D&D 5E Dwarfs, Elfs, and Memory

[doctorbadwolf]

From my understanding, elves don't reach mental maturity (at least from a cultural standpoint), until they are in their 100s (probably around 120-150). So 70 might be a bit young for an elf to have reached that "old age" mindset, as at that age many elves are still in that, "I want to explore and learn new things" mindset.

And many elves do continue to learn new skills throughout their lives (or at least seek complete mastery of a set of skills).

Depends on the edition and setting, IIRC.

 

[hopeless]

I pictured the drow/dark elves reincarnating similarly except via Lolth and that would explain why so few of them sought redemption as from their point of view they wasn't the one in the wrong.
Still worth another look at mind you!

 

[TwoSix]

IIRC, Baker has also put forward the idea that elves who live in the multiracial Five Nations generally consider themselves "adult" by physical maturity. Meanwhile, the Aereni and the Tairnadal, cultures of purely elves, do have the "100 years of childhood + adolescence", but they spend all that time in hyperspecialized training for the role that they were chosen for by their elders.

That's how I run it in my own campaigns. Pretty much every race hits adulthood somewhere between 15-25 (no 110 year old elven novices). The longer lived races simply stay at peak adulthood for far longer. Races like elves which are typically viewed as "ageless" simply don't experience any obvious senescence until near the end of life. To an observer, there wouldn't be any apparent aging signs when comparing a 50 year old elf to a 300 year old elf. (In my games, elves rapidly fade and then pass at some point early in their fourth century; I've never liked the implications of elves living for millennia.)

 

[Voadam]

The Neanderthals in Clan of the Cave Bear had a similar general racial memory which gave specific skills. Not specific past life memories, but more communal ancestor gestalt. It meant they picked up specific things quickly, but were not good at innovating or picking up new techniques.

Aboleths having all the knowledge and memories of their parents (up to the birth period) and similarly on back for all their ancestors is a thing as well to emphasize their LE alien intelligence. It gives them a reason to be fairly uniformly awful but still individuals.

 

[lall]

I pictured the drow/dark elves reincarnating similarly except via Lolth and that would explain why so few of them sought redemption as from their point of view they wasn't the one in the wrong.
Still worth another look at mind you!

That’d be cool. Yes, redemption would only be needed if they didn’t serve Lloth as well as they could have.