1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

Elves Immortal?

Discussion in 'Dungeons & Dragons + Other RPGs' started by Silverblade, Oct 21, 2001.

  1. Silverblade Guest

    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).]
     
  2. Invoker Gems: 12/31
    Latest gem: Moonstone


    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2001
    Messages:
    483
    Likes Received:
    0
    In D&D, elves live 350+4d100 years. Not immortal, at most 750 :)
     
  3. Vanadin Gems: 5/31
    Latest gem: Andar


    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2001
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  4. TarsomCarsomyr Gems: 2/31
    Latest gem: Fire Agate


    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2001
    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  5. Voltric Gems: 19/31
    Latest gem: Aquamarine


    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Messages:
    1,145
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] 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.
     
  6. Shadowcouncil Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2001
    Messages:
    3,319
    Likes Received:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    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?
     
  7. Vanadin Gems: 5/31
    Latest gem: Andar


    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2001
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    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. :)
     
  8. Baldak Oakfist Gems: 15/31
    Latest gem: Waterstar


    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2000
    Messages:
    711
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  9. Shadowcouncil Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2001
    Messages:
    3,319
    Likes Received:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
  10. Firestorm

    Firestorm Beeep, Beeep, ERROR Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    621
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  11. Silverblade Guest

    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).]
     
  12. Capstone Gems: 16/31
    Latest gem: Shandon


    Joined:
    May 8, 2001
    Messages:
    887
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] Heh... actually, they use a pair of ten-sided dice -- one for the tens' place and one for the ones' place.
     
  13. Vanadin Gems: 5/31
    Latest gem: Andar


    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2001
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] 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...
     
  14. Capstone Gems: 16/31
    Latest gem: Shandon


    Joined:
    May 8, 2001
    Messages:
    887
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] Oh my gosh, you have got to be kidding. :rolleyes: We were usually on carpet as it was... that would have completely bit.
     
  15. void Guest

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

    Cheers, Void.
     
  16. Firestorm

    Firestorm Beeep, Beeep, ERROR Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    621
    Likes Received:
    0
    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 ;) )
     
  17. Silverblade Guest

    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).]
     
  18. Vormaerin Gems: 15/31
    Latest gem: Waterstar


    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2001
    Messages:
    799
    Likes Received:
    2
    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
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.