Common Zalanthan Misconceptions

[SailorMars]

Is there a page on the website dedicated to popular misconceptions about Arm? Like how Arm is different from the typical Tolkien/Forgotten Realms fantasy setting? If not, that might be cool. You know, stuff like dwarves don't have beards, elves aren't happy tree huggers, no clerics worshipping heavenly or infernal "deities", etc. In addition to saying how Zalanthas isn't, there could be corresponding information on how it is. Dwarves are bald, elves are often criminals, and the closest thing to god-worshipping is that of the Sorcerer-Kings.

I saw a page with popular mispellings. This could be added to that... Just a thought that came while reading the Sorcerer-King thread.

Edit: Oh yeah, mebbe this thread could also serve as a list to go into the help file (unless one is already out there).

[Ghost]

And halflings are not cute tiny fellas in their little holes, but savage man eaters!  Oh yeah..!

[Miee]

Dwarves: Dwarves do not have big beards and live in mines happily.  Dwarves have no hair whatsoever.  The only dwarves living in mines are the slaves in the obsidian mines of Allanak.  Not all dwarves are slaves (anymore), but a good number would still be, I'd imagine.  All dwarves have a "focus", a single overwhelming goal that their existance revolves around.  Think of your best friend back in junior high about the time Nevermind came out, Americans and Canadians.  Think of how obssessed they were over Kurt Cobain.  Take that to an obscene level.  Dwarven focus.

Elves: Elves are not tall and unearthly beautiful creatures of unsurpassed grace and magical ability.  While longer lived than most races, they are not "immortal."  They are only beautiful if you think Kate Moss would be beautfiful is she wasn't so "fat".  The only grace they have is in their ability to take every last thing you own.  They're proud, tribal, and incredibly suspicious of "others".  As a player of any race, you should probably be incredibly suspicious of them also.

Half-elves: Let's make a bit of a real-world anaolgy here.  I'm a quarter Korean, one of my best friends is half-Korean.  Odds are, we wouldn't be very popular in Korea.  Why?  We're dirty half-breeds.  We're miscengenatiated (if that's even a word.)  Also consider the experience of some mulattos about the time of the U.S. Civil War.  Too white to be black, too black to be white.  No one on either side of your parentage likes you.  What's worse, if you're a half-elf, your parents probably didn't like each other.  You're not the result of a spice-ale-fuled one night stand, you're a rape baby most likely.  You are a stain on your parents' existence.  You're probably as bad as a ...

Magicker/Magick: This is bad.  Magick is a big, bad, scary thing.  They can throw fireballs, make walls of sand, eat your baby, steal your girlfriend, and other very bad things.  If you're Northern, magickers should be set upon my a mob with pitchforks and torches and torn limb from limb.  If you're Southern, the same should happen, but the Highlord allows them, so you're stuck with them.  They're still <insert slur here>.

Sorcerers & Mindbenders:  See above, minus them being allowed by the Highlord, raise to a power of a hundred.

Sorcerer-Kings: These are your GODS, to say the least.  Angry Old Testament Yahweh in (presumable) physical form, so don't give the templars any shit.  Muk/Tek keeps your ass safe.  Show some appreciation (or rebel against his/her oppression).

Racism/Sexism/Sexual practices:  Racism is rampant and acceptable, but on basis of -race-, not skin color.  Everyone hates elves, and there are plenty of slurs for them.  Sexism is non-existant.  Your buxom, pink-ribboned Byn Sargent will mop the floor with your buff, manly warrior.  Women are equal to men, men are equal to women.  To look down on someone due to gender is most certainly abnormal.   Sexual practices would be valid gossip, but as stated by the Imms, if your mercenary partner likes meat, you most likely wouldn't even blink.  If he likes elf meat (not roasting over an open fire, if you're not following here), then you'd freak most definitely.

Nobility: They own your ass, but only slightly less than the templars.  Be polite, out of the way, and if they show you attention or give you a job, you should play like you value it very, very highly.

...Anything else?

ETA: I missed an article.

[Stroker]

If you're Northern, magickers should be set upon my a mob with pitchforks and torches and torn limb from limb.

Here's a common misconception. I think what new players ought to know is that magickers are -feared- meaning, you don't just wield your sword and go, you're a magicker, you have no real ability to fight what so ever, I can kill you(unless your character is a magicker hunter or something ....). Instead, you drop your sword and head for the hills.

[Agent_137]

*cough* archive *cough*

[Miee]

If you're Northern, magickers should be set upon my a mob with pitchforks and torches and torn limb from limb.

Here's a common misconception. I think what new players ought to know is that magickers are -feared- meaning, you don't just wield your sword and go, you're a magicker, you have no real ability to fight what so ever, I can kill you(unless your character is a magicker hunter or something ....). Instead, you drop your sword and head for the hills.

I was gonna try and explain that away with "should", but in all honesty, I was going for "Bad!  Evil!  Kill it!  Someone should kill it!"

So *ahem* Yes.

[Zhaira]

This is a useful thread, worthy of archival.

It was starting to get off track (into discussion, which is certainly not bad at all; after all, look at the forum name), but I wanted to preserve it while it was still what it was.

If you have things you wish to discuss, barring IC sensitive information, please form another thread.