Inter-Species Relationships

[Tyger]

Sure, everyone knows that elves and humans get along just fine, and humans and orcs, and humans and... well, just about everything really.

That said, in a world where shape is mutable, but creatures of wildly different physicality are all "people" with intelligence, civilizations, etc, what would the effect on relationships be?

Can a human and a pixie have a meaningful (which includes some physical elements) relationship? A dwarf and a centuar? An elf and a beholder? Halfling and a manticore?

No, not trying to get in any squick factor - our group recently encounted a creature (basically a tiger with the Winged template) and found out that it was the mate of a recently departed dragon. Made me start thinking about how we look at these things. The dragon was a powerful cleric, so changing shape was well within its powers. But really anyone with some coin can buy potions / scrolls / wands to open up their dating prospects! Between Alter Self, Enlarge / Reduce Person, Polymorph, Shapechange, etc. it seems that a creatures physical shape would be hardly any impediment to a physical relationship at all.

Thoughts on this?

[super dark33]

Can a human and a pixie have a meaningful (which includes some physical elements) relationship? A dwarf and a centuar? An elf and a beholder? Halfling and a manticore?



oh gawd, the mental pictures will haunt me for decades...

[Keld Denar]

Two things...

Legend of Neil proves that a human and pixie can be "intimate", for whatever that means.

Also, relevant quote is relevant "Baby, I'm a shapeshifter, you know we've tried that".

[blazingshadow]

dragons already have a mindset of i can do whatever the hell i want because i'll eat anyone who opposes me. this of course includes who they consider a mate or not. other kind of sentients probably don't have such open mindess. i do wonder if felinefolk are the offspring of awakened cats and humans or a wizard and his cat familiar though

[HalfDragonCube]

*Ahem*

Tread lightly on this one. I'm watching... :smallamused:

[Talya]

*Ahem*

Tread lightly on this one. I'm watching... :smallamused:

Voyeuristic, are we?

[Telonius]

And thus were born the Mongrelfolk...

A little bit more seriously, an individual character could have a meaningful relationship with an individual member of another species, given the right circumstances for both individuals. But remember, each species (and each culture within the species) comes with its own cultural assumptions. The expectations for what "friend," "lover," or "spouse" constitutes might vary wildly between (say) a dwarf, a satyr, an elf, a yuan-ti, and a beholder. The suppositions of one race might be wholly alien to another. Some cultures and creatures might not have a concept for "spouse" at all. In some, "friend" is someone who won't cheat you at the market. In others, "friend" will defend you from an onrushing horde of enemies. Physical differences? Those are nothing, compared to the differences of what goes on between the ears.

If both individuals find it worthwhile to work at the relationship hard enough to bridge those differences, then it could work. But the amount of work - and the desires of the individuals to take on that work - would vary in a million different ways.

[BlueInc]

I like the view that inter species breeding is possible, though not likely and not without consequences.

One of the most interesting things to me is the differences in nurture and development in mixed-species offspring. In a campaign I DM'ed, I introduced the idea that the reason why dragons and other long-lived creatures (like elves) were intelligent is that they have a comparatively long childhood (just in irl, humans having a long childhood increases gives us the intelligence edge over most of the animal kingdom). How much young dragons got out of their childhood depended on the amount that they were taught by older, wiser dragons.

The half-dragons that existed in the world ended up being childlike and mentally handicapped; being raised by even loving humanoid families was comparable with a human baby being raised by wolves.

Now that I'm thinking about this again, I'm glad I didn't allow half-elves in that campaign. Wouldn't half-elves suffer from the same detrimental side-effects if they were raised by human families?

[Talya]

A little bit more seriously, an individual character could have a meaningful relationship with an individual member of another species, given the right circumstances for both individuals. But remember, each species (and each culture within the species) comes with its own cultural assumptions. The expectations for what "friend," "lover," or "spouse" constitutes might vary wildly between (say) a dwarf, a satyr, an elf, a yuan-ti, and a beholder. The suppositions of one race might be wholly alien to another. Some cultures and creatures might not have a concept for "spouse" at all. In some, "friend" is someone who won't cheat you at the market. In others, "friend" will defend you from an onrushing horde of enemies. Physical differences? Those are nothing, compared to the differences of what goes on between the ears.



hahahaha...yes. For example:


I didn't think I would die like this. I always thought I'd marry a nice girl, settle down, and she'd bite my head off.

[HalfDragonCube]

Voyeuristic, are we?

Nah, striving for a joke based on my avatar.

Moving swiftly on...

[Quietus]

Can a human and a pixie have a meaningful (which includes some physical elements) relationship? A dwarf and a centuar? An elf and a beholder? Halfling and a manticore?

I think you'd have to look at the sheer physical practicalities, combined with the individual race's breeding habits and psychological tendencies. The human and the pixie might have a meaningful relationship, but physical interaction would be difficult without magical help. A reduce person spell would be very useful in this case.

Dwarf and centaur - possible, though unlikely. Both have fairly human worldviews, though generally biased in different directions, and both are close enough in size to "Make things work", so to speak.

Elf and beholder - Beholders really don't work with anything. They're violently xenophobic to the point that any beholder not practically identical to them is a different race, and thus needs to be eliminated. And unless I'm mistaken, they reproduce via a spore process, so the psychology and the physiology are working against you here.

Halfling and manticore - The size difference really hurts, and I don't know a manticore's psychology well enough to comment on that. Going by body shape, they could probably overcome the physical differences as the dwarf and centaur could, though magic would be more helpful here. But you still have to deal with psychology.

Overall, I think that as long as the races/species in question have compatible psychologies, they could build a meaningful relationship. In terms of making that relationship physical, well, intelligent creatures can be very creative in overcoming challenges, though some challenges are more difficult to overcome than others.

[BlueInc]

I'm watching... :smallamused:

That's such a creepy face ::cowers::


I'm watching... :smallamused:



I'm watching... :smallamused:

[GeekGirl]

I think you'd have to look at the sheer physical practicalities, combined with the individual race's breeding habits and psychological tendencies. The human and the pixie might have a meaningful relationship, but physical interaction would be difficult without magical help. A reduce person spell would be very useful in this case.

+1 I think is possible for almost anything, mechaniacly it may not be possible, but thats only half the equation.

[Ravens_cry]

A meaningful relationship isn't just about the physical and D&D has shape shifting magic if they really want to get physical. The mental differences are more likely to be an issue, but love finds a way (http://yafgc.net/?id=1). (possibly NSFW)

[Malimar]

I figure no two members of different races could possibly be as incompatible with one another as a human male is with a human female... but that's probably just me. :smallbiggrin:

[Frozen_Feet]

The problem is, even for fairly similar species, the cues for fertility and overall desireability would be very different. You can try it yourself - how alluring do you find chimp or gorilla females? That's roughly the psychological barrier between, says, orc and humans, or orcs and elves. Most races would find the idea of getting strange with each other odd, if not downright disgusting.

Then you get to the fact that many of these creatures eat each other. So they would be psychologically hardwired to treat each other as food. Of course, prey and predators, or two rival predators, can get along - if they're raised together. (See: adorable pictures of dogs and bunnies, or dogs and cats.) But usually, they'd get along just as well as you think they would...

[AnonymousD&Der]

I'll be quite honest, I've always wanted to impregnate a Pixie, Succubus, Mermaid, or Half/Full Angel.

Now that I think about it, I believe there -are- rules over Relationships and Intercourse and stuff like that....

[Malimar]

I'll be quite honest, I've always wanted to impregnate a Pixie, Succubus, Mermaid, or Half/Full Angel.

Now that I think about it, I believe there -are- rules over Relationships and Intercourse and stuff like that....

They can all be found in the Book of Erotic Fantasy.

[Taelas]

Which is really not a very good book.

[AnonymousD&Der]

They can all be found in the Book of Erotic Fantasy.

That's actually the book I was thinking of!

I had to tear the cover off because we didn't need the brothers and sisters seeing it, but still.

Has quite a bias on Lesbianism, if you ask me.


Nah, striving for a joke based on my avatar.

Moving swiftly on...

Wait... is that a Dragon.... Slime? If so...... would the Dragon be the Mother or the Father?

If the Dragon was the Mother.... is that Naughty Tentacles, or does it just force itself in there? And if the Dragon was the Father..... I think I might prefer the Dragon be the Mother.

Oh Dear God, Dragons can shape shift, too..... OH DEAR GOD.... I'm -done- with this thread.

I will never look at that image the same again.

[NNescio]

http://ompldr.org/vOTZxbw/sawwhet.jpg

+

http://ompldr.org/vOTZxcA/bear-jungcurrents.jpg

=

http://ompldr.org/vOTZxcw/owlbear2.jpg

Mandatory reference. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0322.html)

[Taelas]

Wait... is that a Dragon.... Slime? If so...... would the Dragon be the Mother or the Father?

If the Dragon was the Mother.... is that Naughty Tentacles, or does it just force itself in there? And if the Dragon was the Father..... I think I might prefer the Dragon be the Mother.

Oh Dear God, Dragons can shape shift, too..... OH DEAR GOD.... I'm -done- with this thread.

I will never look at that image the same again.

It's a Half-Dragon Gelatinous Cube.

The Half-Dragon template applies to any living creature.

Oozes are living creatures.

Yes. Brain bleach is appropriate.

[AnonymousD&Der]

God Damn It. Knew I should have -stayed- done. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot%27s_wife)

[Urpriest]

Which is really not a very good book.

Hey, that book has lots of material that is balanced, tasteful, and relevant to the average game. Just never all three at once. Credit to Glyphstone.

[Zaq]

That's actually the book I was thinking of!

I had to tear the cover off because we didn't need the brothers and sisters seeing it, but still.

Has quite a bias on Lesbianism, if you ask me.



Wait... is that a Dragon.... Slime? If so...... would the Dragon be the Mother or the Father?

If the Dragon was the Mother.... is that Naughty Tentacles, or does it just force itself in there? And if the Dragon was the Father..... I think I might prefer the Dragon be the Mother.

Oh Dear God, Dragons can shape shift, too..... OH DEAR GOD.... I'm -done- with this thread.

I will never look at that image the same again.

The half-dragon template is the one bit of draconic fluff I like. Any living corporeal creature . . . if it has both STR and CON, a dragon can successfully mate with it. Gelatinous cubes are just the beginning, though. Shambling mounds, gibbering mouthers, invisible stalkers, will-o'-wisps, dread blossom swarms, chichimecs, century worms, odopi, gas spores, urophions, any living spell . . .

[Shadowknight12]

I've given this a lot of thought on many of my games, to the point where I have a handful chart somewhere about what species can crossbreed with what. And there's always a "magical" way (meaning, a fluffy plot device) to make it happen. At a price.

I was going to comment on the differences between all the various types of relationships, but that has been covered earlier.

I personally think that this falls squarely in the realm of fluff. I am actively against rules on the matter. The aforementioned chart is there to appease rules-starved players who find it fun to determine what the demographical composition of a town of humans, elves, satyrs, nymphs and dragons (and their respective crossbreeds) would be.

[Veyr]

Which is really not a very good book.
I beg to differ. It has loads of problems, most of it is crap, but I think it qualifies as a "very good book" just for the "Love Life of an Ooze" sidebar. That alone makes it a "very good book".


Love Life of an Ooze
One Ooze.
Idiot hits Ooze with sword.
Two Oozes.

[AnonymousD&Der]

The half-dragon template is the one bit of draconic fluff I like. Any living corporeal creature . . . if it has both STR and CON, a dragon can successfully mate with it. Gelatinous cubes are just the beginning, though. Shambling mounds, gibbering mouthers, invisible stalkers, will-o'-wisps, dread blossom swarms, chichimecs, century worms, odopi, gas spores, urophions, any living spell . . .

Oh Dear God why am I back here enduring this mind rape.

[Shadowknight12]

Oh Dear God why am I back here enduring this mind rape.

Bystander, meet train wreck. Train wreck, meet bystander.

[Gavinfoxx]

No no, if you read these books:

Book of Erotic Fantasy
Nymphology
The Complete Guide to Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

Then, by cherry picking useful bits and pieces out of each of them that fit your gaming world (ie, each book has a LITTLE bit of value in it, mixed with a lot of crap and brain bleach stuff), then you can get something cohesive and useful.

However, I would say that you need to be in the right state of mind before, you know, sitting down with all three. See if you can do some meditations or something to vaccinate yourself against the incredible awfulness in many parts of those three books.

[AnonymousD&Der]

Book of Erotic Fantasy
Nymphology
The Complete Guide to Unlawful Carnal Knowledge


I don't know what's worse: that those books exist (seriously. How much do people actually rolepl....





.....), or that I have access to all three. I've only read the first, I wonder if the other two are as lesbiany....

Where can I order Brain Bleach off of the internet? My damned curiosity is notifying my instincts things that makes my instincts tell my brain it may need washing....

[Talya]

My damned curiosity is notifying my instincts things that makes my instincts tell my brain it may need washing....

You need...brainwashing?

[Shadowknight12]

You need...brainwashing?

Ironically, the spell best suited to achieve that effect is called Mindrape.

[faceroll]

An extremely nsfw/nsfl webcomic that looks at sex & fantasy is oglaf. com. Hilarious, but really, really graphic.