Scorpsi

GREGOLE wrote:

Making them the good guys isn't my problem.

My problem is that scorpions are one of the most menacing arthropods evolution has produced. But when I look at scorpsi/Scorrows, that menace isn't there.

The graceful, cloaked menace of a snake is present in nagas. The frighteningly alien predatory nature of spiders is found in dridders. The ferality of raptors is found in harpies. And the anarchic menace of hornets are found in gyspas.

But when you look at a scorpion, you're looking at an armored, predatory, solitary juggernaut. Yes, they can make wonderful guardians, but even then, the sense of menace is there.

I'm sorry, but I don't see any sense of menace in scorpsi/scorrows. And that makes them feel incomplete to me.

I'm not disagreeing with you; I think the idea could use some tweaking. Especially the addition of a strong undercurrent of menace- my earlier statement wasn't so much a suggestion to "make them good guys", my line of reasoning was more...

I guess, making them the last kind of person you'd want to piss off. The Girtablilu (Scorpion Men) of Mesopotamian mythology were the sons of Tiamat, and even the gods feared them. According to the myths, they were "giants whose heads touched the sky", "their terror was awesome", and "their glance was death". They were deadly warriors, who fought with their scorpion tails and from their bows fired arrows which never missed their targets.

I guess I'm kind of picturing these Scorpsi (or whatever they eventually get called) as pretty hardcore warriors, who are more respected (and feared) than really liked. They're rough and tumble, never back down from a fight, and when you really make one angry, they will stop at nothing to utterly destroy you. Assuming they're mercenary enough to hire themselves out as bodyguards to whoever wants to pay, they'd make some pretty awesome protectors... but watching one ruthlessly stabbing something to death while smiling cheerfully would probably be enough to make anyone nervous about relaxing around them.

But I dunno, maybe the image I have in mind just doesn't work for anyone else.

TheQuantumMechanic wrote:

GREGOLE wrote:

Making them the good guys isn't my problem.

My problem is that scorpions are one of the most menacing arthropods evolution has produced. But when I look at scorpsi/Scorrows, that menace isn't there.

The graceful, cloaked menace of a snake is present in nagas. The frighteningly alien predatory nature of spiders is found in dridders. The ferality of raptors is found in harpies. And the anarchic menace of hornets are found in gyspas.

But when you look at a scorpion, you're looking at an armored, predatory, solitary juggernaut. Yes, they can make wonderful guardians, but even then, the sense of menace is there.

I'm sorry, but I don't see any sense of menace in scorpsi/scorrows. And that makes them feel incomplete to me.

I'm not disagreeing with you; I think the idea could use some tweaking. Especially the addition of a strong undercurrent of menace- my earlier statement wasn't so much a suggestion to "make them good guys", my line of reasoning was more...

I guess, making them the last kind of person you'd want to piss off. The Girtablilu (Scorpion Men) of Mesopotamian mythology were the sons of Tiamat, and even the gods feared them. According to the myths, they were "giants whose heads touched the sky", "their terror was awesome", and "their glance was death". They were deadly warriors, who fought with their scorpion tails and from their bows fired arrows which never missed their targets.

I guess I'm kind of picturing these Scorpsi (or whatever they eventually get called) as pretty hardcore warriors, who are more respected (and feared) than really liked. They're rough and tumble, never back down from a fight, and when you really make one angry, they will stop at nothing to utterly destroy you. Assuming they're mercenary enough to hire themselves out as bodyguards to whoever wants to pay, they'd make some pretty awesome protectors... but watching one ruthlessly stabbing something to death while smiling cheerfully would probably be enough to make anyone nervous about relaxing around them.

But I dunno, maybe the image I have in mind just doesn't work for anyone else.

I think it's not a bad idea.

Well I agree that there is maybe some aspects to keep and some to drop/modify but I find the general idea nice

And by the way the official name wll be "Scorpisaï " ^^

*Is keeping his mouth shut and watching how this plays out*

*pokes Haar* If you have something to say, say it. You came up with the idea, people have given feedback, and discussed it. What do you think?

TheQuantumMechanic wrote:

*pokes Haar* If you have something to say, say it. You came up with the idea, people have given feedback, and discussed it. What do you think?

I really don't have much to say. In my opinion, personality is not something that is species-wide, but rather something that is unique to each individual. Then again, psychology isn't really my forte.

Haar wrote:

I really don't have much to say. In my opinion, personality is not something that is species-wide, but rather something that is unique to each individual. Then again, psychology isn't really my forte.

"Personality" in species-wide terms is referring more to personality traits common to that species, not the specific personality of an individual within that species. For example, you posted earlier:

Haar wrote:

Scorpsi are generally fairly easy to get along with, provided you don't make them mad. They have short tempers.

Those are personality traits that define the general behavior of the species. "Usually easy to get along with" and "Short tempers". There can still be exceptions, like if you run into one Scorpisaï who is just a total jerk; but in general if you were talking about the "personality" of the species, you'd be referring to those two common traits.

Edit: Most of us would prefer the Scorpisaï with more of a menacing nature, or ruthless/war-like reputation, than being good-natured people that everybody likes. Just because it doesn't really seem to fit the archetypical role of the Scorpion very well.

Besides, this way, when you do have one who's good-natured and just wants to be friends with everybody, you can play up the fact that everything she does seems sinister and makes people uneasy, even though she's just trying to be nice.

Eh, works for me.

Well, to be honest, scorpions are actually timid, dispite apperances.

Flare wrote:

Well, to be honest, scorpions are actually timid, dispite apperances.

Incorrect. Many species of scorpion are timid and docile. Many are not; some species are so aggressive and will sting so readily that you just can't handle them without getting stung.

Timid Species: Pandinus (Emperor scorpions), Cheloctonus, Iomachus, Zabius, Hadogenes, Liocheles.

Non-Timid Species: Heterometrus, Euscorpius, Vaejovis.

Aggressive Species: Opistophthalmus, Smeringurus, Diplocentrus, Buthus, some species of Pandinus, Hadrurus, some species of Scorpio (Scorpio Maurus in particular, but I know there's others).

All of those tv shows and exhibitions that you see people letting scorpions crawl on their hands? They only use species that are well-known for docility for those. There are several species of scorpion that will sting you if you move too much while holding them, and Pandinus Cavimanus has a tendency to pinch anything in its surroundings; it has pretty weak venom, but its pinchers are strong enough to easily snap a pencil in half.

Some scorpions are timid, despite their appearances. Many are just as vicious as their appearance suggests; there is a reason the scorpion has had such a fearsome reputation since ancient times.

Then it appears my source was incorrect.

Speaking of Scorpisaïs, I've been toying around with a few ideas regarding a link between them and the (as yet unnamed) tribe of primal Elves I'm developing as one of the cultures for Sean Okotami's Angin Plains.

I don't really have plans to focus on fleshing them (the Scorpisaïs) out at the moment, but they might get a bit of definition from the background of these Elves. Two tribal cultures, one of which migrated to the Angin Plains from a rocky desert area for unknown reasons... definitely some potential that could be explored there.