![]() I could see a Citizen Kane/Hearst scenario where some crazed noble distrusts all his/her would-be allies except some trusted servant. Quite true, but paranoia and distrust of one's social "equals" can lead to a weird relationship with people below you on the caste ladder. Kevin Mack wrote: Keep in mind that In Cheliax the vast majority of people are paranoid and distrusting to begin with. (And of course, weirdness -> drama *heh*) If somebody is uniquely good at a socially-desirable function, yet is also considered repulsive for whatever reason, that's bound to create some kind of social-weirdness, whether on an individual or a group level. I know this may be one of those, "that's how it works/worked in the real world" arguments, but I think this is more a product of fundamental "human behavior" rather than any particular social/cultural practice. Giving tieflings greater, but not entirely unconstrained, social mobility could make such characters an interesting element of those sorts of plots. Heck, even in the outlying/rebellious states of former-Cheliax, there's always some faction that supports "rejoining the motherland", or some traitor who seeks glory/wealth/revenge by betraying the rebels to their "imperial masters". Tieflings are described/perceived as similar ambassadors between humans/mortals and devils/fiends/infernals, so in a land where that function is necessary or valued, the people doing the job would gain some kind of perfunctory authority or value. Half-elves at least are described as filling roles as liaisons and ambassadors between and among human & elven cultures which can gain them some level of acceptance and prestige (however begrudging or patronizing that might be). It's as though they were a group born to be used as a tool - for wielding arcane magic, for creating a bridge between worlds, even for showing loyalty (however false) to the Thrune-dictated party-line. It's because tieflings are closer to the corridors of power, either by birth, family/House, or association that I think they would have a weird place in society. ![]() Certainly there's a good deal of social space between liking tieflings & and creating a tiefling "untouchable" caste.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |