Re: Broo language?

From: jorganos <joe_at_Itsa_WyWoCGehE1op7J1lTdLd-NrY7Ow4Qq0YFF5YqBPUQjuDB_0TDDZS_YH5HZDQcyHyv8J>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 12:55:03 -0000

Adept:
> I've also been thinking about the general level of sophistication of
> broo "culture". In the classic RQ* sources they have magic and good
> weapons. That would imply that they have leatherworking, smiths and
> magical traditions... at least the more advanced tribes of broo do.

That's barbarian broos - basically, larval broos which get picked up by someone powerful enough to control them until they learned enough to not kill him but treat him as leader (or valuable slave, although that's not why such a person would start training them). Some immunity to disease is helpful (even without worshipping Malia, contact with broo can be contagious). This person (or group) needn't be broos if the larvae are picked up soon after hatching.

> If the broo are just humanoid beasts living in the forest with no
> language, no technology and no magic, they won't really be that much
> of a threat unless they mass up in huge numbers. A sartarite farmer
> never has his/her spear too far from hand afterall.

That's feral broos. They are sort of standard, broo larvae left unattended. Dangerous to solitary wanderers, no match for a clan patrol (unless very numerous, or from very big parents).

I think it is possible to "civilize" adult feral broos, but only for Thed cultists. Whether that includes the ability to speak is another question.

> * I quess these things often weren't thought out back in the day,
> but it would be pretty abrupt to suddenly decide that the broo are
> purely animalistic. They are supposed to be as smart as humans and
> trolls afterall, even if they are chaotic and driven by lust and hate.

I watched an interesting BBC documentation lately about feral human children. Especially interesting was the case of an African boy who fled into the jungle and lived with monkeys after his father had killed his mother. The boy survived for more than a year, although so badly malnourished that he grew fur (apparently a physiological reaction when your body fat gets used up), and lost the ability to speak. After his return to human company, he learned to speak (again).

If a human brain isn't primed for speech during early infancy, there seems to be no easy way to create the necessary thought-patterns. Such  people still are intelligent and may be crafty, but lack communication skills. (In other words, your typical nerd... :)