Elven Samurai...

[Chun-tzu]

As Theuderic says, where's the change?

I could be wrong, but elves don't seem as xenophobic as they used to be. Half-elves are probably too common. I was also thinking that half-elves might be treated as the lowest of the low. It seems that at least some elves are pretty liberal and don't really mind half-elves.

In many fantasy settings, elves are the good guys, and are purer and nobler than us mere humans. Those kinds of elves aren't typically racist bastards.

 

[Theuderic]

I could be wrong, but elves don't seem as xenophobic as they used to be.

Those kinds of elves aren't typically racist bastards.

Oh I see now. The Japenese/Chinese influenced elves are typically racist bastards..... hmmmm......

 

[Chun-tzu]

Oh I see now. The Japenese/Chinese influenced elves are typically racist bastards..... hmmmm......

If these elves treat half-elves as impure and lesser simply because of their heritage, then yes, they are racist. If you don't like to have traces of things like racism in your game, then I would have elves be more accepting of half-elves.

 

[Theuderic]

My question is, why would they be more racist? Just because they are influenced by Japan and or China?

 

[Tiefling]

No, because they're being adapted as a highly structured, lawful society modeled after a realistic human one, rather than a bunch of happy-happy-joy-joy tree-huggers.

 

[Theuderic]

I still fail to see why China or Japan would have any effect in this. Are they more prone to racism and if so please cite a few concrete examples.

 

[boothbey]

The elves themselves won't be racist. They have a sizeable half-elf and human population. The full elves hold more/most of the positions of power, but the half and humans still have holdings and have nobles of their own.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Both elves and Asian cultures have shown xenophobic tendencies at times, thus I suggested that boothbey might want to play his elves that way.

Xenophobia taken to extreme is likely to be related to racist beliefs. Even not taken to extreme, I've got news for you. Xenophobia IS a form of racism. When you actively avoid other races and cultures because you don't want to associate with them, that's a form of covert racism.

I think we also have to tread carefully in our discussion of this, because politics are a forbidden subject on these boards. I did not intend to bring up a discussion of racism and its nature.

 

[Tiefling]

If you re-read the thread, you'll see that the idea that China and Japan suggest racist societies is an idea of your own.

These elves as a nation might also be somewhat isolated or even xenophobic, as both China and Japan have been at times. They would not be too fond of outsiders, and would mostly keep to themselves. They would be somewhat puristic, and half-elves would be rare, and considered lesser by "true" elves.

I could be wrong, but elves don't seem as xenophobic as they used to be. Half-elves are probably too common. I was also thinking that half-elves might be treated as the lowest of the low. It seems that at least some elves are pretty liberal and don't really mind half-elves.

In many fantasy settings, elves are the good guys, and are purer and nobler than us mere humans. Those kinds of elves aren't typically racist bastards.

As you can see, the China/Japan influence was in the idea of isolationism, which most certainly existed in both of them from time to time. From the idea of isolationism developed the ideas of xenophobia and then racism, which are quite possible outcomes of isolationism. Whether they developed in China and Japan is irrelevant, and something I don't care to discuss on this board.

 

[Theuderic]

Well then elves have always been xenophobic whether based on German , Chinese, or Japanese cultures. Am I correct in saying this?