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What is a "ling"?

Discussion in 'Dungeons & Dragons + Other RPGs' started by Eyebreaker7, Nov 6, 2015.

  1. Eyebreaker7

    Eyebreaker7 Someone clean my litter box Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Remove all ads!
    You have the half-ELF that's an elf and a human.
    You have the half-ORC that's an orc and a human.
    What the hell is a ling?
    You have the halfLING. What is a "ling"? :doh:
     
    Eyebreaker7, Nov 6, 2015
    #1
  2. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    dmc, Nov 6, 2015
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  3. Eyebreaker7

    Eyebreaker7 Someone clean my litter box Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    LOL!
     
    Eyebreaker7, Nov 6, 2015
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  4. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    -ling
    1. a suffix of nouns, often pejorative, denoting one concerned with (hireling; underling), or diminutive (princeling; duckling).

    I think a better question is what's the "tief" in "tiefling". Supposedly, Baur derived it from the word "Teufel", but whether that's true or not, I cannot say.

    Edit: Also, as a side note, half-orcs and half-elves aren't necessarily also half-human, although that's almost always the case, since humans, like dragons or fiends, can breed with just about anything that moves.
     
    Keneth, Nov 7, 2015
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  5. Eyebreaker7

    Eyebreaker7 Someone clean my litter box Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    What would an elf & orc child be know as?
     
    Eyebreaker7, Nov 7, 2015
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  6. Marceror

    Marceror Chaos Shall Be Sown In Their Footsteps Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Per the rules, they'd be either a Half Elf or a Half Orc, since there isn't a template for a Half Elf Half Orc. Acknowledging both heritages would be more of a role playing thing, and purely cosmetic.
     
    Marceror, Nov 7, 2015
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  7. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    One could argue it should be more than purely cosmetic, though which traits such an offspring would inherit and from whom is open to discussion. Or a roll of the dice, if that strikes your fancy (seems more apposite, too).

    Tiefling I always assumed to be also half fiend/demon, half something else. Same with aasimar, but with angels or something. And if the origin of tiefling seems obscure, the origin of the name aasimar seems even more obscure to me.
     
    henkie, Nov 7, 2015
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    Tieflings and aasimars aren't half-anything. Originally, they only had trace heritage of fiends. Half-fiends are cambions, although more traditionally, these are only the offspring of incubus and succubus demons.

    I have no idea what the word "aasimar" is derived from, if indeed anything. It's just as probable that someone on the Planescape design team simply thought it sounded cool.
     
    Keneth, Nov 7, 2015
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  9. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Huh, must have misunderstood it, then.

    All my understanding of tieflings and aasimar comes from BG, NWN and PS:T, though.
     
    henkie, Nov 7, 2015
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  10. damedog Gems: 15/31
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    Aren't elves and orcs incapable of creating a child?
     
    damedog, Nov 7, 2015
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  11. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    Depends on the setting.
     
    Keneth, Nov 7, 2015
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  12. ConjurerDragon

    ConjurerDragon Ich dien ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    Ugly?
     
    ConjurerDragon, Nov 8, 2015
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  13. Eyebreaker7

    Eyebreaker7 Someone clean my litter box Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    LOL! :clap:
     
    Eyebreaker7, Nov 8, 2015
    #13
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