Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 10 Feb 2002 to 11 Feb 2002 (#2002-42) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 12/02/2002, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There is one message totalling 49 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Elven battle losses ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 10:33:26 +0200 From: Ville V Lahde Subject: Elven battle losses Some background for this mail: In our playing of the X10 module, during the week 10 of the war, the elves of Alfheim engaged the Nomads for the first time. Three elven irregular units (that's 2145 elves!) were met by a surprise assault of a Nomad army group, including 4 depleted divisions and a HQ unit. Even through the troop ratio was against the elves, their troops outclassed the nomads by far. Thus, it was no surprise that the elves prevailed. The nomads were beaten back, and in the next week the elves decimated the fleeing nomads... only 100-200 nomads escaped, scattered remnants of the 13th and 14th division. But... what struck me when playing out this battle is, that the elves of Alfheim have rarely endured such losses. This two-week engagement crippled hundreds, and about 700 elves died. Died. I starter thinking: What are the psychological and social consequences of such a loss for the elves? The long lifespans of the elves, and the small population density of Alfheim, suggest that only a few elves are born every year - compared to the rabbit-like breeding of humans and humanoids, that is. Loss of 700 lives, and the coming losses in the war (as the Glantri-Alfheim-Darokin -alliance will try to break the Darokin City siege in week 11 or 12) will thus mean that a whole generation will be wiped out. Some possible consequences: It seems to me that many elven clans rely much more on oral than written lore - this loss will mean that a lot of history is lost permanently. The isolationist clans will most likely turn even more inward, sickened to bone by the reality of the war (like the wolfriders in Elfquest, when they stormed the northern caves of the mountain trolls). Experiences on the battlefields could create a whole new generation of "loose leaves", adventuring elves who are unfit for life in the forest anymore. Or worse, some may slide to deathwish-mercenary life. I think I'll make this a major factor in the future of my campaign, and could use some additional ideas. Many of you have played out the successful shadowelf invasion of Canolbarth - did you devise anything like this? Ville ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 10 Feb 2002 to 11 Feb 2002 (#2002-42) ***************************************************************