Do Wood-Elves Know Every Other Wood-Elves?

[Grands-Pas]

SInce Elves of Mirkwood PCs start with an age between 100 and 500, do you believe that they know every other wood-elves, if not personally at least by sight?

I guess that since it is a moderately-sized community, even at "just" a hundred years old, that before leaving for adventuring, you've met most, if not all, of the other residents of the woodland realm. Even those that went off and are now living in the Elven Quarter in Esgaroth.

What's your take on this?

Thanks.

[Otaku-sempai]

Not all, no. Wood-elf communities would have been scattered throughout the Woodland Realm so there would have been those who would not come in contact with many of them, especially in times of peace. Still, over centuries, I imagine that any one Wood-elf of Mirkwood would at least casually encounter most others.

[aramis]

Not all, no. Wood-elf communities would have been scattered throughout the Woodland Realm so there would have been those who would not come in contact with many of them, especially in times of peace. Still, over centuries, I imagine that any one Wood-elf of Mirkwood would at least casually encounter most others.

Where's the evidence for other such communities during the late 3rd age?

The only wood-elven communities I recall mentioned near the wilderland are Lorien and Thranduil's Halls, and Rivendell.
None appear in the Atlas besides those three, nor in the nifty article in Other Minds issue 15, which takes a scholarly approach.

[DavetheLost]

The Wood Elves certainly seem to be very sociable. I think it is possible that an elf from Mirkwood would know many, if not most of the other elves from Mirkwood, at least in passing.

That being said, I don't think the elves of Mirkwood had much contact with other elven communities. Legolas certainly is not known to the guards at Lorien and he is the son of a king.

Tolkien really doesn't say much on the matter, and I don't know how big the populations were, so do what works best for your game.

[Otaku-sempai]

Where's the evidence for other such communities during the late 3rd age?

The only wood-elven communities I recall mentioned near the wilderland are Lorien and Thranduil's Halls, and Rivendell.
None appear in the Atlas besides those three, nor in the nifty article in Other Minds issue 15, which takes a scholarly approach.

I think that you misunderstood me. What I meant was that there were Wood-elf communities scattered throughout the Woodland Realm in northern Mirkwood. One such community is mentioned in The Hobbit: the huts of the raft-elves on the bank of the Forest River. The Mirkwood Elves did not all dwell within Thranduil's halls (probably not even the majority of them), though they might have retreated to the halls in times of great danger.

Tolkien did not write about Avari (East-elves) that might have still lived east of Rhovanion at the end of the Third Age and into the Fourth, but that does not mean that they didn't exist. However, I was not writing about them.

[Glorelendil]

Not all, no.

(snip)

Still, over centuries, I imagine that any one Wood-elf of Mirkwood would at least casually encounter most others.

I'm not letting the little blighter go until he explains what he means by "lots" and "none at all".

[Otaku-sempai]

I'm not letting the little blighter go until he explains what he means by "lots" and "none at all".

As you wish.

[Falenthal]

I'm not letting the little blighter go until he explains what he means by "lots" and "none at all".

As you wish.

“P’raps there are more like him round about, and we might make a pie,” said Bert. “Here you, are there any more of your sort a-sneakin’ in these here woods, yer nassty little rabbit,” said he looking at the hobbit’s furry feet; and he picked him up by the toes and shook him.

“Yes, lots,” said Bilbo, before he remembered not to give his friends away. “No none at all, not one,” he said immediately afterwards.

“What d’yer mean?” said Bert, holding him right way up, by the hair this time.

“What I say,” said Bilbo gasping. “And please don’t cook me, kind sirs! I am a good cook myself, and cook better than I cook, if you see what I mean. I’ll cook beautifully for you, a perfectly beautiful breakfast for you, if only you won’t have me for supper.”

“Poor little blighter,” said William. He had already had as much supper as he could hold; also he had had lots of beer. “Poor little blighter! Let him go!”

“Not till he says what he means by lots and none at all,” said Bert. “I don’t want to have me throat cut in me sleep! Hold his toes in the fire, till he talks!”

[Falenthal]

Wood-elf communities would have been scattered throughout the Woodland Realm so there would have been those who would not come in contact with many of them, especially in times of peace.

I guess the feasts in the woods should be probably attended by all of Thranduil's subjects, thus allowing scattered dwellers to remember their belonging to a community under an Elven King.

This would also allow Woodland Realm's citizens to know each other over time.

[Otaku-sempai]

I guess the feasts in the woods should be probably attended by all of Thranduil's subjects...

I would not make that assumption. The feast the Company came upon did not seem nearly THAT big. The kind of gathering you call for would probably be more of a seasonal or annual get-together or even more rare, such as the Free Fair of the Shire (which seems to have occurred every seven years).