Eladrin Cities...

[greyscale1]

This is a worthy thread.

A large portion of my player's first mission takes place in an underground Eladrin palace (actually the original Eladrin/Elf stock, that have the powers of both, but that doesn't matter) (the above ground portion was completely destroyed).

The way I did it was to have a large amount of ornate mesh walls and balconies, though there are stairs too. These mesh walls and large height differences create obstacles for the PCs that have to be carefully circumvented (or smashed through, which is fine too), but Eladrin enemies can simply pop through or around.


I really like the towers as prisons idea, as well as the ritual binding spell. I will probably add one of those to my homebrew ritual list that I'm publishing later.

 

[EATherrian]

Where or what is Dagda of legend?

As for the glamours and illusions, only if the illusion can be keyed to other races. Walking home from the pub can be difficult enough without illlusions thrown into the mix

I actually should have said the Tuatha de Danaan, or the Irish and old English version of the Fae. Dagda was actually their leader. They were actually one of the main sources for Tolkien's elves. The glamours I'm talking about like the legend that the Lake where Excalibur was hidden was actually a castle, but only the Fae themselves and maybe Merline could see it as such. Not sure how to do it mechanically, and this idea might be better for Eladrin cities in the Feywild than on the Prime.

I know it doesn't specifically say it, but what if encounter powers are really only encounter powers in combat?

Maybe you only need a short rest because in combat things are too hectic most of the time to get your bearings enough to do it again... But outside of comabt, in a more relaxed setting Eladrin can TP much more often?

This is what I was wondering too. For me, I'd make the cities very useful for those with powerful magical affinity, but not necessary the teleporting. It just makes it easier than picking up these mechanics.

 

[Cadfan]

The 5 minute rest would prevent this ability from being used as part of daily transportation. So an Eladrin city would probably look like any other city.

The biggest difference would probably be maintenance. You know how things tend not to get fixed as long as they're minimally functional? Well, minimally functional for a footpath would be "no giant pits longer than 25 feet." So an Eladrin foot bridge that was poorly maintained might have a hole or two in it, and no one would mind.

 

[ki11erDM]

Finally got to my books and it is on page 263 of the PHB

Using Powers while You Rest: If you use an encounter power (such as a healing power) during a short rest, you need another short rest to renew it so that you can use it again.

 

[AllisterH]

I disagree with pretty much everyone.

The 5 minute recharge limit pretty much insures that the eladrin have to build their city along the same lines as their elven cousins.

 

[Andor]

This is a worthy thread.

A large portion of my player's first mission takes place in an underground Eladrin palace (actually the original Eladrin/Elf stock, that have the powers of both, but that doesn't matter) (the above ground portion was completely destroyed).

The way I did it was to have a large amount of ornate mesh walls and balconies, though there are stairs too. These mesh walls and large height differences create obstacles for the PCs that have to be carefully circumvented (or smashed through, which is fine too), but Eladrin enemies can simply pop through or around.


I really like the towers as prisons idea, as well as the ritual binding spell. I will probably add one of those to my homebrew ritual list that I'm publishing later.

You know something I wondered about reading through the race section? Why half-elves but no half-eladrin? Why no Eladrin/Elf crossbreeds?

 

[Michael Morris]

IMC Eldarin teleport works by briefly traveling into a coterminous plane. As a rule you can ignore artificial structures that haven't lasted a couple centuries, people and animals, but that's it. Real obstacles that exist on both planes stop you. The teleport isn't a means to fly or reach places you couldn't have walked to if were so inclined.

This ruling avoids most all of the problems pointed out here.

You know something I wondered about reading through the race section? Why half-elves but no half-eladrin? Why no Eladrin/Elf crossbreeds?

Again IMC eladrin *are* human. I'll quote the original post.

[bq]

Eldarin, Humans and the Tal Ishan
Humans are new comers on the stage of Carthasana, and though their numbers have grown their origins are more cloaked in myth than many of the other races which proudly trace their lines back to at least one of the five. What makes this more curious is that the arrival of humans on Carthasana is within the memory of some of the older dragons and a handful of Eldarin known collectively as the 'Tal Ishan' - meaning "They who remain" (Or one who remains, nouns of the Silesni language lack distinct singular and plural forms in a manner similar to Japanese in our own world).

Ages ago there was a war among the Eldarin to decide who would become god-king of the race. The participants and circumstances are mostly lost to time, but at the conclusion of the war those on the losing side where cursed with mortality by Januel, the leader of the winning Eldarin faction. Abora was angered by this, and while unable to end his curse she twisted it so that it only affected the children of losing faction - and these children where blessed with the fortitude necessary to one day take over the world. Meanwhile Januel's following where cursed in turn to fade from the world and be drawn back into their kingdom within the vast plane of Abora after a time.

Of those alive when these events occurred only five remain and they are among the most powerful creatures within all the multiverse. All but one of them nurse a powerful hatred of the Eldarin race and seek to do them ill. Humans themselves have through their mortality forgotten their heritage and do not know the nature of their relationship with Eldarin. The only clue lies in childbirth: The coupling of an Eldarin and a Human will give a member of the mother's race - not a half-breed as is the circumstance encountered with Elves. Eldarin persist upon the world for some 200 years before the calling draws them forcibly back into Abora. Eventually, the prophecies say, all members of this race will be drawn away.

Of the Tal Ishan the only one who's name is known among sagest is Telsindria - (from the Silesni name "Tal Sin Dre A" meaning One Last of First"). Elves and Eldarin today call her Li Eya - "Loved Lady" in recognition of her role as a mediator between them and the human kingdoms, and one of the few with wisdom and experience to dwarf their own as theirs dwarfs humanity in turn. The primary reason for her benevolence was she was born a mere moment before the curse took effect, making her the last of the firstborn. She does not personally remember the splitting war and though she nurses a sullen hatred for Januel and all the eldarin gods for their part in her suffering, she does not bear the eldarin themselves ill-will. The same cannot be said for the four other Tal Ishan, who are among the most formidable and deadly of foes likely to be encountered anywhere in Carthasana.[/bq]

 

[The Human Target]

If you stick to the idea that when an Eladrin uses his fey step power, he's shifting into the Fey Wild, it would be kinda neat to me if they couldn't teleport at all when in the Fey Wild.

It could be another flavorful reason for Eladrin to come to the Prime plane. Its makes them more powerful and gives them a lot more freedom- literally. Especially for unaligned and evil eladrin.

Its only really a nerf if you plan on spending tons of campaign time in fairy land and have an eladrin PC.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I'm assuming that eladrin evolved into sentience with this power, and its use and repercussions would be ingrained in their history. And that rituals came later. But you're right, this doesn't necessarily have to be.

What's this "evolved" nonsense? They were created by Corellon!

 

[small pumpkin man]

Why even go that far? Just keep prisoners blindfolded. Right?

Or throw people in a 40 ft deep oublette or use French style island prisons or just stab out their eyes.

More generally, I can't see normal Eladrin not having stairs, or not having doors, or other sillyness. I can't see themsetting up their homes so that if they forget their lunch on their way to work, they have to wait five minutes to go back inside and another five to go back outside, that would get really annoying really fast.

I like aurance's ideas about doing the opposite of boarding everything off, of having a lot of curtains, Japanesse style paper walls and symbolic barriers which it's incredibly rude to circumvent.