When I was writing a setting a while back I was doing research on elves and dwarves in regards to their mythological origin. In short, the term "Vættir" was applied to supernatural creatures and these nature spirits divide up into 'families', including the Álfar (elves) and Dvergar (dwarves).
I wanted elves & dwarves to appear more "fantastic", so I decided to make them one race. Thanks to a case of sexually dimorphism, all Vættir males appear like we normally see dwarves. All Vættir women are elves. They are generally "split" at birth and don't live in the same society. In general- the two sexes dislike each other a great deal. However, there is a single night out of the year where they put aside their differences. This night is the night of the festive of fertility, a celebration where Vættir pay respect to the goddess of fertility. (If you wanna use Germanic deities- Nerthus works).
Half breeds are common (try keeping it in your pants or staying off your back all but one night a year...) but sterile. The child of a elf and a dwarf is always the same- males are dwarves and female are elves. Anyone breeding with a dwarf gets a stocky, hairy version of their race. (I used the Halfing race and changed their weapon proficiency to dwarven weapons.) Females from dwarf fathers generally get picked on by other Vættir for being "masculine". Half-Elves (using the same race) come out much more gaunt and fair, making them look slightly more feminine. (Something the dwarves just can't stop laughing about... "frilly ass half humans!")
This came from the concept of "sexually dimorphism". Some species exhibit extreme physical differences between their genders (look at the angler fish!!!). I always saw dwarves as being a metaphor for males (hard drinking, big beards, strong, boxy body, rude, crude, brave, ect) while elves represented all that was feminine (grace, poise, patience, the ability to make a fine sandwich on command, slight build, ect) This became the next logical step in my brain.
What do you guys think? Anything else I should conciser?
Now that is what i call a stormingly cool idea.
If your looking to explore it further, might i suggest 'The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature'
Oh, and if you have ideas for reimagaining the other races, i would love to here them.
Females from dwarf fathers generally get picked on by other Vættir for being "masculine".
I assume you mean female offspirng of unions between a Dwarf (Male Vættir) and another race, since the female fram a dwarf father, if the mother is an elf, would be, by your earlier description, an elf.
I do clown. I'll clarify that.
And thanks Zombieneighbours :D
I got a few others that will come up. I'll definitely look into that book too! What's it about?
I might conciser swapping the bonus to dex and penalty to str (+2 str, -2 dex) but the gnome doesn't really work for a base race.
It is one of the documents which describes the red queen hyposis specifically focusing on the evolutionary arms race between male and female humans. It postulates an evolutionary pathway that might lead to sexual Dimorphism, with a special focus on human behviour. As far as books on evolution go, lecturers in ethology considered it to be up there with the selfish gene and the origins of species.
I'm somewhat familiar with the selfish gene theory, but that sounds like an interesting read all the same :D
dwarves and elves... living together... total chaos!
Seconding the awesome idea. Sounds similar to what is hinted at on Castrovel.
lol that was actually how I started this entire train of thought XD
Dorf Womans
In nordic mythology, Loki the trickster seemed to like becoming a female and getting pregnant with horrifying creatures.
Perhaps you could have them sexless until they choose their sex at puberty. So a PC who is still in adolescence would be a s/he until they decide. (I assume looking like a ken doll with their clothes off)Don't know how conventional your player's views are on sexuality are, but it would definitely be a source of ROLE play with emphasis on the role part. ( I wouldn't because my groups would joke to distraction)
If you use dimorphism, there is always the amazon option:
they only meet to breed. You could throw in a little star trek vulcan and they would only breed every 6 or 7 years.
The other years they despise each other.
In Niven and Pournelle's Mote in God's eye, the Moties go through cycles where they flip from male to female and back... and when in female they must breed or they die. Perhaps you could really cause confusion=elves are the female stage, then they fip to male stage which is dwarf.
In nordic mythology, Loki the trickster seemed to like becoming a female and getting pregnant with horrifying creatures.
If you are referring to Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel, then that's not correct. Loki sired these children with the giantess Angrboda.
I don't pretend to know all of Norse myth but I'm fairly certain from what I have studied that Loki was always a father and not a mother.
If you are referring to Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel, then that's not correct. Loki sired these children with the giantess Angrboda.I don't pretend to know all of Norse myth but I'm fairly certain from what I have studied that Loki was always a father and not a mother.
When a giant made a wager that he could build walls around Asgard before a certain date and looked sure to win, Loki turned into a mare and lured the giant's horse away so he couldn't get the job finished on time.
Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir, Odin's eight legged horse. It's the only time I know of that he was a mother rather than a father.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
|
If you are referring to Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel, then that's not correct. Loki sired these children with the giantess Angrboda.
I don't pretend to know all of Norse myth but I'm fairly certain from what I have studied that Loki was always a father and not a mother.
There was Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse that Loki gave birth to after spending some time as a mare.
Edit: Ninja'd!
Perhaps you could have them sexless until they choose their sex at puberty.
Like the Baufrin in Renegade Legion.
I scrolled by too fast and read the title of this thread as Sexually Dimorphic Clowns...
Sounds like a great band name.
sigh,
I wasn't trying to lecture on mytholgy, simply trying to bring up said instances in generic way-however rare they may be-to reinforce the point that there were instances in mythology where changes of gender occured. I hate entering a battle of wits when I am too stupid to even know I'm unarmed...
That said, the Dimorphic concept is cool and sound for either gaming or as the name of a band...but probably not as the name of a country western band...
How do you think it will be recieved by your players? Any other unique attributes for races? Most Pathfinder races are still tolkien descendants, I always love original ways of treating them...still love the Dark Sun cannibal halflings.
@Knight: Very interesting. I am actually going to have them be either VERY male or VERY female and their societies dislike each other. Sex is only for procreation, they are raised in their gender's society. A sort of peace would exist (though that is up to the GM really...) between them because harming the other hurts themselves.
The word “elf” would be the term for all thing feminine and the word “dwarf” would be the word for all thing's masculine.
My publishing group should actually have a supplemental up on this in a month or two on the cheap. (Like 99 cents ish) Promise more goodies :D