Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-Hep with describing the peoples of Greyhawk

Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:57 am Hep with describing the peoples of Greyhawk

Help w/ Cultural Descriptors
I’m trying to find or put together a list of descriptive words or short phrases for the different lands in Greyhawk. I’m not trying to do this for the human sub-races- the Greyhawk materials state that these have mixed to the point that separate race cultures would be irrelevant anyway. Except foe small isolated or pure cultures and places of course- Scarlet Brotherhood as and example. But these would be handled in the same way.
What I’m looking for would be something that briefly in a word or short phrase describes what everyone would typically be like when from a particular land. Personality traits, skills, looks etc..
For example- and this is just off the top of my head and may be way off base:

The Rovers of the Barrens: wasteland survival, proud, hate Iuz, run long and hard, barbaric
The Scarlet Brotherhood: secretive, superiority to all others, sinister, schemes to rule the world

Again, please don’t pick apart the two examples- its off the top of my head and no real thought went to them- they are likely grossly inaccurate. Just trying to show what I hope to achieve.
My goal would be that a player could look at the brief list a get a feel for the lands, people and culture quickly. And ultimately use this list for character creation in a non-D&D game system.
Thanks in advance for the help
Andy

Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:53 am

Here's another example that I gave some real thought to. In it I try and show what the typical Perrenlander would be expected to know and how he might behave and what relations are likely to be important to him. Its a big picture overview of the culture.
Native Abilities: Perrenlander Customs, Canton Geography, Speak Common, Canton Heraldry, Crossbow or Spear & Shield Fighting, Ambiguously Neutral to Iuz, Hearty, Feudal
Typical Personality: Gruff, Canton Pride, Loyal
Typical Relationships To: Family, Canton or Burgh, Worship [Deity], Temple, Lord

Thanks again
Andy

Sun Apr 25, 2004 9:53 am This from a Post to GT

Hi all-
I saved a post by Jason Zavoda on GT. I'm not sure when he posted this in particular, but its what I generaly use. Of course not everybody agreed with him, but I don't have their ideas saved.

I hope this helps.

Amedians: African

Baklunish: Middle-Eastern, but with a touch of the Cthulhu mythos

Flan: Celtic, especially in the western Flanaess. With Olman influence in the Central and Eastern Flanaess. IMC the Olman were the orignal inhabitants of the Flanaess and built the plateau city of Tostenhca, called Skrellingshald by the northern Suel barbarians. The Olman were pushed off the Flanaess by the Flan but mixed with them in the north becoming the Rovers and in the Central Flanaess becoming the Sulm.

Oeridian: Franks, and in the east a very Byzantine culture inherited from the Suel.

Olman: American Indian, North, Central and South American at various times and places.

Suel: Roman/Melnibonian - The northern Suel barbarians are like the Norse, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians.
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