POLL: Silt Skimming Elves

[MeTekillot]

Question above.

[Gentleboy]

I'm split with the idea!

I can see some elves being split on the idea as well.

I think that since they are runners, they like to feel solid ground under themselves. However, Two Moons and a Silt island tribe should be unconventional. Those who were not raised near the Silt, I can see, not agreeing or wanting to go on it. The uncertainty of the Unknown.

Elves are brave in the environments they know, and wrecks outside of it.

Thanks for the poll! Excited to see how others feel!

[Riev]

Elves are, to me, so proud of their ability to use their own legs to move about that they don't ride. I've always disagreed with "an elf that rides should kill themselves" style of hard-line, but an elf riding around is no elf.

When on the silt, though... there is no possible way for them to run across the silt.
A better question would be "Would an elf have a legitimate reason to go riding aimlessly on the silt?" Sure its FUN, but a city elf is an elf that has chosen, over generations, to live in the general safety of the cities... so would a city elf want to go on an wide-open silt sea on a skimmer? Would a DESERT elf, even?

Just in general, though? I don't think elves should be on Skimmers, and if they're on one they should be WILDLY uncomfortable to the point of being nearly useless.

[Brytta Léofa]

Personally I would soften the policy to: elves never ever ride a mount, and they never use a wagon or skimmer for the purpose of sparing themselves from running.

A Byn elf paid to stand on the ramp of a wagon as a guard while it rolls? Antsy, but fine.
A Byn elf riding the wagon so they don't get tired? Never.
An elf wanting to buy and use a cart? Never. They don't need to carry that much stuff, and they don't want to ride when they can run.

An elf hired on to a skimmer crew? Antsy, but fine.
An elf buying and operating a skimmer? Marginal. You're using it to get somewhere you can't run, not to avoid running. But we're gonna ask why you do want to do this.

[eska]

I hate playing elves, because they don't ride a mount or a wagon. Aside from that, they are fun, both city and dessert elves.
This silt skimmer question came to my mind as well a couple days ago. And my answer is an absolute no.
City elves don't like it outside the cities and they don't feel comfortable out in the open. Desert elves don't like it inside the cities and they want to feel the ground with their feet.
I cannot find any reason for either of them to try a skimmer nor seek an adventure on the silt sea.

[betweenford]

If you consider the inspirational material, elves could technically still use magical and mounted travel, and wouldnt be shamed for it if they had broken legs or were like severely pregnant/elderly.

But then again they could wade through shallow silt, attach ropes to each other, and walk on hidden pathways through the silt to get from silty place to silty place.

[SpyGuy]

Only if they or one of their tribe is piloting it. But I'd like to see silt elves.

[Lotion]

fuck it just let them swim

[X-D]

You cannot run on silt.

I mean, that is it right there.

Now, Reason for getting on the skimmer does matter. IF there is an overland route then the elf would take it.

[roughneck]

Whiran elves fly... why does that get a pass?

[Armaddict]

You cannot run on silt.

I mean, that is it right there.

Now, Reason for getting on the skimmer does matter. IF there is an overland route then the elf would take it.

I'm not sure about the last part, but the first part is my deal.  There isn't an option.  There's no reason to -avoid- it because you can't run on it; it's not a phobia of footing, it's just a pride in being able to run.  There is strength in it.  Hence why they won't ride in a wagon when they can run alongside it, unless they are so hurt that the act of shame is warranted.  Lots of people get ashamed of things that prevent them from doing 'their part' as they view it.

Silt skimmers are similar to wagons, but over non-traversable territory.  Hence, there is no shame in it, and no loss of pride, because they couldn't do that anyway; neither could anyone else.  There is no 'I don't trust the ground here, so I shouldn't be here', or elves would never use climb due to lack of sure footing.  There is no counterpoint to 'elves get nauseous/don't feel right' on fake ground, but that would be an odd thing evolutionarily speaking since that would offer no benefit to survival, so it would never fully breed out the converse unless that trait was selectively bred, which would be...weird.

I just don't see this as remotely relatable to the other examples of elven pride in running.  Granted, it's also such a fringe case/rare scenario it's not likely to impact much, but I am for options where they make sense.  Red Storm elf turned silt scammer/merchant/pirate?  Suuuure, dude.  Lonely life though! xD

[Miradus]

I could also see a tribe of elves taking to the sea and refusing to set foot for very long on land except maybe to trade, buy ale, or collect water.

But skimmer code would need to be built up significantly as well as the biomes of the silt sea increased.

[eska]

Whiran elves fly... why does that get a pass?

My last whiran elf was running in the air when flying.

[stoicreader]

Disagree > agree + nuance

Seems like it's time to let elves siltskim?

[Brokkr]

Disagree > agree + nuance

Seems like it's time to let elves siltskim?

It should be obvious, but this isn't something that gets decided by player vote.

[Incognito]

Elves are fierce and proud to reject all forms of transport that do not involve their legs.

They're also highly intelligent and curious, and one of the most prolific explorers of the Known World.

Their tribal mindset demands that they put the benefit and prosperity of their kin above all else.

They would absolutely skim the Silt Sea to explore it, in the hopes of finding treasure or some materials that would give their tribe an upper-hand.

[Fredd]

Elves are fierce and proud to reject all forms of transport that do not involve their legs.

Paddleboats. Let's make poaddleboats

[Dresan]

I strongly believe that if city elf race was being created today, they would turn out much differently.

City elves are not a race that exist in the dark sun setting and over the years that lack of reference does show compared to the other races.

Most of the nuances of how city elves are played has more or less been discussed by players and staff on the forums over the years, but its still boils down to just opinion which tends to changes from person to person. If you look at the core documentation behind the city elf race, its pretty problematic in today's game. You have a tribe centric race, with trust issues that is infatuated with stealing. If that wasn't enough they should feel paranoia the moment they leave the comfort of the environment they were born in.

While silt skimming sounds nice, I wouldn't be fussed if things just remained the same. I suppose I am just happy the staff hasn't decided to restrict the subclasses city elves can pick to bring them more in line with the documentation, just like they already do with wilderness classes. Or worse begin actively enforcing other troublesome elven RP characteristics described in documentation other than 'thou shall not ride'. It was already a cruel joke that the only clans city elves could join up until recently had a heavy travel component element to them.