So this is a thing that I thought up while working on a homebrew setting called Aetherstorm.
Elves are the oldest race in practically every setting. They're generally the first to be created or one of the two or three "Elder Races" of a given world alongside Giants and Dragons or Dwarves and the setting's other favored race.
So they owned land before everyone else did. And rivers. And lakes. And forests. And RESOURCES.
And you know what? Every elf grows to be 300+ years old in practically every setting and often reach 500-800, which is the most salient point, here... If Elves existed in the United States, right now, there would be Elves in their prime who are OLDER THAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Can you imagine the mindset of someone who grew up in the Colonies where slaves and women were property, only landholding white men were even -considered- to be people, and barbaric torments were seen as routine... Looking around as the US evolves from a revolutionary war to modern day?
Sure, they'd probably be more open about gender and sexuality than a lot of people on account of probably having done literally everything at least once, but they'd also hold to LONG traditions and strong ideals of fiscal conservatism because it would be -them- who owned everything! Add in the fact that humans -barely- reach "Adulthood" for an elf before they croak and they probably wouldn't see us as "Real" people. Social safety nets for humans? Pffft. They can come work in one of -my- factories, instead! What's this about unionizing?!
Lifetime appointment on the supreme court? Elrond could've been hand-chosen by Washington and -still- be around, today. And you -know- they'd be the predominant members of the House and Senate having made legislation well over their fifty three terms in office...
Dwarves? Same thing, just a little less extreme. But even a middle aged dwarf would still remember the Civil War. Gnomes are right there with 'em.
Halflings, Half-Elves, and Humans would be Gen X and Millennials. Trapped in a system they had no ability to create waiting for those who hold power to lose it through age or infirmity in the hopes of making some kind of positive change.
Orcs? Goblins? They own nothing. They exist in a society that hates them for their youth and rebelliousness, their lack of caution, and their short life spans. Gen Z all the way. Nihilistic and often socialist they're eager for the elder races to step aside and let positive change finally happen but have no illusions that they'll live long enough to see it.
(ALL OF THE ABOVE WAS USING THE CURRENT UNITED STATES AS A SETTING, BUT THE GREATER LESSON IS STILL APPLICABLE TO OTHER SETTINGS)
When you're making a character, look at your lifespan. Look at the setting's history. Ask yourself how much of it your character has seen and what impact that makes on what is happening -now-.
People often complain that Elves in movies and books never -do- anything, they just sit back and watch the other peoples of the world go on big quests to stop evil... And... yeah. It's kind of weird. But this is also the sixth world-ending crisis they've seen in their lives and there's always a Ringbearer or Chosen One or rag tag band of scrappy do gooders who will save the day before the elf hits their next milestone birthday (Because once you've got 200+ years under your belt you stop celebrating any more often than once a decade) and be dead before the milestone after that 'cause humans are tiny fragile short-lived things. Bright as fire and just as quick to get snuffed.
If humans in your setting talk like modern day folk, your elves should be the ones Theeing and Thouing and Whereforing. Mixing 200 year old slang with "Hip Lingo" from the 1960s 'cause it all blends together and none of it makes sense, anymore, anyhow, and it's not like they really picked up "What the kids are saying these days" back then, either.
In short: Elves and Dwarves should probably be pretty cringe. Like a grandpa trying to sound cool talking about all the TikTaks and Youtubes while asking you for free IT service on their PC filled with adware.
Elves are the oldest race in practically every setting. They're generally the first to be created or one of the two or three "Elder Races" of a given world alongside Giants and Dragons or Dwarves and the setting's other favored race.
So they owned land before everyone else did. And rivers. And lakes. And forests. And RESOURCES.
And you know what? Every elf grows to be 300+ years old in practically every setting and often reach 500-800, which is the most salient point, here... If Elves existed in the United States, right now, there would be Elves in their prime who are OLDER THAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Can you imagine the mindset of someone who grew up in the Colonies where slaves and women were property, only landholding white men were even -considered- to be people, and barbaric torments were seen as routine... Looking around as the US evolves from a revolutionary war to modern day?
Sure, they'd probably be more open about gender and sexuality than a lot of people on account of probably having done literally everything at least once, but they'd also hold to LONG traditions and strong ideals of fiscal conservatism because it would be -them- who owned everything! Add in the fact that humans -barely- reach "Adulthood" for an elf before they croak and they probably wouldn't see us as "Real" people. Social safety nets for humans? Pffft. They can come work in one of -my- factories, instead! What's this about unionizing?!
Lifetime appointment on the supreme court? Elrond could've been hand-chosen by Washington and -still- be around, today. And you -know- they'd be the predominant members of the House and Senate having made legislation well over their fifty three terms in office...
Dwarves? Same thing, just a little less extreme. But even a middle aged dwarf would still remember the Civil War. Gnomes are right there with 'em.
Halflings, Half-Elves, and Humans would be Gen X and Millennials. Trapped in a system they had no ability to create waiting for those who hold power to lose it through age or infirmity in the hopes of making some kind of positive change.
Orcs? Goblins? They own nothing. They exist in a society that hates them for their youth and rebelliousness, their lack of caution, and their short life spans. Gen Z all the way. Nihilistic and often socialist they're eager for the elder races to step aside and let positive change finally happen but have no illusions that they'll live long enough to see it.
(ALL OF THE ABOVE WAS USING THE CURRENT UNITED STATES AS A SETTING, BUT THE GREATER LESSON IS STILL APPLICABLE TO OTHER SETTINGS)
When you're making a character, look at your lifespan. Look at the setting's history. Ask yourself how much of it your character has seen and what impact that makes on what is happening -now-.
People often complain that Elves in movies and books never -do- anything, they just sit back and watch the other peoples of the world go on big quests to stop evil... And... yeah. It's kind of weird. But this is also the sixth world-ending crisis they've seen in their lives and there's always a Ringbearer or Chosen One or rag tag band of scrappy do gooders who will save the day before the elf hits their next milestone birthday (Because once you've got 200+ years under your belt you stop celebrating any more often than once a decade) and be dead before the milestone after that 'cause humans are tiny fragile short-lived things. Bright as fire and just as quick to get snuffed.
If humans in your setting talk like modern day folk, your elves should be the ones Theeing and Thouing and Whereforing. Mixing 200 year old slang with "Hip Lingo" from the 1960s 'cause it all blends together and none of it makes sense, anymore, anyhow, and it's not like they really picked up "What the kids are saying these days" back then, either.
In short: Elves and Dwarves should probably be pretty cringe. Like a grandpa trying to sound cool talking about all the TikTaks and Youtubes while asking you for free IT service on their PC filled with adware.