Eneko Anyone? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eneko Anyone? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ishmaal
02-23-07, 04:31 PM I'd like to start this thread for those curious about the new Sarlonan race; the Eneko. I just recently picked up my copy of Secrets of Sarlona, and being that I'm more of a crunch than fluff kinda guy, (don't get me wrong, I love Eberron's fluff) one of the first sections I checked out was the races. I like to see how Hellcow and his cohorts can manage to reorganize the more industry standard races into new and interesting formulas in this ever changing world in which we live in. The one that caught my eye though was the Eneko, an ogre(mage) / half-giant crossbreed. This struck me as an odd combination, especially since it doesn't include the usual melting pot races of celestials, dragons, fiends, or humans; and one of the races its composed of is in itself a crossbreed of sorts.
One of the things that interests me about this race is the implications it could have on gameplay. I can't help but wonder if this is WotC's new heavy weight contender to be pitted up against the much adored (or reviled) Warforged, competing for a players vote as his/hers new meat shield with a little Eberron flare.
Despite my paranoid delusions about WotC's overall goals of world domination, I do think that the Eneko has some real possibilities for pc applications, not to mention dm run npc mayhem. Just at a glance I can pick out a couple premium options that someone could run this character race as.
First off, as a deadly archer of any class. Despite the Dex hit they take, their proficiency with Longbows, Str bonus, and powerful build equates to one hard hittin' mofo.
Second, the standard hit sink, sword and board, hack and slash, brawler. Any of the front liners would work, but a little forethought could create an interesting combo. Say the Psychic Warrior passed down from the half-giant side of the family, or the Barbarian or a Fighter/Mage (such as a duskblade) representing the more ogre(mage) side.
Anyways, my rant has gone on long enough. What do you think?
Shady314
02-23-07, 05:38 PM Crunch-wise they're pretty nice but fluffwise they're pretty ridiculous. First take Giant explorers (NOT settlers? how many explorers were there in ancient Sarlona?) that have either de-evolved (the superior explanation to the second option) into half-giants or Giants that have gotten it on with enough humans to spawn a true breeding race of half-giants. Already we are stretching credibility. Now take those same inexplicable half-giants that are incredibly! diverse/numerous enough to be true breeding then have them mate with ogre mages... who in their right mind would want to have relations with an ogre mage besides other ogres??? I guess the explanation is they were in alternate form... it'd be pretty dumb if they both get it on just because they're both large. Then pretend there is enough of this freakiness going on to create a true breeding race? It's like the half-elfs getting it on with enough changelings to make some crazy new race. Needless to say they won't be making an appearance outside of perhaps a few mongrel (sterile) NPCs in anything I run.

Sounds like you're wanting the charop boards anyways.
SSj3goblin
02-24-07, 11:21 AM Crunch-wise they're pretty nice but fluffwise they're pretty ridiculous. First take Giant explorers (NOT settlers? how many explorers were there in ancient Sarlona?) that have either de-evolved (the superior explanation to the second option) into half-giants or Giants that have gotten it on with enough humans to spawn a true breeding race of half-giants. Already we are stretching credibility. Now take those same inexplicable half-giants that are incredibly! diverse/numerous enough to be true breeding then have them mate with ogre mages... who in their right mind would want to have relations with an ogre mage besides other ogres??? I guess the explanation is they were in alternate form... it'd be pretty dumb if they both get it on just because they're both large. Then pretend there is enough of this freakiness going on to create a true breeding race? It's like the half-elfs getting it on with enough changelings to make some crazy new race. Needless to say they won't be making an appearance outside of perhaps a few mongrel (sterile) NPCs in anything I run.

Sounds like you're wanting the charop boards anyways.

You seem to lack some critical knowledge about half giants of Eberron, wich are NOT half human/half giant.
They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants:

Half-Giants
"No, we aren't half human. We're just half of what we should be."
Half-giant by Jeremy JarvisDuring the last Dal Quor incursion, the giants and the Quori clashed in a titanic struggle that destroyed Xen'drik and shook Eberron to its core. During the many years of the conflict, a group of powerful Hashalaq Quori invaded the dreams of sleeping giantesses and planted an insidious curse. As a result, the entire next generation of giants was a race of children who never grew. Stunted and weak, most were put to death by their parents before they reached adolescence. Only a few survived, sheltered by caring mothers or hidden among the elves.
When the giants finally drove the Quori away, the surviving half-giants assembled and left Xen'drik. Traveling together, they delighted in towering over the goblins and orcs of Khorvaire. They also discovered an unintended side effect of the Quori curse that created them: every half-giant is born with an innate talent for psionics. For centuries, half-giant communities dotted the western part of the continent, but they were eventually driven toward the coast by human settlers. Now Eberron's largest community of half-giants lies in the Demon Wastes, far from the persecution that has defined their history.

http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html
The White Sorcerer
02-24-07, 01:49 PM They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants:
http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html

And this is official how, exactly?
Shady314
02-24-07, 05:28 PM You seem to lack some critical knowledge about half giants of Eberron, wich are NOT half human/half giant.
They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants:

Half-Giants
"No, we aren't half human. We're just half of what we should be."
Half-giant by Jeremy JarvisDuring the last Dal Quor incursion, the giants and the Quori clashed in a titanic struggle that destroyed Xen'drik and shook Eberron to its core. During the many years of the conflict, a group of powerful Hashalaq Quori invaded the dreams of sleeping giantesses and planted an insidious curse. As a result, the entire next generation of giants was a race of children who never grew. Stunted and weak, most were put to death by their parents before they reached adolescence. Only a few survived, sheltered by caring mothers or hidden among the elves.
When the giants finally drove the Quori away, the surviving half-giants assembled and left Xen'drik. Traveling together, they delighted in towering over the goblins and orcs of Khorvaire. They also discovered an unintended side effect of the Quori curse that created them: every half-giant is born with an innate talent for psionics. For centuries, half-giant communities dotted the western part of the continent, but they were eventually driven toward the coast by human settlers. Now Eberron's largest community of half-giants lies in the Demon Wastes, far from the persecution that has defined their history.

http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html

1) I'm not confused. I've heard that before but it is by no means official/canonical and I mentioned it when I said giants that have de-evolved. If one chooses to use that idea. Which I do find superior to them being half-human.

2) Canonical SoS says half-giants are descendants of explorers from Xendrik. They should have called them settlers or refugees. How many explorers were wandering Sarlona to create a new true breeding race?

3) That story says most we're put to death(just how many giants were there giving birth that there'd be enough left to go on to create a new race?) and mentions absolutely nothing about settling in Sarlona and getting freaky with ogres.

4) I said the real problem lied in having all these half-giants getting freaky with ogre mages. And somehow having children with a monstrous humanoid. That are 100% genetically healthy and true breeding. Perhaps this curse made the half-giants freaky perverts as well? I'm just saying the eneko are yet another race that proves the designers really need to come up with a better reason for existing than race A got it on a lot with race B. If humans get it on with Medusae would we get a new race? And please don't tell me there is such a race in a book somewhere.
AvonRekaes
02-24-07, 06:50 PM *snip*(just how many giants were there giving birth that there'd be enough left to go on to create a new race?)*snip*

It just takes two. ;)
tallric_kruush
02-24-07, 07:27 PM It just takes two. ;)

Not if that race is going to breed and create more of its kind. (Yes, I saw the wink:) ).

I have to agree with Shady. I wish the story behind the Eneko was a little better developed, because now I'll have to invent my own and de-program my players should I ever run a campaign in Sarlona.

Honestly, I'm annoyed Half-Giants were forced on us at all. I hadn't even decided if I wanted to include them in my world, and now I have this weird race of Half-Half-Giants???:pbbbtt: I already went on a rant in another thread about Wizards using text within their supplements to push all these peripheral races on us (specifically all those new guys from the Races of... books), so I'll spare you the full rant here. That type of stuff belongs in sidebars, where it won't confuse the new players who pick these books up and assume there reading canon. I can't even say that about the Eneko, though, because they've gone and fashioned a nation's worth of people with a crummy backstory-- And they are canon! :banghead:

Now I have to either invent a history that actually makes sense, or eliminate the Eneko from Sarlona altogether. I wish I didn't have to do either.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ishmaal 02-23-07, 04:31 PM	I'd like to start this thread for those curious about the new Sarlonan race; the Eneko. I just recently picked up my copy of Secrets of Sarlona, and being that I'm more of a crunch than fluff kinda guy, (don't get me wrong, I love Eberron's fluff) one of the first sections I checked out was the races. I like to see how Hellcow and his cohorts can manage to reorganize the more industry standard races into new and interesting formulas in this ever changing world in which we live in. The one that caught my eye though was the Eneko, an ogre(mage) / half-giant crossbreed. This struck me as an odd combination, especially since it doesn't include the usual melting pot races of celestials, dragons, fiends, or humans; and one of the races its composed of is in itself a crossbreed of sorts. One of the things that interests me about this race is the implications it could have on gameplay. I can't help but wonder if this is WotC's new heavy weight contender to be pitted up against the much adored (or reviled) Warforged, competing for a players vote as his/hers new meat shield with a little Eberron flare. Despite my paranoid delusions about WotC's overall goals of world domination, I do think that the Eneko has some real possibilities for pc applications, not to mention dm run npc mayhem. Just at a glance I can pick out a couple premium options that someone could run this character race as. First off, as a deadly archer of any class. Despite the Dex hit they take, their proficiency with Longbows, Str bonus, and powerful build equates to one hard hittin' mofo. Second, the standard hit sink, sword and board, hack and slash, brawler. Any of the front liners would work, but a little forethought could create an interesting combo. Say the Psychic Warrior passed down from the half-giant side of the family, or the Barbarian or a Fighter/Mage (such as a duskblade) representing the more ogre(mage) side. Anyways, my rant has gone on long enough. What do you think?
Shady314 02-23-07, 05:38 PM	Crunch-wise they're pretty nice but fluffwise they're pretty ridiculous. First take Giant explorers (NOT settlers? how many explorers were there in ancient Sarlona?) that have either de-evolved (the superior explanation to the second option) into half-giants or Giants that have gotten it on with enough humans to spawn a true breeding race of half-giants. Already we are stretching credibility. Now take those same inexplicable half-giants that are incredibly! diverse/numerous enough to be true breeding then have them mate with ogre mages... who in their right mind would want to have relations with an ogre mage besides other ogres??? I guess the explanation is they were in alternate form... it'd be pretty dumb if they both get it on just because they're both large. Then pretend there is enough of this freakiness going on to create a true breeding race? It's like the half-elfs getting it on with enough changelings to make some crazy new race. Needless to say they won't be making an appearance outside of perhaps a few mongrel (sterile) NPCs in anything I run. Sounds like you're wanting the charop boards anyways.
SSj3goblin 02-24-07, 11:21 AM	Crunch-wise they're pretty nice but fluffwise they're pretty ridiculous. First take Giant explorers (NOT settlers? how many explorers were there in ancient Sarlona?) that have either de-evolved (the superior explanation to the second option) into half-giants or Giants that have gotten it on with enough humans to spawn a true breeding race of half-giants. Already we are stretching credibility. Now take those same inexplicable half-giants that are incredibly! diverse/numerous enough to be true breeding then have them mate with ogre mages... who in their right mind would want to have relations with an ogre mage besides other ogres??? I guess the explanation is they were in alternate form... it'd be pretty dumb if they both get it on just because they're both large. Then pretend there is enough of this freakiness going on to create a true breeding race? It's like the half-elfs getting it on with enough changelings to make some crazy new race. Needless to say they won't be making an appearance outside of perhaps a few mongrel (sterile) NPCs in anything I run. Sounds like you're wanting the charop boards anyways. You seem to lack some critical knowledge about half giants of Eberron, wich are NOT half human/half giant. They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants: Half-Giants "No, we aren't half human. We're just half of what we should be." Half-giant by Jeremy JarvisDuring the last Dal Quor incursion, the giants and the Quori clashed in a titanic struggle that destroyed Xen'drik and shook Eberron to its core. During the many years of the conflict, a group of powerful Hashalaq Quori invaded the dreams of sleeping giantesses and planted an insidious curse. As a result, the entire next generation of giants was a race of children who never grew. Stunted and weak, most were put to death by their parents before they reached adolescence. Only a few survived, sheltered by caring mothers or hidden among the elves. When the giants finally drove the Quori away, the surviving half-giants assembled and left Xen'drik. Traveling together, they delighted in towering over the goblins and orcs of Khorvaire. They also discovered an unintended side effect of the Quori curse that created them: every half-giant is born with an innate talent for psionics. For centuries, half-giant communities dotted the western part of the continent, but they were eventually driven toward the coast by human settlers. Now Eberron's largest community of half-giants lies in the Demon Wastes, far from the persecution that has defined their history. http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html
The White Sorcerer 02-24-07, 01:49 PM	They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants: http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html And this is official how, exactly?
Shady314 02-24-07, 05:28 PM	You seem to lack some critical knowledge about half giants of Eberron, wich are NOT half human/half giant. They are a race, of sorts, a curse placed on the giants: Half-Giants "No, we aren't half human. We're just half of what we should be." Half-giant by Jeremy JarvisDuring the last Dal Quor incursion, the giants and the Quori clashed in a titanic struggle that destroyed Xen'drik and shook Eberron to its core. During the many years of the conflict, a group of powerful Hashalaq Quori invaded the dreams of sleeping giantesses and planted an insidious curse. As a result, the entire next generation of giants was a race of children who never grew. Stunted and weak, most were put to death by their parents before they reached adolescence. Only a few survived, sheltered by caring mothers or hidden among the elves. When the giants finally drove the Quori away, the surviving half-giants assembled and left Xen'drik. Traveling together, they delighted in towering over the goblins and orcs of Khorvaire. They also discovered an unintended side effect of the Quori curse that created them: every half-giant is born with an innate talent for psionics. For centuries, half-giant communities dotted the western part of the continent, but they were eventually driven toward the coast by human settlers. Now Eberron's largest community of half-giants lies in the Demon Wastes, far from the persecution that has defined their history. http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-xph.html 1) I'm not confused. I've heard that before but it is by no means official/canonical and I mentioned it when I said giants that have de-evolved. If one chooses to use that idea. Which I do find superior to them being half-human. 2) Canonical SoS says half-giants are descendants of explorers from Xendrik. They should have called them settlers or refugees. How many explorers were wandering Sarlona to create a new true breeding race? 3) That story says most we're put to death(just how many giants were there giving birth that there'd be enough left to go on to create a new race?) and mentions absolutely nothing about settling in Sarlona and getting freaky with ogres. 4) I said the real problem lied in having all these half-giants getting freaky with ogre mages. And somehow having children with a monstrous humanoid. That are 100% genetically healthy and true breeding. Perhaps this curse made the half-giants freaky perverts as well? I'm just saying the eneko are yet another race that proves the designers really need to come up with a better reason for existing than race A got it on a lot with race B. If humans get it on with Medusae would we get a new race? And please don't tell me there is such a race in a book somewhere.
AvonRekaes 02-24-07, 06:50 PM	snip(just how many giants were there giving birth that there'd be enough left to go on to create a new race?)snip It just takes two. ;)
tallric_kruush 02-24-07, 07:27 PM	It just takes two. ;) Not if that race is going to breed and create more of its kind. (Yes, I saw the wink:) ). I have to agree with Shady. I wish the story behind the Eneko was a little better developed, because now I'll have to invent my own and de-program my players should I ever run a campaign in Sarlona. Honestly, I'm annoyed Half-Giants were forced on us at all. I hadn't even decided if I wanted to include them in my world, and now I have this weird race of Half-Half-Giants???:pbbbtt: I already went on a rant in another thread about Wizards using text within their supplements to push all these peripheral races on us (specifically all those new guys from the Races of... books), so I'll spare you the full rant here. That type of stuff belongs in sidebars, where it won't confuse the new players who pick these books up and assume there reading canon. I can't even say that about the Eneko, though, because they've gone and fashioned a nation's worth of people with a crummy backstory-- And they are canon! :banghead: Now I have to either invent a history that actually makes sense, or eliminate the Eneko from Sarlona altogether. I wish I didn't have to do either.