Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Dark or Night elf race?
ArchivedUser
Guest
I've seen most of the kickstarter twitch streams, and I know there are two elf subraces, but have they mentioned the differences between the two aesthetically? I've always preferred my elves blue and purple with white hair. You know exactly who I am in WoW.
0
Comments
But i don't think any of the 2 elves here will be purple/blue skinned, at least there is no indication so far. Maybe the Tulnar will have the option to create something looking similar to a dark elf.
Personally, I think evil/corrupt should be an attribute at the class level rather than the race level. Enough racial stereotype morality. It's bad enough IRL!
Let people be deemed good or evil by their deeds and choices, not because of their genetics.
I single D&D out specifically, because all the Dark Elves we're familiar with in fantasy gaming (the Teir'Dal in EverQuest, the Night Elves in Warcraft, etc) are all based on the D&D dark elves - specifically the Drow from the Forgotten Realms setting.
And yes, it's true, D&D was heavily inspired by Tolkien and the works of Tolkien do mention elves called "dark elves," but they were merely elves who didn't complete the "Great Journey" and not what you presume dark elves to be today. But I digress!
I agree with @lexmax on this, perhaps it's time we step out of the traditional "lore box" a bit for dark elves here. Let the Elf's deeds, be it dark or light, define who they are and not their race. And, give the character creation enough flexibility and customization to make that elf look like a classic "dark elf" if one wishes.
And, let's not totally rule out the Tulnar just yet either..... we don't know how far we'll be able to go with customization there. However, I wouldn't be surprise if it was flexible enough to make something dark elf-like there too. (Though perhaps with more animalistic or demonic undertones.)
Do you know how the Orcs first came into being? They were Elves once, taken by the dark powers. Tortured and mutilated, a ruined and terrible form of life. You do notknow pain, you do not know fear...So these Original Elves that were torured ...Dark Elves now that i like......Or More like Drizzt ,
Born in 1297 DR, on the night House Do'Urden destroyed House DeVir, the death of Nalfein Do'Urden by the hands of Dinin Do'Urden saved Drizzt from being sacrificed to Lolth. He was trained by his sister, Vierna Do'Urden, and his father, Zaknafein Do'Urden. After refusing to kill a moon elf child, Drizzt caused House Do'Urden to lose Lolth's favor, resulting in Zaknafein being sacrificed.[23]
Drizzt escaped Menzoberranzan and became a wanderer in the Underdark for many years before being taken in at Blingdenstone.[19]
History The Dark Elves call the city of Neriak home, known to the good races as a dark, cruel place, full of evil idols, mutilated body parts and even whole corpses in varying states of decay. The Dark Elves openly study and conduct Necromancy within Neriak's walls and none except a 'native' inhabitant would find their Capital city anything other than deeply unsettling. A dark magical aura seems to emanate from the city and surrounding forest; only the brave ever set foot in Nektulous Forest and few of those who do ever emerge safely on the other side. There is little doubt they are no strangers to the arts of black magic and the wise are forever wary of even the most seemingly courteous and respectful Dark Elf.
At least part of the explanation for an Elven race to so starkly differ from their usual stance as an ally of light, is the twisted method of their 'creation'. Innoruuk the Prince of Hate, an innately evil deity shaped their nature and motivation through pain, torture and manipulation, the resulting product an outlet of his own hate and evil. Just like their 'creator' and tormentor, the Dark Elves see no problems in achieving their goals through exploiting others and have no respect for honour, love or devotion. 'Friends' of a Dark Elf are purely a convenient tool and those naive few who have tried to form meaningful friendships with them have more often then not found themselves behind the point of a dagger, whether it is literally or metaphorically.
As a race Dark Elves are perhaps the most feared and reviled, known to be cruel, devious, and extremely intelligent. They are among the most genuinely evil of Norrath's inhabitants, at least with the methods they consider acceptable; moving silently in the shadows, plotting and calculating to their own gain. Merchants and other Norrathians will as a rule react to them with at least suspicion, often becoming actively hostile to their presence. While it is not unheard of for a Dark Elf to travel and hunt with other races, it is quite rare and only an exceptionally honorable (or cunning) Dark Elf has ever truly befriended another, whether their own kind or anothers.
Because of the nature of their race and their open study of necromancy, Dark Elves often take up the path of a Necromancer or Shadow Knight but are also known to take up the pursuits more common of the High Elves. As with the other elves magical energy, though dark in its source, seems to be highly concentrated in the Dark Elves.
So some back ground , Lore not just a good gone bad elf and its up to you... Please comment if your thinking about any of this.
Btw im team dark elf, but with a Carmel or toffee skin tone lol.
Traditional white elves that live in European encchanted forests
Brown skin elves live in mountainus hot climates
Blue or greyish skin elves come from dark areas devoid of
light (so maybe living in caves could work.)
This is just my opinion.
I'd love to see players in Ashes making racial states and seeing the cultures that people make in these nodes (I doubt I'll see that happen but it'd be really cool IMO), as well as the conflicts they could create.