How to delf

[Barzalene]

In thirteen years I'm embarrassed to admit I only have played one desert elf, and if I may say so myself, I did so so badly I worried they'd come and take all my karma away. ( I ended up getting lost, and falling off the shield wall and dying to something ridiculous.)

I was thinking I should try it again some day.

What should I do differently next time?

[MeTekillot]

Based on what you've told us so far, I'd recommend not falling off the Shield Wall again.

[Barzalene]

Duly noted.

Maybe what I mean is, I'd like to do better next time in general. In addition to not dying moronically.

[Barzalene]

But that was an awesome answer and it made me laugh. And I had it coming.

[MeTekillot]

Well, I got a karma point for playing a d-elf, and I think it's because I focused a lot on how an elf will absolutely unconditionally trust its tribe under any circumstance. Like with humans, you're vaguely suspicious of most of the people you work with even if they're your main bro. I don't think elves harbor any of that suspicion whatsoever toward each other.

Also I would always freak out when I'd get close to leaving the Tablelands.

[Barzalene]

I did that, but I played a red fang, and it seemed like 80% of my interaction with my tribe was that people telling me they'd cut my tits off and refusing to interact with me. Which was not really what I expected. I may have picked a bad moment to play though. The other 20% of the tribe was pretty awesome, though.

[MeTekillot]

The other d-elf tribes don't really do that, I don't think. If there is someone in them that does, they're playing an aberration to what I feel like the typical elven mindset is.

[Barzalene]

The other side of that of course, is the common denominator in that scenario was me. I'm not blaming the other people for the fact that I did not do well in the role. Just mentioning that I found it harder than expected to fit into the tribe, which was a crucial part of the role and I failed at it.

[Barzalene]

The other d-elf tribes don't really do that, I don't think. If there is someone in them that does, they're playing an aberration to what I feel like the typical elven mindset is.

That's how it felt.

[CodeMaster]

You should be more confident in yourself... you obviously have a ton of experience with the game, and it sounds like you know how to play to the docs.

If you're worried about tumbling off the shield wall, why not do a role-call for a city-elf family?  I've never seen it, but it's allowed now.

[IntuitiveApathy]

Here's a nice log which has as it's main theme the tribal mindset central to the Delf theme that MeTekillot is talking about:

http://armageddon.org/original/author/Kankfly

Leveling a finger at her, the hunched, beak-nosed elf asks the umbral, dark-tressed female elf, in allundean:
    "You are no outsider. You will never be an outsider. You are of the Akei Ta Var, I am your brother, and this is your home. Yes?"

[Barzalene]

That was an awesome read.

[valeria]

1) Play a young delf who is expected not to know everything.  Hopefully you will have tribe mates to train you.

2) Read the helpfiles over and over.  And over.  And over.  And then make a personality doc for yourself if that's not something you already do.

3) Communicate your concerns with your staff.  I'm sure they'd be happy to give you pointers.

4) Don't get discouraged and decide to go exploring when your tribe isn't around.

5) Maybe try a Sun Runner this time.  They tend to get around more and get more interaction.

[Barzalene]

I kind of got left behind in Luirs. Then asked to leave.

(edited to add See! Years later and I still feel really sheepish at how bad I stunk that I still want to make excuses!)

[Harmless]

The strict tribal mindset is very difficult for me to pull off with other c-elf or d-elf PCs, they inevitably call my PCs breeds. That's why I stick to breeds codedly. I don't think I'm stable enough to be an elf, city or desert. Whereas breeds are so natural to me it's not even funny.

[chrisdcoulombe]

I didn't have a good experience d-elfing either.   I think my playtimes were too different.

[Patuk]

As stated, delves are almost fanatically loyal. This wouldn't be different from some other types of roles if it weren't for one thing: they know all their tribesmates are equally loyal. The idea of being betrayed to an outsider simply doesn't appear in an elf's mind. If you're playing a templar, your colleagues one-upping you for their own good may be your number one concern. As an elf, it is unthinkable.

A small note here is that elves can be harsh to individual members just fine, but only if they're sufficiently dangerous that the tribe proper is endangered. If a Black Robe stands outside the camp with a thousand soldiers in tow intoning 'For the crimes of illegal magic, the murder of nobility, and sabotage of the temple of the dragon, Vesd must perish! Surrender him now, or every last one of you will be killed!'

.. Then yeah, that elf is going to die.

The reason I chose this example is to illustrate another part of elven culture. Vesd the krathi who blew up half of Allanak isn't going to be dragged to the templar, kicking and screaming. He is in all likelihood going to surrender himself.

Or, because elves are distrustful, they are going to figure 'this man is an outsider, outsiders cannot be trusted, he's going to kill us all anyway, we have a better chance at living if we at least try to fight.'

Or the elves may reenact the ending of Spartacus in a more clever fashion, because one useless elven dimwit decides it's better for him to die than for their magickal progidy to get killed.

Any of these things may come to fruition, and they all are at least plausible. Elves are a lot of fun.

[Kol]

That's most peoples issue with delfing it, I think. It often feels like you can go RL weeks without interacting with anyone from your tribe, and do nothing but Solo RP. The trick, like most clans when numbers slump, is sticking with it.

And if it's any consolation to the OP, my first Delf died from dehydration in a hole after getting lost on their way back to camp and falling down.

[HavokBlue]

I'm sure any current SLK players will hate me for saying it, but play a Sun Runner. More than any other mundane role in the game, SLK are limited in where they can go and thus who they can interact with.

[Kol]

I'm sure any current SLK players will hate me for saying it, but play a Sun Runner. More than any other mundane role in the game, SLK are limited in where they can go and thus who they can interact with.

It's true, Sun Runners are pretty much the public face of Delfs.

[WanderingOoze]

But, BUT! Soh can say  'Kah' a lot without it being weird.

[Kol]

But, BUT! Soh can say  'Kah' a lot without it being weird.

No, that's what makes them weird ;-)

[tiptoe]

1) Play a young delf who is expected not to know everything.  Hopefully you will have tribe mates to train you.

2) Read the helpfiles over and over.  And over.  And over.  And then make a personality doc for yourself if that's not something you already do.

3) Communicate your concerns with your staff.  I'm sure they'd be happy to give you pointers.

4) Don't get discouraged and decide to go exploring when your tribe isn't around.

5) Maybe try a Sun Runner this time.  They tend to get around more and get more interaction.

This, for sure. Knowing your clan's documentation is essential. There are way too many times I see new d-elves that I have no idea what their tribe is about. You don't have to know every inch of the Pah, but you NEED to know your tribe.

You don't have to know every inch of the Pah. New areas take time to learn, but try to do the major exploration with a tribemate. Ask on your clan boards if they don't have some guides. Know the places to avoid and the creatures that wander wherever you're going. And know that you WILL fall into a hole. It just happens. After two years in game, it still happens sometimes.

Be comfortable with isolation and solo play. While Sun Runners can venture into cities from time to time, they're not going to be there weekly. There are many times, especially during the lifetime of a long lived d-elf, that your clan will be 1-2 people with very different playtimes. You will have to get comfortable solo-rping. What I find helps during these times is doing chores for the tribe. Organizing, gathering things, taking things to sell, etc. In this instance, having a ranger or warrior is pretty helpful because you can gather meat and hides for your tribe too. Personally, I've never played a merchant. From what I've seen, playing a merchant in a d-elf tribe is...not ideal. You can't really leave. Or wander. Or hunt. My recommendation guild-wise (and I'm sorry if anyone disagrees) is warrior or ranger with a subguild that gives you something to do. Ranger is especially useful and, I think, significantly easier.

Playing a d-elf is all about playing for your tribe. Would your tribe benefit from what you're doing? If not, then you probably shouldn't do it. Your tribe is your family. You don't always have to like them, but no matter what, you love them.

[Dakota]

Sun Runners get the bonus that when they get board they can go and sit around in Luirs or any other City which certainly helps.

But if you're SELF MOTIVATED and want to play a savage, native-american a la Apache, run around wearing next to nothing except a wicked looking spear, a quiver and a breachcloth, then play an SLK... If you want the very SIGHT of you to instill a cocktail of wonder / fear / excitement... then play an SLK.

SR is D-Elf lite. SLK is D-Elf pro.

SLK for the first... year(?) I had my PC, was the most fun I've EVER had in arm. I'd be quicker to force store over an SLK special role call than any noble roll call.

[HavokBlue]

Sun Runners get the bonus that when they get board they can go and sit around in Luirs or any other City which certainly helps.

But if you're SELF MOTIVATED and want to play a savage, native-american a la Apache, run around wearing next to nothing except a wicked looking spear, a quiver and a breachcloth, then play an SLK... If you want the very SIGHT of you to instill a cocktail of wonder / fear / excitement... then play an SLK.

SR is D-Elf lite. SLK is D-Elf pro.

SLK for the first... year(?) I had my PC, was the most fun I've EVER had in arm. I'd be quicker to force store over an SLK special role call than any noble roll call.

The downside is that since the time of the PCs Dakota is talking about, the rules about where SLK can and can't go have become much less flexible and as a result they are limited to their one part of the world. Due to the low volume of PCs an SLK might encounter in this area, and the nature of this area, there's a really limited number of things an SLK can pursue. It's been a little while since I've played one, put I don't imagine things have expanded drastically beyond "You aren't a trading tribe and you aren't a raiding tribe and you kind of just exist to play a glorified park ranger".

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Yup. When you don't have round-ears and rogue mages running around the Pah, there's basically nothing to do as an SLK. (And honestly the player base is so risk/conflict adverse these days, that I imagine that's 98% of the time right now.) This leads to boredom, and then eventually to the idiotic belief that the Mul Outpost and Cai Shyzn should be off limits to non-elves as well. Don't get me wrong, by-the-docs SLK is a perfectly awesome D-Elf tribe, but their extreme territorial xenophobia is just dull to play for the majority of players.

SLK appeal to more players because you can go where you please, and your presence is actually DESIRED by the players there because you have some pretty legit / sought-after wares to offer. (Plays well for both the adventurous & social player-types.) But the going where you please is the key part there. The way in which SLK and ATV limit themselves to a very small area really hamstrings the d-elf experience. You're a race that plays well to wanderlust and an inability to sit still... and yet you don't wander. 

As far as elves having infallible trust in their tribemates - I don't see it that way, and have often seen it played oppositely to great effect. I see the tribal mentality as more of a "brothers" mentality; I can pick on my brother if I want to, but you sure as hell can't! I mean, when you live in close proximity to someone, it's impossible to not take issue with some of the things they do. But unlike human clannies, you won't betray that to the outside world. Some good examples of this that I've been involved in:

As an ATV elf, one of our brothers (a new player, and a totally trigger happy PvPer) got murdered by a Sun Runner. Before the incident occurred, we were considering sending one of our tribemates to go stay with the SR for a period of time (the 2 tribes have good relations, and this happens often by-the-docs). After the incident occurred, it slowed that process pending investigation. As there were no witnesses to the PK, we were playing it skeptically. OOCly, and to a lesser extent ICly, we knew that our Broseph Stalin was probably the one that started that fight. None-the-less 3/4 of the players in the tribe were on the fence about sending our brother to the SRs, with the 1/4 being the player that wanted to go, who completely wrote the incident off as our own guys fault. So there was quite a bit of resentment toward our tribemate, which ultimately ended in us leveling him an ultimatum that, if he went to the SR, he wouldn't be welcomed back to the ATV camp. We viewed it as a sort of willingness to bed the enemy, and felt that him leaving us for the SR at that moment would be a sign that he trusted outsiders more than us.  Was a cool situation, and one that felt extremely D-Elfy to me as far as racial roleplay goes.

Another was when I was playing in Sun Runners, we had a tribe mate who junked a bunch of our characters' personal belongings. (We had a system where each player could put their personal possessions in a unique container, in a specific area, and it would be considered like a personal "locker.") So, dude went through and just junked peoples personal stuff. No one really liked the character much before that, he was kind of aloof amongst the tribe, but everyone HATED him after that. So one night, around the camp fire, my character went to the rug, grabbed the guys only personal possession (he hadn't junked his own stuff), and threw it in the campfire right before him and the rest of the tribe. He stood up without a word and tried to kill me. I retaliated. I ultimately lost the exchange and died. It didn't play out with the best of roleplay, but everything leading up to it were cases of perfectly reasonable infighting. Were an outsider to have threatened our camp at that exact moment, we would've ceased fighting each other and hammered back as a unified fist.

[Patuk]

As far as elves are concerned, trusting tribesmates isn't so much a thing of 'stop being meeeeean we're bros' as much as it is 'you do NOT put us in danger.'

So being a dick and throwing your little sister's dolls down a cliff still is a douchebag things to do, but elves are no more or less prone to being assholes than other people. On the other hand, snapping your sister's hunting bow in two when everyone is hungry and wood is only found on the other side of the Known, you are a liability and probably due to be punished.

In the 'let's send our ATV dude off to chill with the SR' example, you could defend making that guy an outcast as saying 'if you leave to consort with murderers, you are no better than they, you can be trusted no more, and we can't justify you staying with us anymore,' so that's fine.

The dude who killed you was just being an idiot, but then I guess some delves are just idiots.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Preachin' to the choir!

I guess me burning his guitar was the part of the anecdote I liked. It went down hill from there pretty quickly.

But my point was, you can still have disagreements and argue amongst one another - in fact it adds interesting RP dynamics - but that should remain strictly internal and above all else, as Patuk said, not hurt the tribe.

[HavokBlue]

I still want a desert elf tribe in the desert.

[seidhr]

As part of the tribal staff and someone experienced with d-elves both, I can tell you a few things:

Desert elves are the kings and queens of the desert and they know it.  They believe (know) that other races are inferior to them as a race, and while there is some slight variation based on a given tribe's interpretation, that d-elves in other tribes are also second class (though still better than humans, certainly).

Trusting one's own tribe is implicit, but you also don't have to get along.  Brothers and sisters is a good analogy.  It's more like being at a bar with your siblings and someone picks a fight with you - you know your brother and sister have your back in this fight, whether you are angry at each other or not.  Murdering your own tribemate would probably be grounds for being force-stored, but you can definitely hate on them.

The tribe is more important than anyone one individual, in all cases.

Personal property isn't really a thing.  D-elves don't get apartments (obviously) and shouldn't be trying to accumulate vast Smaug-like hoards of stuff for themselves - accumulating it for the tribe is fine though.  The rule of thumb is that if you set something down in the tents, it's up for grabs, though certain items might be set aside for special uses or roles, and those expectations should be respected generally.

Each tribe has unique nuances that further shape their culture, but the above holds true for all d-elves.  As for the tribes themselves, it really depends on what you are into as a player.

I don't really want to go into a lot of detail about the particular tribes and what they do or don't do, beyond what's in the help files, but I think that both the SLK and SR are cool in their own ways.  People have touched on the SRs being more outgoing and likely to visit civilization and all that.  Yes, this is true, but I'd also say (just my opinion, but my opinion COUNTS because I'm staff in that clan group, dang it!!) that the -best- Sun Runners do not make a habit of doing that with much frequency.  They should be spending the bulk of their time in the Tablelands regardless.  SLK on the other hand, as currently documented, lack some of that flexibility... yes - but let me say that when the SLK tribe has some good and active players, it's an awesome experience.  And, there have been some truly exceptional PCs to come out of that clan/tribe.

To someone who is not experienced with the Abi'li Pah as a location, as a player, it can be a dangerous place and has its own risks and ways to get killed.  Plus, the very nature of being a d-elf, running around outside all the time, you're going to be exposed more to dangerous wildlife, rogue magickers, and whatever else - than someone who warms a barstool in either city half the time.  Sometimes, d-elves die in horrible ways and get discouraged.  I'd say just treat it as a learning experience and come back that much smarter, a character or two down the road.

I will also offer some very vague foreshadowing and say that there are going to be some changes that will impact one or more d-elf tribes in the reasonably near future.  Draw conclusions at your own risk!  ;-)

[Dakota]

I miss SLK.

[Thunkkin]

I tried playing a Soh once, but there were no veteran members of the clan (other than one semi-long lived guy who spent his time kanking sun-runners and that I never really saw). The other SLK and I were both new to it and kinda lost. I felt like even speaking was a challenge, since other than "kah", I had no idea what the speech patterns, lingo, etc. of my tribe were. Much less the tribe's other interests, habits, etc. that went beyond the docs.

I should try a SLK again some time.

[Jingo]

I tried playing a Soh once, but there were no veteran members of the clan (other than one semi-long lived guy who spent his time kanking sun-runners and that I never really saw). The other SLK and I were both new to it and kinda lost. I felt like even speaking was a challenge, since other than "kah", I had no idea what the speech patterns, lingo, etc. of my tribe were. Much less the tribe's other interests, habits, etc. that went beyond the docs.

I should try a SLK again some time.

Kah
Yah
Nah

All you need to do in this regard.

[bcw81]

I tried playing a Soh once, but there were no veteran members of the clan (other than one semi-long lived guy who spent his time kanking sun-runners and that I never really saw). The other SLK and I were both new to it and kinda lost. I felt like even speaking was a challenge, since other than "kah", I had no idea what the speech patterns, lingo, etc. of my tribe were. Much less the tribe's other interests, habits, etc. that went beyond the docs.

I should try a SLK again some time.

Kah
Yah
Nah

All you need to do in this regard.

Proper song to sing around the SLK campfire:
Kah Kah Kah

[Fujikoma]

Hmmmm... have karma for d-elf, never played one... might have to fix that.

[Kol]

Hmmmm... have karma for d-elf, never played one... might have to fix that.

Do. Tribal play is awesome.

[Kryos]

Though its been some time since I've played a delf, I highly recommend it as an experience in the game.  My dabble was a Red Fang during the initiation of the 'build up' and the intense rivalry with certain other tribes.  While I experienced some of the 'cut your tits off' attitude described by the OP, I was fortunate enough to have been in with a group of rather talented players, and it was focused correctly into the aspect of censure and bullying in order to toughen the tribe as a whole.  If you were, or acted, at all weak, you were kicked into the dirt until you grew strong enough to stand(or died).

Indeed, though, the most prominent aspect was the alteration of interaction regarding trust.  It is one of the few roles in Armageddon where trust is actually . . . present.  The Us vs Them mentality is quite a notion to incorporate and learn when in nearly every other role, it would be considered a character flaw.  All in all, it will test and refine your role playing capabilities as a veteran, while honing your game skills and opening your eyes to the world at large as a newer player.

[Hot_Dancer]

Sun Runners get the bonus that when they get board they can go and sit around in Luirs or any other City which certainly helps.

But if you're SELF MOTIVATED and want to play a savage, native-american a la Apache, run around wearing next to nothing except a wicked looking spear, a quiver and a breachcloth, then play an SLK... If you want the very SIGHT of you to instill a cocktail of wonder / fear / excitement... then play an SLK.

SR is D-Elf lite. SLK is D-Elf pro.

SLK for the first... year(?) I had my PC, was the most fun I've EVER had in arm. I'd be quicker to force store over an SLK special role call than any noble roll call.

The downside is that since the time of the PCs Dakota is talking about, the rules about where SLK can and can't go have become much less flexible and as a result they are limited to their one part of the world. Due to the low volume of PCs an SLK might encounter in this area, and the nature of this area, there's a really limited number of things an SLK can pursue. It's been a little while since I've played one, put I don't imagine things have expanded drastically beyond "You aren't a trading tribe and you aren't a raiding tribe and you kind of just exist to play a glorified park ranger".

I don't think this is entirely accurate as far as the SLK are concerned.

Trying to say any rules or regulations/restrictions have changed since Dakota's time really isn't true. Dakota could make the same elf and do the same things and still be within documentation as long as she communicated regularly with staff.

The guidelines are more clearly outlined now - but I've -never- had the staff tell me no when I wanted to do something that involved my tribemates even if it took us out of our primary territories. They even made the venture more worthwhile when they could/gave us a few scars.

I do think of the Sun Runners as the primary desert elf tribe and even suggest dissuading making a Soh if the Sun Runners are not already thriving in the region.

The Soh do best when the other local tribes in the area are populated and give a good mixture of interaction. The Al'Seik/Arabet need to be active. Luirs needs to be active. The Sun Runners needs to be active and bonus points if an indie group travels the tablelands regularly as well.

[HavokBlue]

Over the course of the handful of months I ran a Soh leader, there was a crackdown from up high on where we were allowed to go and when and the protocol for anything outside the Tablelands.

Where it had previously been alright (if perhaps dangerous) to run up to the edge of the Grey Forest, or a little ways into Vrun Driath, or out to the Cai Shyzn valley etc to hunt or gather specific materials, it shifted to needing a group of PCs, and prior notice to staff. On top of that, every time we'd group up and run out to gather bones or wood or feathers or whatever, we'd get a "NOT NAMING ANY NAMES BUT NO RAIDING OUTSIDE THE TABLELANDS" post. With the exception of one instance that was communicated with staff, no SLK PCs attacked anyone else during these trips, under my watch.

I don't think staff are super cool with the idea of a xenophobic clan prone to violence having a lot of range to mess with other PCs. I'm sure anyone that's played an SLK for a reasonable amount of time has heard "YOU AREN'T A TRADING TRIBE" when you inevitably ask to get one or two items built to expand the limited craft list, and "YOU AREN'T A RAIDING TRIBE" when you want to go harass people on the road.

The reality of the SLK as a small, beaten tribe does not reflect the PC situation. The nature of the tribe as neither raiders nor traders with a very limited area of operations just makes it... incredibly limited in scope.

[Hot_Dancer]

When the Soh were first started - the availability of resources/law around the game were different.

There were simply more reasons to go to the Tablelands. What, ten years ago?

Tuluk didn't have much to offer. Luirs easily competed as the more viable social hub. As far as hubs in the game it felt like: Allanak - Luirs - Tuluk rather than the Allanak - Tuluk - Luirs as it is now.

The easiest place to go for fresh, clean water for an indie anything was the Tablelands.

Newbie hunter? Tablelands.

Want to avoid the authorities/sandstorms/blazing heat of the Vrun Diath? Tablelands.

Quit Safe rooms/Shade? Tablelands.

Things changed as regional traffic reduced and the viability of the tribe's original design has become less suitable for someone who wants to interact in a social RPI who does not have limitless free time.

I've also run a Soh leader under the current set of guidelines/crackdown and met zero resistance from the staff in my endeavors. They'd always been enthused to get some shrieking elves into glory.

[spicemustflow]

I realize I sound like an adbot at times, but open Silt Winds and others, even if without coded camp & shit. We need delf presence in every major region. Some raid, some trade, all break the monotony of the sands.

[HavokBlue]

I fully support a desert elf tribe that lives in the desert.

[RogueGunslinger]

I fully support a desert elf tribe that lives in the desert.

You don't think the Tablelands is a desert

[Patuk]

No place in Arm has more than 125 mm of rain a year, so technically all of Zalanthas is a desert.

(still support non tableland elves)

[Bushranger]

No place in Arm has more than 125 mm of rain a year, so technically all of Zalanthas is a desert.

(still support non tableland elves)

Depends upon the year!

[Patuk]

I don't think even the black moon thing was 125 mm in most places in Zalanthas, though the halflings may not care.

[Nyr]

Over the course of the handful of months I ran a Soh leader, there was a crackdown from up high on where we were allowed to go and when and the protocol for anything outside the Tablelands.

Where it had previously been alright (if perhaps dangerous) to run up to the edge of the Grey Forest, or a little ways into Vrun Driath, or out to the Cai Shyzn valley etc to hunt or gather specific materials, it shifted to needing a group of PCs, and prior notice to staff.

This is mostly incorrect.  It was (and still is) alright to go on such excursions, and it was clarified in discussion with those players at the time.  We engaged in dialogue with players at the time on the boards to clarify the reasons why the docs were there and to clarify what they said.  If your tribe has territory they claim, then the farther you get from home territory (your stomping grounds), the more dangerous it is to you (you enter other spheres of influence) and the more dangerous it is to your tribe (that influence can be used to crush a single elf or even multiple elves, leaving the tribe weakened). 

For any such tribe or clan limited by regional influence (which is pretty much all of them, to some capacity), distance from the home territory affects frequency and importance of visit in the grand scheme of things.  A noble from one city might go as far as Luir's for a festival.  They are out of their home territory, they lack the security of being surrounded by people that fear and respect them, and they place themselves in a greater amount of danger for all of that.  Because of all of the above, such a trip is not a once per week, once per month, or once per IC year trip.  It is a trip made with great planning, coordination, and discussion with one's staff.  Understanding this is a big part of being a leader in any clan.  Enforcing the importance or rarity (or to the other extreme, the commonplace nature) of an event makes it mean more (or to the other extreme, less) when it does happen.

Back to tribal desert elves, though.  The biggest sticking point in this particular case was communication.  Let's say we on staff hear about something happening that goes against a clan's documentation.  We ask the clan staff of that clan.  If they don't know--and they don't know because their clanmembers haven't communicated it (either well, or at all)--then they have to investigate what's up.  So they do, and it's not nearly as bad as claimed (they've definitely dealt with worse in other clans, with appropriate end results), but it does open the door to dialogue and then an expectation to communicate better.  This helps the player(s) because staff will be apprised of what is going on and can, if available, provide animation and oversight.  This helps staff because they have that communicative rapport with their clanmembers, and they can vouch for their clanmembers.

[HavokBlue]

I fully support a desert elf tribe that lives in the desert.

You don't think the Tablelands is a desert

Compared to the rest of the game world?

[Delirium]

Uh, yes, it is. Read those descriptions sometime... it's one of the most desert-y places in the gameworld besides the actual Red Desert.

[HavokBlue]

Less of this


And more of this



Less of this


And more of this

[RogueGunslinger]

Maybe someone who has never lived in the desert doesn't understand this, but the difference in climate and landscape between those two areas mostly happens in the same ten mile radius.  Hell they happen in the same one-mile radius.

One river makes the difference between sand dunes and a forest.

[Incognito]

Ultra-brief guide to playing d-elves:

1) Be up to date on your clan documentation - first and foremost.

2) Be aware of the social dynamics of your PC within the clan with other PCs and NPCs.

3) Be aware of the social dynamics of your clan vis-a-vis other d-elf clans and other clans.

4) If some rituals are detailed in your clan documentation - try and inculcate them in your RP.

5) Your main aim should be the survival and progress of your tribe, your personal ascension within the clan comes second.

6) Conning non-elves is what you live for. Conning d-elves from other clans is the icing on the cake, but beware, it could come back to bite you in your ass.

7) If all else fails - run!