Races, both non-standard and standard, evoke reactions from NPCs. DMs cannot be topside constantly to force NPC reactions to each character. This information is designed to guide how characters can expect NPCs--everything from common folk to ruling characters--to react to their character, especially when not possessed by a DM.
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the revoked approval of the character or denial of future exotic race requests.
¶ Why does this page exist?
Some humanoids, creatures in the realms, have the blood of various monsters and other creatures. Commoners, and more 'normal' beings are surrounded by dangerous lands, where those creatures will kill them or worse. Many commoners in Cormyr and elsewhere can be educated, but often will not be able to tell one creature from another. Most of the time, if they meet one of these creatures, they will be attacked and most likely killed. Therefore, characters that have characteristics similar to these dangers are often seen as being dangerous, and treated as such. In our persistent world Forgotten Realms setting, these commoners often do not have the time to get to know adventurers. They will not know the difference between metallic and chromatic dragons. They will not know that a celestial-looking creature isn't there to judge and smite their smallest infractions, nor that the horns a person has are because they have good-aligned golden dragon blood rather than fiendish heritage.
¶ Reaction Rules
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Do not ignore NPC presence
Just because a DM is not topside does not mean it's okay to walk around undisguised. -
The more monstrous your appearance, the higher on the level categories you will be considered
If unsure, ask an Admin or SDM for clarification. -
Categories vary based on the region that you are in
Arabel is a fairly lenient location, as it is a trade city with a connection to a planar hub. However, other regions may be far more strict. The typical rule of thumb is +1 reaction level when outside of Arabel. -
If you use alter self but still announce/RP openly being a hostile subrace, you will be treated as being part of that subrace. For example, announcing in the square you are a Kill-On-Sight race may result in the character being arrested or killed by the guards.
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Characters who are disguising their nature (using Alter Self or by wearing hoods/helms and concealing attire) are making an effort to abide by these categories. They will be treated as Category 1, at worst.
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Do not try to "see" or "scent" past disguised PCs without explicit approval from the player before the attempt.
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True Sight does not see through innate racial Alter Self (or any such transmutation-based physical changes)
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Characters that are shifted or under Alter Self retain that form when killed, and cannot be "revealed" this way.
¶ Reaction Levels
The categories below are provided as a guideline on how NPCs will react to your characters' appearance/presence. The listed examples are not an exhaustive list; there may be some nuance or variance between NPCs being portrayed by DMs in plots. If you are unsure about which category your character (and their appearance) would fall under, please contact an Admin or SDM.
¶ Level 0 - Accepted
Accepted characters include standard subraces without traits that may cause reaction from NPCs.
Example: Star Elves, Ghostwise Halflings, Half-Orcs (Yulash only)
¶ Level 1 - Unsettled
Characters at this level are members of a (usually) benign subrace or template, and as a result they are typically accepted. These are characters with minor traits that may cause NPCs to stare or otherwise visually react, but are still trusted and treated well.
Example: Aasimar, Warforged (in Cormyr), half-orcs (outside of Arabel or Yulash), Illumian, Half-drow (Yulash Only), Tieflings (Yulash Only)
¶ Level 2 - Tolerated
Tolerated characters are those that encounter suspicion from NPCs. Most of these characters are hybrids or descendents of more distrusted races. These characters are generally disliked or distrusted but not openly acted against unless provoked.
Example: Half-orcs (in Arabel), Tieflings, Genasi, Draconic, Half-celestials (outside of Yulash), Warforged (outside Cormyr), Half-drow (outside of Yulash), Aasimar (Yulash Only)
¶ Level 3 - Discriminated
Discriminated characters are ones that are openly discriminated against by guards and other NPCs. They are visibly "not normal" and treated as such. While they may be allowed within a city, they will be treated as a suspicious character (regardless of their actions). If a public conflict or crime occurs, these characters are most likely to be investigated (and perhaps charged) before those of a lower category.
Example: Non-Chromatic Half-Dragons and Non-Chromatic Dragon Disciples with additional features (horns or tail)* (outside of Yulash), Half-fey, Non-Metallic Half-Dragons and Non-Metallic Dragon Disciples with additional features (horns or tail)* (Yulash only), Drow (Yulash only, if known as such)
¶ Level 4 - Hated
Hated characters are actively unwelcome in populated areas. Guards will menace and threaten in order to intimidate them into moving along. Merchants may refuse them service, and those who do business with them will keep it short and succinct.
Example: Drow (if known as such, outside of Yulash), Chromatic Half-Dragons and Dragon Disciples with additional features (horns or tail)* (outside of Yulash), Metallic Half-Dragons and Dragon Disciples with additional features (horns or tail)* (Yulash only), Half-Celestials (Yulash only)
¶ Level 5 - Outcast
Outcast characters have very few rights or privileges within society. They will find it next to impossible to openly own lands, businesses, or obtain adventuring contracts. Guards will openly harass or look for an excuse to imprison these characters, regardless of evidence of guilt.
Example: Half-fiends (if known as such), Drow (openly visible, outside of Yulash), Yuan-ti (if known as such)
¶ Level 6 - Kill On Sight
These characters are treated by guards and NPCs as monsters. They will not be allowed within any populated areas without disguises.
Example: Visibly monstrous characters (such as half-fiends), Drow (openly visible within the Cormathor/Semberholme), Lycanthropes (in Hybrid form)
¶ Half-Dragon colours:
- Chromatic Half-dragons are those of the colors: Red, green, blue, black, white, brown.
- Metallic Half-dragons are those of metals: Silver, gold, copper, brass, bronze.
- Ferrous Half-dragons are often treated as if they were the color they most resemble.
- Planar Half-dragons are treated as the highest-category of half-dragon as to their location.
- Dragon Disciples who opt to have additional draconic features such as a tail or horn in addition to their wings are treated as the same category level as a half-dragon of the same type.
¶ Frequently Asked Questions
- I've seen players who reveal what they are and don't care that others know. Can they do this, and what does it mean?
Once a character's true nature is publicly known, they will be treated by NPCs according to the level they belong to--unless they create an entirely separate public persona or disguise. DMs cannot be online at all times to make the NPCs react accordingly. Many players tend to just "go with the flow" rather than respond with hostility, which can result in acting out-of-character. We ask that everyone keep this in mind and respect the setting. "The guards don't react to me" is not an acceptable argument/reasoning for not using a disguise or publicly announcing your subrace. The admins reserve the right to revoke characters who ignore NPCs or abuse this system.
- Can I stop using a disguise if I'm not in a populated area?
Yes, though you risk being ICly found out for what you are. If you are in a public area (such as the woods or a tavern) without a disguise and another character comes across you, we are not going to force that player or character to "forget" the encounter. Some areas are private--such as behind locked doors--and your character may choose to reveal their nature at your discretion.
- My character is only Category 3. Do I still need to wear a disguise?
It depends. Category 3 characters are more likely to face public discrimination (such as higher prices from shopkeepers, being detained by guards, or refused service for vague reasons at inns/taverns). However, if you wish to avoid such, you will need a disguise. We primarily expect characters of level 4 or higher to wear disguises.
- My character is in the Disliked or Hated group, but has done a lot to prove him/herself. Do I still have to wear a disguise?
It's certainly possible to garner approval from NPCs over time. However, even if you're the hero of Arabel twice over, NPCs will still be suspicious of you; all of the goodwill you build up can be lost in a moment if the character is found to have done something remotely wrong.
In regards to disguises: remember that because Arabel is a trade city, there is a constant flow of "new" merchant/trading NPCs that travel through it. As such, there is still an expectation that "accepted" characters continue to wear a disguise--though they may not face as severe consequences if they do not. Furthermore, it is jarring for newer players to be confronted with certain "hostile" races (such as Drow openly walking around) within the server centers. Going without disguises leads to situations where other newer characters do the same (believing that the disguise is unnecessary), despite not having similarly established themselves.
- If I know a character is a member of Category 4/5/6, can I talk about it publicly?
The short answer is "it depends." If the character themselves is making no attempt to conceal their nature publicly, or discussing it themselves, then yes. Their nature is considered public knowledge at that point. However, if a character is attempting to abide by these rules but is still discovered or revealed, we ask that you do not casually announce/discuss the matter publicly. This negates the entire purpose behind them attempting to maintain a degree of public secrecy, and forces other players to react as though the character were openly walking about with their race revealed.
If a character reveals their nature in confidence, we ask that you keep it in confidence. Revealing this information can make a character partially or wholly unplayable; this should not happen because of anyone's actions other than the player themselves. If you feel that a player is abusing the system, you are welcome to bring the matter to the Admins (using the Complaint, Compliment, or Criticism form).
- Hoods shouldn't conceal that much of someone's face. Why is CD so tolerant/lenient of (race)?
Disguises such as hoods or helms are a compromise between setting appropriateness and playability. As much as we would like to have a location where characters could be more open regarding their nature, we don't want to exclude players from being able to participate in server activities. If a player is attempting to conceal their characters' nature and abide by the categories in this thread, they are respecting the setting.
What happens if I wind up in PVP with a character that is openly Level 3 or higher in the city?
If PVP occurs within populated areas (cities or villages), guards will side with the character that is of the lower category. If both characters involved are of similar categories, they may both end up being punished severely.
The only caveat to this is regarding griefing. PVP is meant to be part of a story, rather than a means to "force" characters out of an area or bully another player/character. For further clarification, see the Server Rule #4.
What happens if I know someone is really in Level 3 or higher, but they're going around with that fact concealed? Can I start a fight with them and get away with it?
If a character is abiding by the rules in this thread and staying low-profile, the guards are going to assume you are the instigator (as in any other such conflict). This is to protect the players who are following the rules and respecting the setting, and to prevent their chosen race from being an open invitation to be attacked within towns. This is a compromise, as mentioned above.
¶ Clarifications
There has been some confusion as to what traits put one character in a category versus another. Many of these are based upon what the particular monstrous race has done, or is capable of, doing to humans or humanoids in general, as far as harm. However, in the case of pure physical 'deformity' or non-normative traits, we will attempt to help describe how some traits can lead to different reactions based on being covered up or not.
This is not definitive and may be subject to change depending on server events, plot devices, or a character's IC actions/reputation.
Generally, a given NPC's reaction to a character will be derived from how 'other' the character is in appearance. The farther they are from 'normal' for that area will result in a more adverse reaction. The closer they are visibly and harder to ignore compared to a monstrous creature, the worse the reaction. In that vein, there are minor traits and major traits, which are based upon how easily they can be handwaved or ignored.
Minor Traits involve things like:
- Strange scent - Brimstone or the like
- Different pupil shape - Feline or snake-adjacent
- Claws
- Fangs
- Overly Large or Overly Small size (120/80% size or more.)
Major Traits involve things like:
- Skin color
- Wings
- Horns
- Digitigrade Legs
- Tails
Two minor traits are generally equally disliked as any one major trait.
When thinking about how an NPC might react to a given character, monstrous features can be thought of as a sliding scale. If a character has all of their traits covered up, they can safely be considered to be at reaction level 0. Most characters will rise up through the reaction levels as they show more features, if they have them, even if those traits didn't come with their original subrace and/or template. For example: Favored souls, even if good, will be considered 'worse' if their wings are showing compared to a regular human in Arabel.
The place, of course, matters in context. Suzail will be more stifling than Arabel, and Ssrenshen will be more strict still. The Underdark may lead to monstrous non-Drow being captured and put into slavery unless they are exceptionally canny or good at disguise, whereas the guards in Yulash might see it as a chance to increase their bribe numbers.
It can likewise be assumed that any major trait puts a character down a level on the chart. A human tiefling in Arabel, for example, could show a tail and be 'unsettled'. If they have a tail and horns, they will be 'tolerated'. If they gain wings through being a Favored Soul or their bloodline feat, they will be 'discriminated', and told to either cover up or otherwise face harassment by the guards. In more strict cities, it can be safely guessed that any amount of traits is automatically treated as +1 baseline to the above, so a tiefling in Suzail might start out as 'tolerated' with a single trait showing, such as horns.
Please note that this is not exhaustive. The reaction levels are subjective to each character, their presence, their reputation, and exactly where they are. This post is not meant to be a sign that a person can point to as a defense for ignoring the setting - It's merely a guideline as to what to expect, not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Demonic or chromatic dragon traits are likely to have a worse effect in Cormyr, while celestial traits might bring a worse reaction in Yulash, certain fey traits might get one treated worse if there has been a fey enemy in a current server plot, et cetera. Characters with a poor reputation that have threatened others might be treated worse by the guards, or the guard might just be having a bad day and wants to take it out on someone.
If you think that your character is being treated unfairly, we encourage everyone to feel free to bring such up with the admins using the usual form.