Poll: Imaskari On Surface Or Underdark

[Cinnamon]

Yoohoo, it's your favourite player, Cinnamon, making yet another Alt. However, just as a quick backstory, this is something I've wanted ever since, like, 2019.
It was my second option after a Half-Drow was denied, Imaskari got denied too, because the Laws hadn't changed. I honestly forgot about it and just left it alone, but now here I am.

Simply put, this isn't a thread for a discussion per-say. Additionally, I'm not here to make a "Snowflake Concept" or "Atypical Variant".
My Imaskari will be 100% as described, in exerts I've printed just below for viewing pleasure.


See you down there!

I would like to hear the thoughts of them being able to choose Underdark or Surface, as this is something I care about, and the things you'll see, here is an opportunity to make comment on an aspect of it.

I humbly request you do not bicker. Please field post as "Yes, No, Maybe" or however works, and give a summary of your reasoning, fears included, no judgment here, be as absolutely over the top as you want.

Once a vote count is deemed over, this thread will be locked, whilst a PM to the DM Team will be sent, during which I will make a second thread, for a pure discussion.

I like to keep things easy to read and easy to manage, I'm sorry if this doesn't work for you, I understand it seems Gatekeepery, moderative and is policing, but this is important to me & future other Imaskari lovers, Candlekeep, and any other Mage related Guild or place - Such as Ulcaster's, is where they should be on this Server.

There's next to nothing for an Imaskari to go and do in the Underdark, namely because it's super underdeveloped, but additionally, they're considered near-Human, and In-Character PoV is that people shouldn't know what they are - And we know what happens to Humans who show up in the Underdark... Even Half-Drow.

Spitball time - Things for UD Imaskari to do: Visit Mage Guild, Illithid Hive, Netherese Ruins, Ograhn Ruins, Kro's Labryrinth, Frosty Lake and so on...
All relatively high level areas, dangerous and something you've got to work for, just to basically solo adventure. An Imaskari and a Drow are going to travel together and one of them not wind up dead? It'd be done entirely OOCly and possibly even with issues, dependant on player. Myself, if my Imaskari dies, great, roll a new character and try again. This isn't the same as everyone, losing progress and restarting hurts for some people.

Nobody should have to endure jumping through hoops of fire, just to enjoy what they love.

I'd like my initial request to be treated with respect, please and thank you!

Also, since I know Imaskari has been hard debated about "what the hell does it look like?", I shall post this for you:

Taken from 2003 October's Printing of "Forgotten Realms: Underdark" DM Accessory Booklet.



Additionally, for your viewing pleasure to give an informed opinion;

[yyj]

Since Imaskar look just like weird humans, I don't see why not, it's basically unknown to most PCs what an imaskari is even, unless they have high lore, and even if they do know, imaskar tend to keep to themselves.

[Steve]

...and a bold few venture forth into the deepest layers of the Underdark.

I’d say they are even less likely to be found on the Surface than Half-Drow. Nonetheless, any UD-born Character can go to the Surface RIGHT NOW, just that you, the Player, need an RP reason to stay there for any length of time (and DMs are the final arbiters of this, so prepare yourself well).

The ONLY reason for a UD Race to be able to choose UD or Surface “born,” is to be able to gain XP and loot chests in the opposed Realm. There is no wall preventing RP visitation.

[Valefort]

Sshamath is the city of magic in this server, nothing prevents a non-drow from even rising in power. Magic wise nothing compares and certainly not Candlekeep, which is not even a mage guild.

Occasional humans roam, whether members of the Arcane Brotherhood, Red Wizards of Thay, Halruuan merchant mages, or free-willed liches. But most visiting wizards are Underdark dwellers, including savant aboleth, beholder mages and elder orbs, drow wizards from other cities, derro savants, illithiliches, sharn sorcerers, svirfneblin illusionists and artificers, even the rare phaerimm. Spellcasters from other environments, including morkoth mages and chromatic wyrms, come here too.

IC wise Sshamath is the place to be for them, from viewtopic.php?f=13&t=78

[c2k]

The only reason Deep Imaskari is even in this module is offer another 0 ECL race to play in the UD.

[Almarea90]

If I have to give a straight answer I would say yes but with some large IFs.

IC Candlekeep has no reasons to flatly deny entrance to a deep Imaskari who meets the requirements and shows dedication, but it would make perfectly sense if they added an extra layer of tests and would at first be distrustful of them as of any other race of the UD.

OOC, a guard or a scholar of Candlekeep can work perfectly even as a normal human, since human scholars or guards on the surface are certainly way more common than deep Imaskari ones. I personally wouldn't roll an UD race as my first choice to join a surface organization but to each their own. We must however keep into consideration that imaskari on the surface are -extremely- uncommon and such they must remain. Therefore it is important to place some manner of bar to prevent everyone who just rolls an imaskari on the spur of the moment to arbitrarily spawn on the surface and play there, but giving this chance to those who have more than valid IC reasons.

In conclusion, I would say: giving the chance to a deep imaskari is fine but on a case by case basis if this is -very well- justified on their background. Or, alternatively, give the chance to switch to surface from UD after extensive and well documented RP.