A question for those who play kobolds, orcs, or whatever

[Desdichado]

I'm not sure what kind of answer are you expecting. In your furry roleplaying that you mention, you at least have real animal behavior to base your roleplaying on. In the case of elves, or dwarves, or orcs or what have you, since these are just human traits blown out of proportion, how can you not play them as humans in rubber suits? What other guidelines do you have to go on? Besides, how alien are they really? They are biologically similar enough that we can have half-human offspring (in some cases) so there's not necessarily any call to assume that they will be so completely alien.

 

[ForceUser]

I play an orc in Vymair's campaign. In his world, the player character-eligible orcs learned to suppress the raging blood lust of their people, and live somewhat peacefully alongside the other player character races. There are still a few savage oddities among the Tribes of the Beast - women are property, males hold ritual to-the-death combats to gain status in the tribe, female babies are occasionally euthanized, and once per year during high summer the blood lust surges to the surface, during which time tribal elders usually separate young males by sending them into the wilderness.

My character happens to be both a tribal shaman and phenominally stupid even by orcish standards. I take my cue from the wise man in Clan of the Cave Bear, staying in the background, listening, watching, trying to learn. He doesn't understand most of the concerns of the other player characters, but he knows that helping them strengthens the ties among their peoples. Since he wants the best for his tribe, he adventures with the other PCs when they call on him.

 

[Xarlen]

I'm not sure what kind of answer are you expecting. In your furry roleplaying that you mention, you at least have real animal behavior to base your roleplaying on. In the case of elves, or dwarves, or orcs or what have you, since these are just human traits blown out of proportion, how can you not play them as humans in rubber suits? What other guidelines do you have to go on? Besides, how alien are they really? They are biologically similar enough that we can have half-human offspring (in some cases) so there's not necessarily any call to assume that they will be so completely alien.

Well, that also depends on how far you take them.

I've heard of some elves that are green, eat bugs leaves and dirt, and depend on the sun.

Demi-humans are harder because well... they're Demi-human. So then, it takes getting into their heads. Like I said earlier, think of how they'd react to the harsh human city, as opposed to a softer elven one. THey would be patient, due to their long life. Elven vengance can take years, even centuries.

Don't ask me about the other ones; I have no idea. I've not played that many, for that matter. Though, I recall Dragon putting out a Dwarven Sayings thing a whlie back in their Dwarf issue, and that one Kicked Major Ass. It struck me as Dwarf, right there.

 

[Desdichado]

Demi-humans are harder because well... they're Demi-human. So then, it takes getting into their heads. Like I said earlier, think of how they'd react to the harsh human city, as opposed to a softer elven one. THey would be patient, due to their long life. Elven vengance can take years, even centuries.

Don't ask me about the other ones; I have no idea. I've not played that many, for that matter. Though, I recall Dragon putting out a Dwarven Sayings thing a whlie back in their Dwarf issue, and that one Kicked Major Ass. It struck me as Dwarf, right there.

Then I guess I don't understand your complaint. Stuff like what Dragon Magazine has doesn't present dwarves as a truly alien race with different thought patterns, etc. -- if anything, it only strengthens the idea that these races are nothing more than almost parodies of a single human trait or personality. Sure, you can really do a lot of propose a culture for at least a portion of your race that is very different from the culture you currently live in. And, IMO, you should. But a truly non-human culture? I'm not sure it can be done. And for that matter, I don't want to do it. A famous writer (Mark Twain maybe? Can't remember) once said that all good stories are human stories. I agree 100%. If you can't understand and relate to the characters, the story isn't going to be any good. So even demi- and non-human characters have to be human enough in their motivations and personality to relate to the players and the GM in a way that makes sense to them.

 

[Xarlen]

Kamikaze: Thumbs up, mate! Good go!
Mustrum: Yeah!
Katerek: Cool! I've always thought Orcs or Hobgoblins were sort've Mongolish, but that's an interesting take. I can certainly see it being Matriarchical; Gnolls strike me a lot as Hyenas, more then wolves (But the same structure applies).

I once had the party Save some gnolls; there were three humanoid races in an area with White Dragon blood in their veins, and the Lizardfolk had raided the Gnolls, captured all the sorceror blood and the children, and planned on pouring the sorcerors blood over some dragon eggs they had. Party saved 'em.

I played the Gnolls very Native American/African/Aztecian. They claimed the corpse of the main leader (A half-dragon druid lizardfolk), used his hide for various things, and took his bones and heart, threw into a fire, and breathed in the smoke (They offered this honor to the most influential PC in the fight first). They believed the strenght of the enemy should be respected, and passed on. But I'm sure they wouldn't be against tearing apart a wounded foe like a pack of African Dogs.

The structure was odd; they had a leader, and he was killed; his body guard (the third of command and the oen they met) had taken the chieftain's wife and children for protection. He was mated to the 2nd in command, a female, who took control over the tribe.

It was really great fun roleplaying the 3rd in command, because he didn't know Common real well. I reasoned his language didn't have first or second tense adjectives (No I or you), or proper past tense pronunciation, so he called everything by the third tense 'He approached he and slew him, Hrush' Taps self 'had to run with her and hers'. And he tacked 'ed' on several words unneededly. Was most fun.

 

[Xarlen]

Then I guess I don't understand your complaint.

Okay, I guess my complaint is people make them TOO human to make them different then humans? As in, don't play up those cultural and such differences that much?

For example, I would have trouble playing halflings to their culture because... well... what the hell IS their culture?

 

[Desdichado]

Okay, I guess my complaint is people make them TOO human to make them different then humans? As in, don't play up those cultural and such differences that much?

For example, I would have trouble playing halflings to their culture because... well... what the hell IS their culture?

Exactly my point, in a way. How can you really get into the head of a non-human character, because you have no frame of reference in order to do so? It helps if you use standardized races, or if you and the GM really go over this stuff before hand, at least.

 

[Xarlen]

Exactly my point, in a way. How can you really get into the head of a non-human character, because you have no frame of reference in order to do so? It helps if you use standardized races, or if you and the GM really go over this stuff before hand, at least.

WEll, it can be done. It just takes a really well defined demi-human race. If you can absorb their culture into your mind, if you know it, and start looking from it, BAM. They're not too alien to the point of unplayability, unrelating. You just need to find a niche, and play it up.

Much like human from a different culture, really.

 

[Desdichado]

Yep, exactly.

 

[Morrow]

Do you actually play them as unique, complex creatures? Or do you play them as complex, but in a Disney "talking animal or monster that otherwise completely behaves like a human" kind of way?

I don't know. You tell me.

From what I've seen, the hardest thing about playing a small humanoid, like a goblin or kobald, is always being the low man on the totem pole. In any group you're unwelcome, overlooked, abused, or seen as food. It doesn't matter how experienced you are, you're never going to be on the same level with the larger humanoids, or the humans, or the elves. That's a hard thing to keep in front of your mind every game session. It's a little like trying to roleplay a rabbit- you're a prey animal, you'll always be a prey animal.

On the other hand, it encourages you to always be looking for an escape route, and always claw and scrape for any advantage, which seems entirely appropriate.

Morrow