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warforged/shifters

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
abraham
Apr 05, 2005 19:26:58 what would be the outcast factor for warforged and/or shifters?
also any of the new races from the races of ... books?
#2
gotten
Apr 05, 2005 20:59:19 Ravenloft is mainly a human realm, where halfling&elves&others are very uncommon.

A warforged would cause panic at the highest scale.

Joël
#3
rotipher
Apr 05, 2005 21:34:14 A warforged in a Renaissance domain might actually be better off pretending to be some kind of non-sentient automaton. When among strangers, the WF could keep silent, obey simple orders from a human companion, and otherwise pretend to be an oversized mechanical toy, devoid of life or even of magical animation. While humiliating, this might actually prove useful if strangers are fooled into thinking the WF is just an object, and have "secret" conversations in his or her presence, unaware that anyone's listening.

A shifter would likely be mistaken for some kind of bestial caliban, and treated accordingly. If the locals realize the shifter's true affinity is with werebeasts, the shifter's reputation will plummet even further, and it's likely that Van Richten-wannabees would blame the PC for any lycanthropic attacks that have occurred recently.

Note that shifter PCs in Ravenloft might find their control over the bestial side of their natures is dangerously weakened by the environment of the Land of Mists. At a minimum, I'd expect them to suffer something akin to the half-Vistani's "moon madness", plus certain uses of shifter powers might be grounds for a Powers check ... most notably, using a bite attack against a humanoid, thus possibly awakening a hereditary "taste for blood" that isn't as close to the surface on Eberron.
#4
The_Jester
Apr 06, 2005 1:11:10 I'd have the warforged modified to look more like a man wearing a suit of armour. People would just assume they're a big guy in plate armour. Less fantastic in apperance in general. Of course, finding someone for repairs might be a challenge and major injuries might require a more... human transplant.

Shifter I would play as a partial lychanthrope fighting bestial urges and trying their best to control the animal within. Possibly the child of infected were rather than decendants of actual lychans.
#5
zombiegleemax
Apr 07, 2005 1:45:04 I have to confess I don't really see shifters in a standard RL camapaign except maybe as some exotic version of the more standard lycanthropes. The themes of Eberron and RL are different. A visiting shifter faces *GREAT* hostility. Their appearance screams werewolf and the villagers are going to react accordingly.

On the other hand a warforged "looking for his soul" fits in very well thematically. Much like Calibans you have a potentially tragic figure trying to earn a place in the world. Its a bit like pinochio in a much bigger body. Given the way the created generally work in RL though I am of the opinion that there are surely more "dread warforged" than spirits that have a chance to pursue higher ideals. A warforged is going to be treated just like other golems...a dangerous monster. I don't think I buy the idea of pople ever ignoring the presence of the 'forged. Even in the more developed realms the idea of a human sized autonomon is going to be...out there.

Specific OR ratings? Using the RL DMG as a guide I would guestimate 6 for shifters (medium sized, distictly inhuman, "predatory", unnatural powers) and 5 for warforged (medium sized, monsterous & "evil"). If you wish to apply either culture shock or beyong the pale the warforged also rises to 6. If you don't believe people would automatically consider a golem like creature to be "evil" like a caliban the OR would drop to 4.

See pg 103 of the RL DMG.

-Eric Gorman
#6
abraham
Apr 07, 2005 16:44:26 how about the raptorians/goliaths/illiuminums(I think thats hgow you spell it)?
#7
rotipher
Apr 09, 2005 11:39:27 Raptorans would be mistaken for Broken Ones, unless the Carnival is in town, in which case they'd be asked why they're wandering around away from their fellow freaks. Goliaths would be considered calibans, or possibly the products of an icky curse. At best, both races would be shunned.

Illumians would be objects of both superstitious dread and perhaps a little awe. Most likely, their glowing symbols would be taken as a sign that they're wizards (even if they're not spellcasters); the fact they're not entirely human wouldn't be evident to most observers. Locals would respond to illumians the same way they'd react to a human wizard (i.e. intimidated respect in Hazlan, ignorance and wariness in Barovia, open contempt in Lamordia, and burning at the stake in Tepest). Spellcasting darklords like Azalin or Strahd would engineer the illumian's capture, curious about the sigil-marked PC's powers.
#8
abraham
Apr 12, 2005 19:10:48 yes,those make some sense.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 abraham Apr 05, 2005 19:26:58	what would be the outcast factor for warforged and/or shifters? also any of the new races from the races of ... books?
#2 gotten Apr 05, 2005 20:59:19	Ravenloft is mainly a human realm, where halfling&elves&others are very uncommon. A warforged would cause panic at the highest scale. Joël
#3 rotipher Apr 05, 2005 21:34:14	A warforged in a Renaissance domain might actually be better off pretending to be some kind of non-sentient automaton. When among strangers, the WF could keep silent, obey simple orders from a human companion, and otherwise pretend to be an oversized mechanical toy, devoid of life or even of magical animation. While humiliating, this might actually prove useful if strangers are fooled into thinking the WF is just an object, and have "secret" conversations in his or her presence, unaware that anyone's listening. A shifter would likely be mistaken for some kind of bestial caliban, and treated accordingly. If the locals realize the shifter's true affinity is with werebeasts, the shifter's reputation will plummet even further, and it's likely that Van Richten-wannabees would blame the PC for any lycanthropic attacks that have occurred recently. Note that shifter PCs in Ravenloft might find their control over the bestial side of their natures is dangerously weakened by the environment of the Land of Mists. At a minimum, I'd expect them to suffer something akin to the half-Vistani's "moon madness", plus certain uses of shifter powers might be grounds for a Powers check ... most notably, using a bite attack against a humanoid, thus possibly awakening a hereditary "taste for blood" that isn't as close to the surface on Eberron.
#4 The_Jester Apr 06, 2005 1:11:10	I'd have the warforged modified to look more like a man wearing a suit of armour. People would just assume they're a big guy in plate armour. Less fantastic in apperance in general. Of course, finding someone for repairs might be a challenge and major injuries might require a more... human transplant. Shifter I would play as a partial lychanthrope fighting bestial urges and trying their best to control the animal within. Possibly the child of infected were rather than decendants of actual lychans.
#5 zombiegleemax Apr 07, 2005 1:45:04	I have to confess I don't really see shifters in a standard RL camapaign except maybe as some exotic version of the more standard lycanthropes. The themes of Eberron and RL are different. A visiting shifter faces GREAT hostility. Their appearance screams werewolf and the villagers are going to react accordingly. On the other hand a warforged "looking for his soul" fits in very well thematically. Much like Calibans you have a potentially tragic figure trying to earn a place in the world. Its a bit like pinochio in a much bigger body. Given the way the created generally work in RL though I am of the opinion that there are surely more "dread warforged" than spirits that have a chance to pursue higher ideals. A warforged is going to be treated just like other golems...a dangerous monster. I don't think I buy the idea of pople ever ignoring the presence of the 'forged. Even in the more developed realms the idea of a human sized autonomon is going to be...out there. Specific OR ratings? Using the RL DMG as a guide I would guestimate 6 for shifters (medium sized, distictly inhuman, "predatory", unnatural powers) and 5 for warforged (medium sized, monsterous & "evil"). If you wish to apply either culture shock or beyong the pale the warforged also rises to 6. If you don't believe people would automatically consider a golem like creature to be "evil" like a caliban the OR would drop to 4. See pg 103 of the RL DMG. -Eric Gorman
#6 abraham Apr 07, 2005 16:44:26	how about the raptorians/goliaths/illiuminums(I think thats hgow you spell it)?
#7 rotipher Apr 09, 2005 11:39:27	Raptorans would be mistaken for Broken Ones, unless the Carnival is in town, in which case they'd be asked why they're wandering around away from their fellow freaks. Goliaths would be considered calibans, or possibly the products of an icky curse. At best, both races would be shunned. Illumians would be objects of both superstitious dread and perhaps a little awe. Most likely, their glowing symbols would be taken as a sign that they're wizards (even if they're not spellcasters); the fact they're not entirely human wouldn't be evident to most observers. Locals would respond to illumians the same way they'd react to a human wizard (i.e. intimidated respect in Hazlan, ignorance and wariness in Barovia, open contempt in Lamordia, and burning at the stake in Tepest). Spellcasting darklords like Azalin or Strahd would engineer the illumian's capture, curious about the sigil-marked PC's powers.
#8 abraham Apr 12, 2005 19:10:48	yes,those make some sense.