Message no. 1

From:	"Fisher, Victor" <Victor-Fisher@******.COM>
Subject:	Re: World Map [Troll language and culture]
Date:	Tue, 1 Apr 1997 11:17:50 -0500

><snip>
>Considering
>> the mythology surrounding those races is well founded and even, to a
>> point refelcted in ED. Why haven't the drawves formed their famous
>> cities and dug bloody great holes in the rockies, why haven't the Orks
>> congregated into the huge clans their race is mythologically famous for,
>> etc etc.
>
><snip>
>
>
>If you're looking for a sociological reason for it, you could say that the
>reason no dwarven, ork, or troll [wait... the is the Troll Kingdom of the
>Black Forrests in Southern Germany <see Germany sourcebook>] is that they as
>compaired to the elves, lack a cohesive language and culture.
> To those in the know [nod, nod, wink, wink, say no more, say no more
>;-], elven language and culture didn't just pop into existence overnight.
>It's the preserved remnants of a peoples that existed thousands ago [or as
>remembered by certain 'long lived' factions among the various elven
>countries].
> For those familiar with Earthdawn, orks, etc. do have a rich cultural
>heritage, but no records exist today to aprize them of the fact. And, in a
>vaguely hinted round about way, it may not be in the best interests of
>certain elven concerns to let them know the 'truth'.
> I recently ran the adventure, Harlequin's Back. I loved that it was
>geared for the more 'advanced' character, more experienced player, even
>though I rewrote whole sections of it to fit the mood of my campaign. [I gave
>it much more of a 'Quantum Leap' feel, with liberal amounts of Joe Lansdale's
>Horror Westerns, Poe's Masque of the Red Death, the movie Terror Train, with
>Christopher Lee,and the book Difference Engine by Gibson and Sterling.]
> The 'post apocalalyptic' segment, I changed to an Earthdawn setting. The
>characters were 'transported' in their astral quest to a small troll village,
>in Barsaive, on the outer reaches of the Theran [known today as Atlantis]
>Empire.
> The one troll in the group was brash, arrogant, and hated anything to do
>with 'puny humans'. Mostly, he hated himself, for being one of such a
>'stupid' race. When he met the people of the village, his attitude did a
>complete 180.
> Contrary to the way, the media, and a certain extent other trolls living
>up to the hype to spite their detractors, he found the trolls there had
>music, laughter, culture, and a language. Above all [especially since he was
>a Shark shaman] they were peaceful; dangerous only when provoked. He grew to
>like it, and begun to voice his opinion that he might stay [he'd even fallen
>in love with a troll maiden]
> [By the way, the 'powergamer' elf in the group, jumped into the body of
>a BLOOD ELF! MAN, did he hate that!:-]
> However, the real reason for their 'journey' soon made itself apparent.
>A Theran general on his way to secure a faroff coveted sector of the land,
>needed a supply route to the last major outpost of the Theran realm in this
>region, and the troll's village lay right in his path.
> The group assembled[including this 'worlds' incarnation of Harlequin, a
>broken, disenchanted knight ala Lancelot, who had befriended some of the
>troll elders in the village, and temporarily lodged there.], and set out to
>stop the expeditionary force. [a task they themselves realized was pretty
>near impossible].
> They figured that all these events must somehow be the work of THE
>ENEMY's apostle, the enigmatic Mr. Darke. If they could uncover his plans,
>they might stop the attack and save the town.
> Well, after going undercover in the Theran city , and a few harrowing
>twists, they managed to destroy Darke's incarnation in this 'world' and save
>the village from being destroyed. With a heartfelt goodbye, they 'jumped' to
>their next quest.
> One of them commented that since it was only an astral quest, none of
>the events they encountered were real. Harlequin, who actually jumped with
>them this astral trip, told them in a quiet voice, that over 10,000 years
>ago, the village that they went to, had been destroyed by a Theran
>Expeditionary Force; being nothing more than a small impediment in the
>manifest destiny of the Theran Empire. And, he had stood by and watched it
>happen, still wracked with grief, consumed by self pity and self doubt. But,
>now, the PCs had roused him into action, and given him the chance to redeem
>himself. And, no matter the outcome of their astral journey, he was grateful[
>then he vanished].
> Everyone still wondered if what they experienced ws real, but the Troll
>wouldn't believe otherwise. And when they returned to 'the real world', he
>changed a little. After that, for the remainder of the games I ran with him,
>he set aside a chunk of his earnings thru Shadowrunning, to open a community
>center for primarily troll youths, where he did some part time teaching of
>troll language and culture.
> Hope that wasn't too confusing for those not familiar with the
>aforementioned module. But I hope maybe gives someone else ideas how to
>interject metahuman language and culture into their game, and who knows,
>maybe one day, a nation.
> {climbs down from soap box, on Speaker's Corner, puts it under arm, walks
>away}
>