25 réponses à ce sujet

[King Minos]

Just wondering what the Riviani ethnicity is based on real skin colours. On the Dragon Age wikia it says that Rivain is the home of dark skinned Humans, so what type of ethnicity are they? They have the skin tone of possibly the Africans yet no African facial features. What is the skin tone based from?

[Heidenreich]

The reason the Rivani are dark skinned is because they're from the northern most part of Thedas, which is the warmer climate. People from the warmest bits of our world tend to have darker skin due to the need to reflect the sunlight rather then absorbe it..

Culturally they're more like the Romani, or Native American/Aboriginal people with their shaman and seers. Perhaps even akin to Egyptian.

Either way, you're putting to much thought into it

Modifié par Heidenreich, 06 octobre 2011 - 12:56 .

[Drone696]

I don't want to bring up another discussion about racism, but what are "African facial features"?

Anyway, Rivain strikes me being similar to the Carribean or even Brazil; culturally and ethnically, If you want.

[Knight of Dane]

You don't have to be a racist to know that the typical African features are larger noses and chins plus less pointy cheek bones than people with a lighter skin color..

[whykikyouwhy]

@Knight of Dane - I'm taking a guess here, but I think rapunzel696's statement and question was not meant to tag anyone as "racist" but was an acknowledgement that this subject could easily and quickly delve in a discussion on "racism." (And has in the past, in other threads focused on the Rivaini people.) That's how I read the post.

[mousestalker]

I would guess Sicilian/ North African. They could even be based off of Indians.

[Maria Caliban]

She strikes me as the same 'race' as Disney's blue-eyed, dark-skinned Esmerelda.

Heidenreich wrote...

The reason the Rivani are dark skinned is because they're from the northern most part of Thedas, which is the warmer climate. People from the warmest bits of our world tend to have darker skin due to the need to reflect the sunlight rather then absorbe it.

Humans only arrived on Thedas a couple thousand years ago, which isn't enough time for a single group to become dark-skinned or light-skinned. It's more likely that there were pre-existing racial differences among the various human tribes. There are also african and asain facial features among Thedas' humans, which would support this idea.

Modifié par Maria Caliban, 06 octobre 2011 - 03:51 .

[Heidenreich]

Maria Caliban wrote...

She strikes me as the same 'race' as Disney's blue-eyed, dark-skinned Esmerelda.

Heidenreich wrote...

The reason the Rivani are dark skinned is because they're from the northern most part of Thedas, which is the warmer climate. People from the warmest bits of our world tend to have darker skin due to the need to reflect the sunlight rather then absorbe it.

Humans only arrived on Thedas a couple thousand years ago, which isn't enough time for a single group to become dark-skinned or light-skinned. It's more likely that there were pre-existing racial differences among the various human tribes. There are also african and asain facial features among Thedas' humans, which would support this idea.

This isn't nessisarly true. We only know that the ELVES incountered humans "a couple thousand years ago". This in no way means humans weren't in-around-and on Thedas prior to this. Rivain is mostly islands, to start.. and secondly, a race of timless imortal creatureswould have less grasp of how long ago exactly it was when they first encountered humans. On top of the fact that there's nearly no writen history for the Elves.

So... yes, humans could very well be native to Thedas.



And Esmerelda is a Gypsy. Aka Romani.

Modifié par Heidenreich, 06 octobre 2011 - 04:19 .

[tmp7704]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Humans only arrived on Thedas a couple thousand years ago, which isn't enough time for a single group to become dark-skinned or light-skinned.

I think it takes considerably less than few thousand years to gain decent tan...

[Maria Caliban]

tmp7704 wrote...

Maria Caliban wrote...

Humans only arrived on Thedas a couple thousand years ago, which isn't enough time for a single group to become dark-skinned or light-skinned.

I think it takes considerably less than few thousand years to gain decent tan...

My Warden spent a year running around the country-side in DA:O and was just as pasty as when she started. Given that no one changed skin tone in DA:O or DA 2, the only logical conclusion is that the people of Thedas can't tan.

[Drone696]

@Knight of Dane and whykikyouwhy

I didn't call the OP a racist nor do I believe he is one. And I really don't want to offend anyone.

But: categorizing people in terms of skin colour and anatomical features is racism. No ill meaning needed. That's a fact many people aren't aware of.

Again,I didn't want to flame the OP - my apologies to King Minos!

Modifié par rapunzel696, 06 octobre 2011 - 04:45 .

[berelinde]

Anyone who played DA:O as a dark-skinned Cousland knows that there is no such thing as genetics in Thedas.

I got a distinct Romani vibe from the Rivaini we've met (admittedly, only 2). So, you would probably find coloring in Rivain similar to what you would find in northern India/Pakistan. Fair skin is not unknown, but it is not common. Light hair is even rarer. Blue or green eyes show up in even the darkest-skinned peoples on occasion (I had a green-eyed Kenyan roommate in college - her coloring was stunning), but again, it's rare.

[Maria Caliban]

rapunzel696 wrote...

But: categorizing people in terms of skin colour and anatomical features is racism. No ill meaning needed. That's a fact many people aren't aware of.

If merely categorizing people on their race is racism, then my saying "The vast majority of Congressmen are white despite the large number of non-white citizens," is racist of me.

berelinde wrote...

Anyone who played DA:O as a dark-skinned Cousland knows that there is no such thing as genetics in Thedas.

Given that an elf having a child with a human produces a human, I'm tempted to agree.

Modifié par Maria Caliban, 06 octobre 2011 - 05:05 .

[tmp7704]

Maria Caliban wrote...

My Warden spent a year running around the country-side in DA:O and was just as pasty as when she started. Given that no one changed skin tone in DA:O or DA 2, the only logical conclusion is that the people of Thedas can't tan.

Ferelden is cold like that. Very little sunlight ;/

I'm sure DA2 characters don't change skin tone because it'd totally clash with their carefully chosen iconic outfits. THe lengths people go to remain fashionable...

[tmp7704]

rapunzel696 wrote...

But: categorizing people in terms of skin colour and anatomical features is racism. No ill meaning needed. That's a fact many people aren't aware of.

In anthropologic sense, yes. However, not sure what's the point of bringing it up if there's supposed to be no connotations attached to pointing it out. I mean, it's like pointing out to people who discuss the weather that they're in fact discussing the weather. While accurate, it doesn't really bring anything?

[Knight of Dane]

rapunzel696 wrote...

@Knight of Dane and whykikyouwhy

I didn't call the OP a racist nor do I believe he is one. And I really don't want to offend anyone.

I didn't say you did.

[thats1evildude]

You humans are all racist.

[Drone696]

Ok, maybe we should get our definitions strraight first, but that would lead us to far afield. I was referring to the term "race" in an anthropological sense. There are no human races. The US Census Bureau et al. uses the term differently, but as I said that's connotated negative elsewhere.
I was merely asking the OP a question. And as he hasn't commented on my post, I guess he has no interest in discussing it further either. By now I've answered my question myself and said what irritated me - no more, no less. I guess I should have bitten my tongue. No offense to everyone and please let's not derail this thread further.

Modifié par rapunzel696, 06 octobre 2011 - 07:41 .

[King Minos]

Rapunzel dont even try twist my question into a racist one, go away If your trying to start something, if I was being racist or trolling I would of said racist comments. It's a simple question guys, it's not a deep question, just a interest in wondering who the Rivaini are based on, so far i got Native Americans and Romani but are Romani actually dark skinned? I honestly have never seen dark skinned people like Isabela who isn't of African heritage.

[King Minos]

As a mixed race person, I looked at pictures of my mums father who is black and the skin tone is so different, like a shiny black, her mum is Thai and is a dark orange yellow, still different. Just curious on who the Rivaini is based on, it's been plaguing my mind since yesterday, I just want to know.

[thats1evildude]

It doesn't seem like the Rivaini are modelled after any real-world group. Like a lot of things in Dragon Age, the different cultures of Thedas are inspired by the real world but they also don't match up.

[whykikyouwhy]

The wiki article on Rivain states this:

Rivain possesses strong allegories to Spain during the Middle Ages, particularly around and during the occupation of the islamic Moors (ala Qunari in Dragon Age). The references to Spain can be seen in the Mediterranean complexion of the Rivaini people, as well as the parallels of religious circumstances and society known of Iberian territories prior to the Reconquista.

Also the people of Rivain bear similarities with the real world nations of Lebanon,Greece and Israel.Their religion, which is centered around Seers, has similarities with voodoo.Also, in Rivain piercings show social status, just like some African tribes.

No specific source is cited for this section, and to my knowledge (which is limited), no dev has made any statement about what ethnic parallels there are for the Rivaini people between our world and Thedas. Personally, I would lean toward the first quoted paragraph above - Isabela, at least, is similar in features to people from Spain, at least those I have encountered. But with that, I would include a Native American influence as well.

I don't know that there is a specific answer to this question though. It may be that Rivain and its people are based on so many different groups as to provide a nice ethnic amalgalm for the game world. They're not meant to overly resemble any one group/people, because this is Thedas we're talking about - the people are different and unique within their own world.

[.shea.]

King Minos wrote...
I honestly have never seen dark skinned people like Isabela who isn't of African heritage.

Some indians have pretty dark skin, like: www.contactmusic.com/pics/lc/comic_con_2_161009/rekha_sharma_5371429.jpg (she played Tory in BSG).

[TEWR]

Maria Caliban wrote...

tmp7704 wrote...

Maria Caliban wrote...

Humans only arrived on Thedas a couple thousand years ago, which isn't enough time for a single group to become dark-skinned or light-skinned.

I think it takes considerably less than few thousand years to gain decent tan...

My Warden spent a year running around the country-side in DA:O and was just as pasty as when she started. Given that no one changed skin tone in DA:O or DA 2, the only logical conclusion is that the people of Thedas can't tan.

Actually, you see plenty of tan surface Dwarves in DAO and DAII, and one of the slurs against surface dwarves by Deep Roads Dwarves is "sun-touched" I believe.

I don't even think the games could handle people changing skin tones over the course of the game to reflect on being outdoors under the sun. Other games don't really have different skin tones for their characters no matter how long you play it.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 11 octobre 2011 - 12:35 .

[thats1evildude]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Actually, you see plenty of tan surface Dwarves in DAO and DAII, and one of the slurs against surface dwarves by Deep Roads Dwarves is "sun-touched" I believe.

I don't think that's a reference to skin colour, though. It just means that: sun-touched. Because you have to be on the surface to be "touched" by the sun, and ergo, you're a dirty surfacer and less than a person.