Always the same..meh.

[bhu]

in my game our 1/2 giant psi war got molested by BHU's habanero dryad 

OMG that had to be one confused and demoralized player...

It was priceless. He later killed her violently during a battle taking place there, i had to let him get revenge some how.

Aww...poor lil pepper girl...

[dither]

Although I'm posting on-topic here, it kind of feels like I'm going OT, based on the rampant paladin discussion.

Sometimes it's not about coming up with different archetypes so much as coming up with a culture that justifies what they are.

[snip]

I forget what I did with goblins and kobolds, because I can't find my notes. 

This sounds very similar to a "real-world re-flavoring" of D&D races that I did for my Greek setting. I wound up making the kobolds the "Pelasgians" (the people indigenous to Greece before humans moved in) who worshiped big, baby-eating dragons. They most often serve as slaves to the bigger races, except where they've managed to establish a home in a place where the humans won't settle.

The goblins and bugbears I made into the "sea-people" who raided the coasts and harassed nations like Egypt.

[Kerrick]

The goblins and bugbears I made into the "sea-people" who raided the coasts and harassed nations like Egypt.

Now I remember - I made the goblins into the Mongol hordes of my world - they just ride worgs instead of horses.

[McPoyo]

I think elves usually come off as aloof, 'cause they may or may not be based on Shakespeare's portrayal of Oberon and Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream. I could easily be wrong, but that's how I've always envisioned them.

Aloof makes sense, at least towards humans and similarly short-lived races.  You simply don't want to get too attached to someone who, in your eyes, is going to drop dead in the flicker of an eyelash.  I would see a certain amount of emotional distance as a natural and necessary defense mechanism.

Much like how a pet dog or cat tends to live 1/10th to 1/5th our average expected lifespan? I've always found that excuse for elven behavior to make little sense outside of "Yeah, we also happen to be elitest pricks" rationalization.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

I think elves usually come off as aloof, 'cause they may or may not be based on Shakespeare's portrayal of Oberon and Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream. I could easily be wrong, but that's how I've always envisioned them.

Aloof makes sense, at least towards humans and similarly short-lived races.  You simply don't want to get too attached to someone who, in your eyes, is going to drop dead in the flicker of an eyelash.  I would see a certain amount of emotional distance as a natural and necessary defense mechanism.

Much like how a pet dog or cat tends to live 1/10th to 1/5th our average expected lifespan? I've always found that excuse for elven behavior to make little sense outside of "Yeah, we also happen to be elitest pricks" rationalization.

Yeah, I mean, there isn't much difference between how you treat a pet parrot and other kinds (other than the talking thing)

[Vinom]

I think elves usually come off as aloof, 'cause they may or may not be based on Shakespeare's portrayal of Oberon and Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream. I could easily be wrong, but that's how I've always envisioned them.

Aloof makes sense, at least towards humans and similarly short-lived races.  You simply don't want to get too attached to someone who, in your eyes, is going to drop dead in the flicker of an eyelash.  I would see a certain amount of emotional distance as a natural and necessary defense mechanism.

Much like how a pet dog or cat tends to live 1/10th to 1/5th our average expected lifespan? I've always found that excuse for elven behavior to make little sense outside of "Yeah, we also happen to be elitest pricks" rationalization.

Yeah, I mean, there isn't much difference between how you treat a pet parrot and other kinds (other than the talking thing)

Not true, my elven pirate/wizard treated his parrot much better than he treated any human...

[McPoyo]

I think elves usually come off as aloof, 'cause they may or may not be based on Shakespeare's portrayal of Oberon and Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream. I could easily be wrong, but that's how I've always envisioned them.

Aloof makes sense, at least towards humans and similarly short-lived races.  You simply don't want to get too attached to someone who, in your eyes, is going to drop dead in the flicker of an eyelash.  I would see a certain amount of emotional distance as a natural and necessary defense mechanism.

Much like how a pet dog or cat tends to live 1/10th to 1/5th our average expected lifespan? I've always found that excuse for elven behavior to make little sense outside of "Yeah, we also happen to be elitest pricks" rationalization.

Yeah, I mean, there isn't much difference between how you treat a pet parrot and other kinds (other than the talking thing)

Not true, my elven pirate/wizard treated his parrot much better than he treated any human...

*points to elitest prick line above*