Elf Wanderers?

[Paige712]

Hey guys I'm currently looking to create a young (only 100 years old or so) adventurous elf of whom desires to leave the sanctity of her forest home and to see and explore the vast world that lays beyond. Now the problem here is that in general wanderers are quite unusual for wood-elves, devote as they are to their homeland and having an elf whom desires above all else to adventurer and explore the world beyond seems a little out of character for the culture.
However I really want her to be an elf as they are my favorite race so what should I do to get around this issue? Plus there's also the fact that most of her family and peers will view her just short of an outlaw for choosing such a lifestyle and thus forsaking her duties to the wood.

[Robin Smallburrow]

The main consideration here is how she left her family - secretly or with their knowledge (if not consent)?? You are right, her family (not to mention the society in general) would usually not let her go, at least not without an older male 'warden'-type like Legolas - see for example with the new movie the female elven character Tauriel (who is nearly always accompanied by better warriors such as Legolas). She may be on her own if she left secretly, but this would mean that her home society would probably send a Male elven NPC to look for her and bring her home....

Robin S.

[Stormcrow]

Plus there's also the fact that most of her family and peers will view her just short of an outlaw for choosing such a lifestyle and thus forsaking her duties to the wood.

I don't know if they'd be that harsh. Say rather that her family will think she's just plain weird, and maybe it's a passing phase. Maybe this is how wood-elves behave when they're at that rebellious age of 600. "Go on, go do your wandering," they'll say. "Get it out of your system. We'll still be here when you get tired of it. If the orcs don't eat us. No, no, don't worry about us. I'm sure the orcs will be merciful and give us all swift deaths. But you go ahead and enjoy yourself. Just remember to come back once every decade to do your laundry."

[Otaku-sempai]

I don't know if they'd be that harsh. Say rather that her family will think she's just plain weird, and maybe it's a passing phase. Maybe this is how wood-elves behave when they're at that rebellious age of 600. "Go on, go do your wandering," they'll say. "Get it out of your system. We'll still be here when you get tired of it. If the orcs don't eat us. No, no, don't worry about us. I'm sure the orcs will be merciful and give us all swift deaths. But you go ahead and enjoy yourself. Just remember to come back once every decade to do your laundry."

Wood-elves are Jewish!

But seriously. Wanderer is considered an unusual calling for a Wood-elf, but the key may be this sentence under Suggested Calling, "Silvan Elves are old and wise by the reckoning of Men, and often seek to learn more about the world." The passage was there to supprt the calling of Scholar, however a younger Elf might prefer to see things for the sake of the experience rather than out of academic curiousity.

[venger]

There is new information in "Heart of the Wilds" supplement about Wayward Elves, a growing faction. They embrace wild ways and to varying degrees reject traditions.

An elf that is "Wild at Heart" (p58 of the AB), just might have the spirit to strike out on her own to explore or wander, or even abandon the old ways.

However, Thranduil does not condone or support these wilder breed of Elves, and I would go as far as to say even considers some as miscreants. She would be wise to choose companions carefully if she lives in The Woodland Realms. Annoying Thranduil is never good for anyone.