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| Elf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First appearance | theoriginal 1974 edition ofDungeons & Dragons |
| Based on | Elf |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Alignment | Any |
Theelf is a humanoidrace in theDungeons & Dragonsfantasyrole-playing game, one of the primary races available forplayer characters, and play a central role in the narratives of many setting worlds of the game.[1] Elves are described as renowned for their grace and mastery of magic[1][2]: 58 and weapons such as thebow[2]: 15, 58 andsword. Becoming physically mature by the age of 25 and emotionally mature at around 125,[3] they are also famously long-lived, capable of living more than half a millennium and remaining physically youthful. Possessed of innate beauty and easy gracefulness, they are viewed as both wondrous and haughty by other races in-universe; however, their natural detachment is seen by some asintroversion orxenophobia.[1] They were usually portrayed as antagonistic towardsdwarves.[2]: 36
There are numerous different subraces and subcultures of elves,[2]: 79 [4] including aquatic elves, dark elves (drow), deep elves (rockseer), grey elves, high elves, moon elves, snow elves, sun elves, valley elves, wild elves (grugach), wood elves and winged elves (avariel). The offspring of humans and elves are known as "half-elves" among humans and in sourcebooks, and as "half-humans" among elves.
Gary Gygax claimedDungeons & Dragons elves draw very little fromTolkien's version of theelf.[5] However, academic Philip J. Clements sees certain aspects as directly traceable to Tolkien's portrayal.[2]: 79 Similarly, academic Philippe Bornet in "Religions in play: games, rituals, and virtual worlds" said that elves in the game are based on Tolkien's version of the elf.[6] Michael J. Tresca, in the bookThe Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games (2014), stated the elven sub-types inDungeons & Dragons can be traced todivided lines of Tolkien's elves –Noldor become high elves, Tawarwaith become wood elves andSindar become grey elves in the game.[7]: 34
The elf first appeared as aplayer character race in theoriginal 1974 edition ofDungeons & Dragons.[8][7] The aquatic elf was introduced in the 1975Blackmoor supplement.[9] Elves inDungeons & Dragons are immune to paralysis as a holdover from a game balance adjustment inChainmail.[10] Players with elf characters could chose either the "fighting-man" or "magic-user"class to start with; multiclassing was allowed, however, elf characters could only take a max of four levels in fighter and eight levels in magic-user.[7]: 34 Tresca described the Tolkien style of elf as "a burden for game designers" as they were seemingly "more capable than humans".[7]: 34 Tresca commented that "Gygax worked hard to curb their power, by giving the race a weak constitution and putting limitations on how high they could level. These limitations would not be removed until the third edition ofDungeons & Dragons".[7]: 34
The elf appeared as aplayer character race in the originalPlayer's Handbook (1978).[11][12] The elf also appeared in the originalMonster Manual (1977), with subraces including High Elf, Gray Elf (some of whom are also called Faerie), Dark Elf (also called Drow), Wood Elf (also called Sylvan), and Aquatic Elf.[13] Thegrugach,valley elf, andcooshee (an elven dog) first appeared inDragon issue #67 (November 1982) in "Featured Creatures", an ongoing series of articles whereGary Gygax released information on official creatures before their release in the upcomingMonster Manual II. The grugach, valley elf, and cooshee then appeared in the originalMonster Manual II (1983).[14] A number of elven subraces were presented as character races in the originalUnearthed Arcana (1985).[15]
The elf appeared as a character race in theDungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977). In subsequent revisions, in order to streamline the game, the non-humans (including the elf) were presented as distinct classes. The elf class is often seen as a blend of the fighter and magic-user classes.
TheShadow elf appears as a character race in GAZ13The Shadow Elves published by TSR in 1990 as a 64-page booklet and a 32-page booklet.
Thehigh elf appeared as a character race in the second editionPlayer's Handbook (1989).[16] The high elf also appeared in theMonstrous Compendium Volume One (1989).[17] Several elven races were detailed as player character races inThe Complete Book of Elves (1992).[18] Supplements focused on elves in specificcampaign settings includeComanthor: Empire of the Elves,Elves of Evermeet andElves of Athas.
The elf appeared as a character race in the third editionPlayer's Handbook (2000),[19] and in the 3.5 revisedPlayer's Handbook.[20] Elves were detailed for theForgotten Realms setting inRaces of Faerûn (2003).[21] Elves were one of the races detailed inRaces of the Wild (2005).[3]
The elf appeared as a character race and as one of three in a family of elven races — the sylvans, the drows, and the eladrins — in the fourth editionPlayer's Handbook (2008). This version of the elf returns in theEssentials rulebookHeroes of the Fallen Lands (2010). The elf appears in the fourth editionMonster Manual (2008).[22]
Tresca explained that this edition allowed elves and humans to be equal in height and "deemphasized their low constitution, a balancing attribute created for earlier editions".[7]: 34 Tresca opined that the introduction of eladrin "restored elves inDungeons & Dragons to the mysterious, sometimes dangerous, and altogether powerful status they enjoyed inMiddle-earth".[7]: 34
The elf was included as a player race in the 5th editionPlayer's Handbook (2014).[23] Three subraces were introduced with it: the high elf, the wood elf, and thedrow (dark elf).[24] ThePlayer's Handbook connects the high elves to the gray elves and valley elves of the Greyhawk setting, the Silvanesti and Qualinesti of the Dragonlance setting, and the sun elves and moon elves of the Forgotten Realms setting. They also connect the wood elves to the wild elves (grugach) of Greyhawk and the Kagonesti of Dragonlance.
The 5th editionDungeon Master's Guide (2014) also presented theeladrin (which appeared in 4th edition as a separate but related race) as an elf subrace, using them as an example for creating a new character subrace.[25] The eladrin later appeared as playtest content in "Unearthed Arcana: Eladrin and Gith" (2017); this version was revised and eventually published the following year inMordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018).
In early editions ofDungeons & Dragons, elves had spirits instead ofsouls which impacted somegame mechanics such as various resurrection spells. This distinction was dropped in the 3rd Edition.[26] Christian Hoffer ofComicBook.com commented that "while there are lots of theories about the technical reasons (many believe that D&D co-creator Gary Gygax was not a fan of non-human characters, and thus placed the restriction on them when writing upAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons,) the only 'official' explanation appears inDeities & Demigods, a D&D supplement released in 1980. [...] The major difference between a soul and a spirit is that souls live one life on theMaterial Plane and then spend eternity in whatever plane their chosen deity resides, while spirits are eventually reincarnated back into the Material Plane".[26]
In severalcampaign settings, elves have their ownpantheon often known as the Seldarine; this pantheon usually consists of the leaderCorellon Larethian, as well as Aerdrie Faenya, Deep Sashelas, Erevan Ilesere, Fenmarel Mestarine, Hanali Celanil, Labelas Enoreth, Rillifane Rallathil, Sehanine Moonbow, and Solonor Thelandira. Other elven gods may be present in different campaign settings.
Half-elves are the offspring ofhumans and elves. They look like elves to humans and like humans to elves. Half-Elves have curiosity and ambitions like humans but they have sense for magic and love for nature like their elven parents. Their skin is paler than human skin and they are taller and bigger than elves. Half-Elves have long ears like elves. They live about 180 years.
The half-elf appeared as aplayer character race in the originalPlayer's Handbook (1978).[12]
Subraces of elves includeDark Elves and Deep elves.[27][28]
These elves are the most noble of elves, yet also the most arrogant. They are of higher intellectual capabilities than other elves, but, despite the fact that they are taller than high elves, they are physically weaker. They live in isolated mountain strongholds, and rarely allow access to outsiders. They have silver hair and amber eyes, or gold hair and violet eyes, and wear clothes of white, silver, yellow and gold, and usually wear regally colored cloaks.
These elves are an isolated race of elves that survived a cataclysm and adapted to live in caves in Mystara. The shadow elves are even paler than normal elves, with white hair and very clear eyes, usually a sparkling blue or gray color. The shadow elves are somewhat smaller and thinner than their surface cousins, standing about five feet tall and weighing about 100 pounds. Their ears are larger than those of wood elves, giving the shadow elves a sort of "walking radar" underground. Shadow elves have high-pitched voices—almost squeaky to human ears.
High elves are the original eladrin and the original elves that came Abeir-Toril from the Feywild (dark, sun, moon, green, lythari and star elves), and most commonly encountered by other races, and the most open and friendly of their kind. They travel to other lands more than other elves. They are generally dark-haired and green-eyed, with very pale complexions the color of new cream. They simply do not tan, no matter how much time they spend under Oerth's sun. High elves prefer to wear light pastels, blues and greens and violets, and often dwell in homes built into living wood, high in the trees.
In 4th edition theEladrin are the High elves.
This subrace resides in painted deserts and petrified forests, preferring a druidic lifestyle.[29]
"Rockseer elves are the rarest of all elvenkind. They are far taller than most of their kin, with a few reaching almost to eight feet in height. An average weight for a Rockseer is between 120 and 140 pounds, with little gender difference. Rockseers are very pale skinned, and they have no body hair. Head hair is extraordinarily fine, always worn long, with the appearance and texture of exquisitely fine silk. The hair is silver, and eye color is a pale, almost ice-blue. They are androgynous in appearance, making it difficult for outsiders to tell males and females apart.
"Rockseers have been separated from the rest of elvenkind since mythic times. Their own history tells that they were cowards at the great battle of Corellon Larethian and Lolth, fleeing the combat and taking refuge far below ground. They have no knowledge of surface elves. They know of the Drow and hate them, avoiding them whenever possible. They are extremely seclusive and shun the company of all other races, including theSvirfneblin. The only exception to this arepech, with whom Rockseers sometimes form friendships."[27][28]
The deep elves are found in 1996'sMonstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three, but originated in theNight Below boxed set campaign published in 1995. In a subplot ofNight Below, theplayer characters can reintroduce the exiled Rockseers to the rest of elvenkind and reconcile them with their god, Corellon Larethian.[30]
The elves of Greyhawk include the standard aquatic, dark (Drow), grey, high, and wood (sylvan) elves described in the core rule books of various editions of the game.
Additional elven types created for this setting include the snow elves,[31] valley elves,[32] and wild (grugach) elves.[32][33]
The depiction of the elves inDragonlance fiction is strongly influenced byTolkien'selves. One of the major character types in the setting, they are presented as aloof and isolationist as a group, but also as caretakers of the natural world.[1] Like in other settings, they are split into several peoples, again echoing the splits among Tolkien's elves:[34] Silvanesti and Qualinesti,[34] two races of high elves estranged from each other; the Kagonesti or Wild Elves; and two races of sea elves: the Dimernesti or Shoal Elves, which inhabit the coastal areas and the Dargonesti or Deep Elves.[35][36]
The various elven subraces are more prominent in theForgotten Realms campaign setting, andFaerûn boasts several major subraces.[2]: 79 They differ physically from typicalDungeons & Dragons elves in that they are as tall as humans (5′9″ on average), or even taller. The exception are the Drow, who are of standardD&D elven height. In Faerûn, surface elves call themselves Tel-Quessir which means "The People" in the elven language. In 4th edition, most of the elven subraces were classified into three broad families: drow, eladrin, or elves. In the 5th edition, these families were re-classified into four, with three being detailed in the primary campaign books: drow, high elves, and wood elves, with eladrin as their own lineage of elves whose ancestors never emigrated from the Faerie world to the Material world of Toril.
The history of the elven race as portrayed in this setting is marked by great empires and a gradual decline and retreat from the mainland Faerûn. The elves first came toAbeir-Toril from the plane of Faerie more than twenty-five millennia ago. The first wave of elves to arrive were the green elves, lythari, and avariel. The second wave included the dark elves, who arrived in the jungles of southern Faerûn, and the sun and moon elves, who arrived in the north. Not long after, the aquatic elves arrived in the Great Sea. After the second wave of elven immigrants arrived, the Time of Dragons ended and the period known as the First Flowering of the Fair Folk began. The elves settled into five major civilizations along the west and south of Faerûn during this period. Along theSword Coast, the sun elves established Aryvandaar and Shantel Othreier, and the green elves established Illefarn, Miyeritar (along with the dark elves), and Keltormir. To the south, in present-dayVilhon Reach, the green elves also created the nations of Thearnytaar, Eiellûr, and Syòpiir. In the forests that once covered theShaar, the moon elves established Orishaar, and the dark elves established Ilythiir and Miyeritar (along with the green elves). All of these realms were gradually destroyed as a result of the Crown Wars, which made way for other elven realms.
Their once expansive realms have shrunk back in territory and prestige due to the influence and expansion of the younger races, particularly humans. They remain influential, however; much of the shape of Faerûn is influenced by conflict between the various subraces of the elves.
The elven subraces of Faerûn include the following:
Once the slaves of the giants ofXen'drik, the elves ofEberron are said to have immigrated over time to the continents ofAerenal andKhorvaire, establishing nations and distinct cultures on both. Most notable are the elves of Aerenal, whose culture revolves around the veneration of theUndying Court.
In the post-apocalyptic setting of Athas, elves are nomadic desert runners rather than the more common image of forest-dwellers.[38]
Athasian elves are portrayed as hostile nomads, marked by savage dispositions and a deep distrust of outsiders.[39] An Athasian elf stands 6½–7½ feet tall. They are slender, lean, and generally in terrific physical condition. Their features are deeply etched into their weather-toughened faces, and their skin is made rough by the windblown sands and baking sun of the wilderness. The dunes and steppes ofAthas are home to thousands of tribes of nomadic elves. While each tribe is very different culturally, the elves within them remain a race of long-limbed sprinters given to theft, raiding, and warfare.
The 2nd edition productMind Lords of the Last Sea introduced a new offshoot of Dark Sun elf. The people of Saragar call them "ghost elves" for their fair complexions, light blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Ghost elves are elitist and xenophobic, and live almost exclusively in the city of Sylvandretta. To maintain a pure bloodline, they have inbred for millennia, resulting in their lighter appearance and halving their lifespan compared to other Athasian elves.[40]
The elves of Cerilia are known as thesidhelien and control various realms on the continent. While theBirthright Campaign Setting makes a clear difference in the rules between five Cerilian human cultures, such a distinction is not made for the elves. However, the elven realms have different attitudes towards their neighbours and other Cerilian inhabitants. Those ruled by Rhuobhe Manslayer, also called the Elf, are encouraged to hate humans, sometimes participating in the Gheallie Sidhe, the Hunt of the Elves, which set out to slaughter humans. Other realms set up magical barriers on their borders to prevent unwanted visitors.
The 2nd edition setting allows player characters to be elves or half-elves as adventurers but also asregents, giving them control of provinces, law holdings, guilds and magical sources. While humans have to be infused with a divine bloodline in order to cast true magic, the elves already have a connection to the land and can utilise the magical power of the land's mebhaighl without being blooded. However, the elven societies do not trust any deities, especially not those followed by humans, so there are no elven priests or temples.
The world of Aebyrnis (of which Cerilia is a continent) was once joined with the Shadow World. On this plane of shadows and illusions, now exists the Seelie who are more faerie-like than the sidhelien. The Cerilian lore hints that since the two worlds split, for every Cerilian sidhe, there is a corresponding member of the Seelie or Unseelie Courts.
The elves are the largest political and military presence in space; at the time of the originalSpelljammer: AD&D Adventures in Space boxed set, the elves had just completed a remarkably successful extermination of interstellar orcs and goblins throughout the known universe.[41] 5th Edition introduced Astral Elves who are now native to the Astral Sea.[42]
Classics scholar C. W. Marshall positively remarked on the "wide diversity of genetically unique groups" of elves found in the game, "which can energize fans".[4]
Tolkien had them taller, more intelligent, more beautiful, and older than humans; in fact, he made them quite similar to the fair-folk, the fairies. The elves of the AD&D game system borrow two names (gray and wood) from the Professor's writings, and that is nearly all. They are shorter than humans, and not generally as powerful.
Ever wonder why elves are immune to paralysis? As far as we can figure out, that immunity came from a game-balance issue in the originalChainmail rules, which mostly covered medieval warfare (with a fantasy supplement that spawned the game we all play today). Masses of low-cost undead troops were beating up high-cost elf troops, so the 'elves are immune to paralysis' emerged as a balancing factor.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The editors pushed hard to get FR as close to core D&D terminology as they could, so they tended to be really aggressive on calling sun elves, moon elves, etc. eladrin.