Page 42 - Mordenkainen's Tome Of Foes

sider killing to be just another tool for resolving disputes ELF ADVENTURERS
and clearing the way for social advancement.
Property crimes such as theft are usually considered Most surface elves embark on a period of adventuring
evidence of significant character flaws, because elves during their early adulthood. An adventure to an elf,
however, isn't always the same as what humans mean
don't value material goods as highly as shorter-lived
when they think of adventure. Humans tend to equate
races do. An item's intrinsic value is secondary to its
adventurers with people who battle monsters, explore
historical and sentimental value, which can be consid-
dangerous ruins, delve into deep caverns, and generally
erable. An elf who steals a pouch full of gems would be
stir up trouble, usually in pursuit of gold and glory. Elves
pitied, but someone who steals a dried flower presented
have been known to do all those things, but more typical
to an elf by her long-gone sister would be seen as a mon-
elf adventurers are simple travelers.
ster and likely exiled from the community.
Elves know that once they experience Transcendence,
PASSION VS. RESTRAIN..!__ the memories they have accumulated will contribute
to their eternal contentment. So they seek out experi-
The elven personality is a mixture of two opposing
ences that will produce exciting, beautiful, or satisfying
forces, which vie for dominance throughout an elf's life.
memories. A few battles against monsters certainly
How an elf handles the tension between passion and
could qualify, but such activities aren't usually the focus
restraint colors their life experiences.
of an elf's endeavors. Much preferred are memories of
When they're young, elves approach life with great en-
faraway places, excellent meals, and fascinating people.
thusiasm. Their joy is as intense as roaring flame, their
As such, most elf "adventurers" are primarily sightseers,
sadness as deep as the sea. They dive into endeavors not valiant crusaders or heroes for hire.
with seemingly inexhaustible energy, yet they typically This aspect of elven life isn't as well known among
do so without much display of emotion.
other races as it might be, because elves spend much of
The reserve and patience of elves is well known
their "adventuring" years in places far away from other
among other races, but what a dwarf or a human doesn't
societies. They're more interested in remote forests,
see is the conflict taking place inside an elf's mind. lonely valleys, high mountains, and other natural places
Elves keep their passion internalized because they learn
than in cities. Traveling elves want to meet people, but
at a young age that such feelings can become destruc-
not too many.
tive when they are allowed to take control. Elves who
A small fraction of elves are born with or develop the
let passion overtake their behavior can be consumed by
qualities that mark them as potential adventurers, as
it. They stop caring about friendships, alienate family other races define the term. Many traditional adventur-
members, and take foolish risks in pursuit of gratifica-
ing groups are happy to count an elf among their mem-
tion that a cooler head would never hazard.
bers, and some elves take to this life enthusiastically.
This passion wanes as an elf ages, but it never disap-
Elves have a reputation for remaining unruffled in the
pears entirely. One of the most important responsibili-
face of danger, a very good quality to have among folk
ties of elder elves is teaching youngsters the danger of who regularly find themselves in difficult situations.
letting their passions loose and showing them how to
On extremely rare occasions, an elf might join an
develop a long-lasting self-discipline.
adventuring party for reasons that are based in fear.
A tiny percentage of elves develop an irrational fear of
PRIMEVAL HATRED
the serene, contemplative life that awaits them in their
One of the most fervent passions in an elf is the animos-
ity that surface elves and drow hold for one another.
This hatred dates back to when the primal elves surren-
dered their mutable forms in response to Lolth's prom-
ises. They split into two factions: the drow, who believed
that Corellon had held them back and that Lolth's be-
trayal was justified, and a.II other elves, who felt bereft of
Corellon's presence and believed Lolth had manipulated
them from the very beginning. To the drow, every elf
who basks in Corellon's light is a weakling and a fool. To
most other elves, every drow is a traitor.
Despite the rift between them, drow and other elves
can deal with each other when necessary, avoiding
violence for the sake of a common ca.use. They won't
like it- they might even hate themselves for a time after-
ward- but they'll do what must be done according to the
circumstances of the situation.
Some elves do manage to transcend this hatred. They
have met or heard of dark elves, like Drizzt Do'Urden,
who find their own paths in life and view each elf as an
individual, not as the representative of one side or the
other in a cosmic struggle.
CH'i\PTER 2 I ELVES