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Help please

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
admcewen
Apr 30, 2013 12:44:56

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0

Can anyone help me with some ideas as to why an NPC Aerenal elf would be part of Morgrave university or is it a case of this would never happen?

Keith if your there, any input as well?
#2
Hellcow
Apr 30, 2013 13:13:21 Why WOULDN'T an Aereni be part of Morgrave University? it's sort of like asking if there's any reason a Japanese professor would work at MIT... it may not be his home nation, but that doesn't mean it's somehow unreasonable to work there. A few possibilities:

* It just happens to be a better job than he could get at Aerenal. Seriously, when your mortal peers live for hundreds of years and you potentially have deathless professors as well, competition for tenure is BRUTAL on Aerenal.

* He was exiled or caught up in a scandal in Aerenal and left the island to escape the shame. Perhaps he was somehow (intentionally or otherwise) responsible for the destruction of an Undying Councilor as a result of necromantic experiments he was conducting; as it was unintentional, he was simply exiled.

* He's a manipulative schemer who realized that humans were easier to manipulate than elves.

* He's not really from Aerenal at all. He was born in Wroat, but he realized that he'd have a better chance at getting the job if he was a cool Aereni elf, so he paints his face as if he has a deathmask tattoo and talks a lot about the Undying Court and the journey of life.
#3
PaladinNicolas
Apr 30, 2013 13:35:12 A few ideas I came up with on the subject (I hope they are interesting and not silly):
- She or he may be a doctor on theology who fled Aerenal after enraging fellow Aereni when he published a thesis on why worshipping ancestors is wrong from an ethical point of view and why elves should end up following the Sovereign Host.
- He may be an 'expert' on the Prophecy or a researcher on draconic behavior, which suits him so as to better understand the longstanding foes of elves in Aerenal (and, who knows, he may be a polymorphed dragon!).
- He may be an expert on ancient elven arcane technology, spells, artifacts, civilization or whatnot, Chair of the department on Elven research... who thwarts would-be successful research by other faculty members (going so far as theft and assassination?) to prevent elven secrets from being discovered.
- He may simply be an ordinary elf who poses as an academic from Aerenal so as to make a living.
- He may be a researcher on Xen'drik, trying to gather information on the history of elves during their captivity by the giants, engaging in field work examining ruins in that continent every now and then.
#4
admcewen
Apr 30, 2013 13:39:19 Thanks Keith, good point on why not, things always make sense when put to you in that way.
Like those ideas, he is from Aerenal so liking the first three the most. Here he is by the way:

www.deviantart.com/art/The-Emissary-3635...
#5
Hellcow
Apr 30, 2013 14:03:40 That's a great picture!

A few more thoughts:

* He's actually the Aereni ambassador; Morgrave convinced him to teach a single class as a way to encourage communication between the cultures.

* Tied to PN's idea, he could be a student of the Prophecy who has taken the position because he knows that it is where a particularly critical piece of the Prophecy will be determined; this particularly helps if you want him to be a patron of the PCs (or one of the PCs), as the PCs will be the critical people in that piece of the Prophecy.
#6
admcewen
May 01, 2013 2:10:21 Thanks for the help guys, they have helped me develop some ideas and made me think of new ones.
Cheers.
#7
Madfox11
May 01, 2013 3:19:31 Of course, he could also be studying humans and half-elfs and how their mortality influences their outlook on life. Or the faiths of Khorvaire and how it relates to the Aerenal's believes. Doing it from a position at Morgrave University just means he has an office and an income ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 admcewen Apr 30, 2013 12:44:56	Normal 0 Can anyone help me with some ideas as to why an NPC Aerenal elf would be part of Morgrave university or is it a case of this would never happen? Keith if your there, any input as well?
#2 Hellcow Apr 30, 2013 13:13:21	Why WOULDN'T an Aereni be part of Morgrave University? it's sort of like asking if there's any reason a Japanese professor would work at MIT... it may not be his home nation, but that doesn't mean it's somehow unreasonable to work there. A few possibilities: * It just happens to be a better job than he could get at Aerenal. Seriously, when your mortal peers live for hundreds of years and you potentially have deathless professors as well, competition for tenure is BRUTAL on Aerenal. * He was exiled or caught up in a scandal in Aerenal and left the island to escape the shame. Perhaps he was somehow (intentionally or otherwise) responsible for the destruction of an Undying Councilor as a result of necromantic experiments he was conducting; as it was unintentional, he was simply exiled. * He's a manipulative schemer who realized that humans were easier to manipulate than elves. * He's not really from Aerenal at all. He was born in Wroat, but he realized that he'd have a better chance at getting the job if he was a cool Aereni elf, so he paints his face as if he has a deathmask tattoo and talks a lot about the Undying Court and the journey of life.
#3 PaladinNicolas Apr 30, 2013 13:35:12	A few ideas I came up with on the subject (I hope they are interesting and not silly): - She or he may be a doctor on theology who fled Aerenal after enraging fellow Aereni when he published a thesis on why worshipping ancestors is wrong from an ethical point of view and why elves should end up following the Sovereign Host. - He may be an 'expert' on the Prophecy or a researcher on draconic behavior, which suits him so as to better understand the longstanding foes of elves in Aerenal (and, who knows, he may be a polymorphed dragon!). - He may be an expert on ancient elven arcane technology, spells, artifacts, civilization or whatnot, Chair of the department on Elven research... who thwarts would-be successful research by other faculty members (going so far as theft and assassination?) to prevent elven secrets from being discovered. - He may simply be an ordinary elf who poses as an academic from Aerenal so as to make a living. - He may be a researcher on Xen'drik, trying to gather information on the history of elves during their captivity by the giants, engaging in field work examining ruins in that continent every now and then.
#4 admcewen Apr 30, 2013 13:39:19	Thanks Keith, good point on why not, things always make sense when put to you in that way. Like those ideas, he is from Aerenal so liking the first three the most. Here he is by the way: www.deviantart.com/art/The-Emissary-3635...
#5 Hellcow Apr 30, 2013 14:03:40	That's a great picture! A few more thoughts: * He's actually the Aereni ambassador; Morgrave convinced him to teach a single class as a way to encourage communication between the cultures. * Tied to PN's idea, he could be a student of the Prophecy who has taken the position because he knows that it is where a particularly critical piece of the Prophecy will be determined; this particularly helps if you want him to be a patron of the PCs (or one of the PCs), as the PCs will be the critical people in that piece of the Prophecy.
#6 admcewen May 01, 2013 2:10:21	Thanks for the help guys, they have helped me develop some ideas and made me think of new ones. Cheers.
#7 Madfox11 May 01, 2013 3:19:31	Of course, he could also be studying humans and half-elfs and how their mortality influences their outlook on life. Or the faiths of Khorvaire and how it relates to the Aerenal's believes. Doing it from a position at Morgrave University just means he has an office and an income ;)