Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst 1234
Results 31 to 38 of 38
  1. #31
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    2,165
    Downloads
    4
    Uploads
    0
    At 08:14 PM 2/9/2008, kgauck wrote:

    >There are some good game design reasons to include elven guilds,
    >especially if play includes elven realms and focuses on the domain
    >style of play.

    I`m not writing anything that`ll intentionally contradict the
    original materials. In fact, I think the section on elven trade and
    commerce will shore up the issues having to do with why there are no
    elven guilds by explaining why the concepts having to do with guilds
    are repugnant to elves. That`s not to say elves never engage in
    commerce... they just don`t do so in a way that`d translate into
    guilds at the domain level.

    Gary

  2. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by geeman View Post
    At 08:14 PM 2/9/2008, kgauck wrote:

    >There are some good game design reasons to include elven guilds,
    >especially if play includes elven realms and focuses on the domain
    >style of play.

    I`m not writing anything that`ll intentionally contradict the
    original materials. In fact, I think the section on elven trade and
    commerce will shore up the issues having to do with why there are no
    elven guilds by explaining why the concepts having to do with guilds
    are repugnant to elves. That`s not to say elves never engage in
    commerce... they just don`t do so in a way that`d translate into
    guilds at the domain level.

    Gary
    It is worth mentioning that elves only seem to find human guilds repugnant. Half-elf regents with guild holdings seem to be accepted by elven communities. Elven culture doesn't place great value on economics but if a half elf wants to amuse him or herself with matters of commerce, more power to them. Since humans don't live in harmony with nature, however, human holdings drive down source potential -- and that is something elves place great value on.

    Elven monarchs do like to keep tabs on the goings ons in their realm and there are several realms who utilize guilds for information-gathering purposes only. Such guild holdings represent sylvan creatures who act as the ruling regent's eyes and ears throughout the forest and do not generate GB income, I believe.

  3. #33
    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    London, England
    Posts
    2,476
    Downloads
    30
    Uploads
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by Magnus Argent View Post
    Elven monarchs do like to keep tabs on the goings ons in their realm and there are several realms who utilize guilds for information-gathering purposes only. Such guild holdings represent sylvan creatures who act as the ruling regent's eyes and ears throughout the forest and do not generate GB income, I believe.
    Cwmb Bheinn has logging... I like the idea of mebhaighl producing guilds mentioned by Kenneth, but as a compulsive rules changer I wouldn't mind saying 'elven guilds produce half income' or suchlike if you wanted a mechanic to represent the laissez faire attitude towards mercantile activity and the 'softer focus' of elven guilds. The important thing gamewise is to keep the elves looking outward and keep a reasonable balance in game terms between realms of similar size.

    I'd note that law holdings represent influence and control. A human/dwarf nation may have these represented by sheriffs, courts, etc, etc - an elven realm might instead have this represented by degree of trust and acceptance of the ruler. If the ruler has maxed out law that might simply mean that in the conext of realm actions and taxation the other elves either agree with them or aren't interested in opposing them - despite their strong individuality elves do seem to form very loyal relationships where no follower even considers challenging the 'superior' (Rhuobhe being the case in point). I'd distinguish here between the 'common masses' who aren't interested in politics and a core who are to keep the game interesting.

  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewTall View Post
    Cwmb Bheinn has logging... I like the idea of mebhaighl producing guilds mentioned by Kenneth, but as a compulsive rules changer I wouldn't mind saying 'elven guilds produce half income' or suchlike if you wanted a mechanic to represent the laissez faire attitude towards mercantile activity and the 'softer focus' of elven guilds. The important thing gamewise is to keep the elves looking outward and keep a reasonable balance in game terms between realms of similar size.

    I'd note that law holdings represent influence and control. A human/dwarf nation may have these represented by sheriffs, courts, etc, etc - an elven realm might instead have this represented by degree of trust and acceptance of the ruler. If the ruler has maxed out law that might simply mean that in the conext of realm actions and taxation the other elves either agree with them or aren't interested in opposing them - despite their strong individuality elves do seem to form very loyal relationships where no follower even considers challenging the 'superior' (Rhuobhe being the case in point). I'd distinguish here between the 'common masses' who aren't interested in politics and a core who are to keep the game interesting.
    That's a good point. Although elven society as a whole isn't motivated by economic profit, there are of course individual exceptions to that (and every other) rule. Cwmb Bheinn's elven guild regent is an excellent example of an exception to the rule. Ah, the dangers of racial profiling ...

  5. #35
    While most elven kingdoms may harbor a strong dislike for humans I could still seem some small amount of trade flowing between nearby elven and dwarven realms. Not to mention that several "open" elf realms exist who may be willing to trade with neighboring human kingdoms. I could see elven guilds existing, though maybe not in the same sense as traditional human or dwarven guilds. Pehaps "elven guilds" could simply represent individual master artists who occasionly trades peices of his work for materials or exotic goods from far off lands. For example a painter who trades the occasional piece of art in exchange for rare berries, herbs, or flowers needed to create certain pigments, but are unavailable in his native forest. Guilds could also be used to represent elven bards or mages taking on the occasional non elven apprentice or student.

    Alternatively, maybe elven regents should be allowed to create a small number of trade routes without guild holdings to represent the small trickle elven trade with the outside world. This would allow elven realms to have some sort of economic interaction with the outside world without the messy need for production or industry that guilds often represent.

  6. #36
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    2,165
    Downloads
    4
    Uploads
    0
    Are there realms other than those listed below that have a large
    enough elven population to merit a description of the gheallie Sidhe?

    Coullabhie
    Cwmb Bheinn
    Innishiere
    Lluabraight
    Rhoubhe Manslayer
    Rhuannach
    Sielwode
    Tuar Annwn
    Tuarhievel

    Gary

  7. #37

    The .PDF file of yours

    Quote Originally Posted by geeman View Post
    In the tradition of BR covers for proposed, but unwritten (as of yet) texts, attached is a PDF with the cover and title page of the document I'm working on called "Secrets of the Sidhe".

    So far it looks like it's going to have at least five chapters:

    Bardic Colleges
    The Taelinri
    The Passion of the Elves (on human-elf relations/mating.)
    The Magic of the Sidhe (nature magics)
    Trade and Commerce

    What else do you folks think a comprehensive text on the Sidhe should have in order for it to actually be comprehensive? I can make no promises about what'll actually go in, but so far the BR community has had some great suggestions.

    Gary
    Gary,
    How goes the progress of the text? I would be very interested in reading the stuff that you have in mind.

    Thanx,

    Allanlaigh

  8. #38
    That's a good point. Although elven society as a whole isn't motivated by economic profit, there are of course individual exceptions to that (and every other) rule. Cwmb Bheinn's elven guild regent is an excellent example of an exception to the rule. Ah, the dangers of racial profiling ...
    Exactly. I mean, the whole, "We're elves! We live in forests! Our magic provides for us! We don't need to demean ourselves to this human crap!" is a legitimate IC argument for the isolationist elves.

    Just, like, I don't think the narrative should unalateraly support it. If you're playing a forward thinking, "Humans beat us, we should figure out why and adapt, like nature does." elf regent, and the mechanics don't let you represent that because "It's not elfly."...it limits the kind of characters you can make, and the IC sources of conflict.

    It just seems silly, to me, to say, that elves are so aloof that they don't admit to having any industry, and then turn around and rave about elf magical power(How do they build the libraries and laboratories?), craftsmanship(How do they get the raw materials? How do they craft them? Do they just look at the lump of metal and it becomes a sword?), and culture(How do they build buildings, create art, have leisure time to write poetry and have debates under the forrest canopy?) at the same time. It might be different from how a human or dwarf guild would look, but an economy has to exist for a civilization to exist, and that means that guild regents are possible.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. A Variant For The Sidhe
    By Osprey in forum BRCS 3.0/3.5 Edition
    Replies: 136
    Last Post: 03-17-2004, 11:00 PM
  2. Gheallie Sidhe Units
    By Vallariel in forum BRCS 3.0/3.5 Edition
    Replies: 57
    Last Post: 09-27-2003, 09:32 AM
  3. Gheallie Sidhe Units
    By Vallariel in forum BRCS 3.0/3.5 Edition
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-02-2003, 05:53 PM
  4. Sidhe
    By Green Knight in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 04-24-2003, 08:31 PM
  5. Sidhe
    By Magian in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-19-2002, 07:03 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
BIRTHRIGHT, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, the BIRTHRIGHT logo, and the D&D logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used by permission. ©2002-2010 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.