An Elf on Elves

Astra 9

With a very attentive former dwarf turned listening, Grailing tells the basics of being an elf. Mind you, he goes into a lot of detail, but the basics I and the others already were familiar with. He skips parts that would compromise the cover we are maintaining (no mention of us being from off reality and such), but the basics are covered. In fact, on my PDA back on Nantucket Earth (left the high tech gear behind in order to not cause any Federation treaty violations) I have an article that covers it rather well:

This is a race of small and slender human appearing people who are the size of children (standing at four feet tall) who have sharply pointed ears. They enjoy a much higher degree of dexterity and speed than human beings, and tend to be more beautiful on average. They can run faster than a human being and are stronger than a human being of similar size (though the average human being is stronger than an elf).

Unaging, the only time an elf dies is through either disease, accident, or other means.

An elf never sleeps, needing only to rest for a short period of time to recover strength and vitality.

In dress, an elf doesn't feel comfortable without something green on. This appears to be linked, somehow, with a mystical link with the forests they tend to live in (i.e. forests tend to be green.... so elves like wearing green).

Elves and dragons seem to share a similar characteristic in the fact that elven hearts tend to do the choosing in life/soulmates. When elven hearts mystically detect their perfect match, the elves find themselves quickly in love. Quickly, deeply, and permanently in love. An elven spouse who survives their partner is a pitiful thing to behold.

Back in the early days of Terra Prime, before the coming of Atlantis, elven society was divided into a three tiered caste system. An elves place in life was reflected in a simple but visible sign of station, their height! That is, the tiny ruling class were as large as human beings of modern day, 20th century Earth. The larger, but still small, middle class stood at around five feet. The bottom caste, the servant caste, stood at around four feet. This society was stable and content, the people seeing this as right and just....it's head of state's position instinctively enforced throughout. However, this all ended one terrible night long ago and the only portion to survive was the numerous servant caste.

Strong and proud, the elves were delighted and ecstatic to find that not all elves from that long ago time perished. Their new Emperor hails directly from the Royal family!

Now, the reproductive ability of your average elf USED to be rather peaked. It was so low that for a long time all elves were seeing it as a sign that their days were numbered on Terra Prime. However, with the destruction of a magical entity (located in the forest that all elves originally hailed from) was sucking out the vitality of the elves, the surprised elves found that they were as....er....fertile as your average human being. This was revealed rather forcedly when the shocked parents, after the last Night of Joining (a ceremony that increased chances of elven pregnancies) found themselves with a rather large population explosion heading their way! Since elves revere any and all children born to them, nothing was done to....cull this growth. Now they must deal with the rather large increase in population and are getting aid and hints from various other races who are familiar with large families and such.

One thing of note about elven children. While the time to maturation for an elfin and human child is the same, the gestation period for an elven fetus is two years.

Now, there are obvious differences here between the elfin community here on this world and that of Terra Prime. Grailing won't become their Emperor (feels they'll do better without him). Grailing also told us that he'd knew that the elves would, after getting over the shock of the upcoming population explosion (something he says was needed) from a looming Night of Joining, would take lessons from other Races as well about handling large families and such.

Anyway, the basics are covered and Tarin looks.....floored.

"Had no idea," he says softly.

In actuality, he'd never really bothered trying to learn anything about elves, just leaving it at relying on dwarven misconceptions and such. Kind of gather that from his looks.

Then there was the last thing. About elfin hearts and how they chose life partners and such. He wasn't sure he was "cool" with that, I see.

"So while our number continued to dwindle we appeared doomed to fade....we at least had the dignity to face it," Grailing says simply, "Cringing and crying wouldn't change it. There even was a certain dignity gained in being able to face it. A pride. Accounts for a lot of the.....haughty nature of a lot of my brethren. Sometimes it seemed like that was all we had.....

"But I'm on good authority to know that things will change," he finishes up, "Will not tell exactly how I know and what I know about that....secrets kept in our heart and not shared. That kind of business."

Not like we can share every secret, I add, Being that Tarin insists on keeping his secrets about the Vision, he has no room to complain.

As for the story he came across like "our" Tarin Gazin, but without some important details. He had struck out on his own into Wallants to evntually win his fortune (dwarves loving gold and that). He was a true believer of the Forge.

All in all he was a pretty good fellow in his still rough, dwarvish way (which increasingly is becoming elfish in mannerisms).

This is going to be an interesting trip...watching that. At least he's not apparently in danger of losing his mind. Apparently either the small stay over with the elves who follow the Forge helped or the Vision (whatever it's contents) was helping.

Wonder what he'd make of our friend, Diane Walker. I think to myself.

But surely we'll be done with him before returning!

Right?

Tarin Gazin

I don't know what to expect now. As a dwarf my heart's desire was clear and simple. Gold. Lots of it. But that was before I became an elf and I am learning....gold isn't exactly high on their "priority list" as one mage put it.

With each passing hour my desire to return to being a dwarf....diminishes. The thought of a beard (a pride amongst dwarves) seems....gross now.

What will I find at the end? Will I become so elfin that as soon as I see a lovely and likely elfin lass....

Unbidden, a vision of slim and lovely elfin hands with eight fingers come to my mind's eye...and my elfin heart begins to beat faster despite myself....

Oh oh....

A sign of things to come? And who has only four fingers per hand? No elf I've ever heard of.....

Maybe my new travel companions?.....

I almost ask them if they know of anything like that....but my pride....my damnable pride prevents me!

How can they trust me if..... But how can I share something like THIS with non-dwarf.....

......

Oh gods, I feel stupid. Just had an insight into dwarven society and.....I didn't like what I saw there and what I saw within myself!

Gathering my resolve I turn to the others to tell them....only to pause as I see some people approaching.

Odd folks. Guess that it comes from living in the Undiscovered Country..... Wish I'd thought to actually learn about the human's legends about it before ending up here.

1. Whatever the case, they appear to be from the place we are heading....
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3. Whatever the case, they appear to be from the place we are heading....

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