Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hungry_Backpack 05-22-06, 02:28 AM	I know that this may have been posted earlier, but I'm too lazy to search for it. I'd like to know if you have any gallantry in your game. By that, I mean if someone in the party is a female character, will she be treated with more respect than a male character of same class, lvl and with the same reputation? Is a character going to get thing easier just because it is a she? I know that there always are some people in the world that will be gallant, but is it a widespread thing in Eberron? Is it like it was in the medieval (sorry for any misspelling) were most people were supposed to be gallant? I also want you to think about, if people are normally gallant, will it be a bane to male characters, since males won't be treated any different than before and will have a harder time getting things? I know that this may very well be up to me as a DM to decide, but I want some more ideas and thoughts about this before I decide. It hasn't been an issue in my group, but I want to be prepared if the time comes. For those of you who want to know what I'm thinking about this now, I'd say no, there aren't any gallantry, except for the occasional NPC or PC that is it. I would say that it is not a widespread thing, because it seems to me that the sexes are equal and therefore you won't have it in every male you meet, or maybe not even half of them (even if it is those of your own race), to be gallant. But I'm in doubt about my judgement here, so please post your meanings on this subject. Thanks in advance.
Jürgen Hubert 05-22-06, 03:21 AM	Many of the nobility, especially rural nobility, will probably make a show of it. It's one of the ways they distinguish themselves from the peasants, especially those rich middle-class upstarts. Apart from that, no. The poor have other things to worry about, and the rich merchants and members of dragonmarked houses have other things to worry about than such effete mannerisms.
DragonWatcher 05-22-06, 09:20 AM	I honestly believe that equal rights and gallantry are mutually exclusive concepts. Which is to say that I believe that people were gallant largely because there was a belief that women were the fairer, weaker sex who could not defend themselves, so they had to be defended and treated like fine fragile things. However, in a fantasy society where women don armor and take arms on the battlefield beside men, there would be no call for such a concept whatsoever. In fact, it could be argued that in such a society women would bristle against such treatment. So, in my Eberron, no... there is no gallantry toward women in general. That said, a noble, or a member of a dragonmarked house will certainly be shown deference... but that is whether they are male or female.
Jürgen Hubert 05-22-06, 10:02 AM	Of course, this raises the question whether there ever were strong gender roles (not neccessary gender discrimination) among the multiple societies of Eberron. It seems that this was a rare phenomenon among humans - Lhazaar, the human who "discovered" Khorvaire and lead the first colonization efforts, was a woman. But what about the other races? Having some societies around that do have strong gender roles could make for some interesting role-playing - either for those characters who came from them, or those who interact with them.
Hungry_Backpack 05-23-06, 02:04 AM	Yeah,it would be interesting to meet a race that had gallantry. But would it treat females from all races gallantly, or would it be only gallant to it's own people/race?
Jürgen Hubert 05-23-06, 08:20 AM	Yeah,it would be interesting to meet a race that had gallantry. But would it treat females from all races gallantly, or would it be only gallant to it's own people/race? That would depend on whether they recognize members of those other races as "people" - in other words, as beings worthy of respect (or even life, for that matter)... If so, they will generally treat them gallantly. On the other hand, there are quite a few real world cultures where people who behave in contradition to their normal gender role will be considered "honorary males" or "honorary females", and will be treated just like a member of that gender in their own culture. So if the PCs visit a culture where the males are the warriors and the females arcane spellcasters and entertainers, then the female warrior will be seated at the table with the males, will be referred to as "he" by the locals, and housed with the male warriors in the same room - while the male wizard and bard will be treated as women, referred to as "she", and put into the women's building. All of this could get very awkward and very hilarious very quickly. The question is whether they can get through this without loosing their temper or mortally offending the locals...
Kinger 05-23-06, 07:09 PM	Young Sorcerer: "No, seriously, I'm a guy. I fart in bed! I understand Hazrak! I can name the past twenty victors in the race of the eight winds! I drink milk straight from the carton, and leave the privvy lid up! Honestly!" Host, not listening: "And here is where you may lodge for now. I'm afraid I've had to put you in the dormitory for other young ladies between 16 and 18-and-a-half, as the private guest-rooms are being cleansed of dire roaches." Young Sorcerer: "Wait... Young ladies' dormitory?" Host: "Yes. Is this a problem?" Young Sorcerer: "... No, I'll be quite happy here. G'night!"