I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Is it? I made up the once a month figure (linking them to the moon and such)...seven years could be fun, though. ^_^
Last edited:
Elven Relationships
- Thread starter Nine Hands
- Start date
Pseudonym
Ivan Alias
I guess that would depend upon te particular type of elf. Wood and Moon elves would be more for the free love angle, but Sun elves would have more care for choosing their mates, even for a random fling. Marriage for a political/family reason, or to preserve a bloodline would run into conflict with their inherent chaotic nature, though some may go along with it while resenting being forced into the situation.
Storminator
First Post
Listen to the nice posters, Nine Hands...
Promiscuous, uncommited, various partners, possibly exotic partners, hmmm. And by their other advice, maybe Thaleles needs to watch himself!
PS
Promiscuous, uncommited, various partners, possibly exotic partners, hmmm. And by their other advice, maybe Thaleles needs to watch himself!
PS
Elder-Basilisk
First Post
This really depends upon the elves you're talking about.
In FR, there are a variety of elven nations and peoples each with their own culture. If you're going for by the book FR, you should look up FR products to see their take.
In the latest incarnation of Dragon magazine elves are hypersluts fit to be found in the pages of a porn magazine or pay-to-view websites. They read the Abercrombie and Fitch quarterly for their relationship advice but think it's too tame.
Elfquest elves differ depending upon their culture but tend to look like anyone in a 1980's-90's romantic comedy (fall in love and sleep with each other quite readily but generally form more or less eclusive and more or less stable paired relationships) with one exception: recognition--a compulsion to reproduce with another elf that may or may not be a soul mate (some were but some were rather mismatched--as is evident in the plot). I mention this because it's probably the clearest description of a primitive, or wild elvish society and because the "thirmamin" idea sounds an awful lot like recognition only without the number of stories describing its effect and role in elvish society. If you want a thirmamin based elvish society, I'd look to Elfquest rather than elsewhere.
Tolkein's elves were seemingly more monogomaus and faithful than humans. Romance wasn't a huge portion of many of his stories but when it was, it followed that pattern--as do the genealogies and histories of the elves.
Then again, Tolkein's elves were only chaotic in the (arguable) tendency towards arbitrary monarchic government--the rule of leaders rather than the rule of law. (And even that was less arbitrary than such arrangements tend to be among humans since the leader would regularly remain in power for thousands of years). Then again, most D&D elves don't seem very chaotic either in the way they behave--the Dragon description of elven sex practices is an exception rather than the rule.
If your DM isn't going by the book FR, I'd talk to him about picking one of the various interpretations and going with it. However, I'd be cautious about adopting the hyperslut model. To me, it smacks of nothing so much as thoughtless modern libertine utopianism and running into free love communes in the middle of a magical renaissance/medieval society tends to ruin verisimilitude. (As does the idea that a stable and advanced society can be created with such mores). Removing the expectation of faithfulness also reduces the possibilities for dramatic tension rather than enhancing it. The love triangle is dramatic because the whole group simply going at it together is not an option. Similarly the choice between two loves is dramatic because keeping both isn't generally an option. Even the stories of first and third wives, etc, fighting and competing depend upon a social structure and order that are absent in the Hustleresque fantasy of Dragon magazine.
In FR, there are a variety of elven nations and peoples each with their own culture. If you're going for by the book FR, you should look up FR products to see their take.
In the latest incarnation of Dragon magazine elves are hypersluts fit to be found in the pages of a porn magazine or pay-to-view websites. They read the Abercrombie and Fitch quarterly for their relationship advice but think it's too tame.
Elfquest elves differ depending upon their culture but tend to look like anyone in a 1980's-90's romantic comedy (fall in love and sleep with each other quite readily but generally form more or less eclusive and more or less stable paired relationships) with one exception: recognition--a compulsion to reproduce with another elf that may or may not be a soul mate (some were but some were rather mismatched--as is evident in the plot). I mention this because it's probably the clearest description of a primitive, or wild elvish society and because the "thirmamin" idea sounds an awful lot like recognition only without the number of stories describing its effect and role in elvish society. If you want a thirmamin based elvish society, I'd look to Elfquest rather than elsewhere.
Tolkein's elves were seemingly more monogomaus and faithful than humans. Romance wasn't a huge portion of many of his stories but when it was, it followed that pattern--as do the genealogies and histories of the elves.
Then again, Tolkein's elves were only chaotic in the (arguable) tendency towards arbitrary monarchic government--the rule of leaders rather than the rule of law. (And even that was less arbitrary than such arrangements tend to be among humans since the leader would regularly remain in power for thousands of years). Then again, most D&D elves don't seem very chaotic either in the way they behave--the Dragon description of elven sex practices is an exception rather than the rule.
If your DM isn't going by the book FR, I'd talk to him about picking one of the various interpretations and going with it. However, I'd be cautious about adopting the hyperslut model. To me, it smacks of nothing so much as thoughtless modern libertine utopianism and running into free love communes in the middle of a magical renaissance/medieval society tends to ruin verisimilitude. (As does the idea that a stable and advanced society can be created with such mores). Removing the expectation of faithfulness also reduces the possibilities for dramatic tension rather than enhancing it. The love triangle is dramatic because the whole group simply going at it together is not an option. Similarly the choice between two loves is dramatic because keeping both isn't generally an option. Even the stories of first and third wives, etc, fighting and competing depend upon a social structure and order that are absent in the Hustleresque fantasy of Dragon magazine.
Ankh-Morpork Guard
First Post
Elder-Basilisk said:
Ah ha! Yep. That's what I mostly use in my campaign, and I was trying to say earlier in the thread...but at the same time, some Elves will be more flighty. I just prefer this ultra-faithful idea. It seems to fit for me...
Shard O'Glase
First Post
I went the faithful rought in my games. I found the description of elves to be more lawful and I went with that a bit. I think they only got the chaotic good label because chaotic good is seen as cooler and elves are supposed to be cool.
In my games elves usually marry for love, only the rich and powerful sometimes marry to unite families. And when they do marry they almost always stay faithful and together for life.
In my games elves usually marry for love, only the rich and powerful sometimes marry to unite families. And when they do marry they almost always stay faithful and together for life.
Afrodyte
Explorer
things you might wish to consider; sorry for length
I am glad you brought this topic up.
If you want to avoid making elves just "pointy-eared humans," but also want to avoid making arbitrary decisions about their intimate relationships, there are a number of issues you might want to consider. Thinking beyond alignment and what the books tell you (for they can sometimes be unsuitable for your purposes), consider the following things:
1. How do elves (or even a specific elven culture) define intimacy? Is intimacy even possible? If so, what does it take to get there?
2. How do elves express intimacy? Which do expressions do they most value? How does society influence the expression of intimacy, for better or for worse?
3. How does elven psychology differ from human psychology, and how does this express itself in more mundane situations?
As an example, take the idea that an elf, due to his extraordinary longevity, will often take the time to do things like contemplate a leaf for years on end. From there, you could extrapolate that elves have formidable powers of concentration and focus, which they bring to everything they do. If even the most casual of interests, like contemplating leaves, receive this sort of devotion and care, how do they approach the things that matter most to them? Would such a people be interested in flings or one-night-stands? If so, would it really be out of a desire for novelty, or for other reasons? What if they do so out of a means of self-discovery, learning about how they relate to themselves and other people at the deepest level? What if their aloofness is learned from the school of hard knocks?
4. What is an elf? Seriously. People have so many definitions that a consensus on how they would/should behave in any given circumstance. If you have a solid idea on what makes an elf an elf, the rest is easier to come by. This is not easy, though, and probably very time-consuming. Essentially, though, the guiding idea that "the physical forms of elves are manifestations of their spirits" should lead to different places than "elves are incarnations of aspects of nature" or "elves are spirits of primeval chaos."
When I set about answering these issues, I was amazed at how much material I got out of it, the depth and complexity of the thing, and I had barely touched the surface. For me, at least, they proved far more satisfying than who was king in what year (or century) and what wars and battles were fought. It gave me incredible insight into society and culture, and understanding why they do things the way they do.
I am glad you brought this topic up.
If you want to avoid making elves just "pointy-eared humans," but also want to avoid making arbitrary decisions about their intimate relationships, there are a number of issues you might want to consider. Thinking beyond alignment and what the books tell you (for they can sometimes be unsuitable for your purposes), consider the following things:
1. How do elves (or even a specific elven culture) define intimacy? Is intimacy even possible? If so, what does it take to get there?
2. How do elves express intimacy? Which do expressions do they most value? How does society influence the expression of intimacy, for better or for worse?
3. How does elven psychology differ from human psychology, and how does this express itself in more mundane situations?
As an example, take the idea that an elf, due to his extraordinary longevity, will often take the time to do things like contemplate a leaf for years on end. From there, you could extrapolate that elves have formidable powers of concentration and focus, which they bring to everything they do. If even the most casual of interests, like contemplating leaves, receive this sort of devotion and care, how do they approach the things that matter most to them? Would such a people be interested in flings or one-night-stands? If so, would it really be out of a desire for novelty, or for other reasons? What if they do so out of a means of self-discovery, learning about how they relate to themselves and other people at the deepest level? What if their aloofness is learned from the school of hard knocks?
4. What is an elf? Seriously. People have so many definitions that a consensus on how they would/should behave in any given circumstance. If you have a solid idea on what makes an elf an elf, the rest is easier to come by. This is not easy, though, and probably very time-consuming. Essentially, though, the guiding idea that "the physical forms of elves are manifestations of their spirits" should lead to different places than "elves are incarnations of aspects of nature" or "elves are spirits of primeval chaos."
When I set about answering these issues, I was amazed at how much material I got out of it, the depth and complexity of the thing, and I had barely touched the surface. For me, at least, they proved far more satisfying than who was king in what year (or century) and what wars and battles were fought. It gave me incredible insight into society and culture, and understanding why they do things the way they do.
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
Elder-Basilisk said:
[blink]
I had to read that a few times to be sure I wasn't being insulted
-Hyp.
Similar Threads
