Demihumans, magic and worldbuilding?

[Trouvere]

In the early 1800's a Maori (New Zealand native) chief went to England and was given a suit of armour which he would occasionally wear into battle as it made him 'bullet proof'

This was Hongi Hika, who was given the armour by George IV. He had lent it to a friend when he was shot through the lung during a skirmish in 1827.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

I admittedly don't know as much about Mesoamerican civilizations, so I can't really say, save that half-elves could easily assume similar roles to the mestizo or mulatto peoples. But this sounds very believable, and a tinkering of the historical background can easily be adopted for any setting.

For several years, I've been tinkering around the idea of replacing Human cultures, ethnicities, and races with D&D races. Elves seem to be a good fit for both East and Southeast Asian as well as First Nations. Elves probably don't make good slave labourers and so slavers would have to import a race that was quite strong yet disorganised… such as Orcs. I don't know enough about Latin American history to understand why the mestizos now comprise the majority of the population but if Elves are First Nation then logically Halfelves would be the mestizos. Mulattos would be Halforcs.

By fusing this discusson with DrunkOnDuty's, it's quite possible that elven scrimshaw, crafts and weaving could replace furs in a given trading relationship, and that these influences could affect the humans' own artistic traditions, as cultures are constantly influecing one another, even when, as unfortunately happened a lot in the real world, one suppresses or oppresses the other.

If we extend the Asian model to Elves then the Asiatic Elven arts would thrive while the First Nation Elven arts would eventually wither.

Similarly, humans could find their way to worshipping gods like Moradin or Corellon Larethian in this manner-after all, there's no reason demihuman churches might not be active in sending out miissionaries and preaching to other races...

Given the probable economic and military power of Dwarves combined with their insular clannish tribal culture, Dwarves may well see themselves as the chosen ones. Perhaps one day a pacifist Dwarf trained to be a priest [Cloistered Cleric] starts preaching peace, equality between races, religions, castes, and so forth. This Dwarf gains a following and is one day crucified by the Hobgoblin occupying forces (at the alleged request of the Dwarven patriarchy). And then a cult springs up after his alleged death and resurrection which in turn invites Humans, Hobgoblins, Orcs, and all other races to join. Eventually a Hobgoblin emperor converts to this religion and an entire church hierarchy is financed. Ironically the Dwarves refuse to recognize the pacifist Dwarf as anything other than a heretic. Whereas a good portion of several other races worship him and his virgin mother….

As for other races, I see halflings as being especially skilled at living off the land and maximizing its resources-they're the best farmers, herders, and pastorialists out there. Grains and fruits might be traded to nomadic human peoples in exchange for protection from orcs or hobgoblins.

Or perhaps enslaved by the Hobgoblin empire precisely because they're the best farmers and probably the best domestic slaves.

And maybe Goblins (and Kobolds) are enslaved menial labourers working in the mines and quarries as well as felling trees.

Gnomes might offer their engineering and technical know-how, although being careful to keep it to themselves, for example making sure they have a monopoly on firearms, if you allow them in your games.

Or maybe Gnomes are commonly enslaved and sold to Dwarven artisans as assistants? Or maybe the Hobgoblins use them to maintain and run the Dwarven-made war machines?

As you can see form the above that I'm suggested Hobgoblins with the natural military nature would fit the Roman model quite well.

Fast forward to the “Middle Ages” and you might have Human priests performing a mass in classical Hobgoblin that honours a Dwarven man and his virgin mother attended to by Human saints. And in the mass, they pray for deliverance from Genghis Kentaur and his horde of Centaurs.

To whit:

Dwarven miners, metallurgists, & bankers
Human merchants, sailors, & explorers
Orc barbarians and slaves
Elven civilisations, barbarians, & slaves
Hobgoblin military empire
Centaur steppe barbarians
Halfling serf/slave farmers
Goblin serf/slave labourers
Gnome serf/slave workshop assistants

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Griffith: I like it. That could be loads of fun. A tad blasphemous for some perhaps but I'd enjoy it.

"Classical Hobgoblin" LOL!!! Fast forward another five hundred years and you have bored Dwarven school boys sitting in class learning the classics while a stern Hobgoblin master (master of hobgoblin, not a master who is a hobgoblin) stands at the front of the room and says: "Conjugate the verb 'to plunder.' "

segueing into

Tonguez: The Dwaven East India Company. I can see it so clearly. Dwarves in frock coats, or bright, smart red military uniforms. They drink pink gins and complain about the "Lazy bigguns. They need a good, regular thrashing to keep them in line. They'll respect you for it, ya know." Truly impressive mutton chops too.

And of course they have rivals in the Elven trading entrepots. The Elves have been here a bit longer and have existing ties with the local human realms. Compared to the Dwarves they are rather cultured (effete the Dwarves would say). But their realm back home is facing internal dissent and likely to break out into a major civil war. This leaves the local Elves reliant on their own meagre resources and local allies.

fun fun fun

 

[Rechan]

I maintain that Dwarves would maintain monopolies on mines and metallurgy. While they would glady trade arms, armor, worked metal, and even build stone buildings I don't think they would ever reveal their secrets. Being Lawful and conservative I think they would behave in a guild-like manner of jealously protecting their secrets. In addition, with a monopoly on mines and metallurgy I think eventually Dwarves would get into banking. Imagine if all the world's societies were dependent on the Dwarves to build their stone buildings and forge their weapons? And in turn loan out all the money they collected? The other races would have a tolerate/hate relationship with them. Some rulers might blame the Dwarves for poisoning a well and incite a riot just to justify driving them out of the kingdom so as to not pay their debts. In other words, I think there might be some parallels between Dwarves and Medieval European Jews.

Eberron does this. The Dwarven Dragonmarked House (Think: Magical corporation)'s mark deals with Protection. Dwarves are bankers, merchants, gemcrafters, etc.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Rechan writes: Eberron does this. The Dwarven Dragonmarked House (Think: Magical corporation)'s mark deals with Protection. Dwarves are bankers, merchants, gemcrafters, etc.

WHen you say "protection" do you mean in that mafia way? "Hey Durin, this guy won't pay up da insurance money." "Won't pay 'is insurance? Tsk, tsk. What if the forge were to accidentally burn down duing the night?"

Sorry.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

And of course they have rivals in the Elven trading entrepots. The Elves have been here a bit longer and have existing ties with the local human realms. Compared to the Dwarves they are rather cultured (effete the Dwarves would say). But their realm back home is facing internal dissent and likely to break out into a major civil war. This leaves the local Elves reliant on their own meagre resources and local allies.

I have to imagine that Elves must be highly political with constant shifting of alliances. A democracy in the truest sense with every adult Elf having a vote but with hundreds of political parties. Dissent and rebellion would be a way of life. Benevolent anarchy. Reminds me of hippies, Deadheads, Phish-heads, and the Rainbow Gathering. Although I think those groups might deny that they have internal politics. However my experience with the SCA (itself a child of the hippie culture) speaks otherwise.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Yeah, chaotic hippy Elves!

Maybe a lot like the Athenian democracy, except that I'm sure Elves would give women the vote too. Although how a whole kingdom could do this I don't know.

Or maybe a representational democracy.

Or, just to emphasise the chaotic (read independent) nature of Elves they have local participatory democracies that deal with local issues and also elect representatives that go to the national assembly that deals with national issues. The interaction between these bodies doesn't work on a strict linear chain of command, as the Dwarves would. Rather each has a variety of rights and perogatives and spheres of control. They interact in a manner that, to an outsider, is impenetrable for all its byzantine complexity. Add the Royal Household with it's own powers and interests. Then throw in parties and lobby groups. Some are expansionist, wanting to increase their colonies. Others are anti-royalist, seeing them as anachronistic. There's a hawkish party. A closer ties with the fey party. The Treants rights party.

Now any political system can have all this. But the Elves, with their particular emphasis on individualism give each of these parties official sanction within the system, special rights and perogatives included.

Outsiders think that the system is crippled and incapable of making decisions. Elves on other hand feel that any important decision is worth taking time over. And of course to someone who'll live a thousand years these things are relative. And this is all fine when the kingdom is fairly small and all problems are local ones. But these overseas colonies are in for trouble when the much more decisive Dwarves decide they want to muscle in on their territory.