Elven Exotica

While I complete some projects of 3D witchery, here is a brief text to bridge the hiatus somewhat. I hope to post my current work by the end of the year.

Elves are a difficult but fascinating topic of which many of us cannot get enough. Much has been written about elves by many different authors, and not all of it agrees. So here are some ideas to help clarify the characteristics of the elves of Kemen, that may also be fodder for your own campaign. This is not intended to be exhaustive.

To call elves (or any other race) “demi-human” is to practice extreme bias, almost discrimination. The term references humans and makes them the standard. While D&D references the game’s bias towards humans, this would seem to go too far. Elves are not skinny humans. They are an entirely different race. Their bodies look different because they are built differently.

First of all, in appearance elves tend to the slender proportions, typically similar to people of Asian descent. This has the effect of suggesting elegance to other races, especially humans. One might then incorrectly conclude that elven women tend to be flat chested. This is not the case. In fact, though some possess modest bosoms, many are quite buxom. It is the frame upon which their breasts rest that maintains a general slender proportion. Similarly, elf men are not “bird chested.” They can be quite well defined and very strong, if not as massive as their human counterparts, because they are not little humans but a separate race altogether. Their bodies are built differently, their muscle tissue more dense. A similarly sized human would usually be less strong, while a human sized elf (six feet or more) would possess super-human strength -- if the current use of humans as the point of reference may be excused.

Elves in Kemen are a mixing of Tolkien's LOTR and Gygax's Dungeons and Dragons. They are not immortal (generally) but very long-lived. They do sleep and dream, though lightly and for less time. They are not all fair skinned blondes, as seem to be the case in LOTR. Neither are they all the dark haired, green eyed creatures of Gygax. Hair, eye and skin combinations tend to depend upon the tribe and type. The Muinar (wood elves, to the rest of the multi-verse) do tend toward darker features, with brownish hair, green eyes and fair to medium complexion. The High Elves, are more varied and, in fact are the most varied of the three types. At least one tribe has dark, curly hair and light eyes, making them look almost human but for their pointed ears.

 

The Aire-Nolari, the Gray Elves, are the most unique and rare of all. Their eyes are most often violet, and their hair is generally silver. They most embody the idea of fairies.

Beyond appearances, there are other differences. Being a race that lives longer than pretty much any other, elves often appear to others to be the most egregious procrastinators. This is because they’d rather sing a song or explore an idea than become accomplished at the mundane, for which there is plenty of time. If there is a band of orcs nearby, sure, let’s go hunting! But as for getting married and having children, well, what’s the rush? This is why elves (in Kemen) tend to be less common. They don’t breed as quickly or as copiously as other races. In fact, it is generally true as a whole in Kemen that the shorter the lifespan the earlier breeding occurs and more offspring that come from a particular union. For elves, this apparent “commitment issue” is related to their long lives.

In the long view of the Elves, things like jealousy and possessiveness are foolish. There are those who commit to stay together for long periods of time, but generally this is for the purpose of raising young. Most spend a period of time of their choosing with another, and then move off to share time with and enjoy someone else. As a result, most elves have consorts rather than spouses, and most have more than one. The lives of the elves are too long and beauty too varied to restrict oneself to loving only one person, yet those lives are long enough to recognize that love of one does not diminish the capacity of love for another.

Boom Chicka Wow Wow! Yes, the elves get around, but while they are with a particular consort they are monogamous. This might seem exotic to us, but remember elves don’t even reach middle age until they are about 500 years old. Do you remember the first time you were able to say that you had known someone for 10, 15, 20 years or more? Remember how that felt? How long have you been at your job? Most likely, you haven’t even been breathing for a hundred years (and many a’ blessin’ to you if you have, though it seems you’ve had your share o’ blessin’s already). Can you imagine knowing someone that long? Can you imagine having a friend for 500 years? How long have you been married? ‘Til death do us part, right? Can you imagine being with the same person for 500 years? How about 800? “If she’s the right one...” Blah, blah, blah. Do you think she’d agree?

Regardless of the way humans manage things, elves (in Kemen) do as described above, and do not see it as exotic. Neither do they find it strange that the short lived races manage things as they do.

Most of recorded human history on Kemen has occurred with the period of a few thousand years. Hardly time enough to call it history, from an elven perspective!

This example about love and marriage is only one. I encourage you to think about other ways that long life might change your point of view of various topics, and to extrapolate that for elves, dwarves, gnomes or whatever race you choose. Doing so creates the backdrop for you and your players to explore new ideas. It creates a more robust and fantastic world that is far more interesting than the stereotypical hack and slash dungeon or the usual Tolkien ripoff. Be unique, and you will inspire in your players the same fascination that I, and perhaps you had, when I first saw the Fabled City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire on the back of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Listen at doors, 

levallon

PS: I found the cure for cancer: Live in Kemen. I have ruled that cancer doesn't exist in Kemen. I mean really, what with dragons and demons and such and all the other ways to die, what need is there of cancer? Other diseases exist, but I don't need this one. So shall it be written, so shall it be done.