Elves Immortal?

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Just a little discussion I had the other day. Can elves die of natural causes or can they only die if they are killed (in the Forgotten Realms)? According to Tolkien they are immortal, unless they are killed, but that is in Middle Earth. I need an experts opinion about this.

[This message has been edited by Silverblade (edited October 21, 2001).]

 

In D&D, elves live 350+4d100 years. Not immortal, at most 750

 

Before 3e FR elves lived some hundred years, and when their time had come they felt this terrible longing to "move on" to Arvandor, the home of the elven pantheon. Practically this would be the same as dying, the greatest difference being that elves were able to resist this urge for some time if they wanted. Therefore in a way, they choose when to "die".

With 3e, I've heard rumors saying FR elves die like anyone else, they only live longer. But as I said, that's just a rumor.

 

I think elves live too long.... If you were an elf your pal could go through 5 human adventurers just as you were beginning to get old.

 

Again I favor the Middle Earth view on the life span of elves but it's up to the DM. According to the core rules, Elves don't die they just leave over the sea (as decribed above). But in our current campaign Elves are immortal if not killed. You do 'age' but only very slowly and you never have to make the final 'rolls' against death. But no adventurer will last to the state anyway. You would either die or retire long before it's an issue.

 

The DM always sets the rules. But however D&D is based on Tolkiens clear descriptions, there are also differences. The Forgotten Realms has no Valinor and Elves are not immortal. However it could also be explained as: After 350+4d100 years they get tired of live and leave... to a place unknown. FOr the rest I know much about Tolkiens ideas but not about Forgotten Realms, didn't read the books etc... Can someone give some more background information?

 

As I said above, this "unknown" place where FR elves go is called Arvandor and is in fact a lot like Tolkien's Valinor.

For those of you who wish to know more I really recommend "Evermeet: Isle of the elves" by Elaine Cunningham, it contains nearly everything you would evet want to know abot FR elves.

 

In terms of game play, the age of elves does not really matter. Unless the DM makes years pass by in the blink of an eye, you will run out of things to do or die, long before dying of natural causes, even if you are a human. And as for me, I do not enjoy the ultra high level campaigns. Once you can travel to the outer planes and kick the butt of some God, it is time to retire.

 

I know Baldak, but it is good to have some background information you don't directly use in the game. So you can better roleplay and as Elve you should really know some history and believes, this makes it easier to imagine the character and the game.

Vanadin, I have that story at home if I remember correctly. I will upload it and place an url here as soon as possible.

 

That depends on which kind of elf and which world you are playing it in. In Elfquest (not a D&D world but could be adapted to fit in as a Campaign Setting) Pure Elves are immortal with regard to age but could be killed by weapons and magic and in the default D&D setting elves' lifespan has been greatly decreased since 2nd edition where they could become very old. So its just a matter of preference really.

 

In 2nd edition they could become around 1200 years old, right Firestorm?

One thing still puzzles me. How did they ever came up with a dice with 100 sides?

Well you all been a great help. Thank you very much.

[This message has been edited by Silverblade (edited October 26, 2001).]

 

Heh... actually, they use a pair of ten-sided dice -- one for the tens' place and one for the ones' place.

 

Hehe, one of the guys in my gaming group actually has a genuine d100, it's slightly larger than a golf ball. It takes forever to stop rolling too, with all those small angles between the sides...

 

Oh my gosh, you have got to be kidding. We were usually on carpet as it was... that would have completely bit.

 

wow...100 sides must be amazing but you wouldn't be able to tell which side it was on on carpet...

Cheers, Void.

 

Most "normal" people just use two d10's but the "freaks" almost always have a d100.

Silverblade: Yes i believe it is something along that age, that was cooler IMO, than these 700-odd yers thay can become now.
But I like the idea of elves never dying from old age, make them cooler IMO.
Anybody who has tried playing D&D in the World of Two Moons? (Elfquest world (damn i love Elfquest)).

(BTW The ""'s in the beginning are ironically meant, just writing this so poeple who have a d100 wont become offended )

 

When elves reach an age of 350+4d100 they leave to a different place that is unknown to us (as was said above and probably a better place, why should they else leave). In the forgetten realms is probably something like heaven or a death realm, so couldn't it be that when elves reach the age of 350+4d100, they just go to elven-heaven (that unknown place). So, if the go to elven-heaven at that age, they die.

[This message has been edited by Silverblade (edited October 27, 2001).]

 

The "problem" with Elves being of great age is really a background issue. There is much more information that a 150 year old character should have than an 18 year old one. In the real world, it would mean having one character who was born in 1980 and another character who was born in 1850. That's a lot of history to have lived through, IMHO. You also have the elf being able to ask his grandfather "hey, grandpa, you were around during the reign of Richard the Lionhearted. Was King John *really* as bad as they say?" That might be cool for NPCs, but can be really annoying in a PC, IMHO.

Aloha
Vormaerin