Elven creation

[Lawgiver]

Forgive my ignorance of the elven heritage.

Dwarves were created by Moradin. But without "gods" how were elves "created"?

[Kalien]

It's certainly not official, but I generally thought of them as elemental energies that gathered at places of natural power (birthing fields of animals, pools of mebhaighl, etc) and which evolved a degree of consciousness over time, effectively becoming unembodied spirits. Over even more time, these elemental spirits gathered bodies around themselves, thereby becoming the elves as we know them. (Once they had bodies the elves could procreate, so this is more of a creation 'myth' rather than an explanation of how elves multiply in the current setting).

This sort of ties in with the idea of elven reincarnation. Over time the spirit wearies or the body tires and the elf goes off and 'dies'. That is, the spirit relinquishes its body and returns to the natural flow of elemental energy. Over time it replenishes itself and forms a new body. This is also how I view elven immortality; the spirit never truly dies, but the body does. It also reflects the more elemental nature of Cerilian elves as opposed to elves in other settings.

[kgauck]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawgiver" <brnetboard@BIRTHRIGHT.NET>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 7:06 PM


> Dwarves were created by Moradin. But without "gods" how
> were elves "created"?

The primordial gods created the elves, but the elves rememer that. Your
parents created you, and you remember your parents, but you don`t worship
them as gods. Humans have lost the remembrence of their creation and
rediscovered the gods as gods.

Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com

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[Birthright-L]

I like that idea too. I`ve always remembered that Cerilian Elves are "part
faerie dust..." as it says in the books and simply assumed they are a
manifested embodiment of Cerilia`s Magic. Which is the other reason I claim
their race is in decline: humans are tearing the heart out of Cerilia`s
magic without even realizing it. The less magic there is, the fewer number
of Elven spirits which return to the world.


Tony


----Original Message Follows----
From: Kalien <brnetboard@BIRTHRIGHT.NET>


Kalien wrote:
It`s certainly not official, but I generally thought of them as elemental
energies that gathered at places of natural power (birthing fields of
animals, pools of mebhaighl, etc) and which evolved a degree of
consciousness over time, effectively becoming unembodied spirits. Over even
more time, these elemental spirits gathered bodies around themselves,
thereby becoming the elves as we know them. (Once they had bodies the elves
could procreate, so this is more of a creation `myth` rather than an
explanation of how elves multiply in the current setting).

This sort of ties in with the idea of elven reincarnation. Over time the
spirit wearies or the body tires and the elf goes off and `dies`. That
is, the spirit relinquishes its body and returns to the natural flow of
elemental energy. Over time it replenishes itself and forms a new body.
This is also how I view elven immortality; the spirit never truly dies, but
the body does. It also reflects the more elemental nature of Cerilian elves
as opposed to elves in other settings.

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[Kalien]

Originally posted by TonyL
I like that idea too. I`ve always remembered that Cerilian Elves are "part faerie dust..." as it says in the books and simply assumed they are a manifested embodiment of Cerilia`s Magic. Which is the other reason I claim their race is in decline: humans are tearing the heart out of Cerilia`s magic without even realizing it. The less magic there is, the fewer number of Elven spirits which return to the world.

I hadn't thought of it in quite those terms, but I do like the idea of the impact on elven rebirth.

Possibly paints Rhoubhe Manslayer in a slightly different light ...

[Trithemius]

> Dwarves were created by Moradin. But without "gods" how
> were elves "created"?

Spontaneously from weird confluences of energies (and stuff) created by
the creation/seperation of Aebrynis and the Shadow World. I base this on
the sidhelien myths that are mentioned in PS: Tuarhievel. I actually
think that there were (possibly still are) different sorts of sidhelien.
Sidhelien are mentioned as having specific colouration (in particular -
dark hair), but the sidhelien of the Rjurik lands have blond and light
coloured hair. Perhaps the "native energies" of given areas (and/or
different seasons) give rise to slightly different sorts of sidhelien.

As an aside, I consider the dwarves to be the "youngest" race on
Aerbrynis, having been created by the "interloper deity" Moradin after
the creation of the worlds (as in PS: Baruk-Azhik).

--
John Machin
(trithemius@paradise.net.nz)
-----------------------------------
"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
Athanasius Kircher, Ars Magna Sciendi.

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[ConjurerDragon]

Kalien schrieb:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/read.php?TID=1747
>
> Kalien wrote:
>...
>This sort of ties in with the idea of elven reincarnation. Over time the spirit wearies or the body tires and the elf goes off and `dies`. That is, the spirit relinquishes its body and returns to the natural flow of elemental energy. Over time it replenishes itself and forms a new body. This is also how I view elven immortality; the spirit never truly dies, but the body does. It also reflects the more elemental nature of Cerilian elves as opposed to elves in other settings.
>
>
Or if you need another reason for anti-human elves and making the
Gheallie Sidhe heroes would be that elves after having lived their life
turn into trees (like in Orson Scott Cards "Speaker for the dead"). And
the humans would use them as firewood... ;-)
bye
Michael

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[Kalien]

Originally posted by ConjurerDragon
Or if you need another reason for anti-human elves and making the
Gheallie Sidhe heroes would be that elves after having lived their life
turn into trees (like in Orson Scott Cards "Speaker for the dead"). And
the humans would use them as firewood... ;-)

I really don't see Cerilian elves turning into trees, to me they just seem too elemental in nature and too unfettered in spirit.

But having the decendants of apes chop your friends and family into pieces and then burn them would make me angry too. ;)

[Lawgiver]

Originally posted by Kalien
But having the decendants of apes chop your friends and family into pieces and then burn them would make me angry too. ;)

Who said that humans evolved? :P

[Kalien]

Originally posted by Lawgiver
Who said that humans evolved? :p

Hehe, I was wearing my sidhelien hat and that may have coloured my perspective. :) (Ask Morg, Kalien is famous for his hats).

I'm sure human creation myths encompass a higher source of origin than gradually learning to stand up straight and lose a bit of body hair ... For a nice little sum Kalien might even be able to make such a creation myth up for you and have you at your rightful place at the centre of the universe. ;)