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Manhelm
Acolyte
3 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Apr 2013 : 21:17:51
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I'm new to posting here, but I have a question that hasn't got enough lore to answer it anywhere else. I'm thinking up specifics on a Dark Elf (not drow) character for a 3.5 campaign based around 1373 DR and I'm running into some problems.
The Dark Elf in question is going to be a sorcerer that worships Araushnee, but in the current timeframe all Dark Elves have been turned into Drow following the crown wars. Are there any interesting ways save time-travel that could explain a dark elf having been "missing" for those... 20-thousand ish years, considering that drow only live around 1000?
My original thought was that they were off adventuring and furthering their sorcerery in the Feywild where the magic is sometimes more wild and potent; perhaps she ran afoul of some strong magic or got into some lotus-eater scenario? This was the best option for me because there are supposedly still some temples to Araushnee there and, upon making it back to the prime material, the character would have no idea how far their race had fallen (or ascended based on who you ask.) I don't intend to her to emerge as an ancient powerful being, as whatever kept her didn't really advance with the relation of time.
tl;dr: Dark Elf pre-Lolth in a 1375-ish DR campaign setting, 3.5e. Feels like I'm going to have to get really creative.
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2013 : 21:53:33
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Well met and welcome 
If I had to offer a suggestion it would have to be a Phezult's Sleep of Ages (9th level wizard spell) enchantment (Ruins of Undermountain Boxed Set; Campaign Guide p123).
It creates a permanent, spherical, stasis field. All living creatures within the field (except the caster of the spell) must save vs. spell or be instantly frozen, placed in suspended animation. Permanent too... I might've mentioned that?
It may have been cast specifically as a trap or the dark elf may just have the Luck of Beshaba and blunder into it? |
Edited by - Farrel on 08 Apr 2013 21:55:28 |
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Manhelm
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2013 : 23:02:40
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Thank you for the welcome!
So would this stasis field, while being somewhere in the twisted depths of the feywild, somehow allow the dark elf to circumvent the "curse" that was bestowed upon them at the end of the crown wars? I'm really looking to set up some culture shock for the character, and not even knowing about the curse could prove interesting-- despite the myriad of confused enemies she'll likely make on both sides.
It sounds like angering some fickle yet powerful fey could be the beginnings of such a misfortunate event.
Thank you again for the input! |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4687 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 00:17:28
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Considers, being out of the sphere of the High Magic by itself might work. Spell Jaming clearly an option, if that option was available that long ago.
The stasis field clearly is an option that can be considered, however you must understand that a Dark Elf is not a Drow. Skin color might be close to the same however Drow Dark vision and innate Drow abilities will not be in effect.
That is your character would be viewed as more powerful then is, because of skin color. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Manhelm
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 01:39:45
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Thanks Kentinal
After reading about the stasis spell, it seems that all bodily processes shut down within the field and you get stuck in some form of "snapshot" of when you went in, unless someone comes in and physically moves you. Thus, the character -should- keep the dusky skin color of the original dark elves, and not the blue/gray/ebony bestowed upon them by Corellon. The lack of time spent in the underdark would remove the darkvision, globe of darkness, and spell resistance perks as well.
So I'd likely have the stats similar to a regular elf that has a dusky complexion, probably mistaken for a wild/wood elf most of the time. I wonder if anyone has the stats or perks of the original "Ilythiiri" dark elves-- maybe something close to my campaign's 3.5 "Feytouched" since they were brought to Toril directly by the Fey. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4687 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 02:44:10
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| The Grand history of the Realms does indicate that Dark elves are Green elves, so using that canon clearly your character would have the stat adjustments to that of a Green/Wild Elf. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Aulduron
Learned Scribe
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 02:51:49
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Is he native to Faerun?
Since is prayers don't need to be answered, he can worship anything he wants. He might get an unpleasant surprise after he dies though. |
"Those with talent become wizards, Those without talent spend their lives praying for it"
-Procopio Septus |
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kysus
Learned Scribe
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 06:22:44
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| There is also another option for you to choose from if u want, there is a high magic ritual in the Cormanthyr: empire of the elves. The ritual is called the Suyoll/ "the revival" and its capable of removing the curse of the drow, though it says to treat them as moon elves statistically. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2421 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 10:33:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Manhelm
in the current timeframe all Dark Elves have been turned into Drow following the crown wars. Are there any interesting ways save time-travel that could explain a dark elf having been "missing" for those... 20-thousand ish years, considering that drow only live around 1000?
Planar travel - he's out-of-AoE. Stasis (timestop) - maybe. Extreme transmutations (if it's e.g. a stone, it's not a living elf).
quote:
My original thought was that they were off adventuring and furthering their sorcerery
...which was not visibly present as such in Cormanthor or any time before? quote:
in the Feywild where
Oh, with 4e weirdness retconned in? No idea what exists and what doesn't there, and when exactly. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11809 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 15:49:56
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| The stasis solution begs the idea that non epic magic would have blocked the effects of the High Magic ritual that was sanctioned with the power of a deity. You can go that way if you want, but I'd recommend something more drastic possibly in combination with some kind of magical stasis OR simply being in a plane where the passage of time is much faster. There are places where Corellon's magic simply can't go. For instance, the Far Realm or the place where Vestiges go or maybe even Sigil. You could go with the idea that he drew the donjon card from the deck of many things and he became entrapped or something. It may even have been that he was taken prisoner by a powerful being who placed him in stasis and was then killed. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11809 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2013 : 15:52:56
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| he could also have had his soul ripped from his body and entrapped in some kind of phylactery by a powerful being (and his body reduced to ash and stored with the item). Some party of adventurers came along later and enacted the ritual which restored his soul and recreated his body. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Drakul
Senior Scribe
USA
367 Posts |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2013 : 16:58:14
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Starless Night and Siege of Darkness. Gandalug Battlehammer. Bruenor's great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. Trapped inside the dwarven tooth ring that was first introduced in the Menzoberranzzan [Boxed Set] and The Legacy.
But that was for only 2000 years, and it nearly drove him mad. What would 20,000 years of imprisonment do? |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Drakul
Senior Scribe
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2013 : 21:33:03
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
Starless Night and Siege of Darkness. Gandalug Battlehammer. Bruenor's great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. Trapped inside the dwarven tooth ring that was first introduced in the Menzoberranzzan [Boxed Set] and The Legacy.
But that was for only 2000 years, and it nearly drove him mad. What would 20,000 years of imprisonment do?
It was merely a suggestion. LOL. |
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDonLNKf6_KA9Qlal3Qu3zQ?view_as=subscriber |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2013 : 00:36:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Drakul
It was merely a suggestion. LOL.
Oh, I get that. I didn't mean to sound harsh by correcting you. I meant to point out that what is being proposed here in this scroll should be seen as really, really drastic.  |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
Edited by - BEAST on 14 Apr 2013 00:42:48 |
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Drakul
Senior Scribe
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2013 : 08:26:34
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
quote:
Originally posted by Drakul
It was merely a suggestion. LOL.
Oh, I get that. I didn't mean to sound harsh by correcting you. I meant to point out that what is being proposed here in this scroll should be seen as really, really drastic.
What if said character was trapped like Gandalug was, yet was also caught in a Time Stop/Suspended Animation type spell? |
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDonLNKf6_KA9Qlal3Qu3zQ?view_as=subscriber |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2013 : 18:11:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Drakul
What if said character was trapped like Gandalug was, yet was also caught in a Time Stop/Suspended Animation type spell?
I guess it would depend on the purpose of the person who is doing the trapping or transporting of the particular dark elf in question.
If it is meant as a prison, then the trapper might actually want the dark elf to come out crazy as a loon on the other side.
OTOH, if the trapper intends to preserve the dark elf's mind and body intact, then there would be room for some sort of magical "dehydrated, vacuum-sealed" set-up that prevented decay and degradation of the dark elf for the long haul. It would be like one of those "time capsules" that get buried in order to send messages to future generations. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Dark Elf in 1300's 3.5 campaign
