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  1. #1
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    Asian classes and monsters

    While browsing through lots of classes (see my other post on such a list), I started wondering about the notable number of Asian-flavor classes, such as samurai, monk, or wu jen. I had been striking these as unsuitable to BR, but I have a charitable streak, and tried to come up with a way to squeeze them in. I'm not saying anyone *must* shoehorn them in, just playing with ideas.
    One suggestion would be emphasize the non-human ("alien" if you will) mindset of the sidhe, by allowing (only) them to use these kind of classes. Then I realized that some of them are primarily lawful-- would a sidhe samurai really seem likely? One who would willingly (and quickly) sacrifice their life for a point of honor? While I could see them taking up the monk class (spending long periods of time studying in isolation, and being able to do seemingly superhuman deeds), it also is lawful.
    Dwarves are rather lawful, but that seemed to run against their grain.
    Of course, as DM, I can change either the class or race restrictions, but I don't like doing that on a whim. Besides, elves seem popular among my players, and I wasn't sure I wanted them running all over the place. {I'll show off my 1980's gaming roots by saying that I have a knee-jerk aversion to everything ninja.}
    My next thought was to postulate Asian-flavor classes as one of the monster races, perhaps one that is warlike and sometimes well-organized. Goblins, ogres, giants and gnolls are too chaotic, IMO. Ogres and giants (to me) seemed too uncivilized. {I'm willing to accept, nay champion, the concept of giant civilization in Cerilia, but only in the prehistoric past.}
    Orogs, however, are both aggressive and somewhat organized. In my experience, whatever culture they have has not been explored. (Has it been hidden away, underground?) Further checking of the BRCS says they are "usually neutral evil" and looking at some of these classes says they are not all lawful.
    As a result, then, I am thinking over the idea that there may be more to orogs than is seen by humans/sidhe on the surface. There may not be a very advanced society like medieval Japan/China, but there certainly could be a deeper culture than the goblins display. It might prove an interesting concept if my players ever try to adventure long-term under the earth, to find this alien, unknown culture to help along the concept that they are not in their comfortable Cerilian world any longer.
    Opinions?

    Lee.

  2. #2
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    I would say the best place to place them is the sidhe who have many human lives to live and used to have a number of nations and different cultures that could still have hold over and small number of people. I have made frequent use of things like blade dancers and bladesingers amoung the elves. Some of the islands mentioned near cerilia might be good places for them too where djapir has more infuence and maybe they have their own culture.

    There are also hold outs amoung other races. Goblin magicians/wizards how does there practice differ from human/sidhe. Isolated dwarven or sidhe communities.

    Giants could have surviving coulture in some places storm gianst on baerghos island, stone giants communites in the mountains.
    MORNINGSTAR

  3. #3
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    Lightbulb Asian Classes

    While Samurai and Monk levels always seemed like a reasonable and potentially cool option in many games, as I think we might guess by the " Elven alignment restriction" discussion, they probably aren't appropriate for the Sidhelien of Birthright. The Orogs are a possibility I guess, but the goblinoids seem more likely to me than the Orogs.

    Probably an even better choice would be a human culture. The Khinasi might work had they not been so well-detailed (and so strongly tied to middle eastern culture) already. Perhaps monks would work for the Khinasi, though. It doesn't seem like an entirely out-of-place option.

    Maybe the best option for use of the asian classes is for the Masetians, who, as far as I saw, were never developed much at all. The only brief look we get at them in any game material, as far as I remember, is in the descriptions we got of the Serpent's lands (the only remaining location of any true Masetians). Unfortunately, (though maybe this isn't a problem) I suppose this would mean the classes would be rare, as anyone who joined one would have to somehow be trained by or descended from the Masetians, either a secret enclave or directly from the lands of the serpent. Also unfortunately, (if this sort of thing bothers you) the pictures of the Serpent's holdings looked more meso-American or Egyptian than Asian.

    The classes don't seem to have room anywhere else much except off-continent, maybe on the islands in the Miere Draconii. I don't know. I hope this helps.

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