Few beliefs I'd like to address.

[TakenByVisions]

An evil petting zoo?

[404]

I don't like it when (esp. high level) PC's walk around stuttering all the time or when they are being absolutely grossed out by certain acts. By the time you hit level 8, you will have killed 1,000 Goblins, 1,400 Orcs, 300 Human bandits etc. Since few of those deaths were mercy kills, I think most of the PCs have seen their share of limbs parting and intestines bursting.

Sounds like the kind of thing that will sufficiently mess up right about anyone to the part where they don't walk around all insecure and easily disgusted by certain acts anymore.


You know... Since we're on this topic.

[Coldburn]

If Stargazers are savages you obviously should not do the Order of the Zodiac quest.

[The Beggar]

I believe in unicorns, and also that this topic has been derailed.

[Divine Intervention]

Honestly proportionality is the biggest issue IMO.  The amount of times I've insulted/punched someone in a street brawl only to be met with instant chugging of potions or drawing a weapon is kind of silly.

[Dash]

wat

[YourSecretAdmirer]

Honestly proportionality is the biggest issue IMO.

I agree.

[chezcaliente]

It is rather annoying though when you try to be prejudiced and angry towards outsiders as a stargazer when other stargazers are like "STFU you don't know what your saying". Indeed some stargazer PCs can be naive and curious at first but when you see a stargazer that has been on a few months saying it to you it is of great annoyance.

As the person currently playing a Stargazer who is more accepting of (some) non-Stargazers than some of his brethren, I would like to emphasise that this is totally in-character. As a member of the Steward faction, Ayumu sees the cooperation of the druidic order as being more important than racial conflict, and as a high WIS character, sees the potential for allies in those who support those goals, no matter their race. Ayumu is especially critical of anyone (including Stargazers) who doesn't respect the Stewards, or speak about them as though they have intimate knowledge of their opinions/decisions when they aren't of the Circle.

I would rather this not turn into some kind of OOC assumption that I'm "not playing it right".

Additionally, overall the Stargazers of the Old Ways are a fairly neutral race, with many good tendencies, especially amongst the Order of the Zodiac IIRC. I don't find it surprising that initial mistrust or prejudice against their foreign ways (including cannibalism etc) dissipates if an adventurer has the opportunity to see their actions and talk with them in person.

[Big Orc Man]

Why should the druid order cooperate if they don't cooperate towards druidish ends?

Aberrations, planar creatures, undead... none of them are tolerable to a druid.

That includes tieflings and even aasimars.

[chezcaliente]

Why should the druid order cooperate if they don't cooperate towards druidish ends?

Aberrations, planar creatures, undead... none of them are tolerable to a druid.

That includes tieflings and even aasimars.

I'm not really sure what you're trying to say here BOM. When I said "outsiders" in the post above, I meant non-Stargazers.

EDIT: Edited the original post to be clearer!

[Big Orc Man]

Then I misinterpreted it!

But the point does stand on its own.  You'd be surprised!

[Kinslayer988]

Sorry Chez if I insulted!

[chezcaliente]

No insult taken! Just wanted to make sure you were aware that it was all done IC, and not some kind of OOC campaign of mine. Feel free to get annoyed in-character with Ayumu!

[Meldread]

I've never played a Stargazer primarily because I've always found it difficult to understand what was expected of them.  They come from a very specific culture that is alien to the rest of Faerûn that most of us are familiar with.

I'm not sure how new Stargazer's are introduced into the game (again never having played one), but I think it would be awesome if they could move directly from the starting area into some sort of mist-vision introduction quest.  It would be very similar to the mist-vision you receive from entering the sarcophagus in the Dreamers Chapterhouse.  

The purpose would be to inform the player about the history of the Stargazers through the eyes of their people.  Help them understand exactly WHY they distrust outsiders, and help them get a sense of what it means to be a member of the Stargazer culture.

This may already be in place, having never played one myself I cannot say for certain, but if it isn't - I think it would be extremely helpful.

[PanamaLane]

So, in my mind, the higher your intelligence or wisdom score is the less likely you are to do things without reasons. So what would be your reason to hate stargazers?

You hate the stargazers because they caused the curse? Lets call that a peripheral reason. If you were not around for the fall of the dominion, its not really personal. You could just as likely hate the Netheresse for building the mythallar that brought you there or the Count for his blockade of your escape, or any other series of events.

You believe what you are told, that they are evil savages, cannibals. This is another peripheral reason. The stargazers don't exist anywhere else, so you've never met one. What you are told about them will pail in comparison to your own experiences with them. One finds you hurt along the road, grabs you and bandages you up, you'll probably forget about all the "stupid rumors" you heard in town about them.

You met and know the stargazers, and they've screwed you somehow. This is what I would call an actual reason. I would argue that this is what 95% of racism is. You can't start grouping people into stereotypes until you've interacted with those people. Sure, you can be a xenophobe, but that to me is not racism, especially not escalating to the point of violence. You may mistrust, you may dislike, you may want to simply stay away, but hate is only found in personal experience. They killed your friend, they robbed you, they caused the fall of the dominion (and you were there!), they did soemthing to you. If you want PC's to be racist toward stargazers, then the stargazers need to give them reason for it, by screwing PC's.

You play a low or average intelligence and wisdom character who hates everyone. Actual reason. Go ahead be a huge racist. We love it on the server and it adds depth to the story telling. Maybe you're just evil and want to profit off their enslavement? Also a good reason. There are plenty of good reasons to be racist, but it should be part of a background. You are more likely to hate half-orcs, elves, halflings and other races you have come across in the past then those you've never met. Of course, maybe you hate all the races except your own. That's cool and fun for all involved.