Questions on Undying Court [Archive] - Wizards Community

Questions on Undying Court [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
matuty74
07-30-07, 02:02 AM 1. Could a half-elf be part of the court?

2. Since the weapon of the court is a simitar, does that mean a member of the court would gain this weapon as a proficentcy feat?

3. How strong are the deathless? I mean from what the ECS Book told me it sounded like they were demi-gods.
Darth Syntax
07-30-07, 02:08 AM 1. Considering the insular (fantastic pun eh? :rolleyes: ) nature of the Aerenai I would say that the chance of a half-elf becoming a member of the court would be effectively impossible.

2. I don't think that they gain auto-scimitar focus no. However, I generally swap the standard elf longsword proficiency for scimitar when dealing with the Aerenai so they would all be familiar with it.

3. The individual Deathless vary in power but the combined power of the whole of the court is vast.
Rerecros
07-30-07, 02:10 AM 1) Unlikely, but possible. Most likey the the child of a female elf adventurer. They would actually have to of been born in Aranel. Fighting against the racial bias against you to achieve immortality would make for an interesting character.

2) I'm not sure, but I think it replaces the elve's longsword proficiently.
Too lazy to look it up and confirm ATM :P

3) They are quite powerful, at the very least strong enough to oppose the dragons of argonesson when necessary.
The Dreaming Duck
07-30-07, 04:18 PM 1. Could a half-elf be part of the court?
The implication from previous sources (the Khoravar Dragonshard, off the top of my head) is that the original elves were horrified by half-elves. I'm fairly sure I recall something about the Valenar being offended when half-elves seek to emulate a patron ancestor. So I assume it's not COMMON. With that being said, I'm sure it COULD happen... it would just be an exceptional event that might change the way in which Aereni view the Khoravar. So I think the answer is "Sure, if you want it to" - but from previous sources, I'd expect it to be rare.

2. Since the weapon of the court is a simitar, does that mean a member of the court would gain this weapon as a proficentcy feat?
I don't think so. Previous info on the UC suggests that its membership includes philosophers and artists as well as wizards and warriors. With that said, I think the idea of swapping the racial longsword proficiency for scimitar is an excellent idea and solves the problem.

How strong are the deathless? I mean from what the ECS Book told me it sounded like they were demi-gods.
Well, the stats of the common deathless - Undying Councilor, Undying Soldier, Ascendent Councilor - are presented in the ECS. I wouldn't call them demigods. What Keith Baker has said in the past (I'm too lazy to check FoE & PGtE) is that they possess godlike power when they act in concert. Individual members of the Court aren't that powerful - but when a hundred ascendant councilors work together, they can produce effects of godlike power. However, what's also been said is that this power is limited to Aerenal. Thus, they have been able to defend the island from the dragons, but they've never been able to take the fight to Argonnessen.
Hellcow
07-30-07, 04:26 PM I wouldn't call them demigods... they possess godlike power when they act in concert... However, this power is limited to Aerenal.
Correct. You're rarely supposed to see ascendant councilors; the point is that they have essentially transcended physical existence. They spend their days in contemplation from the Council Chamber in Shae Mordai; a councilor could go for weeks without physically moving or speaking. In times of war, it would be unusual for a councilor to leave Shae Mordai and physically take to the battlefield. Instead, the councilors would join their powers and souls together to strike their enemies from afar. The limits of this power are really up to the DM. If an army comes against Aerenal, the waters around the island would dash their ships against the rocks, lightning would strike from the skies, enemy spellcasters might be cut off from their powers, etc - whatever you wanted to bring into play. I wouldn't just say "All of your soldiers are instantly turned to dust" or anything quite so extreme; but you might have meteor strikes fall from the sky, densewood trees transforming into treants to strike at invaders, and so on. They have the power of Aerenal itself - but it's the power of the Court itself, not the power of individual members of the Court.

And yes, this is why the elves have been able to defend themselves from dragons, but never to take the offensive, and for that matter why the Aereni have never had much interest in colonization or expansion. Aerenal is their holy land, where they are protected by the Undying Court.
Bluebrush
07-30-07, 04:49 PM 1. Could a half-elf be part of the court?I'd suggest it's possible, but such an elf would have to be exceptionally exceptional, beyond the "normal" undying court members, and would have years of societal rejection against him.

So essentially "Yes, but they'd be the first."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
matuty74 07-30-07, 02:02 AM	1. Could a half-elf be part of the court? 2. Since the weapon of the court is a simitar, does that mean a member of the court would gain this weapon as a proficentcy feat? 3. How strong are the deathless? I mean from what the ECS Book told me it sounded like they were demi-gods.
Darth Syntax 07-30-07, 02:08 AM	1. Considering the insular (fantastic pun eh? :rolleyes: ) nature of the Aerenai I would say that the chance of a half-elf becoming a member of the court would be effectively impossible. 2. I don't think that they gain auto-scimitar focus no. However, I generally swap the standard elf longsword proficiency for scimitar when dealing with the Aerenai so they would all be familiar with it. 3. The individual Deathless vary in power but the combined power of the whole of the court is vast.
Rerecros 07-30-07, 02:10 AM	1) Unlikely, but possible. Most likey the the child of a female elf adventurer. They would actually have to of been born in Aranel. Fighting against the racial bias against you to achieve immortality would make for an interesting character. 2) I'm not sure, but I think it replaces the elve's longsword proficiently. Too lazy to look it up and confirm ATM :P 3) They are quite powerful, at the very least strong enough to oppose the dragons of argonesson when necessary.
The Dreaming Duck 07-30-07, 04:18 PM	1. Could a half-elf be part of the court? The implication from previous sources (the Khoravar Dragonshard, off the top of my head) is that the original elves were horrified by half-elves. I'm fairly sure I recall something about the Valenar being offended when half-elves seek to emulate a patron ancestor. So I assume it's not COMMON. With that being said, I'm sure it COULD happen... it would just be an exceptional event that might change the way in which Aereni view the Khoravar. So I think the answer is "Sure, if you want it to" - but from previous sources, I'd expect it to be rare. 2. Since the weapon of the court is a simitar, does that mean a member of the court would gain this weapon as a proficentcy feat? I don't think so. Previous info on the UC suggests that its membership includes philosophers and artists as well as wizards and warriors. With that said, I think the idea of swapping the racial longsword proficiency for scimitar is an excellent idea and solves the problem. How strong are the deathless? I mean from what the ECS Book told me it sounded like they were demi-gods. Well, the stats of the common deathless - Undying Councilor, Undying Soldier, Ascendent Councilor - are presented in the ECS. I wouldn't call them demigods. What Keith Baker has said in the past (I'm too lazy to check FoE & PGtE) is that they possess godlike power when they act in concert. Individual members of the Court aren't that powerful - but when a hundred ascendant councilors work together, they can produce effects of godlike power. However, what's also been said is that this power is limited to Aerenal. Thus, they have been able to defend the island from the dragons, but they've never been able to take the fight to Argonnessen.
Hellcow 07-30-07, 04:26 PM	I wouldn't call them demigods... they possess godlike power when they act in concert... However, this power is limited to Aerenal. Correct. You're rarely supposed to see ascendant councilors; the point is that they have essentially transcended physical existence. They spend their days in contemplation from the Council Chamber in Shae Mordai; a councilor could go for weeks without physically moving or speaking. In times of war, it would be unusual for a councilor to leave Shae Mordai and physically take to the battlefield. Instead, the councilors would join their powers and souls together to strike their enemies from afar. The limits of this power are really up to the DM. If an army comes against Aerenal, the waters around the island would dash their ships against the rocks, lightning would strike from the skies, enemy spellcasters might be cut off from their powers, etc - whatever you wanted to bring into play. I wouldn't just say "All of your soldiers are instantly turned to dust" or anything quite so extreme; but you might have meteor strikes fall from the sky, densewood trees transforming into treants to strike at invaders, and so on. They have the power of Aerenal itself - but it's the power of the Court itself, not the power of individual members of the Court. And yes, this is why the elves have been able to defend themselves from dragons, but never to take the offensive, and for that matter why the Aereni have never had much interest in colonization or expansion. Aerenal is their holy land, where they are protected by the Undying Court.
Bluebrush 07-30-07, 04:49 PM	1. Could a half-elf be part of the court?I'd suggest it's possible, but such an elf would have to be exceptionally exceptional, beyond the "normal" undying court members, and would have years of societal rejection against him. So essentially "Yes, but they'd be the first."