Re: Origins of Races

A thread of 2 messages, 8 January 1991 to 10 January 1991, in the order they were sent.

#2045 Re: Origins of Races

Adrian Hurt · 8 January 1991

>   The Aslan and Hiver also seems to have been initially inspired by Kzinti and
> Puppeteers. Not that they are copies of them, no way, but there is some
> similarities (as well as great differences). If they have gone through the
> same process of change as the official view of the Zhodanis, I imagine that
> the similarities might have been greater when they were first introduced.

Guess what those races are in fact based on?

>   (On the other hand, a old Traveller-player here on Chalmers is dead sure that
> Zhodani, Aslan and Vargr are thinly disguised versions of Russians, Samurai-
> era Japanese and Mexicans as they are viewed in American folklore. Don't ask
> me, he's the resident expert on Japan too, and when he recounted the
> similarities it sounded at least possible)

For "Mexicans", substitute "Indians".  As in "Red Indians", a.k.a. Native
Americans.  The Plains Indians, to be precise - the old Vargr module made
reference to them in the section on how to role-play Vargr.  So if you want
to do space-age westerns, go for the coreward borders.

- - --
 "Keyboard?  How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  [email removed]
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   [email removed]

#2053 Re: Origins of Races

Bertil Jonell · 10 January 1991 · reply to #2045

In article (2045) [email removed] (Adrian Hurt) writes:
  [I wrote:]
> >   The Aslan and Hiver...
>
> Guess what those races are in fact based on?

  Please, enlighten us. I've got a major interest in FRP trivia and little known
stories. Stories of how the Traveller races was created, the various influences
on them and why they were named as they were are high on my list of "Nice to
know" things.
  (The name "Hivers" are self explanatory. I have read CS Lewis so I know about
Aslan, but Vargr are more obscure. The Swedish word for wolf is viritually
identical:)

> >(On the other hand, a old Traveller-player here on Chalmers is dead sure that
> > Zhodani, Aslan and Vargr are thinly disguised versions of Russians, Samurai-
> > era Japanese and Mexicans as they are viewed in American folklore. Don't ask
> > me, he's the resident expert on Japan too, and when he recounted the
> > similarities it sounded at least possible)
>
> For "Mexicans", substitute "Indians".  As in "Red Indians", a.k.a. Native
> Americans.  The Plains Indians, to be precise - the old Vargr module made
> reference to them in the section on how to role-play Vargr.

  I think he was referring to the "Banana Republic" stereotype with a
revolution once per year, juntas that fragment due to infighting, a charismatic
rebel in every streetcorner and ludicrously overloaded uniforms.

  And there *is* a Zhodani tank that the Imperials call the Z-80 :)

>  Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  [email removed]

In article (2046) [email removed] (Tom Harris) writes:
>
> [About the orgin of Aslan]

  Thanks, I'll pass it on.

> I don't know as much about the exact origins of Vargyr, Zhondai, and Hivers as
> they were created to flesh out Traveller.

  Wasn't the Keith(?) brothers involved in creating the Hivers. I think I've
seen an article by one of them in an old JTAS that was an introduction to
Hivers.

> 					    Tom Harris

- - -bertil-