Roderick commented:
>It seemed to me that the comments about not having "viable female
>characters" was specifically addressing "no female fighters" as if
fighting
>is the be-all end-all of the game. Whether that is what was meant
or not,
>that is what came across to me. "We can't play a female warrior, so
there's
>nothing for us to do. Healing is a subordinant role. We don't want
to be
>peacemakers, we want to KICK ASS. That is the only way that we can
be
>fulfilled." - and this from a male.
Roderick has hit on one of my biggest criticisms of RPGers in general - they simply want to "kick ass". Vinga is the favorite "woman's goddess" because she is a warrior-goddess. Ernalda is not "viable" to many gamers because Ernaldan women are not warriors.
I think this argument is pure bunk.
As anyone who followed our Seattle Farmers' Collective Taming of Dragon Pass campaign knows, Ernaldans are the omnipresent and dominant voice in Orlanthi communities. They are not warriors - this is true. However, they are powerful heroquesters, community leaders, key sources of wealth, impacable demanders of vengeance (contrary to their role as peacemakers, Orlanthi women are far more likely to coldly insist upon blood-vengeance than their mercurial menfolk), etc. In our ToDP campaign, nobody was particularly intimidated by Neil Robinson's weaponsthane. However, they were terrified by Pam Carlson's Ernaldan priestess.
I think Thunder Rebels is an OUTSTANDING supplement. I think that Roderick, John and Greg have done a FIRST-RATE job of presenting Orlanthi culture in a traditional RPG-friendly manner. Let me empasize that last phrase "traditional RPG-friendly manner." If you really want to explore the Orlanthi, my advice is to get out the "traditional RPG" mold. Read a few of the Icelandic sagas and convince your players that herders, farmers and steadwives are far more interesting than explorers, adventurers and thieves. Convince your players that Ernalda the Grounder or the Ceremonialist might be a heck of lot more interesting than Vinga or Babeestor Gor. You might be surprised by the results.
Jeff
PS. I love the low entertainer suggestions!
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