So how do you play a Sun Elf?

[Pseudonym]

One angle to consider is that Sun elves are even longer lived than other elven subraces. Your won't even hit middle age until 210. Play that up as a source of detachment from your adventuring companions. Acknowledge the need for haste in some matters, but try persuading your companions to stay in town for six months or so as you take a "quick glance" at a tome your adventuring has unearthed.

I played my sun elf diviner as one who would never rush in to things without an inordinate amount of reconnaissance and planning, given the perfectionist nature of the sun elves and the fact that barring immediate physical threat, I had plenty of time to play the waiting game.

 

[Dark Jezter]

No, it doesn't. It says "can be". They don't say that all of them are extremely prejudiced because it is the default. Per default, people aren't prejudiced, at least from those races where good alignment dominates (which is afaik the case with gold elves)

The typical sun elf attitude towards other races is very much like that that of the githyanki, but the githyanki are placed squarely in the evil category. That's because there is a blatant double standard in most D&D books I've seen: Elves can be xenophobic and look down on anybody who isn't a member of their race and it's okay, but if anybody else acts that way they are evil.

Actually, it states that this goes against humans in particular, and the part about letting them die goes against humans alone. This is because humans have treated sun elves and their lands poorly in the past, and sun elves are very long-lived and have a good memory.

That attitude is about as rational as a modern-day Scotsman hating all English people because of how the Scots were treated in the dark ages.

I think that they largely don't think about the other races at all. Most sun elves never meet members of that race, so they probably have no prejudice against them - they have no real opinion for them, other than the fact that they are no elves.

And hence, inferior.

What I want to say is that they don't think of the other races as animals. They think they are something more, and therefore the other races are, relatively speaking, inferior, but they are not Inferior (with the capital I). They are no "not-people" or "animal-people".

So they're inferior, but they're not inferior?

Okaaaayyyy....

Like I said: they probably don't think about them at all.

I might add that "most of them are racist" is a prejudiced remark in itself.

Heh, forgive me if I don't feel bad for pidgeonholing most sun elves as rascist. After all, they are a fantasy race. Besides, ever since the sun elves were first introduced about 15 years ago, their defining characteristic has been their attitude that elves are superior to everyone else.

 

[Gez]

Um, shouldn't that read "FR novels" for the very reason that you state?

Nope, 'cause I was more thinking of 2e sourcebooks like Fall of Myth Drannor, Evermeet, or Cormanthyr.

In FOMD, for example, you have the following tidbits:

• When a new Coronal (king) must be designated, the chosen one is the one who can wield a special moonblade. Those the blade deem unworthy are purely and simply slain by the sword.
• When none of the noblest family of Myth Drannor could get a son to survive the trial of the sword, and the "lesser" moon elves, or, *shudder* non-elves decided to try themselves since it seemed no Sun Elf could be chosen by the sword; they organized a racial pogrom rather than risking to have a non-elf Coronal.

And maybe they're not trying to commit genocide on the mainland (outside of the Eldeth Veluuthra), but they kill any non-elf found on Evermeet.

 

[Sejs]

I'd say "many" isn't even a majority, but just more than "a few".

All ~ Most ~ Many ~ Half ~ Some ~ Few ~ None

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The typical sun elf attitude towards other races is very much like that that of the githyanki, but the githyanki are placed squarely in the evil category. That's because there is a blatant double standard in most D&D books I've seen: Elves can be xenophobic and look down on anybody who isn't a member of their race and it's okay, but if anybody else acts that way they are evil.

The difference is that sun elves don't go on and slaughter all non-elves they meet.

That attitude is about as rational as a modern-day Scotsman hating all English people because of how the Scots were treated in the dark ages.

With the difference that none of today's Scots were alife then.

So they're inferior, but they're not inferior?

You got it

It is the matter of relative against absolute. Think of sun elves as "patriotic": They think that their race is best, their culture is best and their magic is most advanced. They don't consider every other lifeform as worthless.

In FOMD, for example, you have the following tidbits:

• When a new Coronal (king) must be designated, the chosen one is the one who can wield a special moonblade. Those the blade deem unworthy are purely and simply slain by the sword.
• When none of the noblest family of Myth Drannor could get a son to survive the trial of the sword, and the "lesser" moon elves, or, *shudder* non-elves decided to try themselves since it seemed no Sun Elf could be chosen by the sword; they organized a racial pogrom rather than risking to have a non-elf Coronal.

Didn't know that. I only know about the moonblades, who never accepted a sun elf.

And maybe they're not trying to commit genocide on the mainland (outside of the Eldeth Veluuthra), but they kill any non-elf found on Evermeet.

Well, it's the elven retreat, other races are forbidden to go there. They don't kill non-elves, they kill trespassers.

All ~ Most ~ Many ~ Half ~ Some ~ Few ~ None

Unless that's straight out of the Oxford Dictionary or something, it's not really "canon". I very often heard "many" as in "more than just a few", but a lot less than half or even quarter.

1~2~many.

 

[Felon]

When I think of sun elves, I don't think "nazi" so much as shogun-era Japanese nobility, considering all things originating outside of Nippon to be barbaric and unclean. In fact, I've suspected that the name "sun elf" was coined as a nod to "land of the rising sun".

 

[jarlaxlecq]

Think the French but with Pointy Ears

 

[Dark Jezter]

The difference is that sun elves don't go on and slaughter all non-elves they meet.

Neither do the githyanki. They just act extremely aloof and arrogant towards other races. Although they do usually attack any illithids or githzerai they meet (just as a sun elf might attack a drow or orc on sight).

With the difference that none of today's Scots were alife then.

So? The sun elves are still holding humans on a whole responsible for things that human kingdoms did hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.

You got it

It is the matter of relative against absolute. Think of sun elves as "patriotic": They think that their race is best, their culture is best and their magic is most advanced. They don't consider every other lifeform as worthless.

Actually, your definition of patriotism sounds more like feelings of racial superiority.

 

[Scratched_back]

Hey Herremann,

Depending on your time scale, I think possibly the most insightful thing I ever read about Elves was Elaine Cunningham's "Evermeet."

Now don't get me wrong, it's quite along book, but I finished it in a few days 'cos I was hooked! It begins, well, at the beginning... the ancient Elves, their first civilisation.

Throughout the book it continues to detail how the different races treat each other, which Elves travel where, and why, it details Elven High Magic and also Circle magic to a massive extent (which will be great if you're playing a mage) and pretty much everything you'd need to know, as well as having a top storyline.

I dare say you could pick it up from Amazon for pennies...

Enjoy mate,

-Ben

EDIT: As I thought, $3.50, 2 day delivery. Just incase it helps: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/0786913541/all/ref=xs_ap_bun1_xgl14_a/104-7055557-3238319

 

[Kae'Yoss]

So? The sun elves are still holding humans on a whole responsible for things that human kingdoms did hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.

"hundreds, if not thousands, of years" sounds rather much. But consider this: The timespans involved are just like "years, if not decades, for humans". If some country invaded only last year, the relations between those coutries would still be strained. At best

Actually, your definition of patriotism sounds more like feelings of racial superiority.

They think their own race is best. Who doesn't? But it's not racism to think so. It becomes racism when you start to think that your race is the only worthy of existance.