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[ 42 posts ] |
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That Guy
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 Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 16:06 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 Nov 2014
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This sounds so trivially simple to me, but, I have to ask since I have now seen several accounts of people (in game and on the forums) playing elves that are under a hundred years old. One claimed to be "old and greying" at 75! Now, I'm no lore monkey, but I thought Elves reached adulthood at about 120, which would be like a human at say 18-20. While I suppose it's possible an elf could leave home at sixty or so, they'd be very immature at that point and not learned in the ways of the elves at that point I would think.
What's the official stance on Elven ages?
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Terallis
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 16:54 PM |
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Player
Joined: 30 Oct 2014
Location: Ontario, Canada
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120 years definitely is the baseline maturity age for elves. As you mentioned, that is the equivalent of about 18 years in human years. If people are playing elves of like... 60 years old, that would still be a child. Talking barely 9 or 10 years old in human years. So, unless we allow children characters (who can also go out and adventure to become epic levels and the like), that seems, uh... very odd. Mind you, this is only my opinion. I do hope that isn't a stance of the server, though. If someone is going to play a child character, they really need to never adventure or anything, imo. They'd be permanently stuck at level 1. Even worse is what you mentioned about an elf being 75 and being "old and grey"? This is very immersion breaking to me. Old and grey doesn't generally even start happening until like... 500+ years old, usually. Elves lifespans generally range from 700 to even as high as 1000 years, depending on their lifestyle.
_________________ 
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That Guy
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 17:01 PM |
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Joined: 13 Nov 2014
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Yeah, that's what I thought, almost exactly. I've only seen this recently, so I wonder if it's just lack of knowledge on a few player's parts? I would think if you're going to play a race, at least know a little about it.
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Rigela
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 17:10 PM |
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Player
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Location: Grimy Old England
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Physically, elves mature at just a little slower than humans (until adulthood), at least.
_________________  Signature by Maryn! <3 I am also seen as DM Snuffles.
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Bravo21
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 17:25 PM |
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Player
Joined: 11 Nov 2008
Location: In the land of liquid sunshine and coffee
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The misconception is that elves age physically, emotionally, and socially at a similar ratio of other races and that's not the case. By age 25 an elf is fully grown and from then on could be seen as adult to other races. However, culturally and emotionally, they are still learning what it is to be an elf and will be in the same social class as other races teenagers until they reach 100 or so. So yeah, total lack of knowledge and apparently they didn't see the default age of 120 when they created their elf either...
_________________
Thine taste in horrid footwear not withstanding, I did not say that thou were in fact an idiot, I merely implied that such things were self evident.
-Krrja
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Analog Kid
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 17:46 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 May 2010
Location: The Great White North Eh!!
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adulthood for an elf is between 110-120. The common denominator being 120. Equivalent to a 18-20 y.o. human, yes.
Drow reach adulthood slightly younger, because of the harsh lifestyle, and the need to survive. 80-90+ is the lore accurate for that.
Elves aren't 'old and greying' untill they pass their 5th century. Equivalent to a 50+ y.o.human. Some grey early, some have colored hair till they die, but it doesn't start till they're past their 'middle age'.
Consider that old age for an elf is 700ish, and go from there.
_________________
I Am:
Derrin: 'Nothing to see here'
Beck: Hard working dwarf paladin.
Naela 'Widow': Wandering priestess.
Celinor Triellian: Paladin of Corellon.
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Kudark
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 17:48 PM |
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Player
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Location: The Dark Side of the Moon
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(in response to the OP)The Player's Hand Book states: Quote: An elf reaches adulthood at about 110 years of age and can live to be more than 700 years old. It is of my opinion that it would be rare for an elf to live much longer than 700 years. Humans (in our world) can live to be more than 100 years old, but it's also rare.
_________________ 
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Pony
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 18:49 PM |
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Player
Joined: 07 May 2005
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Drow are definitely lower than that lore wise when you take the novels and source books covering them into account. With twenty years of age the warriors in lolth-vile (Menzoberrazan) already start their official training. They actually go out on patrols and kill stuff not long after. Nothing that really suggests they are less emotionally mature in comparison to humans, just a lot more twisted.
I suspect with elves it really is more of a cultural thing, than it is a racial thing. Besides, emotional maturity is hardly the best way to measure if someone can be a fighter for instance. It does perhaps matter for clerics or wizards, but certainly not for warriors. Makes no sense that a half-wit half-orc who laughs at fart noises or a seven year old kobold somehow are able to learn how to use a bow and gather xp, while an elf has to wait 100 years after physical maturity to do the same.
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Tri'Polar
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Posted: Tue, Dec 09 2014, 23:50 PM |
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Player
Joined: 15 Aug 2010
Location: Ova Dere
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Pony wrote: Drow are definitely lower than that lore wise when you take the novels and source books covering them into account. [...] Which source books are you meaning, exactly? You made me really curious with that and I went looking through the 3.0/3.5 source books I have that mention Drow. I couldn't find what you were talking about.
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Ice
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 0:15 AM |
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Player
Joined: 10 Feb 2013
Location: Usa
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Here's actually an interesting and fun topic for the RP:
The racial line between physical and mental age. Where is it? Does it even exist? Those are things that I'd rather to leave to the mercy of the players and their specific characters.
Bear in mind than an elf of that age saying "he's old and greying" is possibly a joke. The only way you can screw something up is by literally RPing your character as being old physically (without weird reasons that would make such feasible, but eh! I don't go that far).
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 1:43 AM |
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Player
Joined: 07 May 2005
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"Here twenty-five-year-old drow come for training, and are not allowed to pass back down the stairs into the city until they have been graduated by a Master or Mistress of the Academy."
Menzoberrazan: City of Intrique (2ed), Page 8 - 20 years of age for those of the Mêlée-Magthere in the novel Homeland. - 25 years of age for the priestesses of the Arach Tinilith in the novel Daughter of the Drow. I am pretty sure the 4th edition version of Menzoberrazan: City of Intrique also has the age around that number. But I lost the PDF with my recent laptop crash. I do not think there are 3rd edition source books that go into that kind of detail though. "Underdark" for one only has a paragraph or so about the academies.
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Analog Kid
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 4:43 AM |
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Player
Joined: 13 May 2010
Location: The Great White North Eh!!
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I think the Drizzt books gloss over it briefly, but keep in mind that drow spend something in the range of 30 years at the academy all together. This puts their independent adventuring age closer the 50+ year mark, and doesn't even include mandatory service most houses would require of their graduates.
The ages mentioned above cover 'adult adventuring' ages. 'grown ups' if you will, any thing else is an exception to the rule. Sure there are plausible ways to argue around it, but again, they would be the exception.
_________________
I Am:
Derrin: 'Nothing to see here'
Beck: Hard working dwarf paladin.
Naela 'Widow': Wandering priestess.
Celinor Triellian: Paladin of Corellon.
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 11:35 AM |
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Joined: 07 May 2005
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What I take from it is almost the opposite. During the academy they are trained into skilled warriors, wizards and priestesses. That means that is when leveling begins, else they would leave it as level 1s which makes absolutely no sense. In the extreme case you would have a level 1 female cleric high priestess, who summoned a greater demon for the graduation ceremony or a wizard that after all his years can still mostly only cast cantrips.
The novels alone already debunk that. Especially the Homeland novel where the academy years are pretty detailed for warriors from point of view of Drizzle. In addition, as not all attend the academy, there are drow who learn their skills in other ways. All of this puts the drown adventuring age very clearly at 20years, imo. It makes a lot more sense to me that in face of all of that that the official starting age is off and badly thought through.
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Elorathall
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 11:48 AM |
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Player
Joined: 13 Mar 2011
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Pony wrote: Drizzle Fo' shizzle! Sorry, couldn't help myself. Carry on.
_________________
Aernoud Van Brabant: Heir of the House. Proprietor of the Beer Wagon.
"Go to the Mayfields, have a pint, and wait for this to blow over."
Aurelius: Sunmaster of Amaunator. Contemplative. Aspirant to Transcendance.
"Sol Invictus"
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serbiris
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 11:58 AM |
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Player
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Uh, well by the core three an elven wizard masters first level spells at 120. Drow may be changed and twisted and selectively bred but they are still elves. I don't see them dropping to human-like developmental levels.
It's pretty standard affair for D&D to consider 30 years of training to only yield a 1st level PC.
_________________
@Thanatopsis#6293
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 12:14 PM |
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Player
Joined: 07 May 2005
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I can only rehash what I said. If we take 3rd edition source books detailing drow age, 110+ is the adulthood leveling start. (Source is Underdark 3rd edition). You apply that to the lore, and it suggests that with 20 years drow start the academy, with 20 years more they are academy graduates (for warriors), and then train another 70 years to be able to start getting higher than level 1. You look at novels like Homeland (2ed) and Dissolution (3ed) and it makes even less sense, as students clearly have abilities superior to level 1s. If you spent 20 years training with a sword, you certainly do not need another 70 years to see your first improvement.
You have a seemingly arbitrary number that contradicts all of the lore in that area. When you add on top that physical maturity for some classes is far more important than mental and emotional maturity, that 110+ years makes even less sense. A 20 year old drow is doubtfully no less emotional mature than a 7year old kobold who can begin his leveling career.
And if drow ages are off, I think that elven ages might be off as well. As I can not imagine a huge age discrepancy between the two.
Last edited by Pony on Wed, Dec 10 2014, 12:20 PM, edited 1 time in total.
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Magiros
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 12:20 PM |
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Player
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
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As mentioned above. 110 is the age of adulthood for elfs. It was taken from Player's Handbook. I did not request a child character to be played when I started my current main who had just turned 110 when arriving to Amia.
What comes to old and greying. There are number of things that can cause such an effect. Perhaps a DM might have a hand there as to why such took place. What I am trying to say, just because you see it in description does not mean you know fully as to why something looks like it does. Please do note I am not saying that playing under 110 year old elf character is okay without DM team consent. It would be considered as a child character and would require special character request.
What comes to maturity of a character, not biological but emotional and maturity of mind. I would state that there are more things that affect how a character perceive the world around her than just age. Life experiences explain a lot how people see the world and what kind of understanding they have. I can give example of my character. She was a novice wizard, not a great one at that either, when arriving Amia. However, through life experiences she quickly became far knowledgeable and mature than she was by her biological age. Now as I play her, I feel like she should be around her 200-300 hundreds instead of 112 - 113 that she is.
And whereas some can be very immature even as adults, some can be very mature even as children. Some simply have such a perspective in life and some live and learn throughout.
_________________
http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/spells.htm
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serbiris
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 12:23 PM |
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Player
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Arbitrary or not, it's the core. It's readily accessible from the SRD, which on Amia is pretty much accepted unquestioningly, whereas stuff in the novels carries a lot less weight.
We can say this or that makes more sense but unless a DM makes a ruling I'm probably gonna stick with the SRD because this is Forgotten Realms and it has never once made sense from the word "Mulhorand" (and also dragons, secret Deep Immaskarran society, and you know I really mean the whole entire thing).
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@Thanatopsis#6293
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 12:37 PM |
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Joined: 07 May 2005
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I have no problem with that. If you want to base it just off a table from a source book, 110 and 120 years appear to be the correct ages. As soon as there is a lore discussion as to why that is, you however open the door to such a discussion and examination.
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Yin
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 13:04 PM |
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Joined: 11 Jul 2014
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Just to mention, Liriel Baenre was 45+ and had no problems with having enough of wizard and even some cleric levels (while even been younger than that - she was put to study magic at age of five). So, in my opinion same situation applies to all elves. And it is just matter of society that affects if elves go adventuring too young, or after reaching certain age. Those that are being raised by elven parents in elven society are less likely to do so before reaching proper elven adulthood (set by their society), while those been raised by humans (which is not uncommon situation in Amia or having other specific past history), are more likely to go adventuring at younger age. Which sound much more logical to me. http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Liriel_Baenre
_________________
'Everything moves somewhere and changes somehow.'
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Ice
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 13:32 PM |
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Player
Joined: 10 Feb 2013
Location: Usa
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Magiros wrote: What comes to old and greying. There are number of things that can cause such an effect. Perhaps a DM might have a hand there as to why such took place. What I am trying to say, just because you see it in description does not mean you know fully as to why something looks like it does. Please do note I am not saying that playing under 110 year old elf character is okay without DM team consent. It would be considered as a child character and would require special character request.
Are you certain about this? I've seen tons of elves (TONS) below 110, and I hardly at all can perceive them as child characters. In the case it does, I would stand up, raise a finger up to the sky, and claim "ABSURD!" with all my lung-prowess, translated in ASCII characters.
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Bravo21
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 15:16 PM |
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Player
Joined: 11 Nov 2008
Location: In the land of liquid sunshine and coffee
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Pony wrote: What I take from it is almost the opposite. During the academy they are trained into skilled warriors, wizards and priestesses. That means that is when leveling begins, else they would leave it as level 1s which makes absolutely no sense. In the extreme case you would have a level 1 female cleric high priestess, who summoned a greater demon for the graduation ceremony or a wizard that after all his years can still mostly only cast cantrips.
The novels alone already debunk that. Especially the Homeland novel where the academy years are pretty detailed for warriors from point of view of Drizzle. In addition, as not all attend the academy, there are drow who learn their skills in other ways. All of this puts the drown adventuring age very clearly at 20years, imo. It makes a lot more sense to me that in face of all of that that the official starting age is off and badly thought through. keep in mind that it is nearly impossible to adhere to any sort of "reality" when dealing with an abstract system such as DnD and thus NWN. After all, a loremaster at Candlekeep who has spent 60+ years gaining knowledge in the libraries is still an expert zero level NPC. The need to begin a PC at level one does not ever take into account the average skill level of the particular society that that character may or may not be a part of. Although, it's perfect now that I think of it. Since a Drow needs to complete so much training before they are technically adult they need to start at a higher level than first and thus will require a Platimum Coin.
_________________
Thine taste in horrid footwear not withstanding, I did not say that thou were in fact an idiot, I merely implied that such things were self evident.
-Krrja
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Yin
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 15:48 PM |
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Joined: 11 Jul 2014
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The idea for elves having more time to spend before reaching first class level would be logically correct if all elves had increased ECL, though, through most known elven races only drows have increased ECL, and they actually become "capable" (mostly due to their society rules) even earlier than those other races that has no ECL adjustment, which makes to think that book rules were not adjusted to certain specifics, and was just made as "general" lore rule for most common elves. Otherwise it makes no sense why elves should be so slow to reach their first level comparing to other races. If they are just "slow" they should had gaining new levels after first one at same pace. Though, this way they had should been extremely dumb, even having 20+ Int and Wis scores. Which leads to certain paradox.
_________________
'Everything moves somewhere and changes somehow.'
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Analog Kid
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 16:05 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 May 2010
Location: The Great White North Eh!!
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Quote: The ages mentioned above cover 'adult adventuring' ages. 'grown ups' if you will, any thing else is an exception to the rule. Sure there are plausible ways to argue around it, but again, they would be the exception. Quote: adulthood for an elf is between 110-120. The common denominator being 120. Equivalent to a 18-20 y.o. human, yes.
Drow reach adulthood slightly younger, because of the harsh lifestyle, and the need to survive. 80-90+ is the lore accurate for that.
Elves aren't 'old and greying' untill they pass their 5th century. Equivalent to a 50+ y.o.human. Some grey early, some have colored hair till they die, but it doesn't start till they're past their 'middle age'.
Consider that old age for an elf is 700ish, and go from there. There it is. And remember, anything outside the norm needs to be a request. The above is the 'norm'. Sure there are exceptions. Sure we can all come up with creative ways to argue and debate around it, and justify our points. That's fair. The above is a grounded, well known cited source to Forgotten Realms. This is the norm, exceptions are on a case by case.
_________________
I Am:
Derrin: 'Nothing to see here'
Beck: Hard working dwarf paladin.
Naela 'Widow': Wandering priestess.
Celinor Triellian: Paladin of Corellon.
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Rigela
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 16:13 PM |
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Player
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Location: Grimy Old England
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Yin wrote: The idea for elves having more time to spend before reaching first class level would be logically correct if all elves had increased ECL, though, through most known elven races only drows have increased ECL, and they actually become "capable" (mostly due to their society rules) even earlier than those other races that has no ECL adjustment, which makes to think that book rules were not adjusted to certain specifics, and was just made as "general" lore rule for most common elves. Otherwise it makes no sense why elves should be so slow to reach their first level comparing to other races. If they are just "slow" they should had gaining new levels after first one at same pace. Though, this way they had should been extremely dumb, even having 20+ Int and Wis scores. Which leads to certain paradox. Much of that is to do with elven culture, more than anything else. They spend an age on several different things, experiencing lots of various things and training in all sorts (their weapon training is an example of this, potentially - being able to freely use longsword/rapier/longbow. And a bonus to hit with them, in previous editions if Baldurs Gate is anything to go by) They live long lives, so can afford to take things slowly to better learn a wider range of things rather than just a narrower focus - or spend a few decades simply enjoying life/whatever it may be. Or at least, that is my interpretation of how elves do it. _________________ Signature by Maryn! <3 I am also seen as DM Snuffles.
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Analog Kid
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 17:04 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 May 2010
Location: The Great White North Eh!!
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To exemplify what Rigela is saying, consider that elves are chaotic in nature. Their years of study isn't focused, necessarily. They're a flighty lot. So while their progression, and ability to learn isn't lessened, it simply takes longer because they don't sit in one place and take it all in at once.
_________________
I Am:
Derrin: 'Nothing to see here'
Beck: Hard working dwarf paladin.
Naela 'Widow': Wandering priestess.
Celinor Triellian: Paladin of Corellon.
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 17:14 PM |
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Joined: 07 May 2005
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These are very much considerations that stem out of the problem that D&D was not made for persistent worlds. There are a lot of examples of the simplicity of the mechanical system not properly translating into Amia. D&D was made to support a small band of exceptional adventuring heroes. We however play in a campaign world stretching 10 years, with daily activity and with well over a hundred active participants, a dozen DMs, opposite sides and factions, performing everything from adventures to routines of daily life. The exceptional is often the common on Amia. But that is also the reason why I do not care as much about what the source book says on that table if it seems arbitrary. We have the liberty of improving our setting to better support the needs and style of this server. If something like the age restriction does not make sense, it is no skin off our nose to adjusting it or fleshing out the lore around it to make it sensible. The Forgotten Realms is the setting we are based on, in which the material is accurate up to a certain date in the timeline or unless the custom amian lore says otherwise. I do not mind that age starting point much, as I do not think it really matters much. Rigela's take on elven tradition is similar to my own theory. I would imagine that in traditional elven settlements their rite of passage is a deeper understanding of elven ways. That they live a more guarded carefree live of youth for a long time, in which they play and learn with an artistic and spiritual manner. That being said, I very much believe that if an elf was born into Ruathym society, they could begin adventuring at almost the same age as humans. In other words, that the age restriction applies only to traditional elven societies. Just saying "book x states it" without a sensible explanation, or that because they are chaotic does not really satisfy me with a "aha" effect. 
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Silkelock
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 17:44 PM |
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Player
Joined: 17 Jun 2011
Location: Sweden
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Analog Kid wrote: To exemplify what Rigela is saying, consider that elves are chaotic in nature. Their years of study isn't focused, necessarily. They're a flighty lot. So while their progression, and ability to learn isn't lessened, it simply takes longer because they don't sit in one place and take it all in at once. Also to add more to this. If you will live for centuriues, what is the rush? _________________ Life should be prolonged only when it serves the greater cause of the death of the world.
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Kudark
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 18:00 PM |
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Player
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Location: The Dark Side of the Moon
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Quote: Just saying "book x states it" without a sensible explanation, or that because they are chaotic does not really satisfy me with a "aha" effect. There doesn't need to be an explanation, it states the approximate age an elf reaches adulthood. It's a physical thing, not mental. The change from child to adult has nothing to do with your state of mind, or how skillful you are at anything. When your body is ready the change will begin, regardless of how well you handle it, or what you're doing at the time. _________________
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Pony
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Posted: Wed, Dec 10 2014, 18:50 PM |
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Joined: 07 May 2005
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Kudark wrote: Quote: Just saying "book x states it" without a sensible explanation, or that because they are chaotic does not really satisfy me with a "aha" effect. There doesn't need to be an explanation, it states the approximate age an elf reaches adulthood. It's a physical thing, not mental. The change from child to adult has nothing to do with your state of mind, or how skillful you are at anything. When your body is ready the change will begin, regardless of how well you handle it, or what you're doing at the time. Actually, elves reach physical maturity close to the same time as humans. As was covered in this topic.
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Kudark
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 5:31 AM |
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Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Location: The Dark Side of the Moon
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Pony wrote: Actually, elves reach physical maturity close to the same time as humans. As was covered in this topic. I don't see where, or any source quoted on that, either. DM Analog confirmed what the PHB states as well. "Reaching adulthood" implies relative physical and mental maturity. I can't see it being any more clear than that. _________________
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Shadowfiend
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 7:02 AM |
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Player
Joined: 17 Oct 2011
Location: The Hall of the Mountain King
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Actually the elf handbook says that their body matures at the same rate as humans, it's very accurate to what pony says, the first century of their lives is spent on elven culture
_________________
I am not weird, I am limited edition
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Kudark
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 8:01 AM |
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Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Location: The Dark Side of the Moon
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Which book is that please?
I looked in the AD&D Complete Book of Elves, and the 3.0 Races of Faerun, and could not find it.
_________________
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Yin
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 8:58 AM |
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Joined: 11 Jul 2014
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Kudark wrote: Pony wrote: Actually, elves reach physical maturity close to the same time as humans. As was covered in this topic. I don't see where, or any source quoted on that, either. DM Analog confirmed what the PHB states as well. "Reaching adulthood" implies relative physical and mental maturity. I can't see it being any more clear than that. I suddenly felt the urge to see a twenty years old elven toddler that needs help with changing his diaper. They must be most cute these years. Guessing he should be looking like that. 
_________________
'Everything moves somewhere and changes somehow.'
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Shadowfiend
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 10:56 AM |
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Joined: 17 Oct 2011
Location: The Hall of the Mountain King
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See the players handbook or some fr campaign guide or whatever it's called? Or check your complete book of elves again, it doesn't make sense for a 50 year old elf to look like a 8 year old, or to think like one. The maturing rate can't be lineary translated between humans and elves, and remember that elves don't get wrinkly and frail, but as they age their hair may change colour, and they seem less in touch with the present.
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I am not weird, I am limited edition
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Pony
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 13:03 PM |
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Player
Joined: 07 May 2005
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ELVES AND ADULTHOOD"Table 6–4 of the Player’s Handbook suggests that elves don’t reach their full physical growth until an age of 110, at a minimum. That’s not entirely accurate. The random starting age for elves is simply the age at which many elf adventurers feel ready to leave their forests and roam the world outside for a time. More than a few elves have commenced their adventuring careers at much younger ages.
Elf children grow almost as swiftly as human children to age 15 or so; a 10-year-old elf boy and a 10-year-old human boy are nearly the same size and have similar mental and emotional maturity. The elf will be shorter and slighter than his human Playmate. He is also quite likely to be more patient, observant, and self-sufficient, simply due to the influence of growing up in an elf household.
Humans finish their “filling out” and full adult growth by about age 20, but elves take a little longer, rarely reaching their full height and weight before age 25. After that, elves remain virtually timeless, decade after decade. Not even another elf can tell at a glance whether an elf is 25, 50, or 100 years of age. A few minutes’ conversation quickly dispels the mystery, of course; elves gain experience, grace, emotional maturity, patience, and wisdom throughout these ageless decades. Even so, some elves are remarkably poised for their age, and some elven romances tell the tale of a grieving elf of 150 years of age discovering life and joy again in new lover of only 25 or 30 who carries himself or herself like an elf of 100."- Races of the Wild, Page 13 REPRODUCTION:"Though an elf reaches mental and physical maturity at the age of 25, very few elves become parents until much later in life. Elves rarely feel that they’re ready to settle down and begin families before they’re at least 100 years old, and most stop having children soon after reaching the age of 200. Elf children are not as numerous as one might expect, given the length of an elf’s child-rearing years, because elves are less fertile than humans and other shorter-lived races. A typical human couple might have one to four children over the course of a decade, but an elf couple might take fifty years to have the same number of children.
Elves have a gestation period of approximately nine months, just as humans and other similarly sized creatures do. Once a child is born, his or her parents usually raise the youngster for the first few years, and then foster him or her out to a succession of older relatives until he or she reaches maturity. This practice provides training for the child in a variety of areas and allows the parents to return to the pursuit of their own interests. It also encourages young elves to develop their own sense of self and a degree of personal independence."- Races of the Wild, Page 13
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That Guy
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 13:30 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 Nov 2014
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All this is great, but... what is our stance on Amia? At what minumum age can an elf character be created? Humans it's 18 I believe. That was my initial question.
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Pony
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 13:44 PM |
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Player
Joined: 07 May 2005
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Anything beneath 110 years currently requires a request. That appears to be the clear position of the DM Team on this topic for now.
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That Guy
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 13:55 PM |
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Player
Joined: 13 Nov 2014
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Kudark
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Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 17:51 PM |
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Player
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Location: The Dark Side of the Moon
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Ah! Races of the Wild, that was the one I couldn't think of.
I didn't know it was changed from the AD&D concept.
Thanks Pony!
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bobofwestoregonusa
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Posted: Tue, Jan 06 2015, 15:37 PM |
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Player
Joined: 09 Jun 2012
Location: Eastern Washington
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Pony wrote: Drow are definitely lower than that lore wise when you take the novels and source books covering them into account. I would also think that a drow's shorter life span is probably a direct product of their evolution as a species. You go into the underdark and you sort of have to adapt to things faster, so they become something not unlike humans down there. Crazy Faerzress radiation and constant attacks from predators, mindflayer, and beholders will shape your species in an interesting way. _________________  Gerald EdmundDiscord: Metal Viking Guy #5433 DC taxation is theft!
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666WaysToHell
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Posted: Tue, Jan 06 2015, 16:42 PM |
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Player
Joined: 22 Nov 2010
Location: Western Australia
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Not to mention your own species being out to get you!
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Aoth Nathandem - Wizard of house Tholaunt and chosen of Ma'at.
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