Lore talk:Bestiary P

Pygmies

I think it's speculative to be placing pygmies in the bestiary when the term usually refers to so-called Pygmy peoples, real world ethnic groups whose average height is unusually short. It would be better to move this info to Lore:Races and add a note that the race's existence is unconfirmed, similar to Bird Men, Grabbers, etc. I'm not sure we can take the madwoman Una Armina's belief that her tiny skull belonged to a pygmy as undeniable fact of their existence when it kind of just looks like a child's remains. —⁠Legoless (talk) 15:15, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

I tried to suggest they be on races on the discord for the very same reason but everyone kept saying about how their intelligence is uncomfirmed. Also we have creatures of uncomfirmed existance already on the bestiary. Such as Mermaids, Rhinoceros, Weresharks.

-tarponpet (talk) 11:19, 12 May 2023 (EST)

I think inclusion in the bestiary is better than no inclusion at all, but given the weight of the word "pygmy" in English and the appearance of the skull I think it's safe to say they were humans/humanoid. Asset reuse isn't entirely to blame here, given the implied definition of what a pygmy is. —⁠Legoless (talk) 15:27, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

I just don't think there's enough information about them to declare them a race. I'm not diehard on it, but I feel like there's one thing missing. If one was wielding a weapon, or casting a spell, or speaking a language, I'd be happy to label them a race, but with their only mentions being that they existed, I'm not sold on the skeleton deeming them a race. I'd compare them to the Satyrs, who we also have in the bestiary. They might not have a humanoid skeleton, but I don't think that's enough. Mindtrait0r (talk) 15:32, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

I think you're right that it's not a lot to go on, which is likely why we haven't documented them in lorespace previously. Putting pygmies in a bestiary is going to raise some major red flags with any anthropology majors though. They're also not the only dubious entry on Lore:Races. —⁠Legoless (talk) 15:34, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

I'm not opposed to Legoless's proposal, but I am worried about bogging down Lore:Races with entries that we don't really have any lore on/may not exist. --AKB ^{Talk Cont Mail} 15:49, 12 May 2023 (UTC)