Elves/Elven

[cmathews1091]

school started this week for me..and you know how the first week is. teachers talk about non important rules that are never acually enforced and other dumb stuff like that. so ive decided to start writing my character background..

so can anyone post some places that i can find a lot of information about elves? any website that has anything to do with elves would be nice..oh and whats the acual difference between half-elves and elves? (obviously one has mixed blood and one has full blood..other than that lol)

thanks
-Cade..soon to be changed to some elven name

[Lady Elestirne]

Who better than an elf to respond to this? I shall be delighted to help you Cade,in all things Elven-including a name. To start out with,the differences between half-elves and elves are subtle but easily seen once recognized. Elves,as you know have exceptionally keen senses,notably of hearing and sight and are very graceful,fair and light-footed and tall. Our features have been called sharp and fine-featured,and nearly always it is our pointed ears and graceful movents that reveal our race to others.

Half-elves are half elven and half another race..most predominately human,though I have heard of a half-elf,half-demon once perhaps,though I cannot say if the rumour is true. Half-elves will display both elven charateristics and human. For instance,they have more of a rugged build and facial structure than that of full elves. Their ears are still pointed but the points are subtle and less defined and may not be as long as an elf's. Their senses also are less keen than elves,but still better than a human's. They cannot see in infravision as elves do,but they have far better night vision and hearing than mortals and can move as silently as a full-blooded elf when they wish. Male half-elves also can grow facial hair,something full elven men cannot do.

The sense of immense age felt from full elves is felt also at a lesser degree from half-elves. To look in a half-elf's eyes will not give the same sense of time and ageless memory but there will still be the recognition of a being who has lived generations of men,and who has more to live. Half-elves will quite commonly live some hundred years,but they are not immortal as elves are and will indeed die of age eventually,if not slain of war or grief beforehand. As far as I know,they are incredibly resistant to disease and malady,though I think I have heard of a case or two where a half-elf did indeed contract a disease. Half-elves are also known at times to be impulsive and rash but many have a lesser sense of the patience and willingness to take time that full elves are so noted for.

That is all I have time to post so far young Cade but I will answer all other questions you have if you send me a pm or e-mail.

~Lady Elestirne,Queen of Taraer

[Baethor]

this is the lady to talk to my friend, you heed her words.

[Sir Nichtmar]

and heed them well


what the heck does heed mean?

[Lady Elestirne]

Shall I educate you? to heed: to hearken,listen or otherwise pay close attention to with a respectful air

~Lady Elestirne

[Baethor]

so hearken up nichty

[Animus]

I know I'm somewhat new around here, but if you don't mind I'd like to add my experience with elven and half-elven psychology.

Elves, as immortals, have commonly lived hundreds if not thousands of years. Because of this they are immeasurably more wise and cautious than humans. Elves at peace are calm and collected, and more so when at war. Death by sword is a much different thing to a being who would die by no other cause, so war must be calculated and handled with diligence and precision. That being said, if a true elf does loose control of their emotions, your best bet is to simply run fast and hide well. If theres one thing an elf has when at peace, it's time. So decision making processes can be complicated and laborious, measuring each element and testing each possible outcome.

Half-elves, on the other hand, are chaotic and unpredictable. Partially so because even the nature of their chaos is inconsistent. A half-elf growing up amongst humans will be slow to age and subsequently have many friends outgrowing him both physically and mentally...often. They will commonly be seen as prodigies because of the keen senses and dexterity inherited by their elven parent, which brings jealousy and contempt as much as it does praise. Amongst elves, the half-human will be quick to master certain aspects of life, but still comparatively clumsy and rash. They will outgrow friends and family in a matter of seasons and ultimately wont fit in anywhere.

A half-elf is only half elven to humans, to elves he is almost always a half-human.

The race with the most parallel lifespan would most likely be the dwarves, who tend to live between 250 and 500 years (depending on alcohol and red-meat intake). That being said, they still don't share anything culturally and will have a hard time living up to the physical demands of dwarven lifestyle, but at least they will age at approximately the same speed and be able to keep long-term friends.

The chaos I mentioned earlier spurns from their upbringing. Their biology leads their brain in two directions: impulsive and cunning like the humans, or cool and calculating like the elves. They spent most of their early lives likely moving from one broken home to the next and generally not truly meshing well with anybody for long periods of time.

Once a half-elf reaches his adulthood, he will be better capable of coping with all this and will likely take to traveling and spending time with as many races and cultures possible. Because they don't truely fit in anywhere, they can commonly fit in (at least a little) everywhere. He will make MANY acquaintances and more than a couple enemies. But with each possible friend he meets he will likely move in one of two directions: keep them at arms reach so it's not so big a deal when he moves on, or maintain a fanatically loyal friendship that no other race would be able to match. Over time, they tend towards the former, but on no fault of their would-be friend...one simply learns to be cautious.

This, of course is all according to my world view and back story. Which is set in more of a DnD-esque than a Middle Earth. It's based heavily on my own interpretation of what it would be like to be half-immortal and partially inspired by the books "Races of the Destiny" and "Races of the Wild", a couple of DnD suppliments that talk all about the culture and psycology of Elves, Half-elves, and many other races.

Thanks for listening to me ramble, I should likely get back to work now... ;D

- Animus the Ravenclad, making 2 cents into 50 and putting it in wherever he can.

[Animus]

I hope I didn't hijack your thread, Lady Elestirne, I have a tendency to ramble...



At any rate, blah blah blah. Blah blah yakety shmackety blah blah....

[Anvil]

Anvil walks up from the direction of the tavern and grabs Animus by the collar and starts dragging him back towards the tavern, muttering the entire time about not being able to take half-elves anywhere.

[Aidan Furey]

... elves..... heh I cannae'get a moments peace withou'hearin about thee elves...

[Anvil]

But they are great to take to a tavern becouse it takes them longer to get sloppy drunk.......natures designated drivers!

[Animus]

It only takes us longer because we drink slower...you know, savor the flavor and all that. Personally though, I'm equally up for ale, wine, or mead...what's this tavern serv'n?