Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    2,165
    Downloads
    4
    Uploads
    0

    Population of Rhubhe Manslayer`s Realm

    The RoE text describing this awnshegh`s realm says that fewer than
    1,000 elves have "stuck by Rhoubhe throughout his long years. Those
    who are killed are replaced by their children, and some say that
    elves from Tuarhievel and the Sielwode come to learn the ways of
    hatred to take back to their people."

    A couple of notes/comments:

    1. The level 2 population of Rhoubhe`s province should probably
    represent a population of 4,000 to 7,000.

    2. His four elven infantry and two elven cavalry units that Blood
    Enemies describes would account for 1,200 soldiers. That`s more than
    the reputed population of the province, but not enough to make up a
    gap that is probably better than 4,000 elves.

    3. The quote from RoE would seem to indicate that elven birthrates
    aren`t as low as all that. That text is open to some interpretation,
    but Rhoubhe leads one of the most aggressive and isolated of the
    elven domains, in a more or less constant state of war with some of
    Cerilia`s most powerful human nations on his borders. If elves in
    Rhoubhe`s province are able to replace themselves by having children
    to the extent that it`s worth mentioning at all, then that would
    indicate that neither war nor birthrate are the main reasons for
    Sidhelien decline. A small random sample, yes, but potentially very
    telling.... Rhoubhe`s land is the smallest of the elven kingdoms,
    yet it`s never described as being in decline the way other realms
    are. Sure, it probably couldn`t really get much smaller... but
    various texts describe Rhoubhe as aggressive and expansive rather
    than in decline. Nearby human realms fear him.

    So, assuming that population levels represent actual population
    figures rather than an interpretation of population efficiency, how
    do we reconcile the supposed population in the province with a
    population level of 2? Are there other, unaccounted for elves? Are
    most of its inhabitants transient elves from other elven nations
    there to learn from the awnshegh? Are the 1,000 elves described
    merely those who were with Rhoubhe at Deismaar and have stuck with
    him ever since (or their offspring) while the 3-6k other elves in
    Rhoubhe`s land are new arrivals?

    Gary

  2. #2
    I would go with your second option. 1000 elves are the orginial group or children from them, and the 3k-5k are new ones.

    I am sure there are elves that hate humans but are not warriors. This might be the ultimate home for them where they are free to speak of their hatered and still contriubute to the society. I would guess they, over centuries, have slowly trickled in and not gaining any attention.

  3. #3
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Springfield Mo
    Posts
    3,562
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Being replaced by children doesn't mean we're talking birthrate. These may be original elves who have "stuck by Rhoubhe throughout his long years." and have adult children, bred during the 1500 years. In the super rare occasions that an elf of this age dies, it may well be that adult children abandon the man-hating factions of some other elf kingdom to attend the funeral of their parents and then stay on in Rhoubhe's group to take up the cause.

    Replacement by birthrate is not at all neccesary to explain the text here.

  4. #4
    Ehrshegh of Spelling Thelandrin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1,086
    Downloads
    68
    Uploads
    0
    Oooh. You changed your avatar, Kenneth. It's really tiny!

    I think the 1000 Elves refers to those that willingly serve him, which won't include his concubines, various slaves and any soldiers who are only here because their leaders told them to be.

  5. #5
    Site Moderator geeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    2,165
    Downloads
    4
    Uploads
    0
    At 09:34 AM 2/5/2008, kgauck wrote:

    >Being replaced by children doesn`t mean we`re talking birthrate.
    >These may be original elves who have "stuck by Rhoubhe throughout
    >his long years." and have adult children, bred during the 1500
    >years. In the super rare occasions that an elf of this age dies, it
    >may well be that adult children abandon the man-hating factions of
    >some other elf kingdom to attend the funeral of their parents and
    >then stay on in Rhoubhe`s group to take up the cause.

    You mean there`s a group of a little less than 1,000 elves who have
    "stuck by Rhoubhe" as a sort of loose fraternity, and when those
    elves have children they leave the province for some other elven
    land, then when a parent dies his/er child returns to take their
    place in that community of "Rhoubhites"? I guess that`s a
    possibility. Seems a little awkward, though.... Why would the
    children leave the province as a matter of course?

    >Replacement by birthrate is not at all neccesary to explain the text here.

    No, but it does read like that was the intent.

    Gary

  6. #6
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Springfield Mo
    Posts
    3,562
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by geeman View Post
    Seems a little awkward, though.... Why would the children leave the province as a matter of course?
    They may stay, but aren't part of the core thousand. But I do also think that going to a proper elf realm (Sielwode or Tuarhievel) to live and grow up in a community of elves, rather than an armed camp holding out in the middle of human realms. This is one of the reason I see Rhoubhe's elves are more normal. They aren't hold-outs against normal elves. I also think that not every elf comes back to replace a parent. Some decide to pursue other things, other ideas, but there are other elves that occupy those spaces.

    I also suspect that Rhoubhe has more "applicants" than he has room for loyalists. So children live in safe realms, and learn to find themselves in a normal realm. People who come to Rhoubhe are more experienced and commited, and are there by choice.

  7. #7
    Member Hrandal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Partick, Glasgow, Scotland
    Posts
    53
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Maybe losses are incredibly rare. Rhoubhe is a genius who has been polishing his tactics for a thousand years. If you look at the kind of forces he has available in Sword & Crown (aerial units, etc) he has a vast amount of power that he can deploy very quickly. Backed up by his own magic and combat prowess, there is very little a raid by Rhoubhe couldn't achieve in a quick strike. Assuming he leads from the front, he could probably storm a small castle on his own, and leave his men to simply ride down or shoot the stragglers.

    Since the province of Rhoubhe is described as nigh-impregnable, I doubt the elves ever engage in pitched battle with armies.

    As to the level 2, some part of level is presumably to do with harvesting resources and economic output. If Rhoubhe has 1000 elves that are mainly about 1000 years old, then presumably they are probably mainly high level. An economy based on high level characters would need less people to have the same effect as an economy based on low level characters.
    "As soon as war is declared, it will be impossible to hold the poets back. Rhyme is still the most effective drum."

  8. #8
    I think the scenario that the 1,000 elves were just the original elves is much more likely to answer this problem than any. However, consider this also-"The Sword and Crown" TSR published adventure has in Rhoubhe's land many an orog. It also includes one of his offspring which is half demon/half elf. I believe also that I saw he has such a hatred for humans that he no longer cares whether or not he uses the "lower" class species such as orogs and goblins. These could also be included in population levels.

  9. #9
    I agree, a point I was going to bring up.

    As described in the S&C, it sounded as if there were a population of elves above ground, and a larger population of Orogs below. The combined population could give you more than 4,000... never liked that half/demon bit...
    The better part of valor is discretion

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    43
    Downloads
    44
    Uploads
    0
    Quote:
    "never liked that half/demon bit..."

    Rhoubhe is 2E had that spell contact other plain! hmmmmm : )
    Why?
    To ask his son about sukubus mother health
    Vosgaard's Veliki hrast.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

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

Similar Threads

  1. Sword, crown and Rhuobhe Manslayer
    By Dargos in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 10-15-2007, 02:47 PM
  2. Population in Cerilia
    By soudhadies in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 42
    Last Post: 01-30-2005, 09:29 AM
  3. Rhuobhe Manslayer
    By fiftyone in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 65
    Last Post: 05-20-2004, 01:20 AM
  4. Facing the Manslayer...and playtest comments
    By Alhazen in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 06-19-2003, 12:30 PM
  5. Rhoubhe Manslayer writeup comments
    By Ellendael Nightstalker in forum The Royal Library
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 09-10-2002, 07:28 PM

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.