Subject: Re: Elves
From: McDuff (mcduff@iname.com)
Date: Mon Jul 05 1999 - 15:47:11 EEST
>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. Hmm. Possibly rather than a separate tribe, the common elves should just be made up of members of all the different races who have moved out of their home regions. Or, don't call them "common elves," I don't think the name works. Give them a name like "The Kumerra" or some exotic name like that. >then we have wood elfs. they live in sol'daran. That is their home. >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. Good, I like that. >Next.. dark elves. >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 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. Keep harping on about it, I know, but here would be a perfect place to stick in Elfsong and the power of elven mind control. 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. Right, the status idea is a good one, but please don't use "status 1, status 3" when you finally write it up :)) It sounds like a programmer trying to get his head around it. Normally, in societies, there is no need for "Status levels," in a culture like the elves there would be built in respect and an aristocratic or feudal system. I actually think that, rather than push the Dark Elves down the ladder, they should have been pushed sideways, out of the Elvish system altogether. This would add resentment etc and make them FUN! >Ice elves are next. Generally a same subtribe as wood elves.. Like these. >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). Dark Elves should really not be "pure." Noble is fine, but they can't be pure, it doesn't fit. >There exists 2 tribes of high elves. The artisans and The seers. Nice, like these as well, and the fair elves. >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. >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. This is more work for my astronomical system work out - probably going to be less than once a month, maybe once a year, unless you want to make the criteria a bit lax, or have it only respond to one moon. If you have 2 moons of elliptical orbits and different periods, they are only really going to be in a set position relating to each other once a year, or two years, or something like that. >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. Again, good place to put in the "glamour" field of Pratchettian elves, as well as the separation from the normal world - the "over there" position of their world etc etc. >anything? Did you think about Elves being affected by iron? I think that this would be a cool trait, although you might want to limit it to the higher elven tribes, say that it gets watered down throughout the generations or something - "common" elves would be at a disadvantage. The artisans could smith wierd metals found in elven mountains, make knives out of stone (In the mountains of solace - got some notes on this already), or enchant gold/silver to make it stronger than steel, as well as looking nicer. I'm also not sure about Elven weapons being the best - Dwarf weapons are _always_ the best, because Dwarves are so bloody-minded about everything that they can't handle being second to an elf. Which reminds me - how do the races interact with one another? Do Dwarves get along well with Elves? How about Trolls getting along with Elves? Humans we've got, and I'm assuming that Orcs don't get along with anyone! >yep yep.. by now, after writing all this i see little-elves coming of the >walls and worse =).. its soon 05:00. Heh heh - been there (although that was just the medication ... . . . .. . .)! :))) McDuff
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