Name:Amazon
Category:Social
Description:An amazon is a woman warrior in part of a matriarchal society. In most cases, they've rebelled against or left a male-dominated society to rule themselves. Sometimes, there's some sort of god-like being involved with their origin. Any woman can be a warrior, but she's only an amazon if she's fighting against male domination. That being the case, amazons may not be appropriate in some game worlds.
Most RPGs including amazons make them primitive forest-dwelling amazons. They're often armed with spears and bows and have little or no armor. To perpetuate their kind, they have several options: keeping men as slaves, going on journeys to non-amazon lands to "meet" men, being very "nice" to men who pass through, and kidnapping or luring young girls from non-amazon lands.
This stereotype need not necessarily be the case. More advanced amazons might have any sort of technology appropriate to the game world. In particular, high-tech amazons might perpetuate their kind through cloning or genetic engineering. High-magic amazons might have "Poof! You're pregnant!" spells.
Amazons are normally female, but here could be some sort of backwards scenario where women oppress men and men become some sort of man-amazons.
Combat Technique:The stereotypical amazon conducts a sort of guerilla war against her male oppressors. She typically strikes from a distance with ranged weapons, but fights with melee weapons when necessary.
Preferred Skills:Fighting skills. The standard primitive forest-dwelling amazon would need survival skills. Some amazons would specialize in spellcasting or other skills instead of fighting, but the quintessential amazon is a warrior. Amazons in other settings might need different skills.
Benefit:An amazon may have an advantage against characters who don't expect women to be able to fight effectively.
Disadvantage:Amazons suffer reaction penalties when interacting with prejudiced males.
Fictional Examples:Real World Examples:Appropriate For:Any female.
Copyright (C) 2006-2007 Steven Fletcher. All rights reserved.
