So we have a bunch of bears that came from Alaska to the Skull Crags. If this wasn't a case of spelljammer bears getting a ride to fantasy land, they should probably be renamed since their name currently reflects a location that doesn't exist in the setting - as weird as finding something like a Yorkshire Terrier named as such in the game (though I'd rather deal with a bear than a yorkie).
"I don't believe in fairies!" - Harry Dresden, the Dresden Files
While this is a more obvious example, I would put forth that there are a lot of locatives that are used commonly in Arelith descriptions that no one really pays attention to. JUST looking at foods and thinking off the top of my head:
Trying to sanitize all real-world references from the language of the module to maintain setting integrity is an absurd notion, and while kodiak might stick out like a sore thumb, it certainly is a great indicator of the size and scale of these bears.
Side note, I briefly lived in Kodiak Alaska! It was cold and dark. I didn't see any bears.
Preserves the creature while not ripping off the animal kingdom or Alaska. Win win!
Irongron wrote:
[...] the super-secret Arelith development roadmap is a post apocalyptic wasteland populated with competing tribes of hand-bombard wielding techno-giants, and strewn with the bones of long dead elves.
While this is a more obvious example, I would put forth that there are a lot of locatives that are used commonly in Arelith descriptions that no one really pays attention to. JUST looking at foods and thinking off the top of my head:
port (for Portugal)
Where are we going to draw the line in general?
"Port" comes from a Latin word equivalent in meaning to the modern word.
Of course, Ancient Rome didn't exist in FR so this should be deleted by OP's logic.
While this is a more obvious example, I would put forth that there are a lot of locatives that are used commonly in Arelith descriptions that no one really pays attention to. JUST looking at foods and thinking off the top of my head:
port (for Portugal)
Where are we going to draw the line in general?
"Port" comes from a Latin word equivalent in meaning to the modern word.
Of course, Ancient Rome didn't exist in FR so this should be deleted by OP's logic.
But in the context of food & beverages, which is what Amateur Hour was saying, 'port' (or 'Port Wine') comes from Portugal. As in, 'vinho de Porto'. Wine of Portugal. Portuguese Wine. The Wine that is from Portugal. Cusco's poison.
So all we have to do is add Portugal to Arelith, right? Problem solved.
Irongron wrote:
[...] the super-secret Arelith development roadmap is a post apocalyptic wasteland populated with competing tribes of hand-bombard wielding techno-giants, and strewn with the bones of long dead elves.
A google search for the etymology of kodiak suggests that it originally comes from a word that means island. And I mean the bears are on an island so it's. IT'S NOT WRONG, I GUESS?