Elves

Subject: Elves
From: Taneli Tikka (ttikka@icon.fi)
Date: Mon Jul 05 1999 - 04:39:43 EEST 

Here comes some of my designs about elves. A lot of this stuff is already
been discussed in majik3, but im posting it here for all of you to see.
We are going to have many different tribes of elves, just like humans. Im
not aware how many tribes humans do have, it's possible that elven tribes
are even more numerous. Anyways elves arent going to be living just in one
place (sol'daran) but they have many citiest and each tribe has some
larger or smaller area as their home.

here comes each tribe without their real names, just plain english for
now.

ok, first we have the common elves who are much like common humans, in a
sense that they can be found all over the planet. They still stick
together but mostly tolerate humans well. Even they are superior to humans
in some things like resisting diseases and they enjoy a longer lifespan
and other things, they still deal with humans as any other human would.
They dont have united religion of just one or few gods, they are as mixed
up as human communities are. They do however have religious groups that
accept only elves as members. Among the elven tribes common elves are the
lowest in status. All elves respect status-classes of their race. Common
elves got big families and few big enterprises their world-famous of.
Think them as the "jews" or "laestadians" of the modern world =P.. that is
pretty much how humans deal with they.. and how they react. This doesnt
however apply to all elves, some are distant and cold to humans and others
more humane than humans themself. Common elves are the most numerous elven
tribe, they have the most population count.

then we have wood elfs. they do in sol'daran. That is their home. With
green large beautiful forests and all that. They consentrate their
religion around nature, and the good gods. like dazzt, aluna, shinael, and
namhas (being balance and ultimate neutral, much like nature) they are a
bit sensitive about their own affairs and have a strong community. They
protect their forest cities with rare fury and energy. They have a cult of
powerful wood elven druids protecting each city. These druids control the
basic forces of nature, and the elements. Druids have been existing since
the beginning of this race, their knowledge of magic is ancient. Some say
it is even so old that magic had not yet taken its current form of
different symbols and powers.. forces that these druids use are some form
of primal energy of magic itself, magic and nature. They have built
druidic temples and monuments of power to each city. through them the
powers of nature flow and are being commanded by druids. They would not be
so powerful enemies without these ancient nodes of primal force.
wood elves are the 2nd biggest tribe, after common elves. They also are
the 2nd lowest in elf-status. Do note that this status is only default or
base status for a member of this race.. surely a woodelven king or druid
has more status in the eyes of higher tribes than a common wood elven
villager. Wood elves are raised to live in peace and harmony with the
nature, they often take jobs as rangers, forestmen, farmers, herbalists,
animists, carpenters, etc.. etc.. smaller wood elven communities can be
found from other places than sol'daran.. this is just their largest home
and their kindom.

Next.. dark elves. These guys are not a rip-off, and this is why.
AD&D dark elves have white hair, black skin, they live underground etc..
all that classic crap, right? well these dudes are called dark elves not
because of their skin color but because the blackness of their heart.
they have white-pale skin and black hair. And they are a smallish tribe.
They are arrogant, stubborn, greedy, sadistic, cruel, immoral and
ruthless. Cold hearted seducers and murderers, who enjoy sexual orgies and
other immoral stuff (by general standards atleast =P)..
they generally worship dark and evil gods (suprise) like mandor, sinister,
yorkaturr, harum and others. They are however very eager to survive and
not get killed by everyone =).. so they do their evil doings in darkness
and privacy of their homes. They are good actors, they please you, fake
emotions.. and then at the right moment stab you in the back.. or perhaps
not.. if you serve their intentions well enough they might let you be
unharmed (since you are making them profit). so they like more of
intelligent gods like Mandor =P.. not someone who prepesent whantom
mindless destruction. They love to plan and plot against their enemies to
get what they want. And they love to win. To corrupt others is also one of
their favourites. they meld softly into human and elven communities, being
nice to everyone but behind their back thei plan evil things and laugh
sadistically when someone shallows their bait. Few, but not many, dark
elves are known to actually abandon their old ways and start living
deasent and honorable life. Most people dont even know the truth about
them. there are just rumors and loose talk. but the worst things you have
heard.. are often true. Elven society places them before wood elves in
status.. so if common elves have status 1, wood elves status 2, dark elves
have status 3. They used to have status 5 but were degraded to staus 3 a
millena ago. dark elves actually are one of the three fair elven tribes,
that hold the higest status among elves. But their mean attitude has
caused their fall from greater glory. They still do have all the
characteristics of fair elves. Making them look more aristocratic and
noble than lesser elves. In magic the dark elves tend to be more priests
than mages. evil magicians, high priests, sorcerers, warlocks, and alike.

Ice elves are next. Generally a same subtribe as wood elves.. or atleast
they were the same many millena ago but now things have changed. Ice elves
live in the polar region, in the land of ice and snow. They build their
cities in icy mountains, full of mountain crystals, ice crystals and
beautiful shahes of blue color. Ice elves have pale-white (almost
milk-white) skin and siny blue eyes. Their hair is typically blond with a
sense of light blue, some have entirely blue hair. Their society is a bit
isolated and alien to outsiders. Ice elves are ruled by a queen. They have
elf-status of 3 (same as dark elves) just above the wood elves. Needless
to say they tolerate cold temperatures very very well. Ice elves can
survive without any clothing in the polar region, during cold winter, and
at night :).. (they are virtually immune to cold) but heat then... makes
them sweat awfully fast. Ice elves have a warm heart, they are kind and
sensitive. They lack hospitality however if we are talking about their own
kindom, they dont like strangers there much. Other than that they welcome
strangers with open hands. They might be a bit shy, but kind and
understanding and generous. Their disadvantage is a slight gullibility.
often they have "blue eyes" mentally aswell :).

Next we move into high elves. 2 tribes more 'elvish' than these previous
lesser elves (dark elves are actually more noble and pure than these high
elves). There exists 2 tribes of high elves. The artisans and The seers.
artisans are a tribe that has a tradiotion to perfect their skills and
works of engineering. They have devoted their lives into making the best
jewellery, boats, cities, houses, weapons, organizations and alike in the
world. They are the masters of knowledge and skill of how to make
something and make it good. their citiest have stood for millennas and
their ancient swords forged long ago are still sharp today. They perfect
their works of hand by magic, and many of them are alchemists and
enchanters, makers of magical items. They find joy in their creations and
to most of them time matters not. If it is going to take 100 years to
build a good castle, then so be it, they take their work seriously. These
artisans consider creating things an art, as well as everything they do.
They also make the best warriors of the elven race. No other elves are so
physically strong and agile as this tribe. And war is an art of perfection
for them aswell, they tend to get very good at it. The grand high elven
army is feared by all its enemies, it is full of experienced warriros very
very old and good at what they do. Equiped with swords and armour made by
high elven alchemists, they are to be feared. Their only weakness is their
number, they are good but they are few. Orcs have vast armies compared to
them, but no mach in quality. The seers are basicly the same tribe in
physiological terms as the artisans, but they are a different tribe by
tradition and culture. Both tribes look about the same, only dirrence
being that the seers dont have as much muscle mass as the artisans.
Artisans have more heavy build. Both have from light brown to coal-black
hair and eyes wary in grey, green, blue, violet and rare brown.
The seers have devoted their tradition into perfection knowledge of books,
tomes, stories, history, science, and of course magic. The seers are the
best elven mages as a tribe. they take the jobs of scholars, wise men,
teachers, masters and wizards. They delight in intelligence and wisdom,
their plan is to use their head, not their bodies. And they believe very
much that it is very important to know things, to know how the world works
and to know the truth. these 2 high elven tribes very commonly live
together (and together with one fair elven tribe aswell) and they share
the same status-level. Status 4 is their place in elven society. Together
the high elves and the following fair elven tribe form a powerful
community, but they are rare in numbers, and they dont seek to procreate
like rabbits.

next up the fair elves. 2 tribes aswell.. the first being the
artist-elves. delicate, more fragile beings than their strong artisan
brothers the artists have a different view of the world. They are here to
enjoy themselfs and to create beauty everywhere they can. they love light,
sun, air, fresh winds and beautiful voices, fine taste and good food. They
create things of beauty and are things of beauty. All fair elven tribes
(yes, also the dark elves) are very beautiful by human standards. Only
something like 5% or less of humans could even look this good. Fair elves
are all thin, tall, majestic, and beautiful. Ladies with long fine hair,
large eyes and thin near perfect delicate bodies. Men with almost queer
pretty-boy features =).. (like legolas in animated lord of the rings, he
looks elvishly handsome :)).. this tribe of artists are musicants, bards,
painters, poets, singers and alike of the elven community.. they also are
the ruling-class and the nobilty of elves. They are atleast as smart as
high elven seer tribe and have great deal of natural charisma to lead
others. these fair elves together with high elves form communities that
consist of them being the leaders and kings and queens and high elves
being the masters and humans or lesser elves being the general common folk
then. Galadriel in animated lords of the rings has somewhat the apperance
as these elves should have. Artists of the fair elves often perfect magic
aswell. They have the potential to become poweful mages. They dont share
the same thirst for knowledge as the high elven seers do but they enjoy
the arcane arts and the power that they bring with. They have a strong
natural charisma and tendency towards music. Almost any fair elf can sign
beautifully or play a nice tune with almost any instrument if she has even
a little experience in handling it. They have powerful age-old families
long bloodlines of nobles, lords and kings. With massive economical and
political power. They enjoy the elf-status of 5. If a single fair elven
adventurer would go about in wood elven cities, common wood elves there
would bow a bit with respect and treat the adventurer with reasonable
kindness and courtesy. They are not walking gods or anything alike =P just
the ruling upper class that do have quite alot of power. And even more so
because high elves, both the artisans and the seers stand strongly behing
the fair elves with many millena old tradition.

Second fair elf tribe are the sea elves. Also 2nd smallest of all elven
tribes. They look like artist fair elves but have gills and are able to
metamorph their feet to classi mermaid-look =).. their feet become one big
fishy, scaled tail. they are amfibious species, capable of live in both
sea/water or dry land. They have lungs to breath air, and gills to survive
underwater. When they walk on dry land with feet (not with tail) they
cannot be indentified as sea elves. unless someone stucks his fingers into
elfs gills which reside at boths sides of her neck (like in babylon 5 and
with Lyta Alexander :)).. namhas talked about underwater cities and such,
well atleast this elven tribe would need one. Their region is the sea, and
they have many many treasures lost beneath the waves. They are rich
people, kings underwater. They rarely become adventurers, and they have an
isolated society aswell.. they dont get much visitors. their
characteristics are generally the same as with artist fair elves. They are
delicate and very beautiful. they dont have the natural tendency towards
music, but they do have the same charisma. Sea elves dont seek to create
things of art, they are more simpler people, or whatever are their true
pleasures they keep them under the sea. they arent very easy people to get
to know or to have as friends. They have a slight healthy misstrust of
"surface dwellers", since they are famour of their treasures they should
be somewhat wary. They have the same fair elven elf-status of 5.  
Same as artist fair elves, the sea elves have blond or even white hair,
with bright-green, bright-blue, bright-violet, bright-yellow eyes.

Then the last tribe of elves, which is the most alien.
The moon elves. They are the smallest group of elves, only one city.
maybe something like 10,000 people at the max. They live in a city in the
clouds. It does not exist in majik reality at all, not but once a month.
Once a month when the moons are right their city appears and a stairway
leading to it. this is the only way to move from moons elf city to world
of majik and back. teleport spells and alike dont work.. anything less
than divine power of gods is of no use. Moon elves have about the same
basic appearance as the fair elves, except that they have light-blue eyes
and bright-green hair. And they tend to look more beautiful than even the
fair elves. When they move its like in slow motion, they always look fresh
and pure.. never weary or untidy. If you throw a bucker of water over a
moon elf (besides of it being possibly a very stupid mistake) after the
water flows of the elf still looks almost like he just did, not like sure
wetted supermodel with her make up spreading all over the face and hair
being like a killed overgrown rat =).. moon elves have something magical
in their appearance, something dream like. Their cloud city is a weird
place.. time seems to flow softly in there.. everything happens smoothly
and without the sense of hurry of chaos. The city is covered in mist and
clouds.. it has tall thin towers and wide open streets. small buildings
mostly... but enough about the city, that part is going to have to wait
for the graph client and stuff. Moon elves have an unique attitude towards
the world. Strange things exist and happen all the time, if they moon
elves dont bother them, they dont bother the elves either. They arent
suprised or influenced by almost anything. If a huge 20-feet monster frog
suddenly jumps in front of a moon elf, he wont even look suprised. Neither
he will consider anything to be strange. If a huge black demon walks to
him in the middle of the day in aluna's temple :) and asks the way to the
nearest pub the moon elf will simply tell the demon the way and let the
demon go about his business, nothing more strange than a common human
asking his way to the nearest pub, is it?.. Moon elves also are not
influenced by good looks in women or charismatic persons. It is almost the
same to them does a low life scum slave tell them to "fuck off!", or is it
the greated god namhas himself. They arent emotioneless, or stupid. They
do know what is smart and what is not. They just dont let anything trival
get into their way. They are very hard to intimidate or to get scared. If
a bunch of regular humans suddenly see a terrible dead corpse, most of
them get scared and shut their eyes etc.. to moon elves its about the same
do they see a rock or a dead corpse.. they accept the fact that there is
suchs things like dead corpses lying around, and seeing one isnt that
strange at all. Moon elves prefer logic and reason, somewhat the same way
as vulcans (mr. spock :)) do in star trek. Vulcans suppress all their
emotions, they do that because otherwise their emotions would be so strong
and uncontrollable they would destroy them. Moon elves arent the same, i
was just explaining why i took vulcans into this =P.. moon elves have
emotions and can be as passionate about things as anyone. They just dont
consider anything strange. A regular human teenage boy would be knocked to
7th heaven if a beautiful fair elven girl would try to secude him. To moon
elves beauty is just "nice" and "beautiful" nothing to be exited that much
about, or nothing that strange. After all they are very beautiful
themselfs and see beauty around them all the time. They are reasonable
people with high intelligence.. very good mages and formiable fighters.
They also have a small arsenal of natural spell-like powers. And they have
few weaknessess.. Moon elves have the highest elf status of 6. They are
respected and paid attention to by all other elven tribes. They are so few
and rare that if a moon elf would walk into a small remove district wood
elven village it would truly be an event!. Same as with sea elves, only
few of this tribes members end up being adventurers.. there might also be
some limitations to access into this race. (or do we want ones at all?)..
do note that this tribe of elves isnt so very easy to roleplay, but very
much possible for experienced roleplayer.

Elves by status :

status 1 - common elves
status 2 - wood elves
status 3 - ice elves, dark elves (former status 5, being fair elven tribe)
status 4 - high elves: the artisans, and the seers
status 5 - fair elves: the artists, and the sea elves
status 6 - moon elves

This was only a preview of what iv been up to. I will soonish complete the
tribes with all their religions and other cultural things. High elves also
have quite high technology level.. they even have invented clocks and
few other renaissance-level mechanical devices... So tell me what do you
think.. what parts might be too much ripoff? or something doesnt suit
majik? something cant be done? something was lame?
DO NOT forget about positive feedback aswell =)
something was nice? even great? any good ideas? anything that would be a
great idea but would need more debth?
anything?

yep yep.. by now, after writing all this i see little-elves coming of the
walls and worse =).. its soon 05:00.

- Mandor

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