How many 'dal are there

[dragonsbane24]

<p>Just curious of how many 'dal there are as well as what is the oldest how many are extinct etc ????</p>

[Mary the Prophetess]

<p>There may be more but this is the list I have:</p><p>Ara'Dal</p><p>Ayr'Dal</p><p>Elddar (or Elder Elves) (The original Elves created by Tunare before the Elvish schism)(Also called simply the 'Dal)</p><p>Fier'Dal</p><p>Koada'Dal</p><p>Myr'Dal</p><p>Renda'Dal</p><p>Rin'Dal</p><p>Rowen'Dal (from EqoA, and may, or may not be, canon)(additionally it refers to the royal tombs of the Elvish kings, and therefore possibly not a separate race of Elves)</p><p>Shenba'Dal (from EQ2 RPG game, and therefore not canon)</p><p>Sul'Dal</p><p>Teir'Dal</p><p>Y'Dal (spelled Ydal, and possibly not actually Elves, despite the 'dal' in the name, and the physical resemblance to the Teir'Dal)</p><p>Dyth'dal is an ancient elven language, but it does not correspond to any separate or unknown race of elves. A few of the oldest elves might remember when it was spoken, but now only a few very accomplished scholars read and write it.(from Windstalker (Developer) posted 11/19/2009)</p>

[Talathion]

<p>Kerig'Dal: Elves of War.</p>

[Cusashorn]

Some of those 'dals are social status and not actually a different race. There were a few varieties in the Silent City and Living Tombs.

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Talathion@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kerig'Dal: Elves of War.</p></blockquote><p>I have to agree with Talathion.</p><p>Now please excuse me while I go prepare myself for ritual Sipuku to wash away the dishonor.</p>

[Rainmare]

<p>Kerig'dal, the Tier'dal, the Koada'dal, the Fier'dal, Renda'dal, Myr'dal, Sul'dal, and the Ayr'dal are all I can think off.</p><p>those being the zekian elves, the dark elves, the high elves, the wood elves, the 'pure' elves, the 'morlock/cave/mayong experiment' elves, the anashti worshipping/undead(everliving) elves, and the half elves.</p><p>oh and of course the Elddar/Dal elves...being the originals all the others are offshoots of.</p>

[Meirril]

<p>Do Myr'dal even count as elves? Magically created hybrid race of mixxed Orc and Elf. I don't think you can properly call it an offshoot of either race so much as an abomination that should never have been created.</p><p>There are also no indications that the creatures can breed. Without that ability it wouldn't qualify to be a race.</p>

[Cusashorn]

So.... Vampires aren't a race?

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>So.... Vampires aren't a race?</blockquote><p>Technically speaking, no. They are an affliction of a curse.</p><p>No form of Undeath could ever be considered a race. The whole notion ignores the basis of calling something a race.</p><p>Werewolves and other lycanthropes may or may not be a race depending on how new lycanthropes are created. The oldest versions are a disease or curse spread through being bitten. Newer versions have started going towards an entirely seperate race that is usually able to cross breed with humans. In some versions lycanthropes are just a genetic subset of humans.</p><p>In EQ2 Lycanthropes are a result of a curse. The two major types are Werewolves (mostly found in the Loping Plains) and Drovarg (found mostly in Kylong Plains). Both are wolf types, the major difference being the cursed humans shift between 2 different forms while the Iksar remain wolf like once cursed even in death.</p>

[Mary the Prophetess]

<p>I know we have had several past discussions concerning Mayong and the Ydal.  I sure would appreciate a definitive explanation from a GM rather than speculative discussions from Players based on what Mayong has said.</p><p>What my character knows is less than what I know, and I am asking for clarification as a player rather than as my character's personna.</p><p>As a side note, I can't help but notice the decline in activity on the History and Lore forums compared to what it was a couple of years ago.  It's as if EQ2 has lost it's lore direction, and is being driven by the expansions, rather than the expansions being driven by the lore. (/sigh)</p><p>BTW, does anyone know what happened to Rapha?</p>

[Cusashorn]

Yeah I've noticed that myself as well. No new content over the last 3 expansions has really slowed the board down. Everything's been discussed to death. And I think she left the game a few months ago.

[Felshades]

<p><cite>Meirril wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Do Myr'dal even count as elves? Magically created hybrid race of mixxed Orc and Elf. I don't think you can properly call it an offshoot of either race so much as an abomination that should never have been created.</p><p>There are also no indications that the creatures can breed. Without that ability it wouldn't qualify to be a race.</p></blockquote><p>I just had an Elder Scrolls flashback. They would technically be elves there. Even though the offspring is of the race of the mother, both orc(Orsimer) and elf(altmer, dunmer, bosmer) are Mer, or elven people.</p>

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Nadirah@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Meirril wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Do Myr'dal even count as elves? Magically created hybrid race of mixxed Orc and Elf. I don't think you can properly call it an offshoot of either race so much as an abomination that should never have been created.</p><p>There are also no indications that the creatures can breed. Without that ability it wouldn't qualify to be a race.</p></blockquote><p>I just had an Elder Scrolls flashback. They would technically be elves there. Even though the offspring is of the race of the mother, both orc(Orsimer) and elf(altmer, dunmer, bosmer) are Mer, or elven people.</p></blockquote><p>What mother? Two fully grown adults are magically merged into a single being. You can go witness this happening in Mistmoor Catacombs. Bring a 70+ toon to the zone, climb up into the basement of the castle. Follow the guard from the 'guest' quarters to the ritual chamber. Watch what happens to the escorted guest.</p>

[Aneova]

<p>didn't we do this list last year or the year before?</p>

[Einadon]

<p><cite>Mary the Prophetess wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>There may be more but this is the list I have:</p><p>Ara'Dal</p><p>Ayr'Dal</p><p>Elddar (or Elder Elves) (The original Elves created by Tunare before the Elvish schism)(Also called simply the 'Dal)</p><p>Fier'Dal</p><p>Koada'Dal</p><p>Myr'Dal</p><p>Renda'Dal</p><p>Rin'Dal</p><p>Rowen'Dal (from EqoA, and may, or may not be, canon)(additionally it refers to the royal tombs of the Elvish kings, and therefore possibly not a separate race of Elves)</p><p>Shenba'Dal (from EQ2 RPG game, and therefore not canon)</p><p>Sul'Dal</p><p>Teir'Dal</p><p>Y'Dal (spelled Ydal, and possibly not actually Elves, despite the 'dal' in the name, and the physical resemblance to the Teir'Dal)</p><p>Dyth'dal is an ancient elven language, but it does not correspond to any separate or unknown race of elves. A few of the oldest elves might remember when it was spoken, but now only a few very accomplished scholars read and write it.(from Windstalker (Developer) posted 11/19/2009)</p></blockquote><p>Ara and Rin are castes of Elddar. Sul were technically Elddar that chose to follow Anashti instead of Tunare. There are also sand elves, Elddar that used their geomancy powers to become one with the sand.</p><p>If you define 'dal as those originally from Tunare than the Y'dal/Ydal don't really count as they were created by Innie, regardless of how elf like they may or may not look.</p><p>And whether you count Ayr as an actual race is also optional based on character views. Technically it's the label applied of any half elf born from any humanoid/elf mating. We do have our own language and culture but it would differ by city/faction.</p>

[Mary the Prophetess]

<p>I also have a very vague reference from EQ Live where an NPC in Kelethin (I think) refers to the "Morada'Dal", but I have not been able to confirm it, and so left it off of my list.</p><p>The Sand Elves from EQ Live did not have a "Dal" name as far as I can tell, and were just referred to as Sand Elves.  They are often confused with the Sul 'Dal, which (as far as I know) were the followers of Anashti.</p><p>The carry-over of lore between the LDoN-Takish Hiz  to the EQ2 Living Tombs/Silent City is a bit jumbled</p>

[Cusashorn]

^ It's non-existent, actually.

[Meirril]

<p>Yeah, there doesn't seem to be any link between the 2 groups. The Sul'dal were all followers of Anashti'sul (and I'd agrue they are still Eldar elves, not a seperate race), they turned into undead when the silent city fell.</p><p>The Eldar elves remaining in Takish used their magic to change themselves into sand. The new sand elves continued to do what they have done before. To their horror they realized too late that the animals they transformed into sand lost their personalities over time and just repeated their actions like an automaton. By the time adventurers in EQ1 rediscovered the lost city...the sand elves were no more than golem like creatures.</p><p>Again, I'm not sure you can call sand elves a race. Euradites are definately a race. Euradites experienced a magical transmformation that changed their appearance. Yet the Euradites continued to breed true. i.e. one generation of Euradites would create another without the assistance of magic. I don't believe Sand Elves could do that. I'm perty sure they can't really do much beyond their conditioning so I'm not even sure if they count as sentient or even living!</p><p>A lot of the different elves listed are names used to designate groups. Without any physical differences to distinguish them, how is that a race? Fier'dal, Ayr'dal, Teir'dal, Koada,dal and Renda'dal are definately races. Everything else is questionable.</p>