Cultural comparisons between Eberron & Earth?
- Thread starter drowdude
- Start date
Chupacabra
First Post
The real world is actually exciting and there are places in it that I would love to visit.
Ebber-yawn on the other hand....
Ebber-yawn on the other hand....
Well, Keith has said that they made a conscious effort with Eberron not to mimic real-world cultures with Eberron, and I think they mostly succeeded. For example, there's no "Asian" culture, though the gobins of Darguun use some Asian weapons and Chinese-style monasteries are common throughout Khorvaire. There are no Indian or Mesoamerican-style cultures, though I'd say there's the suggestion of Indian and Mesoamerican influences in the architecture and styles of Aerenal, Sarlona and Q'barra.
Of the parallels, most are in the human nations. Breland reminds me a bit of the United States, in that it's more democratic than the other monarchies, it's focused on industry, and it features big, cosmopolitan cities. Aundair could be a bit French, with its vineyards and classy vibe. Karrnath is very dark and military, which recalls Sparta, and also has some German qualities. Thrane's theocracy is a bit like any European monarchy dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Lhazaar Principalities are like a colder-weather version of the pirate-era Caribbean. The Valenar elves have some Middle-Eastern qualities, particularly their basic aesthetic. The Talenta halflings have some Mongolian and Native American influences. In general, tribal cultures are a more represented.
In general, though, I'd say places in Eberron are more defined by fantasy themes than historical parallels. There's never been a place that combines "primitive" nature worship with modern agriculture like the Eldeen Reaches, which is very clearly the "druid country." Droaam is definitely the result if "what if a motley collection of monsters attempted to assemble their own nation?" A nation of nations like the Mror Holds -- and its near-monopoly over precious metals and gems -- isn't going to happen in a world without dwarves. The seemingly benign dictatorship of Sarlona is not a totally new concept, but is too based on the psionic powers of its rulers to reflect anything historical.
So I guess that's a long way of saying "yes and no."
Of the parallels, most are in the human nations. Breland reminds me a bit of the United States, in that it's more democratic than the other monarchies, it's focused on industry, and it features big, cosmopolitan cities. Aundair could be a bit French, with its vineyards and classy vibe. Karrnath is very dark and military, which recalls Sparta, and also has some German qualities. Thrane's theocracy is a bit like any European monarchy dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Lhazaar Principalities are like a colder-weather version of the pirate-era Caribbean. The Valenar elves have some Middle-Eastern qualities, particularly their basic aesthetic. The Talenta halflings have some Mongolian and Native American influences. In general, tribal cultures are a more represented.
In general, though, I'd say places in Eberron are more defined by fantasy themes than historical parallels. There's never been a place that combines "primitive" nature worship with modern agriculture like the Eldeen Reaches, which is very clearly the "druid country." Droaam is definitely the result if "what if a motley collection of monsters attempted to assemble their own nation?" A nation of nations like the Mror Holds -- and its near-monopoly over precious metals and gems -- isn't going to happen in a world without dwarves. The seemingly benign dictatorship of Sarlona is not a totally new concept, but is too based on the psionic powers of its rulers to reflect anything historical.
So I guess that's a long way of saying "yes and no."
BrooklynKnight
First Post
Tharn
BrooklynKnight
First Post
i was close.
LeapingShark
First Post
Breland sounds alot like the US. Not only is it a populous freedom-loving industrial nation, there's a passage in the book about "spreading liberty and democracy through force of arms"
You can also see a similarity between the coastal metropolises of New York and Sharn "the City of Towers".
You can also see a similarity between the coastal metropolises of New York and Sharn "the City of Towers".
I may be the only one, but Darguun reminds me a little bit of Israel. The goblinoids lost most of their former glory when the humans arrived on Khorvaire, but at an opportune moment, they managed to sieze a little bit back. The population quickly swelled when boatloads of goblinoids that nobody knew existed came to Darguun. For the sake of the comparison, the goblins finally have a nation where they are the majority.
In a very short amount of time, Darguun has amassed considerable power, and is allied with some of the more powerful nations of Khorvaire. I don't think I'm articulating a lot of the subtleties that I picked up when reading about Darguun, but I think they're there.
In a very short amount of time, Darguun has amassed considerable power, and is allied with some of the more powerful nations of Khorvaire. I don't think I'm articulating a lot of the subtleties that I picked up when reading about Darguun, but I think they're there.
