I don't know if I'm wrong here, but it seems that average heights in our world translate to "short" heights on Zalanthas. As I understand, the average height for men (in the U.S) is around the medium five foot to low six foot range. For instance, I made a 5'9 character that had a hooded sdesc described as short. Or maybe I'm wrong and it's actually only a character's perception of other character's heights in relation to his own? A character shorter than another would see the other as "tall", and vice versa. Seeing as nutrition on Zalanthas is poor, are we seeing too many tall characters?
It is in relation to your character's height, to my knowledge. So you may see them as tall, but a tall person just sees them as average.
You see other characters height in relation to your own, yes.
For instance, that petite, blue-haired woman at the bar would probably be the tall, thin figure to a dwarf, and she might be the short, thin figure to the tall, muscular man (who is max height/weight).
As to how many/few short people there are, make whatever you like. If you have the option to make a 78 inch character, then of course you may. If the staff wanted us to be shorter, they'd shrink the the height options.
I'm just a hair under 6', and most of my friends refer to me as short.
Damned mutant half-giants...
It's relative. I know this because I had a PC who was like...I don't know, 68 inches or so, and then my next one was 78. Someone who'd been a tall figure was now a short figure.
Zalanthans are taller than you would expect. Normal human PCs are 62 -78 inches tall. That is 5'2" to 6'6". One of my RL grandmothers was 4'11" in Zalanthas she wouldn't exist! Or at least would have to be a special app. :P One of my uncles is 6'4", and he seems freakishly tall to me, but in Zalanthas he falls within the range of normal. Go figure.
What can possibly explain it?
1) The Zalanthan diet is much more nutritious than we usually realize. Apparently Travel Cakes are nutritionally very similar to meal replacement energy bars.
2) There has been much more inter-breeding with elves than any humans are willing to admit to.
3) The gravity is lower, which encourages greater height despite widespread malnutrition.
4) The staff digs tall people.
It's one of those unsolved mysteries.
Angela Christine
No offense, but so far as I know, that's all speculation. I don't know where you get this low gravity business from. I think I remember something about it being attached to all the large animals? Well, the organic materials in Zalanthas are also much stronger than their counterparts on earth. Prime examples are wood and chitin. So you wouldn't need less gravity to have those animals.
Besides, humans vary in their height from area to area. There's at least a three inch difference in the average height as you travel from New Orleans, LA to Dallas, TX. The average height in Dallas is close to six foot, and just about everyone regularly sees someone who is 6' 4".
Lastly, so-called "barbarian" races tend to be more physically imposing than strictly agrarian societies. Most likely it's because they tended to eat more meat. I remember a clear example of this being the comparison of Chinese to Mongolians. Even in China itself, there seems to be a significant height difference between northern chinese and southern chinese. I can't really quote a source, unfortunately.
Quote from: "Dalmeth"No offense, but so far as I know, that's all speculation.
Yes, it was all speculation, I thought that was obvious. Sorry if I wasn't clear.
It has to be speculation. You can't very well find out IC. "Hey, Amos, why is it that everybody is so tall?" "What you talking 'bout, Malik? Everybody looks normal sized to me."
The problem isn't just that they are tall, it is that they are tall and ought to be malnurished. Well fed barbarians can be quite big. But Zalanthas is a dry, dying world. People die of starvation and dehydration in the streets. I'd expect conditions like that to stunt your growth a bit. But even the most pathetic, starvng 'rinther is at least 5'2" by the time they are 13 years old. It is a little odd.
Angela Christine
nt
In a desert world, it would make sense for someone to be tall and thin, (why do you think elves thrive in the desert?) tall and thin combats the desert heat, for some wierd reason, i assume the concept is the same as the white-ant mounds in outback Australia. Tall and thin allows for more air to circulate (to help cool the body via sweat?) & to minimise the direct heat aimed at the body.
Just look at people from our own RL who live in a desert. Most of them are tall and thin.