Desert elf interaction

[marko]

How fondly do I remember the Tar'Kroh... lol

To put Primalfire's point another way - One of a Desert Elf's primary focuses is survival.  Every interaction should be based on how the outcome impacts the survivability of the tribe and then the individual.

For example, raiding.  If the target is weak it is clear that raiding will improve the survivability of the tribe by providing gear, potentially water, and other resources.

But if the target is strong, part of another tribe or House, or whatever then raiding them may not make any sense.  

Attacking people blindly is silly to do as a Desert Elf even if they are part of a "raiding" tribe.  Survivability has to kept in mind at all times.  A Desert Elf isn't alone in what they do - everything they do impacts their tribe.  The loss of a Desert Elf can be a significant blow to the tribe and thus most Desert Elves would not have death wishes or take stupid chances.

Defense of territory is merely a matter of survival.  You need to protect your resources so the tribe can stay alive.  But, if protecting the territory would mean the death of the tribe... well, it's time to move on.

[Primalfire]

Another Thing ...

A desert dweller will place different value on 'items.'

Carrying around tons of useless stuff gotten in a raid makes ... no sense. Who cares if its worth 'sid? If its a burden and is useless in the desert, it gets left behind. Consider the way the aboriginies of australia live, they travel light and simply have NO USE for 90% of what civilization considers important. What kind of Outsider is really worth stealing from, when desert elves have everything they really need? Is it worth potentially losing your life, and destroying the reputation of a tribe for ... a sword, boots, belts? Things that the desert will cough up or that are easily bartered for, without putting one's tribesmate at risk of being summarily slaughtered in retribution.

Stealing can be two things, property (mostly useless for a d-elf), or knowledge or time or a personal advantage ... which is best done without the other side even knowing they are taken advantage of, the sign of true-elf skillness. Seems to me, a delf would take more pleasure in 'stealing' what is useful for that elf, which isn't always going to be physical property.

Stop thinking like greedy Westerners, and like a independent, free-willed, and mostly wild being free of ALL RULES (including concepts of property and 'needs.)

[A desert Elf]

I wasn't going to post, simply because there was no reason to. However, There are different values in all items.
Just because you played an elf 2 days ago or more, doesn't mean you know and understand all motives behind all actions about all things and can know why the other PC thought that happened to be needed.

A desert dweller will place different value on 'items.'

Stealing can be two things, property (mostly useless for a d-elf), or knowledge or time or a personal advantage.

Is it worth potentially losing your life, and destroying the reputation of a tribe for ... a sword, boots, belts?

Stop thinking like greedy Westerners, and like a independent, free-willed, and mostly wild being free of ALL RULES (including concepts of property and 'needs.)

As the other elf apart of that scene, it looked from my vantage point your were doing the very things I quoted.
I tried others ways, but as you had no tribal markings, sounded foreign, didn't know the whos or whats, looked older than dirt, you had no visible scars, etc, no point in arguing for days. If you still think I didn't try other ways, I suggest you re-look at how the scene was occuring and change your way of thinking.

[Primalfire]

Change my way of thinking? By just pointing out different views? So, your way is _the right way_, and you have no room for improvement?

My suggestion (not command) is for you change your attitude, and perhaps expand your view on a narrow interpretation of what a 'desert elf' is ...

My last examples really had alot more to do with what I had done myself and seen many other delves do over the years, and were also based on my observations of comments other people make on this board. The 'hunt-kill' approach is just, not well-rounded of the culture and peresonalities that make up a 'desert elf.' And it's evidentally a mind-set that still prevails, even in some minor tribes to the point where people ridicule their style on this board.

When playing the Tar'kroh, we used to have the simple hunt, kill, raid approach. As we, as a group of players learned to develop our elven culture, the violence aspect faded and we engaged in the game and with other players in new ways that were .. amazingly more fun, imaginative, and that ended up impacting the world in, ah, unexpected ways.

And fun is the only reason to play this game, so what can be done to improve the experience for yourself?

Armageddon became a blast when I eventually learned to take the absolutely alien aspects of a desert race into account and use them as tools for roleplaying (instead of stat or eq collecting). There are questions that can be addressed which are simply outside the normal range of thought for our OOC society.

Do you live in a desert without comforts, in a tribe where the good of the whole is more important than the individual, where food is uncertain, water is a precious resource, and life is difficult and rare? Do you have direct experience with that scenario? No, me either. But intelligent observation of details, and some research, can provide some opportunities for richer RP for yoruself and the people you interact with.

Some questions:

Why would a desert runner carry tons and tons of equipment?
Why does a elf even need 'sid if they can live off the land?
If you live off the land, what's the point in killing everything that a person comes across?
What does an elf need to live off the land, and why would they carry around more stuff than necessary?
What is territory? Thats really more of a 'round-ear' concept or an idea held by tribes in fixed locations ...
What is worth raiding for, and what cost is it worth?
How many elven lives are there in the desert, and thinking OOC, how much resources and effort would go into raising the desert elf that becomes your PC?
Did mom and dad teach you to be a murderous thug, like a round-ear, or to live off the land, to trust the tribe and to not-trust outsiders?
We don't live in tribes, what does it mean to be 'tribal?' Do tribal people run around thoughtlessly slaughtering everything? Does tribal mean 'mindless murderous thug?' Does tribal imply 'a rich culture that is unique to a certain group of people that has ... survived for a length of time for certain reasons, reasons that have alot more to do with teaching that tribe HOW TO STAY ALIVE.'
Not-trusting, what does that really mean?
What is an Outsider, what makes them outsiders, are there different degree's to Outsider-ness where different 'outsiders' are treated accordingly?

How does a person 'steal' if its not really about 'things', what is the POINT?
(thats important)
The point is, it's the GAME of stealing, which can be done for _any_ reason to engage in the game of theft and wits. There are no wits in blatant murder, what have you 'won' if you now have to watch your back all the time, what good does it do for your TRIBE to bring that kind of attention to other members, who may or not be able to defend themselves?

Anyways ...

I think what I'm trying to say is ...

Since your a dude, RP a dude.

[Anonymous]

I agree 100% with primalfire.

And just because I've said that an elf wouldn't trust an outsider immediately, that should not imply that elves won't trade with anyone outside their tribe.  It does not mean that elves won't talk to someone outside their tribe.

It means that an elf will not offer many -fair trades- to people outside their tribe.  Want some anakore claw bracers?  Then I want six inix, a honey kank, and fifty yards of good woven rope.

Furthermore, the fallacious assumption that the only way to deal with desert elves is to waltz past the "DO NOT GO HERE" skull on a pole markers and walk into their camp and sit at the bar in their main tent is moronic.  There should be established places (like oh.. Luir's for example) where people can go to interact.  A desert outpost that is "neutral" for everyone.

[Anonymous]

A desert outpost that is "neutral" for everyone.

I'm assuming here you are talking about the old Blackwing outpost.  The staff has said before on this board that the Blackwing Outpost is neutral and I believe that's part of the reason why there are echoes indicating some of the diversity in customers.

Given that the desert elf racial docs or maybe Thanas' treatise indicate that elves trust other elves less than they trust other races, the fact that you have multiple tribes all in one outpost means it's academic that other races would be allowed.

Desert elves aren't stupid territorial creatures who would want to cut off their nose to spite their face in the form of killing/running off travellers who come to the outpost and thereby lead to lost trade in the long run.

[Anonymous]

Desert elves aren't stupid territorial creatures who would want to cut off their nose to spite their face in the form of killing/running off travellers who come to the outpost and thereby lead to lost trade in the long run.

Right, but if you're hunting their lands, or you're near their -camp- (not talking about any outposts), then they WILL kill you, and be within rights doing so.

And I have no idea about any outpost.  I have been using Luir's as an example because it is a well known OOC area that fits the bill.

Ahem.