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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
  
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:29:03
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Just got the issue of Dragon where they listed the Lupin race and I'm wondering if anyone could give me some advice on how (and where) best to use them in the Realms.
I was figuring that as an explanation for their "origin", I'd keep them recent. They could be 'fallout' from the Time of Troubles (weren't some monsters and such supposed to have been created back then?), being either humans or werewolves who were changed by one deity or another, or maybe just by the chaotic magic of the time.
I don't think there'd be very many of them, maybe a few thousand at worst, but where could these nomadic canids live? In Thar or those other places north of the Moonsea, the Shaar, maybe the Stonelands? If this happened to humans, I doubt their old neighbors would want 'monsters' around, no matter how they behaved.
Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
  
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:35:52
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quote: Originally posted by Ardashir
Just got the issue of Dragon where they listed the Lupin race and I'm wondering if anyone could give me some advice on how (and where) best to use them in the Realms.
I was figuring that as an explanation for their "origin", I'd keep them recent. They could be 'fallout' from the Time of Troubles (weren't some monsters and such supposed to have been created back then?), being either humans or werewolves who were changed by one deity or another, or maybe just by the chaotic magic of the time.
I don't think there'd be very many of them, maybe a few thousand at worst, but where could these nomadic canids live? In Thar or those other places north of the Moonsea, the Shaar, maybe the Stonelands? If this happened to humans, I doubt their old neighbors would want 'monsters' around, no matter how they behaved.
Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.
I would make them an older race but from a continent other than central Faerun, like north of Icewind Dale or the Tortured Lands (isn't there a forest up there?), far north Kara-Tur or north of Maztica. Eithor have them migrate south or pass through a gate, like the sharlin (sp?) and the stingers.
The shifter race from eberron would be more like the "new race of men/wolves developed from the chaos" |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly - Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors - 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
    
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:38:28
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I kind of went the exact opposite direction, assuming that they had been around for quite a while. One of the things that is fun with them is that since they are superficially similar to gnolls and/or werewolves, many people could have run into them and not realized that they had. There is a very brief mention of lupins in this thread that I started here:
http://www.candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6227&SearchTerms=Magus-Progenetor |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
  
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:47:14
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quote: Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
I kind of went the exact opposite direction, assuming that they had been around for quite a while. One of the things that is fun with them is that since they are superficially similar to gnolls and/or werewolves, many people could have run into them and not realized that they had. There is a very brief mention of lupins in this thread that I started here:
http://www.candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6227&SearchTerms=Magus-Progenetor
That's some great work there, KnightErrantJR. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
    
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:49:15
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| Well, I appreciate it. Just some random thoughts to throw some mythology and legend behind some creatures that I like to use. The really fun part is to come up with some contradictory myths and legends and watch your player's heads spin while they try to figure out if either one is the "right" story, but then, that just might be my twisted DM urges coming to the fore. |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:50:57
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I have not read the new version of the Lupin and am working out of what I know of the creatures from Mystaras known world.
I would put them somewhere east of the central realms in some of the mountainous areas of the Hordelands. An alternative could be in the lands far north of the Thar near the Great Glacier. I would think they had been around for quite a while and may have wandered into the realms from an old Mystaran portal. The culture of the Lupins are rather to detailed to be explained by the Time of troubles.
If you want them realmsian of origin they could be a creation of Malar that with free will broke away from this gods bloodthirsty learning's and developed their own culture. If you put them near humans their relationship should be worked out, and I am not sure that it would necessarily be hostile as the lupins are fully capable of negotiating with local authorities.
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
  
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 18:55:06
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I enjoyed the lupins until I saw that old Dragon arcticle where Lupins are not "man-wolves" but "man-dogs" and there are terrior lupin, poodle lupin, beagle lupin, etc.
I'd stick to the primal wolven lupin...which always seemed to me liek the wolven from the Palladium/Rifts RPG |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly - Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors - 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 19:00:20
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quote: Originaly posted by Kalin agrivar I enjoyed the lupins until I saw that old Dragon arcticle where Lupins are not "man-wolves" but "man-dogs" and there are terrior lupin, poodle lupin, beagle lupin, etc.
Man, don't remind me of that travesty.
If anyone wants to know more about the lupins I seem to remember there being quite a bit at the Vaults of Pandius; the best Mystaran fan-site around. |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
  
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 23:31:10
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quote: Originally posted by kalin agrivar
I enjoyed the lupins until I saw that old Dragon arcticle where Lupins are not "man-wolves" but "man-dogs" and there are terrior lupin, poodle lupin, beagle lupin, etc.
I'd stick to the primal wolven lupin...which always seemed to me liek the wolven from the Palladium/Rifts RPG
Man-dogs? Terrier and poodle lupins? Urrgh...  
For me it's man-wolves or nothing. |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
   
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2006 : 23:41:00
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| Man-Dogs.... So bad. |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me "That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
    
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 01:16:33
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Oh sure, next you'll say you don't like Barf from Spaceballs . . .  |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
   
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 01:27:58
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| Not in my D&D game, no. ;) |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me "That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 04:22:05
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We got reptile dog men already, Kobolts, there is no need for others. Although a poodle-lupin would give my campaign a certain flair of the heroics.
The other Dragon article describing all variants of rakshasas were not much better. one or to races of cat-people is OK, but that got ridiculous. If they needed more animal-humanoids I think it has been pretty well decided that ducks are what people want to see. |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
   
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 05:00:28
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*Laughs*
I still like Wemics, myself. And the Guardinals and Animal Lords! |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me "That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 05:05:23
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| I do to, but this article was something like thirty cat races. Or more appropriately, twenty head changes with a couple of cultural traits. If you wanted to play on a "Planet of the Cats" it may have been of use, if not it was really over the top. The same thing with the dog article. Bull terrier lupins having a drink with a pointer lupin? Whats next, a chihuahua lupin? |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
   
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 05:43:28
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| Yeah... One can only go so far in one direction before you can't find your way back to normality. |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me "That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
  
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 13:39:22
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I was going to mention the rakasta man-cats...
they, along with a number of other things (tortles, diaboli, nagpa [*cough* Dark Crystal knock-off] etc.), is the reason I never really was attracted to Mystara |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly - Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors - 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 19:03:27
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Well I like all these elements, its the Dragon articles I criticize. Mystara has its weaknesses but it has a charm of its own that has always attracted me. Plus I love the format of the gazetteers
One small thing; rip-of in D&D, you must be joking. |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
  
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 19:11:44
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quote: Originally posted by Jorkens
Well I like all these elements, its the Dragon articles I criticize. Mystara has its weaknesses but it has a charm of its own that has always attracted me. Plus I love the format of the gazetteers
One small thing; rip-of in D&D, you must be joking.
I don't mind an homage or emulation of an idea, like the discovery of Maztica...afterall, D&D was germinated in Tolkien's work, but the Nagpa, that took it too far!  |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly - Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors - 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
    
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2006 : 19:20:34
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quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar I don't mind an homage or emulation of an idea, like the discovery of Maztica...afterall, D&D was germinated in Tolkien's work, but the Nagpa, that took it too far!
Don't let Gary Gygax hear that. His discussions with Tolkien fans are starting to get legendary.
I think D&D was built on the idea of taking elements from all sorts of sources and incorporating them into the game, the Nagpa was just one in the mass. But, anyway, back to the Lupins. |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
  
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2006 : 18:15:14
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quote: Originally posted by GothicDan
*Laughs*
I still like Wemics, myself. And the Guardinals and Animal Lords!
I like them all, too, especially the guardinals. And I bet that the lupins would be very fond of the lupinals (What? They need divine protectors too). |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
   
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2006 : 22:10:54
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As long as the Lupins weren't being naughty....
And on another note, D&D always felt just as Moorcockian as Tolkienish, to me. |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me "That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
Edited by - GothicDan on 05 Aug 2006 22:11:49 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief

    
USA
36964 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 03:31:05
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quote: Originally posted by GothicDan
*Laughs*
I still like Wemics, myself. And the Guardinals and Animal Lords!
I have always loved wemics. They're like cooler versions of centaurs.  |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
    
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 03:54:49
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quote: Originally posted by GothicDan
And on another note, D&D always felt just as Moorcockian as Tolkienish, to me.
It always felt rather Leiberesque to me as well, but I've always liked Fafhrd and Mouser . . .
At any rate, I use them, as a race, the way they appear in the Dragon Compendium Volume One, which is the wolf headed version of them. |
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