Afrodyte
Explorer
This is a post from an earlier thread I started at WotC. I just brought it to EN World to see how a different group may react to it.
Disclaimer: If you are not interested in exploring new ways of doing things (or new ways of looking at old ideas), or if you have nothing constructive to say, please disregard this post.
Whenever I go online and see player-created races and subraces, it seems that they do not make a distinction between culture and subrace. I'm not saying that I don't like variations within races, but when it comes to those variations, must everyone always follow the formula that goes like this:
SUBRACE NAME
Ability modifiers.
Racial traits (which normally mean bonuses to certain skills and additional weapon proficiencies).
I am fine with this to an extent, but has anybody tried creating cultures instead of subraces (the way one would for humans)? Surely the cultures of the dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings are not monolithic. Or, if they are, could there be an explanation for why it is so? With humans, it seems to be that diversity can exist without creating an entirely different set of traits. However, when it comes to demihumans, it seems to be assumed that the only way to create diversity or to simulate cultures are to create subraces. I won't go so far as to say that in some worlds, there may be a scientific or metaphysical explanation for why this is so. If that is the case, perhaps explaining this would be a great way to help me understand. I'm not saying that creating subraces is bad, but I believe that in most cases it is not necessary. I would even go so far as to say that the subraces the D&D staff creates are unnecessary. Too often, I think subraces focus on the wrong thing. They consistently offer crunchy bits instead of rich, evocative detail. I am not blaming anyone for this, except for maybe WotC for setting the example. I am merely calling attention to the tendency and offering a new way of doing things for those who are interested.
I'll use an example from my own efforts at doing this. In a world I am calling Winya Palurin, the only intelligent humanoids are elves. The reason this is so is because Winya Palurin is essentially a prehistoric setting. To be more precise, it is a post-historic setting, for the grand civilization of the past has been destroyed (a la Atlantis). The people are the descendants of this culture, and the ancestors of what will eventually be human beings. The geography is much like Earth during the Ice Age, and the focus of the setting is on a continent similar to Ice Age North and South America.
One of the major issues I had when creating this world was distinguishing the different cultures from one another, especially when they live in the same type of environment. The simple solution (which I tried at first) was to spread the cultures out over several different environments, but I found that I was not interested in every area. I was mostly concentrating on the arctic, sub-arctic, and tropical regions. So, I followed that and did research on various cultures that had elements similar to the ones I wanted to create. I borrowed more heavily from some cultures than others, of course. Afterwards, I asked myself the following question: As a player, what would I want to know about the culture that would help me create and play a character? With this, it was much easier for me to choose which areas to focus on. From this bit of introspection, I realized I wanted to know the following things about a given culture in a game world:
Significant historical events. This includes origins and the development of certain cultural norms and values.
Appearance. How does the typical member of this culture look?
Personality. What traits set this culture apart from others? What attitudes and behaviors results from the values espoused by the culture?
Society. Here I include politics and social structure. I need to know who is in power and how they got there. What about marriage and family? In essence, I need to see how the culture is organized, how it sustains itself.
Culture. What does the culture value? How does this play a part in the daily lives of the people? What do members believe? How do they show their beliefs?
Relations. How do other cultures view this culture? How does this culture perceive others?
Interesting tidbits. What customs, rites, and beliefs set this culture apart? These things are generally laced throughout the description of the culture.
Crunchy bits. This is where I put the crunchy bits. Rather than bonuses and penalties, I generally limit these to favored class and background skills. Everyone knows how favored class works (although my policy is to offer players a choice of ONE from a selection of three or four). Background skills work like they do in Wheel of Time. There is a list of skills that the character has access to due to his or her culture and the environment where they live. They are mostly related to Craft, Knowledge, and Profession skills, although I do expand thse to maybe two or three additional skills I find are part of the culture. The background skills count as class skills, and you get 4 ranks in the background skill you choose to emphasize.
Here is an example.
UIGOLASSE
Through a snowy forest in the north of Winya Palurin, a group of elves walk alongside a herd of caribou. They are silent, their faces marked with grim determination. Icy shards blow into their fur clothes, but they do not shrink from it. Day and night, they walk toward the winter retreat far to the south and east. Only when the grass is green and the sun is bright will they stop on their quest.
Appearance: Uigolasse tend to be pale and lean with fair hair and bright blue eyes. They usually stand as tall as a caribou from hoof to antler. They generally keep their small, tear-shaped ears covered. Uigolasse are known to only wear the hides of the animals they hunt, caribou being the most popular.
Personality: Uigolasse seem stoic, taking joy, pain, and anger in stride. Their intellect is of a pragmatic sort. They only value the things they can put to use. They are loyal to groups and causes important to them, sometimes sacrificing their well-being to keep a mission intact or to save friends. Uigolasse become jittery and impatient when they sit still too long. They do not care for small talk, and they prefer action over words. Indeed, many of them tend to distrust words. As such, they are initially reserved with strangers. In times of rest, relaxation, and comfort, a more easygoing side appears.
Society: Uigolasse are organized into clans linked by language and (distantly) heredity. There are several distinct clans, each with their own traditions, but the common traits outweigh the distinct ones.
The chief of the clan is the one most able to lead and organize resources. On the tundra, one must be able to trust the leader’s judgment and intentions. Daily life is a constant test of the chief’s physical, psychological, and moral attributes. Those who are unfit to rule collapse beneath the weight of this responsibility, so it is common that a chief who has grown too old to endure the hardships retires so that new blood may invigorate the clan.
Uigolasse values make for interesting mating customs. Mates are chosen by the clan elders, who match individuals based on their personalities and skills. They seek balance, so they normally match pairs that complement one another. Marriages tend to last only as long as it takes to reproduce, although lifelong pair bonds are frequent when people are well-matched.
There are three main clans of the Uigolasse. The Hriveronyo are clever and cunning. Their skills at stealth and ambush are unparalleled. Nimmorko are the least numerous, but their reputation as wise counselors and fierce, powerful warriors more than compensates. The Losagramad are the most fecund and prolific, producing agile hunters and warriors much like the caribou they follow across the land.
Culture: The Uigolasse are a nomadic people, following the herds of caribou, their staple meat, across the icy plains and through snowy forests. Uigolasse revere the caribou as a sacred animal, refusing to waste any part of them when they slaughter them. Every part of the caribou finds its use as food, clothing, or tools.
Uigolasse religion is pantheistic. At the head of a diverse pantheon is the sun god who controls the passage of time and delegates seasonal duties to lesser gods.
Uigolasse value loyalty, strength and resilience, honesty and forthrightness, altruism, and wisdom. Uigolasse cultivate these traits at an early age, believing that the sooner these things are understood, the better. Life is hard, and the gods are without mercy for the weak in body, mind, or spirit. Their values run along a chain of vices and virtues. For them, weakness leads to foolishness. Foolish delusions give rise to selfishness, which is why people lie. Lying is meant to protect what someone sees as theirs, which soon includes everything and becomes greed. Greed causes people to betray, which results in death.
Relations: Uigolasse have the most in common with Dorthonions, and the two share friendly relations. Many times, Uigolasse find rest in Dorthonion settlements as they migrate across the icy wastes. Uigolasse do not understand the Helkalad need to stay put, but they respect the skills it takes for them to survive in harsh arctic winters. Dordonions can get on Uigolasse nerves with their noise and chatter.
Favored class: Choose one of the following: Barbarian, Expert, Ranger (favored terrain: arctic or forest).
Background skills: Add 4 skill points to one of the following: Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, Intuit Direction, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Wilderness Lore.
Disclaimer: If you are not interested in exploring new ways of doing things (or new ways of looking at old ideas), or if you have nothing constructive to say, please disregard this post.
Whenever I go online and see player-created races and subraces, it seems that they do not make a distinction between culture and subrace. I'm not saying that I don't like variations within races, but when it comes to those variations, must everyone always follow the formula that goes like this:
SUBRACE NAME
Ability modifiers.
Racial traits (which normally mean bonuses to certain skills and additional weapon proficiencies).
I am fine with this to an extent, but has anybody tried creating cultures instead of subraces (the way one would for humans)? Surely the cultures of the dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings are not monolithic. Or, if they are, could there be an explanation for why it is so? With humans, it seems to be that diversity can exist without creating an entirely different set of traits. However, when it comes to demihumans, it seems to be assumed that the only way to create diversity or to simulate cultures are to create subraces. I won't go so far as to say that in some worlds, there may be a scientific or metaphysical explanation for why this is so. If that is the case, perhaps explaining this would be a great way to help me understand. I'm not saying that creating subraces is bad, but I believe that in most cases it is not necessary. I would even go so far as to say that the subraces the D&D staff creates are unnecessary. Too often, I think subraces focus on the wrong thing. They consistently offer crunchy bits instead of rich, evocative detail. I am not blaming anyone for this, except for maybe WotC for setting the example. I am merely calling attention to the tendency and offering a new way of doing things for those who are interested.
I'll use an example from my own efforts at doing this. In a world I am calling Winya Palurin, the only intelligent humanoids are elves. The reason this is so is because Winya Palurin is essentially a prehistoric setting. To be more precise, it is a post-historic setting, for the grand civilization of the past has been destroyed (a la Atlantis). The people are the descendants of this culture, and the ancestors of what will eventually be human beings. The geography is much like Earth during the Ice Age, and the focus of the setting is on a continent similar to Ice Age North and South America.
One of the major issues I had when creating this world was distinguishing the different cultures from one another, especially when they live in the same type of environment. The simple solution (which I tried at first) was to spread the cultures out over several different environments, but I found that I was not interested in every area. I was mostly concentrating on the arctic, sub-arctic, and tropical regions. So, I followed that and did research on various cultures that had elements similar to the ones I wanted to create. I borrowed more heavily from some cultures than others, of course. Afterwards, I asked myself the following question: As a player, what would I want to know about the culture that would help me create and play a character? With this, it was much easier for me to choose which areas to focus on. From this bit of introspection, I realized I wanted to know the following things about a given culture in a game world:
Significant historical events. This includes origins and the development of certain cultural norms and values.
Appearance. How does the typical member of this culture look?
Personality. What traits set this culture apart from others? What attitudes and behaviors results from the values espoused by the culture?
Society. Here I include politics and social structure. I need to know who is in power and how they got there. What about marriage and family? In essence, I need to see how the culture is organized, how it sustains itself.
Culture. What does the culture value? How does this play a part in the daily lives of the people? What do members believe? How do they show their beliefs?
Relations. How do other cultures view this culture? How does this culture perceive others?
Interesting tidbits. What customs, rites, and beliefs set this culture apart? These things are generally laced throughout the description of the culture.
Crunchy bits. This is where I put the crunchy bits. Rather than bonuses and penalties, I generally limit these to favored class and background skills. Everyone knows how favored class works (although my policy is to offer players a choice of ONE from a selection of three or four). Background skills work like they do in Wheel of Time. There is a list of skills that the character has access to due to his or her culture and the environment where they live. They are mostly related to Craft, Knowledge, and Profession skills, although I do expand thse to maybe two or three additional skills I find are part of the culture. The background skills count as class skills, and you get 4 ranks in the background skill you choose to emphasize.
Here is an example.
UIGOLASSE
Through a snowy forest in the north of Winya Palurin, a group of elves walk alongside a herd of caribou. They are silent, their faces marked with grim determination. Icy shards blow into their fur clothes, but they do not shrink from it. Day and night, they walk toward the winter retreat far to the south and east. Only when the grass is green and the sun is bright will they stop on their quest.
Appearance: Uigolasse tend to be pale and lean with fair hair and bright blue eyes. They usually stand as tall as a caribou from hoof to antler. They generally keep their small, tear-shaped ears covered. Uigolasse are known to only wear the hides of the animals they hunt, caribou being the most popular.
Personality: Uigolasse seem stoic, taking joy, pain, and anger in stride. Their intellect is of a pragmatic sort. They only value the things they can put to use. They are loyal to groups and causes important to them, sometimes sacrificing their well-being to keep a mission intact or to save friends. Uigolasse become jittery and impatient when they sit still too long. They do not care for small talk, and they prefer action over words. Indeed, many of them tend to distrust words. As such, they are initially reserved with strangers. In times of rest, relaxation, and comfort, a more easygoing side appears.
Society: Uigolasse are organized into clans linked by language and (distantly) heredity. There are several distinct clans, each with their own traditions, but the common traits outweigh the distinct ones.
The chief of the clan is the one most able to lead and organize resources. On the tundra, one must be able to trust the leader’s judgment and intentions. Daily life is a constant test of the chief’s physical, psychological, and moral attributes. Those who are unfit to rule collapse beneath the weight of this responsibility, so it is common that a chief who has grown too old to endure the hardships retires so that new blood may invigorate the clan.
Uigolasse values make for interesting mating customs. Mates are chosen by the clan elders, who match individuals based on their personalities and skills. They seek balance, so they normally match pairs that complement one another. Marriages tend to last only as long as it takes to reproduce, although lifelong pair bonds are frequent when people are well-matched.
There are three main clans of the Uigolasse. The Hriveronyo are clever and cunning. Their skills at stealth and ambush are unparalleled. Nimmorko are the least numerous, but their reputation as wise counselors and fierce, powerful warriors more than compensates. The Losagramad are the most fecund and prolific, producing agile hunters and warriors much like the caribou they follow across the land.
Culture: The Uigolasse are a nomadic people, following the herds of caribou, their staple meat, across the icy plains and through snowy forests. Uigolasse revere the caribou as a sacred animal, refusing to waste any part of them when they slaughter them. Every part of the caribou finds its use as food, clothing, or tools.
Uigolasse religion is pantheistic. At the head of a diverse pantheon is the sun god who controls the passage of time and delegates seasonal duties to lesser gods.
Uigolasse value loyalty, strength and resilience, honesty and forthrightness, altruism, and wisdom. Uigolasse cultivate these traits at an early age, believing that the sooner these things are understood, the better. Life is hard, and the gods are without mercy for the weak in body, mind, or spirit. Their values run along a chain of vices and virtues. For them, weakness leads to foolishness. Foolish delusions give rise to selfishness, which is why people lie. Lying is meant to protect what someone sees as theirs, which soon includes everything and becomes greed. Greed causes people to betray, which results in death.
Relations: Uigolasse have the most in common with Dorthonions, and the two share friendly relations. Many times, Uigolasse find rest in Dorthonion settlements as they migrate across the icy wastes. Uigolasse do not understand the Helkalad need to stay put, but they respect the skills it takes for them to survive in harsh arctic winters. Dordonions can get on Uigolasse nerves with their noise and chatter.
Favored class: Choose one of the following: Barbarian, Expert, Ranger (favored terrain: arctic or forest).
Background skills: Add 4 skill points to one of the following: Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, Intuit Direction, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Wilderness Lore.
