Eladrin

[Roman]

It appears that my initial theory of a three-way split of elves into Eladrin, Drow and Elves is now completely confirmed, exactly in the way I originally envisioned it:

Eladrin (the magical/civilized elves)
Drow (the evil/underground elves)
Elves (the naturesque/woodsy elves)

See this post for confirmation:

Actually, I expect that sun elves, moon elves, and star elves would all fall into the description of "eladrin" for game stats, while wood elves and green elves would be "elves." But we're still going to call them sun elves, star elves, etc., for the most part. Nobody in Faerun would call those folks eladrins, they'd call them ar-tel-quessir, sun elves, or gold elves.

Link: http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=14197018&postcount=928

What's more it makes good sense and seems like a good move, as is retaining the names of elven subraces in existing campaign worlds, but using the three sets of statitics to differentiate them mechanically.

 

[Patlin]

I have no dog in this fight, but I have to ask: spellcasting priests? That's always struck me as a D&Dism that's managed to leak into all sorts of later fantasy. Is there another solid origin for it?

Moses? I'm thinking of the time he confronted the egyptian wizard and they both turned their staves into snakes, and Moses's snake ate the wizard's snake.

 

[hong]

I have no dog in this fight, but I have to ask: spellcasting priests? That's always struck me as a D&Dism that's managed to leak into all sorts of later fantasy. Is there another solid origin for it?

Most of the higher-level cleric spells are copies of stunts that various Old Testament prophets pulled.

Now, spellcasting clerics wielding maces and wearing plate armour? THAT'S a D&Dism.

 

[hong]

The second makes me wonder "What was wrong with the 'Aasimar' word"?

Now that's funny!