James Barclay

Ilkarelvenmage · Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 59 Location: Asia

Wondering about immortality, when i went to google to read up, immortality is said to be unending life. I browsed some of book 2 of this series- they die. In lord of the rings, elves die of world weariness and being hurt. This happens in your definition and concept as well? Why?

I couldn't get Dawnthief in the shops, waiting for them to order. Usually I read at the library, just want to collect that one. it's my favorite. Very Happy

James · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:08 am Post subject:

Well, genuine undying, invulnerable immortality would make any race far too powerful. Godlike, frankly. So while some of my elves are immortal in that they do not die of old age, they are still vulnerable to disease, blade and magic, etc. They can also choose to pass into death - this is not suicide, it's a spiritual decision.

This makes them amazing creatures without making them deities. JRRT did the same to a large extent (I taught him all he knew, y'know).
_________________
'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

Ilkarelvenmage · Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 59 Location: Asia

:DDD hahah you taught JRR Tolkien? But he was born very early on. LOL!

Aww, i want them to be godlike. My favorite race after all. Oh wasn't Takaar kind of godlike? Auum worshipped him, from what i've browsed. Also did i see that wrongly, Takaar could go into a trance like state in book 2?

James · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:06 am Post subject:

Well, Takaar was revered in an almost godlike way because of his talents and his effect on the whole elven race.

Trance-like state? I think you're talking about him emerging as an improved TaiGethen - it's not a trance, more an ultra-ready combat state of mind and body.

JRRT owes me all the success he enjoyed before I was born.
_________________
'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

Ilkarelvenmage · Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 59 Location: Asia

Previously i browsed taigethen, these days i read more of it in detail. It's been awhile since OWWG, in a way i still couldn't get in the zone. Though i like the friendship of the sick human and Takaar. that was nice.

I'm looking up egyptian gods, is the god Apposa somehow derived from the serpent god Appophis? What's the god stand for?
Still fazed by the various clans and why they dislike each other. And i was pissed when Auum's lover got shot. Very pissed Sad

( For some works, i might be moved to tears but somehow i get pissed at the innocence being taken away in yours. Skipped the tearful part. :p I notice also you like and have the taigethen lobbing off heads. Based on cannibalistic culture?

James · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:40 am Post subject:

I don't know a lot about Egyptian gods beyond what I'ver learned from Stargate (ha ha).

The tension between the threads (clans as you call them), is at a fundamental level, about their relative longevity. The shorter-lived threads are jealous of those blessed with longer life (though long life has its curses too). Imagine how that jealousy could ferment over countless thousands of years...

No, TaiGethen and beheading not to do with cannibalistic culture. But it is a very effective method of downing your enemy Very Happy

_________________
'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

Ilkarelvenmage · Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 59 Location: Asia

Yea but that's so silly and shallow! :00 They're All elves! it's like what my friend said before, if u have short hair u envy those with long hair, u have no hair, u envy people with hair!

it did seem cannibalistic. I was like, i just ate something and it's about to come up. Confused

hehe Stargate has egyptian gods? I learnt from rick riordan's new stories.

James · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:09 am Post subject:

No, it isn't silly and shallow. The Ynissul, who are effectively immortal, also made themselves the ruling thread because of that immortality. Other, shorter-lived threads hate that.

You have to think of how a deep seated jealousy such as one over something as desirable as long-life can ferment over the course of thousands and thousands of years. It is at the very core of the elven being - even their Gods are ranked according to the longevity of threads.

Your hair analogy doesn't work. You can grow short hair into long hair and if you have none, you can at least wear a wig. You cannot gain longer than you are given... it is something that eats away at you every single day.
_________________
'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

Lizzy · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:41 am Post subject:

It is no more silly and shallow then the deep seated hatred among different religions in our world today, which is a far better analogy imho or racism. Both are senseless hatreds but neither are shallow or silly. Don't think you can call anything that ends up with such violence as shallow and the elves do end up violent. Silly or shallow is bitching about someone's dodgy taste in clothes. Whole different level.

I think the subtext of the elves books is all about about the conflicts different religions/races can have....
_________________

Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! as said by Jovial

Ilkarelvenmage · Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 59 Location: Asia

ah i didn't get notifications for this section, thank you for replying.
hair is one example i can think of Smile

haha
But it is so exhausting to live so long. At some point, Auum mentioned it or his action showed his jadedness. I don't get why Yniss rule, me and my friend are super baffled about this.
it's odd that every elf, even same family can be different threads?
Ok the only thing i can understand is the racism reference. Fantasy should transcend reality, for eg Israel vs palestine is already painful enough :S we really don't want to be reminded of it.