Greetings Veeky Forums, I have a situation you just might be able to assist me with. I have worked very hard to keep my non-human races non-human in my setting. I hate non-human races that are just humans with a few details changed. That said I've only managed to keep this working by having most of the few non-human races at the players meet be the rare exceptions. Mostly. My issue is that the plot is winding its way towards the players visiting an Elven village located in the middle of a large river. And everytime I try and design what the village will look like it comes out being far too human-centric.
How do I design a nonhuman, elf village based on sitting in the middle of a river?
The relevant racial qualities of elves in my setting are cold resistance, predominantly eat fish, somewhat aquatic but breathe air, and are magically proficient but not dramatically more so than other races.
Seriously, have none of you ever visited an Elfen Village in whatever Fantasyland you frequent and wondered why elves have the exact same structures, buildings, facilities, and general elements of society that humans do?
But even forgetting that they are a different species, just the fact that they choose to live in and on the water would modify how the village is designed. Unlike human villages on the river, they aren't focused on trade and in fact generally avoid visitors. They do love to fish, but how would a race of beings that are as comfortable in the water as out develop fishing differently than their human counterparts? I suppose they might be much like tropical island fisherman despite being in a river.
I designed my elves to be resistant to cold because they are aquatic and so many water sources are deeply cold. Also it allows the opportunity for more exposed help skin and a reasonable justification for it.
Thank you for your interest.
Dominic Wilson
Changing water levels will be a concern. Houses will need to either be elevated or adaptable to being flooded. Existing human cultures ironically provide good inspiration
Bentley Sanders
There's also things like this for general elfyness Seriuosly, humans have done things you'd think were pulled out of a fantasy novel Well your fish people elves are pretty odd. Most people aren't really experts on designing non-human habitats from scratch either
Levi Fisher
Good point. Thanks for contributing. My first thought was floating homes but I suppose homes on stilts would be a preferable option. Perhaps homes built out of trees growing straight up out of the river? Because you know, elves, trees, and whatnot.
Many elven societies in my setting are dedicated to living in harmony with nature but it's not a racial trait but a byproduct of an affinity for water which is a racial trait. The village I am particularly worried about has very little limitations to it aside from a history of crafting powerfully enchanted jewelry because that's the hook that is leading the PCs.
Easton Lewis
Floating homes would be good if they traveled, but you said they're more isolationist. I suppose it could still work anyway >Perhaps homes built out of trees growing straight up out of the river? Trees that grow in areas prone to flooding are...odd. Even they try to stay raised above it, with roots that push them up above the water level. Not sure how you'd build something supported by one of these, but I guess you could scale it up to fantastical levels and build houses supported/sheltered by the roots or something
To elaborate on this - these bridges are weaved out of the roots of living trees. They keep growing as time goes on and must be maintained. There are dedicated people taught this craft to do so. I can see a "one with nature" elven population doing something along those lines
Landon Powell
More root bridges because I think they're really fucking cool
Isaiah Anderson
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Brandon Green
>Seriuosly, humans have done things you'd think were pulled out of a fantasy novel Humans do make the best aliens. Not gonna lie.
> (You) # >Well your fish people elves are pretty odd. They're not that different from most elves. If I wanted fish people, I would have made fish people like Abraham Sapian. They're just written from the bottom up to to have developed elven traits.
>Most people aren't really experts on designing non-human habitats from scratch either True, but Veeky Forums is good at developing ideas and even better at shooting down bad ideas.
