'Rinthers and racial role-play

[Quirk]

Something I read in another thread set me thinking. While in 'Nak itself and, of course, Tuluk, the racial divides are glaring and the elf and the half-breed are contemptible scum, I believe things to be potentially rather different in the 'Rinth.

Such humans as end up forced out to the squalid lawless no-man's-land of the 'Rinth are, in my opinion, likely to feel a far greater affinity with the outcast races than those happily settled in the comfortable inner city. While east side and west are sometimes at loggerheads, I suspect that a 'Rinther would far rather side with someone from the far side than one of the despised southsiders, even if they were of a different race. Of course, that doesn't mean that a 'Rinth human would trust an elf, or vice versa, but then a 'Rinth human would be unlikely to place too much trust in any fellow 'Rinther of any race.

I guess I'm suggesting that some of the prejudices common to Zalanthas would be relaxed to a degree within the 'Rinth, where only the paranoid stay alive, and there's no militia to protect you if you offend the wrong person. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on the topic.

[Carnage]

Zagren's document on what you know as a 'Rinth rat covers racism a bit.

[Rindan]

Traditionally, I believe that the rivalry between east and west 'rinth has been sharply divided along racial lines.  While it might make sense for things to play at as you describe, you might also want to consider the other element involved.  It is simply easier to associated with people of your own race.  It is easier to get an all elf or all human gang going, then to get a mixed gang going.  It might be that prejudice has come about purely for sake of ease when drawing battle lines.  'rinthers are not exactly a unified bunch of 'borthers'.  An easy way to split people up into defendable groups would simply be to work along racial lines.

Another thing to consider is that 'rinth elves are known to be highly tribal.  Not all of them, but enough where one would be very weary of elves.  Tribal elves in a 'rinth like environment would be very dangerous as they have completely loyalty with each other and are not likely to befriend anyone outside of their circle.  A tribal 'rinth elf would clearly fall into the 'enemy' category for most people within the 'rinth.  That isn't to say that you wouldn't deal with them, you just always know that they are out to screw you in the end.

Even with lines splitting people down the middle I think that mutual hate for the rest of Allanak would unit them in any threat.  The random Byn mass murderer or anyone from the upper class of Allanak (Templars, nobility, militia) with the gall to enter the 'rinth would likely meet the same fate from a unified force of 'rinther acting to keep those people out.

One thing to consider is that while there exists hate, you don't want to kill off people who bring money.  I don't think it would be unacceptable for a human to wander into the elven market.  If anything, I imagine it would be encouraged and assaulting people on the way to the market would be a good way to piss off the wrong tribe of elves.  Similarly, while an obviously rich person would be quickly cut down and killed, a more modest person might be allowed to pass through the 'rinth so long as their stay was short and unobtrusive.  Money comes into the 'rinth from somewhere, and I imagine no one is going to assault a discreetly dressed agent from some house off to make a deal with whatever shady powers that be, if for no other reason then out of fear who might have an invested interest in that person safety within the 'rinth.