Light Monsters

[-Valentine-]

I've been looking into monsters recently. And I noticed there isn't really a large gathering of what would be considered 'light' monsters. For example, elves, fae, or brownies. I was just curious, has it been attempted before and failed? What is the general attitude towards such a thing?

I just thought I'd ask. I feel like it would be interesting to play with the idea of a group kind of opposite Horde.

Thanks,
Valentine

[Caleidah]

If you've got the desire to do it, do it. There aren't a lot of elves that I can think of, and fewer fae. Best way to get folks interested is to do it and do it well.

[The Great Gigsby]

A unit of badass Faeries, Dryads and Satyrs could be cool. The problem I've always seen with good/evil light/dark polarities, is that reality is not really black and white. Since faeries and elves etc. are usually depicted as forest spirits, I would play up the "wildness" rather than the "light" spin and set it up as a home for xenophobic nature spirits. Just a bit of brainstorming.

The NWoD Changeling setting wouldn't be a bad place to start.

[Salamander]

Giggles is right. If you want to play what is typically considered a light rice, but monster-esque, Changeling has that in spades.
I don't know for sure, but I think the reason why we have a very strong monster culture, and a very poor light race presence, is because the only really very strong people were monsters. Nobody really did any light races, and did it GOOD.

If you are going to do it, I'd say in order to make Bel accept it, you're going to have to do it right. Make it so **** awesome, all the other kids are going to be jelly, and want to be like you. That's how you start a new race.

[Galya]

'light' monsters

As a Goblyn, I definitely cringed when I read this phrase. The general consensus in Bel is that if you are a monster, you are what you'd consider a "dark" monster (Goblyns, ogres, trolls, etc). Elves and fae are not monsters. Fantasy characters, yes. Monsters, no. Just felt that should be clarified. (Yes, I know I'm a monster snob.)

But I do agree with everyone else. If you really want to do it, go for it and go BIG. Just make sure you have a thick skin on this, because people will pretty much always make fun no matter how thorough you may be. Elves are generally a joke in Bel society. Be prepared.

[Soo Ma Tai]

Ok, so please don't think this is my opinion, but if you do this, be prepared to be called gay, lameass, faries, etc, etc, etc. No matter how cool you do it, there will always be a jerk. Also, us monster are going to make fun of you, but we mean it in an in character, nice/mean way. We'll call you kleep, pinkys, soft, dandelion eaters, etc. but it's all in fun, and we don't mean anythign by it.

Go for it, I think if someone did a really good job on this, it could be pretty cool.

[Galya]

Also, us monster are going to make fun of you, but we mean it in an in character, nice/mean way. We'll call you kleep, pinkys, dinner, soft, dandelion eaters, etc. but it's all in fun, and we don't mean anything by it.

^Truth!

Thank you Soo for putting that so nicely.

[Caleidah]

As Giggles said on the fae, you'll want to be embracing the "grittier" side of it. Given that Belegarth is a no-magic setting, look toward any authors who have presented Elves in a low/no-magic setting. Obviously, there's Tolkien, with the "better than you in all ways" kind of elves. That would be a good start, but a little personality alteration might be necessary. Wood Elves could also be a good source of inspiration.

Actually, in general, this link explains some basic tenets of Low Fantasy and would give you a good smattering of works to look toward. I'm sorry to everyone that gets sucked in.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LowFantasy

[-Valentine-]

Light monster was a poor way to put it. I just didn't have other words to explain myself at the time. Also, I'm not too familiar with how fae were seen, I thought they were feared slightly, but differently than goblyns, trolls, and others.

I really like all of the input and I think it's great. And I agree with a lot that has been put out there. Also, why I asked because I know that there is a bit of anti faeries and elves in Bel. I think it's usually considered kind of derpy but I don't want it to come off that way.

Also I would love the kind of picking at each other in character. I thought it would be fun to mess with other monsters as I would expect them to me, as long as it wasn't in any actual meanness but jest.

I guess the only other thing I would have difficulty with is the actual coming up with a history. My favorite part of monster culture is how vast it is. And I don't even really know where that came from.

I apologize for the rambliness of this, my mind just kind of throws stuff out.

[Caleidah]

I like working on Lore. Send me a PM, we'll talk.

[Tiberius Claudius]

I'm impressed by the great responses here, especially from the monsters themselves. + Points all around.

re: history, let it be organic. Set yourself up a skeleton framework and let yourself and others who are serious about being your kind of fae make it up as you go along. Perhaps you'll be at an event and a really cool fight between fae and monsters happens and you can retrowork it into your backstory. When you get a good basis, put it up on the bel wiki (geddon.org) so it becomes codified in a way.

The more the number of serious people involved, the richer and more varied the culture and history will become. I would personally refrain from attempting to write something in depth for each fae race/culture; rather focus on yours and let those who play the others develop that particular setting.

Good luck.

[The Great Gigsby]

Elfquest could also be a good source of inspiration. The elf tribes are more feral and animal-like and each one has their own unique mythology and code of ethics. Plus, it's totally 80's (and has boobies).

Protip: don't read past the Kings of the Broken Wheel arc. The spinoffs blow.

[Ignatius]

I'm impressed by the great responses here, especially from the monsters themselves. + Points all around.

+1

Do your thing, do it well. To hell with anyone who hates on you if you're having a good time and being genuine. I respect the derpy kids who get way into it and do it big a lot more than the douche bags who try to hard to be cool.

[Acorn]

the old irish fae are a good place to start as well. the unseelie sidhe were the "evil" fae but they actually aren't evil, just tricky and smart and cunning. the seelie sidhe were the fae who would tend to help mortal more than hurt, but that's 'tend too." anyways, I'd look there too cause you will probably find all sorts of cool elf-like but grittier beings to use as reference.

EDIT: since apparently there is a romance novel thing out there that uses those terms and the interwebs is all full of THAT instead of scholarship, here's a link to a board discussion where the posters list some helpful historical book titles you could look up and go over it from there.

http://www.sequentialtart.com/community ... 1275.shtml

[MorganDrakeheart]

I am totally a fan of this. I do the half-elf thing (don't really know why, just always played half-elf when it was an option), and always thought of "elf" as just a different variety of "nymph", "sidhe", etc. So, that whole nature-spirit pretty much fits my imagining perfectly.

I'd totally be up for this.

[Tiercel]

I've been looking into monsters recently. And I noticed there isn't really a large gathering of what would be considered 'light' monsters. For example, elves, fae, or brownies. I was just curious, has it been attempted before and failed? What is the general attitude towards such a thing?

I just thought I'd ask. I feel like it would be interesting to play with the idea of a group kind of opposite Horde.

Thanks,
Valentine

Flumph. Lawful good. Good luck.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flumph

[Black Cat]

Though my character is primarily Japanese-themed, I'm up for this. (edit: if this includes all "human-like" nature-spirit monsters and not just elves/fey, that is)

I roleplay as a "catboy" version of the Nekomata/Kasha, which is a Japanese Yokai associated with shapeshifting, shamanistic powers, and necromancy.

Since my Belegarth name is actually a European superstition, I also draw some inspiration from the Cait Sidhe.

[Remdawg Killionaire]

ugh.
catboys and girls are the worst kind of nerd this sport attracts.
I'm working on getting a Varagian guard persona up and running, that really speaks to me.
Before that I was a Thistle Faerie of Clan McClanahan. I would do brutal black metal-esque woad, kilts and badass tunic, and the theme as a Scottish thistle faerie was DRINK, **** AND FIGHT.
I was pretty much a belligerent * and if someone asked me at CW if I had a character it was always just hilarious to see their face after I told them I was playing a faerie. lulz But before that I was rocking Undead, so y'know I don't make really great choices.

[Spike]

I feel like it would be interesting to play with the idea of a group kind of opposite Horde.

This is called The Alliance, now go cobble some shoes and get off my lawn.

[Forkbeard]

Everything Soo said, again.

Also, If you play a fairy, play a mean, tough little ****. Male or female, you need to be a fairy who kills people.
If you play an elf, play the warrior elf. This is a killing game. We are continualy at WAR.
Show any weakness and we(monsters and general jerks) will verbally tear you to pieces, and when you're sick of it and about to cry and ask politly if we'll stop, we will make fun of you worse than ever. If you actually cry, like for reals, we will laugh and laugh and then maybe do something aweful like ductape you to a tree and leave you there.
What I'm saying is do this, and do the **** right out of it. Be the best, coolest, most amazing elf warrior you can be.
Just be prepared. Be tough. Be funny.
Elves and Fay get no respect because no one worth respecting has played them. If there was some guy winning tounies and leading their side to victory in bridge battles WEARING ELF EARS, that would be different. But, so far, all we've ever seen is a few LARP nerds who couldn't fight and couldn't take the teasing and couldn't muster the garb needed to pull off the elf thing. So do that ****.
Get some nice ears and nicer garb, wear them to fight at practice until you have the system worked out so they don't get swaety and fall off and you don't trip over your Elf-wear. DO NOT tell people about you gay character history. Just BE an ELF and let us figure it out.
FB

[MorganDrakeheart]

Everything Soo said, again.


Elves and Fay get no respect because no one worth respecting has played them. If there was some guy winning tounies and leading their side to victory in bridge battles WEARING ELF EARS, that would be different.

Shatterhaze and some of the Mirkwood folks.

[Forkbeard]

Forgive me morgan, but I have never seen any pictures of any elves winning any battles anywhere. It would be nice to see.

Pro tip. If you need to TELL me your an elf, you FAIL. You need to LOOK like an elf.
FB

[-Valentine-]

Thank you for all of your responses.

[Cade]

There is a general fitness clause that i think goes with some of the Fairy / Elf characters....as a general rule, you don't see a lot of fat elves. A slightly chubby fairy, ok, i can run with it, but elves have a distinct look, and it ain't full figured.

Not saying this to be mean, but a lot of "bigger" people have body images that don't reflect reality and in their head they are this super hot sexy badass elf with a bow running up the trunk of an elephant...when in reality they look like a pudgy vulcan in a poncho sweating across the field.

Go with what your body type will allow you do be.