Cultures and races

[rcantin@oricom.ca (Robin]

I don't really have a favorite 'race' (I'd say culture, since the talk is
more about values), but I like to compare the Birthright cultures with the
historical ones. Some of the Birthright nations seem to come right out of
our historical middle-age, and others don't fit too neatly.

So here are my notes on that issue. I hope some of you have an interest in
history, so they'll be able to fill in the blanks and perhaps correct my
perceptions.

The Anuierans, of course, remind us of the Western Europeans. France and
Britain, perhaps? The armors really looks Europeans.No wonder they've been
developed first, most fantasy games have a strong European biais.

The Khinasi are clearly Arab, probably inspired by the peoples from the
Middle East.

The Brecht's names are clearly Germanic in nature: Otto, Adler, Gunther,
Gretchen, etc. The Germans, masters of trade and the seas? Maybe not.The
Dutch, perhaps?

The Rjuven people look like a cross between Viking-age Scandinavians and
their Norman ancestors, after they integrated some Celtic culture (although
druids were never influent in Scandinavian cultures, I think not).

The Vos are an enigma to me. LrdUnholy@aol.com (sorry, I can't figure out
what your name is) says they have a Mongol-like culture, but the names are
clearly Slavic. Anyone know of an historical culture that fits?

The Elves really look like those good old Celtic Elves to me (the Celts
called them Sidhe). I'm surprised to see no mentions of faery mounds in
Birthright products. The names really look Gaelic.

I don't know much about Dwarves and Hobbits (ok, Halflings...). Were they
part of a culture's folklore before Tolkien (The Lords of the Rings and
al.) made them famous?

Robin Cantin


Webmaster of the Direct Democracy Pages
http://www.oricom.ca/~rcantin/AIntro.html
Les Pages Democratie Directe
http://www.oricom.ca/~rcantin/Introduction.html

[Robert Ripley]

> The Vos are an enigma to me. LrdUnholy@aol.com (sorry, I can't figure out
> what your name is) says they have a Mongol-like culture, but the names are
> clearly Slavic. Anyone know of an historical culture that fits?
>


The vos are middle ages- Russians. Boyar and Tsarevos are taken
directly
from early russian culture. As is their dress and customs.

Bob R.

************************************************** **********************
PBeM Birthright- Regents of the Southern Marches
http://home.earthlink.net/~bobripley/index.html
bobripley@earthlink.net
************************************************** **********************

[HCD or SIR SPUD I]

Robin Cantin wrote:
>
> I don't really have a favorite 'race' (I'd say culture, since the talk is
> more about values), but I like to compare the Birthright cultures with the
> historical ones. Some of the Birthright nations seem to come right out of
> our historical middle-age, and others don't fit too neatly.
>
> So here are my notes on that issue. I hope some of you have an interest in
> history, so they'll be able to fill in the blanks and perhaps correct my
> perceptions.
>
> The Anuierans, of course, remind us of the Western Europeans. France and
> Britain, perhaps? The armors really looks Europeans.No wonder they've been
> developed first, most fantasy games have a strong European biais.
>
> The Khinasi are clearly Arab, probably inspired by the peoples from the
> Middle East.
>
> The Brecht's names are clearly Germanic in nature: Otto, Adler, Gunther,
> Gretchen, etc. The Germans, masters of trade and the seas? Maybe not.The
> Dutch, perhaps?
>
> The Rjuven people look like a cross between Viking-age Scandinavians and
> their Norman ancestors, after they integrated some Celtic culture (although
> druids were never influent in Scandinavian cultures, I think not).
>
> The Vos are an enigma to me. LrdUnholy@aol.com (sorry, I can't figure out
> what your name is) says they have a Mongol-like culture, but the names are
> clearly Slavic. Anyone know of an historical culture that fits?

The Vos can be compared to the barbarians from the dawn of time.
Something around the fertile crescent of Egypt maybe.


> The Elves really look like those good old Celtic Elves to me (the Celts
> called them Sidhe). I'm surprised to see no mentions of faery mounds in
> Birthright products. The names really look Gaelic.

I would be more inclined to relate them to the Native American Indians.


> I don't know much about Dwarves and Hobbits (ok, Halflings...). Were they
> part of a culture's folklore before Tolkien (The Lords of the Rings and
> al.) made them famous?

I don't know about the dwarves, but the Halflings, I feel, come from the
eastern part of Europe (Hungarians, Czechs, etc.).

These others I agree with. Maybe the Birthright designers can tell us
if we are close to the truth or if we are just grasping at straws.

Sir Spud I

[Jason Michael]

> The Vos are an enigma to me. LrdUnholy@aol.com (sorry, I can't figure out
> what your name is) says they have a Mongol-like culture, but the names are
> clearly Slavic. Anyone know of an historical culture that fits?
Mongols were slightly "Russian" in origin. Being located
inbetween China and Sibera (I think). So the similarity in names could
be due to that.
> I don't know much about Dwarves and Hobbits (ok, Halflings...). Were they
> part of a culture's folklore before Tolkien (The Lords of the Rings and
> al.) made them famous?
Dwarves were Scandinavin in origin too I think. They used to
live underground and had many powers, all of which were "stored" in their
girths. To steal a dwarf's grith gave you the power to control him.
They were just popularized by Tolkien. Hobbits/Halflings were Tolkien's
own creation as far as I know.


Jason Michael

-

[Dandakil Snerd/Obscured]

> BI>> > The Elves really look like those good old Celtic Elves to me (the
Celts
> BI>> > called them Sidhe). I'm surprised to see no mentions of faery
mounds in
> BI>> > Birthright products. The names really look Gaelic.
> BI>>
> BI>> I would be more inclined to relate them to the Native American
Indians.
>
> BI> DAMMIT PEOPLE WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK
HEADS
> BI>THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN??? WE ARE NOT
> BI>INDIANS THERE IS NO ONE NAME FOR US WE CAN NOT BE LUMPED TOGETHER
UNDER
> BI>ONE NAME AS A "RACE". FOR ALL YOU WHITE PEOPLE READING THIS, WHAT
WOULD
> BI>YOU HAVE TO SAY IF I TOOK ONE OF YOU AMERICANS, A RUSSIAN AND A GERMAN
> BI>AND CALLED YOU ALL WHITE GUYS OR INTENIONALLY SCREWED AROUND WITH YOUR
> BI>"NATONALITIES, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO SAY??? YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE
A
> BI>FIT WELL NOW YOU KNOW WHAT WE THINK WHEN YOU CALL US "NATIVE AMERICAN
> BI>INDIANS"
> BI> THE ONLY GROUP NAMES FOR US ARE OUR TRIBAL NAMES )ALTHOUGH
SOME WILL
> BI>TOLERATE BEING CALLED NATIVE AMERICANS) SO EITHER GET IT RIGHT OR
DON'T
> BI>MENTION US AT ALL.
> BI> "THATS MY TWO CENTS" AS YOU ALL LIKE TO SAY!
>
> BI> SIGNED,
> BI> He Who Walks With The
White Wolf
>
> Settle down. You need to stop being so sensitive. You just made a
> stereotypical generalzation of your own in your little message. Not
> everyone on this list is white, however, I would be very suprised (and
> disapointed) if anyone sent a response whining about how you lumped all
> RPGers together as being white. People make mistakes and people make
> generalizations. No, they are not always right, but it's human nature.
> A message asking for a clarification of the term "Native American
> Indian" with a reminder that there are many different tribes through out
> North America would have served your purpose, as well as added to the
> discussion we are currently having.
>
> With that out of the way, I am curious to know which Native American
> tribe is being refered to by the author of the "offending" post.
>
> If anyone would care to flame me for the comments I made please send it
> to me and not the list so as not to clutter other's mailboxes.

I think it is absurd. How many white people would actually care if this
guy started calling them a german if they were french, or started calling
them Slavic if they were Russian? Sure, a couple people would, but I sure
as heck wouldn't freak out about it
and feel that I need to tell the entire Birthright list about it.

Anyway, how about we not start freaking out and getting into Racial issues.
They have no place here, unless we
are talking about the Brechts obvious superiority above every other
Birthright race :)

Later,
Dan

[Undertaker]

At 06:33 AM 4/28/97 -0700, Dan(soma@flash.net)wrote:
>

>
>unless we are talking about the Brechts obvious superiority above
>every other Birthright race :)
>

Until they run into the Rjuvik. Then thier flaws shine through. ;)


Undertaker, richt@metrolink.net

"War is a matter of vital importance to the State;
the province of life or death;
the road to survival or ruin.
It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied."
-Sun Tzu,(The Art of War)-