Possible New Races

[Dakkon Black]

There are two possibilities that have been PC races before, the gith and the mantis, and several new candidates, including a plant-based race, a feline race, and mutants.

Holy crap. Personally I'm completely torn between a plant based race (thanks to Zhaan from Farscape, a show you must watch if you haven't yet(no seriously, go get the dvd's right now)) and the mutants.

Mutants and Plant Men! PLEASE

The tall, green leafed man begins to root himself.

[elvenchipmunk]

I think I would enjoy playing a gith.

That is all.

[LauraMars]

NO CATGIRLS IN THE DESERT PLEASE.

[Olaf]

So ... I've seen some fairly mutated characters in game.  My char currently has a small mutation.   What sets these mutants apart?  They live in their own mutant colony and ambush RVs driving through the desert?

Edit: I voted for plants.  I can already play a dirty person in the desert who kills people, so Gith isn't that appealing.  I could never get my head around playing a mantis (though others could, I'm sure).  Felines?  Noes!  Mutants would be somewhat cool ... as long as it didn't feel too 80s.

[LauraMars]

P.S. I voted for the plant man.  I want to be a walking cactus chilling in the Gaj.  I wonder what kind of stats they'll get?

[TiberiusAlaric]

NO CATGIRLS IN THE DESERT PLEASE.

Actually, cats have a higher tolerance for heat than humans do due to the insulation that their fur provides. So yes, let's have catgirls with furry tails, pink bushy hair, and anime eyes.  :wink:

[mansa]

I think the feline race would be interesting to add to the world.

[Marauder Moe]

I would assume a mutant race would be that particular tribe of mutants that aided Tuluk during the rebellion.  I forget what they're called.  I think they all share a particular set of mutations, making them essentially a new race.

A feline race would be cool, but I'd have serious worries about huge influxes of Furry fans or something.  If that happened I think I'd have to make a dwarf with a focus to wipe them out.   :lol:

Plants... I'd have to see the full concept before judging.

Gith and mantis have been discussed before.

I think my vote goes towards the mutants.  Either city would slay any of the others immediatly should they show up at the gates, at least at first.  The mutants would be accepted in Tuluk at least, and with the renewed potential for open warfare between the cities they'd have a big role to play in the world again.

[palomar]

Code Select Expand

The leafy-eared, grass-haired man sings, in sirihish:
'Rooooots, bloody roooooots!'

Jokes aside, I'd like mutants to be a new race option. They could start out as northern Thryzn or the misshapen creatures that are born along the shores of the Sea of Eternal Dust.

No catpeople. Mantis or gith, maybe. Possibly plant-people as long as they don't look like ents.

[Olaf]

My new plant brain: http://www.worth1000.com/entries/160000/160180GlNK_w.jpg

Me in Allanak:
http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/t/the_co-the_go/the_day_of_the_triffids.jpg

[Dalmeth]

I personally would like to a Thryzzn, but they might be a little special.

I also would like a really reptilian race.  You might say gith have scales and hunched backs, but that's all so far as the descriptions go.  They're more of a tribe of elves than an entirely separate species.

[Dan]

I got dibs on playing the first cactrot.

The spiny, green-skinned cactrot arrives from the west.

The spiny, green-skinned cactrot starts to cast a spell.

You take 1000 damage from the spiny, green-skinned cactrot.

[Pale Horse]

Well..I actualy didn't vote, as I don't see any of the possiblities currently available as going through..other than the mutant option.

To run with the above concept of a reptilian race, I for one would support this a lot sooner than I would a plant/feline/whatever race...despite the fact that I'm intrigued with the idea of sentiant plants, and cats are my favorite animal anyway...

If a reptile race were to be added, I'd vote for it being some sort of lower sub-species related to The Dragon and set the karma level to 8 or possibly adding a 9th level slot just for it...hell, forget makeing a playable race, just do this as an HRPT!

Gith sounds sexy.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Any new race would be awesome... I had no idea the staff were even considering it. Plantmen would be intriguing, and of course there are the lovable gith and cuddly mantises.
Mutants could be cool... either the thryzzn, or some sort of "create-a-race" option, a race you'd select when your character is so fucked up that it can't easily be assess-ved as human or elven or whatever.
So, my votes:
1. Gith (tribal-roleplay fun, interaction via raiding, and plus, gith just rock your face)
2. Mutants (either as Thryzzn, or something else. Technically, they already exist in game, if you think about it)
3. Plantmen (we might have to stretch to explain their sudden appearance, but my curiosity has officially been piqued)
Of course, we did just open halflings, who totally rock my socks off. So I wouldn't be surprised if the plantmen never happened. Just saying... it'd be nifty.

[Larrath]

I voted for Gith.
Mantis too could be sweet but probably very hard to play correctly.

Mutants and plant-based sound intriguing, but I'm not sure if I want to see new races.
Felines sound like a bad idea.  Even though I'd be surprised if Arm seriously got a new race whose concept was "these are happy shiny cat people that love to purr and act like cats!", I think a lot of people might seriously misunderstand that race because of the way every other MUD has it implemented.  It might even turn down some new players who are sick of such races.

It's hard to make a call without knowing what the races really are, but I've left my world-altering vote on the Gith, as I said.

[Ghost]

MUTANTS!

Wait.  There are already mutants around.

PLANT MAN!  They have to grow roots of course.

On a more serious note, I would not want Mantis to be opened to the playerbase, unless they are allowed to be a gladiator only.

Gith, maybe.  They have good culture and it will be good to put some living danger to the desert.

[Hymwen]

I voted "no new races". Gith and mantis will further spread out our already somewhat thin playerbase. Plant-men and cat-girls just do not fit in IMO, and they've never existed before - would they just spring into life all of a sudden? I don't see how mutants are a race of their own, mutation is a trait that anyone can get, it's not a race. That's like making a new race for club-footed people.

Look at halflings, what have they added to the game? How many of you can say that you've felt an improvement since that handful of people were allowed to play halflings? If giths or mantis are made into a playable race, our already low population will lose another handful of people who will be thrown out where their possible interaction with others is limited to killing them.

If anything, I would suggest a race of tribal humans. Give them a few physical traits to portray extra toughness from living in the harsh desert for generations, give them Bendune and tribal accent that nomad-subguild gets, and let tribal people choose their own subguild instead of being forced to take one with little other benefits. It never made sense to me that tribals had to spend their subguild to get the accent and language that they should have.

Almost every clan is struggling with low numbers, please don't send another 5 players to Cai'Shyzn where they can sit and chitter to eachother.

[Cegar]

I voted "no new races". Gith and mantis will further spread out our already somewhat thin playerbase. Plant-men and cat-girls just do not fit in IMO, and they've never existed before - would they just spring into life all of a sudden? I don't see how mutants are a race of their own, mutation is a trait that anyone can get, it's not a race. That's like making a new race for club-footed people.

Look at halflings, what have they added to the game? How many of you can say that you've felt an improvement since that handful of people were allowed to play halflings? If giths or mantis are made into a playable race, our already low population will lose another handful of people who will be thrown out where their possible interaction with others is limited to killing them.

If anything, I would suggest a race of tribal humans. Give them a few physical traits to portray extra toughness from living in the harsh desert for generations, give them Bendune and tribal accent that nomad-subguild gets, and let tribal people choose their own subguild instead of being forced to take one with little other benefits. It never made sense to me that tribals had to spend their subguild to get the accent and language that they should have.

Almost every clan is struggling with low numbers, please don't send another 5 players to Cai'Shyzn where they can sit and chitter to eachother.

I felt an improvement with halflings.

[Rhyden]

Gith.

There needs to be PC gith. It would make being a delf so much more challenging and twinks would quit killing every single damn gith NPC around, some of which, are, in fact, delves.

[Dalmeth]

If anything, I would suggest a race of tribal humans. Give them a few physical traits to portray extra toughness from living in the harsh desert for generations, give them Bendune and tribal accent that nomad-subguild gets, and let tribal people choose their own subguild instead of being forced to take one with little other benefits. It never made sense to me that tribals had to spend their subguild to get the accent and language that they should have.

I'm personally going to try to app for the Plainsfolk when my current dies.  Wish me luck.

Also, a correction.  Mutants like Thryzzn and kryl are distinct races.  A human child couldn't be born as either, but both races are developed mutations of another.

My desire to see a new race come from the face that all the races except the mantis are still pretty much the same.   Most are socially inclined, mammalian, and omnivorous bipeds.  Only the extremely antagonistic nature of Gith and Halflings keep them away from other races.  I want a race with a different physiology which would then affect its society and its interactions with other races.

That's why I would like to see something like a reptilian race, and I thought up an idea some time ago.  Since an intelligent reptile would probably find it a bit easier to survive in the Known World than mammals, there would be less natural inclination to a solid social structure.  Now the rub is that competition from other intelligent species would slowly but surely wipe them out.  Always being one for a good story, I say that at this point a dictator rises up in the ranks of the reptilian race and unites it by outright force.

It's a neat setup for a race.  The primary struggle being preventing the whole society from falling apart due to its own seperatist nature, a sort of long-term gain vs. short-term gain conflict.  It might also be fun to establish the society as relatively new, and in its attempts to strengthen itself against its neighbors, the society raises a sort of warrior class and restricts intensive weapons training from the rest of the population in an attempt to maintain order.  Just to head off any possible misinterpretations, I'm not suggesting another sort of templar, the suggested class would be far more numerous and codewise would be just like the warriors of any other race, except the majority of the resources in the society would be directed toward supporting them.

Well, that's the idea at a glance.  I could go on, but I haven't hammered the thing into a coherent whole.

[palomar]

If anything, I would suggest a race of tribal humans. Give them a few physical traits to portray extra toughness from living in the harsh desert for generations, give them Bendune and tribal accent that nomad-subguild gets, and let tribal people choose their own subguild instead of being forced to take one with little other benefits. It never made sense to me that tribals had to spend their subguild to get the accent and language that they should have.

If you put in your background that your character is a nomad, yes then I guess you should pick the nomad subguild (counts for half-elves, dwarves and humans alike). If you want to make a tribal human and work it out with the staff in advance, you don't have to pick nomad as subguild.

[Pantoufle]

No catgirls, please, please!  The playerbase would surely rise if they were implemented but it'd be all anime kids flocking to the MUD hoping to sex each other up.

I voted none, though I'm neither a conservative nor a twit.  The problem I have with all the race suggestions is that every single one sounds suspiciously like an iso tribe waiting to happen.  In my opinion, we've got plenty of those.

I'd like to see a new race that can successfully integrate with the rest of the playerbase rather than live outside of them, creating more sub-MUDs within the MUD.

[Barzalene]

I am a conservative twit.

[MarshallStaxx]

I am a tonservative clit.
I think that plant/cat races would detract from the gritty realism of Armageddon and force the world in a fantasy direction.
Mutants, well, you can already create a mutant and I don't see why they would need different stats/skills, just roleplay their particular mutation (Sounds like a cool idea, must take note for my next character).
Mantis would be nigh-on impossible to roleplay IMO.
And Gith as a playable race would force more players into the wilderness, as there's little or NO way that Gith could interact with the playerbase save for killin' em.
So... I voted for no change.
Change is bad.

[Eternal]

I'm all for opening existing races to play, but the staff has to decide at what point it breaks the playerbase into groups of iso clans.  As far as new races, adding new species due to an OOC desire for Cat-People does not sit well with me.  Who knows, sentient cat, lizard, and plant species may well exist IC already... even the Known World isn't entirely known to everyone... and what lies beyond?

I think the race/guild options are good as they now stand, if mantis and gith were reopened, that would be nice, but would also require a steady playerbase as they do not often interact with major population centers.  Too many races (especially those that do not often interact with others) can pose problems in their own light, and many are probably left best to the realm of NPC/Extremely Special Application categories.

[ale six]

I also voted no. I must be a conservative twit, thanks for the unbiased poll options.

:arrow: I trust the staff that if a feline race were added, they'd be well documented and not be furry catgirls. However, I wouldn't trust the players to play them as non-furries, unless the race was made karma only... and see below.

:arrow: Mutant races are already possible, I believe? Mutants should be uncommon, and I like the frequency they show up now (which is not often but occasionally.) Making a New Race of mutants would lead to far too many of them in PCworld and skew perceptions of them, I think.

:arrow: Mantis... how would we be able to accurately roleplay a "hive mind" race? I don't see how that would work. Never mind that mantis can't really communicate with anyone else and would just want to eat everyone.

:arrow: Gith: These guys have the most potential, but I still wouldn't want to see them in game. I don't see what gith would do besides raid/attack -everyone- and be an iso tribe beyond that. Even the desert elves actually trade, you know, once in a while. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love to be in the 1337 r4id3r tribe of gith, but I really think an RPImud should be putting interaction first. If you gave gith nonviolent means of interaction with other tribes, that would be better, but then they would just stink as another flavor of desert elf, to me.


My other issue is playerbase separation, as Hymwen said. If you introduce a new race, you would need to "train" a group of players into the culture of that race, so they could pass it on to others. (Sanvean stated this in another thread.) The problem I see is that the players serving to start up a new race's culture would be effectively removing themselves from the game and sticking themselves in iso clans. I would MUCH rather see our best, most experienced players in roles where they could be seen and appreciated. An 8-karma player playing a noble or a templar or an ubersorc of doom could have a huge positive effect on the game in terms of plotlines and interaction. I'm sorry, but I don't see that same potential if experienced players are playing in iso tribes. I'm sure they're fun, but there are also many more fun city-based roles that I think could really benefit from experienced players stepping up.

[Cuusardo]

I too am afraid that adding in a new race would spread the player base even thinner.  We would need a larger playerbase before these would go in, because if they aren't done by special app only, the cities will end up vacant due to all the people wanting to try the new races.


p.s.  Kryl are not a mutant race.

[Pantoufle]

What about reviving the kenku or belgoi?

[Twilight]

I voted gith.

At one point in time, there was gith in Red Storm.  I think if they were slightly redone to allow some of them to go there for trade, it would add an interesting dynamic.  I think some of the docs and camp and such of the gith would need to be somewhat updated, but overall probably has the least amount of additional work to get operational than the other options.

There are things about the Thryzzn which I think would make them interesting to play, but I'm afraid they would just come to be played as weird looking humans.  Sorta like half-elves.

I agree mantis would be a hard mindset to get into.  The big problem with them is that I would see them as really a temporary character.  I'm not even sure having a mantis character longer than a RL year would even be viable, due to the lifespan they have.

As for a being a plant, that would be kind of cool, but I'm not sure how it would all work out if they are talking about what I think they are.

As for feline's, I don't have enough to form an opinion.

[Beux]

I personally think the best option there is Gith, however this doesn't excite me much. I like the idea of Mutants, but I hope we're talking seriously mutated, perhaps inbred, clans that live way out and have been slowly working their way back towards society. I know we can 'have' mutants already, but I think a mutant race would be something that has evolved to be something set apart from humans further.

Plant people...just kind of sounds silly. Feline race, Hrm. Well, I am disuaded by the cut, furry anime types from other muds. But I kinda like this idea, only because I imagine Arm would make them more rogue-like, vicious creatures. But I still don't think they'd fit so well with the whole Arm theme...a bit too fantasy for my liking.

The idea for a new race excites me, however none of the options so far really seem interesting/feasible/fitting.

[Pantoufle]

I say we bring back kenku, make them a PC playable race and wipe out half-giants.  They cost too much to feed anyway.

Who's with me?

[LoD]

I wouldn't really be interested in seeing any of these races offered like the present races are offered.

What I would be more interested in would be Major Event Race Options that would coincide with a possible plot idea spawning from NPC's down where players could select the race during the time of the event.

One of these events might be 6 months, or 1 year in length.

Example:

Major Event Race Option: Gith

Word spreads through the bordertowns and villages of the Known World of an increase in gith activity in the tablelands and southlands.  Reports vary from seeing more frequent tracks pushing into their territory to minor scuffles at the fringes of patrols.  Little is known except that the tenuous peace between the gith nations and their neighboring lands is being tested.

:arrow: Gith now appears as a race option to any players with appropriate karma.
:arrow: All Gith player-characters are born of the same tribe/people.

Stage 1 - Preparation

The major event is but a conception of what could be with the direction of the Immortals, and steps are taken to begin the PC's upon a path that would move them along the plot line, which could change as the game and its players evolve.  Gith players have a defined home, territory, and culture within which to RP their characters, but they are also given specific instructions from high ranking NPC members of the Gith people on events that will be unfolding.

:arrow: Rumor boards are placed in the Gith encampment(s) to pass information.
:arrow: A Gith Clan forum on the GDB would be created to coordinate play times/events.

Stage 2 - Development

Over a broad length of time, the Imms provide the players with tasks and goals ranging from violent to non-violent interactions between other PC races, resource acquisition, training, and information gathering.  These tasks keep the PC's on task and moving toward productive encounters that are geared to interact with the gameworld rather than falling into the ISO-clan trap that bleeds certain areas of the world of its regular playerbase.

Stage 3 - Execution

After the goals have been met, the orders have been carried out, and the preparation has been completed, the world event (in whatever shape it has assumed since its inception) will be ready to move forward.  The event will take place on a scale that will involve as many of the other players in the gameworld as possible at some stage.  The event is carried out in a similar fashion to the on-going HRPT recently tested for the Tuluk-Allanak skirmish in the Red Desert.

Stage 4 - Decisions

After the World Event, the clan is closed and the race option is removed from the list.  Current gith characters that have survived can either store their characters or continue to play out the culture.  If it is determined that the gith have now achieved enough of a presence in the gameworld as to merit their continued presence as PC's, then perhaps the option will be explored to keep them open indefinitely.

That would be my preferred method of introducing another race into the game, as a "temporary" race being used in part of a much larger world event down the road.  If things work out, then they've been given a good deal of time to interact with the gameworld, define their culture, and develop a role in the game that is not limited to PKing and violent activities.  If the event closes and these criteria are not met, then they can simply be closed and people can relish the fun they had being able to participate form the side of a race not normally available.

-LoD

[Hot_Dancer]

I'd like to see Gith, I also think they're the easiest to implement as they really function most like another desert elf tribe..

Sadly, they don't fit into the scheme of things much these days. The cities are more popular than ever and your wilderness play is somewhat less supported by the playerbase than it use to be. Adding yet another tribe would be rough..then again, it may work. The gith wouldn't be split up like the desert elves..

Hot Dancer, who actually played a gith for a very short period..

[Agent_137]

I am a conservative twit.

edit:
I would only like to see new races if implemented in the manner of LOD's suggestion.

[moab]

I am a conservative twit.

edit:
I would only like to see new races if implemented in the manner of LOD's suggestion.

This is the best way, IMO.

[Sanvean]

There are no plans to automagicakally pop races in and say that they have always been there.

[Beux]

There is land -outside- of known Zalanthas right? Like on the other side of the silt sea...there has to be something....so I'm sure a race could be introduced in the form of an invasion from the across the silt sea, or over the mountains...or whatever....but then I suppose their homeland would have to be built onto the existing map also?

[flurry]

First off, yeah I agree it should only be after the playerbase builds up some more.  I'd rather not see things get too spread out.

As for new possibilities like feline or plant races, who knows?  I'm not going to dismiss an idea sight unseen.   It all depends on what the race concepts are, not on whatever connotations come to mind when you hear "feline" or "plant".   I trust that whatever the Immortals choose would be suitably Zalanthanized.

Mantis?  Meh.  I can't imagine it being the least bit interesting to play a mantis, but perhaps that's just me.  

Gith might work, but I'm not as excited about the notion as some people seem to be.  As it is, it seems like raiding roleplay causes more problems than anything else (and not in a good way), if the GDB is any indication.

Mainly, I would prefer something that has a reason in interact with the other races (at least some of them), and in a more interesting way than just killing them.

[Malken]

Everyone was excited when Gith became an option to play, I remember.. People were all saying things like, "The roleplay around the campfire, telling war stories, having contests of strength, all of this will be amazing, the gith is one of the most developed tribe out there.." Then what happened is that it started out good, then just a few weeks later it was mostly one Gith PC after another, leading NPCs into the desert and raiding people, killing critters, nothing much of anything else..

So yeah, in theory, Gith sounds like something fun to play, but it isn't much different than desert elves, without the trading, without the social aspect that you /might/ have with other races..

I think that any races that might get added, should at least have the option to socialize with the other races, as it's basic core..

[Flaming Ocotillo]

Code Select Expand

Extending a green appendage as it laughs shrilly, the yellow petals of its flower head surrounding its segmented facial features like a glowing halo, the flowery, thick-stemmed plant asks, in tribal-accented sirihish:
    "Why.. hello there, stranger! What brings you to these parts?"

Looking up at the flowery, thick-stemmed plant from behind the shadow of his sandcloth hood, a gloved hand clenched about the reins of his kank, the other hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, you say, in sirihish:
    "Lookin' for a plant. A yellow plant. A yellow plant that's real flowery."

Its leaves ruffling as a few spiny growths suddenly protrude from its stem, a cluster of small insects taking flight from the sudden movement, the flowery, thick-stemmed plant asks, in tribal-accented sirihish:
    "Oh. Heh.. and what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

You draw a bloodied stone-headed shovel.

You say, in sirihish:
    "They call me.. the Gardener."

You deftly parry the flowery, thick-stemmed plant's whip.
The flowery, thick-stemmed plant whips you very hard on your leg.
You feel very sick..

[LauraMars]

And the crowd goes wild!

[Rhyden]

Krathians would have a fun time with walking, talking plants.

[Djarjak]

Ok, so am I the only one who saw "plant-based" and thought of the Pequinos?

[mansa]

Ok, so am I the only one who saw "plant-based" and thought of the Pequinos?

No.

[jstorrie]

No fucking catfolk, please.

Zalanthan races I'd want to see PCs of, in order:

gith
those whatchamacallits that helped Tuluk in the occupation (not mutants, the species that's briefly mentioned in docs)
braxat
halflings
mantis
kenku
undead Steinali
some kind of psionic race

And that's about it.

[WarriorPoet]

I hate the idea of catfolk and plantmen. Just doesn't -fit-, to me.

Gith. Gith. GITH MUFFUCKAZ.

All these gith haters are just afraid I would challenge them to a fire-dance and shame them.

-WP

[Tuannon]

What? Pterran and Ssheyan tribes?

[Grey Area]

Plant creatures could be pretty neat and definitely armageddonish. This could be just because I am thinking of China Mieville's Cactacae, though.

[mansa]

I played a gith.  Twice, even.  One of them died in the 'rinth.

[Intrepid]

Mantis.  They're not impossible to play, all you have to do to get into the mindset of a hivemind is spend eight hours watching a group of young Republicans at work.  Gith are far less socially adjusted, as they act less on a hunting instinct and more on pure malice.  To use the Dark Sun model, even though it's not an exact duplicate, the Thri-kreen (Athasian Mantis) were found in small numbers in every city and almost every village.  Gith were too violent and dangerous to peacefully cohabitate anywhere.  While I realize the material is not exactly the same, if either of these races are anything close to the source material, mantis are more likely to deal with people than gith ever will.

Events can transpire to bring Mantis into trade with humanoids.  They're intelligent creatures and can be reasoned with, perhaps even moreso than Gith.  All that needs to be done is to write the proper rp docs for them and make history.  Mantis can be shrewd bargainers and cunning negotiators (like any good hunters) and could conceivably adopt non-mantis into their "clutch".

Belgoi, Kenku, a mutant race and anything else could possibly be added, but these would be creatures that need some history and reason for prior seclusion, if not ongoing seclusion.  Still, they are possibilities.

[Pantoufle]

Mantis can be shrewd bargainers and cunning negotiators (like any good hunters) and could conceivably adopt non-mantis into their "clutch".

But aren't non-mantis simply food in the eyes of any mantis?

[Intrepid]

But aren't non-mantis simply food in the eyes of any mantis?

I'm glad someone asked that.  They can be, during lean times.  But mantis are less gleeful about eating business associates than halflings.  It tends to be a necessity, like when you're faced with eating nothing and eating your friend Rupert next to you.  This is not to say that there couldn't be isolationistic mantis-supremacist hunters out there who will eat anything and anyone.  But then, mantis could feasibly hunt and eat each other too... :twisted:   They are insects, after all.

Incidentally, there appears to have been some precedent even in Arm for dealings with mantis, as some sporadic trade with the Cai Shyzn has shown up in the timeline.  It didn't last long, but there you go.  Mantis can be reasoned with and bargained with in such a way that does not make you a main course.

[Djarjak]

Didn't dark sun make a distinction between Thri-Kreen and Tohr-Kreen, with one being meditative and prone to psionics, and the other being bestial and hungry?

[Intrepid]

Didn't dark sun make a distinction between Thri-Kreen and Tohr-Kreen, with one being meditative and prone to psionics, and the other being bestial and hungry?

Tohr-kreen were considered High Mantis; more intelligent, more cultured, and yet they ate the candied larva of their young while engaged in polite discussion with others.  I never saw anything indicate that any group was more prone to psionics, however; perhaps a bit of a misnomer, since everyone and their mothers had psionics.  Thri-kreen were more common outside of the Kreen Empire, so people were far more likely to run into them, and they were the primary pc race.  Both groups struck me as bestial and hungry, but the Tohr-kreen seemed to have a more advanced culture and civilization than the Thri-kreen.  They also ruled the Kreen Empire, which was one of the greenest places on Athas not owned by halflings.  It had swamps, rivers and lakes of all things.

Now that I'm remembering it, the only group that had any major problems with Kreen of either stripe were elves, but that was mainly because elves were a delicacy.

[Pantoufle]

I'm glad you bring that up, Intrepid.

I remember playing a few mantis back in the day.  I even went into Allanak and loitered in a tavern there.  In those days the concept was either such that the RP behind mantis was not rigorously enforced or they were supposed to be different than they are now.  It was the same with halflings.  I even remember a halfling PC who owned a wagon and carted around the world, working as a regular merchant.  I didn't mind it the way it was back then.  It's not that they were regular "hobbits", they just weren't so far separated from the other races that the only means of interaction was for PKilling (eating).

I've never understood the obsession behind isolating so many races and tribes just for the purpose of giving them in depth background.  Even the Blackwing tribe, as fun as it was to play in, was so far separated from the rest of the game that it was virtually a different MUD entirely.

I like the concept of mantis you describe.  

[Djarjak]

The problem is, and this is something I still see, that people don't tend to differentiate their role play at all.

When the only difference between a human and a mantis is that one has a carapace, there's an issue from a role playing standpoint.

When the only difference between a human and an elf is pointy ears, there's an issue from a role playing standpoint.

While I agree that having them be physically separated is not as interesting in some cases, there's a distinct problem with munging everyone together in a happy citystate where they can all go to the bar and chat, too.

Sure, there's a middle ground in there. The trick is finding it.

[Intrepid]

While I agree that having them be physically separated is not as interesting in some cases, there's a distinct problem with munging everyone together in a happy citystate where they can all go to the bar and chat, too.

I think you guys had a great idea having gith in Red Storm, actually.  I would even hazard to say that mantis could fit there well too.  If anything, it fits their motif to have them in the Red Storms and Cenyr.  Luirs would have been an ideal option too, but it appears that circumstance might have made that no longer a viable option.

Having them these races in the major cities might be a bit much, but having them on the fringes of the Known World seems like a great idea.

Everyone needs a trading post, after all.

[Pantoufle]

Oh I agree with your sentiments, Djarjak.  I just think a happy medium is the best approach.  I don't think creating HalflingMUD and GithMUD and BlackwingMUD, which is essentially what happened in the past, was any better than humans with carapace called mantis or humans with pointy ears called elves.  It was simply exchanging one extreme for the other.  Arguably, the current non-human races successfully mingle with humans while still being different, though gith/mantis/halfling/etc. are even more dramtic, I realize.  Still, inter-mingling is and should be possible.

Intrepid's idea of limiting these races to the outposts and villages while still being outlawed in the city-states seems like an excellent compromise.  If gith were once accepted in Red Storm (even if it was only certain gith perhaps), I don't see why they couldn't be allowed to return.  Whatever the case, I think something is possible using the currently closed races, rather than inventing new ones.

[Twilight]

Why is everyone assuming they'd have to invent new races?

Maybe they are all out there already, finding trees to sharpen their claws on and nice fertile ground to plant us in.

[Satansfish]

I -really- like the idea of some new species entering from beyond the borders of the known world. I think I like it more as a HRPT than a playable race though, but I dont know what they are yet. On topic, I'd say that I agree, any new race has to be one that can socialize, at least a little, with the main playerbase. As it stands I voted for no new races, as none of the options in current form will accomplish above *points up*

[Me]

NO cat folks please.

Maybe I'm a little biased but I recalled a time when a surge of anime-desced PCs were being sighted in Zalanthia, and it really annoys me with their brilliant pink hair with fat spikes and fuzzy tail waving behind their cute little buttocks.

Maybe the feline race in Zalanthia might be different, however I believe no matter how well writtened a doc is, it still depends entirely on the players themselves in how they play the PC. So, to avoid a horde of anime-fanatics, I'd say no to the fenline folks.

As for the plant people, I kept having this mental image of a walking talking cactus. My err...impression about them are kind of vague. Besides...if they take water for a living...would they be hunted down by other races not for food but for water?

Giths and mantis are cool concept, only it'll be sort of hard to play them without becoming an isolated clan, seeing as to how giths are viewed as PK machines (NPCs anyways) while mantis are...chittering..things that will most probably gobble a traveller up.

I doubt any of those two races would walk into a tavern and start interacting with the people there.

Hence, I would actually fully support mutants seeing as how they were mentioned in the docs however briefly. It would be interesting to see how players RP the race out and perhaps introduce a bit more color into the different cultures in Zalanthia.

[adrien]

NO CATGIRLS IN THE DESERT PLEASE.

ROFL ROFL omg I know  a small story relating to a catgirl in arma

Plant people make me think of Sleestak.

[adrien]

plant people would be a northy race or mantis vally race

[Ryker]

Don't get me wrong I love cat people as much as any bloke, but lets stick to any new playable races (or not, I kinda like it as it is) to races already in game.

[spawnloser]

How do you know that these aren't and you just haven't found them yet?

[Sokotra]

As far as being in the game, all of those races should already be in the game in some aspect or another...

But as far as OPENING those races to public play, I think you have to consider which one would have the most interesting effect on the game world and player base as a whole.

Offhand, I'd say the Gith would be the one to go for.  But then again, I love to play the Mantis and they might give the Desert Elves, and other folks that might be within their range, something interesting to do - more interaction etc.  The feline race would be cool, I'm not "in the know" so I don't know if it has already been fleshed out or evolved within the game/storyline already.... but I've always liked lizardmen/reptilians so maybe a mix between a feline-lizard type race would be more Zalanthan and unique to Armageddon.

The Mutants would be a whole other story, in my opinion... but a cool and interesting addition considering their history in the gameworld as it is already.  It would be interesting (albeit perhaps alot of work) to give mutants (heck, or even a random amount of the population as a whole) a Wild MutantTalent... (random mutation?)

-Wings (allowing a short-distance flight)
-Toothy-maw or clawed appendages (extra bite attack or unarmed slashing damage or burrowing ability?)
-A single psionic/magickal ability of somesort (perhaps more rare)

Just a thought... the list could go on with numerous possiblities - long legs/arms (running or throwing advantage?), huge ears (listening bonus)... etc etc... Heh... yeah, like I said - might be alot of work and I'm sure there would be some disadvantages into doing something like this but it might fit into the game if it wasn't too commonplace or anything.

[Robot Dinosaur Ninja Bast]

I didn't read through the entire thing yet, so this may have already been said... Mutants don't really need a race of their own. Just make a human and run wild with it... have a gander at my current human character, tell me this wouldn't be considered mutant:

 Um.... I dunno if character descriptions would be considered 'IC-sensitive information... but here's the pic I based him off of. And the only differences are:His eyes, and several scars.


http://splatterhouse.classicgaming.gamespy.com/mega-rick2.jpg[/i]

[amish overlord]

How do you know that  there are things out there that could be possible new races?

Amish Overlord  

[FightClub]

I'm not opposed to any of those, variety is awesome.  I'd also like to see some things from like alternate dimensions, or wherever they come, like imps and DEMONS! *has been pumping out too much oblivion*

[path]

Just sounds like these could spark a ton of cool plotlines and fun for all the characters involved, especially the ones that are relatively unknown or as spawnloser mentioned, undiscovered.

Seems like it could be a ton of fun from trade relations to skirmishes, wars, how it would effect slavery, the new cultures. If they were somehow powerful or had some resource previously unknown, it could spark a facinating shift in the entire political structure.

And for those die-hards who love to keep everything the same (I hear you)...if it wasn't working out - I'm sure the staff would phase them out.

I just wanted to say I -highly- approve of this sort of dramatic and interesting change.

[Dakkon Black]

There seems to be a ton of anti catism happening. And though indeed, I'm way opposed to having some kind of anime style cat people running around purring as they rub up against me, I know of feline species in the game right now allready, that are -not- cuddly to play with.

I'm pretty sure the staff isn't planning on suddenly having some stupid race pop up in the middle of the desert and start running everywhere.

I have to admit though, having a solid gith clan and playing within their cultures might be really neat. Though it could devolve into a bunch of pc's running around raiding. Well.. about time I'd say. Roads are too safe for the most part I'd say.

[Pantadon]

I personally like the idea of cactus people... harvesting water and think about this... hallucinogens!  That's right!, water and if people eat some of the cactus or smoke it, they start on a biiiggg trip.  Would be pretty funny seeing someone running around Allanak away from creatures they think are attacking them.

 Bringing the Gith our are a great idea.  I just wish ALL races could be skinned and have clothing made from them.  Some Elven skin boots would look great on my character.

                                    Pantadon

[rufus]

How about a bunch of lizard men who live deep underground, wield polearms, and hate humans and furry cat people?
Anyone see where I'm going?

edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slithzerikai

[Twisted Minstrel]

I personally like the idea of cactus people... harvesting water and think about this... hallucinogens!  That's right!, water and if people eat some of the cactus or smoke it, they start on a biiiggg trip.  Would be pretty funny seeing someone running around Allanak away from creatures they think are attacking them.

 Bringing the Gith our are a great idea.  I just wish ALL races could be skinned and have clothing made from them.  Some Elven skin boots would look great on my character.

                                    Pantadon

ROFL, im trying to picture some druggie chasing a cactus man around the desert with a pipe and a torch.

[Twisted Minstrel]

I personally like the idea of cactus people... harvesting water and think about this... hallucinogens!  That's right!, water and if people eat some of the cactus or smoke it, they start on a biiiggg trip.  Would be pretty funny seeing someone running around Allanak away from creatures they think are attacking them.

 Bringing the Gith our are a great idea.  I just wish ALL races could be skinned and have clothing made from them.  Some Elven skin boots would look great on my character.

                                    Pantadon

ROFL, im trying to picture some druggie chasing a cactus man around the desert with a pipe and a torch.