Re: Re: Vinga's Skirts

From: Graham Robinson <gjr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 14:48:36 +0000 (GMT)


On Wed, 14 Feb 2001 ian_hammond_cooper_at_... wrote:

> A criticsm of the game product because its presentation of Heortling
> culture mirrors the inequalites of real-life analogue cultures is
> probably missing the point. These may be valid areas for outrage in
> real-life, but we are discussing a fictional culture.
>

I don't remember anyone making such a criticism - certainly I didn't.

Unfortunatly some people seem to be responding more on their own assumptions than the points I'm trying (obviously not very well) to make. Frankly, the person who accussed my wife and myself of sexism for views we don't hold and haven't expressed is just insulting.

Anyway, to set the record straight :

  1. The 'criticism' was phrased as a 'disappointment' with a product that the same post described as 'the best rpg supplement in years and years'.
  2. Lack of interesting female characters. 6 of the 15 basic occupational keywords, and half the advanced are not available to women using thunder rebels. These include 'hunter', 'skald' and 'lawspeaker' - all interesting characters that cannot be played with the character generation rules in Thunder Rebels. Strangely enough the 'herder' keyword is also denied to women. Uraldan Herders seems obvious to me, but never mind...
  3. No criticisms of the reverse. Only 3 of the 15 basic, and none of the advanced, occupational keywords are denied to men. Of these, only 'low entertainer' is a loss - but then I'm not really interested in healer characters.
  4. Vinga. Some people seem to be jumping on my hope to have seen Vinga in the book. Comments about her being a "warrior goddess" have been made. Unfortunatly, that's wrong. Vinga is how women worship Orlanth. I had hoped Thunder Rebels would (and I'm still hoping/expecting Strom Tribes will) allow us to play Vinga Lawspeaker and other characters. Hence my disappointment. Adding Vinga would have opened up ALL the occupations to women.

Seriously, though, this seems to be an argument over very little. Can we move on?

Cheers,
Graham

-- 
Graham Robinson			The Stableyard - Internet Solutions
gjr_at_...		http://www.thestableyard.net

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