[AU] Fuzzies versus Folklore

[Wombat]

I have seen a lot of complaints about the Litorians and Sibeccai of Arcana Unearthed being "Fuzzies" or being stolen from science fiction games.

Has anyone thought of the fact that Dog-People (at the very least) show up in mythologies and folklore nearly worldwide? You find them in India, in Europe, in Africa, to my certain knowledge, and probably other areas as well.

I think "Fuzzies" and sci fi critters of this style come out of that very same tradition and that the AU races are merely a continuation of standard folkloric/mythological trope, rather than a rip-off of one source or another.

 

[Tsyr]

Doesn't matter.

Too many people have some nonsensical "Furry Humanoid = Bad bad bad!" response hardwired into them.

 

[Henry]

Not even talking about Werewolves (the most obvious half-man, half-dogs of all), there are also myths of anthropomorphic foxes, ocelots, and, yes, even horses. The Minotaur is half-man, half bull, so the trend is very, very old.

Myths of the Dog-Man


Half Human, Half Animal: Tales of Werewolves and Related Creatures

 

[d20Dwarf]

Even more research...

 

[tetsujin28]

Die fuzzies, die.

 

[Psion]

Too many people have some nonsensical "Furry Humanoid = Bad bad bad!" response hardwired into them.

Yeah, I don't understand this frothing hatred of animal-beings. Not that I have a special fondness of them, but it's the hatred I don't understand.

I am glad to report that, if my group is any indication, this feeling is far from widespread. The first reaction of one of my players to AU was a player expressing how cool the litorians were.

 

[drnuncheon]

Yeah, I don't understand this frothing hatred of animal-beings. Not that I have a special fondness of them, but it's the hatred I don't understand.

It's a violent reaction, not to the concept itself, but to a group of fans that most roleplayers think makes them look bad by association, which is to say the creepy quasisexual dark fringes of the furry crowd.

Or maybe it's just savage geek-hierarchy infighting.

J

 

[Nightfall]

I like Ratmen.

 

[Ezrael]

I think the concept of the Cynocephali's old enough and established enough to be divorced from a few people who like to have sex in animal costume. Hell, St. Christopher (the one of the medallion) was said to be a dog head in some medieval myths.

 

[Kesh]

It's a violent reaction, not to the concept itself, but to a group of fans that most roleplayers think makes them look bad by association, which is to say the creepy quasisexual dark fringes of the furry crowd.

I'm just surprised at how vitriolic people get towards furries, even on this board. I mean, it's not like the fandom's any worse than the Star Trek crowd, and I don't see anyone here railing against them for the Seven-Of-Nine porn floating around.