Originally Posted by Asta Kask (Post 1580102)

I think dolphins are very big on forced copulations. And blowhole sex.

Originally Posted by whswhs (Post 1572332)

I'd also note that if the males take, later, to going on long voyages to trade or whale, the females will be left alone. To keep up their protein and calorie intake, they may need to develop their own fishing customs. And if their fishing grounds are valuable, they may have to fight for them, against men or halflings or even trolls who want to muscle in.

Bill Stoddard

Originally Posted by whswhs (Post 1572834)

In any case, this is a fantasy campaign. I'm not thinking that alcoholic beverages made from fermented urine are a thing I want to introduce into this particular fantasy.

Bill Stoddard

Originally Posted by Astromancer (Post 1582548)

These Indonesian folks might serve as a model. They are famous both as pirates and traders and their women survive just fine.

Originally Posted by Brett (Post 1572846)

I recall a ritual intoxicant consisting of the urine of people (shamans? medicine-women?) who had ingested hallucinogenic toadstools. A troll thing, perhaps.

Originally Posted by whswhs (Post 1572863)

I'd just as soon not go for primarily arboreal elves, anyway; I don't see them as being as likely to come down to the ground and engage in horticulture. On the other hand, I'd be fine with elves who are a bit better at climbing, perhaps have more dextrous big toes, and maybe a keener sense of balance, to help them take refuge in the trees when endangered.

Years ago I read a short discussion of the tribal peoples of northern California. It mentioned that they had a great abundance of food from acorns and the like, and a fair amount of leisure, but had somewhat underdeveloped social structure, which they compensated for by elaborate anxiety-displacing rituals. I have to say it sounded oddly like northern California now. It really made me think there was something to this "spirit of the land" thing.

Bill Stoddard

Originally Posted by jason taylor (Post 1582569)

The poster did not say women cannot survive in such a society did he?

Originally Posted by fartrader (Post 1583544)

There's nothing in honey that would convert the starch of the acorn to sugar for the yeast to convert to alcohol - that's the problem here and the only way I know to get that conversion is with barley or saliva, but barley is better at it and less "ewwww" too.