Thoughts on Elven Population Numbers
by GreenbrierI decided to take a look at elven population numbers to see if I could come up with an explanation -
Alfheim (Gaz 5 pg. 31) 75,000 ("very approximate") in 23,500 square miles
Shiye-Lawr (PWA 1 pg. 76) 55,000 (I couldn't find any population given for S-L in DotE) in 91,785 square miles
So at first glance Shiye-Lawr appears very underpopulated, with 20,000 fewer elves in over 4 times the territory. But considering their origin as one clan that Eiryndul led away from the others, one would think they started with similar numbers to ONE of the other major clans who ended up in Alfheim. So in Shiye-Lawr one clan has grown to 55,000 elves, while in Alfheim 7 clans together (or 6 if you go back far enough, as the Red Arrow clan split off from Mealidil) have only managed 20,000 more elves.
It's even worse if you consider the info in Gaz 5 about the population of Alfheim Town, which is 15,000 with only 3,000 of those being elves (pg. 25). So that brings total approximate elven population of Alfheim down to 63,000. Then page 37 tells us that the country's population includes 20,000 elves in minor clans who range in size from 500 to 4,000 elves. So there are really only 43,000 elves divided by 7 to get to the size of one major clan, which way back when should have had a comparable number of elves to the Shiye clan.
43,000 / 7 = 6,143
That is a huge difference, with the Shiye elves having over 9 times the population of a single Alfheim major clan. We are also told that like the Shiye, the Callarii elves of Karameikos split off during the migration from the Sylvan Realm to Alfheim. So what does their population look like?
Callarii (Gaz 1 pg. 6) 7,500 ("a reasonable guess")
Their 7,500 elves lines up nicely with a major Alfheim clan, since Gaz 5 didn't break down clan numbers that I know of, some of the 7 may be that large or even larger. Like the Alfheim elves, the Callarii are followers of Ilsundal.
Cthuludrew also mentioned emigration, so lets look at that. Many Shiye elves have moved to Alphatian-ruled Norwold, with PWA 1 saying that Norwold has 6,000 who are "Shiye-Lawr elves from the continent of Alphatia." (pg. 64). The Callarii have remained in Karameikos, but Alfheim itself also had an emigration when the Erewan faction of the Erendyl clan split off in AC 700 and moved to Glantri. So how does their population look?
Erewan (Gaz 3 pg. 11) 26,920 in 1,288 square miles
We're told in Gaz 5 that the Erewan faction left Alfheim 300 years ago, but to my knowledge we aren't told anywhere in canon how many elves left. Clan Erendyl still exists though and remains the ruling clan, so I think it almost has to be half or less. We also don't know how much of the 26,920 population of Erewan is sylvan elves vs. humans or even Belcadiz elves (despite their rivalry, some Belcadiz no doubt stayed in the area when Erewan seceded from the original combined elven principality). The Erewan elves are said to be more forest-oriented and less integrated with the humans of Glantri than the Belcadiz are though, so it is likely that Erewan has a majority sylvan elf population at a minimum. Even if we assumed that only half of the population (13,460) of Erewan is made up of Erewan elves, it would still be double the size of our average major Alfheim clan and that surely indicates higher growth rates once the Erewan came to Glantri, given the unlikelihood that a faction of one Alfheim clan migrated here in such numbers.
So I blame Ilsundal, at least in part. Probably trying to keep populations low so as to live in harmony with nature, and perhaps harkening back to the olden days in the Sylvan Realm. Gaz 5 pg. 7 says of life in the Sylvan Realm that "[l]ow birth rates kept the elves deep within their forests for centuries. Nevertheless, their population finally grew to the extent that they needed new lands if they were to maintain their wide-ranging forester lifestyles." The Alfheim clans and Callarii elves are known to have Trees of Life, follow Ilsundal, and they have smaller populations than the other elves. The Erewan also have a Tree of Life, but living in Glantri their devotion to Ilsundal has surely waned a bit as open religion would have been tantamount to suicide.
Ilsundal's preference seems to be for gathering his people into a unified nation of their own, away from the other races. Both the Sylvan Realm and Alfheim fit this mold. The Callarii don't have their own nation-state, or even a dominion within Karameikos, but they're largely left alone there and allowed by the Duke to rule their territory as they see fit. Like the Alfheim elves created Alfheim Town for trading, the Callarii have the town of Rifllian where other races can traffic with the elves without needing to venture into their forests. And the Callarii seem content with and unthreatened by the status quo, as evidenced by their support of the Duke through the Elvenguard. They don't seem to WANT an elven barony, which may be Ilsundal's way of keeping them from getting embroiled in human politics even within the human realm of Karameikos. Gaz 1 pg. 11 says that elf lords have "never asked that their titles be reaffirmed by the human Duke", and goes on to say that an elven character at name level may "build his stronghold without all the rigamarole of dealing with the Duke if (a) he has the customary clan permission and (b) he build it within the lands already associated with that nonhuman clan".
In contrast, the Erewan and Shiye elves have carved out places for themselves within human dominated realms and they are directly involved in the politics of those lands. Shiye-Lawr is a Kingdom within the Alphatian Empire, and they wouldn't likely be a kingdom if they only had 6,500 elves. That wouldn't be nearly enough to defend their forest, especially with a neighbor like Blackheart. But the Shiye are numerous and powerful enough that they aren't just lurking quietly in their forest kingdom - Shiye resistance (prompted by Eiryndul) to the war with Glantri was cited as a problem for Alphatia during WotI, and King Acroshiye is the first king listed as questioning Empress Eriadna if the Alphatian Empire still needs to exist after the continent awakens in the Hollow World (PWA 1 pg. 186). Erewan is one of the 10 (in AC 1000) Principalities of Glantri, and also has two allied lesser dominions (Soth-Kabree and Nathrat). They've adopted some human ways to survive in a human land, such as marriage, dynastic succession, and larger families. Success in Glantrian politics requires more elves who can win dominions and move up the noble ladder, and elves to migrate to these new dominions and plant forests, grow wildlife populations, etc. Having a sizable enough population to compete in the political game with more numerous humans is the only way the elves can steer national policy to their liking, and ultimately the only way they can keep their people safe in Glantri.
I think Robin's idea fits in nicely here -
Robin wrote:
Gazeteer suggest increments of growth numbrs among the various elves in different periods (mostly after settling a new region abundant of food) so Here I suggest (and this is only a suggestion) to increase the offspring to a 1-6 children in the first decades after settling a new fertile regionI think this makes a lot of sense, and I'd expand it further to suggest that the elves are capable of picking up the pace long-term and settling into a "competitive birthrate" when circumstances make that necessary. This might happen naturally, be decided upon as a policy by clan leaders, or be subtly suggested by the elven immortals. But however it happens it seems it does, as the Shiye & Erewan elves have grown their populations much faster than those elves who didn't need to play human political games in Alfheim and Karameikos. One last example of elves with a competitive birthrate -
Wendar (PWA 1 pg. 87) 208,000 (pop. of 416,000 "about half elvish and human") in 78,170 square miles
In Wendar there are more elves than all the others we've looked at so far put together, but they've also been there longer. It is striking to see though that the human & elven populations here are basically equal, which fits the idea of Wendar as a peaceful biracial realm perfectly. Religion may also play a role here, as the Wendarian elves primarily venerate the Korrigans.
So in conclusion, I see at least two major factors affecting whether or not a group of elves will have higher birthrates. First is religion, with elves who primarily venerate an immortal other than Ilsundal (Shiye-Lawr, Wendar) or are less openly devout (Erewan) showing higher birthrates. Second is political, with elves who find themselves living within human political structures (Shiye-Lawr, Wendar, Erewan) showing higher birthrates in order to somewhat "keep up" and maintain their power there.