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Gouf
Seeker
USA
75 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 17:48:20
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This past weekend I was thrown a curve ball. The party hooked up with a traveling carnival while crossing Tethyr a while back, acting as additional security. Since it's a carnival I had thrown in a diverse number of humanoids to break up the mix a bit: Gnome acrobats, Elven fortune teller, An attractive female firbolg performing under the guise of being the worlds tallest human, lizard man reptile handlers,etc...I rolled stats for a number of the significant ones they would interact with to give the setting depth.
One of the male dwarf PC's had become friends with the female firbolg over several sessions. This past session he made a number or romantic overtures. And asked her to marry him stating he could make her happy. As a slap in the face to the laws of probability he critical successed all his charisma rolls toward her. So I let them hook up, and after the obligatory roll 3d4 joke, I didn't expect it to go any further.
However the player in question is quite serious about it. Which brings us to the religion and family part. They are both fighters. And i know according to Fr11 Dwarves Deep, half dwarves can be produced from (humans, elves, gnomes, and halfling). And other characters in the game have had dwarf/human and dwarf/halfling dalliances. But a 9 foot tall firbolg is a bit of a stretch, no pun intended.
As for the families, the PC dwarf already joked his family had already disowned him twice in the past what was once more. And meeting the in laws when all this is over could make for some interesting roleplay. But not sure how this should play out
. Opinions?
The PC dwarf cleric in the party advised the male dwarf in question to pray to Sharindlar. (i.e. he dodged)
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"Why is the torch burning blue?" |
Edited by - Gouf on 22 Mar 2011 19:40:04 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 22:21:40
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Oh, come on! We've all seen pics of animalistic femmes in fantasy pics that seemed kinda kinky. And then there are Real World "furries" who really push the envelope of bizarro-sexy. Those can all be very weird, but at least a little hot, at the same time.
(Where did ancient civilizations get the idea of sticking women's breasts on a bird or lion's torso in the first place?)
The effect that those fantasy femmes and "furries" have on humans seems to justify Wooly's notion of a minotaur who might be sweet on a human female.
I was initially just responding to Alystra's notion of finding even members of somewhat-ugly species, such as Klingons, still attractive in a primal sense. Certainly, I wouldn't want to actually get close to those teeth or bad manners!
But I don't know if there are any definite hard-and-fast rules about "romance" (emotional bonds beyond a merely primal attraction) with said parties, though. Religion and culture might disfavor it, but certain individuals might defy either of those. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 22:44:43
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Gouf Giants and dwarves have all sorts of mythological associations. In some they are descended from some common creator or race, in others they are categorically incompatible.
I would advise reading FR11 Dwarves Deep and FOR7 Giantcraft ... basically, both products (especially the latter) encourage DMs to be judicious and creative with the lore they accept as "canon" at their tables. Thus, the matter of dwarf-giantkin offspring would probably also be entirely left to the DM.
I don't know of any existing dwarf-giant characters. There are a number of (usually very tall) people named "Giantkin" or "Stormkin" and such throughout Faerūn, which suggests that human-giant pairings are possible. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 01:28:30
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
Oh, come on! We've all seen pics of animalistic femmes in fantasy pics that seemed kinda kinky. And then there are Real World "furries" who really push the envelope of bizarro-sexy. Those can all be very weird, but at least a little hot, at the same time.
(Where did ancient civilizations get the idea of sticking women's breasts on a bird or lion's torso in the first place?)
The effect that those fantasy femmes and "furries" have on humans seems to justify Wooly's notion of a minotaur who might be sweet on a human female.
I was initially just responding to Alystra's notion of finding even members of somewhat-ugly species, such as Klingons, still attractive in a primal sense. Certainly, I wouldn't want to actually get close to those teeth or bad manners!
But I don't know if there are any definite hard-and-fast rules about "romance" (emotional bonds beyond a merely primal attraction) with said parties, though. Religion and culture might disfavor it, but certain individuals might defy either of those.
I'm not a fan of the furries, myself. And even bringing it up makes me less inclined to have my minotaur like human/demihuman women... Erik had brought up some good points, earlier, but playing the furry card cinches it: my minotaur will be one of those bachelor types that is content to be single.  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 01:50:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm not a fan of the furries, myself. And even bringing it up makes me less inclined to have my minotaur like human/demihuman women... Erik had brought up some good points, earlier, but playing the furry card cinches it: my minotaur will be one of those bachelor types that is content to be single.
Does your demihuman woman example have any religious standing, like my Mina example from earlier? What is your minotaur character's religious proclivities?
There is still a way to make this work, especially since the concept of "furries" doesn't necessarily have to be the "be all-end all" of the relationship between minotaur and demihuman.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 01:51:03
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Wooly, keep in mind that furries are people who just DRESS like animals- they don't have any actual animal atributes themselves.
That said, there's this guy: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shotbykevin.com/2_galleries/portraits/photos/previews/26-Stalking%2520Catp.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shotbykevin.com/2_galleries/portraits/index.html&usg=__-GjnyzSKEYpZq3-cebgohbUH0jI=&h=425&w=600&sz=82&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=uwEx4y96wtRmTM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=151&ei=d_OLTeLQDZOWsgOa5MSICQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3DStalking%2BCat%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1260%26bih%3D530%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=738&vpy=120&dur=2645&hovh=189&hovw=267&tx=95&ty=114&oei=d_OLTeLQDZOWsgOa5MSICQ&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0
Stalking Cat and others like him take the animal-attribute idea to the extreme, which most people probably would not find attractive. Personally, I am intrigued, though I don't think I'd want to date one of them. A little TOO extreme. But as far as "furries" go, I can certainly see how some people might be interested in beings that truly are part animal (catfolk, lycanthropes, etc.). |
The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.
"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491
"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs
Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469
My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188
Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 02:22:03
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm not a fan of the furries, myself. And even bringing it up makes me less inclined to have my minotaur like human/demihuman women... Erik had brought up some good points, earlier, but playing the furry card cinches it: my minotaur will be one of those bachelor types that is content to be single.
Does your demihuman woman example have any religious standing, like my Mina example from earlier? What is your minotaur character's religious proclivities?
There is still a way to make this work, especially since the concept of "furries" doesn't necessarily have to be the "be all-end all" of the relationship between minotaur and demihuman.
I actually don't have any specific females in mind for him, I was more pondering the possibility. Of the two women in his party, one is a better match for one of the other characters, and the other isn't a really good match for any of them.
Takk (my minotaur) would readily worship Cayden Cailean, if he was a Realms deity. Since he's not (and since Takk isn't from Golarion, but from another, unnamed and mostly undetailed world), Takk mostly worships Lathander, Tymora, Shaundakul, and Selūne. Shaundakul because he enjoys traveling and seeing new things, Tymora because she's a must for every adventurer, Selūne simply because her ethos appeals to him, and Lathander because most of his adventuring party worships Lathander. Also, when he arrived in the Realms, it was in Myth Drannor, and one of the first people he met was a priest of Lathander, who took him to the Dawnspire, where he stayed for several months before setting out with his new party. He prolly favors Selūne more than the rest, since he's pretty much the only minotaur in Waterdeep and her ethos of acceptance makes him feel more welcome.
Takk is big, laid-back and direct, and values two things most: friendship and alcohol. Part of his enthusiasm in buying an inn with his friends was so that he could brew his own ale.
He's a natural-born minotaur who grew up in a nation of minotaurs, so he's accustomed to minotaur females. When Erik brought up that angle, it was what made me realize it's not all that likely that Takk would be into demihuman women -- they're just not what he was raised on, so to speak.
And unlike the minotaurs who followed Mina, he's not going to follow someone for purely religious reasons. The leader of his adventuring group is a woman, but he follows her out of friendship, the fact that she's a good leader, and because he's content to let leadership go to someone who demonstrates an ability at it (kinda like the Heroes of the Lance and Tanis).
I'm not knocking the idea of him being attracted to human/demihuman women because of my distaste for the furry genre... I've got nothing against the idea of catpeople, for example, and in fact like that particular idea. But it was the mention of furries that brought the whole thing home for me. I've seen some of the erotic furry artwork that's out there, and there's been no small amount of it that has baffled me, because I couldn't see the appeal. A minotaur would fit into some of that furry artwork, quite readily... I should like to think that I'm not overly picky on who I consider attractive, but if a picture of shapely cow-person doesn't do anything for me, it's pretty reasonable to assume that a cow-person isn't going to be all that attracted to a human. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 25 Mar 2011 02:22:59 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 16:33:08
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I would like to add some of Ed Greenwood's "creationary imaginings" on Halfling romances with other races.
Anyone that reads The Five Shires by Ed Greenwood will see MANY instances of Halflings being romantically involved with all manner of races from Humans, Dwarves, Elves and etc.
It was a solid insight into something like this for me...and one of the reasons I've pulled away from my dislike of the halfling race (not the romance part...but the writing as a whole).
I suggest reading it...it is awesome work. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 16:43:55
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DD, that sounds like a good question to ask Ed in his scroll.
(Also, re: this thread: OMG, IT'S ALIVE!!!)
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 04:10:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
And now for something completely different . . .
In honor of a discussion I had recently, I'm doing what I promised/threatened to do, which is this:
Halfling + Human romance. Icky?
Discuss!
Cheers
Erik, please don't! Yes I think it's icky and I prefer not seeing it in your future novels... 
(...which I would probably not be able to read anyway because not downloadable outside of the US...)  |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 05:01:22
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So in a fantasy setting, when a farmer lets some passers-through sleep in his barn, its not his daughters he necessarily has to worry about?
"Hey you! don't you be eyeing up ol' Bessy, ya hear? Dang minotaurs...." |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 05:26:52
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quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
Erik, please don't! Yes I think it's icky and I prefer not seeing it in your future novels...
Have no fear, SC. Though I'm very curious as to *why* you think it's icky.
Is it the height thing? Because there are height-challenged people in our own world who have all kinds of relationships with average-height people. Academy Award winning actor Peter Dinklage, for instance--though maybe you think the Tyrion Lannister thing is icky.
Not challenging your view, merely asking you to explain?
quote:
(...which I would probably not be able to read anyway because not downloadable outside of the US...)
They're working on that, apparently. I've heard rumors but nothing confirmed. You'll know more when I know more.
Cheers
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Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Therise
Master of Realmslore
1272 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 05:43:22
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This may seem a little weird, but the thing that bothers me most about this isn't the romance or the sex really... it's pregnancy.
Maybe it's because I'm a woman, but when I think about the developing baby, it worries me. Consider the case of a human father and a halfling wife. Her hips are going to be teeny, the birth canal smaller, and there's a likely chance the baby will have a giant human baby head. We're talking pain. Episiotomy for sure.
Frankly, I'd insist on a mage to deliver that big headed baby by teleportation. Because natural delivery... just... ouch. *shudder*
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Female, 40-year DM of a homebrew-evolved 1E Realms, including a few added tidbits of 2E and 3E lore; played originally in AD&D, then in Rolemaster. Be a DM for your kids and grandkids, gaming is excellent for families! |
Edited by - Therise on 04 Jun 2012 05:44:27 |
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rjfras
Learned Scribe
261 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 06:13:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As for me, I always thought Olive Ruskettle was hot, but I'm a sick bastitch.
I've always been partial to the halfling thief on the cover of Dragon 285: tinyurl.com/6vut9gl |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 06:21:00
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quote:
Originally posted by rjfras
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As for me, I always thought Olive Ruskettle was hot, but I'm a sick bastitch.
I've always been partial to the halfling thief on the cover of Dragon 285: tinyurl.com/6vut9gl
That link doesn't work mate. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 06:26:28
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Is this what you're talking about? Paizo archives, Dragon issue 285
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 06:36:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Is this what you're talking about? Paizo archives, Dragon issue 285
Cheers
That is what Five Shires Hin women look like...every one of them!  |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 07:06:29
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I've thought more on this since reading again several various things.
I've come to a simple solution: a full grown person is a full grown person.
All awkward notions aside, an adult is an adult...and as long as the relationship is between two consenting adults...I don't see a problem. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 18:32:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Therise
This may seem a little weird, but the thing that bothers me most about this isn't the romance or the sex really... it's pregnancy.
Maybe it's because I'm a woman, but when I think about the developing baby, it worries me. Consider the case of a human father and a halfling wife. Her hips are going to be teeny, the birth canal smaller, and there's a likely chance the baby will have a giant human baby head. We're talking pain. Episiotomy for sure.
Frankly, I'd insist on a mage to deliver that big headed baby by teleportation. Because natural delivery... just... ouch. *shudder*
I guess three-quarterling delivery would need to be a rare subset specialty of the midwifery profession in Faerūn, then, huh? 
They probably have really huge shoehorns hanging by the front door!  |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Therise
Master of Realmslore
1272 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 19:04:42
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
quote:
Originally posted by Therise
This may seem a little weird, but the thing that bothers me most about this isn't the romance or the sex really... it's pregnancy.
Maybe it's because I'm a woman, but when I think about the developing baby, it worries me. Consider the case of a human father and a halfling wife. Her hips are going to be teeny, the birth canal smaller, and there's a likely chance the baby will have a giant human baby head. We're talking pain. Episiotomy for sure.
Frankly, I'd insist on a mage to deliver that big headed baby by teleportation. Because natural delivery... just... ouch. *shudder*
I guess three-quarterling delivery would need to be a rare subset specialty of the midwifery profession in Faerūn, then, huh?
They probably have really huge shoehorns hanging by the front door!
Considering that average baby size at birth ranges from 5lbs to 8lbs-13oz, you'd need some kind of tool to pry that monster out.
The horror... and if the father is a big strapping Norwegian dude, that's likely to be 8 pounds of big baby trying to escape a teeny weeny little va-jay-jay.
The halfling mom should get experience for surviving an elite monster of at least 5 lvls higher if she survives that. 
CLERIC! CLERIC! STAT!
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Female, 40-year DM of a homebrew-evolved 1E Realms, including a few added tidbits of 2E and 3E lore; played originally in AD&D, then in Rolemaster. Be a DM for your kids and grandkids, gaming is excellent for families! |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 20:06:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Therise
The halfling mom should get experience for surviving an elite monster of at least 5 lvls higher if she survives that.
I hear in 5E, it's known as the Big-Headed Baby feat!
quote:
CLERIC! CLERIC! STAT!
Coming this fall, from the people who brought you ER, Third Watch, and Law & Order, it's . . .
Midwife Cleric.
And . . . cancelled! |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 23:34:33
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Have we actually seen a FR treatment of a birth? It seems to me that we have, but I can't think of any examples off the top of my head.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2012 : 23:50:51
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You treat all cross-racial births the way you do with half-dragons (and I suppose old-school tieflings). At birth, they take after the mother. Later (puberty?), traits of the other parent begin to manifest.
In the case of female dragons taking the form of humans to mate, the child would be born human-looking, and quickly develop draconic features. We discussed this once before - in the case of shape-changing mothers, the rule-of-thumb should be that she has to stay in that form until giving birth (and doing so in the typical manner of the creature who's form she is taking). If a female changes back before fertilization occurs, no pregnancy can result (unless the two species are close enough to crossbreed naturally anyway). In VERY rare instances, it should be possible to shape-shift at the precise moment fertilization takes place, and then you would have something very unique (like a fully-formed dragonborn hatching from a dragon egg).
ANYWAY...... that means that a halfling mother would give birth to halfling-sized baby - perhaps a bit on the large end of the scale, but still within the halfling norms. The kid would just grow abnormally large (or even have huge 'growth spurt' upon reaching puberty).
And now I am picturing a little tiny man and woman on the Maury show, with this great big kid, and the father wants a paternity test...
I also think that it is the Weave (or the magical energy of any fantasy world) that allows this sort of cross-species breeding. On a low-magic world (like the D&D Earth or in Ravenloft) such things wouldn't work.
But then I have to wonder how Athas has so many cross-breeds... {insert head-scratching smiley} |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 04 Jun 2012 23:53:44 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 00:00:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
And now I am picturing a little tiny man and woman on the Maury show, with this great big kid, and the father wants a paternity test...
"Shoot, that ain't my kid. He don't even look anything like me!" |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Varl
Learned Scribe
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 00:02:21
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Considering this thread has went 9 pages, and I wasn't going to read about interracial unions for 9 pages, it's already been mentioned I'm sure, but I don't think halfling-human couplings should be any more unusual than a human getting involved with an orc (you wanna talk yuck?!), and we all know what that creates.
As for the genetics of such pairings, I always figure it by dominant/recessive genes, should such information ever actually be needed. The dominant gene wins, and that's what you end up with, along with certain racial traits. In the case of the halfling-human pairing, I think the human genes would be the dominant ones, so you'd most likely end up with a smaller human, possibly with extra hairy feet. Heh. |
I'm on a permanent vacation to the soul. -Tash Sultana |
Edited by - Varl on 05 Jun 2012 00:03:48 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 00:50:27
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Erik, there was a (quite traumatic) birth in Troy's Giants trilogy.
love,
THO |
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Branimir
Acolyte
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 02:22:32
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Very interesting read, I only skimmed it though due to the length. It would be nice if they would create a system to account for most variations, if not all. For example my NWN2 and D&D 3.5 character who is the child of a half-orc and a human, he's only a quarter-orc, since orc genes are pretty dominant a quarter-orc could still look clearly not human but look much more human than a half-orc, even have white skin and blue eyes, but an orcish bone structure and small underfangs. (Does anyone know how I can make my NWN2 photo my avatar? That way you could see what I mean.) It's not really fair to treat him as a human in character generation as he may still have some of his orcan height and strength, but he's less orc so maybe less than a half-orc. So I'd suggest +1 Str, and -1 Cha instead of +2/-2. In fact I'll make that a house rule. And then for example, (though he will probably marry a human) if he married a halfling woman, (excusing for the moment that copulation would not be possible because of size difference) that would be half-halfling, 1/8 orc, and 3/8 human. I'm not sure what you'd do with that, some mix of the 3. At this point, even though his orc dna is so low, it could still be dominant in which case he could still have orc physical qualities, or he may not look orc like at all. Could be human height, or half way between human and halfling, have fangs or not, green skin or not, many combinations. So I think it should be up to the player whether he would be orclike, humanlike, et cetera, and there should be a chart designed for varying purities of dna (Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc.) for each race, and how they mesh with each other race, and then have dominance as a factor as well. Because every generation only takes half the dna from each parent, so even if his grandfather was half-orc he may have no orc dna, or his orc dna could be close to 50% still. This does not add any complication to the game as this can all be simply ignored, you can still pick just an elf, or have a character who's 1/4 elf who is played like a half-elf or a human because of the dominance factor. Its just an idea, maybe as an optional feature or something.
And to contribute to the main topic, I do not think its icky, here's a real life example of a human female with a halfling male: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b73_1181988590
(no offense intended, but he is actually shorter than most halflings, and halflings are basically humans with the same condition as him) |
-Branimir Draek
Please check out The Church of Lathander and consider converting today. http://www.facebook.com/TheMorninglord
Contact the church to have your sins absolved today. I can perform legal weddings in the name of Lathander. |
Edited by - Branimir on 05 Jun 2012 03:12:45 |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 02:56:01
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Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
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Originally posted by skychrome
Erik, please don't! Yes I think it's icky and I prefer not seeing it in your future novels...
Have no fear, SC. Though I'm very curious as to *why* you think it's icky.
Is it the height thing? Because there are height-challenged people in our own world who have all kinds of relationships with average-height people. Academy Award winning actor Peter Dinklage, for instance--though maybe you think the Tyrion Lannister thing is icky.
Not challenging your view, merely asking you to explain?
I thought about this a while Erik, because I could not really figure out where this comes from. But I think the reason comes more from the roleplaying side than from the combination itself. Have you ever played in a group with this type of players, who are unable to seriously role play and have to crack a joke on anything or ridicule everything possible, as they would feel too embarassed playing seriously? I think the halfling-human combination provoces some kind of rejection in me as it reminds me of those kind of guys. Kinda "haha, my halfling berserk with his 10 feet longsword +15 is hooking up with the tree tall Uthgard warrior." So as you can see it has nothing to do with the height issue itself, it just lets bad memories rise up within me. Halfling x Human just sounds totally unserious to me.
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Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
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(...which I would probably not be able to read anyway because not downloadable outside of the US...)
They're working on that, apparently. I've heard rumors but nothing confirmed. You'll know more when I know more.
Cheers
Interesting! I never quite understood anyway what the problem is. I mean I can order any physical book worldwide without WoTC violating any previous distribution agreements. But digitally it is not possible. Strange. Especially for new books. What is for example the exact rights issue with Shadowbane outside the US? Could you specify this a bit for me? With whom would WoTC have gotten problems by offering Shadowbane worldwide?
Cheers!
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"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 16:25:01
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quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
I thought about this a while Erik, because I could not really figure out where this comes from. But I think the reason comes more from the roleplaying side than from the combination itself. Have you ever played in a group with this type of players, who are unable to seriously role play and have to crack a joke on anything or ridicule everything possible, as they would feel too embarassed playing seriously? I think the halfling-human combination provoces some kind of rejection in me as it reminds me of those kind of guys. Kinda "haha, my halfling berserk with his 10 feet longsword +15 is hooking up with the tree tall Uthgard warrior." So as you can see it has nothing to do with the height issue itself, it just lets bad memories rise up within me. Halfling x Human just sounds totally unserious to me.
I completely understand. And yes, it has a LOT to do with context, and whether people take such a relationship seriously. I would absolutely not advise introducing a non-normative relationship (i.e. interracial, interspecies, non-heterosexual, etc.) into a campaign with players who don't RP "seriously"--probably, you don't want to talk about romance in anything but the crudest terms ("roll to see if I'm getting drunk!" or "if there are chicks there, I wanna DO THEM!").
I am currently playing in a long-term campaign where my female shadar-kai Vayne has numerous non-normative relationships. She has acquired a (somewhat-but-not-entirely-undeserved) reputation for romancing anything that moves, and is the subject of quite a few jokes. I've found that the other players, who are themselves skilled and serious RPers, take far more seriously her relationships with, say, the evil elf rogue who constantly gets in our way or the half-elf/half-dragon last chosen of Mystra (another PC), but they largely laugh off her relationship with one of her exes, a hobgoblin pirate. Probably, this was because the elf and the elf/dragon are more human-like than the brutish hobgoblin, which I specifically created as a crude, brutish monster. For her part, Vayne takes each of her relationships just as seriously as the others, often making decisions that inconvenience (if not outright harm) the party for the sake of preserving them. She even had a "thing" with a halfling thief of equivalent level who would constantly hit on her, though she never reciprocated--this has less to do with his height than the fact that he was an amnesiac villain who would murder us all in our sleep any day now. (Long story!)
I should also assert (as I'm sure I have before) that the term "romance" is not synonymous with "sexual relationship." I see no reason a halfling and a human couldn't have a romantic relationship, which may or may not include sexual congress (not that it's any of our business!), and have it be taken seriously and respected. A lot of the burden for that probably falls on the halfling, who will always have to work to break down the immediate prejudice against it.
And this is off topic, but:
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Originally posted by skychrome
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
(...which I would probably not be able to read anyway because not downloadable outside of the US...)
They're working on that, apparently. I've heard rumors but nothing confirmed. You'll know more when I know more.
Interesting! I never quite understood anyway what the problem is. I mean I can order any physical book worldwide without WoTC violating any previous distribution agreements. But digitally it is not possible. Strange. Especially for new books. What is for example the exact rights issue with Shadowbane outside the US? Could you specify this a bit for me? With whom would WoTC have gotten problems by offering Shadowbane worldwide?
I don't know the details, I'm afraid. All I know is that it is a legal issue that WotC is currently dealing with. Their distribution deals are different for paper copies than for digital distribution. You might check out the ebook discussion threads in the Realms Novels section for more details as they emerge.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
Edited by - Erik Scott de Bie on 22 Aug 2012 16:50:32 |
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Halfling x Human Romance: Icky? Discuss!
