Elves - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Elves

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dragontooth
Sep 16, 2003 23:15:55 Throughout all the Dragonlance books I've read Krynn Elves are described as having low birth rate, or low fertility. With what has been happening with the Elves I wonder if the gods of good will increase their fertility for higher birth rate?

Much like Moradin did for the Shield Dwarves on Faerun. I think it was Moradin anyways.
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2003 23:35:05 What an odd and interesting question....

Elves have traditionally had low birth rate and due to the fact that they are now a people in chaos with danger on every door it'd make sense for the birth rate to be pumped up to help the poor blighters out.

But that is against Gilean's Modus Operandi. Gilean is now the head of the pantheon and the keeper of the balance. By helping the elves he would be affecting the balance with his hand, trying to tip the scales as it were. This seems unlikely for the God of Neutrality to do, but then it also seems like just what he'd do.

If the Elves were to wane in power to the point of near extinction, Gilean would step in. The elves being the principal force for good among the three main races, if they were lost there would be much imbalance. But he also has to let things go as they do. the Ogres fell into horrible decline and noone seemed to help them survive. None of the gods tried to keep them an active force for evil. Perhaps it is time for the pendulum to swing the other way. The elves will survive, for the loss of the entire race would horribley unbalance the world. But I do not believe that the gods would actively help them regain their former glory. Mishakal may give her husband's chosn race some help but there will be little divine sweltering in the ranks of elves.

And because I haven't said it enough... BALANCE!
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2003 0:22:28 -Oops Double Post-
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2003 2:47:22 The reason the gods did not help the ogres is because the ppl of Ansalon were constantly being screwed over by war. It just never stops.
#5
cam_banks
Sep 17, 2003 8:14:34
Originally posted by L33t Angel
But that is against Gilean's Modus Operandi. Gilean is now the head of the pantheon and the keeper of the balance. By helping the elves he would be affecting the balance with his hand, trying to tip the scales as it were. This seems unlikely for the God of Neutrality to do, but then it also seems like just what he'd do.

Gilean's the head of the Neutral pantheon, as he always has been, and wouldn't have any more influence now over the elves than he had previously. He's neither the head of the Good pantheon nor the patron of the elves, so their fate is probably up to Mishakal and Branchala.

Cheers,
Cam
#6
rosisha
Sep 17, 2003 10:17:12 Actually I don't think anyone needs to step in and do anything. Popping over to genetics, which I don't know much about, but am PRETTY sure about this, when a group gets small like this the birth rate should naturally increase. Thats just genetics fighting for survival.

In their cities they were happy and safe, so no one was worried about survival, the stress of survival was low, and so was the birthrate. Everything was cool.

But now the stress of survival is back on the elves, and breeding should increase at the same time. They are in threat of extinction at any moment because they have no homeland, secure food supply, etc etc. Just my thoughts on this.

So the god's don't have to do anything, genetics should take care of this problem.

Rosisha
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2003 11:01:33 I dunno about that. Evolving elves causes problems.

Evolutionary response to stimuli takes many generations of a population. With the long lifespans of elves, by the time it takes for them to evolve the better a chance that humans have already invented gunpowder.
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2003 12:26:42 It's not that elves choose to have very few children. It is that they only have certain times when they can have children. So if you miss those time then no children for you.
#9
rosisha
Sep 17, 2003 13:01:58 I know that there are some species which can change sex, and others that can change breeding habits. Why couldn't elves?

Rosisha
#10
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2003 13:12:28 How often do you change your sex ? And like I stated that female elves are fertile only so often. That is not something they can change.
#11
rosisha
Sep 17, 2003 19:21:46 I know humans don't, but fish do, and elves aren't human, so who is to say they couldn't increase their menstraul cycles or something? It wouldn't require a MAJOR change like a sex change to increase population, just a slight increase in either hormones or whatever it takes to increase the birth cycle.

Rosisha
#12
daedavias_dup
Sep 17, 2003 20:04:05
Originally posted by Rosisha
I know humans don't, but fish do, and elves aren't human, so who is to say they couldn't increase their menstraul cycles or something? It wouldn't require a MAJOR change like a sex change to increase population, just a slight increase in either hormones or whatever it takes to increase the birth cycle.

Rosisha

Dude, elves aren't fish or amphibians. They are close enough to human to be called human beings. They are at least homonoids. When was the last time you saw a silverback gorilla(endangered species) change sex. Only two classes of vertabrates can do that. If mammals or birds could do it, we wouldn't have to worry about pandas going extinct.

Fertility rates only start to change after a few years. Breeding cycles also take a while. It isn't something like, I think I'll change my menstrual cycle today.
#13
rosisha
Sep 18, 2003 10:06:54 OK! YOU ARE ALL INSANELY STUPID. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THEY COULD CHANGE THEIR SEX. ALL I AM SAYING IS THAT THERE COULD BE MINOR CHANGES IN THE FERTILITY OF A POPULATION. MUCH LIKE THE MILD CHANGES THAT OCCURED WHEN HUMANS CHANGED EATING AND LIVING HABITS WHEN WE DISCOVERED AGRICULTURE.

Thank you. You now have a primate example. HAPPY?! The collection of you are THICK! I am no longer responding to this post.

Rosisha, ****** completely off.
#14
zombiegleemax
Sep 18, 2003 13:28:59 ah.. never mind

clerics can help to prevent unwanted offspring and even rebuild virginity, so why couldn't clerics of mishakal (e.g.) try to increase fertileness with their spells..
it would be like artificial impregnation or hormonal treatment nowadays.
#15
true_blue
Sep 18, 2003 13:50:48 You all are taking this way too seriously and way too technical. Its a fantasy world =p
#16
zombiegleemax
Sep 18, 2003 14:56:44 Rosisha, that was uncalled for. Utterly uncalled for.

First off, you're talking about a shift ftom a nomadic way of life to an agricultural one. A switch from roaming where food is scarce to farming where food is plentiful and safety is guaranteed. That is the opposite of what is happening to the elves. They are being stuck in a harsher environment and if their constitution cannot handle it they will break. Although, its also possible that this experience will harden the elves, polishing them into tougher beings. That'd be cool. In a few thousand years the residents of the Plains of Dust are the Elven Nations. Their skin is toned and bronzed. Their mscles taught. They have learned to live with little food and little water. They would kick some ass then.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dragontooth Sep 16, 2003 23:15:55	Throughout all the Dragonlance books I've read Krynn Elves are described as having low birth rate, or low fertility. With what has been happening with the Elves I wonder if the gods of good will increase their fertility for higher birth rate? Much like Moradin did for the Shield Dwarves on Faerun. I think it was Moradin anyways.
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2003 23:35:05	What an odd and interesting question.... Elves have traditionally had low birth rate and due to the fact that they are now a people in chaos with danger on every door it'd make sense for the birth rate to be pumped up to help the poor blighters out. But that is against Gilean's Modus Operandi. Gilean is now the head of the pantheon and the keeper of the balance. By helping the elves he would be affecting the balance with his hand, trying to tip the scales as it were. This seems unlikely for the God of Neutrality to do, but then it also seems like just what he'd do. If the Elves were to wane in power to the point of near extinction, Gilean would step in. The elves being the principal force for good among the three main races, if they were lost there would be much imbalance. But he also has to let things go as they do. the Ogres fell into horrible decline and noone seemed to help them survive. None of the gods tried to keep them an active force for evil. Perhaps it is time for the pendulum to swing the other way. The elves will survive, for the loss of the entire race would horribley unbalance the world. But I do not believe that the gods would actively help them regain their former glory. Mishakal may give her husband's chosn race some help but there will be little divine sweltering in the ranks of elves. And because I haven't said it enough... BALANCE!
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2003 0:22:28	-Oops Double Post-
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2003 2:47:22	The reason the gods did not help the ogres is because the ppl of Ansalon were constantly being screwed over by war. It just never stops.
#5 cam_banks Sep 17, 2003 8:14:34	Originally posted by L33t Angel But that is against Gilean's Modus Operandi. Gilean is now the head of the pantheon and the keeper of the balance. By helping the elves he would be affecting the balance with his hand, trying to tip the scales as it were. This seems unlikely for the God of Neutrality to do, but then it also seems like just what he'd do. Gilean's the head of the Neutral pantheon, as he always has been, and wouldn't have any more influence now over the elves than he had previously. He's neither the head of the Good pantheon nor the patron of the elves, so their fate is probably up to Mishakal and Branchala. Cheers, Cam
#6 rosisha Sep 17, 2003 10:17:12	Actually I don't think anyone needs to step in and do anything. Popping over to genetics, which I don't know much about, but am PRETTY sure about this, when a group gets small like this the birth rate should naturally increase. Thats just genetics fighting for survival. In their cities they were happy and safe, so no one was worried about survival, the stress of survival was low, and so was the birthrate. Everything was cool. But now the stress of survival is back on the elves, and breeding should increase at the same time. They are in threat of extinction at any moment because they have no homeland, secure food supply, etc etc. Just my thoughts on this. So the god's don't have to do anything, genetics should take care of this problem. Rosisha
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2003 11:01:33	I dunno about that. Evolving elves causes problems. Evolutionary response to stimuli takes many generations of a population. With the long lifespans of elves, by the time it takes for them to evolve the better a chance that humans have already invented gunpowder.
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2003 12:26:42	It's not that elves choose to have very few children. It is that they only have certain times when they can have children. So if you miss those time then no children for you.
#9 rosisha Sep 17, 2003 13:01:58	I know that there are some species which can change sex, and others that can change breeding habits. Why couldn't elves? Rosisha
#10 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2003 13:12:28	How often do you change your sex ? And like I stated that female elves are fertile only so often. That is not something they can change.
#11 rosisha Sep 17, 2003 19:21:46	I know humans don't, but fish do, and elves aren't human, so who is to say they couldn't increase their menstraul cycles or something? It wouldn't require a MAJOR change like a sex change to increase population, just a slight increase in either hormones or whatever it takes to increase the birth cycle. Rosisha
#12 daedavias_dup Sep 17, 2003 20:04:05	Originally posted by Rosisha I know humans don't, but fish do, and elves aren't human, so who is to say they couldn't increase their menstraul cycles or something? It wouldn't require a MAJOR change like a sex change to increase population, just a slight increase in either hormones or whatever it takes to increase the birth cycle. Rosisha Dude, elves aren't fish or amphibians. They are close enough to human to be called human beings. They are at least homonoids. When was the last time you saw a silverback gorilla(endangered species) change sex. Only two classes of vertabrates can do that. If mammals or birds could do it, we wouldn't have to worry about pandas going extinct. Fertility rates only start to change after a few years. Breeding cycles also take a while. It isn't something like, I think I'll change my menstrual cycle today.
#13 rosisha Sep 18, 2003 10:06:54	OK! YOU ARE ALL INSANELY STUPID. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THEY COULD CHANGE THEIR SEX. ALL I AM SAYING IS THAT THERE COULD BE MINOR CHANGES IN THE FERTILITY OF A POPULATION. MUCH LIKE THE MILD CHANGES THAT OCCURED WHEN HUMANS CHANGED EATING AND LIVING HABITS WHEN WE DISCOVERED AGRICULTURE. Thank you. You now have a primate example. HAPPY?! The collection of you are THICK! I am no longer responding to this post. Rosisha, ****** completely off.
#14 zombiegleemax Sep 18, 2003 13:28:59	ah.. never mind clerics can help to prevent unwanted offspring and even rebuild virginity, so why couldn't clerics of mishakal (e.g.) try to increase fertileness with their spells.. it would be like artificial impregnation or hormonal treatment nowadays.
#15 true_blue Sep 18, 2003 13:50:48	You all are taking this way too seriously and way too technical. Its a fantasy world =p
#16 zombiegleemax Sep 18, 2003 14:56:44	Rosisha, that was uncalled for. Utterly uncalled for. First off, you're talking about a shift ftom a nomadic way of life to an agricultural one. A switch from roaming where food is scarce to farming where food is plentiful and safety is guaranteed. That is the opposite of what is happening to the elves. They are being stuck in a harsher environment and if their constitution cannot handle it they will break. Although, its also possible that this experience will harden the elves, polishing them into tougher beings. That'd be cool. In a few thousand years the residents of the Plains of Dust are the Elven Nations. Their skin is toned and bronzed. Their mscles taught. They have learned to live with little food and little water. They would kick some ass then.