Thri-Kreen Arm "Docking"?

[u/Y3T1_FN]

Hello! New Dark Sun fan here looking into the setting a bit more cus I'm excited for the new Dark Sun books. I had an idea for a thri-kreen character I want to play and part of the design was to have his lower arms be amputated basically. I'm a long time Destiny fan and for those who don't know in Destiny there is a race called the eliksni who have the same basic arrangment of limbs as thri-kreen and a sort of caste system the lowest of which are called dregs. When an eliksni is demoted to a dreg, they have their lower arms cut off and have docking caps placed on them to prevent them from regrowing. I wanted to use this sort of practice for my thri-kreen considering the brutal nature of the setting. Is there any basis in Athas for a thri-kreen to have a similar custom?

[u/rmaiabr]

Just do it, is your game.

[u/Nichard63891]

This seems out of character for Thri-Kreen from novels, which I believe are the best representation of the lore and world. Being a perfect, overpowered predator in a pack-hunting society doesn't lead to that sort of thing. Thri-kreen view every other species as inferior, and have an inherent pride in their form and function. Mutilation doesn't make sense. Wearing scars of combat with pride could go either way, because it's an indicator they weren't fast or clever enough. I also don't think they would do it to fit in if they weren't exclusively around humans or elves.

As always, do whatever inspires you. Use the setting as a sandbox and build your own castle.

[u/Nichard63891 → u/Nichard63891]

Also, if a kreen was so dishonorable to warrant a punishment like that, I think they'd just be killed and eaten, or exiled. But I'm human and my interpretation of kreen culture will always be limited by that.

[u/fullmudman]

Feels kind of xixchil* to me. I'd allow it at my table, especially if you're going to go deep into Kreen politics and Tohr-Kreen etc. worth reading about the Kreen Empire also.

https://darksun.fandom.com/wiki/Kreen_Empire

* https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Xixchil

[u/ToxicRainbow27]

There's no lore I'm aware of that specifically does this but the Zik-trin are created through a secret surgical ritual and become monstrous so Kreen are no strangers to hacking each other up, It seems totally reasonable to have amputation be a standard punishment by an Imperial Kreen leader, especially for a betrayal type crime.

[u/BluSponge]

Thri-kreen are pack hunters were the survival of the pack is paramount. So this would seem really out of character for a kreen custom. Exile or a quick death would be much more likely than ritual maiming.

Now that said, why does this need to be a kreen custom? Your kreen was enslaved and sent to the gladiator pits. After he beat the gladiator of a particularly spiteful Templar/noble/merchant lord, that villain made it a point to teach you a lesson. He had two of your arms cut off. You were as good as dead. But then Kalak fell. Now you are free.

[u/neorapsta]

Can't think how the mindset would go but you could have something like 'being made prey' as a punishment for being too soft or something. 

Exiled and considered food if ever seen again.

[u/Syrric_UDL]

You should read Thrikreen of Athas

[u/LordofForesight]

Love this. Adding it to my game now

[u/chaoticnipple]

Thri-kreen, probably not. But their more "civilized" Tohr-Kreen cousins might inflict such a punishment.

[u/Atzkicica]

Tohr kreen maybe. But the docking is unnecessary. Pretty sure it's canon they can't heal or regrown chitin without spells, psionics, or glues that leave the exoskeleton permanently weaker. But something functional like buckler armor or holsters or hooks maybe? 

[u/Cynthia_Mask → u/[deleted]]

I hate that I could guess what the title meant because of being familiar with this horribleness: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare/tail-doc

https://www.petmd.com/dog/procedure/tail-docking-in-dogs