Teneas
Archer
Players DM
Following you when you don't know.
Posts: 61
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Elves
Mar 3, 2009 15:51:53 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 3, 2009 15:51:53 GMT -5
Elf, Sun (Gold Elf)
Regions: Elf (sun), Evermeet, The North, Silverymoon, Western Heartlands.
Racial Feats: Gift of Tongues.
Racial Prestige Classes: Bladesinger, Elven High Mage. The majority of Faerûn’s sun elves live on Evermeet, having abandoned what remained of their ancient realms during the centuries following the falls of Illefarn and Cormanthyr. They are only now returning to the mainland to reestablish their presence there. The sun elves are famed for their command of both arcane and divine magic, which exceeds that of any other living race. Works of elven high magic thousands of years old still survive in the hidden refuges of the sun elves. Sun elves are responsible for the majority of the great elven cities of legend, although other elven subraces aided the construction of many of these cities. Myth Drannor is perhaps their most famous creation, although probably not their most magnificent. Sun elf realms are the stuff legends are made of, an integral part of the history of Faerûn for thousands of years. The sun elves certainly know this, for they distance themselves from nonelf races and often won’t let such “lesser beings” into their lands. Sun elves have bronze skin, hair of golden blond, copper, or black, and eyes of green or gold. They favor contemplation, lore, and study over the quick games and light-hearted songs of other elves, but seem to embody the unearthly beauty, grace, and presence of the elven folk.
Sun elves dress in clothing that is at the same time magnificent and understated, favoring cool colors such as blue and green. They decorate their clothes with intricate gold- or mithral-thread embroidery in exacting patterns whose subtle designs are easy to miss at first. Jewelry is simple but painstakingly crafted. Of all the elven subraces, sun elves are the most arrogant and haughty—even more so than the avariels, whose haughtiness is rooted in pity for the landbound races. Sun elves believe that they are the true elven race, the builders and the leaders of the elven realms, and that the other elven subraces fail to live up to the solemnity and dignity of their ancient stock. Sun elves are unusually long-lived, even for elves, and use the following aging effect characteristics instead of the ones in Table 6–5 in the Player’s Handbook: Elf, sun 210 315 420 +6d% years Like most other Faerûnian elves, sun elves are comparatively tall and thin, and they use the following random height and weight characteristics instead of those described on Table 6–6 in the Player’s Handbook: Sun elf, male 4'10" +2d10 90 lb. × (2d4) lb. Sun elf, female 4'5" +2d10 70 lb. × (2d4) lb.
History
The sun elves migrated to Faerûn at the same time as the moon elves and the dark elves. Although they were the least numerous of the three peoples, they nonetheless quickly established several great nations, including Aryvandaar and Othreier. Under the leadership of House Vyshaan, a dynasty of sun elves, the nation of Aryvandaar in particular soon became the most powerful elven realm of its time. The Vyshaanti were aggressive expansionists, and their obsession with increasing the size of their empire at the expense of the other races is thought to be the major cause of the terrible Crown Wars of ten thousand years past. After the Fifth Crown War, the Vyshaanti were finally overthrown, and the sun elves returned to a less aggressive lifestyle that has changed little over the intervening millennia. The next great nation founded by the sun elves was Cormanthyr in the year –3983 DR. This time they chose to build a realm founded on compassion, lore, and subtle magic instead of military might and great battle-mages. As a result, the nation was much kinder and more powerful in the long run, and the elves of Cormanthyr accomplished many amazing magical wonders. For thousands of years, Cormanthyr stood as the most powerful realm in northern Faerûn, eclipsed only briefly by Netheril at its height. From their city of Myth Drannor in the heart of the forest, the Coronals of Cormanthyr checked for centuries the burgeoning strength of young human lands such as Cormyr or Sembia that rose in the years after Netheril’s fall. The raising of the Standing Stone and the Dales compact of 0 DR, peaceful though they were, signaled the beginning of the end of elven might in Faerûn. Although Myth Drannor achieved its greatest flowering in the years of peaceful human and elven coexistence, its days were numbered. Cormanthyr finally fell in 714 DR, when an overabundance of portals in the vicinity of Myth Drannor weakened the boundaries between worlds, allowing a disastrous invasion of fiends.
Today, the bulk of Faerûn’s sun elves live in a third great nation, the distant island of Evermeet. First settled in –9800 DR by sun elves from Aryvandaar, the young realm’s remoteness protected it from the ravages of the Crown Wars and the ensuing rise of human power on Faerûn. For more than ten thousand years, Evermeet has been the safest haven for elvenkind and the hidden refuge of elven civilization. From Evermeet came the call for the Elven Retreat in 1344 DR, and the sun elves of Faerûn felt that call most deeply of all the elven peoples. Now that the Retreat has ended, the haughty sun elves are among the last to return to Faerûn. Most sun elves still prefer to remain sequestered on their island nation, even though recent events have proved that Evermeet is not safe from harm. Today, the only large community of sun elves remaining in Faerûn is the hidden city of Evereska, on the borders of Anauroch.
Outlook
The sun elves believe that they were selected by Corellon Larethian to be the defenders of elven tradition and history. They are also the most patient of the elven races, and they devote their time to perfecting a task rather than just merely completing the task. To a sun elf, rushing a job or finishing a project in anything less than perfection is betraying the elven ideal. As a result, they tend to have a much narrower range of skills than other elves, but they are the unrivaled masters of the skill, art, or craft to which they turn their efforts. The only exception to this rule is combat. Sun elves have no love for combat, but they are nevertheless well trained in its ways. They view combat as a necessary evil, and one that should be resolved quickly so the task can be done and one can return to more pleasant and constructive pursuits. Sun elves are the least likely of the elven subraces to take up the adventurer’s path. They see little point in roaming around the world and meeting other peoples, especially when any sun elf can enjoy as much comfort, study, and contemplation as she likes by remaining in one of the hidden sun elf realms. Most sun elf adventurers are more properly thought of as spies, dutiful scouts who make it their lifelong task to observe the other peoples of Faerûn and keep a vigilant watch for the rise of any threats to the elven homelands. A few sun elves are also drawn to the mystery of ancient power and seek to add to the lore of their people by exploring ruins of ancient empires all across Faerûn.
SUN ELF CHARACTERS
Sun elves favor the traditional paths of the elven folk: fighter and wizard. No sun elf could truly be described as a barbarian, although a sun elf raised among wilder kin might, on very rare occasions, choose to take levels in the barbarian class. They make good bards, and even if they are not noted for their light-hearted revels, the ancient songs and lore of a learned bard are worthy of a sun elf’s respect. Sun elves are also the foremost clerics and paladins among the elven races. The arts of stealth and archery are not widely practiced among sun elves, so rangers and rogues are relatively scarce among them. Favored Class: Sun elf society and culture is steeped in a fascination with magic and learning. They often become incredibly talented wizards, and their natural intellect makes them powerful ones as well. Few sun elf adventurers do not take up the study of magic at some point in their careers. Prestige Classes: Sun elves often choose prestige classes that allow them to continue their specialized studies. They are particularly drawn to the arcane devotee, archmage, and loremaster prestige classes, although some of the more warlike of the race practice the uniquely elven arts of the arcane archer and bladesinger.
Sun Elf Society
Sun elves are deliberate, patient, and solemn, and their society reflects this. Their buildings, while aesthetically beautiful and architecturally brilliant, tend to be ostentatious. Nevertheless, the sun elves take great pride in their buildings, believing that nothing less than perfection will do for the chosen defenders of elven tradition and history. Their art, poetry, and songs also reflect their deliberate and regal attitudes. They prefer tales of ancient battles, songs of the gods, and stories of great heroes beset with terrible tragedies. Sun elves revere wisdom and learning. Even the humblest sun elf abode features a room or two filled with old scrolls, maps, and books. Sun elves have a strong tradition of rule by nobility, and most sun elf communities are ruled by a monarch who can trace his or her line back to the First Crown War. Where a human noble measures his power by the expanse of the lands under his rule and the numbers of soldiers at his command, a sun elf noble is known by the honor of her family name, the magical power and lore her family has accumulated, and the wealth and beauty of her palatial home.
Language and Literacy
All sun elves speak Elven, Common, and the human language of their home region. Although they often learn other languages (in particular Auran, Celestial, Chondathan, Gnome, Halfling, Illuskan, and Sylvan), they prefer to use magic to communicate with neighbors or simply insist that visitors learn Elven. Many sun elves choose to study dead languages such as Aragrakh, Loross, or Seldruin in order to increase their access to ancient works and lore. All sun elves are literate, except for barbarians, if any exist. Sun Elf Magic and Lore The pinnacle of sun elf knowledge is elven high magic, spells that can ward an entire city against evil, conceal an invading army, or cause a forest to grow up overnight. Such magic is not without its risks, a fact that the sun elves are keenly aware of since the fall of Myth Drannor. While the sun elves still remember the secrets of high magic, they refuse to share such knowledge and are hesitant to use such power themselves beyond the borders of Evermeet. Sun elves have another key advantage—an unparalleled collection of spellbooks, laboratory notes, and other accumulated lore. For ten thousand years, the sun elves have been practicing magic, and the libraries of Evermeet and Evereska are full of magic secrets too numerous to properly catalog.
SPELLS AND SPELLCASTING The art of high magic is still practiced in Evermeet by the sun elves, who in this day and age comprise almost all elven high mages. They guard the secrets of high magic jealously, and are reluctant to teach its ways to other elves (see the Elven High Mage prestige class in the Appendix).
SUN ELF MAGIC ITEMS
Whereas the moon elves prefer to focus on smaller, easier to craft magic items, the sun elves view such things as wastes of time good only for young wizards to practice on. To a sun elf, a magic item must be powerful and perfect in all ways. Sun elves know that their magic items often find their way into the hands of lesser races, and as a result they view these items as the true legacy of their race. To craft anything less than perfect is to do a disservice to the lesser races—and the reputation of the sun elves.
Common Items: Among the more affordable of sun elf magic items are celestial armor and elven chainmail, which is made of mithral and often magically enhanced.
Sun Elf Deities
Religion infuses every aspect of sun elf society. Sun elves believe themselves to be the chosen representatives of the Seldarine in the mortal realm, and are quick to offer prayers of thanks to their deities. These prayers and ceremonies are invariably long, drawn-out affairs during which loud voices, merry songs, or joyful worship are deemed disrespectful. Religion is a serious, solemn subject to the sun elves. They worship all the Seldarine equally, and most choose Corellon Larethian as their patron. The sun elf devotion to magic, skill at arms, and the superiority of elven civilization means that they have a great and abiding veneration for the leader of the elven pantheon. Like their own nobles, Corellon is a wise, generous, and firm leader who brings forth beauty in the world, then defends his work resolutely. Clerics of the church of Corellon advise the rulers of sun elf communities, and Corellon’s clerics form the heart of a sun elf army when the sun elves must take the field to defend their lands. Sun elves also venerate Labelas Enorath, the elven deity of longevity, time, and wisdom. While Corellon is seen as the divine leader and protector of the sun elves, Labelas is revered as a counselor and advisor, a source of wisdom in times of trouble. Clerics of Labelas are charged with the keeping of knowledge and records among the sun elves.
Relations with Other Races
The sun elves feel affection for the moon elves, although this affection is often unintentionally patronizing. They fear that their moon elf cousins are too flighty and irreverent, and they strive to help them return to the proper elven path with stern lectures and fatherly advice. They admire the wood elves and feel that they embody the elven spirit of nature. Relations are good between sun elf and wood elf, although the reclusive nature of the wood elves makes direct contact rare. Sun elves are a bit puzzled by the wild elves, and hope one day to civilize them. Aquatic elves are thought of as near-equals, and the sun elves believe that their water-breathing kin were placed in the world to bring to the seas what the sun elves bring to the lands above. The sun elves deeply regret the sufferings of the avariels, and occasionally send out explorers to seek out avariel aeries and offer them a place on Evermeet. Sun elf prejudice toward other races (humans in particular) can be quite severe. Many sun elves won’t even deign to speak to a human and would rather leave a dying man to meet his fate than to save him. This attitude is somewhat understandable, given the way humans have historically treated the sun elves and their lands, but it wins the sun elves few friends among their human neighbors. If there is one race that the sun elves hold in absolute contempt, it is the drow. They view the dark elves as abominations and insults to the Seldarine, and often attack these hated enemies on sight. As word of the drow invasion of Cormanthor begins to spread through Evermeet, it is likely that more and more sun elves will return to the mainland, if only to bring war to the drow and force them from the ruins of what sun elves still consider their lands.
Sun Elf Equipment
Two things are almost certain about any item of sun elf manufacture: it’s of the finest quality and it’s exceedingly old. Given their long lifespans and obsession with perfection, sun elves make their goods very slowly, throwing them out if even slight imperfections are discovered. Their reverence for history encourages them to keep and treasure antiques. Even a beginning sun elf adventurer might wield a sword that’s several centuries old, and she can probably describe its history and the lineages of its previous owners in great detail. Sun elves favor gold for decorative elements and mithral for anything that must be strong, such as weapons and armor. Sun elves also know how to make items from glassteel (see the appendix), although they have only used the transparent material on Evermeet and in the enclave of Evereska. ARMS AND ARMOR Sun elf weapons and armor are only rarely of less than masterwork quality. They are viewed as works of art in and of themselves and are carried or worn proudly into battle. Sun elves are known to make some of the most exquisite suits of chainmail armor in Faerûn. Some suits of elven chainmail actually contain entire texts of ancient elven works, the words of the work carved with painstaking detail into the very links of the armor. Sun elves also fashion other suits of armor, including suits of streamlined, beautiful full plate. While the quality of this armor can rival the best work of the dwarves, the sun elves are so obsessed with perfecting every possible aspect of their creations that in the time it takes a sun elf armorer to build one suit of armor, a dwarven smith can crank out a dozen suits of equal quality.
ANIMALS AND PETS
Unlike the other elven subraces, sun elves do not usually keep animals in their homes or cities as pets. Their communities are at peace with nature, though, and the sun elves welcome the company of any animals who pass through the area or choose to make their lairs nearby or within a city. Sun elves are far more likely to call upon powerful elementals or outsiders than goodhearted beasts and woodland creatures to aid in the defense of their homes. More than the other elven subraces, sun elves are keen riders, though they favor winged mounts such as pegasi and giant eagles over more conventional steeds.
Taken from Races of Faerun Source book pgs. 40-43
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Teneas
Archer
Players DM
Following you when you don't know.
Posts: 61
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Elves
Mar 6, 2009 8:18:59 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 6, 2009 8:18:59 GMT -5
Moon Elves:
Elf, Moon (Silver Elf)
Regions: The Dalelands, Elf (moon), Evermeet, the High Forest, the North, Silverymoon, the Western Heartlands.
Racial Feats: Gift of Tongues.
Racial Prestige Classes: Bladesinger, Spellsinger.
The most common of the elven subraces on Faerûn are the moon elves. They have fair skin, sometimes tinged with blue, and hair of silver-white, black, or blue; humanlike colors are somewhat rare. Their eyes are blue or green, with gold flecks. As far as the elves of Faerûn go, moon elves are most like the elves presented in the Player’s Handbook.
Moon elves prefer to dress in rustic clothes of simple cuts and fashions that are nevertheless of fine and exquisite make. They adorn their dress with embroidered patterns, beads, and similar trappings, preferring earthen colors for everyday wear, hues that make it easy to conceal themselves in foliage. In places of safety or in times of revelry, moon elves enjoy dressing in bold colors— the more brightly colored, the better. Hair is worn in braids or ponytails, twined with wires or beads. Moon elves sometimes wear body paint or tattoos in mystic patterns, although not to extent the wild elves do.
Moon elves have the life expectancy and age categories defined for elves in Tables 6–4 and 6–5 of the Player’s Handbook, but use the following random height and weight characteristics instead of those described on Table 6–6: Moon elf, male 4'10" +2d10 90 lb. × (2d4) lb. Moon elf, female 4'5" +2d10 70 lb. × (2d4) lb.
History
Although the moon elves were not the first elves to migrate to Faerûn, they comprised the largest migration. Even in the ancient past their joy for travel seems to have been present, for they came to Faerûn in great numbers indeed. The moon elves wanted to explore this new world rather than settle down, and so did not establish nations of their own for some time, preferring to settle in other elven nations, such as Othreier and Keltormir. The only one of the ancient elven nations that the moon elves could truly call their own was Orishaar, which was defeated in –11,200 DR by the Ilythiiri. Following the Crown Wars, moon elves helped to raise many of the nations of the second generation of elven realms. Survivors of Orishaar, in conjunction with clans from other realms that had been destroyed during the Crown Wars, founded the secret refuge of Evereska in –8600 DR, and many moon elves populated the glorious realm of Cormanthyr, founded in –3983 DR in the woods of the Elven Court. One by one the old elven realms faded away, until the fall of Myth Drannor in 714 DR left Evereska as the last moon elf city in Faerûn. Many nomadic moon elf bands still roamed the great forests of northern Faerûn, but no new elven kingdoms rose after the fall of the second-generation realms. Despite the fact that only a single realm of moon elves has survived the ages since the Crown Wars, the moon elves have fared well compared to many of their elven kin. Content to gather in small, secretive, and relatively short-lived settlements or to simply wander across the wild lands of Faerûn as their hearts call them, the moon elves have built few places worth destroying. When the Elven Retreat began, the moon elves were slow to heed its call, and even then answered the call in much smaller numbers than did the sun elves and other elven races.
Outlook
Moon elves are more impulsive than the other elves, and dislike remaining in one place for any significant amount of time. Most moon elves are happiest when traveling, especially across the expanses of untrodden wilderness that still survive in Faerûn. This is probably the single greatest reason why they are so much more friendly and accommodating to other races than many other elves: They do not isolate themselves from the human lands behind impervious defenses. Moon elves have watched humankind for much longer than their sun or wood elf kin, and they know that nonelves aren’t as foolish and unimportant as most other elves think. They feel that engaging promising human realms such as Silverymoon and instilling elven values and culture in these young lands is a better way for the elven race to survive and thrive than hiding away and avoiding all contact with ambitious, grasping humans. Moon elves are drawn to adventure through sheer wanderlust. They desire to see and do everything possible during their long lives. Like their allies the Harpers, moon elves believe that a single person of good heart who stands up to injustice or evil can make a big difference. The typical moon elf adventurer tends to be a wandering protector of the common folk, not a dungeonplundering slayer of monsters.
MOON ELF CHARACTERS
More so than other elves, moon elves are drawn to a variety of paths. They have a great love of music and make excellent bards. Moon elves do not possess the depth of reverence for the Seldarine the sun elves do, nor the bond with nature of the wood elves, but clerics and druids are not uncommon among the subrace. Many moon elves are skilled warriors and have at least some levels in the fighter class, as they have long made up the bulk of the elven armies. But moon elves prefer stealth over strength, and often choose to become rangers or rogues instead.
Finally, like all elves, moon elves are enamored of magic, and a great number take up the wizard’s arts. Favored Class: Moon elves share a natural affinity for arcane magic with the sun elves, although they tend to be more impulsive with their spells. Unlike their more disciplined kin, moon elves frequently pursue two or more paths at the same time, combining the study of magic with the arts of the swordmaster or the rogue. Their favored class is wizard. Prestige Classes: The moon elves were the first to develop the bladesinger prestige class, and they have the most bladesingers of any the elven subraces. Moon elves often become arcane archers, as one might expect. Any moon elf adventurer of good heart who has a little experience under her belt is likely to become a Harper and often chooses to advance as a Harper scout. Moon elves also make very good spellsingers.
Moon Elf Society
Moon elves are nomadic spirits who rarely settle down for long in one place. They are comfortable living among sun elves and wood elves, but just as often they live in areas dominated by humans, halflings, or even gnomes. Their homes tend to be simple, unassuming, and comfortable. Moon elves are much less solemn and serious in their ways and actions than sun elves. Their songs and poems are lighter and often quite humorous; tragedies have their place but the moon elves prefer to balance such things with light-hearted and often bawdy tales and songs. They also enjoy a wide variety of art styles, including paintings and sculpture. Moon elves are fond of games of chance and gambling. Drinking, feasting, and reveling are all a strong part of their society. A more serious side to the moon elves emerges in times of trouble. Moon elves are just as skilled with weapons and magic as their fellow elven subraces, and do not hesitate to act if a situation calls for violence as a solution. Even in warfare, they try to find hope and humor, for it is during these dark times that levity and joy are most valuable. Moon elves gather in loose bands, composed of a dozen or so extended families. Leadership is democratic; all elves of the band have a say in important decisions, although the voices of one or two of the wiser and more experienced family heads tend to carry the day. In times of danger, the band chooses an elder or warleader to see them through the peril. Moon elves travel light and travel often, rarely staying in the same place for more than a season or two before moving on.
Language and Literacy
All moon elves speak Elven, Common, and the human language of their home region. Their nomadic nature encourages them to pick up additional languages as they travel as well, and most moon elves can speak at least one or two additional languages beyond these. Common choices include Auran, Chondathan, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Illuskan, and Sylvan. All moon elf characters are literate, except for barbarians.
Moon Elf Magic and Lore
Moon elves crave magic like no other race (except perhaps their sun elf cousins). Arcane and divine spellcasters alike are encouraged to push the boundaries of known magic and discover something new, adding to the moon elves’ collective magical knowledge. Magic is not just a vocation for a moon elf—it’s an avocation. The joy in casting a complex spell or creating a potent magic item is as profound and all-encompassing as any great work of art or music. While the sun elves have a stunning accumulation of spell-lore, the moon elves engage in ceaseless experimentation.
SPELLS AND SPELLCASTING
Moon elves, along with sun elves and a few wood elves, are the only elven subrace to still practice High Magic, although sun elves still make up the bulk of those practitioners of this potent form of magic. Moon elf wizards usually prefer to focus their learning on discovering new forms of magic and methods of spellcasting.
MOON ELF MAGIC ITEMS
Creating magic items takes a long time and a willingness to stay in one place during that period. As a result, moon elf spellcasters focus on creating less powerful magic items so they don’t have to “waste” valuable travel time sitting around building things. Sun elves in particular find this trait somewhat embarrassing, but moon elves are comfortable with their own less-than-obsessive interest in crafting magic items. Common Items: Boots and cloaks of elvenkind are among the most popular items made by moon elves.
Moon Elf Deities
Moon elves worship the Seldarine. A moon elf identifies with all the elven deities, but usually chooses one as a patron deity above the others. Unlike their sun elf cousins, many moon elves worship the elven deity Angharradh, who they believe to be a melding of the three goddesses Sehanine, Aerdrie Faenya, and Hanali Celanil. The moon elves view her as equal in power to Corellon Larethian, who is often regulated to the status of a consort. Moon elf religious ceremonies are exuberant, joyful, and loud. Even deeply religious moon elves recognize that some ceremonies and festivals are simply excuses for revelry. Relations with Other Races Of the elven subraces, moon elves are the most tolerant of nonelves. They travel extensively, and a moon elf can expect to interact with hundreds of different races throughout her life. Moon elves find the diversity of Faerûn’s races to be intoxicating and forever surprising, and they especially value the insights of other races because they often think of things no elf would ever consider. This openness and willingness to accept new ideas is regarded as foolish and dangerous by other elves, so ironically their own kin often give moon elves the coolest receptions. Despite their open minds, moon elves have little patience or interest in the various evil beings, and they hold orcs and gnolls in particular contempt. They avoid regions where such cultures hold sway, although moon elf adventurers often infiltrate these areas to spy on them. The moon elves share with the other elven subraces a hatred and loathing for the drow.
Moon Elf Equipment
Moon elf musical instruments are true wonders to behold. Their instruments are never less than masterwork in quality and often bear magical enhancements of some sort. These instruments are refined and delicate in appearance, often adorned with gemstones and made with precious materials.
ARMS AND ARMOR
Moon elves prefer to fight with longswords, rapiers, longbows, and shortbows. Moon elf armor, like moon elf garments, tends to look ancient or primitive at first glance. A closer look reveals impeccable artistry that both mimics and amplifies nature’s beauty.
ANIMALS AND PETS
Moon elves value the companionship of animals, beasts, and magical beasts on their travels, and they often keep at two or three pets at a time. Favored pets include hunting dogs, falcons and other raptors, and cats. Moon elves rarely keep mounts, as they feel they see more when they do their traveling with their own two feet. More powerful moon elves often take the Leadership feat to gain a magical beast as a cohort; common choices include blink dogs, pegasi, unicorns, and even dragonnes.
Taken from Races of Faerun Source book pgs 38-40
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Teneas
Archer
Players DM
Following you when you don't know.
Posts: 61
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Elves
Mar 6, 2009 8:23:01 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 6, 2009 8:23:01 GMT -5
Wood Elves:
Elf, Wood (Copper Elf)
Regions: The Dalelands, Elf (wood), Great Dale, High Forest, the North, Tethyr, Western Heartlands.
Racial Feats: None.
The wood elves are among the most numerous of Faerûn’s elven people, a young and confident folk who hold the old elven forest homelands in strength. Heirs to the second generation of elven nations, the wood elves see their realms as the natural successors to lands such as Eaerlann and Cormanthyr. Where the old empires expanded with strength and pride, the realms of the wood elves hope to grow with compassion and humility. The wood elves do not view their homelands as a land apart from Faerûn; they understand better than their kindred that for better or worse, their fates are bound up with the fates of the humans, dwarves, and halflings around them. Also known as copper elves or sylvan elves, these people have coppery skin tinged with green, and brown, green, or hazel eyes. Hair is usually brown or black, occasionally blond or copperyred. Wood elves prefer to dress in simple clothing, similar to the moon elves but not quite so colorful. They favor a simple cut to tunic or dress, set off by common embroidery in natural designs. They are particularly fond of leather armor, and they often wear lovingly tooled and well-crafted suits even when they do not feel endangered. Their clothing, leather armor or not, is usually in dark shades of green and earth tones to better blend with their natural surroundings. They are a humble race and only rarely do they enhance their appearance with jewelry or similar accessories.
Wood elves are as tall as most other Faerûnian elves but more heavily built. They have the aging characteristics described on Tables 6–4 and 6–5 of the Player’s Handbook, and use the following random height and weight characteristics instead of those described on Table 6–6: Wood elf, male 4'10" +2d10 100 lb. × (2d4) lb. Wood elf, female 4'5" +2d10 80 lb. × (2d4) lb.
History
The wood elves are the most recent addition to the various elven subraces of Faerûn, although the history of their civilization still exceeds that of many other races of Toril. They also have the unusual distinction (often thought of as an honor by copper elves) of being the only subrace of elves to be actual natives to Faerûn. The first copper elves did not appear at once; their race coalesced slowly over the course of several centuries after the last Crown War, blending several of the older elven kindreds. The Crown Wars brought down most of the great nations of the First Flowering. In the wake of these terrible wars, thousands of elves were left bereaved and homeless. Families were torn apart, and for many centuries (a time known to the elves as the Wandering Years) these elves simply led the lives of nomads. Some of Faerûn’s elves retreated to their ancestral homes and started to build anew, but on a smaller scale, raising the second generation of elven nations. But a significant portion of elves never felt the need to do so. These elves (mostly moon, sun, and green elves), vowed never again to let internal strife tear their kind apart, retreating to the deepest woodlands to seek shelter from the madness of the world. Unlike the green elves, these self-imposed exiles did not slip into barbarism. Rather, they formed tightly knit societies that stayed in touch with other like-minded elven communities hidden away in other forests. Over time, these secluded elves grew closer to the natural world and further apart from the high magic and ancient lore the elves had brought from their first home, and became a new subrace of elves apart from their kin: the wood elves. While the sun elves and moon elves founded realms such as Evermeet and Evereska after the Crown Wars, the great realm of the wood elves was ancient Eaerlann, a realm founded in the eastern High Forest around –4700 DR. The elves of Eaerlann engaged other young empires of the North in peaceful trade and diplomacy, befriending the dwarven realm of Delzoun soon after its establishment in –3900 DR, and tutoring the early Netherese in magic around –3830 DR. The human empire of Netheril soon eclipsed its elven neighbors, growing in martial and magical might at an alarming pace. In –3533 DR the Netherese uncovered the Nether Scrolls in the ruins of Aryvandaar, eagerly exploiting magic so powerful and terrible that even the sun elves of the First Flowering had not dared to employ it. For centuries the wood elves of Eaerlann sought to quietly check Netheril’s pride and expansionism, but in –339 DR, the Netherese destroyed themselves as Karsus sought godhood and instead brought cataclysmic destruction down on his people. The elves of Eaerlann took in many Netherese survivors, allowing them to settle in the city of Ascalhorn. The elves and humans of the North lived in peace for a time, but Ascalhorn too was doomed to fall through the folly of mages. Careless summoning of powerful fiends led to a sudden, terrible assault by an army of devils who overthrew the proud city in 882 DR. This time, Eaerlann did not survive the destruction of the neighboring human realm. Already gravely weakened by a year of battling against ferocious orc hordes, Eaerlann fell soon after Ascalhorn became Hellgate Keep. In the years since the fall of Eaerlann, the wood elves have not raised any more great realms, choosing to put their trust in stealth and vigilance instead of castles and cities. Although they felt the call of the Elven Retreat, the wood elves did not respond. With the end of the Retreat, the wood elves have emerged from their secret homes in the depths of Faerûn’s woodlands as a strong and confident people whose wariness is tempered by compassion. The wood elves of the High Forest dream of reestablishing old Eaerlann, but this time their realm will be a realm of reclusive villages and watchful foresters, not walled cities and proud warriors.
Outlook
Wood elves are calm, serene, and difficult to surprise. Their patience is legendary. They are at one with the world of nature, and are not comfortable in areas of heavy civilization. They have lost the urge to build and replace nature with walls and palaces; even the cities built by their elven kin seem to be foolish to the wood elves. They have come to believe that buildings of stone are transitory in nature, and that in time, the forest returns to overgrow the greatest of cities. Other races interpret this attitude as fatalistic or condescending, and as a result wood elves find it hard to understand anyone who isn’t a wood elf.
WOOD ELF CHARACTERS
Of all the elven subraces, the copper elves have the least fascination with arcane magic. They understand its power and a number of their folk study its ways, but ultimately the artifice of arcane lore is simply one more way of expressing dominion over the natural order of things, and the wood elves view it in that light. Wood elves make excellent fighters, rangers, and rogues, relying on their natural strength and quickness to meet challenges. Wood elves from particularly remote forests sometimes become barbarians. Clerics are somewhat rare among this people, but druids are very common and are the most prominent spellcasters of the race. Favored Class: Wood elves are master hunters, and most train enough to possess at least one level of ranger. Favored enemies usually include orcs, gnolls, outsiders (planetouched), and other savage races that dwell near the traditional homelands of the wood elves. Prestige Classes: When wood elves choose to take up a prestige class, they are usually drawn to the arcane archer or hierophant classes. Like the moon elves, wood elves are friendly toward the Harpers and all they represent, so they are commonly Harper scouts. Few wood elves become spellsingers or bladesingers. Wood Elf Society Wood elves live at ease with nature, using what naturally occurs in the world to shelter or defend themselves. They are not nomadic, and claim large territories in the deepest woodlands of Faerûn. Some wood elves choose to do without houses, furnishings, and any possessions they can’t carry, using the high branches of great trees or natural caves in their roots for shelter and storage. Most wood elves instead prefer to dwell in small villages of permanent homes of natural fieldstone and lovingly carved wood, so carefully concealed among the surrounding wilderness that a human hunter might walk through the center of a wood elf village and not even notice that he had done so. Wood elves adhere to a tradition of leadership by their oldest and most experienced druids, although most villages form a council of elders selected from the wisest and most experienced elves of each family to handle day-to-day affairs. The druidical hierarchy serves to unite wood elves of different villages and weld all the wood elves of a particular forest into a common realm. The druids do not presume to tell the elders how to run a village, but the elders generally give great weight to anything a druid chooses to say. Wood elves excel in the hunt. They spend much of their time stalking their chosen territory on the search for food or intruders into their realm. The rest of their time is spent frolicking among the branches; in this regard, they are quite similar to moon and wild elves. With the end of the Retreat, wood elves are quickly coming back into contact with the civilized world. Although they are reluctant to allow others into their lands, wood elves understand that times are changing. If they are to survive as a people, it may be time to change for the copper elves to change as well.
Language and Literacy
All wood elves speak Elven, Common, and the language of their home region, if any. The average wood elf has neither the interest nor the dedication required to learn other languages, but those who do often learn Chondathan, Draconic, Gnome, Goblin, Gnoll, and Sylvan. All wood elf characters are literate except for barbarians. Wood Elf Magic and Lore Among the wood elves, magic finds its truest expression in the power the druid is able to coax from the natural world. Wizardly magic is suspect—all that time among tomes divorces the spellcaster from the surrounding world—and clerics need to call on distant gods for help. By contrast, druids use the power of the forest itself. More importantly, druids use that power to protect and nurture the forest, and wood elves are pragmatic enough to judge magic by its end result.
SPELLS AND SPELLCASTING
While the wood elves are as magical as the other elven subraces, they have for the most part abandoned their interest in arcane magic. Most wood elf spellcasters are druids and rangers, and although wood elf bards, sorcerers, and wizards are far from unknown, they have developed no specific magical traditions of their own.
WOOD ELF MAGIC ITEMS
Wood elf magic items are invariably crafted from materials found in nature, much like those created by the wild elves. Unlike the work of the wild elves, these objects are not primitive in appearance; wood elf magic items are often quite beautiful and graceful. Druidic magic is most commonly used in their society to fashion magic items.
Wood Elf Deities
Wood elves worship the Seldarine, but they hold a special respect and reverence for the ancient forest powers of Faerûn, Silvanus and Mielikki. Among the Seldarine, the wood elves hold a particular reverence for Solonor Thelandira, the Great Archer, and Rillifane Rallathil, the Leaflord. Solonor, as the deity of archery and the hunt, is viewed as the special patron of the wood elves, and before battle a wood elf will often invoke his name. Relations with Other Races In the five hundred years since the fall of Eaerlann, the wood elves have been forgotten by most of the other peoples of Faerûn. Only those humans and dwarves native to the North and familiar with the borders of the High Forest have seen copper elves, and even then, they most likely met a solitary hunter or ranger. While the wood elves shelter deep inside forbidding forests and are therefore inaccessible to their neighbors, they are ironically among the more compassionate and understanding of the elven subraces. Like the moon elves, they accept the power of humankind and seek to live alongside their human neighbors and guide their expansion instead of seeking ways to deter or intimidate the human lands. Wood elves have a long history of cooperation with the shield dwarves, whose realm of Ammarindar stood alongside their own realm of Eaerlann for many centuries in the vale of the Delimbiyr River. By extension, they look favorably on most other dwarves, too. Gnomes and halflings are both greeted as friends and potential allies. On the other hand, the wood elves have a cold place in their hearts for creatures such as orcs and gnolls, who bring axes, fire, and slaughter to the forests the wood elves have sworn to preserve.
Wood Elf Equipment
Wood elves do not often work with metal, but this is not because they lack the skill or knowledge to do so. Rather, they simply have no interest in working with metal. They prefer to fashion their weapons of wood and stone.
ARMS AND ARMOR
Wood elves are masters at building armor and weapons. In particular, they seem to have a knack for building bows of all kinds (but not crossbows). The wood elves have developed a large number of specialized arrows as well, including arrows that fly farther than normal or serve as signal devices (see the Equipment section of the appendix). These arrows are not generally sold to visitors because wood elves have little use for outside money in their society, but they often give these arrows to allies as gifts. Of course, the majority of wood elf arrows make their way into the world after they are shot at intruders. Any fletcher not trained by the wood elves suffers a –4 penalty on any Craft check made to construct these specialized arrows. Wood elves are adept at dying their leather armor in the exact shades of green and brown of the surrounding foliage. When in their home forest, wood elves wearing armor treated with the camouflage dye receive a +4 circumstance bonus on Hide checks (see the appendix).
ANIMALS AND PETS
Wood elves are completely at home with the other creatures of the woods and often ally themselves with any who live in the region. They do not necessarily keep them as pets, but instead just happen to share the same territory. Their favored animal companions are the various great cats, especially mountain lions, pumas, and leopards (treat all as leopards). Wood elves also share a kinship with giant owls, one of the only sentient creatures with whom they feel completely at ease. The two groups often live in harmony, with the owls serving as advance scouts for the elves and the elves serving as protectors in times of peril to the owls.
From Races of Faerun Source book pgs. 45-47
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Teneas
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Following you when you don't know.
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Elves
Mar 6, 2009 8:33:43 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 6, 2009 8:33:43 GMT -5
Wild Elves:
Elf, Wild (Green Elf)
Regions: Chondalwood, Chessenta, Chult, Elf (wild), or the Shaar.
Racial Feat: Tattoo Magic.
The wild elves of Faerûn are insular and savage, and as a result are rarely seen outside their forest homes. In ages past the wild elves (or green elves, as they were more commonly known) raised great kingdoms in the forests and fielded armies to defend their homes, but with the march of time they have abandoned the trappings of civilization, becoming a furtive, reclusive race. The wild elves were always close to nature, even more so than other elves, but they have forgotten many of the high arts and lore of their people, choosing stealth and survival over building and book learning.
Wild elves are stocky and strongly built for elves. Their skin tends to be dark brown, and their hair ranges from black to light brown, lightening to silvery white with age. They are quiet around anyone except their own kind, and quickly become hostile in these uncomfortable situations. Clothing is kept to a minimum among the wild elves, although they make up for this with body decoration of all sorts—tattoos, war paint, feathers, and beaded jewelry that shows a surprising streak of complex and beautiful artistry.
Wild elves share the height of their moon and sun elf kin but are more heavily built. They have the aging characteristics described on Tables 6–4 and 6–5 of the Player’s Handbook, but use the following random height and weight characteristics instead of those described on Table 6–6: Wild elf, male 4'10" +2d10 100 lb. × (2d4) lb. Wild elf, female 4'5" +2d10 80 lb. × (2d4) lb.
History
The wild elves were not always the feral creatures they have become today. Ages ago the green elves, as they were then known, were the first elven explorers (along with the lythari and the avariels) to discover Abeir-Toril, and they quickly became entranced with the wondrous young world. Of this first migration of elves, the green elves were easily the most successful, and they established several territories destined to become great nations: Thearnytaar, Eiellûr, Syòpiir, Miyeritar, and Keltormir.
Unfortunately, with the coming of the Crown Wars, these nations were among the first to fall. Eiellûr fell to the Ilythiiri (the dark elves) in –11,400 DR, and Thearnytaar in –11,200 DR. The realm of Miyeritar, located where the High Moor now lies, was utterly consumed by the Dark Disaster in –10,500 DR, and the other green elf realms fared little better. The peaceful green elves proved to be relatively easy prey for the cruel dark elves, and by the time the Crown Wars ended in –9000 DR, the idyllic world of the green elves had been shattered. Their great nations razed in centuries of relentless warfare, the green elves began a time they refer to as the Wandering. They never recovered fully from the setbacks of twelve thousand years ago, and raised no more great cities in Faerûn.
The Wandering of the green elves lasted for many long elven generations. Forced to live for centuries as fugitives, slaves, or rootless vagabonds, the surviving green elves receded further and further from elven society, withdrawing to the deepest forests and mountains of Faerûn. While the other subraces races raised the second generation of elven realms in places like Evermeet and Cormanthyr, the green elves placed their trust in secrecy and stealth instead of walls and might, remaining hidden within their forest homes. By the time of Jhaamdath’s rise around –5800 DR, the green elves had settled into several of the places that are still their ancient homelands: the Chondalwood, the Forest of Amtar, and other great old woodlands of southern Faerûn.
Over the course of many years, the green elves forgot more and more of their ancient lore and skill, focusing on the only skills that mattered: stealth, survival, hunting, and hiding. They became first a clannish folk, then a tribal culture, and finally a primitive people. They remained elves, of course, creatures of nobility and magic, but they lost the arts of crafting mighty spells and forging magic weapons. Their fleeting contacts with the rising human empires of the day reinforced the green elf reclusiveness, driving them deeper into the wilds and further from their old ways.
Today, the green elves are more widely known as the wild elves, a race lost in time in the sweltering forests of southern Faerûn.
Outlook
The tragic history of the wild elves has left them untrusting of outsiders. Their tactics for dealing with intruders vary from tribe to tribe. Some simply hide and allow the trespassers to go by unknowing, while others attack to capture such interlopers. They rarely kill those they capture, preferring to use magic to alter their memories and carry them far away before releasing them. They make friends slowly, and most nonelves simply don’t have the lifespans required to gain the trust of a tribe of green elves. They excel in combat and often revel in its chaos and primal fury. Little can match the fury of an enraged tribe of green elves.
WILD ELF CHARACTERS
More so than any other elves, wild elves value the martial skills. Barbarians and rangers are very common among the wild elves. The wild elves do not feel close to the Seldarine and do not often become clerics, instead venerating nature itself as druids of Mielikki, Silvanus, or Rillifane Rallathil. Wild elves have no written tradition and little patience for hours of study in any event and so rarely become wizards. Unlike other elves, they prefer the sorcerer’s arts.
Favored Class: Despite their lack of learning and skill, wild elves are just as naturally talented at arcane magic as most other elves. Their favored class is sorcerer, a path of power that rewards spontaneity and creative energy instead of hours of dry study in ancient, moldering tomes.
Prestige Classes: A small number of wild elf fighter/sorcerers follow the path of the arcane archer, but the most common prestige class among the green elves is the hierophant. Wild elves can become very powerful druids, and their leaders often turn to druids for guidance and support.
Wild Elf Society
Among their friends and kinfolk, wild elves are pleasant and outgoing, somewhat like the moon elves. Their feasts and celebrations are events of great joy, with singing, dancing, and all manner of merry-making. One of the most beloved ways to celebrate is to engage in a hunt. Hunts are tribal affairs in which all elves, young and old, have a part. The actual hunt itself is sometimes only a small part of the overall event, which also includes a religious ceremony and a tribewide festival.
The scattered, tribal nature of the green elves also means that no two tribes are exactly alike. Some have settled in permanent villages with crude huts, while others are nomadic, dwelling in tents and wandering over vast wilderness territories. Gender segregation is common; some tribes are exclusively matriarchal, while others are patriarchal.
Although they have a great interest in music and art, wild elves create few permanent works of art. To the wild elf, the joy of art lies in the creative process, the spontaneous creation of song or dance or effects. They view with distaste attempts to “capture” this process by making permanent works of art, recording songs or stories in writing, and so on, maintaining that to do so imprisons the ever-changing beauty of the world.
Language and Literacy
All wild elves speak Elven, Common, and the language of their home region. They are isolationists and do not trust outsiders, so they rarely learn the languages of their neighbors, especially their enemies. Common additional languages include Gnoll, Illuskan, Mulan, Orc, Shaaran, Sylvan, and Tashalan. Wild elf characters who choose a player character class (other than barbarian) are literate, but all other wild elf characters are illiterate.
Abilities and Racial Features
Wild elves have all the racial traits listed in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Setting, except as follows: • Proficient with halfspear, short bow, and long bow. Unlike the other elf subraces, wild elves favor weapons they can make without a source of metal and a smithy.
Wild Elf Magic and Lore
Although in ancient times the green elves were one of the key developers of elven high magic, their days as practitioners of this potent art are long gone. Today, their spellcasters are almost all druids or sorcerers.
SPELLS AND SPELLCASTING
Wild elf magic is often tied closely to nature. Although the theory behind their spells may be identical to that practiced by other races, wild elf spellcasters often add additional verbal, somatic, and material components to a spell simply to make it seem more naturalistic (see the Primitive Caster feat in the appendix). These additional components do not significantly increase the actual casting time of the spell.
WILD ELF MAGIC ITEMS
Wild elves eschew even the most powerful magic items if they appear to be too far removed from the natural world. They have a particular aversion to forged metal and to most clothing. Their own magic items appear to be crude and primitive, but they are just as effective as their more civilized counterparts. They are particularly fond of magic tattoos, and many wild elves take the Tattoo Magic feat (see the appendix).
Wild Elf Deities
The wild elves worship the Seldarine, in particular Rillifane Rallathil, but this worship does not approach the regimented, organized structure of the other elven subraces. Rather, the green elves worship individually when the urge takes them. They commune constantly with a pantheon of nature spirits, each representing an archetypal member of an animal or natural phenomenon.
Relations with Other Races
The green elves do not seek out relations with others, and they do their best to remain unseen and unknown. Nevertheless, wild elves have been known to interact with adventurers, explorers, and lost travelers. Usually, these people are captured, their memories magically erased, and then let go somewhere far from the tribal lands. Rarely, the elves allow a wanderer to visit their camp, usually in times of dire peril when they are forced to call upon outside aid. Those who manage to impress and even befriend a tribe of wild elves find that their friendship is strong and loyal, and such individuals are often gifted with wild elf tattoos or spirit animals.
Wild Elf Equipment
Wild elves prefer weapons and tools they can make and fix in the middle of a battle or hunt. Despite their disdain for “civilized” goods, wild elves are adept at crafting things in harmony with nature. Their treetop villages, for example, are inextricably part of the healthy trees that support them—an engineering feat that would baffle the best gnome architect.
ARMS AND ARMOR
Wild elves prefer using simple weapons that can be crafted from materials found in the wilderness: bows, crude bone daggers and knives, and clubs. They have a particular fondness for bows and halfspears. Wild elves prefer to wear hide armor, if anything at all. For the most part, wild elves find armor too restrictive, relying on concealment and agility for defense.
ANIMALS AND PETS
Wild elves are quite fond of animals, and most tribes use them as guardians and hunters’ companions. Wolves are commonly found in wild elf tribes, as are birds of prey of all kinds, great cats, and even wolverines. Dire versions of these animals are only slightly more rare. Wild elves also believe that each of their kind is born with a spirit animal, a guide of sorts that serves as a combination of guardian angel and advisor to the natural world. All young wild elves undergo an involved ritual that demands several hours (often in excess of a day) in an enclosed area filled with steam and the smoke of burning herbs. At some time during this period the elf receives a vision of his spirit animal, and for the rest of his life he feels guarded and protected by this animal.
From Races of Faerun Source Book pgs: 43-45
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Teneas
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Players DM
Following you when you don't know.
Posts: 61
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Elves
Mar 9, 2009 13:08:45 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 9, 2009 13:08:45 GMT -5
Was just doing some reading, and thought this was interesting, as IG many times, there is question from someone regarding this.
Appearance
Elves of the Realms appear different from standard AD&D Moon Elves elves, though their statistics remain the same (unless desiredby the DM). Torilian elves are of equal height with humans, though their body types are far more slender than most humans. Elven bones are lighter than the other races' skeletons, but they are equally strong as thick, stocky dwarven bones. Elves hands and fingers (and feet and toes) are slim, delicately tapered, and about 50% longer than human hands; as a result, they have wide, strong hands that belie their fragile appearance. In fact, while the elves structures make them seem weaker, their musculature is far denser and stronger than humans with similar frames, allowing them to be underestimatedin contests of strength.
Their angular features and thin faces give them regal appearances,whether their temperaments deserve them or not. Of course, it is no surprise to state that elves have pointed ears, though there seems to be a direct angular line to follow on all elven faces; the angle of the elf's cheekbones correlates to the angle of the ear's top edge. Aside from these descriptions, the elves are distinguished by hair, skin, and eye colors and their tempers and habits.
Taken from Cormanthyr Source pg: 18
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Teneas
Archer
Players DM
Following you when you don't know.
Posts: 61
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Elves
Mar 23, 2009 11:46:43 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Mar 23, 2009 11:46:43 GMT -5
Since there is constant talk and questions about elves that I get, which I do not mind in the slightest bit btw, here is some more information on elves. Please take the time to read this if you are going to play an elf here.
Misconceptions about Elves
Though one of the longest-standing N'Tel'Quess major races of Faerûn and the Realms entire, elves are consistently misunderstood by many of the other races. While the secrecy and paranoia of the elves is partly responsible for these rumors, others also tend to gloss over specifics and focus on the most basic, easily noticed aspects of elves. Thus, while some basic ideas about elves hold some grains of truth, the average Dalesman should attribute most of his knowledge about elves to himself, not any elf.
Among the more consistent rumors, generalizations, and fallacies about elves are:
-- Elves value tree and forests over people and cities.
-- Elves and dwarves hate each other by their very natures, since tree roots break up rock and rocks in soil prevent many things from growing.
-- Elves treat other races like children and are always condensending and arrogant.
-- Every elf is a magic-user and has access to all sorts of mystical elven items.
-- All elves are great artisans, craftsmen, and weaponmakers, and their works are better than any human craftsmen of the same kind.
Elven Attitudes about N'Tel'Quess
If anyone should spend time with the elves, they quickly learn that they call themselves TelQuessir, or the people, and all non-elves are NTelQuess, or not people. While some assume that the elves are elitist and demeaning the other races by calling the thus, elves mean little by it. For them, the terms only distinguishes that "the People" are linked physically and spiritually with each other by their communal lifestyles and their innate connections to the Weave of magic about Toril. The "Not People" are removed from these links to the elves, their own people, their magics, and their gods. While they may be confusing or annoying, elves harbor few racial hatreds, even for the ever-present orcs and goblinoids. The only N'Tel'Quess that surface elves truly hate with a passion are the drow, and the drow equally hate and likewise refer to all other elves as N'Tel'Quess.
Another reason the elves may hold other races at arm's length and not associate too closely with them is painfully simple. With lifespans merely a fifth or a tenth of elves, humans and gnomes and halflings make bittersweet comrades to elves. No matter how true a friendship there might be had, elves are reluctant to open themselves up to the pain of losing good friends; even if one should befriend a human and his progeny, that elf will outlive his old friends great-grandchildren. In most basic and emotional terms, no elves want to suffer the loss of friends whose lives lit up their own for so brief a time, and it is easier to avoid contact.
Dwarves, to elves, are a source of consternation. While both races have a lengthy lifespan, the dwarves spend their time in labor and toil, while the elves toil only when necessary and enjoy life to its fullest. The dwarven fixation for solid construction and straight lines offends the elven sensibility for growing, living, flowing lines and structures. Still, elves admire the dwarven drive to carve order out of chaos and their zeal in fighting goblinoids and giants. While they can become the closest of friends by embracing and countering each others differences, elves and dwarves never quite understand the others idea of the good life, even after centuries of trying.
Very few gnomes exist among the shady trees of Cormanthor, since most fled the slavery of the Netherese and had little desire to remain north of the High Moor. Those few that have joined the allied races of Myth Drannor have become fast friends with many elves. Their passion for illusions and lesser magics, as well as the intricacies of dwarven stonework, make them able students for a number of teachers in Myth Drannor. These intuitive, humorous beings are almost a perfect cross of elven love of life and growth and the dwarven work ethic. In fact, a number of elves joked that gnomes must have resulted from the children of Drannor, the elf that married a dwarf long in the past; unfortunately, a few humans overheard this, and took it for fact. The apocryphal idea of gnomes as half-dwarf/half-elf hybrids is laughable, but it is a theory that never seems to disappear.
Elves, to the halflings point of view, are creatures of great power and mystery, and they approach them either with a sense of awe or fear. The few things halflings and elves share are a love of life and relaxation, though they differ there too; the enjoyment of good meals and a comfortable hearth are not shared, since the elves eat sparingly and prefer long discussions about other matters far less important than the meals before them. And when a halfling gets beyond his plate and begins exploring, using his talents and curiosity, elves dont appreciate the trouble it takes to uncover secrets (and if anythings better than a good meal and a pipe, its a solved mystery or an uncovered secret). Elves, on the other hand, see and treat halflings like children whose curiosity can land them in trouble if they arent careful. As the elven sensibility hardly allows admiration for their thieving tricks, they have rarely found a halfling they might respect enough to treat otherwise. Given this attitude, some halflings make it their lifes ambition to poke fun at the elf and make him be less aloof to them and everyone;elf and halfling friendships either occur with much self-effacing, gleeful laughter or an explosion.
Humans, the most numerous of the "short-lives," are both fascinating and terrifying. From a dispassionate viewpoint, their ease at grasping magic and technology, their unbelievable birthrate, and their ability to adapt to nearly any enviroment impresses elves. However, their hubris at laying claim to all they survery is idiotic and condesceding to any natives already within "their" lands.
On personal levels, elves see humans either as intelligent, friendly folk slightly in aweof them or as bigoted, close-minded hostiles whose only motivations are power and greed and only actions are to fight and kill. The elves of Myth Drannor have accepted the presence of humanity, given that there is little choice with their expanding populace, and they strive to teach them more of the elven ideals in life, magic, and all things. In that way, the current generations of humanity wont bring disaster upon the Realms as the Netherese did.
Dragons, to elves, are the only race that share their long lives, and thus gain their respect. But elves, who live with the world and the Weave, lose respect for any dragons who seek to dominate and despoil rather than work in concert with the world. While not enemies, elves and dragons see each other as a race of power that needs to be kept in check, lest each destroy the other.
Elves view other miscellaneous intelligent races with a variety of pity or scorn. Orcs, goblinoids, and their ilk are not hated by elves; such barbarians are not worth the effort of hatred, and instead are looked upon as pests and vermin (i.e., dangerous only when their populations are left unchecked). The half-breed races are viewed either with disgust or they are judged by individual merit; elves will either outright dismiss a half-elf from their presence, or they will attempt to make them into the best elf they can be despite their halfbreed status. Half-orcs most often are dismissed as vermin, though an exceptional and honorable half-orc gains respect from an elf simply for exceeding the racial limitations and drawbacks of your sires.
In and of itself, it is remarkable that the elves could set aside all their differences and conflicts with the NTelQuess to create the wonder of Myth Drannor. Still, the Coronals belief that Cormanthyr was founded to bring the races together in harmony and mutual defense keeps the alliance working, and everyone learns a little from everyone else. It is not always easy, given tempers and long-standing attitudes about each other, but all understand that they must learn to live together in harmony or die apart in conflict. While elf and human and dwarf may not always agree on how to live life, they all can agree they must protect each other against the prolific and powerful orcish, goblinoid, or draconic threats waiting to overwhelm them all.
Taken from the Cormanthyr Source Book pgs. 14 and 15.
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 12:38:52 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 12:38:52 GMT -5
PSYCHOLOGY
More than any other single factor, an innate respect for individualism governs an elf’s behavior. Though elves do live in communities, each elf strives for self-sufficiency as well as harmony with the land and his fellow creatures. This attitude engenders an expectation that other beings are equally able to care for themselves unless ill or injured—which sometimes makes elves appear haughty, uncaring, and unhelpful to humans, dwarves, and other less chaotic races. In truth, elves are no less willing to help others in need than any other goodaligned race, but their respect for the boundaries of others often prevents them from offering aid to those who seem more or less capable and have not requested help.
The strong sense of individualism that pervades the elven nature also gives rise to a strong need for self-expression. Given an elf’s natural aptitude for the arts, such expression often manifests itself in sculpture, painting, textile art, music, architecture, landscaping, gourmet cooking, storytelling, acting, dance, or any of various kinds of crafts. It may also take the form of pointed disagreements with authority figures and even an occasional impassioned expression of opinion. The naturally reserved dwarves often see such outbursts as an inability to control one’s emotions, but to an elf, failure to express opinions represents a foolish abrogation of the self.
Elves consider the free expression of sorrow or joy as not only a personal right, but also a societal necessity. No stigma is attached to an elf who laughs or cries in public, or who makes others do so by means of story or song. The fact that most elves are comfortable with expressing their own emotions makes them particularly good bards and actors.
Nevertheless, many elves who spend time with members of other races learn to curb their emotions in public, often resorting to dry humor to mask profound feelings. Personal privacy is a matter of utmost importance to an elf, and the designation of personal space is a vital expression of self. Elves are taught from birth to establish their own space and respect that of others. Thus, approaching another elf too closely—or, worse yet, touching one—without invitation is considered the height of rudeness. Since most elf communities are established in outdoor settings, space is rarely at a premium. Thus, each individual can have at least a room—if not an entire dwelling—of his own. An elf’s private chamber is an extension of his own personal space and is considered off-limits to others unless express permission is given to enter.
When a community’s size becomes unwieldy and threatens the sustainability of the surrounding resources, a contingent of young adults often splits off to find new territory.
From Races of the Wild source pages: 8-9
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 12:41:38 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 12:41:38 GMT -5
THE LONG VIEW
Their extended life span allows elves to take the long viewin nearly every endeavor. Elves rarely hurry, preferring totake the time to contemplate an action and its potentialconsequences before committing to it. Though other races often argue that elves allow opportunities to pass them by, the elves know that opportunities nearly always come again, given enough time, and that opportunities seized without forethought often turn out to be mistakes.
Taking the long view means that elves, though generally pleasant to others, take a long time to make friends or enemies, and they remember both favors and slights for centuries. Trusting others comes hard to the self-sufficient elves, and trusting individuals of other races is particularly difficult because they know that the shorter life spans of other races give them a much more limited viewpoint and make them prone to hasty actions.
The elves’ life span is also responsible for their generally pleasant nature. Even though they are slow to form true friendships, they find it prudent to behave pleasantly toward others, because they know that grudges can last for centuries. Thus, unpleasantness avoided is often an enemy not made. This part of their nature combined with their almost supernatural beauty tends to endear them to members of other races, most of whom find elves to be pleasant and amusing companions, if a tad aloof and overly meticulous.
From Races of the Wild source page 9
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 12:45:26 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 12:45:26 GMT -5
NONSPECIALIZATION
Elves’ unhurried nature combined with their predilection for self-sufficiency results in the curious lack of specialization that pervades most elf communities. Each elf prefers to perform all tasks related to basic living himself—no matter how long it takes. Thus, an elf wishing to build a house first consults with other elves who have done so. From them, he learns the basics of woodcraft, architectural design, and carpentry as well as the aspects of the trees and land nearby that might affect his plans. He designs the structure, taking pains to ensure that he has allowed for all appropriate contingencies and included all the design features that he craves. He then gathers the materials from the forest, prepares them, and begins to build. Until his house is finished, he sleeps in the open, in a room within his family home, or in some crude structure that he has fashioned as a temporary shelter. The elf cares not whether his project takes five months or fifty years; the only important goal is building a structure to his own personal specifications.
This desire for complete self-sufficiency—or, as some say, self-indulgence—means that most elves in any given community begin their careers with ranks in many different skills because they have spent considerable time working in a variety of trades. Basic proficiency with the skills required for daily life require at most one or two ranks, and often an elf gains no more than this amount of expertise in any particular skill. Some, however, fall into partial specialization merely because they spend more time performing activities they enjoy than those they do not. For instance, one elf may enjoy making paintings, while another derives great pleasure from preparing gourmet meals. Although the cook’s food may be more palatable than the artist’s, either can produce a perfectly edible meal.
Though elves often seem carefree and self-indulgent, they can be focused and relentless while involved in particular projects. An elf building a house may forget everything else, losing contact with family and friends, stopping to gather food only when hunger threatens his focus and his well-being.
Elves rarely worry about family members who “disappear” into their work for long periods, knowing that they will return with tales to tell and new works to show when they have completed their projects. Elves do unobtrusively check on members of the community who have been absent to ensure that no accident has befallen them. Disturbing the focus of an elf absorbed in his work, however, is simply not done.
Races of the Wild page 9
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 12:49:23 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 12:49:23 GMT -5
ELVEN VALUES
Many long-lived races become bored with their lengthy lives, but elves rarely do. Their love of the natural world allows them to take pleasure in each new sunrise, hearing the songs of the birds and feeling the morning dew on their feet as if for the very first time. Long separations from boon companions who have gone adventuring or worked on lengthy projects make for days and nights of renewed companionship afterward. In addition, there is always something new to learn, some new avenue to explore, or some new companion with whom to spend a few years. Boredom is nearly unknown to elves—they consider themselves responsible for their own enjoyment as much as for their own meals.
The lack of greed that most elves display stems from their self-sufficiency as well as their respect for other beings and the natural world. Taught from birth that their communities must be sustainable, they take only what they need for their personal livelihood and projects. All elves have the same rights to support themselves, and taking more than one’s share interferes with that right. In the same manner, elves replant trees that have been cut and ensure that the resources their communities use are continually renewed and replenished. To do otherwise would be to doom their own race as well as others, and elves have little patience with other races that cannot see this particular truth.
Since elves have no need to exist in the kind of close confines that dwarves occupy and do not have highly specialized societies, they find it both easy and logical to place the needs of the individual above those of the group. Each elf largely takes care of himself, though all contribute to the community in one way or another. Disputes happen less frequently than they do in other humanoid communities because elves are generally mindful of the rights and boundaries of others and try to get along with everyone. Thus, though laws do exist, they are more lightly enforced than they are even in human settlements because every situation is considered unique. Anyone who is not happy with the resolution of a dispute in an elf community is free to leave. No stigma is attached to those who do so, though an elf who enters a new community is often treated with a certain reserve for a few decades, until his neighbors get to know him well. The highest virtues for an elf are the ability to take care of himself, skill with magic and art, and a high degree of personal creativity. Members of less “civilized” (that is, more staid) races are looked upon with smug amusement by elves. Similarly, an elf who is considered frivolous by other races may be revered as a creative genius by his own people. While most elves value freedom of expression and creativity, others find a degree of comfort in a less chaotic lifestyle. In particular, elves who wish to devote their entire lives to the pursuit of a single art may seek out human communities in which they can purchase the products of others’ skills rather than devoting even a short time to becoming completely selfsufficient. Such elves usually retain their generally pleasant attitude, but many are so focused on their own art that they neglect the social interactions so necessary to a specialized community. Even so, elves tend to fit more easily into nonelf communities than other races do. In particular, bridging the worlds of elf and human is not terribly difficult, though fitting into a highly ordered community of dwarves is a trial for almost any elf.
Elves tend to be quite tolerant of other races, even those that live very structured lives. This attitude stems from the elves’ strong belief in personal choice. If a person or even a whole group of people wish to become interdependent, they are free to do so, as long as they do not encroach on the rights of others to do otherwise. Regardless of his opinion of the people he meets, a well-brought-up elf considers the habits and outlooks of his companions to be none of his business.
An old elven platitude states, “Only those who are allowed to make their own mistakes can ever truly succeed.”
Races of the Wild source book pages 9-10
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 12:56:54 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 12:56:54 GMT -5
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Unlike dwarves, elves value art for its own sake. An object of art need not be anything but beautiful to be prized in an elf community. The elves also find joy in turning mundane objects into things of beauty. Strictly utilitarian objects are fine in an emergency, but why not make them beautiful as well? To create a functional object with no beauty is considered unforgivably lazy and wasteful of both time and resources. The visual arts are highly valued in elf society, and examples abound in every household.
Painting, sculpture, textiles, fashiondesign, metalwork, weaponsmithing, armorsmithing, jewelry making, pottery, and all manner of crafts are considered forms of self-expression with which every elf should be proficient. Translating one’s feelings into an enduring object of beauty is considered a high achievement in elven culture.
Architecture is among the most valued of the elven arts, and designing structures of grace and style is a dream to which many young elves aspire. In most cases, the loveliest elven “buildings” are those that fit seamlessly into the natural environment: houses built into tree branches, crystal-carved caverns, and flower-festooned arbors in the wilderness. Ornamentation on such buildings is generally simple yet elegant, and done in a manner that enhances rather than overwhelms the basic lines of the structure.
Music is also a well-loved form of artistic expression, and elf bards have refined their art to a high level. Elven music can be lilting and cheerful, sorrowful and deep, or any style in between. Elves make more use of flutes, lutes, harps, and exotic stringed instruments than most other cultures, and less use of loud horns and percussion instruments. Their choices of instruments and composition styles combine to produce the delicate melodies for which they are justly famous.
Drama is also a recognized and appreciated art form in elf communities, and most settlements hold plays throughout the year. Many elves enjoy acting and become quite proficient at it, and this skill stands them in good stead when they must conduct delicate negotiations with other races.
The elves have raised one form of expression, the written word, to a higher level than most other races. A few other races have oral traditions almost as rich as those of the elves, but Corellon’s folk have made a true art of writing. Their flowing script and lyrical language frame poetry and prose of inestimable beauty, filled with a depth of emotion rarely seen in shorter-lived races. The elves live long and see much, but rather than hardening them, their experiences serve to enrich their souls. Only through writing does their depth of feeling become truly obvious; they tend to take care what they say aloud, particularly among outsiders.
Most elves keep personal journals in which they record their daily or weekly activities. Writing in a journal is an almost ritualistic activity—a time for reflection during which an elf tries to find meaning in the events of the day and couch them in just the right words to convey the information as if the reader had been present. Verse is sometimes used in journals, but lyrical prose is preferred by many. Journals of elves who have died are often passed down to other family members as prized heirlooms, and living elves often trade journals to keep up with one another’s lives or to gain insight into techniques for crafting items they have not previously made.
Nearly every form of art and craft is represented in elf communities. Spontaneous gatherings of musicians or artists are common, and a few of these occasions have evolved into annual events. Visitors saunter through the area in which the artists have gathered and comment, visit, and generally appreciate the art being shown or performed. Some gatherings require that the art objects be created on the spot, by either individual artists or groups. Sculptors, painters, and architects often take part in such events, as do crafters of various kinds. The items so created are usually donated to the community at large or presented as gifts to family, friends, or nobles. The only prizes given at elven art gatherings are acclamation and special ribbons made of twined willow branches, but the unofficial benefits of winning such prizes are immense. The elf whose work has been recognized in this way is welcomed in all elf communities throughout the region.
Races of the Wild source pages 10-11
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 13:02:23 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 13:02:23 GMT -5
LOVE
Elves idealize the concept of romantic love as much as humans do, if not more so. Songs, stories, and poems are dedicated to this powerful emotion in every generation. Nevertheless, to elves, love is more frightening than it is to humans because loving another enough to share one’s whole life means giving up a measure of the independence that elves so value. Thus, although the concept of love fascinates the ever-curious elves, most are in no particular hurry to find and embrace it for themselves. Courtships between elf couples are generally long, often lasting for decades before the partners commit to marriage.
Paradoxically, elves often find it easier to commit to long-term romantic relationships with humans than with other elves. The fifty years or so that such a union might last before the death of the human partner is nothing more than a pleasant interlude for the elf—no more than the time it might take to produce an artistic masterpiece or learn a new craft. Remaining focused on a single partner for that amount of time is relatively easy for an elf and allows him a greater understanding of the lives and thought processes of shorter-lived races.
A marriage between elves, however, is a centuries-long commitment that is never undertaken lightly. Light flirtations and even long-term dalliances between elves are more common than actual marriages. Children produced from such informal arrangements bear no stigma because new life is welcome in almost any elf community, whatever the relationship that produced it.
Though elves reach physical maturity at 25, marriages almost never occur at such a young age. In practice, elves less than 100 years old are considered too young for marriage and are strongly discouraged from considering such a permanent arrangement until they’ve had a few more decades of experience to understand themselves. No parental or clan consent is required for courtships; an adult elf is free to associate with anyone who accepts his attentions—even someone of another race. Elves almost never have arranged marriages because such a concept is diametrically opposed to their ideal of individual freedom.
An elven marriage ceremony can take many forms. Though it is often a ritual celebrated before the entire community, it can consist simply of two elves speaking the words that bind them forever with no witnesses except the trees and the grass. Most elven weddings are officiated by a priest of whatever deity the couple deems appropriate (most often Hanali Celanil, but sometimes Corellon Larethian). The two elves write and speak their own vows, and the priest uses their own words to seal the union. Thus, an exchange of vows amounts to an exchange of life essence that forever bonds one to the other.
Dowries are not usually exchanged unless the marriage is of considerable political import, though gifts to the newly wedded couple from the community are common. Though elves rarely fall out of love with one another and almost never remarry after the death of a spouse, they often do spend time away from one another as a means of refreshing the relationship. Such “vacations” from one another keep a marriage fresh and vital by allowing each partner to grow independently of the other.
Outsiders often mistakenly believe that elves have little love for family, friends, and community because they may leave home for years at a time to follow their own desires. However, while elves are undeniably self-centered, they usually harbor deep-seated affection for their families and friends. The extent of that affection can be seen in their willingness to let go and trust that their loved ones will return to share more time with them. Indeed, when an elf who has been absent from his community for an extended period decides to return home, little can stand in his way, and the joy of his loved ones upon his return is boundless indeed. Celebrations extending for weeks often surround the return of a long-absent member of the community, who doubtless has many tales to tell of his travels. Such stories serve to enrich the understanding and the lore of the entire community.
Races of the Wild source pages 12-13
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Teneas
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Elves
Aug 8, 2009 13:11:06 GMT -5
Post by Teneas on Aug 8, 2009 13:11:06 GMT -5
AGING AND DEATH
Elves are blessed with extraordinarily long life spans and a graceful, easy aging process that features none of the ravages of disease, infi rmity, or atrophy that plague other folk. Time does not even begin to touch an elf until she passes a century and a half in age. For two full human lifetimes, sometimes three, she remains in the bloom of youth, her features virtually indistinguishable from those of a 20-year-old elf girl.
Elves do eventually age, but their aging takes a form not seen in other races. Their faces remain unlined, their hair remains ungrayed, and their skin remains smooth and strong, but middle-aged elves begin to develop a sort of etherealness or otherworldly quality, as their spirits burn brighter and stronger than their bodies can endure. In the course of their lifetimes, elves undergo a living transformation from beings of flesh and blood to beings of spirit and light, for lack of a better description. Physical strength, quickness, and hardiness slowly fade, just like other races, but elves suffer no pain, difficulty, or sickness in their aging.
Even though their bodies grow weaker, they enjoy good health and physical beauty until the moment of death. While others may be deceived by the apparent youthfulness of an aged elf, the elf herself is not. An elf swordswoman does not spend her last decades trying to be the fighter she was in her youth.
Instead, as her physicality erodes, she leaves her warrior duties for younger and more vigorous elves and moves on to different roles and responsibilities—often instructing those who follow in her footsteps, or perhaps taking up an artistic pursuit. Though elves live extremely long lives compared with most other humanoids, they are not immortal. They do not court death and indeed try to avoid encountering it prematurely, but they do not especially fear the end. Rather, they accept death as a natural part of the life cycle. Their deep respect for nature ensures that most do not pursue unnatural means of preserving life (such as becoming a lich) when their bodies begin to fail.
A few elves embark on a fi nal journey when they feel that the end is near. Such elves often go planewalking in search of the fabled elf homeland of Arvandor, the home plane of Corellon Larethian, the Creator of the Elves. Most live out their fi nal years in their own homes in the company of family and friends. Death in combat is considered honorable if the fight was for a high principle, but such a death is never sought. Elves do not share the dwarves’ goal of dying with their boots on; instead, they prefer to depart the world in peace and comfort.
In most elf communities, funerals are simple ceremonies designed to speed the soul on its way and reunite the body with the natural world. When an elf dies, his family and friends anoint his body with precious oils and dress it in the deceased’s favorite clothing. They often clip locks of the dead elf’s hair to keep as personal mementoes of the loved one. The body is then placed on a bier atop a tall tree and left open to the sky for a single night. Mourners may pay their respects during this time, and those close to the deceased usually sing the elven mourning song, a wordless melody of such poignant sorrow that outsiders who hear it never forget its haunting beauty. The following morning, a cleric of Sehanine Moonbow or Corellon Larethian performs a celebratory ceremony to mark the deceased’s departure of this world for the next. The ritual culminates in the casting of the dust to dust spell, which dissipates the corpse to the winds. This spell ensures that no foul necromancer can violate the remains, circumvents the need for a tomb, and speeds the process of reuniting the body of the deceased with the natural world. After the body is gone, the community holds poetry readings, art shows, and other cultural events in honor of the deceased.
Should an elf die in a situation where displaying the body to the sky is impractical and no cleric is present to take care of the remains, the body is simply wrapped in clean linen and buried. The grave is marked so that the remains can be retrieved and cared for properly at some later time. No matter how the remains are handled, loved ones create a shrine in memory of the dead elf in the ensuing months.
The site is always some natural place—a tree hollow, a small cavern, or a quiet spot beside a rushing stream. Each member of the community who wishes to do so creates a piece of art—a small statue, a jewelry design, a poem, or some other artistic remembrance—and places it in the shrine. Particularly famous elves are often commemorated in murals or other artwork in the community at large, as well.
Races of the Wild source pages 14-15
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Possibly Ten
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Elves
Aug 24, 2009 9:16:24 GMT -5
Post by Possibly Ten on Aug 24, 2009 9:16:24 GMT -5
Crown Wars
Only among the elves are the stories of the Crown Wars told, as they wish to hide their shame in bringing down their own golden age. The rulers of Aryvandaar wished to merge the great forests people with those of Miyeritar, which remained staunchly independent. After centuries of negotiations, the aggressive Vyshaan clan of Aryvandaar marshalled the troops of the Great Forest and marched on Miyeritar, heralding the Crown Wars. Now, all that is known outside of elven communities is that the Crown Wars were the struggle for dominance among the elven races.
The Crown Wars were a series of five major campaigns fought across all the major elven civilizations, but most of them happened simultaneously across centuries. One war would end but another would still rage on elsewhere, and others would flare up. Of the five major campaigns, 600 or more skirmishes and battles were fought during the worst of these terrible crusades.
The First Crown War was the Vyshaan clan rulers bringing the greater forces of Aryvandaar down upon its southern neighbors to annex them into their empire. The shortest of the initial campaigns, the dark and sylvan elves of Miyeritar fell in two short centuries to the gold elf forces of the High Forest, though the full conquering of the people of Miyeritar did not occur until five centuries later.
While well within the First Crown War, the southern dark elves rose in revolt against their nearest opponents, despite the fact that they had little to do with the wars two realms away and hundreds of miles to the north. The Second Crown War was little more than the revenge of the wronged elves of Miyeritar by the major enclave of dark elves against their foes allies. Ilythiirs savage counterattack in response to Aryvandaars invasion saw the fall of the minor elven civilizations in the south (Thearnytaar, Eiellûr, Syòrpiir, Orishaar), and random skirmishes against the elves of Keltormir. The dark elves brutal tactics harassed the moon and green elves of Keltormir for the next dozen centuries. During this war, the dark elves of Ilythiir gained a new name of dhaeraow from the tribe Tethir, meaning face of shadow, heart of night, traitor and other sundry comparisons. Even though they had originally preached peace among the races at the start of the conflicts, the moon elves of Keltormir found themselves increasingly horrified by the actions and causes of the dark elves. Their obvious relish for warfare, torture, and inflicting pain strayed far from most elven ideals, and their justifications of avenging their northern brothers rang more hollow with each battle and each century.
Among all the elves, the Third Crown War is a point of confusion and despair. Concurrent with the latter half of the Second Crown War to the south, the Third Crown War saw Shantel Othreier briefly resist the military takeover by Aryvandaar (also called the Vyshaantar Empire by some elven and nonelven scholars) for three centuries. Then, with the surprising death of the Coronal Ynloeth (about which many questions yet remain), Shantel Othreier yielded and diplomatically joined with the greater empire to the North, though its vassal of Ardeep resisted occupation for another century.
Taken from Cormanthyr source pages 21-22
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Possibly Ten
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Elves
Aug 24, 2009 9:20:23 GMT -5
Post by Possibly Ten on Aug 24, 2009 9:20:23 GMT -5
The Dark Disaster
During this Third campaign, the greatest tragedy in all elfdom occurred. Even the elves are unclear over the course of events that led to the catastrophe, though it centered on conquered Miyeritar and the resistors to Aryvandaan rule therein. Some speak of High Mage sympathizers within Miyeritar harnessing forbidden, blasphemous magics against their elves, a taboo never before broken by elves, no matter how mad. Others point to the gold High Mages of Aryvandaar, their political and familial connections with the now-recognizably power-mad Vyshaantar clan, and their greater number and greater powers. Regardless of which elves did what to whom, the killing storms known by elves as the Dark Disaster were summoned over Miyeritar 1,000 years after the first Vyshaan noble walked among its wooded glades as a conqueror.
The Dark Disaster lasted for months, and when its cloying black-and-olive mists and ichor-choked rains finally dissipated, the once-proud realm stood revealed as an open, poisoned and blasted plain instead of a forest. While many of the folk of Miyeritar fled far before the killing storm, many innocents died in its fell wake. Ninety dark elf wizards and a trio of High Mages of Miyeritar chose to face it and fight, though what became of them is lost, for they headed to the heart of the storm a month after its origin, seeking the place of power where they could cast a counterspell against the storm; like all else within the storms envelope, there was naught left behind to find but ash and ichor.
The Fourth Crown War: The Descent
After the Dark Disaster, the elves of Keltormir enjoyed peace for only a scant two decades before the Fourth Crown War raged through their domain and all other elven domains across Faerûn. The final fate of Miyeritar so enraged the Ilythiiri that their battle-rage and sheer barbarism destroyed the realm of Shamel Othreier (the closest outpost of Vyshaantar power) by fire within four decades of the Disaster. Their nonelven tactics, continued hostilities and aggressions, and their all-consuming hatred for all but their own race forced a swift and irrevocable decision from the ruling elves of Keltormir, Aryvandaar, and other enclaves: The Ilythiiri, or dhaeraow must be cast out of Corellons favor!
All elves on and under Torils surface do not discuss the Descent under any circumstances, other than to admit it happened and there is nothing but hatred between the drow and all other elves forevermore. How the wars concluded is a vague mystery to all but a few, though many believe High Magic and priests of all the Seldarine became involved in this schism. All that needs be known is that no dark elf has easily walked the sunlit lands of Faerûn for more than eleven millennia.
While the elves continue to use any of hundreds of choice elven curses for the dark elves, the old dhaeraow was corrupted by human and other tongues and has fallen into common use as their race name of drow.
Cormanthyr source page 22
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