racial differentiation amongst humans

[Heade]

(despite most males being amazingly buff looking).

Just want to point out that, without modern entertainment like television/computers, with most liesure activities being physical in nature, and a lack of sugary processed foods, "buff looking" would likely be the standard for a well-fed human male from a literary perspective(ie, from the point of view of the reader).

So, on the scale of human male physique, the most common should probably be a malnurished/thin look, followed by athletic, then buff, and at the rare end, fat. Seeing as how many people prefer to play the "stars" of the show, which really isn't a problem, as PCs sort of represent that in a world filled with NPCs/vNPCs, I don't see a problem with the number of athletic/buff PCs in game.

You want the malnourished peasant who'd die to a stiff breeze? Yeah, he's right over there in the corner, puking on the floor. No one is playing him as a PC, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist. If we were really trying to play to represent realistic population levels of various demographics, there'd be a public outcry to allow slaves again, and 50% of us would play slaves, 25% beggars, 23% skilled commoners(hunters/grebbers/crafters/soldiers), and 2% Nobles/Templars/GMH family members.

But that game wouldn't be fun(with our current active population numbers). So, ease up off the whining about athletic/buff males, k?

[lairos]

(despite most males being amazingly buff looking).

Just want to point out that, without modern entertainment like television/computers, with most liesure activities being physical in nature, and a lack of sugary processed foods, "buff looking" would likely be the standard for a well-fed human male from a literary perspective(ie, from the point of view of the reader).

So, on the scale of human male physique, the most common should probably be a malnurished/thin look, followed by athletic, then buff, and at the rare end, fat. Seeing as how many people prefer to play the "stars" of the show, which really isn't a problem, as PCs sort of represent that in a world filled with NPCs/vNPCs, I don't see a problem with the number of athletic/buff PCs in game.

You want the malnourished peasant who'd die to a stiff breeze? Yeah, he's right over there in the corner, puking on the floor. No one is playing him as a PC, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist. If we were really trying to play to represent realistic population levels of various demographics, there'd be a public outcry to allow slaves again, and 50% of us would play slaves, 25% beggars, 23% skilled commoners(hunters/grebbers/crafters/soldiers), and 2% Nobles/Templars/GMH family members.

But that game wouldn't be fun(with our current active population numbers). So, ease up off the whining about athletic/buff males, k?

I appreciate your point of view and happen to agree. I can't tell if I should just simply laugh at your entire post and take it as a joke (Just as my little comment that you chose to pull out of was meant to be) or that you truly have very strong feelings on the subject.

As I said in the post as a whole, you can play whatever Zalanthan you want as long as it fits the documentation. That post was meant towards the OP's discussion of colors and races. My statement also includes everything from the massively buff and tall to the super short and fat and everywhere in-between. Thank you for pointing that out.

[Heade]

(despite most males being amazingly buff looking).

Just want to point out that, without modern entertainment like television/computers, with most liesure activities being physical in nature, and a lack of sugary processed foods, "buff looking" would likely be the standard for a well-fed human male from a literary perspective(ie, from the point of view of the reader).

So, on the scale of human male physique, the most common should probably be a malnurished/thin look, followed by athletic, then buff, and at the rare end, fat. Seeing as how many people prefer to play the "stars" of the show, which really isn't a problem, as PCs sort of represent that in a world filled with NPCs/vNPCs, I don't see a problem with the number of athletic/buff PCs in game.

You want the malnourished peasant who'd die to a stiff breeze? Yeah, he's right over there in the corner, puking on the floor. No one is playing him as a PC, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist. If we were really trying to play to represent realistic population levels of various demographics, there'd be a public outcry to allow slaves again, and 50% of us would play slaves, 25% beggars, 23% skilled commoners(hunters/grebbers/crafters/soldiers), and 2% Nobles/Templars/GMH family members.

But that game wouldn't be fun(with our current active population numbers). So, ease up off the whining about athletic/buff males, k?

I appreciate your point of view and happen to agree. I can't tell if I should just simply laugh at your entire post and take it as a joke (Just as my little comment that you chose to pull out of was meant to be) or that you truly have very strong feelings on the subject.

As I said in the post as a whole, you can play whatever Zalanthan you want as long as it fits the documentation. That post was meant towards the OP's discussion of colors and races. My statement also includes everything from the massively buff and tall to the super short and fat and everywhere in-between. Thank you for pointing that out.

lol, I don't really have super strong feelings on it. I just see people disparagingly mention athletic/buff PCs all the time, and I normally don't say anything about it. But I had a little extra time on my hands this time, is all. And, it seemed like a good thread to discuss perception and diversity.

[Tekky]

I recall that we once had docs that claimed Allanakis were darker in skin and hair, compared to Tulukis. Did those get scrubbed along the way somewhere?

[manipura]

I recall that we once had docs that claimed Allanakis were darker in skin and hair, compared to Tulukis. Did those get scrubbed along the way somewhere?

Not sure what happened to it.  It absolutely used to be a thing and I was going to stick it in this thread but eventually gave up because despite combing through docs and help files I couldn't locate it anywhere.

[Nao]

I recall that we once had docs that claimed Allanakis were darker in skin and hair, compared to Tulukis. Did those get scrubbed along the way somewhere?

Not sure what happened to it.  It absolutely used to be a thing and I was going to stick it in this thread but eventually gave up because despite combing through docs and help files I couldn't locate it anywhere.

I found it in the old quickstart:

Southerners tend to be darker in skin and hair color than northerners. Very few fair-skinned people exist. There are some mutations among commoners; you are advised to keep them to a minimum in your first character.

[Hauwke]

I would assume that this is more a tanning thing, more time in the sun leads to them with just having slightly darker skin.

[Jihelu]

The south is just generally hotter, IIRC. Or perhaps it got hit hardest by the Dragon and thats why its hotter? The north does still have a forest, after all. More wood also might lead to more canopy like structures in the city, as well.

[650Booger]

if two PCs who are described as ebon-skinned within their mdescs copulate and have a child, what should we expect in terms of that child's appearance?  do genetics work the same way in zalanthas as they do on earth?

[Jihelu]

I imagine genetics would take a heavy factor but remember, Zalanthas has a lot more mutants than real life. This may be due to actual radiation, or magic.

Though genetics exist enough that they can breed away magic from Muls so, it exists.

[Brokkr]

Whatever the third member of your family role call apps in.

[Cind]

The south is just generally hotter, IIRC. Or perhaps it got hit hardest by the Dragon and thats why its hotter? The north does still have a forest, after all. More wood also might lead to more canopy like structures in the city, as well.

The docs say somewhere that the south was more verdant than the north before the Dragon came and introduced defiling. It is possible the Dragon spent much of his time in the south? Then he also had the dragonthralls, personal servants using tiny portions of his power to do his bidding, although Luir's is the remnants of the last dragonthrall's lair, which is technically in the north. I say that because I assume the dragonthralls were spread to all corners of the Known, making sure people didn't collect together in large enough groups to pose a threat. This is all in the docs somewhere, or in the mdescs of desert rooms.

And yes, the forest would have a cooling effect on their nearby environment, not just within the forest itself.