Why Are Warrior Women Never Ugly?

[Slife]

Getting back to climate, chettahs literally cook themselves while running.

Do you like your cheetah broiled, backed or breaded, sir?

 

[The_Universe]

Why is it that female heroes are always depicted in art as lithe, flawless beauties with perfect skin and chainmail miniskirts?

Whoa. Silly question. It's because the fantasy genre caters to hormonal teenage boys and...hormonal adult men.

A better question - why are female heroes NEVER squat, muscly brutes?

It's a hard call for oxymoronic "fantasy realists", like myself. Anyone who lives by the sword can expect scars, disfiguration, and a physique which favours function over form. Why does this only apply to heroes, and not heroines?

So, is anyone out there is running a non-catwalk-worthy female character, and can anyone recommend some art/ists which depicts them?

Because they need enormous jugs to hold up their plate armor bikinis! Duh!

 

[Storyteller01]

That seems strange, as Japan is more temperate than tropical.

Brad

Off topic hi-jack...

I was stationed out in Japan for two 6 month tours. Tempurature runs the extremes. Hot in summer, snowing in winter. Summer gets to the point that you start sweating as soon as you walk out the door.

 

[gamecat]

Given that its FANTASY, I'd prefer if they left ugly people off the guestlist

 

[krunchyfrogg]

Well, since this is turning into a very interesting thread on perceptions of beauty vs. practicality of adventuring, let me give you all an exclusive first look at a piece of artwork from the forthcoming Castlemorn book showing the elves of that world. Not exactly your chick in chainmail but still riveting.

Artwork by Bruce Colero

Would you look at the buns on that one!

Yeah, he must work out.

 

[Hussar]

Here's a female warrior (well, a druid) that looks like she could actually kill someone. I like this kind of art the best.

*snip*

Now that's a FANTASTIC image.

Just a side note about Japan. I've lived here for three years, and, unless you live in Okinawa (which wasn't part of Japan in the period we're talking about), Japan's not all that terribly hot and certainly no hotter than say, Turkey or Israel.

Japanese armor was the way it was because the Japanese had very little steel, not because of the heat. There are numerous examples of samurai taking European armor and wearing it into combat because it was simply so far superior to Japanese armor. This became fairly common until the country booted out all the foreigners (read killed) at the beginning of the Edo period.

 

[ssampier]

I guess I'm standing on the fence on this one. I like "realism" or more aptly named verisimilitude in my fantasy. At the same time--like many men--I am quite superficial and like my fantasy women HAWT. My favorite NPC was a paladin named Adrianna, who was short, had red hair, and had kick-butt attitude. Obviously she had many of the feminine qualities I look for in IRL women.

Now that's a FANTASTIC image.

Just a side note about Japan. I've lived here for three years, and, unless you live in Okinawa (which wasn't part of Japan in the period we're talking about), Japan's not all that terribly hot and certainly no hotter than say, Turkey or Israel.

Japanese armor was the way it was because the Japanese had very little steel, not because of the heat. There are numerous examples of samurai taking European armor and wearing it into combat because it was simply so far superior to Japanese armor. This became fairly common until the country booted out all the foreigners (read killed) at the beginning of the Edo period.

[hijack]
So katanas swords weren't really that great?

I have a Ninja fanboy in my game group and he drives me insane. I like the current rules where a katana is a masterwork bastard sword; makes more sense to me.
[/hijack]

 

[iwatt]

So katanas swords weren't really that great?

I have a Ninja fanboy in my game group and he drives me insane. I like the current rules where a katana is a masterwork bastard sword; makes more sense to me.

The way I understand it (and believe me I'm no expert?), the metal quality in Japan sucked. To compensate, the swordsmiths in Japan had to work much longer in the forge than swordsmiths in India (apparently very good), Spain (Toledo steel is always mentioned) or Damascus (one of the benchmarks) to produce equal quality blades.

The ubercoolness of katanas IMO is the result of countless media overexposure (Anime, Highlander movie, ninjas, etc...).

 

[Arnwyn]

A better question - why are female heroes NEVER squat, muscly brutes?

It's a hard call for oxymoronic "fantasy realists", like myself. Anyone who lives by the sword can expect scars, disfiguration, and a physique which favours function over form. Why does this only apply to heroes, and not heroines?
them?

Welcome to "modern society". "Ugly" is not valued.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Off topic hi-jack...

I was stationed out in Japan for two 6 month tours. Tempurature runs the extremes. Hot in summer, snowing in winter. Summer gets to the point that you start sweating as soon as you walk out the door.

Hrm...sounds temperate to me.

You know, like parts of Europe where people wore heavy plate.

Brad