Brainstorming - Elves

[Muskrat]

That sounds fine. I think Reluctant Follower of Dreams (who is a she) would only have been at this haven for a few years--the minimum amount necessary for a paladin's training. The thing is, Dreams never wanted to be a paladin--she wanted to be a scholar--but the Frostlings attacked and destroyed much of the haven where she was living, including the library and her betrothed. This drove her to become a paladin, something the Elders had been telling her she should do, but she resisted. So she may know your character, Wayloss, but not necessarily well.

I was thinking that the Elohim could be somewhat distrustful of sorcerers in general, even those with the arcane, celestial and fey bloodlines. They don't trust them because their abilities are not a result of study (like wizards), intense training (like monks), or a connection with the gods (like clerics and paladins) or nature (like druids and rangers), but raw, undisciplined power. (At least, the Elohim see it as undisciplined.)

What about the Holy Order of the Watchful Sword (Seylin-Na'hos-Kirriel) for the name of the Elohim paladin order? And Haven of the Graceful Oaks (Quorris-Ellellenlocrier) for the haven's name? ("Quorris" would be the word for "Haven".)

[Vardaen]

I totally love both names for the haven and the knights.

Alrighty so some background here for Dreams (I'm simply not typing out Reluctant Follower of Dreams every time in the OOC threads) that ties into the havens.

She does her scholarly thing, in a northern Haven. Its attacked by Frostling, and destroyed, she is forced to move south to another one where her Paladin training begins, (not a huge one, but one the Paladin's have) she undergoes her final tests, but has not visited the Watchful Sword's main stronghold to be offically knighted yet. It gives us a nice prelude adventure -- travel to that haven for your cerimony.

[Wayloss]

This haven would also have to be a place of either great introspection or magical study as a place to keep my elf.

[Vardaen]

I'm thinking that with a strong knigtly presense they feel its safer to keep you there Wayloss as they can keep an eye on you and your 'affliction'.

[Muskrat]

"Dreams" for short is fine. I'm expecting that will be her nickname--not even the Elohim are going to want to use someone's full, long, poetic name every time they talk to or about them.

[Muskrat]

I was wondering what you saw your elves looking like. Specifically, are they shorter or taller than humans? Also, is there any particular range of skin, hair and eye colors you see them as having? I don't won't to contradict the facts you've established for the world when I figure out Dreams' appearance.

[Wayloss]

I went with pathfinder which is the till skinny elfs...

[Vardaen]

I picture these elves are a bit Tolkien'esk. Using the Pathfinder rules seems to work, tall and thin. They could range in complextion and hair and eyes as much as humans do.

There are no Drow looking elves.

[Muskrat]

While thinking about what my character would look like, I came up with a symbol for the Holy Order of the Watchful Sword: A sword with an eye on its hilt, flanked on either side by the holy symbols of Junil and Lugus. Or, if that's too complicated, just the sword with the eye, which can serve as the Order's holy symbol. I imagine that, while the vast majority of members are paladins, there are probably some clerics as well and maybe some members of other classes. The Order is a bit more centralized than most Elohim organizations, with a clear headquarters and overarching leadership. In general keeping with the way the Elohim do things though, the leadership council is elected from among the elders of the Order.

[Muskrat]

More thoughts on Elohim society--they occurred to me after I wondered how a lawful character would refer to the laws in a society like the Elohim's. One of the pillars of Elohim society is the Traditions, the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of the Elders. They are elaborate records of them and they include things like records of oral teachings; works written by Elders; records of trials and the like, with the reasons given for the Elders' rulings; wise sayings; theological speculation; historical records written by Elders; etc. I suppose different schools of thought will emphasize the work of some key Elders more than others--but that's probably more than we need to get into for game purposes. Another key pillar of Elohim society are the Assemblies, where the population of a haven as a whole comes together to deliberate and debate new laws and to alter and repeal existing ones. The Traditions and respect for the Elders represent the more lawful aspects of Elohim society, the Assemblies the more chaotic. Different individuals and groups may emphasize one over the other (the Watchful Sword, being a group of paladins, certainly emphasizes the Traditions), but almost all Elohim recognize the importance of both--the need for some sort of balance between order and chaos, tradition and innovation, laws and freedom.

I also thought I might try to follow Eanwulf's example and systematize the suggestions I made for the Elven language.

Allareia-Nosaki-na'Tirris Arrasul-Elassyrin-el'Tirion: Relcutant Follower of Dreams of the Dancers in the Glade Clan

Quorris-na'Tiraglass-Nastul: Haven of the Nine Water Falls

Quorris-na'Ellellen-Locrier: Haven of the Graceful Oaks

Seylin-na'Hos-Kirriel: Holy Order of the Watchful Sword

Elven is one of those languages where the adjective follows the noun, so "allareia" means "follower," "nosaki" reluctant; "hos" means sword, "kirriel" watchful.

"Na'" means "of," "el'" means "in."

"Quorris" means "haven."

"Arrasul" indicates a Clan name--I guess it could be interpreted as "of the Clan of."