After reading the Gazetter, so far it appears that Golarion is a very Human dominated world, my question is what about the rest of the races?
Elves and Gnomes I can understand why there populations and territories are small: The majority of the Elven population left Golarion in exodus by means of magical portals, leaving behind a small fraction of there population to act as wardens and caretakers of elven holdings. Only recetly have the elves decided to return to the world/plane that they call home. Although still small, the elven population is on the rise and with am increasing prescence in the world I suspect the elves will once again be reclaiming lost territories and building nations.
Gnomes are a people that are more closely associated with the First World (Golarion's Fey World) than with Golarion, and Gnomish presence on Golarion has always been small. However, recently there has been some turmoil on the First World causing a steady migration of Gnomes to Golarion in search of safety while they await for whatever upheval is occuring on the First World to pass. Gnomish populations on Golarion are also rising and while the gnomes are probably not as likely as the elves to be making territorial claims and bids for political power and influence, they will be looking for ideal places to build there communities despite who may actually claim to "own" that land.
So what about Dwarves and Halflings. Where are the Dwarven Nations and Kingdoms? Are they mostly underground? And what about Halflings, do they not have any lands, nations, or Kingdoms of there own. Or are the realms of Dwarven and Halfings majorities located outside of the areas we have already been exposed too.
Also, what about Giants, where are the lands that the various gaint races claim on Golarion?
Just looking for some clarification,
Thanks in advance,
Brine
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*nods*
Dwarves are suffering the old D&D stigma of a race on the decline. Whether it be disease, breeding problems, or digging to deep and being killed be the dangers below, dwarves are a diminishing race.
Halflings don't have nations, they live side by side mostly with humans.. like the Gazetteer says..
I think also that the Gazeteer looks at the world from a very human-centric point of view. When the guide books to elves comes out for example I think we might see things a little differently. Just a thought
From what is seems, Avistan/Garund is very human-centric because Golarion is an old world. The Gazeteer mentions elves and dwarves as ancient races, the first used to rule the surface and the second the underground. Primitive humans where the bane of the surface and (primitive?) orcs the bane of the underground
Now, notice I said Avistan/Garund, because we dont know much about the other continents. We know of human kingdoms in other continents (Vudra and Tian Xia. But we know little of places like Arcadia, Casmaron and the Crown of the World.
As a game designer, Ill say we will keep having humans as a major player in most of Golarion, simply because its easier for players to mirror themselves in such societies and roles. Which doesnt rule out a region were humans are the minority. Id like to see something like that. Another race as rulers of a large region where humans are second-class
What about elven conquerors seen as gods by primitive humans in a aztec-like Arcadia? ;)