lumpthing
generic lump
In many fantasy worlds, non-human races such as elves and dwarves live much longer than humans. What's the case for Erebus?
Life expectancies of the different races?
- Thread starter lumpthing
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deanej
Deity
I know elves live much longer than humans (much, much longer). Not sure about dwarves though.
Valkrionn
The Hamster King
The first dwarves were nearly immortal, but each generation has lived shorter and shorter life spans, as they move away from Kilmorph.
Seon
Not An Evil Liar
Same as elves, wasn't it? Younger elves die younger. I know Faeryl survived long before Age of Ice ever happened. But I am not sure about the younger generation of elves.
MagisterCultuum
Great Sage
I think elves, dwarves, humans, and likely even Aifons have been living shorter lives each generation. I tend to think Elven lifespans have just not shrunk as quickly, while human lifespans bottomed out during the Age of Ice. As dwarves were created much latter (assuming their creation myth is true), their dropping longevity is the most noticeable. I tend to think that dwarves born in the Age of Rebirth live no longer than humans of the same era, but that there may still be many elders in the underhome who have lived 300 years. (We obviously don't know how long Aifons would live now, as they are all long dead.)
Arendel Phaedra and Faeryl Viconia have both been around since the Age of Dragons (having begun their rule before the signing of the Compact) and still seems fairly young and strong. (I suspect that they were 2 of Cernunnos's 3 mortal wives, so their closeness to the divine could have granted them longer life.) Yvain was already a distinguished druid before the Age of Ice. (Of course, since that was written he was changed from a Woodelf to a Treant, and I still think he really should be a Satyr.) Amelanchier and Thessa are much younger, probably born in the Age of Rebirth or at least towards the very end of the Age of Ice. Thessa is described as being but a little child when she met her future groom when she was 40 years old.
Haerlond and Varn Gossam are probably between 500 and 900 years old. They were children when they were taken with their father Arak the Erkling and his employer Laroth into the Underworld early in the Patrian Civil War. They show more signs of aging (wrinkles) than we generally think elves do, which could indicate that they are quite old for modern elves but may just as easily have to do with growing up so close to the land of the dead, where death mana might age them prematurely.
I like to think that humans still regularly lived to be two or even three hundred years old in the Age of Magic, but that the hardships of the Age of Ice made 40 or 50 seem really old. In the age of rebirth the average lifespan probably increased by about 25 years, to about what it is in the real world. The Bannor who emerged from hell would be physically like the men of the Age of Magic, so they would have greater longevity and still be great warriors when close to 90 years old. However, by the height of their empire few Bannor could actually trade their descent to those who emerged from hell, and those who could had their bloodlines diluted enough that it gave them no real advantage.
Arendel Phaedra and Faeryl Viconia have both been around since the Age of Dragons (having begun their rule before the signing of the Compact) and still seems fairly young and strong. (I suspect that they were 2 of Cernunnos's 3 mortal wives, so their closeness to the divine could have granted them longer life.) Yvain was already a distinguished druid before the Age of Ice. (Of course, since that was written he was changed from a Woodelf to a Treant, and I still think he really should be a Satyr.) Amelanchier and Thessa are much younger, probably born in the Age of Rebirth or at least towards the very end of the Age of Ice. Thessa is described as being but a little child when she met her future groom when she was 40 years old.
Haerlond and Varn Gossam are probably between 500 and 900 years old. They were children when they were taken with their father Arak the Erkling and his employer Laroth into the Underworld early in the Patrian Civil War. They show more signs of aging (wrinkles) than we generally think elves do, which could indicate that they are quite old for modern elves but may just as easily have to do with growing up so close to the land of the dead, where death mana might age them prematurely.
I like to think that humans still regularly lived to be two or even three hundred years old in the Age of Magic, but that the hardships of the Age of Ice made 40 or 50 seem really old. In the age of rebirth the average lifespan probably increased by about 25 years, to about what it is in the real world. The Bannor who emerged from hell would be physically like the men of the Age of Magic, so they would have greater longevity and still be great warriors when close to 90 years old. However, by the height of their empire few Bannor could actually trade their descent to those who emerged from hell, and those who could had their bloodlines diluted enough that it gave them no real advantage.
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