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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Jonathan Tweet: Prologue to Third Edition
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<blockquote data-quote="Aaron L" data-source="post: 7782138" data-attributes="member: 926"><p>Whereas I think that any Demon or Devil worth its salt would absolutely <em>revel</em> in the name, and all of the historical, cultural, and religious connotations that come with it. Some rando peasant isn't going to have the slightest idea what in the Hell a Baatezu is, but he will damn well know what a Devil is and know to absolutely <em>not</em> cross it on peril of his immortal soul.</p><p></p><p>The trouble with the terms Tanar'ri and Baatezu is what is known as "Calling a Rabbit a Smeerp" on TVTropes. Your characters are going out to hunt small, furry creatures with long ears and cotton-puff tails that hop around. Are they hunting rabbits? Nope, they're hunting smeerps! It's an attempt to gain the benefits of all the pre-existing cultural connotations of a known creature or mythological entity except, instead of calling it what it is, calling it a weird, made up science fiction name in a lazy attempt at "adding flavor." </p><p></p><p>In other words, Baatezu "Not Devils" are a type of Evil supernatural entity known for being ruthlessly clever ultimate "evil lawyer" archetypes, infamous for making supernatural legal contracts with mortals who trade their souls in exchange for magic and temporal power... and they're from Hell where they preside over the souls of the damned (or Baator "Not Hell.") But they're <em>not</em> Devils... because.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I did like how 3rd Edition handled the problem by making Tanar'ri and Baatezu specific subtypes, with the terms Demon and Devil referring to any native inhabitant of the Abyss and the Hells respectively.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aaron L, post: 7782138, member: 926"] Whereas I think that any Demon or Devil worth its salt would absolutely [I]revel[/I] in the name, and all of the historical, cultural, and religious connotations that come with it. Some rando peasant isn't going to have the slightest idea what in the Hell a Baatezu is, but he will damn well know what a Devil is and know to absolutely [I]not[/I] cross it on peril of his immortal soul. The trouble with the terms Tanar'ri and Baatezu is what is known as "Calling a Rabbit a Smeerp" on TVTropes. Your characters are going out to hunt small, furry creatures with long ears and cotton-puff tails that hop around. Are they hunting rabbits? Nope, they're hunting smeerps! It's an attempt to gain the benefits of all the pre-existing cultural connotations of a known creature or mythological entity except, instead of calling it what it is, calling it a weird, made up science fiction name in a lazy attempt at "adding flavor." In other words, Baatezu "Not Devils" are a type of Evil supernatural entity known for being ruthlessly clever ultimate "evil lawyer" archetypes, infamous for making supernatural legal contracts with mortals who trade their souls in exchange for magic and temporal power... and they're from Hell where they preside over the souls of the damned (or Baator "Not Hell.") But they're [I]not[/I] Devils... because. I did like how 3rd Edition handled the problem by making Tanar'ri and Baatezu specific subtypes, with the terms Demon and Devil referring to any native inhabitant of the Abyss and the Hells respectively. [/QUOTE]
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Jonathan Tweet: Prologue to Third Edition
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