Shifters in Cyre? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Shifters in Cyre?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
cervante
Jun 10, 2009 18:51:16 Can anyone tell me where shifters might live in Cyre? A player in my campaign wants to play a shifter who was from Cyre before the Mourning and I want an idea of where he would have grown up/lived before the Mourning.
#2
RedRider
Jun 10, 2009 19:03:04 A shifter could live in any given city, village or mobile community in Cyre so long as he or his ancestors had reason to move there before the morning.

For example, he could have been a caravan guard who travelled from the Reaches to Cyre and liked the change of scenery.
Or the child of a couple of shifters who served as hunters and guards against encroaching nature for a village somewhere.
Or a thief on the run who made a living in seaside as a clam diver or something.

Basically, as long as they're not inventing a great shining shifter city in the middle of Cyre and they accept being from a small racial group in Cyre they could fit in anywhere.
#3
Alas
Jun 11, 2009 7:54:34 If memory serves, pre-War Cyre had a reputation for its urbanity and cities-- it's capital was calle Metrol, for cryin' out loud. Still, even Cyre would have had its wild spots-- woods and hills without roads, seldom-seen inlets on Lake Cyre, that sort of thing. For my campaign, I would place semi-nomadic shifters on top of what is now the Glass Plateau, in the southern end of the country. That would have been a fair distance from the urban centers, close to Darguun... plenty of reasons for shifters to act shifty.
#4
AvonRekaes
Jun 11, 2009 8:46:12 Why would you need to avoid big urban centers? There's hazrack courts in Sharn.
#5
Alas
Jun 11, 2009 8:57:46
Why would you need to avoid big urban centers?

There's no need to-- shifters can be just as urban as any other humanoid. I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype. Personally, I think my next shifter character might be an alchemist with a waistcoat and spectacles.
#6
cervante
Jun 11, 2009 9:03:45 This shifter would have been a moonspeaker, but another player is trying artificer (from Dragon) so they changed from shifter to warforged fighter. Although, if people want to keep discussing feel free.
#7
Hellcow
Jun 13, 2009 10:15:03
I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype.

Personally, I wouldn't see this sort of character coming from Cyre. Eldeen, sure. Droaam, absolutely (shifters make up a significant part of the population of Droaam). Along the edge of Aundair, certainly, as they drift in from the Eldeen. But Cyre was at the heart of Galifar, and shifters were never a significant part of the population. So personally, I wouldn't put roving tribes of barbaric shifters in Cyre. There's a strong basis for urbanized shifters. I could even see what amount to "gypsy" shifters - a wandering clan going from city to city and living on the fringes. But I wouldn't make them "barbaric" - wild and tricksy, certainly, but still having spent centuries in a very civilized region.

With THAT said, there's other ways to get the feral shifter in Cyre. The nation relied heavily on mercenaries; so perhaps you're an Eldeen shifter recruited by House Deneith and brought to Cyre to serve. Perhaps you were raised in the sewers of Cyre by an awakened dire rat. Perhaps you WERE a civilized shifter until you were caught in the fringes of the Mourning... or perhaps your "barbarian rage" is the fury of all of the shifters of your line who were killed in the war, whose spirits are now channeling through you.

Of course, the usual disclaimer (tm) applies: This is just my opinion, and YOU should do whatever you want. ;)
#8
skrapsan
Jun 13, 2009 11:12:11
Perhaps you were raised in the sewers of Cyre by an awakened dire rat.

I... just... but... no, it cant be... so so so... they fit too well... no no no head exploding...
#9
Nived
Jun 13, 2009 13:04:19
I... just... but... no, it cant be... so so so... they fit too well... no no no head exploding...

You should read Keith's short story about a Shifter street urchin from the mean streets of Sharn turned inquisitive in the Dragons: Worlds Afire compilation book. Though your head may explode again.

Still sad we never got to see her make the leap to full novel, but Thorn of Breland is just as good.
#10
Alas
Jun 13, 2009 22:59:24
I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype.

I was also exaggerating slightly for effect. I imagine that a born-and-bred Cyran might consider anybody whose gloves end before the elbow barbaric.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 cervante Jun 10, 2009 18:51:16	Can anyone tell me where shifters might live in Cyre? A player in my campaign wants to play a shifter who was from Cyre before the Mourning and I want an idea of where he would have grown up/lived before the Mourning.
#2 RedRider Jun 10, 2009 19:03:04	A shifter could live in any given city, village or mobile community in Cyre so long as he or his ancestors had reason to move there before the morning. For example, he could have been a caravan guard who travelled from the Reaches to Cyre and liked the change of scenery. Or the child of a couple of shifters who served as hunters and guards against encroaching nature for a village somewhere. Or a thief on the run who made a living in seaside as a clam diver or something. Basically, as long as they're not inventing a great shining shifter city in the middle of Cyre and they accept being from a small racial group in Cyre they could fit in anywhere.
#3 Alas Jun 11, 2009 7:54:34	If memory serves, pre-War Cyre had a reputation for its urbanity and cities-- it's capital was calle Metrol, for cryin' out loud. Still, even Cyre would have had its wild spots-- woods and hills without roads, seldom-seen inlets on Lake Cyre, that sort of thing. For my campaign, I would place semi-nomadic shifters on top of what is now the Glass Plateau, in the southern end of the country. That would have been a fair distance from the urban centers, close to Darguun... plenty of reasons for shifters to act shifty.
#4 AvonRekaes Jun 11, 2009 8:46:12	Why would you need to avoid big urban centers? There's hazrack courts in Sharn.
#5 Alas Jun 11, 2009 8:57:46	Why would you need to avoid big urban centers? There's no need to-- shifters can be just as urban as any other humanoid. I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype. Personally, I think my next shifter character might be an alchemist with a waistcoat and spectacles.
#6 cervante Jun 11, 2009 9:03:45	This shifter would have been a moonspeaker, but another player is trying artificer (from Dragon) so they changed from shifter to warforged fighter. Although, if people want to keep discussing feel free.
#7 Hellcow Jun 13, 2009 10:15:03	I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype. Personally, I wouldn't see this sort of character coming from Cyre. Eldeen, sure. Droaam, absolutely (shifters make up a significant part of the population of Droaam). Along the edge of Aundair, certainly, as they drift in from the Eldeen. But Cyre was at the heart of Galifar, and shifters were never a significant part of the population. So personally, I wouldn't put roving tribes of barbaric shifters in Cyre. There's a strong basis for urbanized shifters. I could even see what amount to "gypsy" shifters - a wandering clan going from city to city and living on the fringes. But I wouldn't make them "barbaric" - wild and tricksy, certainly, but still having spent centuries in a very civilized region. With THAT said, there's other ways to get the feral shifter in Cyre. The nation relied heavily on mercenaries; so perhaps you're an Eldeen shifter recruited by House Deneith and brought to Cyre to serve. Perhaps you were raised in the sewers of Cyre by an awakened dire rat. Perhaps you WERE a civilized shifter until you were caught in the fringes of the Mourning... or perhaps your "barbarian rage" is the fury of all of the shifters of your line who were killed in the war, whose spirits are now channeling through you. Of course, the usual disclaimer (tm) applies: This is just my opinion, and YOU should do whatever you want. ;)
#8 skrapsan Jun 13, 2009 11:12:11	Perhaps you were raised in the sewers of Cyre by an awakened dire rat. I... just... but... no, it cant be... so so so... they fit too well... no no no head exploding...
#9 Nived Jun 13, 2009 13:04:19	I... just... but... no, it cant be... so so so... they fit too well... no no no head exploding... You should read Keith's short story about a Shifter street urchin from the mean streets of Sharn turned inquisitive in the Dragons: Worlds Afire compilation book. Though your head may explode again. Still sad we never got to see her make the leap to full novel, but Thorn of Breland is just as good.
#10 Alas Jun 13, 2009 22:59:24	I was just thinking of the semi-feral barbaric shifter stereotype. I was also exaggerating slightly for effect. I imagine that a born-and-bred Cyran might consider anybody whose gloves end before the elbow barbaric.