TSR The Shadow Elves of Mystara

[Zardnaar]

That's what I remember but could not spot the reference in a quick reread

It's been to long for me.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

In the Greyhawk version of things, the ruling priestesses weren't the only power center in the Vault of the Drow. There was a place for powerful men, another powerful religion, additional ethnic groups, etc.

This is an excellent point. I'm collecting resources to pull together a Greyhawk campaign and really want to develop some of the areas that are given great "starter hints" but no super deep lore. I really need to mine and mull over Erelei-Cinlu's descriptions and flesh it out along the lines of what you just highlighted.


Also, just loving this thread in general. I am unaware of the GREAT SECRET and plan to snag a copy of the Gazeteer!

 

[CleverNickName]

For folks looking for their very own copy, you have some options:

For electronic copies:
DriveThruRPG - $9.99 watermarked PDF
DMs Guild - $9.99 watermarked PDF
Unlike other Gazetteers, the poster-sized map hasn't been cropped into pieces. The map included in the PDF is a 22"x34" (ANSI D) sized image file.

For Print-on-Demand (POD):
DriveThruRPG - $22.00 softcover, premium color
DMs Guild - $22.00 softcover, premium color
Note that both the Player's Guide and the DM's Guide are bound into the same book. Also, the fold-out maps have been cut into 8.5x11 panels and bound into the book.

Original copy:
New condition (with map) - Ebay, starting at $89
Near Mint condition (with map) - Dragon's Trove, $100
Used condition (shelf wear, with map) - AbeBooks, $100
Used condition (water damaged, with map) - Ebay, starting at $34.95
Used condition (some shelf wear, with map) - Ebay, starting at $78
Used condition (some shelf wear) with map - Ebay, starting at $100
Used condition (missing covers, no map) - Ebay, starting at $34.95

Beware of POD copies posing as originals - Ebay, starting at $38.99. Some of these fakes are asking over $100. Be vigilant.

Obviously, I recommend getting the originals if you can afford them. But if not, your next best option is to purchase the PDF, then have it printed at your local print shop. This will let you print and bind the two different books separately, the way they were originally printed. If you (or the printing service you are using) has a large-platen printer, you can also print the original full-size poster.

I can't recommend the Print-on-Demand copy. It looks nice on the shelf and it's better than nothing...but the way everything is bound together into a single book makes it almost impossible to use.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

In the early TSR on the internet days, the Shadow Elves text was released free online and the official Mystara fansite, The Vaults of Pandius, has copies of that old text for free.

The Shadow Elves: Player’s Guide
The Shadow Elves: Dungeon Masters Book

 

[Chaltab]

In the Greyhawk version of things, the ruling priestesses weren't the only power center in the Vault of the Drow. There was a place for powerful men, another powerful religion, additional ethnic groups, etc.

Even if there was just an acknowledgement that the Forgotten Realms drow matriarchy requires an implicit consent of the governed to function, it wouldn't be so cringeworthy and (here's that word again!) misogynistic as it was.

I kind of tend to play it in a similar way... less like a misunderstood kink convention extrapolated to an entire culture and more like a deeply flawed but (mostly) functional society.

 

[prototype00]

I should probably get this at some point otherwise my knowledge of the Shadow Elves of Mystara is going to be 95% that Capcom arcade duology.

You mean they don’t all do that Shadow Step thing?

 

[Chaltab]

I should probably get this at some point otherwise my knowledge of the Shadow Elves of Mystara is going to be 95% that Capcom arcade duology.

You mean they don’t all do that Shadow Step thing?

nope, that is just a particularly annoying habit of Tel Aryn

 

[S'mon]

>Anglican<<

Anglican is a religious group (Episcopalian in the US). Pretty sure you mean Anglo as in Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, ie English.

 

[S'mon]

You might be thinking that a thousand years isn't enough time to evolve that kind of trait, especially for a creature with a lifespan of roughly a thousand years.

Depends on generation length not total lifespan. Evolution working on existing variation certainly can make a species significantly darker or lighter within a few generations. The moths here in London got darker from the soot-covered buildings within a few decades, and are already getting lighter again since the buildings got scrubbed of soot a few decades ago. If the Shadow Elves have say 200 year generations, and it's a lot longer than 1,000 years as I recall (the Empire of Thyatis was founded 1,000 years ago), then yes they could become noticeably lighter than Alfheim elves even using real-world evolution by natural selection.

 

[Mind of tempest]

so let me get this straight, shadow elves are just elves from a fallout vault more or less?