tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917987776399116727.post5814533538253775346..comments2023-06-14T19:02:14.673+09:30Comments on DPS: We Deliver: Night Elf culture: just tree hugging hippies?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917987776399116727.post-48794277198732472062008-05-17T03:08:00.000+09:302008-05-17T03:08:00.000+09:30I'm going to have to obliquely agree with Andrew (...I'm going to have to obliquely agree with Andrew (heaven forbid!). As an avid roleplayer and one who has a kal'dorei as a main, I loathe the tree-hugging, light-as-thistledown, sweet-and-innocent perception that many people have of the race. World of Warcraft has done a great job in deviating from that stereotype, even though -- as you noted -- it wasn't their idea in the first place. In fact, it goes beyond Tolkein if you do the research as Andrew noted; look back to the <I>aes sídhe</I> of Gaelic folklore, who were often called "The Fair Folk" in order to avoid incurring their wrath. And I bet you can trace those myths even further back!<BR/><BR/>One thing that I'd like to note is that the Celtic/Gaelic elves weren't necessary related to nature. The <I>leanan sídhe</I> served the role of a muse, but drew on the mental energies of man in exchange for creative spirit -- often resulting in his early demise. The <I>bean sídhe</I> was a creature that foretold death with her wailing.<BR/><BR/>The confusion of saying that they're all related to nature is probably due to the fact that the phrase <I>aes sídhe</I> means something along the lines of "people of the mounds", which were burial mounds that dotted Ireland. However, not all of the <I>sídhe</I> were nature-related. And while some lived in the Otherworld, some did live in trees or hills.<BR/><BR/>Overall, however, despite being slightly related to nature the elves of Gaelic and Irish history weren't all sweet and kind and merry. And while most possessed otherworldly beauty, there were more than just a handful of repulsive creatures.<BR/><BR/>I guess that I tend to create my characters in context of the game. And I purposefully rolled my two kal'dorei to be the antithesis of the commonly portrayed "nelf" -- which is probably how they should be roleplayed!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917987776399116727.post-38350543861349071092008-05-16T12:20:00.000+09:302008-05-16T12:20:00.000+09:30I can see I'm going to have to write a follow up p...I can see I'm going to have to write a follow up post! *big grin*Jezraelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12004922186869254116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917987776399116727.post-49709054037488297552008-05-16T11:53:00.000+09:302008-05-16T11:53:00.000+09:30howdy all,As one of the duo of "namby pamby" elf h...howdy all,<BR/><BR/>As one of the duo of "namby pamby" elf haters that Jez has referenced I'd like to comment and clear a few things up.<BR/><BR/>My position is that the general lore about elves is focused on them being protectors of the forests and general hippie types. Tree-huggers if you like. And certainly soft and ill deserving of what potential the deeper stories could offer.<BR/><BR/>And this is where Jez's case is a bit of a misnomer; the particular reference to Tolkien and Warcraft is accurate, but does not represent the wider view of "an Elf". <BR/><BR/>Go ask 5 people:<BR/>- where would an elf live<BR/>- how do the dress<BR/>- what are they like (beautiful or ugly, mean or kind, gentle or harsh, intelligent or dumb)<BR/><BR/>I agree totally that elves in wow have guts, and in fact I have four elf characters, and two Druids. However the superficial lore, presentation of artwork, and wider media presentation of "Elf" is soft and tree-hugger in nature. Thats because of the direct influence of Tolkien on Elves in WoW is not the common understanding in the wider public. Put those two example (which are close to each other) aside and look at elves in other lore.<BR/><BR/>- C.S. Lewis = hardly a violent or warlike creature (cup of tea anyone?)<BR/>- Harry Potter = servant elves, very faerie like; and this in a world which uses harsh and violent creatures as major story devices.<BR/>- Santa = servants and happy little workers. I mean they sing all year round for chirsts sake.<BR/>- The encyclopedia by Katherine Mary Briggs = all fey based, and most very "beautiful".<BR/>- Celtic / Irish lore = very strange, otherworldly; but certainly forests, rivers, and all things natural.<BR/><BR/>The discussion is similar to the presentation of Faerie in popular lore in general. Fey equates to butterfly wings, flippant and forgetful, a little childlike, and altogether pretty much nature lovers (go to a bookshop and have a look at the presentation of faeries and elves). In fact I'd go as far to say that most of the general public could not see a major difference between an elf and a faerie. <BR/><BR/>q) Where does my opinion come from?<BR/>a) The interwebs of course - google image search for elf, and have your pansy filter set to lavendar. <BR/><BR/>http://images.google.com.au/preferences?q=elf&um=1&hl=en&sa=F<BR/><BR/>The defense rests.<BR/><BR/>heh and cheers,<BR/>AndrewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com