An Odd Elf Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

An Odd Elf Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Maskanodel
06-28-03, 03:42 PM I have a question thats rather odd, but needs to asked nonetheless. I hope someone out there can help me.

Just how long is the gestation period? Is it longer then 9 months because of their longer then normal lifes?

If anybody can help me, thanks.
Kuje31
06-28-03, 04:21 PM Originally posted by Maskanodel
I have a question thats rather odd, but needs to asked nonetheless. I hope someone out there can help me.

Just how long is the gestation period? Is it longer then 9 months because of their longer then normal lifes?

If anybody can help me, thanks.

The Complete Book of Elves said it is two years. A Dragon article (:)) for 3e said it is one year. Me I still use that it is two years.
Garnet Hardeon
06-28-03, 05:04 PM Ick. A 2 year pregnancy?!? I'd go nuts. No wonder some elven women still go adventuring even though they're pregnant---they'd only begin to "show" at the end of their first trimester...in this case, 8 months.
Pystian
06-29-03, 12:47 AM Yeah, I like eight months better too. Seems somehow appropriate.
Kuje31
06-29-03, 12:58 AM Originally posted by Pystian
Yeah, I like eight months better too. Seems somehow appropriate.

Did you read that right? He said they wont begin to SHOW until they are EIGHT months, not that the child will be BORN at eight months...........
Pystian
06-29-03, 01:05 AM I read it right and typed totally wrong.

What I meant to say was that I prefer two years.
Kuje31
06-29-03, 01:35 AM Originally posted by Pystian
I read it right and typed totally wrong.

What I meant to say was that I prefer two years.

Ah. :). Was just checking. :angel:
Silvertongue
06-29-03, 02:26 PM Originally posted by Garnet Hardeon
Ick. A 2 year pregnancy?!? I'd go nuts. No wonder some elven women still go adventuring even though they're pregnant---they'd only begin to "show" at the end of their first trimester...in this case, 8 months.

Do they still adventure when pregnant? I only ask as elves have very few pregnacies in their extremely long life spans and surely, the risk involved is just not worth it.
Also I am considering allowing one of my characters to become pregnant, God willing, and was of the attitude that she would take a complete break from adventuring. Just curious.
:)
Ranger REG
06-29-03, 03:20 PM What I want to know is, when do they start showing?

BTW, I know that they are a long-lived race with a long-lived patience attitude so to them a 2-year pregnancy is probably equivalent of a human's 9-month pregnancy, but they don't bear as many children as we would, correct?

If that is the case, shouldn't the expecting elf mother be more careful and think about going on adventures?
Garnet Hardeon
07-02-03, 07:50 AM It's happened before, but admittedly, under sucky circumstances.

SPOILERS from the following Novels: Evermeet: Island of the Elves and Elfshadow.)

Qilue Veladorn's mother (I forget her name, though I can safely say that I got this information from 2nd Ed's Heroes' Lorebook FR accessory), ventured out from the Underdark pregnant, but her child was stillborn thanks to the rigors of travel. She would've died had Eilistraee not intervened, though the child was replaced by the supposed to be youngest Silverhand. Mystra was in trouble too since there were complications. The two goddesses made an arrangement/agreement and that's why Qilue is Chosen to both goddesses, and ended up drow to boot.

Princess Amnestria Moonflower of Evermeet (Z'beryl of Evereska) was another adventuring mother-to-be; of course, this happened mostly because she felt that her betrothed, Elaith Craulnober, jilted her upon his rejection by his family moonblade. She followed him, pregnant, though her brother Lamruil didn't want her to. She got more incentive to follow Elaith upon learning that he was willing to ransack elven tombs with a human adventuring company for the profit. She set off to stop him, and succeeded with the help of the ranger-Harper Bran Skorlsun. She gave birth on the way back and left the child to secret fosterage, as she didn't want Elaith to know about his child. (The adventure also resulted in a love match between Moonflower and Skorlsun, and resulted in a child, Arilyn.)

So elven women can adventure when pregnant, and have when they had to. Though I agree that they probably wouldn't do that under normal circumstances, and would prefer safety for their children.
Dungeon_Master
07-02-03, 06:03 PM Here's another question: Elves are unevesally shown (Tolkien, fantasy books/games) to be thin. Not "I starve myself to death and eat nothing but bad tasting liquid, once a week thank you" thin, but "I keep in good shape" thin. Er, well, you know what I mean? Yet, they feast fairly often, and seldom become drunk from excess of wine. Here's my theory on that:

Elve's bodies are basically super food processors. Much like the way they gather food, their bodies are able to process about anything organic, using all of said food/drink eaten.

Just my guess. I'd place the gestation period at about a year to a year and a half. 2 years seems a bit long.

Also, I would make twins extremely rare, and triplets unheard of.
Ovim Ironstar
07-05-03, 05:40 PM there's an unofficial net book you can do a yahoo search for called the guide to carnal knowledge. it is 2e but has gestaion and such in standard time...i use it and just dont use the stats for things like mood swing, and other such things.
Dungeon_Master
07-06-03, 07:12 PM Errrrmmm........ Some parents might not be happy about their children or adolescents reading that, Ironstar.
Maybe it would be best to argue about this amongst ourselves like we have been?

Wizards did a BOOK on that? Well, then again, maybe they should put things like that in next time they do anything like Races of Faerun.

P.S.: Do you think an elf/tallfellow halfling cross is possible? I do, I just want to know what you think. Keep in mind: Tallfellows average 4 1/2-51/2 foot tall.
Ovim Ironstar
07-07-03, 03:23 PM As a possibility, yeah....a rare one to be sure...but definately interesting...which parent would he take after since that's the racial abilities he'd aquire according to races of faerun.
Dungeon_Master
07-07-03, 04:54 PM That's my current character: halfling/elf rouge. He's 5'4", has halfling ability adjustments, can use weapons as if he were medium sized, but carries as if small. He takes more after the elven parent (I'm trying to decide whether this should be from his parents, or have his grandfather a halfling and his mother a elf, and have it skip a generation to him). If you have any suggestions, I'm open to them.
Garnet Hardeon
07-07-03, 04:58 PM Hmmmmm....elf-halfling tallfellow. Interesting. What's his background? Would love to hear it.

I would imagine he's great in a fight that involves missile weapons. :)

As to parentage...let his father be an elf, and let his mother be a halfling. I would imagine someone who looks like Lidda (as my cousin once said, Lidda was pretty hot for a shorty) grabbed the eye of an errant elf youth.
Green Elven Vampire
07-07-03, 09:49 PM Indeed I'd say a year since CbOe was soooooo not Forgotten Realms
Dungeon_Master
07-07-03, 10:01 PM Originally posted by Garnet Hardeon
Hmmmmm....elf-halfling tallfellow. Interesting. What's his background? Would love to hear it.

I would imagine he's great in a fight that involves missile weapons. :)

As to parentage...let his father be an elf, and let his mother be a halfling. I would imagine someone who looks like Lidda (as my cousin once said, Lidda was pretty hot for a shorty) grabbed the eye of an errant elf youth.

I sont know. A few other paths I'm considering:

father halfling/mother elf

mother half elf/halfling, father halfling

I'm considering having at least one of his parents deceased, but I need to establish his parents race first before I do that.

He'd be about 19-20, and so far, I've got his prsonality worked out a bit:

think somewhere between Merry and Pippin. He's funny (generally without meaning to be), though generally serious. In other words, he takes life seriously, but knows how/when to have fun. I'm still working on it though. He's fascinated by elves (esspecially the Avariel fighter in the group). He's intelligent (18 int) and dexteritous (20 dex).

Like I said, I'm open to any suggestions.
Druxus Rhym
07-08-03, 08:54 PM I don't think an elve/tellfellow is possible as all races can't inter-breed.....unless of if magic is invovled then anything is possible.
Dungeon_Master
07-08-03, 10:08 PM Why couldn't an elf/tallfellow cross work? Tallfellows can be around 5 feet, can't they? About the size of an elf.
Andion Isurand
07-09-03, 03:48 AM Mammalian gestation periods have little to do with their lifespans.

The duration is usually based on the physical size of their kind.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Maskanodel 06-28-03, 03:42 PM	I have a question thats rather odd, but needs to asked nonetheless. I hope someone out there can help me. Just how long is the gestation period? Is it longer then 9 months because of their longer then normal lifes? If anybody can help me, thanks.
Kuje31 06-28-03, 04:21 PM	Originally posted by Maskanodel I have a question thats rather odd, but needs to asked nonetheless. I hope someone out there can help me. Just how long is the gestation period? Is it longer then 9 months because of their longer then normal lifes? If anybody can help me, thanks. The Complete Book of Elves said it is two years. A Dragon article (:)) for 3e said it is one year. Me I still use that it is two years.
Garnet Hardeon 06-28-03, 05:04 PM	Ick. A 2 year pregnancy?!? I'd go nuts. No wonder some elven women still go adventuring even though they're pregnant---they'd only begin to "show" at the end of their first trimester...in this case, 8 months.
Pystian 06-29-03, 12:47 AM	Yeah, I like eight months better too. Seems somehow appropriate.
Kuje31 06-29-03, 12:58 AM	Originally posted by Pystian Yeah, I like eight months better too. Seems somehow appropriate. Did you read that right? He said they wont begin to SHOW until they are EIGHT months, not that the child will be BORN at eight months...........
Pystian 06-29-03, 01:05 AM	I read it right and typed totally wrong. What I meant to say was that I prefer two years.
Kuje31 06-29-03, 01:35 AM	Originally posted by Pystian I read it right and typed totally wrong. What I meant to say was that I prefer two years. Ah. :). Was just checking. :angel:
Silvertongue 06-29-03, 02:26 PM	Originally posted by Garnet Hardeon Ick. A 2 year pregnancy?!? I'd go nuts. No wonder some elven women still go adventuring even though they're pregnant---they'd only begin to "show" at the end of their first trimester...in this case, 8 months. Do they still adventure when pregnant? I only ask as elves have very few pregnacies in their extremely long life spans and surely, the risk involved is just not worth it. Also I am considering allowing one of my characters to become pregnant, God willing, and was of the attitude that she would take a complete break from adventuring. Just curious. :)
Ranger REG 06-29-03, 03:20 PM	What I want to know is, when do they start showing? BTW, I know that they are a long-lived race with a long-lived patience attitude so to them a 2-year pregnancy is probably equivalent of a human's 9-month pregnancy, but they don't bear as many children as we would, correct? If that is the case, shouldn't the expecting elf mother be more careful and think about going on adventures?
Garnet Hardeon 07-02-03, 07:50 AM	It's happened before, but admittedly, under sucky circumstances. SPOILERS from the following Novels: Evermeet: Island of the Elves and Elfshadow.) Qilue Veladorn's mother (I forget her name, though I can safely say that I got this information from 2nd Ed's Heroes' Lorebook FR accessory), ventured out from the Underdark pregnant, but her child was stillborn thanks to the rigors of travel. She would've died had Eilistraee not intervened, though the child was replaced by the supposed to be youngest Silverhand. Mystra was in trouble too since there were complications. The two goddesses made an arrangement/agreement and that's why Qilue is Chosen to both goddesses, and ended up drow to boot. Princess Amnestria Moonflower of Evermeet (Z'beryl of Evereska) was another adventuring mother-to-be; of course, this happened mostly because she felt that her betrothed, Elaith Craulnober, jilted her upon his rejection by his family moonblade. She followed him, pregnant, though her brother Lamruil didn't want her to. She got more incentive to follow Elaith upon learning that he was willing to ransack elven tombs with a human adventuring company for the profit. She set off to stop him, and succeeded with the help of the ranger-Harper Bran Skorlsun. She gave birth on the way back and left the child to secret fosterage, as she didn't want Elaith to know about his child. (The adventure also resulted in a love match between Moonflower and Skorlsun, and resulted in a child, Arilyn.) So elven women can adventure when pregnant, and have when they had to. Though I agree that they probably wouldn't do that under normal circumstances, and would prefer safety for their children.
Dungeon_Master 07-02-03, 06:03 PM	Here's another question: Elves are unevesally shown (Tolkien, fantasy books/games) to be thin. Not "I starve myself to death and eat nothing but bad tasting liquid, once a week thank you" thin, but "I keep in good shape" thin. Er, well, you know what I mean? Yet, they feast fairly often, and seldom become drunk from excess of wine. Here's my theory on that: Elve's bodies are basically super food processors. Much like the way they gather food, their bodies are able to process about anything organic, using all of said food/drink eaten. Just my guess. I'd place the gestation period at about a year to a year and a half. 2 years seems a bit long. Also, I would make twins extremely rare, and triplets unheard of.
Ovim Ironstar 07-05-03, 05:40 PM	there's an unofficial net book you can do a yahoo search for called the guide to carnal knowledge. it is 2e but has gestaion and such in standard time...i use it and just dont use the stats for things like mood swing, and other such things.
Dungeon_Master 07-06-03, 07:12 PM	Errrrmmm........ Some parents might not be happy about their children or adolescents reading that, Ironstar. Maybe it would be best to argue about this amongst ourselves like we have been? Wizards did a BOOK on that? Well, then again, maybe they should put things like that in next time they do anything like Races of Faerun. P.S.: Do you think an elf/tallfellow halfling cross is possible? I do, I just want to know what you think. Keep in mind: Tallfellows average 4 1/2-51/2 foot tall.
Ovim Ironstar 07-07-03, 03:23 PM	As a possibility, yeah....a rare one to be sure...but definately interesting...which parent would he take after since that's the racial abilities he'd aquire according to races of faerun.
Dungeon_Master 07-07-03, 04:54 PM	That's my current character: halfling/elf rouge. He's 5'4", has halfling ability adjustments, can use weapons as if he were medium sized, but carries as if small. He takes more after the elven parent (I'm trying to decide whether this should be from his parents, or have his grandfather a halfling and his mother a elf, and have it skip a generation to him). If you have any suggestions, I'm open to them.
Garnet Hardeon 07-07-03, 04:58 PM	Hmmmmm....elf-halfling tallfellow. Interesting. What's his background? Would love to hear it. I would imagine he's great in a fight that involves missile weapons. :) As to parentage...let his father be an elf, and let his mother be a halfling. I would imagine someone who looks like Lidda (as my cousin once said, Lidda was pretty hot for a shorty) grabbed the eye of an errant elf youth.
Green Elven Vampire 07-07-03, 09:49 PM	Indeed I'd say a year since CbOe was soooooo not Forgotten Realms
Dungeon_Master 07-07-03, 10:01 PM	Originally posted by Garnet Hardeon Hmmmmm....elf-halfling tallfellow. Interesting. What's his background? Would love to hear it. I would imagine he's great in a fight that involves missile weapons. :) As to parentage...let his father be an elf, and let his mother be a halfling. I would imagine someone who looks like Lidda (as my cousin once said, Lidda was pretty hot for a shorty) grabbed the eye of an errant elf youth. I sont know. A few other paths I'm considering: father halfling/mother elf mother half elf/halfling, father halfling I'm considering having at least one of his parents deceased, but I need to establish his parents race first before I do that. He'd be about 19-20, and so far, I've got his prsonality worked out a bit: think somewhere between Merry and Pippin. He's funny (generally without meaning to be), though generally serious. In other words, he takes life seriously, but knows how/when to have fun. I'm still working on it though. He's fascinated by elves (esspecially the Avariel fighter in the group). He's intelligent (18 int) and dexteritous (20 dex). Like I said, I'm open to any suggestions.
Druxus Rhym 07-08-03, 08:54 PM	I don't think an elve/tellfellow is possible as all races can't inter-breed.....unless of if magic is invovled then anything is possible.
Dungeon_Master 07-08-03, 10:08 PM	Why couldn't an elf/tallfellow cross work? Tallfellows can be around 5 feet, can't they? About the size of an elf.
Andion Isurand 07-09-03, 03:48 AM	Mammalian gestation periods have little to do with their lifespans. The duration is usually based on the physical size of their kind.