On the topic in particular, I'm wondering what all ou Gm's out there thought of the Elves of the Laurelorn forest. Is their world a safe one? Is it safer than the human world?

Obviously there are some external threats to their forest: greenskins & mutants. But what about internally? Are elves safe masters of their forests who can just walk-anywhere they please without fear of injury or death? Do they just lay down wherever with their Kithband and make camp? Do they need protections? Can their children wander off into the woods? The druchii are 5 thousand miles away and more of a high elf problem, so what's up with the wood elves?

For humans, you can't go anywhere without being either taken advantage of, getting excrement on you, or being attacked and killed. It's just understood. What's it like for elves?

jh

Human or Dwarf in Altdorf: Moderately safe

Human or Dwarf in Countryside near settlements: Fairly safe

Human or Dwarf in Reikwald away from settlements: Unsafe

Elf in Altdorf: Fairly safe (could be victimized by racists)

Elf in Countryside: Fairly safe (could be victimized by racists)

Elf in Reikwald: ???

Elf in Laurleorn Forest: ???

Elf in Athel Loren: ???

Halfling setting foot out his front door: Unsafe

Thoughts?

jh

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Emirikol said:

Hugging mutant trees can be very dangerous... and hugging mutant rose bushes even more.

Emirikol said:

This depends on the number of pies and sausages the Halfling has recently eaten... the less hungry the Halfling the more he can decide to run to see another meal/fight...

Emirikol said:

I like what you imply in this part of your post... In my campaigns I have always tried to portray bigotry and racism in the behaviour of the Old Worlders... sadly, you have too many examples in our own world of silly people behaving in a racist and/or bigot way, so no lack of examples to draw from.

I would say that Humans and Dwarfs should not be able to walk around Elf controlled forests without a high risk of being beaten and thrown/kicked out of the forest...

And about the Elves in their forests, I guess they'll have the usual threats to cope with: Mutants, Beastmen, corruption of their forests through Dark Magic.

Realms of Sorcery has some nice ideas on how to do campaigns for Elves. I specially like two themes:

1. One is using the Waystones and Leylines (page 41 of Realms of Sorcery) to cause some trouble: maybe a Beastman Lord or a corrupted Elf want to use them to power some big Dark Magic ritual.

2. The other one revolves about High Magic, Qhaysh and Dark Magic (page 37 of Realms of Sorcery). What would happen if a High Elf decides to use Dark Magic to power his spells? Would he become a Dark Elf like Aenario (page 19 of Realms of Sorcery)?... This is another interesting aspect of Warhammer that has not seen much development, the relationships between Dark and High Elves... maybe we'll get to see them in some future WFRP3 expansion?

Cog, thanks for the neat ideas on that. I've used those RoS ideas in my latest scenario (sitting there waiting to be converted to WFRP3).

Back on the subject of safety for elves in their forests. I'd like to think that the forests are only slightly less dangerous for elves than they are for humans. Elves don't have to worry about quite as much from short-term-gain human-like behavior out of other elves (even though kithband Hatfield-vs-McCoy battles are common), but the forests have got to be incredibly dangerous. Elves likely have an understanding with various sentient-plant/spirit races, but it's probably like American Indian treaties with the U.S. government. One kithband may sign a treaty, but move on to a different part of the forest and a new one moves in and is suddenly faced with superstitious humans wonderingg why these elves have stopped honoring their treaty.

Envoy's obviously help these issues and that's why they exist, but they're probably there to do little more than:

1) Keep up necessary trade relations between a particular kithband and local humans and 2) Threaten humans that if they set one foot inside the forest without an escort that they'll be riddled with poisoned, barbed, razor-sharp arrows.

I imagine elves in their forests having to keep up constant patrols and be incredibly careful, watching and preparing for predators and their kin in future years, while still striving to keep a balance with the forces of nature.

Elves are in fact outsiders if I am not incorrect from my readings of the history of the Wood Elves of the Athel Loren. They are not forest creatures. They are an invasive species in the forests that just barely made enough peace to co-dwell with the forest spirits, etc. long ago.

They only live in the forests because man has taken over the other lands during the War of the Beard.

jh

Hatfield Kithband vs. McCoy Kithband:

Try reading Black Libraries Guardians of the Forest, because it gives you a great idea about the fairly deadly politics among the Wood Elves themselves, let alone the threats from outside the forest.

I was just reviewing the Spites (forest spirits) of the Wood Elves wfb ~2005. I found some interesting information just on the malevolent spirits elves need to be wary of (and sometimes ally themselves wtih in times of war):

P.60+

Terror Blights

Mischief Spites

Murder Spites

Malevolent Spites

Netlings

Luminescents

Radiants - sponges for magical enemies

Ancient Treemen

Branchwraiths (branchwraiths, dryads, branch nymphs)

Shrikes

jh

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