Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 keithp Oct 19, 2008 20:39:01	According to the PH, Dragonborn get a +2 skill bonus for History and Intimidate. The Intimidate bonus certainly makes sense, and in the POL setting the Dragonborn are proud of the history of their ancient empire. But, in the FR realms setting, however proud Dragonborn may be of their ancient land, that was somewhere else. They have only been in the new neighborhood for a century or so, not long enough to deserve a History bonus. So, in the game that I'm starting in December, I'm changing the Dragonborn skill bonuses to +2 for Endurance and Intimidate.
#2 BadCatMan Oct 19, 2008 21:49:37	You could read it as that the Dragonborn are interested in all history, and not just their own. They might be busily reading history books for all lands in FR*, to learn about their new homeworld, and hence picked up a general knowledge of history. That seems a very draconic thing to me. For example, the Tymanther Dragonborn seem rather apologetic for squashing Unther, enough to adopt it as part of their name ('Tyman-Unther' -> Tymanther). Maybe they're busily researching and adopting the culture of lost Unther to make up for things (and they rediscover Tiamat!). * Perhaps looking for all the potential native dragon people who got lost in translation.
#3 Mr_Miscellany Oct 19, 2008 22:50:11	I think Intimidate works pretty good because the Dragonborn are "of" dragons after a fashion and are quite exotic in their looks and ways. However, I'd think Dragonborn PCs could keep their bonus to History if they were from Returned Abeir or otherwise participating in a campaign based there.
#4 davesaunders Oct 20, 2008 11:05:06	I think history makes sense. They are trying to learn as much as possible.
#5 lord_karsus Oct 20, 2008 11:58:17	You could read it as that the Dragonborn are interested in all history, and not just their own. They might be busily reading history books for all lands in FR*, to learn about their new homeworld, and hence picked up a general knowledge of history. That seems a very draconic thing to me. -This, I agree with.
#6 keithp Oct 20, 2008 18:46:32	Thank you all for your advice. I will consider again. I did think that the Tymanther dragonborn might very well be interested in history, but that it may take more than a century to absorb all of this into their culture. I have only thought a little about the dragonborn of Returned Abeir, but my feeling is that as slaves they are not likely to have an opportunity to absorb the history of much more than Returned Abeir. On the other hand, the FRPG has on page 13 that are "gifted with ... great reserves of physical endurance", which is what made me think of giving the bonus in Endurance instead.
#7 lord_karsus Oct 20, 2008 18:54:06	I did think that the Tymanther dragonborn might very well be interested in history, but that it may take more than a century to absorb all of this into their culture. -It doesn't have to translate as their culture has absorbed and incorporated said information. It can translate as their culture places a heavy emphasis on learning about history, in general, leading to the bonus.