their innately magical, quasi-immortal nature and isn't applicable to mortal creatures.

Emotional elevation is evidenced by cycling expression (in contrast to emotional depression which is evidenced by flattened expression). The Feywild and Shadowfell are the material world's cosmological elevation and depression.

If the fey are elevations given life, it would makes sense that their form would be mutable. -- Actually, that's quite cool!

However, monster type speaks to the fundamental nature of a creature. Celestials and fiends are wholly different entities.

 

[Ixal]

I’m sorry, what!? Zombies, in the form popularized by George A. Romero, are a metaphor for consumerism, not immigration

We are sadly in an age where the actual meaning does not matter any more, only what someone believes the meaning is, no matter how wrong he is.

 

[Umbran]

In Ravenloft (specifically Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey), it was stated that fey can physically change "species" over time, when their mentality changes. A sweet little flower faerie may, due to events, turn into a greenhag. I like that explanation enough that I use it in all of my games. A particularly sadistic, bloodthirst fey is likely to become a redcap, and a redcap who manages to lose their bloodthirstiness may become something else.

This echoes the concept of Eladrin changing seasons.

Form and abilities are a result of behavior, not the cause of it. It is not that being a redcap, they are bloodthirsty and violent - they are a redcap because they were bloodthirsty and violent. That's not a bad idea.