| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| hymer |
Posted - 16 Mar 2016 : 08:58:32
I picture sun elves' social interaction as tending to be formal, direct and sensible, easily seeming a little distant and cold. I'm not altogether sure what 'formal' means to a sun elf, though. Any help in this area would be much appreciated.
Specifically: One of my players, a half-elf abandoned at birth, is about to be met by her maternal uncle, a sun elf, who has journeyed a long way to find her. He is seen as something of a black sheep in the family, having abandoned his initial training and turned to something he liked better. He loves his sister, and knows something strange has happened to her while she was away (which led to the PC, and which the mother has kept secret, as it is rather shameful). He recently received a clue that he had a half-elf niece, and after trying to raise the subject with his sister in confidence, he has decided to find said niece and dispel the mystery.
How does a sun elf greet the niece he never knew he had? He is destined to love the niece unconditionally (and she being a respectful and respected paladin of Tyr is likely to be worth loving), and will recognize her on sight, as she resembles her mother a lot. He may catch her on the road, or find her at her temple or barracks, time will tell. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Elven Avenger |
Posted - 13 Apr 2016 : 13:56:57
You may consider that this said character would not act on haste, sun elves normally are patient and don’t act too fast, specially considering this is not a subject that he is found of nor its something “common” for him.
I don’t know if this is possible, considering your settings, but I think the sun elf would travel to meet the said niece, but he would wait some time before revealing himself as a member of her family.
He would study her behavior, meet her in some kind of way that he would only after tell that he is her uncle.
Either for fear of this kind of new relationship, or for being haughty and meet her in a way he could first see and study her to check if she is really deserving to be introduced as a real member of his family.
Just a suggestion of course, in a way to take things more slowly.
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| Delwa |
Posted - 19 Mar 2016 : 20:10:51
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by hymer
I need a baseline of 'formal' to start from, before I can apply this particular NPC's circumstances. But I've never seen (or heard) this. When (sun or otherwise) elves want to be formal, do they tend to be flowery? Circumspect? Metaphorical? Focused on familial or professional titles? Any particular gesticulation that applies? Any gods called on to witness? Something entirely different?
Certainly not metaphorical.
I'd go with Silver Shadows - start with one's name, allegiance and then to the matter at hand.
As to length, Queen Amlaruil herself opened communications with simple "Greetings, Laeral Elf-friend", when they both considered it amusing formality - then again, these two weren't really out of touch, so there's that.
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Just a thought, but this reminds me of a scene from the novel Elfshadow;
Elaith have unexpectedly seen someone dear and presumed dead when he just blurted it out. He was more rattled than a wheelbarrow of maracas pushed down the stairs. And then was trying too hard to smooth the mistake and pretend nothing special happened.
Also, he was anything but "an elf's elf" by that time.
So that's kind of the opposite situation.
Right, I wasn't trying to say this is how it should go, just that the novel might provide some insight to customs, and that circumstances can make anyone act a little out of form.  |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 19 Mar 2016 : 20:07:05
quote:
Originally posted by hymer
I need a baseline of 'formal' to start from, before I can apply this particular NPC's circumstances. But I've never seen (or heard) this. When (sun or otherwise) elves want to be formal, do they tend to be flowery? Circumspect? Metaphorical? Focused on familial or professional titles? Any particular gesticulation that applies? Any gods called on to witness? Something entirely different?
Certainly not metaphorical.
I'd go with Silver Shadows - start with one's name, allegiance and then to the matter at hand.
As to length, Queen Amlaruil herself opened communications with simple "Greetings, Laeral Elf-friend", when they both considered it amusing formality - then again, these two weren't really out of touch, so there's that.
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Just a thought, but this reminds me of a scene from the novel Elfshadow;
Elaith have unexpectedly seen someone dear and presumed dead when he just blurted it out. He was more rattled than a wheelbarrow of maracas pushed down the stairs. And then was trying too hard to smooth the mistake and pretend nothing special happened.
Also, he was anything but "an elf's elf" by that time.
So that's kind of the opposite situation. |
| hymer |
Posted - 18 Mar 2016 : 15:44:27
@ Delwa & Wooly: Thanks! Since next session is on Sunday, I'm afraid I won't have time to track Elfshadow down and lay a claw on it before then, but looks like I should do so anyway. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Mar 2016 : 22:11:22
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Just a thought, but this reminds me of a scene from the novel Elfshadow; the one where the half elf Arilyn Moonblade runs into someone who knew her elven mother and made a bit of a social blunder crying out Arilyn's mother's name and asking if it was really her in elvish. You might want to check that novel. It deals with several elven customs and traditions that might give a good baseline.
That's in the latter part of the book, when they get to Waterdeep and meet Elaith Craulnober for the first time. Elaith mistakes Arilyn for Amnestria, but later plays it off. |
| Delwa |
Posted - 17 Mar 2016 : 20:33:09
Just a thought, but this reminds me of a scene from the novel Elfshadow; the one where the half elf Arilyn Moonblade runs into someone who knew her elven mother and made a bit of a social blunder crying out Arilyn's mother's name and asking if it was really her in elvish. You might want to check that novel. It deals with several elven customs and traditions that might give a good baseline. |
| hymer |
Posted - 17 Mar 2016 : 15:31:01
Thanks for answering! I guess I didn't make myself quite clear, though.
I need a baseline of 'formal' to start from, before I can apply this particular NPC's circumstances. But I've never seen (or heard) this. When (sun or otherwise) elves want to be formal, do they tend to be flowery? Circumspect? Metaphorical? Focused on familial or professional titles? Any particular gesticulation that applies? Any gods called on to witness? Something entirely different?
I was hoping someone would have touched on this subject somewhere I've never seen, or just forgotten. Because I'd like this meeting to be at least a little jarring to the non-elf PCs. And I can make it be that way, but if there's anything official to be taken into consideration, I ought to use that. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 16 Mar 2016 : 20:09:20
quote:
Originally posted by hymer
I picture sun elves' social interaction as tending to be formal, direct and sensible, easily seeming a little distant and cold. I'm not altogether sure what 'formal' means to a sun elf, though. Any help in this area would be much appreciated.
Uh... much the same as for other elves? I mean, it's not like they have genetic memory for a special language and evening dances or something.
They are fully compatible with the rest of generic Elven culture, there were even mixed Houses (Silver/Gold Starym, for one).
The subraces have minor quirks that lead to slightly different flavours/interpretations of the common elven culture, but that's all. Gold clans ended up as sort of "mainstream" of the civilized elvenkind mostly because Gold elves don't have the inclinations typical for Moon elves (various forms of inquisitiveness) or Copper Elves (leaning toward more wild and "rustic" life, though e.g. Myth Drannor had several proper noble Houses of them), which leads to other flavours.
Why expect them all to act in the same way?
There are Gold elves who think the whole deal with Moonblades and royalty was the greatest mistake ever. Those who don't, but think Silvers must be watched, because their advantages come with the flaw of straying from the precious Elven ideals far too easily. And Gold elves who live near or among the humans because they like it (like Elorfindar Floshin).
The differences between a typical elf from Floshin household, "Golden Age of Myth Drannor return" dreamer, member of Eldreth Veluuthra who really have nothing better to do, an Evereskan elf and an elf who never left Evermeet are going to be far greater than Gold vs. Silver differences. Or even differences between typical ones and outliers. Double so because for elves community is even more important than for anyone else.
Of course, there are exceptions, like Silvers smacked by wanderlust really, really hard - but then, others may well have their little obsessions too.
Practically, you need to think of your elf's background. If he runs a shop in Ravens Bluff and is Lord Emmerdin's old pal, he is obviously capable of acting in the ways that won't be strange for humans (well-traveled, at least) at all, but if that's someone fresh from Evermeet and still out of touch with the rest of the planet, even the best-case scenario is going to be an embarrassing memory for everyone involved...  |
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