Armageddon General Discussion Board

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Incognito on August 22, 2004, 11:29:54 AM

Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Incognito on August 22, 2004, 11:29:54 AM
Recently having played a few elven PCs I experienced something which I thought worth sharing here.

It seems in the cities, especially in Allanak, elves are severely discriminated against.Now, I am aware that Allanak houses the infamous Labyrinth, and is home to various unsavoury characters.

Consider this, if you will : There will always be a few elven PCs who twink out, and abuse their skills to steal, PK or inflict other types of elven nastiness beyond reason. But, those players are exceptions, and are exactly what have given the elven race a bad reputation in an OOC manner.

By automatically disdaining all elves, you as a human or dwarf or half-elf are reducing your chances of fun RP, and also restricting the RP elven PCs can have with you! Please bear that in mind. It should not be a given that all elves are to be hated, as quite a few PCs seem to be doing these days. This in my opinion might be more from OOC pre-conclusions, as against any IC reason/event/personal experience for that particular PC.

Folks, elves are like any other humanoid race - if you as a PC have a pre-ascertained hatred or dislike towards them, you are doing yourself as well as other elven PCs gross injustice! There is enormous potential for fun RP if you consider elves as part of everyday life, and treat them as you would other races. Some elves abuse the code, and have managed to give an OOC label to elves, but you should not even think of that as a PC.

On the other hand, I would also like to respectfully put a small note for elven PCs (and I definitely dont mean to instruct anyone about how they should RP ICLY here) - just because you can break into most houses or just because you can steal a character naked in 10 minutes, doesnt mean you have to take it to the limit. Remember to do things in moderation, so that you dont have the entire population hating and hunting you and everyone else who looks like you!

An example would be: A human in Star Trek dealing with a Firengi (sp?). The human would definitely interract with the Firengi, but with a constant alertness to see if he's getting conned! I hope that helps explain things.

To summarize:
Elves are not gith or halflings. Do not hate them inherently because of past experiences or from what you see other PCs RPing. You can have a lot of fun RPing with them, and vice versa.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Avril on August 22, 2004, 11:55:34 AM
Who's with me? Everyone? Well, then...
KILL THE BLOODY LONGNECKS!

Let me point out that, in real life, if I had the choice of killing people who I knew to be lying, thieving bastards, I'd form a lynch mob. Lynch mobs are great fun, especially when you're not the victim, and I can see a lot of role-playing to be had in an improvised crucifixion. I'd love to take part in an anti-elven pogrom, where soldiers and commoners ganged up on some unwitting longneck and butchered the crap out of him, so long as the code supported it, simply because it creates a great role-playing opportunity and a feeling of how humans would realistically treat elves in less-than-sober moments (remember, people don't even need to consider you a lying, thieving elven bastard to attack you - the very fact that you belong to an ill-reputed race can motivate them). In fact, I believe there are quite a few militia roles available for the starry-eyed executioners out there, so why not try out your fancy new obsidian sword in some sharp-eared taffer's gut?

I'm not sure if the Barrel uses the brawl code, but I've never seen any drunken mercenaries in the Gaj deciding to pay a visit to the northerner-loving, longneck-run bar and shove the bard's lute (or whatever it was) up his ass, or pick a fight with random longnecks. Teach those fuckers not to mess with you again, and if they didn't mess with you at all, well, they still deserved it. They're all bloody thieves, remember?

I do appreciate that some longnecks, in some parts of some cities, have better prices than most humans. In these cases, my characters might label them "less of a longneck" or just enjoy the fact that they're forcing the bastard to buy high and sell low. I'm talking about both PCs and NPCs, of course... Still, if your PC (elf or otherwise) tries to scam mine, no matter what my character's mindset, I don't see why he wouldn't just leave the bargaining table (unless he wanted to turn the tables and scam *your* PC).

Anyway, more mischief! More mischief, I say!
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: spawnloser on August 22, 2004, 12:21:54 PM
Avril, more mischief?  Yes.  More mayhem and outright hatred of a race that should only be distrusted?  No.  I'm with Incognito here.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Larrath on August 22, 2004, 12:26:25 PM
I agree that it appears people hate elves more than they should.  Elves should just be more regular, and I think this should be enforced by adding more elven NPCs to 'regular' places.  The Gladiator and the Gaj, the Barrel, the Bazaar and the streets.


The biggest part of discrimation, however, is that I don't think enough people involve elves in their roleplay, and this is an actually bad thing.  I'm also guilty of this because I could not think of reasons to approach them, but still.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Cuusardo on August 22, 2004, 12:47:39 PM
Elves are out there to lie to, steal from, and cheat you.  Why wouldn't you try to do them that same courtesy?
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: EvilRoeSlade on August 22, 2004, 01:42:28 PM
Quote from: "Avril"I'd love to take part in an anti-elven pogrom, where soldiers and commoners ganged up on some unwitting longneck and butchered the crap out of him, so long as the code supported it, simply because it creates a great role-playing opportunity and a feeling of how humans would realistically treat elves in less-than-sober moments (remember, people don't even need to consider you a lying, thieving elven bastard to attack you - the very fact that you belong to an ill-reputed race can motivate them).

And why doesn't the code support this?  Because that is NOT how you're supposed to treat elves.

Elves are the second most populous race on Zalanthas, only less than humans by a slim margin.  Most people wouldn't go any farther than distrusting elves, because who hate them enough to attempt to kill them at any opportunity aren't going to last very long.
Title: Hrm
Post by: The Lonely Hunter on August 22, 2004, 02:13:03 PM
Ya know, I remember a post from a few months back complaining that elves were not discriminated against and hated nearly enough.

Hanging out with an elf would be cool but in the setting of Zalanthas you would likely be more inclined to kill them.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Delirium on August 22, 2004, 02:19:03 PM
There's a pretty big grey area between "hanging out" with an elf and "killing" an elf...

I'm with the original poster in this.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Gilvar on August 22, 2004, 02:32:05 PM
Please read all available documentation on elves before saying they should not automatically be discriminated against. Its in an elves nature, their very being, to lie-cheat-steal. This is not optional, and any elf who doesn't play this way is role-playing badly. There isn't special cases where elves become philanthropists and kind-caring souls. Its just not who they are, or who they should ever become. Similarly they don't view it in the same negative connotation that the outside races would, its just a cultural difference. And finally with elves being a major population in Allanak these cultural tendancies would be well established, creating a general discrimination for the worse on all elves.

Anyone who is not another elf that would befriend, trust, or not shun an elf they do not know would have to be either an idiot, too young to know better, or suffering from some mental affliction that distorts common perceptions.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Delirium on August 22, 2004, 02:39:47 PM
I'm not saying that people should all be buddy buddy with strange elves, Gilvar, nor do I think the original poster was, either. Nor am I saying people should trust elves or be kindly disposed to them just because they deal with them. I just want to see more varied types of interaction - heck, more interaction in general instead of a complete lack of it besides 'kill elf'.

It just seems that people don't know how to deal with the grey area between being someone's best buddy in the world and utterly loathing/killing them.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Gilvar on August 22, 2004, 02:43:45 PM
Actually, I was responding to this:

Quote
By automatically disdaining all elves, you as a human or dwarf or half-elf are reducing your chances of fun RP, and also restricting the RP elven PCs can have with you! Please bear that in mind. It should not be a given that all elves are to be hated, as quite a few PCs seem to be doing these days. This in my opinion might be more from OOC pre-conclusions, as against any IC reason/event/personal experience for that particular PC.

Which is incorrect. It should be a given, for the reasons mentioned in my above post. The general belief should be: Elves bad. Not: this elf may be okay.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Armaddict on August 22, 2004, 03:32:01 PM
I don't mind, so much.

I don't think people should be going -out of their way- to hate a nearby elf, but should they get -any- contact with that elf, the longneck will get the worst of it.

It's one of the things I love about playing elves...everyone -hates- you, many want to -kill- you, and you've got to earn their trust so that you can take advantage of them, heh.

Just like in real-life, there are always extremists.  Most of these extremists are played by PC's.  And it works out fine that way, in my opinion.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: EvilRoeSlade on August 22, 2004, 03:43:43 PM
Quote from: "Gilvar"Please read all available documentation on elves before saying they should not automatically be discriminated against.
Oh, okay.

Well, lookie here.

Quote from: "Help Elf"City elves are scattered across the settled places of Zalanthas, and have adapted to live by their wits. True to the nature of elves they also live by their quick fingers, and are usually avoided by the honest citizens of other races.
I think that hating something and avoiding it if you happen to be an honest person are two very different things.  As a law-abiding person in real life, I avoid marijuana but I sure as hell don't hate it.

So in other words, I think you're wrong.  And come on people.  Who the fuck wants to be honest?
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Kanks, Anonymous on August 22, 2004, 03:59:06 PM
Gilvar is also wrong, because there are certain peoples who have no particular "issues" with elves, or magickers, or hell - not even sorcs of a certain type, or breeds for that matter. They have no REASON to have issues with them as groups. They were not born into cities where they were taught to have issues with them by their environment. They work along side these groups of people as a matter of survival and learn their ways, earn their respect and yes - even friendship in some circumstances.

They're the exception to the rule sure, but they are not idiots, mentally ill, or too young to know better.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Gilvar on August 22, 2004, 04:03:46 PM
First of all I didn't use the word hate in any of posts. Neither did I say PCs should go out of their way to hunt down and kill elves. Might be confusing, but I also never said they should take every chance they can to interact and make life unbearable for elves. (All of these being the opposite of avoiding).


I did however say in my first post:
Anyone who is not another elf that: trusted, befriended, or didn't shun another elf would be an idiot.

And in my second post I said:
The general belief should be: Elves bad. Not: this elf may be okay.

Both of those are correct, so no In other words... Im not wrong. Elves would not be 'avoided' if they weren't bad, or had a developed stigma indicitive of their thieving and untrustworthy nature. Elves should be viewed with discrimination, and yes as you pointed out from the documentation, avoided. That means not sitting like a stump with a smile on your face when one plops down on the bar beside you, or taking the time to hear their explanation of how their hand ended up in your pack.

Hope that clears it up.

QuoteThey're the exception to the rule sure, but they are not idiots, mentally ill, or too young to know better.

Yes, obvious exceptions, like people who have been taken in through the series of complicated loyalty tests, and then a few others.

Im speaking in general. Just like magickers are GENERALLY hated and feared, elves are GENERALLY discriminated against because of their undeniable nature as thieves and con-artists.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: EvilRoeSlade on August 22, 2004, 04:08:12 PM
Quote from: "Gilvar"Anyone who is not another elf that: trusted, befriended, or didn't shun another elf would be an idiot.

It says that honest people ought to shun elves.  It doesn't say that everybody should.

I agree that humans shouldn't trust elves or befriend them, but the way you would have it is humans completely ignoring elves as they happily chat in the elf-infested Barrel.  All that will do is make elves unplayable.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: mansa on August 22, 2004, 04:16:10 PM
Most elves live in a tribe.  Working for a second organization would be...  difficult... at best.  You would be split between your goals, and most people understand this.

I can see Kurac hiring the few elves that have had their tribes destroyed, or have been 'banned' from their tribes.  I think Kadius and Salarr should hire elves, aswell.   They -can- be the best merchants that you have, because they are so wily.

But...those elves should be few and far between.  Most elves live in their family unit.  That's stated as a fact.  If every single elf you make has 'no' tribe, then, honestly, you're not playing a Zalanthas elf.  You're playing a Tolkien elf.

...

Now, you then have to think about the playability issue.  I'll use a Mul for my racial roleplay example.   90% of muls are slaves.  Yet, whenever someone plays one, they end up escaping and doing other stuff.  The PC base of Muls, almost 10% of them are slaves.  It's crazy to think that even though the Docs say something, we as players cannot hold true to them and want to do things our own way, with our own fun.

Most players don't know the names of any city elf tribes.  Most players don't know how many tribes there is, or where they live, or how they go about life.  They have no idea what the population of their tribe is, or how to act in a tribal fashion. I think this is a major problem, and should be addressed first.

If there could be about 5 well written city elven tribes, then I'm sure more people will play elves in the cities.  If you're an elf that isn't in a tribe, then perhaps you should -state- that when you're asking Salarr for a job, and I assume Salarr will hire you on a temporary setting.   If Salarr says no, then I think the people behind those salarr players are realistically thinking about the world that they live in, or perhaps they just feckin' hate elves.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Armaddict on August 22, 2004, 04:21:41 PM
Some city elf tribes are in already.  There isn't documentation on them, however, and they're npc only.

Perhaps one of the new imms can help out with this. :)
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: mansa on August 22, 2004, 04:33:04 PM
Quote from: "Armaddict"Some city elf tribes are in already.  There isn't documentation on them, however, and they're npc only.

Perhaps one of the new imms can help out with this. :)

Perhaps YOU should write one and send it in.  They -might- make a 'clan' flag for you!
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Armaddict on August 22, 2004, 04:37:31 PM
I tried.  It failed miserably.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Anonymous on August 22, 2004, 11:28:30 PM
Racial discrimination should be the norm, not the exception.

Though, in much the same vein as Magickers, hating something doesn't mean shunning it, though reasons for not shunning a magicker are much different than reasons for not shunning an elf.

My opinions, at least.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Angela Christine on August 22, 2004, 11:30:38 PM
Quote from: "Delirium"
It just seems that people don't know how to deal with the grey area between being someone's best buddy in the world and utterly loathing/killing them.

That's true.  It is the same problem elementalists in Allanak have.  I think
people are afraid of doing the wrong thing (being too friendly) and getting
the RP police on their asses, so many go for the route of totally
ignoring/avoiding shunned types.  If I don't do anything, then I can't do
anything wrong.  So with both groups you are left with most PCs ignoring
you, or attempting to kill you.  There doesn't seem to be a guideline on how
to cautiously interact with these people in a "realistic" and thematically
consistant way, so people don't interact with them at all.

So how DO you interact with people you distrust?




And now for something completely similar.


***

It seems in the cities, especially in Allanak, elementalists are severely
discriminated against. Now, I am aware that Allanak houses the infamous
Elementalist Quarter, and is home to various unsavoury characters.


                  By automatically disdaining all elementalists, you as a regular
person are reducing your chances of fun RP, and also restricting the RP
elementalist PCs can have with you! Please bear that in mind. It should not
be a given that all elementalists are to be hated, as quite a few PCs seem to
be doing these days.

                  Folks, elementalists are like any other humanoid - if you as a
PC have a pre-ascertained hatred or dislike towards them, you are doing
yourself as well as other elementalist PCs gross injustice! There is enormous
potential for fun RP if you consider elementalists as part of everyday life,
and treat them as you would other professions.

***

I agree that it appears people hate elementalists more than they should.
Elementalists should just be more regular, and I think this should be
enforced by adding more elementalist NPCs to 'regular' places. The
Gladiator and the Gaj, the Barrel, the Bazaar and the streets.

The biggest part of discrimation, however, is that I don't think enough
people involve elementalists in their roleplay, and this is an actually bad
thing. I'm also guilty of this because I could not think of reasons to
approach them, but still.

***

There's a pretty big grey area between "hanging out" with an elementalist
and "killing" an elementalist...

***

I agree that regular people shouldn't trust elementalists or befriend them, but
the way you would have it is regular people completely ignoring
elementalists as they happily chat in the elementalist-infested Barrel.  All
that will do is make elementalists unplayable.

***

Just a bit of fun.  :twisted:


AC
Title: Realistic discrimination
Post by: Incognito on August 23, 2004, 12:59:22 AM
It seems (and I'm sure folks have seen it happen in the taverns), that PCs take a more casual approach to magickers sitting at the bar, than elven PCs.

Its things like this which made the basis for my original post.

Here's an attempt at grading what a human commoner "might" feel towards fellow humanoids on Zalanthas:

Other humans - neutral feelings
Half-giants - neutral feelings
Dwarves and half-elves - neutral to wary feelings
Muls - mostly ignored - too low on the social rung - like slaves
Elves - inherent alertness - but still on talking terms
Militia - respectful distance
Nobility - respectful distance - not to be approached unless called upon
Templarate - respectful fear
Magickers - fear - not to be approached usually (kill on sight in some parts of the Known World)
Citizens of other city-states - contempt to slight hatred
Raiders, Gith, Halflings - Kill on sight
Mindbenders, defilers, rapists, murderers - extreme hatred, hunted to exclusion
Muk and Tek - extreme fear - high possibility of loosing control over personal excretory functions

This discrimination/fear scale is by no means perfect, but at the same time, maybe enough to give a general idea of where elves might stand in the "big picture".
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: X-D on August 23, 2004, 01:23:57 AM
QuoteMuls - mostly ignored - too low on the social rung - like slaves

It is never a good idea to ignore a mul, slave or not, maybe read the mul docs then repost on that...cringe.

As for elves, Even elves view other elves with distrust if they are not from the same tribe, they KNOW what lying cheating thieving bastards they are.

If I was to play a human (a rare thing I admit) Elves would be viewed as always trying to cheat your or steal from you, so, speaking terms, heh, not likly unless I wanted something, and even then I'm gonna sit/stand as far as I can and still be able to talk. Humans will have been taught from birth that all elves are out to steal everything they can from everybody they can, it does not matter if it is true or not. And from an RP perspective, any time I see a human getting chummy with an elf I just hope that the elf's player has some mad scheme to rob this person over and over without them knowing it, a quite prideful act for an elf.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Anonymous on August 23, 2004, 01:34:04 AM
QuoteHalf-giants - neutral feelings

Yeah and I disagree about this one too. I don't think that anyone would be neutral about a creature of that size and strength. They could potentially tear a person in half for fuck's sake.

Also, it says in the docs that they are easy to change allegiances...so that would make them untrustworthy for the most part.

I think many would be wary or distrustful around them because of the potential danger. Just as some wouldn't be because the lack of brains. I would think that most would either go one way or another and those that are neutral would be in the minority.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: jstorrie on August 23, 2004, 02:14:12 AM
Being openly hostile to elves doesn't mean one loses out on roleplaying with them.  Rather, you're just roleplaying in another fashion.

Conflict can (and often is) more fun than just sitting around the Barrel and tossing back a few ales.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: spawnloser on August 23, 2004, 02:18:58 AM
Yes, jstorrie, and conflict doesn't have to be, "You dirty elf, get the feck out before I run ya through!" either.  Conflict can be dirty looks and sneers, whispers behind backs and 'accidental' spills on the target of your dislike.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: jhunter on August 23, 2004, 02:25:18 AM
Heheh yeah, which reminds me wasn't there a discussion a while back about being able to pour liquids on people Spawnloser?
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Akaramu on August 23, 2004, 06:00:34 AM
Quote from: "Angela Christine"By automatically disdaining all elementalists, you as a regular person are reducing your chances of fun RP, and also restricting the RP elementalist PCs can have with you! Please bear that in mind. It should not be a given that all elementalists are to be hated, as quite a few PCs seem to be doing these days.

Folks, elementalists are like any other humanoid - if you as a PC have a pre-ascertained hatred or dislike towards them, you are doing yourself as well as other elementalist PCs gross injustice!

As always, I have to very much disagree with AC on this subject. And I hate to disagree with AC.  :wink:

Why is disdaining an elementalist cheating them out of fun RP experiences? Disdaining someone IS a fun roleplay experience for them, or should be, if they belong to one of the 'outsider' groups of Zalanthas. People who play magickers should EXPECT to be shunned, just like elves should expect to be distrusted, and mindbenders should expect the worst if they dont keep their powers VERY secret.

I agree that just simply ignoring someone isnt very fun for them. A few emotes of HOW they are ignored can be a fun experience, as well as sneering, and suspicious glances. And realistically, magickers DESERVE to be shunned. I'm sure most living people in both city-states remember the events of the last HRPT. *shudder*

Out of my 6 characters so far, 3 were elementalists. I've had a very good time with all of them, and sometimes wished MORE PCs would express obvious anxiety or hatred towards my magickers (without necessarily plotting to kill them). Besides, there is always the option of going ungemmed - there should be some temptation behind the risk of doing this.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Angela Christine on August 23, 2004, 06:35:53 AM
Quote from: "Akaramu"
Quote from: "Angela Christine"By automatically disdaining all elementalists, you as a regular person are reducing your chances of fun RP, and also restricting the RP elementalist PCs can have with you! Please bear that in mind. It should not be a given that all elementalists are to be hated, as quite a few PCs seem to be doing these days.

Folks, elementalists are like any other humanoid - if you as a PC have a pre-ascertained hatred or dislike towards them, you are doing yourself as well as other elementalist PCs gross injustice!

As always, I have to very much disagree with AC on this subject. And I hate to disagree with AC.  :wink:

You missed my little joke, I suppose it was a very little joke. In the bits between the ***s I took a bunch of the pro-elf posts and did a search/replace, exchanging elfy words for elementalist references.  My point being that in both cases the people are somewhat shunned by society, and that it is hard to roleplay this shunning.  Often, in both cases, people default to either ignoring or attempting to kill the undesirable individuals.  Ignoring is a kind of roleplay, I suppose, but interactive roleplay is better.

So how does one roleplay out distrust, suspicion and fear without simply ignoring or killing the person you distrust?  The answer to that question would be useful for dealing with elves, elementalists, wild muls and other undesirables.


AC
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Krath on August 23, 2004, 08:22:21 AM
All my PCs will hate elves and never have a reason to trust them. Why should they if the documentation
clearly states they are hated and not trusted? If I am playing an elf and they are not part of my tribe
I am going to trust them as much as a human would an elf, until I give them the "tests".
Title: Re: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Callisto on August 23, 2004, 08:32:37 AM
Quote from: "Incognito"Consider this, if you will : There will always be quite a few elven PCs who twink out, and abuse their skills to steal, PK or inflict other types of elven nastiness beyond reason.

Fixed for sad truth.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: sarahjc on August 23, 2004, 09:01:35 AM
Is that even twinking?? I mean isn't that what elves do.. I have never played an elf.. Mostly due to what Mansa said, I don't know enough about the tribes or elven culture to do a good job.  However I've played almost all my PC's as basically untrusting of elves and sometimes if it was a particularly arrogant elf, a bit hateful, but mostly just untrusting. Why?? cause they are sneaky thieving bastards with hidden agendas.  There have been times where I have had to be nice an elf, but only to gain something and only on a superficial level.

I mean the doc's basically say that being an elf, you are a wheeler dealer type, shifty and cunning. It's in your blood, those are not admired qualities in a person. Unless perhaps to another elf.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Pantoufle on August 23, 2004, 11:06:10 AM
I haven't had time to read any of the replies here yet, so this may have already been said.

Elves should be discriminated, yes, but I think some people may misinterpret discrimination.  By my understanding there aren't any attempts at ethnic cleansing.  Most elves may be prevented from gaining employment on various (human) levels, but then again ... most elves don't want employment from said individuals, prefering to rely on their tribe or family as well as their elven cunning.  So they shouldn't be hated outright (unless, maybe, you're a noble), just disliked and distrusted.

Furthermore, elves can offer merchandise unavailable on many other markets (this is actually reflected with the code in more than one area of the game).  If you want to get your hands on certain goods, you have no choice but to deal with an elf.  So you can go ahead and hate all elves until you are blue in the face, they still have a service to offer and are therefore useful.  When I vacationed in Turkey last summer I wanted to take home one of those fancy oriental-style carpets, and this required haggling with a salesman in the bazaar.  I knew he was a thief, I knew he was trying to scam me, but that didn't stop me from haggling with the fellow because I wanted his goddam rug!  See what I mean?
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Bestatte on August 23, 2004, 11:16:59 AM
Awesome example, Pantoufle! Dealing with elves is just like that - dealing with a trader in a market that promotes negotiating prices and scams. You -know- you want something that elf has, or offers. Whether it's spying because you know he's really good at keeping hidden in dark corners where the important people hang out, or getting interesting things from some obscure trading post far from your reach, or killing that pesky dwarf, etc. etc.

At some point or another, every PC will have reason to interact with an elf. There's just too many of them to think otherwise. So sure - hate on, if your character -would- hate. But alienating the second most populous race in the entire known world is cutting off your nose to spite your face. You don't have to make up reasons to want to kill them, and you don't have to make up reasons to interact with them on a less hostile basis. You need only go to the docs, and the justifications for BOTH are clearly laid out.

And anyone who thinks that "ANYONE" who will trust an elf is a moron - should read the docs, or even find out IC why someone WOULD trust an elf. Hint: Depends on what you're trusting them to do.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: sarahjc on August 23, 2004, 11:19:39 AM
Agreed, one of my past PC's had to deal with the filthy scum on a daily basis, in fact looked to deal with them. That did not stop her from hating them, just not to their faces. I mean, yes, nobody is wiping out the elves, but I can understand backhanded comments and looks of disapproval in high end places and from city big wigs. They should be thought of as sneaky and dishonest.
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Bogre on August 23, 2004, 01:10:04 PM
Maybe your angry because your a dirty armor-wearing sweaty bloodied grungy breed in a fine eating establishment, and people tell you to leave.
Title: Yeah.
Post by: Anonymous on August 25, 2004, 08:12:59 AM
I'm gonna straddle the fence a little. In the not so distant past I had a char who kept having involuntairy run-ins with a couple of elves (she tried to avoid them, they kept showing up!). At first I went with the active 'by the docs' process. 'Necks were only speaking to her because they wanted something, and Krath knows what it was. One of them followed her through the streets, and near had her jumping off a roof.. Though this was before she knew it was an elf, she wasn't sticking around to find out who was chasing her. Turns out he wanted a spy. If she hadn't been such a chicken and one of those (ugh) -honest- people, woulda been great RP. But she didn't trust that elf as far as she could spit.

The other elf, never did figure out what he wanted besides a cheap meal and a free grope. Always seemed to show up around the time she was cooking, and demand and/or swipe food. Nothing else, that I noticed. He teased her, copped a feel, filched some food, all went on their merry way. Yet she actually got used to/expected it, and found said elf entirely more tollerable than the other. Even though the other would've paid her hefty sums, while the latter was taking her dinner and feeling her up. But aside from the ass-obsessesion, it was sort of reminiscent of the kid in the cartoon, stealing the fresh baked pie off a window-sil.

So I'll agree with whoever all said it, there may be an IC reason for the tollerance, and even quirky sorts of understanding/friendships.. And an IC reason for the sheer dislike. I managed to have both cases, in a single character.
:roll:  :wink:
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: jmordetsky on August 25, 2004, 09:13:56 AM
I discriminate against the players who actually chose to play elves as well as the elves themselves. Anyone who actually wants to play an elf has to have something innately wrong with them. If I met them in real life I probably wouldn't hang out with them. So, I don't RP with them either.

EDIT: Dwarves as well.
Title: try a half elf
Post by: proxie on August 25, 2004, 01:22:31 PM
Yeah, elves are distrusted.

But, half elves...wow. Talk about playing that kid in high school that everybody pushed around or ignored if you were lucky. Playing a half elf that didn't pretend to be human or elf had to have been the most draining rp at times. The sheer shunning of this pc was great to watch.

Next one though, I think I'll play one that does pretend and see how many people use the assess -v command and act on what it says.

Muahahahaha  :wink:
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Seeker on August 25, 2004, 02:59:28 PM
Quote from: "Incognito"Other humans - neutral feelings
Half-giants - neutral feelings
Dwarves and half-elves - neutral to wary feelings
Muls - mostly ignored - too low on the social rung - like slaves
Elves - inherent alertness - but still on talking terms
Militia - respectful distance
Nobility - respectful distance - not to be approached unless called upon
Templarate - respectful fear
Magickers - fear - not to be approached usually (kill on sight in some parts of the Known World)
Citizens of other city-states - contempt to slight hatred
Raiders, Gith, Halflings - Kill on sight
Mindbenders, defilers, rapists, murderers - extreme hatred, hunted to exclusion
Muk and Tek - extreme fear - high possibility of loosing control over personal excretory functions

Maybe shift this around some?  Change the rankings a bit?


Other humans - neutral feelings
Dwarves - neutral to frustration at obstinance
Militia -  gratitude, repect, fear, repressed resentment.
Half-giants - concerned caution at all times.
Humans with the wrong accent - suspicion
Elves - distrust, prejudice.
Half-elves - reproachful distain.
Muls - extreme caution, terror at unleashing that murderous mul-rage.
Elementalists - South.
Known active murders/rapists/bloody-handed raiders.
Flesh-eating monsters of the wilds standing before you.
Nobility - envy, awe.
Flesh-eating monsters of the wilds that are chewing on you.
Templarate - respectful, oppressing terror and awe.
Elementalists - North  
Mindbenders, defilers - extreme hatred, hunted to exclusion
Muk and Tek - extreme fear - high possibility of loosing control over personal excretory functions


Seeker
Title: Elven discrimination - IC vs OOC
Post by: Dracul on August 26, 2004, 12:38:04 AM
If we saw gith or halfing...we'd kill them on sight....

If we had a big enough group....we'd beat down elves...then piss on them.


Theres a difference of porportions there.  
Note: I play mainly elves.