Elf (Aldryami) Family History

[Squaredeal Sten]

I said OK to a player running a Green Elf Adventurer.  Now this brought us to a discussion o family history.

It seems to me that most or all of the RQiG family history will not be applicable to elves.

Why?

First of all, because almost all elves live very separated from the society and events of the other major races.  The Saratarite vs. Lunar war events will not matter much to the forests.  The elves will have a history of conflict with the Uz, most of which is irrelevant to he RQiG pages 29-45 events.  The Lunars' Moonburn will have been  traumatic  -  but the Dorastor forests that burned will not have many elvish survivors so they are not relevant to rolling up a new elf..

Second, because elves are very long-lived.  A 31 year old elf in the 1625 ST time frame will have parents who are 50 to 200 years old, and grandparents who live now or lived 100-400 years ago. 

it seems to me that hatreds and loyalties for eves will be pretty long lived and stable.  So the question is not whether your elf hates and fears Uz.  They ALL hate and fear Uz.  This is a racial dislike, not an individual issue.

Similarly, family heirlooms will be rare and improbable.  That newly generated 21 year old elf won't inherit grandpa's magic thing, because grandpa is probably still alive and using it himself.

Your thoughts?

 

 

 

[hipsterinspace]

I think the important question to ask and answer is why this elf is adventuring with humans. As you say, Elves are often insular and mysterious, but to be among human adventurers, even if they are elf friends, probably requires some sort of a reason accepted by both parties, and from there you might be able to cobble together more of a history of how that cooperation came about.

[g33k]

I kinda mostly agree with you... and kinda mostly do not.

I think Elves are going to be very very different from humans... but that doesn't mean they cannot be very comparable to humans.

Sure, all Elves will Hate or Fear Trolls (and Dwarves, and Fire)... I might summarize it one "Hate the Ancient Foes."
But then also, what experience has their specific Grove/Dryad had?  Maybe good relations with a nearby Human tribe, or bad?  Or with some Beast Folk?  An associated Passion?
The PC will likely have picked up that same perspective.

But also:  elves are Plants, and they think that way.  They are much less "individualistic."  You may not have an "Heirloom" from your family... because they are still adventuring with them!  Or maybe they are not (adventuring is so rare for elves)... but your Grove/Dryad may have some "starter adventurer" items to loan you as you go out into the world.

Also +1 for @hipsterinspace -- WHY is your Green Elf adventuring with humans?  And are there any other non-humans in the group?  How do they all work out those intra-party dynamics???  But however it works, that backstory is likely to generate some "Family-History-Adjacent" events...

[Ian_W]

My first thought is you made a mistake letting a player talk you running an Elf.

 

But you're in too deep to back out now.

 

So. Where's the Elf from ? There were enough survivors from Moonburn that rumours might have got there. Similarly, the Fall of Pavis to Jaldon Goldentooth had bad effects on the mini-elf forest inside Pavis, so that might have been a thing as well.

 

Answer where, and you have some clues as to who. Answer who and where, and you can get a clue as to what.

 

Then you need to sort out why.

 

[Scotty]

8 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

I said OK to a player running a Green Elf Adventurer.  Now this brought us to a discussion o family history.

Your thoughts?

I would have them come from Tardishi’s grove in Colymar lands. Have them placed in a Colymar clan and do the family events from the perspective of their “adopted” family. This is a fantasy RPG so of course a few elves will adventure with humans. Don’t get stuck trying to make it fit perfectly. Every five years have them have to report back on the human’s activities. Have fun. 

[Runeblogger]

Elves who are on a mission for their forest and elves who are renegade make good elf characters in RQ.

As for the family history, I would either follow Scotty's advice (easy) or create a family history taking the forest in general as the adventurer's clan (difficult). Count the number of questions a human adventurer needs to answer in the rulebook and create as many questions for the elf character to choose from. Since forests are old, focus only on major events in elf history around that particular forest. I would also include events that no human knows about, as they are only known by the elves of that forest.

[jajagappa]

10 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

It seems to me that most or all of the RQiG family history will not be applicable to elves.

Why?

First of all, because almost all elves live very separated from the society and events of the other major races.  The Saratarite vs. Lunar war events will not matter much to the forests.  The elves will have a history of conflict with the Uz, most of which is irrelevant to he RQiG pages 29-45 events.  The Lunars' Moonburn will have been  traumatic  -  but the Dorastor forests that burned will not have many elvish survivors so they are not relevant to rolling up a new elf..

Second, because elves are very long-lived.  A 31 year old elf in the 1625 ST time frame will have parents who are 50 to 200 years old, and grandparents who live now or lived 100-400 years ago. 

it seems to me that hatreds and loyalties for eves will be pretty long lived and stable.  So the question is not whether your elf hates and fears Uz.  They ALL hate and fear Uz.  This is a racial dislike, not an individual issue.

Similarly, family heirlooms will be rare and improbable.  That newly generated 21 year old elf won't inherit grandpa's magic thing, because grandpa is probably still alive and using it himself.

Your thoughts?

Generally the human background/family history will not be applicable (until after they make their break with elf society and start their life among humans).

I think you've got to work through some basics that are relevant.

1) Are they a Forest Elf or a Grove Elf? (By Forest, I mean a big one like Arstola or parts of the Elder Wilds. By Grove, something like Tarndisi's Grove that is largely isolated from a Great Tree.)

2)Why did they leave the Forest or Grove? If they are a Forest Elf, they might have been sent as an emissary to be among the humans, reporting back every so often - the eyes and ears of the Forest in the world beyond watching for threats. If a Grove Elf, there are more existential threats - they might be the sole survivor of a wildfire (whether started by humans, trolls, or lightning), have suffered from timbering or a trollkin or beetle infestation, or last survivor of the Great Winter, etc.

3) Determine their reaction to whatever caused their departure. Do they Fear (the Swarm)? Fear (Lightning)? Hate (trollkin)? etc. Don't think this needs to be an absolute. Forest elves don't necessarily hate Darkness - deep forests are VERY dark, and they might have a friendship with dark elves or shadow spirits, etc. 

As for heirlooms - if they are an emissary, they'll have received some gift to aid their task. If they are a Grove survivor, then the elf parents may have perished, and they take up the heirloom.

[Squaredeal Sten]

This elf left the woods to make contact with other elf woods.  So she is on a mission - not a rootless elf.  The elven hope is thst this will further the great reforestation plan.  So that background is already  covered.

This elf is not exactly from Tarndisi's Grove, but from the other scattered and less secure woods near the Quivin Mountains.  She will join up with the other adventurers in Boldhome, as we start a trader campaign.

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Squaredeal Sten
campaign concept

[French Desperate WindChild]

as i don't follow the rqg proposed background I would just apply the same than humans, aka question with why, and answers create the background (and some bonus like rqg background) :

 

so we know this elf is on a mission. that's fine => Why the leaders decided to choose this elf and not another one ?

because the elf was volunteer ? => gain loyalty leader/dryad/ .. +10

because the elf family did what they can to obtain this "honor" ? => if the elf is happy with this decision gain love family +10, if not, gain honor +10

because the elf is known as weirdos ? => gain +5 or 10% in any exotic skill (from an elf perspective)

because some omen told the elders that the elf has a big destiny ? => gain loyalty forest +10

 

about the elf family  background

is  one (or more) parent identified as a hero ? why ? What did they did ?

- sacrifice their live fighting against another race ? hate  (or fear it depends what was the death cause) this race +10, battle +5%, honor +5

- sacrifice their life fighting a fire ? fear fire +10, honor +10, reputation +5

- survived some heroic battle ? hate this race +10, battle +5%, reputation +5, honor +10

 

about the elf previous life ?

there is probably one skill very important for the player (not the character, but the player) => define with the player why this skill was learned and how was the learning,for example

- maybe the skill is > 70, why ? did some teacher/master very inspiring ? add loyalty teacher +10, was the teacher very bad, violent, ... ? add hate teacher or fear teacher +10

- maybe the skill is < 40, why ? did some teacher bery inefficient ? add hate teacher +10. because it is not an elf skill ? so who was the teacher ? add loylty teacher +10

 

 does the elf know some foreign languages ? why ?

- because some foreign friends teached them ? (the @David Scott colymar example - why did you choose the official login sir ? ! 😛 -) add loyalty "clan/tribe/some people" +10  ?

- because they were prisonner and they learned the language of their jailers ? add hate or fear X +10 (as a gm ask how was this 'holydays', and decide then) then ask how the pc became free (someone else saved them ? loyalty +10 person or clan or ... / the pc alone ? how ? add+5/+10% for one of the skill used to flee

 

etc ...

you can choose any significant skill or characterstic and ask why . Tell me why your character  has str/dex/... 16+  ? what did happen ? How did the pc use this strength... etc there is a moment where the player's answer will give you a passion, maybe a bonus in another skill, and sometimes, a hook, a nemesis, or anything good for your campaign

 

 

[Squaredeal Sten]

16 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

as i don't follow the rqg proposed background I would just apply the same than humans, aka question with why, and answers create the background (and some bonus like rqg background) :

 

so we know this elf is on a mission. that's fine => Why the leaders decided to choose this elf and not another one ?

because the elf was volunteer ? => gain loyalty leader/dryad/ .. +10

because the elf family did what they can to obtain this "honor" ? => if the elf is happy with this decision gain love family +10, if not, gain honor +10

because the elf is known as weirdos ? => gain +5 or 10% in any exotic skill (from an elf perspective)

because some omen told the elders that the elf has a big destiny ? => gain loyalty forest +10

 

about the elf family  background

is  one (or more) parent identified as a hero ? why ? What did they did ?

- sacrifice their live fighting against another race ? hate  (or fear it depends what was the death cause) this race +10, battle +5%, honor +5

- sacrifice their life fighting a fire ? fear fire +10, honor +10, reputation +5

- survived some heroic battle ? hate this race +10, battle +5%, reputation +5, honor +10

 

about the elf previous life ?

there is probably one skill very important for the player (not the character, but the player) => define with the player why this skill was learned and how was the learning,for example

- maybe the skill is > 70, why ? did some teacher/master very inspiring ? add loyalty teacher +10, was the teacher very bad, violent, ... ? add hate teacher or fear teacher +10

- maybe the skill is < 40, why ? did some teacher bery inefficient ? add hate teacher +10. because it is not an elf skill ? so who was the teacher ? add loylty teacher +10

 

 does the elf know some foreign languages ? why ?

- because some foreign friends teached them ? (the @David Scott colymar example - why did you choose the official login sir ? ! 😛 -) add loyalty "clan/tribe/some people" +10  ?

- because they were prisonner and they learned the language of their jailers ? add hate or fear X +10 (as a gm ask how was this 'holydays', and decide then) then ask how the pc became free (someone else saved them ? loyalty +10 person or clan or ... / the pc alone ? how ? add+5/+10% for one of the skill used to flee

 

etc ...

you can choose any significant skill or characterstic and ask why . Tell me why your character  has str/dex/... 16+  ? what did happen ? How did the pc use this strength... etc there is a moment where the player's answer will give you a passion, maybe a bonus in another skill, and sometimes, a hook, a nemesis, or anything good for your campaign

 

 

All good thoughts.  And all are oriented toward building an elvish family history table.  Or to the clan history defining question sequence used on Heroquest.  Thae opportunity to do that fir this elf has passed because the Elf played the first session last night. (But I did provide a magic item to further her mission. in lieu of a human's heirloom.)

However your advice is still useful snd sppreciated.  I might work on an elvish family history table and/or Q&A sequencr for the future.  I encourage you to do that yourself  too  since you outline a good approach to it and have very flexible ideas.