ZeroGear
2017-03-21, 09:21 PM
This is more of a fluff discussion, yet looking at some of the crunch is fine too.
To begin, the size difference here is not a normal 6ft character vs. a 3ft one as that discussion has been done numerous times already. This is more of a look at the logistics and structure of a game where characters can be 9-10 inches in size.
Running a campaign that features a playable race the size of a typical house cat (or even one that's smaller) is something that has intrigued me recently, though it has some worrisome implications:
1) How would the race interact with regular human-sized characters?
Let's face it: humans aren't exactly known for being a tolerant species. I know this doesn't pertain to everyone out there, however historically our race is extremely prone to xenophobia, violence, domination, and subjugation of others, be it ethnic groups, tribes, countries, or even animal species. Being literally ten times the size of another intelligent race makes it very hard to justify these groups existing on equal terms, so the question pops up as to how this smaller race would be viewed and what rights they would have.
Even in a setting where somehow both races are equal in rights, that doesn't exactly stop the larger one from discriminating against their smaller counterparts. So, what relationship could both species have in this circumstance?
2) What kind of dangers would the race come up against?
The problem of disproportionate seizes is no small issue (pardon the pun). Issues that are trivial at our height would be monumental for a race like this. Humans (and similar races) already face pretty large threats in fantasy settings, even if it's something as mundane as an attack by a bear (that is, mundane compared to other fantasy creatures since bears are something dangerous no sane person would willingly face head-on). Looking from the perspective of something much smaller, the average dog (something like a german shepherd or a doberman) would seem as monstrous as a lion would to a full sized human. Plus, minor inconveniences like a large puddle could be as insurmountable as a lake to someone the size of a doll. This would beg the question: what roll would this species serve in a group of adventurers, and how would their challenges differ?
3) How would the architecture and lifestyle change?
One of the more overlooked issues with size differences is how the race would shape their environment. There are many considerations to be made for this point, such as where they would get their food, how they would get around, and how architecture would need to be adapted. This can include little things such as tiny ladders, miniature rope bridges, secondary doorways, elevated walkway ledges, and even trained animals like dogs that serve as organized transport over longer distances. Then there are laws that would need to be passed, such as what jobs this race can hold, and what i expected when interacting with them. There is a lot to consider, and many ways that these things could be implemented. So, how would a world with such a small race be different from our own?
What are all your thoughts and ideas for something like this? I'd like to hear your views here.
EDIT: One thing I forgot to add here is that the smaller race is still Humanoid and could look and act similar regular human (think Borrowers for smaller cases or people the size of porcelain dolls for larger ones). The other thing is that this race is playable, so I would appreciate how PCs in a mixed group (some regular humans and some smaller ones) might interact, and how one should go about building adventures so that neither side is left out or neglected.
To begin, the size difference here is not a normal 6ft character vs. a 3ft one as that discussion has been done numerous times already. This is more of a look at the logistics and structure of a game where characters can be 9-10 inches in size.
Running a campaign that features a playable race the size of a typical house cat (or even one that's smaller) is something that has intrigued me recently, though it has some worrisome implications:
1) How would the race interact with regular human-sized characters?
Let's face it: humans aren't exactly known for being a tolerant species. I know this doesn't pertain to everyone out there, however historically our race is extremely prone to xenophobia, violence, domination, and subjugation of others, be it ethnic groups, tribes, countries, or even animal species. Being literally ten times the size of another intelligent race makes it very hard to justify these groups existing on equal terms, so the question pops up as to how this smaller race would be viewed and what rights they would have.
Even in a setting where somehow both races are equal in rights, that doesn't exactly stop the larger one from discriminating against their smaller counterparts. So, what relationship could both species have in this circumstance?
2) What kind of dangers would the race come up against?
The problem of disproportionate seizes is no small issue (pardon the pun). Issues that are trivial at our height would be monumental for a race like this. Humans (and similar races) already face pretty large threats in fantasy settings, even if it's something as mundane as an attack by a bear (that is, mundane compared to other fantasy creatures since bears are something dangerous no sane person would willingly face head-on). Looking from the perspective of something much smaller, the average dog (something like a german shepherd or a doberman) would seem as monstrous as a lion would to a full sized human. Plus, minor inconveniences like a large puddle could be as insurmountable as a lake to someone the size of a doll. This would beg the question: what roll would this species serve in a group of adventurers, and how would their challenges differ?
3) How would the architecture and lifestyle change?
One of the more overlooked issues with size differences is how the race would shape their environment. There are many considerations to be made for this point, such as where they would get their food, how they would get around, and how architecture would need to be adapted. This can include little things such as tiny ladders, miniature rope bridges, secondary doorways, elevated walkway ledges, and even trained animals like dogs that serve as organized transport over longer distances. Then there are laws that would need to be passed, such as what jobs this race can hold, and what i expected when interacting with them. There is a lot to consider, and many ways that these things could be implemented. So, how would a world with such a small race be different from our own?
What are all your thoughts and ideas for something like this? I'd like to hear your views here.
EDIT: One thing I forgot to add here is that the smaller race is still Humanoid and could look and act similar regular human (think Borrowers for smaller cases or people the size of porcelain dolls for larger ones). The other thing is that this race is playable, so I would appreciate how PCs in a mixed group (some regular humans and some smaller ones) might interact, and how one should go about building adventures so that neither side is left out or neglected.