Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Caterpillar 06-20-07, 10:37 AM	As an aberation it makes them 'unnatural.' So would a druid have a problem with an Elan team mate or Elans in general. What about a city large or small mostly composed of Elans? Thanks!
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 10:40 AM	Unicorns are unnatural. As are fiends. And if fiends are unnatural, so are celestials. In fact, most things in a D&D world are unnatural. I wouldn't think that most (sane) druids would have a problem with an elan companion. Unless the elan in question pulled out Banjo the MiniMeDeity.
Caterpillar 06-20-07, 10:59 AM	Unicorns are unnatural. As are fiends. And if fiends are unnatural, so are celestials. In fact, most things in a D&D world are unnatural. I wouldn't think that most (sane) druids would have a problem with an elan companion. Unless the elan in question pulled out Banjo the MiniMeDeity. Hm, well I would say that fiends being unnatural and a direct affront to a druid is obvious, but not so much to celestials and especially not to Unicorns, they are after all magical beasts. I have been reading alot of stories about how druids abhor aberations and wondered if Elans would fall into that category any or at all.
ck2001wendt 06-20-07, 11:02 AM	Unicorns are unnatural. As are fiends. And if fiends are unnatural, so are celestials. In fact, most things in a D&D world are unnatural. What he means is that Elan have the "Aberration" type, whereas Celestials and Fiends are Outsiders and Unicorns are Magical Beasts. Within the D&D world, there is a place in the natural order for Fiends and Celestials, but Illithid or Elan stand "outside" even that fantastic (in the dictionary sense) order. Whether the Druid has a problem with them depends on the player, the character and what makes the best story from your perspective, unless there is specific mechanical text governing how Druids react to Aberrations. Another thing to think about: Similar to Liches or Vampires, Elan have used unnatural means (the Transformation) to turn themselves into Immortal creatures. Many faiths might have severe problems with such a race. So how are your Clerics reacting?
Tempest Stormwind 06-20-07, 11:04 AM	Remember that an elan can appear human with a small amount of disguise effort. I, personally, WOULD see them as offending druids. They're breaching the natural order by seeking immortality. Good luck if that druid happens to be a Gatekeeper (Eberron druid sect that obliterates aberrations like your stereotypical paladin obliterates undead). Unicorns, by the way, *are* natural in the D&D world. Magical beasts can reflect natural creatures who happen to have a spark of magic in them. The unicorn, which appears on Summon Nature's Ally, is one such creature.
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 11:05 AM	It would depend on the campaign in question, the particular druid, and whether s/he knew you were an elan before getting to know you. If you're a NG elan, and it's a NG druid, and you share the same goals, and are friends, and the druid suddenly finds out that you're not quite what he thought you were (though you never lied about it), I'm sure once he gets over his initial shock (if any), he'd likely realize that you are who you are on the inside, rather than just your physical shell. And anyway, you're still humanoid (just not of the humanoid type). [edit] But I do get your point. Then again, what about all of those critters that are likely magical experiments gone loco, such as owlbears? The elan might have been unwillingly experimented on, or might have some other fluff involved that made him the way he is without his express permission. Anyway, it's all up to the individuals and circumstances involved.
Caterpillar 06-20-07, 11:25 AM	Remember that an elan can appear human with a small amount of disguise effort. I, personally, WOULD see them as offending druids. They're breaching the natural order by seeking immortality. Good luck if that druid happens to be a Gatekeeper (Eberron druid sect that obliterates aberrations like your stereotypical paladin obliterates undead). Unicorns, by the way, *are* natural in the D&D world. Magical beasts can reflect natural creatures who happen to have a spark of magic in them. The unicorn, which appears on Summon Nature's Ally, is one such creature. I just read the Eberron book The Binding Stone and thats what mainly lead to ask this question. That and I write D&D'ish short stories for my friends, my favorite thing is that I have is an Elan/psionic city allied with druids. After reading that book it made me think more of the differences that would actually arise between the two. Posting here I thought I'd get a informed/detailed answer. So to narrow my question a little more; Tempest would you see my Elan/Druid alliance an impossibility? Thanks for the input everyone :)
Selgard 06-20-07, 11:36 AM	How does the druid know you are an aberration? They know you look human. With a/some glowing rune(s) around your head. Given the general atmosphere of the game- that doesn't necessarily equate to "He used to be a human but used magic to side step the laws of nature". It equates to him being a human. With flowing sigils above his head. I don't have the book in front of me, but I would hope that the knowledge check to get That kind of specific information would fall beyond the range of "common knowledge".
Tempest Stormwind 06-20-07, 11:39 AM	How does the druid know you are an aberration? They know you look human. With a/some glowing rune(s) around your head.That's the illumian. The elan looks completely human, except possibly a little *too* human. If they have pale skin, it's a little too pale (and in some sources has no pores). If they have green eyes, they're a little too green. If they have red hair, it's a little *too* red. Something about them *feels* unnatural, although they look almost perfectly human.
Caterpillar 06-20-07, 11:40 AM	In my setting it's actually quite common knowledge that these Elans aren't humans. Although there are alot of humans and other races that live in this city it's not a majority of Elans. What i'm saying is that the druids know that they are allied with Elans. The city is led by an eccentric Elan, with a mostly Elan staff.
ck2001wendt 06-20-07, 11:42 AM	How does the druid know you are an aberration? They know you look human. With a/some glowing rune(s) around your head. You're thinking of Illumians (sp) in Races of Destiny Tempest is correct that the default reaction of Druids (certainly NPC Druids) toward an Elan should be unfriendly or openly hostile once they discover their true nature (which they should be trying to conceal at all costs, anyway). However, PCs don't necessarily have to follow the majority opinion (which could also get the PC Druid in some trouble back home) or the PC Druid could hate Abberations as a rule, but make an "exception" for your PC because they know them personally/are "used" to them/owe them their life.
Selgard 06-20-07, 11:45 AM	annnd that's what I get for not consulting my books first. Sorry about that guys.. and thanks for correcting me. :)
El_Machinae 06-20-07, 12:38 PM	If he has trouble with Elans, then he'll blow his mind after Reincarnating his team-mate (since the Reincarnation chooses amongst creatures of the same type). The guy might come back as a mindflayer! :)
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 12:44 PM	Actually, a human can come back as a wolf. It can change your type, so your elan can come back as his old human self.
CrimsonDeath 06-20-07, 06:06 PM	Hm, well I would say that fiends being unnatural and a direct affront to a druid is obvious, but not so much to celestials and especially not to Unicorns, they are after all magical beasts. I'm not sure why you think Fiends would bother druids but Celestials wouldn't. If we assume that each of the nine alignments is equally likely to occur, there should be just as many Evil druids as Good ones. How does the druid know you are an aberration? Good point. Druids don't get Knowledge: Dungeoneering or Knowledge: Local as class skills. (They'd need the first to identify you as an aberration, or possibly the second to identify you as a nonhumanoid.) Actually, a human can come back as a wolf. It can change your type, so your elan can come back as his old human self. I don't see wolves on the humanoid Reincarnation table in the PHB-- unless your thinking of "Other (DM's Choice)", and that seems like a rather cruel choice for the DM to make. (Also somewhat impractical, since wolves don't have a listed LA.) I can't find rules for what happens when you Reincarnate a nonhumanoid... Presumably, you come back as a creature of the same type, since all the creatures on the humanoid Reincarnate table are also humanoids, but there aren't any specific rules that I can find.
angellis_ater 06-20-07, 07:12 PM	Isn't there a simple, level 1 Detect Aberration spell for Druids somewhere? Some Eberron book possibly? First time that Druid friend uses it the Elan is going to light up like a christmas tree. If you ask me, the druid should probably go batshit. These are people so throuroughly devoted to the concept of the natural world that Nature Itself responds by sharing its infinite power with the druid. Chosen Clerics, the priesthood of nature I find it very improbable that they'll just shrug over the fact that one of their friends turn out to be a monster.
Vharuck 06-20-07, 07:37 PM	Celestials and demons are natural. They just naturally occur on another plane. Now, a druid may not like them tromping around the material plane, but they can't really say they're unnatural. Aberrations are unnatural. They have no real home plane; they're not outsiders. They are just things that defy natural laws and norms.
Caterpillar 06-20-07, 08:10 PM	Isn't there a simple, level 1 Detect Aberration spell for Druids somewhere? Some Eberron book possibly? First time that Druid friend uses it the Elan is going to light up like a christmas tree. If you ask me, the druid should probably go batshit. These are people so throuroughly devoted to the concept of the natural world that Nature Itself responds by sharing its infinite power with the druid. Chosen Clerics, the priesthood of nature I find it very improbable that they'll just shrug over the fact that one of their friends turn out to be a monster. I suppose from a rules interpretation that the two wouldn't get along then. Dang.
Salla 06-20-07, 09:18 PM	I think of the Gatekeepers as being more concerned, specifically, about Xoriat and the Daelkyr rather than Aberrations en toto; there's no particular reason that any particular Gatekeeper would be inclined to have an opinion one way or the other ... he could find him 'creepy', hate him outright, or just shrug and move on. Depends on the druid.
Tyroki 06-20-07, 10:19 PM	I suppose from a rules interpretation that the two wouldn't get along then. Dang. Now the rules state exactly how characters HAVE to be personality-wise?! =3 I think not. It's up to the druid on this one. Unless the Elan character is evil, I don't think the druid should give a rats arse. Unless, it is in his personality to do so.
axenome 06-21-07, 12:08 AM	Elans ARE an aberration- and it's a very good thing for them that they take such efforts to not be noticed as such, for a number of reasons. 1) Druids. Would druids have a problem with Elans? HELL yeah. Elans would be filed right next to mind flayers, beholders, and anything with the Pseudonatural template because they are a complete violation of the natural order. 2) Clerics. Wait, wait, you say. Why clerics? Because in becoming an Elan, a human removes himself from what is a human's most motivating fear: Mortality. It is the fear of their own mortality that drives people to seek out religions, the feeling that this can't be all there is, that there is something more out there. Without that fear, the need for religion just... fades away. Why seek out a cleric for confessions when the prospect of suffering in an afterlife is not guaranteed- not, if one is careful, even neccessarily likely? Anyone familiar with Tome of Magic Binders can see the sort of reaction I'm talking about- any class or organization that threatens the position of Clerics in the overall scheme of things will be mercilessly purged. 3) Non-Humans. It's true. One of the things that many of the other races take pride in is their abillity to look down their noses and the "Short sighted, short lived" children of the D&D cosmology. Dwarves and Elves can rest secure in the rapid advancement of a human, knowing that likely as not, they'll be visiting their grave one day, with a wistful memory or a malicious chuckle. But when the rapidity of their drive and learning is applied to a body that will never die of old age, what then? It is an ENORMOUS blow to the pride of the elder races that these young upstarts could look one day upon their son and shake his head at the poor child doomed to a short life. 4) Humans. Yep, it's true. Humans not chosen for the Elan conversion, were it widely known of, would be gnawing their livers in envy. What right have THEY to deny ME eternal life? Who are they to think they should control so great a gift and bestow it only on those they think worthy? Elans are made, not born, and the rate of making is far lower than the rate of breeding of natural humans. The existance of Elans must ABSOLUTELY be kept from the general knowledge of the human race. 5) Paladins. See Cleric, but more-so. With their divinely inspired mission and their more martial bent, a paladin is even more susceptible to the lure of zealotry and inquisition than a cleric. Those are the major ones I can see right off the bat. Personally, I think Elans would rate right up there with liches in-so-far as most societies would be concerned. Except the witch hunt is usually easier because the Elan, after his conversion, tends to be vulnerable for a while.
Salla 06-21-07, 12:20 AM	Elans ARE an aberration- and it's a very good thing for them that they take such efforts to not be noticed as such, for a number of reasons. 1) Druids. Would druids have a problem with Elans? HELL yeah. Elans would be filed right next to mind flayers, beholders, and anything with the Pseudonatural template because they are a complete violation of the natural order. No, because Elans are not inherently attempting to destroy/corrupt/conquer the order. A particular Elan might, but that's an individual thing. 2) Clerics. Wait, wait, you say. Why clerics? Because in becoming an Elan, a human removes himself from what is a human's most motivating fear: Mortality. It is the fear of their own mortality that drives people to seek out religions, the feeling that this can't be all there is, that there is something more out there. Without that fear, the need for religion just... fades away. Why seek out a cleric for confessions when the prospect of suffering in an afterlife is not guaranteed- not, if one is careful, even neccessarily likely? Anyone familiar with Tome of Magic Binders can see the sort of reaction I'm talking about- any class or organization that threatens the position of Clerics in the overall scheme of things will be mercilessly purged. Eberron's cosmology and religion is significantly different from, well, THIS. Everybody in Eberron *does* go to an unpleasant place, called Dollurh, whether they were good, evil, or indifferent. 3) Non-Humans. It's true. One of the things that many of the other races take pride in is their abillity to look down their noses and the "Short sighted, short lived" children of the D&D cosmology. Dwarves and Elves can rest secure in the rapid advancement of a human, knowing that likely as not, they'll be visiting their grave one day, with a wistful memory or a malicious chuckle. But when the rapidity of their drive and learning is applied to a body that will never die of old age, what then? It is an ENORMOUS blow to the pride of the elder races that these young upstarts could look one day upon their son and shake his head at the poor child doomed to a short life. Ooh, pride. Who gives a **** about pride or egos? Especially in Eberron, where all the races (if the most popular creation myth is accurate) were created at the same time. 4) Humans. Yep, it's true. Humans not chosen for the Elan conversion, were it widely known of, would be gnawing their livers in envy. What right have THEY to deny ME eternal life? Who are they to think they should control so great a gift and bestow it only on those they think worthy? Elans are made, not born, and the rate of making is far lower than the rate of breeding of natural humans. The existance of Elans must ABSOLUTELY be kept from the general knowledge of the human race. This assumes everybody in the world *wants* eternal life. I'd be willing to bet that the number of people who would actually want that is really, really, REALLY low if they thought about it. 5) Paladins. See Cleric, but more-so. With their divinely inspired mission and their more martial bent, a paladin is even more susceptible to the lure of zealotry and inquisition than a cleric. Only a bad paladin, in the mold of 'I'll kill this eight year old starving orphan pickpocket for stealing enough money to eat on'. Those are the major ones I can see right off the bat. Personally, I think Elans would rate right up there with liches in-so-far as most societies would be concerned. Except the witch hunt is usually easier because the Elan, after his conversion, tends to be vulnerable for a while. Since Elans, unlike LIches, are not inherently evil or destructive ... I disagree.
solandras 06-21-07, 12:57 AM	I think primarily it comes down to the campaign, the specific druid, and the specific Elan. An Elan who goes around blowing stuff up and trying to destory the world, all but the most evil (and of like mind) druid would try to take down. A Elan who is a druid themselves, well they'd more than likely be okay with. But again you have to think...they are an abberation for a reason, something isn't quite natural about them. For fun though, you can mess with the fluff to bring out what isn't natural about them. Kinda like how the Lich says that they do "speakable evils" to become a Lich, thus they are all evil...well you can have define what exactly happens. For instance, I was running Ravenloft and a newer PC decided to be an Elan Psion. She wasn't really good at coming up with backgrounds and all, and pretty much needed help with everything. So I decided behind the scenes to create the way of how Elan's were made. There is this Cabal, which in this PC's case sought her out for being a VERY good cleric of the local religion. After some spying they decided that she'd make a great candidate for their uses. They ended up brutually killing her and her family, leaving their remains, but not before trapping her soul for later use. The local authorities declared it a rape/murder/looting and buried the bodies. Soon after, the Cabal destroyed most of her memories, except for very painful ones (to show her how bad her life was, and to become grateful to them) and then put her soul into a recreated body (much like a flesh golem) fueled with psionic energy. So they ended up with a loyal subject, who knew little of her past, and (in game terms) was cleared of all her past experiences so she was ready to become their newest psion. As I said before, it was a Ravenloft campaign, so it had a bite of a darker tone. But still, that shows how an Elan can be an abberation, something that shouldn't exist. Just some creative thinking and anyone can make up a reason why they should be an abberation and thus unnatural.
axenome 06-21-07, 01:28 AM	No, because Elans are not inherently attempting to destroy/corrupt/conquer the order. A particular Elan might, but that's an individual thing.. Druid class, p. 33 PHB. Topic: Adventures "Druids adventure to gain knowledge (Especially about animals and plants unfamiliar to them) and power. Sometimes their superiors call upon their services. Druids may also bring their power to bear against those who threaten what they love, which more often includes ancient stands of trees or trackless mountains than people. While druids accept that which is horrific or cruel in nature, they hate that which is unnatural, including abberations (such as beholders and carrion crawlers) and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when they encroach on the druid's territory." Note that word there, Hate. There is animosity between dwarves and elves, and they don't get along well. Hatred is the state that WotC uses to describe the relationship between Kobolds and Gnomes, or Elves and Orcs. Between Githzerai and Githyanki and Illithids. HATE. That word doesn't leave much room for interpretation. If a druid knows what an Elan is, and can identify one, he'll do his damnedest to kill it. Eberron's cosmology and religion is significantly different from, well, THIS. Everybody in Eberron *does* go to an unpleasant place, called Dollurh, whether they were good, evil, or indifferent.. This thread isn't exclusively about Eberron. And I believe you may be the first person to even mention the campaign sertting unless someone here quoted a PRC from it. But my belief regarding the probable Clerical reaction stems from the Tome of Magic Book. Page 14, NPC reactions: "The situation changes rradically when religion comes into the equation, however. The leaders of most organized religions are aware of binders to at least some degree. Most choose to keep that knowledge secret, lest the common clergy and worshippers learn of powers beyond the reach of their deities. Occasionally, a church maintains a secret arm of the organization to seek out and eradicate binders." This in reaction to a form of magic that the Deities can't aquire control over. How do YOU think they'll react to an alteration offered to whomever the Elan council deems worthy to completely remove all prior class abilities in exchange for the ability to live forever? Yonder Cleric of Obad-Hai, maybe 5 levels, feeling the onset of middle age, suddenly offered the opportunity to stave off death, possibly forever? And all it will cost him is 5 levels of cleric... Ooh, pride. Who gives a **** about pride or egos? Especially in Eberron, where all the races (if the most popular creation myth is accurate) were created at the same time.. Again, Eberron. This is NOT an Eberron thread, in-so-far as I know. And even IF they were created at the same time, a fairly universal campaign constant for any elves is their mixed pity/condescension of the shorter lived races, be it ever so slight, while a number of elves get a full Charisma penalty for this attitude taken to its logical extreme. No, you are mistaken if you think that pride and jealousy can't take hold, and I'll bet it can even in Eberron, if the NPC's are played anything like PEOPLE. This assumes everybody in the world *wants* eternal life. I'd be willing to bet that the number of people who would actually want that is really, really, REALLY low if they thought about it.. I'm willing to bet you have never seen a mob driven to violence by their desperation over what they need and can see the prosperous wallowing in. I invite you some time to watch footage of a riot, horrific acts of mass violence of things like sports or money. How much more violent would the reaction be over something like eternal life openly reserved for the elite or chosen? Regardless whether or not they REALLY would be happy with it if they had it, most people DO want to live forever. Only a bad paladin, in the mold of 'I'll kill this eight year old starving orphan pickpocket for stealing enough money to eat on'.. Unfortunately, there are a number of prestige classes that are progressable from paladin and cleric that don't just strike out at petty crimes but go so far as to kill innocent bystanders without conscience. An example I will outline is the Shadowbane Inquisitor from Complete Adventurer (p. 68, header entry) which numbers paladins among its entrants. "...[Shadowbane] Inquisitors emphasize purging evil rather than finding it. Their relentless zeal and their overwhelming belief in their own righteousness allow shadowbane inquisitors to root out evil cleanly, even if it costs the lives of a few good creatures, without the moral doubt that other knights might feel. The Order of Illumination expounds that it is better to sacrifice a village that hides a powerful demon that it is to risk letting the demon escape or the evil spread..." These may be one of the most intolerant and zealous PRC's I've found outside of the Tome of Magic, but its very presence says that this sort of zealotry is not necessarily even discouraged by their deity. One of their defining class features is a Smite attack on an opponent REGARDLESS OF ALIGNMENT. Since Elans, unlike LIches, are not inherently evil or destructive ... I disagree. As I've pointed out in my prior arguments, they do not HAVE to be destructive or inherently evil- just different, viewed as priveledged- and unable to defend themselves.
CrimsonDeath 06-21-07, 04:14 AM	I'd like to point out that some druids have an affinity for aberrations-- a Master of Many Forms can Wild Shape into an aberration, as can a Druid with the Aberration Wild Shape feat. Furthermore, nothing (mechanically) that I know of stops a Synad or a Daelkyr Halfblood or even an Illithid from becoming a Druid. Elan should get along just fine with such characters (or at least as well as anyone else would get along with them).
BloodSpill 06-21-07, 06:19 AM	And on the flipside elans wouldn't get along with druid/abolishers. In a game that I play as an elan, I don't tell the two druids in the party that I'm nonhuman. You know, just in case.
El_Machinae 06-21-07, 06:40 AM	2) Clerics. Wait, wait, you say. Why clerics? Because in becoming an Elan, a human removes himself from what is a human's most motivating fear: Mortality. It is the fear of their own mortality that drives people to seek out religions, the feeling that this can't be all there is, that there is something more out there. .... Personally, I think Elans would rate right up there with liches in-so-far as most societies would be concerned. Except the witch hunt is usually easier because the Elan, after his conversion, tends to be vulnerable for a while. :) Elans can still be killed by a roving cement truck! Hardly immortal enough to be free of our 'motivating fear'.
ck2001wendt 06-21-07, 06:59 AM	:) Elans can still be killed by a roving cement truck! Hardly immortal enough to be free of our 'motivating fear'. By the same token, a Lich or a Vampire can be killed by violence...but that doesn't make their transformed, unnatural immortality any less offensive to Clerics. What would bother Clerics about an Elan is that they have used unnatural means to prolong their lifespan indefinitely, just like a Lich. And, just like a Lich, an Elan with Astral Seed or the Clone spell and a Thought Bottle is fairly difficult to kill permamently.
angellis_ater 06-21-07, 07:28 AM	No, because Elans are not inherently attempting to destroy/corrupt/conquer the order. A particular Elan might, but that's an individual thing. Neither do Beholders, Mind Flayers or any other number of Aberrations attempting to INHERENTLY destroy/corrupt/conquer the order. Sure, a majority might, but there is no necessity. Very few aberrations have an "alignment" which is "always XXX Evil". And since you are referring to Eberron, then there would be even LESS a reason for a Gatekeeper to care about aberrations as a group. Why? Because nothing in Eberron is white/black, it's grey. There are nice mind flayers who take care of homeless children and refrain from eating brains just as there are evil angels violating animals for the fun of it. So, since, in Eberron, Gatekeepers don't make this distinction, wouldn't it be ALOT more probable that MOST of them would react with hate and disgust at the aberration hiding amongst them? It might LOOK like a human, but so does a Flayer with Metamorphosis or any other number of ways to disguise what you are. And even if that is their "normal form", they are aberrations for a reason - they are not only "out of whack" with the natural order, they are ABERRATIONS against it.
El_Machinae 06-21-07, 07:55 PM	By the same token, a Lich or a Vampire can be killed by violence...but that doesn't make their transformed, unnatural immortality any less offensive to Clerics. What would bother Clerics about an Elan is that they have used unnatural means to prolong their lifespan indefinitely, just like a Lich. And, just like a Lich, an Elan with Astral Seed or the Clone spell and a Thought Bottle is fairly difficult to kill permamently. I think clerics have a problem with the undead usually along alignment lines, though there's certainly a sub-theme of unnaturalness.
Vharuck 06-21-07, 08:49 PM	Just wanted to point out that a druid's only alignment restriction is that one axis must be neutral. So, saying that a druid would only oppose an evil aberration is wrong. They don't care about the thing's alignment; it's existence is an affront to the natural order. Good druids and evil druids will kill aberrations if they can.
Zarreth_Nessad 06-22-07, 02:57 AM	The main point to Elans is that they don't let people know they aren't human, and even when it is found out that they are a variant, their immortal life span and other abilities would not be divulged. Also, just knowing that they aren't really human, but a variant, doesn't necessarily tell that they are Aberrations, much less any other qualities they have. As far as a city of Elans go, perhaps you could have some sort of pact between them and the druid council (in whatever form that takes) where they are doing some sort of major service to nature/the cycle/etc in return for the alliance, or as part of the terms of the alliance. One example might be the restoration of some ancient forest that was destroyed, or at least severely harmed, that would take a normal human (or any other kind of druid) generations to fix. Another alternative would be have the majority of the city be humans, and the Elans generally run everything, but front themselves with humans, and when they do make appearances, have some device that they created which gives off the magical identity of being "humanoid" instead of "aberration". After all, they have theoretically had centuries to gather the control of the city, and make new Elans be the people who get the honor of being selected for the cities Council of Elders, or some such. Basically, there are always ways around things. Just use your imagination.