"Racism" and "Speciesism" (?)

[Tarnished_Tulip]

Can we get a list... A list regarding each race and who they... urhm... Dislike..

I get so confused regarding who i need to hate and such... Sorry

[Seanzie]

Yes, BOM, some opinions are wrong, my apologies.

[AntiDruid]

Seanzie is right to the extent that it's not okay to go hating PC's because they have a darker skin color. If you see a Chultan or Thayan, don't go calling them monsters due to their skin color, and certainly don't go using real life derogatory terms for them or for any other ethnicity. Calling them a dino-lover or a tattooed freak, well, that's fine (it may net you a few spears or fireballs to the face, though).

Real Life Racism=Bad
Forgotten Realms Racism=Good

No sense getting upset over any of it. EfU is rife with all the 'bad elements of society,' drugs, slavery, mugging, murder, poverty, used to be a few prostitutes around (may still be). It's a far from perfect world, and it's better to keep it so.

As for a list, here.
Humans: Neutral in most regards.. monsters are monsters and they're often raised hearing stories about how the drow will take them away if they don't behave.
Elves: Deep hatred of drow. Occasionally a rivalry with dwarves, the two don't see eye to eye but violence is very rare.
Dwarves: Orcs and goblins are hated, while giants are absolutely despised. Hatred of elves is rare (but existant) but there is usually a rivalry between the two races. Dwarves, halflings and gnomes all get along very well, dwarves are even sometimes accepted into the Order of the Hin Fist, and the 'Golden Alliance' very nearly became a haven for Halflings as well some time ago.
Halflings: Bitter enemies to goblins.
Gnomes: Bitter enemies to kobolds.
Half-Orcs: Dwarves are their main foe, rarely being trusted by or trusting them. They are shunned by mostly everyone for their orc blood, and even shunned by orcs for their human blood.

[Kinslayer988]

People should know that EFU and RL are two completely different things and should remain that way.
In Forgotten Realms there is undeniable racism/speciesism. I myself have played many racist characters (Burlug, Dhavard) but know that I actualy do have friends of other races and I would never treat them like this in real life.
Seanzie, I know you are concerned and the racism here is not on skin color. It is because of the races fear of the unknown and most of the race's belief in supremacy.

[chezcaliente]

Can we get a list... A list regarding each race and who they... urhm... Dislike..

I get so confused regarding who i need to hate and such... Sorry

If Cluckyx and I ever get around to coordinating schedules to set up my website log-in, I can certainly see about adding this kind of information to race description pages on the website based on information presented in "Races of Faerun". Pretty much every race gets a "relations with other races" section in that book.

[wcsherry]

When playing within this realm, there are certain truisms one must adopt to maintain the immersion the EFU DM staff and community has worked very hard to preserve.

One of these truisms each player should accept is that racism is a real, guiding influence on the lives of everyone in the Forgotten Realms.

That said, adventurers are often exceptional individuals that break from usual social norms. Just don't act shocked if said adventurer is treated like a half-brained social retard by players, and NPC's especially, that's been living under a rock for the last 1000 years.

Lastly, when one fails to maintain these truisms to an egregious level, however, the immersion and probity of the server in general suffers as a result.

More simply put, it's like pissing in the pool. You ruin things for everyone by doing it.

[Aethereal]

It is all about style! As a player if you indeed incorporate heavy prejudice into your concept, think about how you can make it setting appropriate yet an awesome experience for all involved.

Examplars are already given in this thread so I shall not repost them.

As for species. I think we need to take a step back and realise that this fictional universe was created from our human perspective.

Essentially, all the demi-human races are made to be a certain character stereotype of a sub sect of potential human traits. For example, all elves are long lived, hauntingly beautiful, have long ears and are slow to adapt to change and all dwarves are loyal, industrious, short, fat and bearded. (Very specific and categorised phenotype variants of the human race enforced to create a fictional species.)

What I am saying is that by design the species are made to be different. It is an artificial -design.- And therefore it simply must be enforced that there are salient and easily observed differences between the species which is why Howland is saying that racism is correct. Because such differences must exist and be noted ICly to allow for us to retain immersion!

There is of course the exception that the Human species is completely versatile and can encompass every single possible combination of character traits without specific guidelines. Which I would dare to say stems from the game creators human centric perspective. (Although exceptions to every species are allowed too, they are just rare and usually anti-everything that defines their race e.g. Drizzt Do'urden.)

Seanzie, hopefully that helps you understand the situation better.

[SkillFocuspwn]

Good and Evil are real. Some species are always good, some are always evil. Good and Evil will always hate each other.

Same with Chaos and Law, Nature and Civilisation. These are binary and absolute.

Elves are Chaotic, Good and Naturey. Thus, they would be inclined to feel racism towards races that were Lawful, races that were Evil, or races that were Naturey.

[Underbard]

I hate long eared elves.
I hate  fat dwarves.
I hate thieving hin.
I hate short gnomes.


But mostly I hate smelly orc-bloods.

[Drakill Tannan]

You know, it would be a good idea to make a "guideline" thread to show what certian races or cultures generally think of other races/cultures. It could go like:

Elves:
They consider themselves superior to other races. They think of humas as ignorant children that need to be guided, dislike dwarfves because of their dwarfy nature, and do not like half-orcs because of the orc blood. They particulary despise the drow or half-drow, they are mortal enemies and never have anything good to say about each other. They also hate orcs with every breath they hold. They get along very well with druids and wildfolk in general, as well as any fey.

Dwarfs:
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

You get the idea. Could allow characters to be racist "correctly".

Disclaimer: i made the description up. I are ignorant about elves.

[Wafflecone]

Racial attitudes are discussed in Races of Stone, Races of Wild, and Races of destiny. But the general idea is -
 
Elves:
 
Generally reguard Humans as shortlived and childish, but also with great potential if they would JUST FUCKING LISTEN. Humans can also be destructive, drawing their ire.
 
They reguard dwarves as level headed and respect their crafts, but their fundamentally different views on life (elves valuing freedom and leisure, dwarves law and labor) as well as the Dwarven tendency to mine and lumber put them at odds. They also have fundamentally different views on aesthetics, so something that is beautiful art to a dwarf would seem a lumpy squarish thing to an Elf.
 
Halflings tend to hold elves in awe, and they get along well, though halfling humor and 'ownership concepts' can occasionally cause problems.
 
Elves and Gnomes get along, generally, having very similar outlooks.
 
Halforcs, see humanity, but add orcyness for some extra hatred.
 
Dwarves:
 
Generally see humans as shortlived and childish (noticing a trend?), but respecting their capacity for industry. Humans are stupid, but have potential.
 
Elves and Dwarves respect each other for their crafts, and in the manner of rivals who've gone at it enough times to gain respect for one another. Similar lifespans also make friendships easier than with shorter lived races. However, they have dire fundamental cultural differences- 'the good life' to a Dwarf is to work all day, every day. They see elves as lazy and listless and are amazed they can produce such fine weapons and armor- not as good as a dwarves mind, and certainly alot more fluffy. Elves have this annoying habit of putting too much value in lumber. We burn that shit to make coal to make steel. It's not like you mined it out of the ground.
 
Dwarves and Halflings do not get along very well. Halflings are very lawful, but have a relaxed down to earth culture that values personal freedom, and differing concepts of 'ownership'. Halflings for their part, think dwarves have no sense of humor at all, and are stubborn- great for playing jokes on.
 
Dwarves and Gnomes get along well befitting their shared origins of stone, though they are culturally very different- though they value fine workmanship and precious stones, and this is usually enough to prevent incessant gnomish pranks from causing civil wars.
 
Halforcs are just like humans but with a shade of hated orcs, making them even dumber and more hated.
 
Halflings:
 
Halflings tend to keep to themselves and integrate well into all manner of societies, so they generally get along with the populous humans very well and can be found in almost any human city. That being said they don't see themselves as 'half' of anything and don't like the condescending attitude some humans give them, or how everyone thinks they're thieves.
 
Halflings admire the industry of dwarves but think they need to relax and take a hit of this Brandywine pipeweed this shit is the kings yo. Too uptight.
 
Halflings hold elves somewhat in awe, finding them ancient and mysterious, but with similar appreciates for art and culture. They can be a bit too ethereal though, for the down to earth Halflings.
 
Halflings get along great with gnomes. They love jokes, community, and live underground. Gnomish humor can be a bit much even for a halfling sometimes though.
 
Halflings are wary of Halforcs if for no other reason then they're so damned tootall. They're usually willing to give them more of a fair shake, though they're perfectly ready to poisen their food the moment they suspect them of worshipping Gruumsh.
 
Gnomes:
 
Gnomes are a somewhat private and magical race and are rarely found in human settlements, but they tend to reguard humans fondly- if somewhat too serious or wild. Their lack of communal identity mystifies them. Gnomes are the patronizing grandpa, grinning and shaking their heads at the kids foolish games. Humans are varied enough that some of them take jokes well though.
 
Dwarves are respected cousins who value the earth and gems, community, and good workmanship. They're way, way too serious though.
 
Gnomes like elves, they really do, but sometimes they're too mysterious and proud for their own damned good.
 
Gnomes and Halflings get along pretty well, although Halflings take the concept of 'communal property' a bit further than them, and swiftly escalating prank battles can be the stuff of legends
 
Gnomes are suspicious of Halforcs but generally good natured enough to give them a chance until phantasmal killing them out of improved invis becomes necessary.
 
Humans:
 
As a massivly eclectic and varied race, exact human attitudes are difficult to pin down, however, they tend to reguard:
 
Elves as beautiful, elegant, but perhaps too dainty and too proud.
 
Dwarves as reliable, dependible, and good workers but too damn stubborn and surly.
 
Halflings as good neighbors and bargainers, but GODDAMNIT WHERES MY DAGGER YOU LITTLE SHIT
 
Gnomes are strange, but good natured and peaceful neighbors. Hey, is that a pig bladder filled with wa-*sploosh*
 
Halforcs are the product of rape and war, and carry more spiritual and emotional baggage for humans than perhaps any other race. Opinions vary much, but they are all reguarded with a subtle mixture of horror and pity.

[Wafflecone]

Halforcs...
 
Hate everyone because they're godless killing machines.

[Valo56]

Halforcs...
 
Hate everyone because they're godless killing machines.

That would be bears.

[TeufelHunden]

This is still an issue

[The Pathfinder]

Why would it not be?