Tolkien / Humanist Elves?

[Dristram]

Elves in my KoK campaign

I run a KoK campaign. In it, the High elves are more human in nature. Although still consider themselves above the short-lived humans. The Gray and Wood elves are more like Tolkien's elves. So I have both

To be more specific, the Gray elves act more like the elves of Lothlorian (sp?). And the Wood elves are more like the ones of Mirkwood. The upperclass of the High elves act like the ones of Rivendale.

It is rare for a half-elf to be of Gray or Wood elf stock.

 

[Ace]

I play my Elves as scary Sidhe, monsterous capricious and dangerous immortals

Read any old Fairy Tales or Folk Lore leaven with Terry Pratchett and Tolkien
You get the idea.


Oh and you should see the Drow IMC , they make me shudder and I am the DM

 

[Ace]

It all depends on the campaign setting. IMC, I use a human centered world, to the extent that PCs can only be human (although of 18 different cultural background- basically races). Elves are Fey creatures in my world, and are seen as dangerous and highly territorial supernatural entities (with spell-like abilities) who are often at odds with humans. They tend to stick to the wild areas of the world, and have little refined technology (bronze-age), but are deadly hunters and natural magic users. Humans and other races fear them, and often persecute/kill them if they can find them since they are so difficult to deal with. I recently got FFG's Monster's Handbook, and have slapped the Dark Fey template on a few- with frightening results.

Gothmog I like the way you think!

 

[Azure Trance]

First: Tolkien elves are not übersuperiorbetterthanyouateverythingbarnone.

They aren't.

Tolkien elves that have seen the Light of Valinor are. But then again, Tolkien dogs who have seen the Light are also. (Read the Silmarillion.)

heehee; sorry. I just bought a large, nice red leather hardcover LOTR book which I know I won't open for a while (and let those D20 supplements gather dust?!) I have the feeling that the Silmarillion wouldn't be an easier read either. It felt like you might as well have said, 'Read the bible.'

Elves from the balck forest, or whatever it's called in the Hobbit, are not especially special. Sure, they're a bit fairy (their feast appears and disappears instantaneously); but that's all. They get drunk and are not especially wise or powerful, dont detect Bilbo using the Ring (I remember people claiming that elves should sense when powerful magic is cast, becausetheyareattunedtotheweaveyaddayadda); don't even realize the barrels are full. They also are not extremely isolationnist, they trade with the nearby human city and send delegations to them frequently.

What type of elves were they in the Hobbit? Wood Elves? Would the Sindar/Noldor be any different? (don't know definitions of any of the above, the #1 result I got in Yahoo was the Encyclopedia of Arda and it kept giving me too many users 404)

People tend to forgot D&D elves are chaotic good ECL +0 humanoids, and depicts them as lawful evil ECL +30 archangels. Boring.

Standard Elves, yes. Although I've never played in a game where Elves were Tolkien-esque (and had the stats to prove it), so it could be a nice change of pace instead of the 'We're all human like except for pointy ears, beards, or green warted skin color.'

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

I have both types:


My wood elves have the same stats as the wild elves in the MM. They are the elves with faults and a human-like nature.

I also have the Sun Elves, which are an ECL+2 race with increases to Int, Wis, Dex and Chr. They are the snooty ones.

 

[maddman75]

I've become enamoured of late with the idea of having the elves create Plato's Republic, the philosopher's perfect society. In a nutshell and converted for flavor and gaming a bit

- All children are raised by the state. They study histroy, philosophy, sport, and a trade until they reach adolescence. Then they face a test to see how bright, strong, and clever they are.

- Those who fail become the merchants, laborers, farmers, etc. The basis for society. Those who pass continue their education, this time in the lands of men. (this is where PC elves would come from)

- The elves must adventure until they reach the heights of mortal fame, power, and presitge, all the time preserving the elves good name. At that time, they may return to the homeland to serve on the council.

- The council is the wisest of the elves, and the most powerful. All 20th level adventurers. They have no possessions, no family, no friends outside the council. But they rule with absolute power.

For some reason when I was reading some plato recently that the elves would seem to fit Platonic ideals. The idea is that the people are ruled by the best amoung them (which in D&D, translates to levels).

 

[Pelosan Emperor]

I have always been more attracted to the Tolkien view of Elves (as opposed to the FR or standard D&D elves). In my mind, Elves should be wise and powerful; beautiful yet terrible enemies. I have been thinking about game mechanics to reflect this.

A question for those of you who use ECL +1 or +2 modifiers for elves:

What changes do you make to the Elves' racial abilities to account for this change?

 

[Storm Raven]

Think about it though. In LotR Elrond is torn between helping the humans and leaving Middle Earth. He wants to pack up his people on the boats and leave. This is because he feels that men are not worthy because of something that happened 3,000 years ago. It takes the intervention of a diety to set him straight. That's far from perfect.

This is in Peter Jackson's version of LotR, and represents a fairly major character shift for Elrond from the version that Tolkien put in the books.

 

[jester47]

So basically, I say that elves are unable to control their emotions very well. When they love, their whole life is love, when they're drunk, they're the worst drunk you ever seen, and when they hate - it gets ugly.

Berandor

I LIKE this idea. Consider it stolen.

Additoinally, because of this, and thier long life spans, they would probably try to limit emotional attachments. Thus they would, after loosing several great friends in thier early years to old age, avoid emotional bonds with people of shorter lifespan. As time went on, and as they approaced old age they may start to open up again as thier time is short.


Aaron.

 

[jester47]

hit the wrong dang button