Chapter 13: Elven Campaigns

Hidden in the leafy undergrowth, Garanahil and her five companions watched the orcs fell yet another dryad's tree. The dryad's scream of agony echoed bitterly in their ears.

The orcs were intent on savaging this land of trees and green. This was the tenth dryad home they had destroyed this week; the orcs laughed wickedly, heedless of any who might hear them. Who would attack the thirty of them?

The elves were slowly being crushed under the orcish boot. They were too few and too far apart to countermand the fast-breeding orcs. Attacks such as this were now common. Garanahil and her comrades were all that remained of a village of more than 50 elves.

As the tree crashed to the ground, Garanahil gritted her teeth in anger. They had harried the orcs for days, unleashing arrows at stragglers and slitting the throats of those few who wandered too far from their encampment. Now the elves were out of arrows, and none of the trees nearby were of suitable quality. If the tiny band paused to make more, they would surely lose the remaining orcs to the open plains less than a day's travel away.

The answer was simple for the maddened elves. They followed the orcs through the rest of the day, planning to catch the humanoids when they least expected an attack. The elves' hand was forced but hours later, when the orcs found another dryad tree and slew the dryad before she could protest. Unable to contain their rage, the elves rushed to attack.

The battle was short but fierce. The elves eliminated all save four of the orcs before they breathed their last of the autumn air. Garanahil fell near the dryad's body.

Then Garanahil's blood joined with the dryad's and seeped into the ground. Their blood infused the tree with mad despair, and a sudden, primal groan oozed through the soil and into the surrounding air. The sound of snapping roots filled the forest as the tree lifted its ponderous bulk from the earth and moved. The remaining orcs stood, full of fear, unable to move. Garanahil the Treant crushed the orcs instantly and went in search of more.

This chapter is for referees who plan to run elven campaigns. Whether these campaigns are all elven, mostly elven, or even just based around elvenkind, this chapter should give the DM a few ideas for creating a setting.

First, the DM must consider the importance of the history of the world. What is it? Why? What happened to make it the way it is? How do the elves interact with the other races of the world if, indeed, there are other races? If not, why not? Did something happen to them?

Next, the DM must decide on the type of campaign that he or she will be running. After all, not all campaigns are the standard adventuring scenario. Some focus on political intrigue, while others focus purely on combat. Others rely on problem-solving, while still others focus on epic quests instead of simple dungeon crawls.

The referee can consolidate all of these or can run one single type. The important thing, though, is that the DM decides on the type of campaign he or she is going to run. This will determine much of what follows hereafter.

The World

First, the DM must create the world in which the campaign is to be played. Its geography, its seas, and its oddities are all things that must be taken into account. How was the world created? Was it spun from the very fabric of reality by the gods, or was it simply a blob hurled forth from primal matter? Perhaps it was a combination between the two, where the birth of the world spawned the gods.

Whatever the cause of creation, it has shaped the events that will become the planet's history and perhaps produced some of the most important artifacts. It is vital for the DM to create a believable story of creation for the world. For added interest, the DM can have the major religions and races of the world disagree on its origins, leading to vast internecine conflicts that have shaped the face of the world still further.

The History

Now that the world has been created, the DM must create the world's history. What are the important events in the world's past, and what caused them? Most importantly, where do elves fit in the picture?

Maybe they were created as the Story of Creation in Chapter One suggests, from the blood of Corellon Larethian as he battled the evil orc god Gruumsh. Maybe the elves simply sprang from the world and are the true children of the earth. Whatever the truth, the DM must explain the existence of the elves and how they have come to be as they are and where they are today.

The World's Races

Next, the referee must decide from whence the various other races sprang, the order in which they were born, where they were born, where they moved, and what they did. A timeline is useful here, as the referee must create each race's history, its notable achievements, and its wars. What have they invented? Have there been any tragedies in their pasts that they as a race keep locked away in shame or sorrow?

What is the role of elves in this world? Is there a difference between the elves of this campaign and the standard AD&D® game elves? If so, what is it? Perhaps these elves are taller, or shorter-lived, or longer-lived, or have some important distinction that makes them vastly different. Although it is not necessary to give each elf race from world to world a difference, it does add to the flavor of game play and can therefore enhance everyone's enjoyment.

More important, what are the dominant races of the world? What are the elf characters most likely to be? What are their beliefs? The gods will play some part in this, but if they are not important to the elves, their divine influence is greatly undercut. Also, a Dungeon Master simply must determine what all the civilizations are like in the world and who has the grandest.

Possible Conflicts

In a standard AD&D® game campaign, the various races of the world do not always live in peace. Indeed, circumstances in fantasy worlds are usually such that there is almost always warfare between at least two groups, and often far more than that. The possibilities and variations of anger erupting into armed conflict between different groups are nearly endless.

There are several conflicts that spring immediately to mind involving elves. There are so many philosophical and physical differences between elves and other races that conflict seems almost predestined. Not all of these need be used in a campaign nor, indeed, must any of them. However, such conflicts are certain to add spice to a campaign or at least provide interesting diversions for the players.

For example, in elf against elf scenarios, players could take the role of characters at the dawn of time, before the great Elfwar, seeking to avert the catastrophe of the drow sundering. As an alternative, they could play more modern elves, trying to unite all the races of the world despite the utter stubbornness of the grey elves.

PCs could also be involved in one of the greatest rivalries in fantasy: the dwarf/elf antagonism. Although it is true that both sides serve the cause of good, their radically different views on life often lead to serious, sometimes violent disagreements. Taking this one step further, the two races could each so despise the other for its philosophy that they clash on a regular basis.

There is also the possibility of elves against humans. Suppose that humans began destroying the elven forests and killing the elves they met. The elves, sick of the wanton annihilation the humans insist on continuing, finally decide to strike back. Elves begin killing wayward humans, and the humans retaliate by razing elven villages. The escalations continue, and the player characters can either take part in the war itself or attempt to talk some sense into the heads of their leaders.

There is also the scenario wherein the elves are against everyone but themselves. Because of the natural elven predilection for arrogance, they have managed to inadvertently unite everyone against them. This is a campaign of struggling where the PCs must attempt to placate all sides before whole civilizations are swept away by the tides of war.

Finally, there is the old elf vs. orc conflict. Although they are the hereditary enemies of the AD&D game, there are ways to make the conflict more interesting. After all, not all orcs are the smelly kind that live in caves. Orcs could have a bustling culture of evil and perversion, right next to an elven paradise of sylvan beauty. Naturally, the orcs would want to despoil this beauty, not to mention capture some slaves and sacrifices for their gods. At first, the two sides maintain guerilla tactics, not willing to commit to a full-scale war. Meanwhile, the player characters could have the unenviable task of having to infiltrate the orc settlements in order to free their captured comrades.

Naturally, the possibilities for adventure and excitement are nearly endless. They are limited only by the imaginations of the DM and the players.

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