>In a message dated 98-07-14 02:50:21 EDT, you write:
>
>> Just out of curiosity, why do you consider this an act of stupidity? It
>> seems to me that this was the act of a ruler motivated by desperation.
>> Also it was intended to give the players a reason to have a low level
>> regent there in the first place, and to give them an interesting time at
>> ruling the domain...
>
>The reason why it is stupid is because putting a human in charge of the elven
>kingdom--all ready having trouble with rogue Ghaellie Sidhe attacks on human
>travellers, is the most divisive, and de-stabilizing thing he could have done.
>This weakens the elven nation as a whole and, IMO would make it MORE
>vulnerable to Gorgon attacks, not less.
>

>
>Don't get me wrong--I really like the Player's Secrets of Tuarhievel, I just
>did not agree with the idea he would invest the kingdom and his power into a
>human.

Nicely stated DKevermore. I awaited the Player's Secrets of Tuarhievel with
bated breath. The Cerilian elves are interesting and different from their
counterparts in other TSR worlds. I am also an elf-lover. My first
impresion of the Tuarhievel book was shock and then horror. I agree with
you fully on this.
This action is both divisive and destabilizing. It would be no less
devastating to Tuarhievel than a Gorgon attack would be. At least such an
attack would bring the elves together against a common foe.

So you have Tuarhievel ruled by a human, a human who is not a spellcaster,
who is supposed to turn over the bloodline to their child at the
appropriate time IF either of them lives that long. Whether you follow the
timeline in the Tuarhievel sourcebook which has Fhileraene ruling for only
a short time, or you follow Simon Hawk's timeline in Iron Throne which has
Fhilerane ruling when Michael Roele is a child, Fhileraene is just not that
stupid.

I suppose it does give Tuarhievel an automatic tie to Mhoried in a way
since Savane is the Mhor's niece. That could be helpful to a DM who can't
come up with any other way to have the ruler of Tuarhievel have any reason
to deal with the other players. I still think it is a HUGE stretch.

As for it being an act of desperation, I say not likely. Consider this: the
Gorgon says he will attack unless Fhileraene hands himself over to him. I
have a few problems with that.
1) once he has Fhileraene what is to keep him from attacking anyway?
2)a Tuarhievel without an elven ruler is even weaker and more defenseless
than before, an easier target for old Split-Hooves than before. SO
Fhileraene is making their position worse by delivering himself to the
Gorgon not ensuring anyone's safety.
3)Why would the Gorgon bother warning them of his attack, why not just go
ahead and attack? Unless he has so many petty squabbles on his hands with
his various puppet states that his attention is so divided than he cannot
afford an allout attack on Tuarhievel at this time but wishes to make it
look like he does. In that case, call his bluff. What's to lose. He is
alost guaranteeed to atack anyway.This way you at least have an experienced
ELVEN magic-using ruler in charge of the realm.


Bottom line is this: If the Gorgon is planning to attack, he will anyway no
matter what Fhileraene does, so giving Tuarhievel the strongest position
would require Fhileraene to remain as ruler of Tuarhievel. There is
absolutely nothing that ensures Tuarhievel's safety by giving in to the
Gorgon's wishes.


Having ranted on about this, I must say that once I got past the first
couple of pages, I loved the Tuarhievel sourcebook. I simply ignore the
premise that author used behind the book and the most recent parts of the
timeline. IF Fhileraene is stupid enough (or altruistic if I want to
stretch it) to turn himself over to the Gorgon, I would give his bloodline
to a relative of his, a full elf who is a spellcaster. The rest of the
history and cultural parts of the book are excellent and make a great
example of things elven in Cerilia. The inclusion of the Black Princess
provided a useful bit of information that I have pulled out of the book
and made good use of in other places. Is the book a waste of money? Not at
all. Would I advocate using it as it is? Never.It just doesn't make sense
to me as it is.

Thanks for listening.


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Brenda Santer:

mailto:bsanter@shaw.wave.ca

ICQ:7059188
AIM: Laerme

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