Short lived Demi's

[DEKE]

Just curious to know if there are any worlds that are low-fantasy types where elves and dwarves don't have to have centuries long life spans? Every world I've seen always follows the Tolkein model, never much creativity or deviation. The elves are either immortal, or have lifespans that span a millenia, they are always fading away and being pushed into hidden areas or out of the world and the same with dwarves.

There are so many issues with such longevity, silly things such as, why after 2,000 years of life are you still using a bow and arrow, hasn't someone invented something better? I know the argument is they look at things differently and aren't in a hurry like humans but still, it's ridiculous.

If a human in a low fantasy world has a life expectancy of say 60, can't you have a dwarf being 80 and an elf 100? This gives an elf 20 extra years of being in his prime and 10 for a dwarf, they can still retain all their natural affinities, ie., nature loving or greedy miners and blacksmiths, but you have the option of allowing them to have a population density that can compete with the other races and make them much more meaningful to a game world and it's enviroment and create a greater since of balance.

I've been working on such an enviroment for a game but am wondering if there is anything out there that I can "borrow" from as far as background, maps, etc.,

Any help would be greatly appreciated

DEKE

 

[Razjah]

The book by Jenna Rhodes, The Four Forge, has dwarf-like people as the race for many of the protagonists. They call themselves Dwellers, and are shorter than most other races, but don't have the beards we associate with dwarves. The elves are long lived, but were transported to the world from another world by unknown forces. They are a conflicted race, torn between accepting this world as their home and trying to find a way to return. There are the Bolgers which seemed to be like orcs. Then there are the Galdarkan which are a warrior race created by the dead Magi. The Magi was destroyed by the gods, but the gods seem unable to stop the Elves from using their magic.

The story isn't the best, but the setting is awesome!

 

[DEKE]

Thank you for the recomendation, I'll check it out. I'm really working hard on establishing a really good background, one of the things that has irritated me about most settings, whether table-top, MUD, MMORPG, etc., are the elves, dwarves and other creatures. I don't understand why everyone I research that includes demi-human races never change the Tolkein model. I want a land where there is low magic, and the races are in an active struggle for self preservation and adventure. To me the problem is there are always super-human elves and dwarves yet if you live to be a 1,000 yrs old or longer and may have 1 child in that life time you wouldn't be doing any adventuring or fight anyone, just one war could wipe out your population, thus they have to become "super-men" in order to maintain some semblance of balance, the death of one of these would equal the deaths of a whole human country.

Same with the monster races, Orcs, Hobgoblins, etc., why are they always stupid cannon fodder? I would think it would be more interesting to have them be a legit threat to all races, gives more credence to the "this race has an historical beef" with that race scenario.

Creating from scratch is hard work, that's why I was hoping the experts here had some info.

 

[Razjah]

There are the elves in the Dragon Age games too. At least Dragon Age Origins, the elves lost their immortality. They may help meet some of the things you want.

As for the Orcs, Hobgoblins, etc check out the Eberron setting. The Orcs and Goblins had huge empires that fell before the rise of man. Many "greenskins" still act superior to the other races since they have had empires for longer than the humans have been on the continent.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Shannara?

 

[DEKE]

Thank you both of you, I forgot about Shannara and Dragon Age, both with a great element to explain why they still have their affinity for woods and underground but have lost their immortality and live to a more "normal" span of years, makes for a much better reason for why they are part of the story, there are simply more of them.

I'm thinking something along the lines of "The Elven and Dwarven gods, horrified at the growing demise and coming extinction of their long lived worshippers, take away their near immotality and centuries long lives, make them more fertal and tie their existence to the world they live on, they go on to secure and fight for their woodlands and explore old cavern cities with the help of the more numerous human allies