What is your favorite race to play?

[Rasta]

Just would like to see if I can get a general consencus (sp?) of what kind of creatures people like to play. And why.

 

[Rasta]

Personaly I have most enjoyed games playing the Broo. They are the most straight forward race in RQ. You always know where a broo stands in relation to some other culture. Everyone hates them.

I've always rooted for the underdog and I feel that chaos has always gotten "the shaft" in Glorantha. I mean nobody even gives them a chance.

So mabey they deflowered your cattle, and the infant that ate through the mothers stomach then attacked the village, spreading a magical epidemic. But what's an up-and-coming broo supposed to do?

It's not like he has much choise in the matter. It's not like he could go to the nearest Orlanthi temple and convert could he?

 

[RosenMcStern]

That would be Durulz, not Duraluz. Leawn ze cowwect spelling, man. As fow pawtaking fow Bwoos, you just do not need to look at Chaos to find out the gweatest losews, mate. Thewe awe faw bettew choices 8)

 

[Rasta]

That would be Durulz, not Duraluz. Leawn ze cowwect spelling, man.

I thought it looked wrong. Thanks for the correction.

As fow pawtaking fow Bwoos, you just do not need to look at Chaos to find out the gweatest losews, mate. Thewe awe faw bettew choices

That's exactly the type of anti-chaos bigotry I was talking about. They use dung as deoderant or (more-oderant) for christ's sake. Have you ever tried to befriend one? I think you'll find a little kindness can go a long way.

 

[weasel_fierce]

I generally always play humans, regardless of system.

 

[Twigman]

I chose Aldryami, but not the Tree people Aldryami that recently sprung up. We play with the old-school "beautiful-spiritually-related-to-plants" Aldryami. I believe I mentioned this character's face off with a Death Lord in another thread.

I have also played a few Humans and one Great Troll.

 

[elgrin]

I have just voted for Mostali. My better half explains that it is because I am a contrary self willed individualist and I like the way exiled individualist Mostali have to fight against their own race and not just the rest of Glorantha. Of course I say that I just like the beards! :wink:


elgrin

 

[Cleombrotus]

This is one of those that causes arguments between me and certain of my players.
They argue that because it's fantasy, then playing non-humans is what it's all about. Humans are boring and they want to play something 'different'.

I don't allow non-humans in my games, as a rule, although I may soon make an exception in order to prove a point.

The argument is that playing a non-human represents a challenge to the roleplaying talents of the players, and the experienced rpg-ers want the challenge of being different.
My response is that playing a non-human is a cop out. If you want to be an advanced roleplayer, then play a human and make them different. From across many years and many groups and individuals, I find that too many people believe that 'good roleplaying' and 'different' non-human characters are represented by such pointless nods to 'culture' as the austere silence (in an rpg? do me a favour...) and a high degree of racial predjudice. I don't have a problem with gloranthan elves and dwarves not being the best partners in the sandpit, but I find the concept far more interesting from a human viewpoint, rather than knowing that all of that beautiful cultural background is ultimately going to result in "What's your strike rank with that weapon?". Then it goes from bad to worse when non-human pc's have to come up with a reason for being unlike other typical members of a race in order to bypass the inconveniences attached to that race. Thus, an entire elder race gets represented/libelled by some pseudo-intellectual roleplayer who thinks that they're being 'different' and 'a good roleplayer'. It also occupies other player's time which is spent doing all of those pointless things that remind everyone that your character is an elf, or a dwarf, or The Crimson Bat.
Trying to wrap your head around the psychlogical implications of playing a non-human may seem like fun and may even seem clever. Everyone, myself included, thinks they can do it, but I've seen the reality too many times to buy into it any more...

Humans - Know your Limits...

 

[weasel_fierce]

Of course, there's always the ducks

A friend of mine played a Duck berserker in a game of Heroquest

 

[gamesmeister]

I chose Aldryami, but not the Tree people Aldryami that recently sprung up. We play with the old-school "beautiful-spiritually-related-to-plants" Aldryami.

Quick quote from Elder Secrets...

"As an elf reaches an advanced age, he becomes more and more treelike. His skin becomes gnarled and barklike. His hair becomes leaf-like..."

You mean those old-school Aldryami? :wink:

 

[soltakss]

Quick quote from Elder Secrets...

"As an elf reaches an advanced age, he becomes more and more treelike. His skin becomes gnarled and barklike. His hair becomes leaf-like..."

You mean those old-school Aldryami? :wink:

Ach, don't get me started on that.

Sure, Gloranthan elves are plant-based and have some plantlike features.

However, they also descend from the Man Rune, like Humans, Trolls, Ducks, Centaurs, Mermen etc.

This means that they are more similar to other man-rune species than you would expect.

They might get rough skin as they get older and leaf-like hair, but even as old elves they are not moving trees, as has been illustrated in various, non-Mongoose, fanzines/supplements.

Dryads might be different, but I like them to be nubile and human-like. Runners are more plantlike as are intelligent trees. But elves are more human than not, in my opinion.

 

[gamesmeister]

But all creatures descended from the man rune are still influenced by their other runes that form part of their nature. Broos are descended from Man and Beast, and the Beast part of their makeup clearly comes through very powerfully. They're also descended from the fertility rune IIRC, which has a powerful influence on their way of life.

I'm not saying I like the Aldryami one way or the other, I just think there is a decent case to be made for the tree-like creatures that we keep hearing about.

Aldryami articles are few and far between - I'm looking forward to Shannon's HQ book as well as the MRQ book as it will be interesting to see how they compare.

 

[Halfbat]

I'm not saying I like the Aldryami one way or the other, I just think there is a decent case to be made for the tree-like creatures that we keep hearing about.

It would seem it all depends as to how much dominance the Man or Plant Rune has in each species... some might be lesser dominated so end up looking only slightly "tree-y" whilst others would perhaps go through an Ent-like stage (that's being mentioned) and almost end up like Tolkien's Huorns as they become ancient.

 

[CarlQ]

Anybody ever read "Greenbriar Queen" and its sequels by Sheila Gilluly? The storyline and characters were (apparently, as I've just found out - thank you Google!) based on the author's (A)D&D experiences, but the Elf race as detailed in the novels was more aldryami-influenced than D&D, being an ambulatory plant-race. Their appearance was classical (D&D) Elven, with a greenish cast to skin and hair (IIRC) - which, to be honest, is how I've always visualised RQ Elfs (with variances in colouration according to their species).

The images of Aldryami in MRQ were rather a culture shock, quite frankly, but I like your explaination, Halfbat - it gives more variance to the sundry species, and allows an individual slant on the Elfs.

Carl Q.

 

[Rasta]

The images of Aldryami in MRQ were rather a culture shock, quite frankly, but I like your explaination, Halfbat - it gives more variance to the sundry species, and allows an individual slant on the Elfs.

I agree. Variety is better. I personally always picture the elf in RQ3 Deluxe. I do like the idea of elves having varied natural skin color and leaflike hair though. I think it is a cool aspect and adds some nice variety.

 

[Twigman]

I chose Aldryami, but not the Tree people Aldryami that recently sprung up. We play with the old-school "beautiful-spiritually-related-to-plants" Aldryami.

Quick quote from Elder Secrets...

"As an elf reaches an advanced age, he becomes more and more treelike. His skin becomes gnarled and barklike. His hair becomes leaf-like..."

You mean those old-school Aldryami? :wink:

Absolutely. So at a YOUNG age Elves look much more human, with different shades of skin, greenish or brownish usually, and with human like hair, also in varied colors. Of course they also have eyes that are one solid color, usually green but could be brown, violet, blue or whatever. They are definitely not human, but they are also definitely not trees.

At an advanced age, their skin would probably get darker and thicker, similar to how humans who are in the sun a lot get brown leathery skin when they get older. The elf's hair would become matted and thicker, more leaf-like if you will. But still, at no point does the elf turn into a tree. His skin may resemble bark on close inspection, but from a distance he would still look like an Elf, or maybe a short, thin human. I have never read any description in any of the old books about elves sprouting branches from their bodies. Or that their bodies or limbs would change shape to become more like a tree.

Anyway, it is purely a matter of taste. Elves in RQ were originally more Human-like and now Greg decided that they would be more Ent like. There will of course be people who like the change and those who don't. I happen to be one of the latter.