Are dwarves afraid of the dark ?

[Chacal]

Recently, I've been wondering about the races that have darkvision.
Is it automatically active ? If so, how a race that basically doesn't know true darkness reacts
when confronted with darkness spells or spells that block their darkvision. It might be as frightening as being suddenly both blind and deaf for us.

Now, I dunno how to use this in an encounter or scenario.

Chacal

 

[Hypersmurf]

Back when 3E first came out, I ran a first level party up against a Darkmantle (when Darkness was dark).

When the Darkness effect hit, I passed a note to each player.

Most characters got "It suddenly went pitch-dark." The two half-orcs got "You've gone blind."

-Hyp.

 

[WayneLigon]

Recently, I've been wondering about the races that have darkvision. Is it automatically active ? If so, how a race that basically doesn't know true darkness reacts when confronted with darkness spells or spells that block their darkvision. It might be as frightening as being suddenly both blind and deaf for us.

I've always assumed it was automatically active; the eyes adjust just like ours do to changing light conditions. I've generally used this for the reason elves don't like the underground at all; there, their low-light vision doesn't work so they are facing true darkness for one of the few times in their lives. Loss of any sense is going to freak out almost any creature, so I just treat it like a human being blindfolded.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Recently, I've been wondering about the races that have darkvision.
Is it automatically active ? If so, how a race that basically doesn't know true darkness

But they do know true darkeness - it is that which is beyond the 60ft bubble in which they can see when underground.

The concept of darkness should be completely normal to them, it is part of their everyday experience.

(the corollary might be that darkvision using underground races could be Agorophobics - when they come up into daylight and a race that is used to a 60ft horizon to their world can suddenly see for miles!)

 

[the Jester]

What a totally rockin' idea. Hyp, I like the way you handled that. Plane Sailing, I like the idea of agoraphobics like you describe- next time I run a game with an underdark pc coming to the surface for the first time, I'm totally using that!

 

[Chacal]

What a totally rockin' idea. Hyp, I like the way you handled that. Plane Sailing, I like the idea of agoraphobics like you describe- next time I run a game with an underdark pc coming to the surface for the first time, I'm totally using that!

Ditto

Now I realy want to try both the "you're blind" and the agoraphobia trick on my players


Chacal

P.S: Thanks for the Move/edit, Hyp !

 

[Snoweel]

Pity the poor dwarf who had pogonophobia; he'd end up a bigger outcast than Drizzt.

 

[Gez]

Pity the poor elf who had pogonophilia...

 

[Snoweel]

I think I'm starting to develop Francophobia.

 

[alsih2o]

One of the things I really, really love about ENWorld is the threads that make me think differently about "the world".

Threads like this one.

I have nothing to add but that.