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Questions regarding races in Neverwinter.
bioshrike
Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,729 Arc User
OK, so we have all these different races, but I was just wondering about a few things:
1. Is there still some sort of natural evolutionary process at work in the world? Can one find fossils of ancestor species to the modern ones?
2. We have half-elves and half-orcs. Can orcs mate with elves? What about if a drow and human had a child? Is it just that humans are unusually compatible with many other demi-human species?
3. In areas where half-elves are more accepted, and due to the much greater longevity of elves vs humans, is it not unusual for elves to marry or have children with humans that are significantly younger than them? How much shorter is a half-elf's lifespan than that of a full elf?
4. Though often portrayed as primitive and brutish, is there any reason why orcs, kobolds, goblins, or the like, couldn't be raised in a loving environment and benefit from a more robust, formal education? I mean, we have civilized humans and barbaric ones, so why not other species?
5. Do things like blood transfusions or organ transplants exist in the Neverwinter setting? Is there any compatibility between the demi-human races, if there is?
Thanks for your input!
1. Is there still some sort of natural evolutionary process at work in the world? Can one find fossils of ancestor species to the modern ones?
2. We have half-elves and half-orcs. Can orcs mate with elves? What about if a drow and human had a child? Is it just that humans are unusually compatible with many other demi-human species?
3. In areas where half-elves are more accepted, and due to the much greater longevity of elves vs humans, is it not unusual for elves to marry or have children with humans that are significantly younger than them? How much shorter is a half-elf's lifespan than that of a full elf?
4. Though often portrayed as primitive and brutish, is there any reason why orcs, kobolds, goblins, or the like, couldn't be raised in a loving environment and benefit from a more robust, formal education? I mean, we have civilized humans and barbaric ones, so why not other species?
5. Do things like blood transfusions or organ transplants exist in the Neverwinter setting? Is there any compatibility between the demi-human races, if there is?
Thanks for your input!
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"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
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2) Humans have very compatable DNA With many species. For that note - so do Dragons. Not all are as compatable though, but species that are closer to each other are more likely to be able to have offspirng.
3) Varies. Depends on the individual. If I remember this one guy from Krynn though, a half elf, he was going to live longer than a human but less than an elf. It's possible a descedant would lean more towards one race than the otehr though.
There was this other half Drow half Elf too.....
4) Di's one adopted son Grigdush is a half giant that with pateince became quite graceful, and literate. Now if he'd just remmeber to NOT squish on hugs sometimes! There's also been many RPed half orcs etc that are more "noble" in nature and manners.
5) There is "magical surgery", basic clerical (doctor) knowledge, traansfusions, and anything else that the current technology AND magic can be adapted with. Keep in mind magical means of alteration have consequences. This may include curses, undead, alteration of self with other race parts, and attempting to change race for cosmetic purposes or to "gain powers".
In answer to all of these questsions there is a YES as you can roleplay anything as long as it's held in the realm of "fictional reality".
You really shouldn't have a half faye half orc that SUDDENLY becomes a buxom teilfing who performs brain surgery whislt playing an electric keyboard. That's just too far fetched.
"Why is it dragons only use ketchup? I'd like a little wasabi please. Us silvers like a variety of condiments."
"Don't call them foolish mortals. One, they don't learn from it. Two, It just ticks them off." - An Ancient Red Dragon
In the debate of nature vs. nurture, I think nurture is very much at play in the FR setting. But so are ability scores. A critter with low intelligence/wisdom is going to behave accordingly.
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2.) See attachment at the bottom of the post.
3.) To have children with humans, and elf would generally have to marry a much younger human. As for half elf life spans, they tend to live twice as long as humans. However they reach the age of 17-18 or so at the same rate and then slow down from there. It's a weird curve. ((That part is true for elves as well actually.))
4.) For the most part, yes. Races with a lower intelligence to start would likely have to put a little more effort into it, but they could raise their intelligence up to that of a normal human still.
5.) Not in the same sense that exists in the present day. Generally if someone had an issue with their organs or blood, they would just ask a cleric to remove it. That said, some magic could likely be used to replace blood or organs, but would generally be used for different reasons. ((Such as someone trying to replace some of their blood with that of a dragon to become more powerful.))
Does Drow fall under the broad category of Elf, for this purpose?
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
1. Depends. Some races evolved while other races came to Toril as they were. It would be too much to list here but there are many "sub-species" which are more or less all evolutionary. Not completely true but it is for many aspects and even evolution is a bit twisted as the previous example of Drow Elves are actually black skinned and white haired because they were cursed by Corellon Larethian when the drow remained loyal to Lloth.
2. Humans are of course the more diverse race but there are other breeds. An Ogrillon for instance is Half-Orc and Half Ogre.
Before fourth edition Tieflings were actually Half Human and Half Demon. There used to be a whole list of Half Demons based not only on which humanoid sired the half demon but also based on which demon variety. For instance a Draegloth was very specifically the union of a glabrezu and a high priestess of Lloth. Fourth Edition has changed Tieflings from being a half demon to being a cursed bloodline and made all Tieflings resemble Asmodeus instead of a demon. In short with the new rules all tieflings will sire a Tiefling. They could mate with a Halfling, an Orc or a demon and the result will always be a Tiefling.
3. The longevity of life is a big problem for the union of Elves and Humans. The length of life makes them have very different views of life as maturity and wisdom become walls. It probably isn't far off to compare the way elves view human maturity in the same manner we view a dog's due to the difference in life span. To us dogs are overly excitable and hyper in the first half of their life and then it almost seems like suddenly they become quiet and calm overnight. Does it happen? Sure. But it is still not common.
However normally elves are significantly older than humans when they do pair. Basically, elves mature slower than humans so while humans are considered adults between 15-20 years old drow do not even complete their training in the martial, arcane or divine arts until the age of 30.
4. This notion was brought up by Salvatore. Drizzt is of course a good being from an evil heritage...
But one of the short stories he also wrote journeyed into the concept of whether or not there could be good goblins or good orcs. This short story later spurred on the Thousand Orcs, The Lone Drow and The Two Swords which tell the story of the forming of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows due to the Treaty of Garumn's Gorge.
The end of the story takes place over a hundred years later in the latest book, Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf, in which the Kingdom of Many-Arrows is all but destroyed because the bloodlust of the orcs resulted in the usurping of Obould's lineage and a second attempt for the orcs to conquer the Silver Marches. Whether an individual could be raised to not be evil or not the bloodlust of the orcs and goblin-kind is just too strong to be trusted.
5. Generally...no. Potions and magical healing tend to be the go to sources. Of course basic medical training is normal. Wrapping injuries, amputating limbs and putting pressure on severe bleeding is still the normal (not even back up) option to dealing with injuries but generally if something is serious enough to want to do a transplant you'll go to a priest to get the disease cured because when you think about it, normally it is a disease which would cause you to want a transplant anyway.
However, of course, this doesn't mean less than moral people (particularly necromantic wizards) don't try to do such experiments and procedures for the sake of knowledge if nothing else.
Yes, half dragons often are the result of a human and a dragon doing you know what while appearing to be human. Quite likely the partner would not even know it was a dragon except for the fact they were unnaturally strong. It's actually very common for metallic dragons to take on appearances of humanoids and doing lude things with them.
The same would be true of sprites. Think of Tinkerbell's crush on Peter Pan.
Wickless in the Nether:
Hearing the clatter of the aproaching constructs Enteri dropped the eight feet or so to the ground closing the door as he dropped. It shut with a resounding thud and the tumult disappeared.
"It is wonderful, is it not?" asked Ilnezhara stepping out from behind a pile of gold.
"By the gods!" whispered Entreri.
"I have heard of such treasures," Jarlaxle Said, "but always in the care of----"
"---Don't even say it!" whispered Entreri but it didn't matter anyway for Ilnezhara's features began to shift and scrunch suddenly accompanied by the sound of cracking bones. A huge copper colored tail shot out behind her and large leathery wings sprouted from her shoulders.
"...A dragon," Jarlaxle remarked.
"Another stinking dragon! What game is this with you?!" Entreri asked his partner. "You keep placing me in front of stinking dragons! In all my life I have never even seen a wyrm but now beside you I have come to know them far too well!"
"...you took me to the first one..." Jarlaxle reminded.
"To get rid of that cursed artifact, yes." Entreri counter. " You remember the same one that had you under a destructive spell. Would I have chosen to go to the lair of a dragon else?"
"It does not matter."
"Of course it matters! You keep taking me to stinking dragons!!!" spat Artemis Entreri.
Ilnezhara's "ahem" shook the ground beneath their feet and drew them from their private arguments.
Much later on...
"Do not doubt we will reward you greatly," Ilnezhara purred. She pulled Jarlaxle closer drawing an unintentional grunt from the drow.
"She's a dragon..." Enrteri said.
"Are you as much the peasant as Ilnezhara claims?" asked Jarlaxle. "Have we ever had wealthier or more alluring benefactors?"
"Alluring!? They're dragons!" exclaimed Entreri.
"Yes they are," said a smug Jarlaxle and he seemed quite entranced by that notion.
1. This one is a tricky question, because it all depends. While you can find ancestor bones and artifacts from lost civilizations in many campaign settings (Forgotten Realms especially) there is no real evolutionary process as the world is in a general bit of stasis since the current conglomerate of races came to be. This is usually explained away from the interference of the deities in question, so I wouldn't worry about evolution at this point.
2. There is some limitations. Humans and elves are quite compatible and dragons can basically get busy with any race they choose. However, some cross breeding is either exceptionally difficult or impossible. Drow are just elves so humans can mate and produce off spring. They are generally still considered half-elves, for statistical purposes, but some people like to make the differences obvious. Half-dwarves, also known as Mul's in Dark Sun, are very rare, and also sterile and as far as I am aware, completely unknown outside of the Dark Sun setting (which only happened due to forced breeding for slave stock in that setting). Teiflings are generally considered just cursed humans but are also known to be because of blood relations to demons.
3. Half-elf lifespan is usually in between. I think about 150 to 200 years is average for most half-elves for their lifespan.
4. It's possible for other races to develop other qualities based on their upbringing, but in general it's a very rare thing. Half-orcs tend to be shunned and treated as outcasts so rarely get that love, neither accepted in human society or in orc society. The same as half-elves, child of both but not truly accepted by either. Teifling children probably have it the roughest, since well, their cursed blood tends to bring out all the old wives tales and people trying to proclaim they are an ill omen. In some settings, a teifling child would be lucky to survive their first day, let alone to adult hood.
5. Surgery exists. See Ravenloft, particular Doctor Mordenheim. As far as compatibility between demihuman and human organs, there would be none without magical intervention.