How does your race/faction intimidate others?

[Irriari]

Hello everyone, I'm in the process of throwing together a lore article for the Intimidation skill. I think it's a great skill that a lot of characters find themselves using, but it isn't really fleshed out in terms of what you can do and how you can do it. I'm hoping to change that. I would like your help in outlining how specific races/factions intimidate others. These can be learned techniques that are passed down or static/physical traits. As a note, these are generally not techniques a PC will stumble upon by chance. It will require immersion within the culture or contact with the faction. Some of the techniques might even require your PC to be tortured or witness a torturing. It should be noted that while these techniques are less generalized, they may not be effective in all situations. As with any intimidation technique, the intimidator should study their mark/target and pick the most appropriate method for the situation and person involved. This section will note specific techniques as well as unique physical traits (e.g. zith wings) that can contribute. So, can you think of anything that a race or specific faction will use? I'm looking for general traits, not ones that a specific PC might have. Edit: Additionally if you feel that your faction/race has a far reaching reputation that can assist with intimidation, you should totally let me know about it. This reputation can be based on their barbaric ways or their martial prowess. Intimidation by reputation will not be a thing on it's own. You can't just say "I'm Myrian, scum." and expect people to cower in their boots. However, it can be a complement to the above techniques and physical traits! Lastly, I wanted to link you guys the WIP of the skill so far in case you're curious about the general techniques that I have laid out. Thanks for the help!

[Yoona]

Welp, the Chaktawe do have those wonderfully creepy eyes, all black and pupil-less. I'd bet that would unsettle some people. c:

[Drusilla]

We steal women and are poisonous... That's slightly terrifying.

[Colt]

While I've really only seen this hinted at, I've always gotten the sense that the Drykas use other people's superstitions to their advantage.

The lore states that "... it is said that not a single footstep can be made within the land without them becoming aware of the invasion and moving to investigate. Outsiders claim the Drykas have woven powerful magics throughout the Grasslands that even the grasses themselves are part of, entwined together as if in some giant loom."

I've always interpreted this to mean that outsiders generally see Drykas as mysterious and "other," and know very little about them as a culture. Endrykas and the Spires are the only two cities I know of that don't take great pains to separate themselves from the uncertainty of the open wilderness and instead take pains to integrate with it, and I could see that becoming a factor, too. Working in harmony with the Sea of Grass, an automatic, everyday thing for a Drykas, could easily be overblown with rumors and superstition into some supernatural and terrifying by those who spend their time actively trying to avoid all those dangerous beasties inside it. If the world outside the city is seen as unquestionably violent and utterly inhospitable, it has already taken on a psychologically uncanny nature to those trapped in that mindset. If a faction of people not only survive in that wilderness, but thrive in it, they too take on those uncanny aspects to those that don't know better. Therefore, what a Drykas considers to be mundane and a part of life could be seen as some otherworldly power over their environment, when in actuality it is little more than an ingrained penchant for the the natural world since they are raised in and around it.

[Zhol]

Something possibly worth a mention (maybe as a broad note?) is the diversity in height between different varieties of human. The Drykas and Benshira range from 5'0" to 6'5", whereas the Inarta (4'5" to 6'0") and Vantha (4'8" to 6'0") are much shorter, and the Svefra (5'8" to 6'6") are much taller. This means that an average-sized Svefran woman is likely to be as tall or taller than a lot of average Vantha men; and it means that while Zhol was an average-ish height for a man back in Endrykas (6'0"), he's much taller than most people in Wind Reach.

Not a very glamorous / specific thing I know, but it might be a useful thing to draw attention to.

As far as the actual Inarta goes, while they aren't necessarily a "warrior people", almost everyone has some degree of competency with a bow (to the extent that seeing a redhead with a bow in her hands would probably make a lot of people quite nervous), and there's also the connection with Ivak to bear in mind. I don't know how much regular people elsewhere in the world understand about the connection between the Inarta and Ivak (the Inarta magically "forgot" he existed for a while, it's a bit weird), but I imagine that people are probably quite intimidated by Inarta because of it. There's also the wind eagles, too - if you're not knowledgeable about Inarta culture, and all you know is "they ride on giant eagles and can talk to them with their minds", that's probably quite unnerving too.

Sorta... passive intimidation as a result of cultural ignorance, I guess.

[Orlin Bloodroot]

Eiyon are servants of Death... Kinda scary, at least I think so.

[Irriari]

Orlin,

Would the average Mizaharian recognize an Eiyon based on their gnosis mark or anything else? Further, would an Eiyon use their status as an Intimidation technique and go around proclaiming that they were blessed by Dira? (Esp in places that might worship other gods.)

[Yisanareysin]

The dhani are just pretty unsettling in general, especially in their dhani form. Slitted eyes, fangs, large unhinging mouths, hissing accents, and so forth.

There's also the sheer delight they take in cruelty. I feel like a dhani just gleefully explaining what (s)he's gonna do and just how fun it's gonna be would make anyone cry.

[Sayana]

Eypharians would likely just look at you with disdain. This would be a much subtler form of intimidation. It would be a look that says, "What are you doing? You do not belong."

Or they'd just make racist comments at you.

[Aventis]

Or, building upon the Eypharian comment above, if you're anything close to a decent individual, you just walk along your merry way and don't acknowledge the pitiful humans. I can't honestly see Eypharians stopping everything they're doing just to call that Benshira a mud-loving hermit, walking ten feet, and doing it again to the Zith, just to call them a glorified chicken. What I do see, other than the best race ever, is a bunch of people whose players get "Oh, shyke" PMs because other PCs think we're gonna' mess them up in a fight.

Woo. Fourarms rule. And also six arms, to an extent.