An anatomical question. [Archive] - Wizards Community

An anatomical question. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
gato
03-31-04, 09:07 PM Considering the varied levels of achievemnet in science regarding different locales of the Realms, where would people most likely link the process of though and the idea of intelligence to the head and brain. This question bears an indirect connection to the thread on expletives used in the Forgotten Realms.

And as a follow up, do the anatomies of humans on Faerun properly correspond to human anatomy in this world or is it safe to assume that a certain level of anomalies will be encountered when the two subjects are compared. This takes into consideration the fact that this is a fantasy realm and that some feats performed by its inhabitants are beyond regular parameters of human ability. Is this a distinct variation between the two or is it the magic or any other explanation such as the force is to the Jedi.
Kuje31
03-31-04, 10:17 PM Originally posted by gato
Considering the varied levels of achievemnet in science regarding different locales of the Realms, where would people most likely link the process of though and the idea of intelligence to the head and brain. This question bears an indirect connection to the thread on expletives used in the Forgotten Realms.

And as a follow up, do the anatomies of humans on Faerun properly correspond to human anatomy in this world or is it safe to assume that a certain level of anomalies will be encountered when the two subjects are compared. This takes into consideration the fact that this is a fantasy realm and that some feats performed by its inhabitants are beyond regular parameters of human ability. Is this a distinct variation between the two or is it the magic or any other explanation such as the force is to the Jedi.

Ed posted this a bit ago on another forum, "Bookwyrm, I see medical knowledge as varying widely across the Realms, but being highest among demi-humans, because tending humans has been one longterm way of being accepted in human-dominated communities. Herb lore is predominant, coupled with “potions” (herbal concoctions, not magic) effective in dealing with minor diseases, allergic reactions, and shock. The organs of all humanoid races are known, plus the general functioning of the body (hence what shock is, and how to treat it), how blood ‘works,’ and the importance of cleanliness for wounds (though most folks in the Realms have what we modern real-world types would consider bad personal hygiene and BAD teeth, though persons desiring to make a good impression who can’t get a chance to bathe properly will work scented oils into their hair and rub scented oils on their bodies to change their strong odour into something less unpleasant).

In the Realms, almost everyone understands that ill or wounded people need rest, to be covered by a blanket or at least kept out of full sun, that moving or rough handling will do greater harm, and that people should be given much to drink (even in cases where we moderns would say, “No, not even if complaining of thirst should Thrudd be given water or something stronger, because he’s hurt inside!”). Stretchers and slings are commonly used, and where a stretcher can’t be found, injured who must be carried are usually lashed to felled treetrunks and borne along between the shoulders of two strong carriers.

Scarring is common, because cauterization is well-known. Herbal painkillers (usually liquids that are “brewed” and drunk, but also liquids drizzled into wounds) are widely known and used, especially before someone is “sewn up,” and there are herbs known in the Realms but not present in the real-world, including fleshwort (yes, I know we have several plants by that folk name, but I’m postulating a new and different plant) that can be sewn into an internal wound, and slowly absorbed by the body as raw material to build new tissue, blood vessels, and cartilage, bloodstaunch (which thickens blood very quickly upon direct contact, and so can be applied to open wounds to slow or stop bleeding), and bloodpurge (works to neutralize poisons).

Splinting is common, many beings are expert at neatly sewing flesh, and yes, body piercings (especially among goblinkin) and the importance of using flame or alcohol (not together!) to prevent infections related to said piercings are commonplace. (Note that it is not currently the fashion anywhere in the Heartlands to make use of facial piercings except in the nostrils and earlobes.)

Herb lore was another of the things strictly vetoed in the early days of the Realms (along with poisons, my terms of venery article, and my “Dragon Soup” article on using monster byproducts in human Realms cookery; the first two for “we don’t want lawsuits if kids try these” reasons despite my promise to use entirely fictional herbs and poisons, the terms of venery because it was “unnecessary fluff,” and the last one for the “some of these creatures are intelligent, so your article is in very bad taste”). More recently, the gnome vocabulary and heraldry Volo’s articles suffered the same fate, but as they’re owned by WotC, I can’t put them into print without permission."

So to me that means humans have the same anatomy as humans on earth.....
Alac Luin
04-01-04, 11:10 AM Originally posted by Kuje31
... and yes, body piercings (especially among goblinkin)

Just imagine a Goblin woman with a pierced belly button. *ack*

I would say the anatomy is basically the same, perhaps something like the appendix might be somewhat moved, but nothing seriously changed.

There is an instance in Realms lore about a couple of wizards that came up against Mind Flayers, and used magic to “relocate” their brains to their, um, posterior area.
It was enough to get their brain out of the way of the mind blast.
One wizard did comment on the strange feeling of thinking from that area.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
gato 03-31-04, 09:07 PM	Considering the varied levels of achievemnet in science regarding different locales of the Realms, where would people most likely link the process of though and the idea of intelligence to the head and brain. This question bears an indirect connection to the thread on expletives used in the Forgotten Realms. And as a follow up, do the anatomies of humans on Faerun properly correspond to human anatomy in this world or is it safe to assume that a certain level of anomalies will be encountered when the two subjects are compared. This takes into consideration the fact that this is a fantasy realm and that some feats performed by its inhabitants are beyond regular parameters of human ability. Is this a distinct variation between the two or is it the magic or any other explanation such as the force is to the Jedi.
Kuje31 03-31-04, 10:17 PM	Originally posted by gato Considering the varied levels of achievemnet in science regarding different locales of the Realms, where would people most likely link the process of though and the idea of intelligence to the head and brain. This question bears an indirect connection to the thread on expletives used in the Forgotten Realms. And as a follow up, do the anatomies of humans on Faerun properly correspond to human anatomy in this world or is it safe to assume that a certain level of anomalies will be encountered when the two subjects are compared. This takes into consideration the fact that this is a fantasy realm and that some feats performed by its inhabitants are beyond regular parameters of human ability. Is this a distinct variation between the two or is it the magic or any other explanation such as the force is to the Jedi. Ed posted this a bit ago on another forum, "Bookwyrm, I see medical knowledge as varying widely across the Realms, but being highest among demi-humans, because tending humans has been one longterm way of being accepted in human-dominated communities. Herb lore is predominant, coupled with “potions” (herbal concoctions, not magic) effective in dealing with minor diseases, allergic reactions, and shock. The organs of all humanoid races are known, plus the general functioning of the body (hence what shock is, and how to treat it), how blood ‘works,’ and the importance of cleanliness for wounds (though most folks in the Realms have what we modern real-world types would consider bad personal hygiene and BAD teeth, though persons desiring to make a good impression who can’t get a chance to bathe properly will work scented oils into their hair and rub scented oils on their bodies to change their strong odour into something less unpleasant). In the Realms, almost everyone understands that ill or wounded people need rest, to be covered by a blanket or at least kept out of full sun, that moving or rough handling will do greater harm, and that people should be given much to drink (even in cases where we moderns would say, “No, not even if complaining of thirst should Thrudd be given water or something stronger, because he’s hurt inside!”). Stretchers and slings are commonly used, and where a stretcher can’t be found, injured who must be carried are usually lashed to felled treetrunks and borne along between the shoulders of two strong carriers. Scarring is common, because cauterization is well-known. Herbal painkillers (usually liquids that are “brewed” and drunk, but also liquids drizzled into wounds) are widely known and used, especially before someone is “sewn up,” and there are herbs known in the Realms but not present in the real-world, including fleshwort (yes, I know we have several plants by that folk name, but I’m postulating a new and different plant) that can be sewn into an internal wound, and slowly absorbed by the body as raw material to build new tissue, blood vessels, and cartilage, bloodstaunch (which thickens blood very quickly upon direct contact, and so can be applied to open wounds to slow or stop bleeding), and bloodpurge (works to neutralize poisons). Splinting is common, many beings are expert at neatly sewing flesh, and yes, body piercings (especially among goblinkin) and the importance of using flame or alcohol (not together!) to prevent infections related to said piercings are commonplace. (Note that it is not currently the fashion anywhere in the Heartlands to make use of facial piercings except in the nostrils and earlobes.) Herb lore was another of the things strictly vetoed in the early days of the Realms (along with poisons, my terms of venery article, and my “Dragon Soup” article on using monster byproducts in human Realms cookery; the first two for “we don’t want lawsuits if kids try these” reasons despite my promise to use entirely fictional herbs and poisons, the terms of venery because it was “unnecessary fluff,” and the last one for the “some of these creatures are intelligent, so your article is in very bad taste”). More recently, the gnome vocabulary and heraldry Volo’s articles suffered the same fate, but as they’re owned by WotC, I can’t put them into print without permission." So to me that means humans have the same anatomy as humans on earth.....
Alac Luin 04-01-04, 11:10 AM	Originally posted by Kuje31 ... and yes, body piercings (especially among goblinkin) Just imagine a Goblin woman with a pierced belly button. ack I would say the anatomy is basically the same, perhaps something like the appendix might be somewhat moved, but nothing seriously changed. There is an instance in Realms lore about a couple of wizards that came up against Mind Flayers, and used magic to “relocate” their brains to their, um, posterior area. It was enough to get their brain out of the way of the mind blast. One wizard did comment on the strange feeling of thinking from that area.