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Aquanova
Seeker
USA
63 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 04:17:24
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Okay, so I'm looking through my (3e) FR products, and RoF and UE both state that Thesk is dominated by Damarans. And that Chondathans don't even make up 1% of the population. Now, Thesk is just as business-like as Sembia (perhaps not as gritty), so I have a very hard time believing that Damarans are essentially a carbon-copy of Sembians and Chondathans don't even make up a portion nonetheless the majority of the population.
Would I be out of line in saying that Chondathans deserve at least the second-largest demographic in Thesk, if not the largest?
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 16:51:21
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| Just because they share a similarity like doing business doesn't mean they're of the same racial stock. |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 17:06:43
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Actually, they do share the same racial stock, not being Deep Imaskari. Their ethnicity isn't the same, however- (Sorry to nit-pick, but this is a pet peeve of mine, there is only 1 (one) human race, now if we could only get those @%¤#ing racists to understand it, too.)
And if being good traders were to mean a similar ethnic make-up, don't you think the Dutch and peoples on the African East Coast will be surprised to hear that? |
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Edited by - Kajehase on 04 Feb 2006 17:07:04 |
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Aquanova
Seeker
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 20:40:09
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No, that's not what I'm getting at. They don't share a similarity in doing business, it's that their lives are doing business. As indicated by the whole measuring people by their wealth, life is dominated by deals (over and under the counter), double-crosses, justice can be deterred if you have a deep pocket, et al. If anything, they're even more money-driven than the Sembians, because even the Sembians' racial bias is still apparent, even during deals, but Theskians just take an attitude according to the money they're given. I know that they were influenced by Chondathan traders centuries ago, but they seem MUCH more Chondathan than Damaran.
Am I alone in thinking it's odd that not even one percent of Thesk's population is not Chondathan? Not one percent, in the Eastern carbon-copy (essentially) of Sembia. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 00:09:45
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Again, just because their culture is the same, it doesn't mean there is any connection beyond that.
Races of Faerūn tells us that Chondathan is the primary racial stock for Sembia.
Since Sembians are merchant-kings, you're thinking all Chondathans are. You're also saying that all merchant-kings are Chondathan.
But it doesn't work that way. Chondathan is the primary racial stock for the Dales and Cormyr, too. And most Dalefolk and most Cormyreans are not merchant-kings. So obviously, not all Chondathans are merchant-kings.
The people of Amn are known for their merchantile abilities, too. In Amn, coin is king. And Amn is dominated by Tethyrians. Obviously, merchantile ability is not limited to Chondathans.
So, I'd go with what the book says on Thesk. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 01:17:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So, I'd go with what the book says on Thesk.
I'd say go with the book for Thesk's population make-up as well.
Sounds to me like you're assigning too much emphasis to what is, essentially, a cultural phenomenon. A "business-like" nature is more a sign of significant economic activity than any real trait "in-the-blood" so to speak.
You'll find plenty of human racial stocks have a "Sembian"-like qualities to them in any large enough population centre which has a highly concentrated economy that connects with other major population centres in the Realms. The Furry Hamster's mention of Amn is a clear example of this.
Thesk is no different.
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Edited by - The Sage on 05 Feb 2006 01:19:39 |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6648 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 23:45:45
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Damarans are Chondathans that have developed their own unique racial grouping due to mixing with Nar and Raumviran bloodlines. Pure Chondathan racial strains are rare now (but were not so early on in places such as Impiltur, as settlers of Jhaamdathan stock sought to marry "their own" and keep bloodlines pure - by 200 DR or so, the pure Chondathan strain were becoming quite rare) save in areas where they have dominated the human landscape (the Vilhon Reach, Sembia and the Dalelands et. al.). As Sage and Wooly Rupert have noted, Chondathans don't necessarily make the best business people just because some of their racial grouping have happened to become successful merchants. Theskans are just as good at business and trade as Sembians, even if they are Damarans.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Aquanova
Seeker
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2006 : 01:43:48
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I suppose I did get a little too intricate in my assumptions and designations (I still think it's weird that there isn't a single percent of Chondathans, but brah).
Thank you all for your informative replies, and please bear with me that I'm still a baby to the Forgotten Realms (only got into it about six years ago), so please forgive my naivety.  |
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Thesk's demographics
