Pathfinder Ancestry Guide: The Elves
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- My fifth video about Pathfinder and my third video on the Ancestries of Golarion. This video we are covering the Elves of Pathfinder.
Elfgate Map: imgur.com/gallery/gIguRr4
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Preamble
0:55 - Tolkien's Elves & Why it Matters
3:31 - The Elves of Pathfinder
7:44 - History of the Elves
15:00 - The Aiudeen
16:08 - The Forlorn
17:11 - The Ilverani
17:56 - The Spiresworn
19:33 - The Vourinoi
21:27 - The Mualijae
22:43 - The Drow
23:45 - The Jinin
24:57 - The Aquatic Elves
25:37 - Outro
CREDITS
The large high-res map I use is not a Paizo official map, but the work of the incomparable Rob McCaleb ( www.artstation.com/robmccaleb ) used here with their gracious permission.
See the first part of my video on Humans here: • Pathfinder Ancestry Gu...
I use a large volume of found art in my videos and I'm not always give full credit to the artists on my videos, but I used some high quality elven art from Jenny Dolfen ( goldseven.wordpress.com/ ), John Hower ( www.john-howe.com/ ) and Ted Nasmith ( www.tednasmith.com/ ) and I wanted to call out these artists for their work.
#paizo #pathfinder #golarion #innersea #roleplaying #rpg #history #lore #timeline #dnd #ancestry #elf #elves
This creation of the elves in Golarion is way more interesting for me than what was first established in the Forgotten Realms. I am really glad to see they can adapt so much in this setting, makes them all the more wondrous to study and interact with in campaigns. Have a supreme day everyone! Thanks for the vid.
These have been great videos so far. One mention I will make? The writings of the popular Victorian Age author Lord Dunsany were monumental in the shaping of Tolkien’s Elves, a fact that he himself was very open about. The fantasy that Tolkien ‘invented’ the modern elf is popular, but like all myths, is not represented by history nor believed by those who are themselves the source of the myth.
I love that you took the StarGate as a Map Marker!
Haha! Seemed appropriate!
I didn't comment the first time but thank you for this run down. Pathfinder elves sound *wild* and I love it. This was actually the first video that gave me an idea for running a game. Granted I might never get around to running that particular idea, but being able to find a source of inspiration early into looking at a system is always a relief.
Glad you connect with this one! Elves make great characters in PF 🙂
Wow I actually like these elves
I gotta admit, Lemarckian evolution was not on my bingo card for this video. You asked for video ideas, so i'll bite. One of my favorite lore topics is the geopolitics of places like Waterdeep, Candlekeep, Baldur's Gate, etc. Those subjects are covered by some youtubers for the forgotten realms, but I don't recall seeing much for pathfinder. I would love to see that. Additionally, I just wanted to say that I recently discovered your channel and am really enjoying it. I really like your narration style/voice as well. I think your videos will be the next addition to youtube background noise I use for everything from chores to sleeping.
Just started (yet another lol) replay of the wotr crpg as an elven enchantment wizard going down the demon path. this definitely helps give me ideas for roleplaying, and one day i'll convince someone to play the tabletop with me so i can be an elven alchemist (probably) thanks for the videos :)
I just found this channel, I'm glad to see a new Pathfinder lore channel. Keep it up!
It's a very informative and well-told video. Tolkien is level zero - his Elvendom is very refined and distinct as they are THE staple people of Arda, made and chosen by Eru Ilúvatar, Forgotten Realms (my favourite setting) is a fairly good copy of Tolkien's narrative as the Elves there also yearn for western lands across the sea, but this is unique and interesting as the Elves of Pathfinder come from another world. On a personal note, the introduction starting with Tolkien and the Pratchett quote is superb
Thanks so much! This is a really kind comment and I greatly appreciate it.
I think it would be cool if the drow were split into different groups like the Mualijae like altmer,bosmer, Dunmer (yes I know those are elder scrolls elves it’s just an example) but all are drow cause they live in the under dark, that would be a cool addition to lore and you don’t have to explain why your drow isn’t evil
This is a great series, even for someone who doesn't play Pathfinder. Could you or someone here explain to me why the iconic Paizo elf, Merisiel, looks as alien as perhaps their origin suggests, but that basically all other depictions, I think including every single example in your video, look WAY more like your typical nerdy fantasy Elf?
Is that just drift from original concept? Is it supposed to be their inter-life evolutionary traits? I always thought Merisiel's design was a refreshing break from the literally endless rinse and repeat Tolkien elf imagery we've all seen for almost a century.
I think its probably just a question of art direction. Merisiel's design is one of the earliest designs and they were probably fairly explicit with Wayne Reynolds about the elf-design in Pathfinder. As time has gone on however and they've had to commission more artwork that design has - as you've said - drifted a little.
I know Wayne Reynolds intended elves to be more insectoid than the usual elf - his pfe2 rendition of Merisiel is on his Facebook page and he goes into how other artists definitely drifted away from the intended art style
These are really informative and I'm using them to help introduce my players to Pathfinder
There is a entry for a whisper elf subrace, but no lore on them.
This is a common source of confusion for players of Pathfinder, especially 2E which does this more than 1E. Essentially, you're confusing mechanics and lore here. Whisper Elf is not actually a subrace of Elf in Pathfinder. It's an optional Heritage for the elven race to represent elves which are gifted in hearing, something which is common across all the elven subtypes. Just because a rule is available for a given ancestry or a given class doesn't necessarily mean that it represents something that is generally understood to exist in the game world. You could play a Vourinoi elf and type the Whisper Elf heritage, or you could play an Aiudeen Elf and take the Whisper Elf heritage. It just means you're an elf with highly attuned ears.
Stumbled upon this channel today and am delighted with the elven lore. Subbed and anticipate even more great content to come!
Cheers!
One mild pushback, while the more modern germanic fay are portrayed as small, their diminutive size even in the germanic tradition wasn't always true, even dwarfs where in some myths as only such by giant standards, with fay often being more spiritual thus less fixed in size.
Also I'm specifying the germanic tradition for a reason as the Irish/Scottish analog the shea, as in banshea, have often been portrayed as fairly human sized, and considering a stated intent of Tolkien was to create a mythos for the British isles, and in much of Irish/Scottish lore the shea where a precursor people dwelling in another realm, it's more likely to be the shea not the fay he was drawing upon.
Good notes and I agree actually
This is so well done! Thanks!
Hey @Mythkeeper, I discovered your channel a couple months ago. I'm consistently amazed by the high quality of these videos. I want to applaud you on starting this channel, I'm a big fan of the historical presentation. I don't even play Pathfinder and I don't have any interaction with this world except through these lore videos.
This blows my mind. I can't believe that I have viewers that don't play Pathfinder haha! Thank you so much though, I really appreciate this comment. May I suggest picking up a copy of Wrath of the Righteous or Kingmaker (computer games set in the PF world) just for fun?
@@TheMythKeeper absolutely I plan to pick Kingmaker up. Thanks for the reply.
Good stuff! I did notice one small snafu. You mentioned "Mierani in the East and Kyonin in the west". That's backwards unless the map is upside down.
That's a snafu you caught there!
Great video as always! I'd like you to elaborate deeper into the three subspecies of the jungle elves, if it's possible. It seems an interesting topic, since they too remained on Golarion, but didn't escape the surface.
Thanks for the request! I could probably do a whole video just on the Ekujae, who control the Hunter Gate, which have a lot of history, but the Alijae and the Kallijae haven't been fleshed out as much. Hopefully we'll get more on these Elves in the new edition.
This is awesome!
Also i like that Golarian introduced Cavern elves. Which i assume with their limited description to look more traditionally troglobitetic. Pale skin, big ears, that sort of things.
Now you know that Drow are special and specifically fiend touched.
So now you can silence "that guy" at the table who goes "AcTuaLly dRoW ShOUld bE PaLE NoT DaRk sKInnEd since they live underground.
awesome, it's impressive how paiso makes the effort to explain (in canon) a diversity and inclussion on elves, still i prefer the "tolkien" or "FR" Elves, call me old fashiened if you want. And...make elves extraterrestrial beings...hummm i dont like it.
Thanks for the information!
Glad you enjoyed it! And if alien elves isn't your cup of tea, you can just make Sovyrian a magical place rather than another planet and you've very simply and easily homebrewed elves a little more to your liking.
@@TheMythKeeper that's a really good idea, i will follow your example an make some adjustments on "my Golarion", thanks again!
@@israelmorales4249 We see the “Elven home world” as a Demiplane at our table. That was our solution to them being “alien”
I really need to play a samurai elf someday
Love your videos,!
You referenced getting back to half elves and half orcs in Golarion. Have you done such a video?
Thanks. Keep up the great work
Yes I have - its in the Special Bloodlines video
Very useful stuff! I wonder if you have any plans to do a piece on the Elves' home planet? I haven't found much in the sourcebooks.
Maybe some day. There's actually a ton of great stuff on Castrovel if you want to read about it, in the Starfinder game, which is the same universe just very far in the future.
I know 5e have lots of Sub-race for elves, yet they feel flat compare to Elves of Pathfinder.
I personally like the Drow Pathfinder version more than 5e.
I love the homage to Drizzt
Good job
Okay...so these elves are not responsible for 70% of all calamities and atrocities past and present like the elves of forgotten realms? Might end up liking them if so
That's correct! Some of these elves even fought to prevent total catastrophe (like when the Ekujae fought Dahak - see my Western Mwangi vid for details). But also, some of these elves just decided to get out of dodge the moment things got a little scary.
If only you had a voice that supported engaging storytelling or maybe a better mic. The voice is a bit too soft? Like it makes me space out and relax over making me pay attention and absorb the info. 😅.
Love the content
Working on it. Also try some of my later videos. Let me know if gets better. There's definitely been a learning curve here.
❤
The oft-repeated story, appearing again in this video, that TSR received a legal threat from the "Tolkien estate" (i.e. Tolkien's family) is false.
Rather, they received a 'cease and desist' letter from Elan Merchandizing, a division of the "Tolkien Enterprises" company owned by Saul Zaentz... who had acquired the film rights for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that JRRT originally sold to United Artists.
Thanks for the correction Conrad.
Yay Elves!
The elves of Golarion are perhaps one of my favorite races. Both culturally and biologically.
But there is one thing that i think remains somewhat unexplored, the idea that the elves aren't actually natives of Golarian. Their aliens from a neighboring planet. Aliens that mostly abandoned the planet during its worst cataclysm.
Its not entirely unfair to make the accusation that some of the elves of Golarian treat the planet less like a home and more like a summer house. Something that many are willing to abandon at the first sign of trouble.
Its not entirely unfair to say that the Drow are more native to Golarian then the Aiudeen.
As they actually had to tough out earthfall and all the subsequent troubles with the other inhabitants of the planet.
It's an accusation or dislike that I'd like to see from a similar long-lived or immortal creature. Like a dragon or a lich. Or even Forlorn elves or other elven cultures think that Aiudeen are untrustworthy.
It could be said that the elves and especially the Aiudeen to be fair weather friends to Golarian at best and trespassers at worst.
Thats not an entirely fair belief to have. But it contains enough truth that it makes sense some other near immortal beings to have it.
I agree actually. Aiudeen are fair-weather friends to Golarion, ready to love at a moments notice if things get tough 😅
Sweet
Did you mention Lichgate? Or did I just completely blank on that?
Maybe I didn't but I included it in the map I made with all the gates on it - imgur.com/gallery/gIguRr4
Looked every where for subraces, so whats the subraces for elves pathfinder 2e?
Uh, watch the video? But if that's too much work - they are the Aiudeen (high elves I guess?), Aquatic elves, Drow (dark elves), Ilverani (snow elves), Jininese (Tian elves), Spiresworn or gray elves, Mualijae (jungle elves), Vourinoi (desert elves).
Gates at Sevenarches?
Where did you find a map of the gate locations? Or if you made it, is there any way I could get a copy of it?
I made it myself based on the location descriptions for the various gates. Here, I dropped a version of the asset in imgur for you - imgur.com/gallery/gIguRr4
Hey thanks so much bud! I'm doing a home brew version of the "Age of Ashes" adventure path. And I have a gnome sorcerer who is helping them fix the gates. So having a quick reference of what she knows will be a big help!
Where did you get the map you use when showing the gates on top?
Check the description
i was kinda dissapointet to see that the elves of golarion are not nearly that old as individuals as they should be. best case, one elf can get 900 years old. thats where i wanted to _start_ thinking about my elves age :x in second edition, its basicly down to 600 years. its terrible
I still think of 900 as the upper bounds, but even if its down to 600, that's still a really, really long time to wander the earth. Anything that takes you more than a couple hundred years to do isn't worth doing, I say. (Don't forget you can always homebrew these things, my elves always live 10X human lives, so my 900 year old elf is like a 90 year old human... pretty old)
@@TheMythKeeper yes, ur basicly right, but its still a downer. Things that make elves interesting is the fact that no human could imagine this lifespan. besides that: humans love high numbers T°T
It looks like Pazio might be retconning the Drow out of Pathfinder😢. If it’s because they are too closely associated with Dungeons & Dragons, hasn't that ship already sailed? If it’s because people are having trouble with the dark elves more problematic aspects, couldn't the writers just diversify and improve them?
As a fan of the Drow's dark, alien beauty, power and mystery, count me disappointed. From the social darwinist imperials to the myriad rebel Drizzit clones and everything in between, for the longest time I had a soft spot for them. I can understand, and even somewhat sympathize with Pazio's reasoning. But part of me hopes they change their minds down the line and rework their version of Drow into something better, as I've never been a fan of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
I wouldn’t worry, I’m sure it’s just the name that’s going, not dark elves in general who are, let’s face it, the definition of cool
It’s very unfortunate that you don’t credit any of the artists whose work you use to make this.
Imagine my husband idly clicking a Pathfinder video and going, uh, honey, that’s your art… and that's also your art.
Ideally, add a caption in the video that names the artist and, even more ideally, add a link to their site. I imagine most of it is from Paizo, but I recognised John Howe as well as myself.
Hi Jenny, that's a really fair criticism. I've gone ahead and updated the video description to call you and Ted Nasmith and John Howe out for contributions on the elven video. A lot of the art is game publication art and its hard to always identify the artists. Much love to you for your incredible work, and no offense intended by my inclusion of those pieces in this video.
@@TheMythKeeper Thanks a lot for your fair reaction, too. Times for artists have become tough, and if everyone just acknowledges their work and gives credit where credit is due, a lot is gained.
can you tak about andoran?
You bet sir. I have a video series coming up on the various gods and goddesses of Golarion first, but then I'll do deep dives on the individual nations.
Spiresworn elves are clearly Azlanti weaboos.
🤣
Finally black elves 🧝♂️ 🎉
Watch my Western Mwangi Expanse video for more details on the Ekujae elves! I have a couple other regional videos that will go deeper on some of the other elf groups as well, but they aren't up yet.
th-cam.com/video/IRIinUK_wmk/w-d-xo.html
У эльфов нет чести, нет уважения, нет ПИВА
Haha! Watch the dwarf video! They have beer!