D&D General Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, and Canon: Stare Decisis in D&D

[Henadic Theologian]

The introduction of female Custodes didn't bother me in the least. 40k lore changes often enough that something minor like that isn't worth getting my knickers in a twist. What bothered me was them telling me female Custodes had always existed. Don't try to gaslight me, GW. I don't like being lied to.

Very fair assessment. They could have come up with a better way to introduce female Custodes, or just use one of the female divisions of warriors that the setting already has, it was one gaslighting too far. Apparently it was under pressure from Amazon to do this as they did not like the existing female warriors for silly reasons. So hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue gone because Amazon couldn't respect the lore AGAIN.

Amazon Studios needs new leadership, get the House of the Dragon guy back in charge, I hear that is doing well.

 

[Parmandur]

What about the Gord the Rogue novels.

He blew it up then gave up on it.

 

[MGibster]

Very fair assessment. They could have come up with a better way to introduce female Custodes, or just use one of the female divisions of warriors that the setting already has, it was one gaslighting too far. Apparently it was under pressure from Amazon to do this as they did not like the existing female warriors for silly reasons. So hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue gone because Amazon couldn't respect the lore AGAIN.

I'm going to disagree a bit here. Many years ago GW made a deliberate decision to exclude women from the Space Marines and Custodes. This likely originates back in the mid 1980s when they made some proto Space Marine figures and the female models sold very poorly. So when the Space Marines and Custodes were created it became a boys only club. Very few people cared in the 1980s and 1990s, at least most of GW's core audience didn't care, but attitudes have changed since then. This isn't a problem with Amazon it's a problem with GW painting themselves into a corner. They can't change the lore to make it more palatable to a modern audience without risking alienation of their current base.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'm going to disagree a bit here. Many years ago GW made a deliberate decision to exclude women from the Space Marines and Custodes. This likely originates back in the mid 1980s when they made some proto Space Marine figures and the female models sold very poorly. So when the Space Marines and Custodes were created it became a boys only club. Very few people cared in the 1980s and 1990s, at least most of GW's core audience didn't care, but attitudes have changed since then. This isn't a problem with Amazon it's a problem with GW painting themselves into a corner. They can't change the lore to make it more palatable to a modern audience without risking alienation of their current base.

They were clones of the Emperor of a sort aren't they? Female Clones of a Male Emperor doesn't make sense. Women had their own Imperium Soldiers so it was fine.

 

[Parmandur]

They were clones of the Emperor of a sort aren't they? Female Clones of a Male Emperor doesn't make sense. Women had their own Imperium Soldiers so it was fine.

Female clones of a male are conceptually quite doable, minor gene editing to twin the X and eliminate the Y, or suppress the testosterone wash in development.

 

[Scribe]

They were clones of the Emperor of a sort aren't they? Female Clones of a Male Emperor doesn't make sense. Women had their own Imperium Soldiers so it was fine.

No, Custodes are just a more refined genetically modified human. Not clones of the Emperor in any capacity.

I've said for almost half a decade that 40K wouldnt survive the glare of the wider social media market, just too much stuff that is a bridge too far.

 

[Staffan]

I'm going to disagree a bit here. Many years ago GW made a deliberate decision to exclude women from the Space Marines and Custodes. This likely originates back in the mid 1980s when they made some proto Space Marine figures and the female models sold very poorly. So when the Space Marines and Custodes were created it became a boys only club. Very few people cared in the 1980s and 1990s, at least most of GW's core audience didn't care, but attitudes have changed since then. This isn't a problem with Amazon it's a problem with GW painting themselves into a corner. They can't change the lore to make it more palatable to a modern audience without risking alienation of their current base.

When wearing bulky full armor of the type Space Marines wear, how could you tell? I mean, this is a different franchise, but:

 

[Scribe]

When wearing bulky full armor of the type Space Marines wear, how could you tell? I mean, this is a different franchise, but:
View attachment 368715

Because in the 80's there would be some obvious call outs to make sure you could tell from a 3 feet top down view, it was a female model.

Just look at the metal Sisters of Battle, even the new line though not as obvious. People can tell.

 

[Werthead]

Amazon Studios needs new leadership, get the House of the Dragon guy back in charge, I hear that is doing well.

Ironically, the showrunner of House of the Dragon, Ryan Condal, was only free to make that show because the project he was previously developing for Amazon was shot down. That was a lore-accurate version of Conan the Barbarian which would have adapted each Howard short story and novella in chronological order. Amazon decided it not align with their programming.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Ironically, the showrunner of House of the Dragon, Ryan Condal, was only free to make that show because the project he was previously developing for Amazon was shot down. That was a lore-accurate version of Conan the Barbarian which would have adapted each Howard short story and novella in chronological order. Amazon decided it not align with their programming.

A huge mistake by Amazon.