D&D General Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings of Color

[Dire Bare]

Would you support having some lineages-- a very small percentage of the total-- that are highly sex-dimorphic, such that males and females are mechanically different lineages? It would take much, much less dimorphism than occurs in the vast majority of real-life species to necessitate such a differentiation in the D&D rules.

A highly sexually dimorphic species in D&D? Sure, why not! I do think you'd have to be careful when designing such a race, lots of potential landmines there, but I'm sure it can be done well. I'm sure it already has by somebody, either at their home table or in some rulebook I haven't seen yet.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Well, the historical "Amazons" appear to be horseback nomads. Apparently the male group hunted. While the women were the center of the culture, with children and elders. Presumably some men stayed with the womens group, and some women ventured off with the mens group.

There are no historical Amazons. They're partly inspired by Scythians, but that's not the same thing than mythical Amazons.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well, the historical "Amazons" appear to be horseback nomads. Apparently the male group hunted. While the women were the center of the culture, with children and elders. Presumably some men stayed with the womens group, and some women ventured off with the mens group.

Women in Sythia semed to have a higher status than ancient Greece. Some ancient Greek in the Black Sea probably observed the Sythians or ancient Colchis people and Amazon legend was born.

 

[Yaarel]

Saxons were Celts descendants?

When I say Saxons, I am vaguely referring to an indigenous presence, often identified with bronze age Jastorf Culture.

I've traced my family back to rural Wales/England just across the border and parts of Scotland so mostly Celtic.

I feel 0 zip nada cultural affinity to the Celts though or the modern culture.

As you know, Wales and Irish definitely care about their heritage, and strive to revive their Celtic languages.

Oddly, Scotland doesnt seem to care about a language revival? Probably because Scotland has always been a mix of Gaelic- and Scot-English-speakers.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A highly sexually dimorphic species in D&D? Sure, why not! I do think you'd have to be careful when designing such a race, lots of potential landmines there, but I'm sure it can be done well. I'm sure it already has by somebody, either at their home table or in some rulebook I haven't seen yet.

I had a homebrew (I never ran) in which the females of an anthropomorphic dragons species were size L and had wings, while the males were size S and flightless…

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Oddly, Scotland doesnt seem to care about a language revival? Probably because Scotland has always been a mix of Gaelic- and Scot-English-speakers

It’s because they have kilts and cabers.

Heyyyy! “Kilts & Cabers: the RPG”

 

[Yaarel]

There are no historical Amazons. They're partly inspired by Scythians, but that's not the same thing than mythical Amazons.

Sure but these Scythian women were fierce warriors, horseback archers.

 

[Dioltach]

dwarves building pyramids

 

[Dire Bare]

Trying to not be dragged into the cultural appropriation or religion discussion. But to me having male Valkyries would be like having male Amazons.
It is a group of mythologically prominent badass ladies, and there are not that many of such. So making them mixed gender doesn't really strike me as equality, it seems more like eroding this cool female thing. And no, it's not same as doing the reverse to a similar male group, as those are omnipresent.

Depends on the role valkyries take in the game. Are they warrior angels serving Norse-inspired gods? Female only seems fine to me there. Are they an elite order of mortal warriors riding winged horses? Female only, good here too. Are they a mortal race? Maybe not female only in this case. I remember there was a variant of valkryies in the 3E Tome of Magic, where they were presented as scary vengeance demons, much like furies . . . I had mixed feelings on that iteration.

Amazons, DC comics aside, are usually portrayed as mortal humans. It's not that there are only female Amazons, it just that Amazonian culture is female dominated. The ladies are out waging war, the guys are at home doing the menial labor. Which works fine for me. I'm even cool with the DC comics idea of Amazons, that they are (were) mortal women who were abused by men, and then given new immortal lives as Amazons on the island of Themyscira. Except Diana, she's made of clay and/or the godly daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta . . . .

Your overall point though, of not removing some of the few examples of bad-ass women from mythology is well taken, however.

 

[Yaarel]

I guess that leaves us at an impasse, then. I'm only three generations removed from Germany, but my exposure to your ancestral culture has been sorely limited, self-directed, and filtered through multiple non-ancestral worldviews before it could reach me. But to me it is sacred, it is vital to my senses of self and community.

I won't scold you again, and I apologize for mistaking you for someone with no stake in our argument.

I get that.

It seems to me, if the Norse texts are central to your worldview, you would want to learn more about Nordic cultures?

Alternatively, it is ok to invent a different religion that is inspired by Norse texts. Then it is important to understand the difference, and to not misrepresent Nordic Countries.