Human Cultural Styles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Human Cultural Styles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ieattrollsforbreakfast
06-22-04, 05:59 AM Looking at that picture of the five humans at the start of the Races chapter go me thinking almost instantly. I am trying to figure out which nation/culture each of the characters belong to and I am stuck with 3 of them.

Here is the picture:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82083.jpg

The male fighter 2nd from the right is probably from Thrane, with the gold and green colours being prominent in that region.
The woman in the middle is most likely a wizard of House Orien (given the horse/unicorn on her staff), and so could also be from Aundair, although that might not be Aundair style if the Dragonmarked Houses also have their own dress styles.

The other three escape me. Can anyone offer any ideas/help? I havent read up on all the nations yet so I might have missed something.
JohnnyONeal
06-22-04, 10:06 AM I agree with your first two suggestions.

I'm going to say the guy in red is from Karrnath. His clothes have a martial influence and the overall look fits with the nation.

The woman on the left might be from Breland. I don't really know, it just seems to fit.

The bard could really be from anywhere. Me might be a Reacher, or maybe these humans repersent the Five Nations and he's a Cyran refugee.
shemov
06-22-04, 03:49 PM "quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. How religous is Sharn?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not very. The people of Breland are very pragmatic compared to, say, Thrane or Karrnath, and Sharn is more pragmatic than many places. There are many churches and temples, and there are a reasonable number of faithful folk and devoted adepts -- but as a city? Not very. " - Keith Baker

according to above i thing that laces are typical for more pragmatic folk (more tied to material world). Let say Sharn influenced. Maybe decadent because of 104 years long war.
Karnath and Thrane society should be more medieval in style as we know and understand this style.

- still do not have my eberron ( i will get it in 1-2 days)
ieattrollsforbreakfast
06-22-04, 04:22 PM I have just noticed that the staff the middle woman is holding is not a horse but a dragon of some kind, and that could throw out the House Orien idea. Still, the purple and yellow colouration could still suggest that house.

according to above i thing that laces are typical for more pragmatic folk (more tied to material world). Let say Sharn influenced. Maybe decadent because of 104 years long war.
Karnath and Thrane society should be more medieval in style as we know and understand this style.
A good point, and that would probably make the middle or far left woman a Brelish person, given that the other three are very basic clothing. If the middle woman is from House Orien, that would make the far left woman from Breland if the theory is correct.
Iam_Who_Iam_FTW
06-29-04, 07:10 PM Hello all,

What I want to know is mainly the physical differences of the different human cultures.Covering the following:

1)Height ,Weight and build ;depending on gender of the various subraces.
2)coloration:Eyes,hair(and common style worn)and skintone of the various subraces.
3)Adornments:Such as tattoes,piercings,jewlry ect.
4)Common dress/costumes and arms and armor.

I'd also like to see mentioned also descriptions of the various non-humans(eg.Halflings,Gnomes,Elves ect.).The warforged , changelings and shifters got described.That's all for now L8r.FTW
Ch@pel
06-29-04, 07:46 PM Yeah, I'd say the guy in red is from Karrnath. The woman on the left is probably Brelish. I want to say the guy in the brownish/ green is from the Reaches, just by the look of him. (also, look close at him, the sword he's holding doesn't seem to have a hilt) The woman in purple could be from House Thuranni; it is the coat of arms' color, and she looks kind of sneaky to me with the cloak... although with the fishnet gloves and lacy slip showing at her ankles she could be some sort of entertainer for House Phiarlan. As for the bard, I have no idea, but is it me, or does he look like Prince with a bad dye job on his hair?
jedi8187
06-29-04, 08:44 PM Originally posted by Ch@pel
As for the bard, I have no idea, but is it me, or does he look like Prince with a bad dye job on his hair?

It's not just you.

Also am I thonly one that noticed a penchant for high heels in that picture(actually in a number of pictures). I know some are supossed to be boots, but the Karnath guy's seem a little more like a masculine version of what people around here call CFMP's(if you want to know what that stands for PM me as it is inappropriate for this site)
Hellcow
06-30-04, 02:26 AM The cultures of the Five Nations will be explored in more detail in the future; I'm planning to give each culture a spotlight in upcoming Dragonshards articles, to tide folks over for any sort of more in-depth material WotC may produce.

As for that picture, I didn't provide the art direction, so I can't say for certain. But going from left to right and assigning one person to each culture, I'd say Aundair; Thrane; Cyre; Karrnath; and Breland.
Ch@pel
07-02-04, 02:23 PM Boy were we wrong ;)

(un-) Holy Cow, how did you come up with those designations? Was it just random or was there some method to it?
Hellcow
07-02-04, 03:38 PM Originally posted by Ch@pel
(un-) Holy Cow, how did you come up with those designations? Was it just random or was there some method to it?
To begin with, I was working under the assumption that each nation was represented. So, is the minstrel the perfect Brelander? No. But of the five, he made the most sense. So, my reasoning, from left to right:

#1: Aundair
To begin with, it's demeanor. She has this ever-so-slightly sneering air of condescencion about her that I associate with Aundair. Her nation is the most enlightened of the five, the most advanced and educated of the five, and she knows it. Second, she has chosen to wield a flail, implying martial training; and yet, unlike the two male soldiers, she is not wearing armor. To me, this says that she has a level of wizard or sorcerer tucked under her gown, and that when trouble strikes she'll have mage armor at her disposal. I'd go with a 2nd-fighter/1st-sorcerer, with mage armor, true strike, Combat Experise, Improved Trip, and Improved Disarm -- very precise in battle, using knowledge and skill instead of brute force.

#2: Thrane
He's martial and very serious, but in my mind not so dour as the man in red. The green and gold echoes the Exorcist of the Silver Flame, and he's carrying a bow (albeit a short bow instead of a long bow). In comparison to an Eldeen Ranger, he's very clean-cut, he's got decorative motifs on his sword, and nothing particularly says "devotion to nature". But from his expression, I get a sense of strong devotion to a cause - something he considers a noble fight. So, Thrane.

#3: Cyre
Cyre was a peaceful nation reknown for craft and wisdom. This woman is unarmed (unless she's going to actually hit people with the staff, which I don't see). Her expression is less condescending than #1 and less weasely than #5. Of #1-#4, she seems the least likely to be looking for a fight (frankly, even though he's unarmed, I get the sense #5 is asking for your wallet).

#4: Karrnath
This man is extremely martial, and his expression is very dour. He's here to fight. He plans to win. He'll do whatever he has to. He's the dark shadow of #2. Karrnath is a martial nation with a very fatalistic, serious outlook -- he fits with that.

#5: Breland
I see this guy as a minstrel in a shady part of Sharn. He just looks like a weasel, like he's got connections with people you don't want to mess with -- and Breland is definitely a good place for organized crime. And sure, he looks like he's unarmed, but he could be hiding an elephant in one of those boots (I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi).

So there you have it.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-02-04, 04:06 PM Oooh good answer HC, thanks, thats exactly what I was looking for. Your descriptions make sense, so I will probably adopt those cultural styles when I run campaigns.
I hope we get more on the styles in future books, or possibly as a web enhancement.
Ormus
07-02-04, 05:45 PM Originally posted by Hellcow
(I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi).

"En botella wey." heh. I am so going to use that idea. Thanks KB.
Save_vs_DM
07-03-04, 06:05 AM (I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi).

My party bard is going to be first:
surprised, then singed, then gleeful at his new toy...

Man, but do I love that idea...

Cheers,
Save-vs-DM
kaor
07-03-04, 05:15 PM The leftmost elf on page 14 looks like Elvis with spiked hair.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ieattrollsforbreakfast 06-22-04, 05:59 AM	Looking at that picture of the five humans at the start of the Races chapter go me thinking almost instantly. I am trying to figure out which nation/culture each of the characters belong to and I am stuck with 3 of them. Here is the picture: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82083.jpg The male fighter 2nd from the right is probably from Thrane, with the gold and green colours being prominent in that region. The woman in the middle is most likely a wizard of House Orien (given the horse/unicorn on her staff), and so could also be from Aundair, although that might not be Aundair style if the Dragonmarked Houses also have their own dress styles. The other three escape me. Can anyone offer any ideas/help? I havent read up on all the nations yet so I might have missed something.
JohnnyONeal 06-22-04, 10:06 AM	I agree with your first two suggestions. I'm going to say the guy in red is from Karrnath. His clothes have a martial influence and the overall look fits with the nation. The woman on the left might be from Breland. I don't really know, it just seems to fit. The bard could really be from anywhere. Me might be a Reacher, or maybe these humans repersent the Five Nations and he's a Cyran refugee.
shemov 06-22-04, 03:49 PM	"quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. How religous is Sharn? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not very. The people of Breland are very pragmatic compared to, say, Thrane or Karrnath, and Sharn is more pragmatic than many places. There are many churches and temples, and there are a reasonable number of faithful folk and devoted adepts -- but as a city? Not very. " - Keith Baker according to above i thing that laces are typical for more pragmatic folk (more tied to material world). Let say Sharn influenced. Maybe decadent because of 104 years long war. Karnath and Thrane society should be more medieval in style as we know and understand this style. - still do not have my eberron ( i will get it in 1-2 days)
ieattrollsforbreakfast 06-22-04, 04:22 PM	I have just noticed that the staff the middle woman is holding is not a horse but a dragon of some kind, and that could throw out the House Orien idea. Still, the purple and yellow colouration could still suggest that house. according to above i thing that laces are typical for more pragmatic folk (more tied to material world). Let say Sharn influenced. Maybe decadent because of 104 years long war. Karnath and Thrane society should be more medieval in style as we know and understand this style. A good point, and that would probably make the middle or far left woman a Brelish person, given that the other three are very basic clothing. If the middle woman is from House Orien, that would make the far left woman from Breland if the theory is correct.
Iam_Who_Iam_FTW 06-29-04, 07:10 PM	Hello all, What I want to know is mainly the physical differences of the different human cultures.Covering the following: 1)Height ,Weight and build ;depending on gender of the various subraces. 2)coloration:Eyes,hair(and common style worn)and skintone of the various subraces. 3)Adornments:Such as tattoes,piercings,jewlry ect. 4)Common dress/costumes and arms and armor. I'd also like to see mentioned also descriptions of the various non-humans(eg.Halflings,Gnomes,Elves ect.).The warforged , changelings and shifters got described.That's all for now L8r.FTW
Ch@pel 06-29-04, 07:46 PM	Yeah, I'd say the guy in red is from Karrnath. The woman on the left is probably Brelish. I want to say the guy in the brownish/ green is from the Reaches, just by the look of him. (also, look close at him, the sword he's holding doesn't seem to have a hilt) The woman in purple could be from House Thuranni; it is the coat of arms' color, and she looks kind of sneaky to me with the cloak... although with the fishnet gloves and lacy slip showing at her ankles she could be some sort of entertainer for House Phiarlan. As for the bard, I have no idea, but is it me, or does he look like Prince with a bad dye job on his hair?
jedi8187 06-29-04, 08:44 PM	Originally posted by Ch@pel As for the bard, I have no idea, but is it me, or does he look like Prince with a bad dye job on his hair? It's not just you. Also am I thonly one that noticed a penchant for high heels in that picture(actually in a number of pictures). I know some are supossed to be boots, but the Karnath guy's seem a little more like a masculine version of what people around here call CFMP's(if you want to know what that stands for PM me as it is inappropriate for this site)
Hellcow 06-30-04, 02:26 AM	The cultures of the Five Nations will be explored in more detail in the future; I'm planning to give each culture a spotlight in upcoming Dragonshards articles, to tide folks over for any sort of more in-depth material WotC may produce. As for that picture, I didn't provide the art direction, so I can't say for certain. But going from left to right and assigning one person to each culture, I'd say Aundair; Thrane; Cyre; Karrnath; and Breland.
Ch@pel 07-02-04, 02:23 PM	Boy were we wrong ;) (un-) Holy Cow, how did you come up with those designations? Was it just random or was there some method to it?
Hellcow 07-02-04, 03:38 PM	Originally posted by Ch@pel (un-) Holy Cow, how did you come up with those designations? Was it just random or was there some method to it? To begin with, I was working under the assumption that each nation was represented. So, is the minstrel the perfect Brelander? No. But of the five, he made the most sense. So, my reasoning, from left to right: #1: Aundair To begin with, it's demeanor. She has this ever-so-slightly sneering air of condescencion about her that I associate with Aundair. Her nation is the most enlightened of the five, the most advanced and educated of the five, and she knows it. Second, she has chosen to wield a flail, implying martial training; and yet, unlike the two male soldiers, she is not wearing armor. To me, this says that she has a level of wizard or sorcerer tucked under her gown, and that when trouble strikes she'll have mage armor at her disposal. I'd go with a 2nd-fighter/1st-sorcerer, with mage armor, true strike, Combat Experise, Improved Trip, and Improved Disarm -- very precise in battle, using knowledge and skill instead of brute force. #2: Thrane He's martial and very serious, but in my mind not so dour as the man in red. The green and gold echoes the Exorcist of the Silver Flame, and he's carrying a bow (albeit a short bow instead of a long bow). In comparison to an Eldeen Ranger, he's very clean-cut, he's got decorative motifs on his sword, and nothing particularly says "devotion to nature". But from his expression, I get a sense of strong devotion to a cause - something he considers a noble fight. So, Thrane. #3: Cyre Cyre was a peaceful nation reknown for craft and wisdom. This woman is unarmed (unless she's going to actually hit people with the staff, which I don't see). Her expression is less condescending than #1 and less weasely than #5. Of #1-#4, she seems the least likely to be looking for a fight (frankly, even though he's unarmed, I get the sense #5 is asking for your wallet). #4: Karrnath This man is extremely martial, and his expression is very dour. He's here to fight. He plans to win. He'll do whatever he has to. He's the dark shadow of #2. Karrnath is a martial nation with a very fatalistic, serious outlook -- he fits with that. #5: Breland I see this guy as a minstrel in a shady part of Sharn. He just looks like a weasel, like he's got connections with people you don't want to mess with -- and Breland is definitely a good place for organized crime. And sure, he looks like he's unarmed, but he could be hiding an elephant in one of those boots (I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi). So there you have it.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-02-04, 04:06 PM	Oooh good answer HC, thanks, thats exactly what I was looking for. Your descriptions make sense, so I will probably adopt those cultural styles when I run campaigns. I hope we get more on the styles in future books, or possibly as a web enhancement.
Ormus 07-02-04, 05:45 PM	Originally posted by Hellcow (I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi). "En botella wey." heh. I am so going to use that idea. Thanks KB.
Save_vs_DM 07-03-04, 06:05 AM	(I actually think the "lute" is a disguised wand of fireballs, a la El Mariachi). My party bard is going to be first: surprised, then singed, then gleeful at his new toy... Man, but do I love that idea... Cheers, Save-vs-DM
kaor 07-03-04, 05:15 PM	The leftmost elf on page 14 looks like Elvis with spiked hair.