69 respuestas en este tema

[Qun00]

That's the thing so. Being "cursed" to have dark skin is........ not a good message to send.

That depends on context.

Skyrim's dark elves were cursed to have dark skin, but what makes it bad for them isn't that it doesn't conform to beauty standards.

Racism based on skin color isn't even a thing in that universe, so it would be illogical to look at it from a real world perspective.

Rather, it is a curse to the Dunmer because their gray skin represents a sinister appearance, especially combined with their red eyes.

[GoldenGail3]

They are also a race in other works of fiction such as the Ed Greenwood's Forgotten Realms campaign setting which first introduced me to the concept long before The Elder Scrolls existed. Besides I don't think the Dunmer are any more evil and twisted than any other race in Tamriel. 

True, but I felt bad enough for them to the point where I played one as a Dovah though. 

[animedreamer]

 Now that I've said that, I realize how the Drow/Dark Elves in FR and I assume in similar works of fiction differ from many of the suggest similar cultures in this thread. While every society has its exceptions which makes the entirety of it either morally neutral or good, the Dark Elves/Drow are on a whole evil, there is no grey area with them They like doing everything that you were taught is wrong to do. They relish in it, and that's the thing. Orzammar has its politics and backstabbing, but that's just usually them seeking out justice through means that best suit them in some cases. A powerful Dwarven Noble whose honor was besmirched by some lesser noble would kill or disgrace the lesser noble or vice versa, by Drow comparison, that's child's play. They'd be plotting for centuries waiting for the perfect moment to raze your entire house/clan to the ground, enslave the strong, kill the weak, and eat the babies. (I'm not kidding either.) This would be a cool event to by every other citizen in the city, like a new years festival, they'd be secretly revelling in it. Then at the end of it all should it go well, they'd praise their evil spider goddess for her favor and hope she enjoyed all their wickedness.

[IHaveReturned1999]

No not really.


More like,

Spoiler

By the way I picked these 3 images because its become increasingly harder to find non-romanticized images of the Drow, which at least in my opinion should depict them as what is seen above. Apparently Drow have become as varies as the surface Elves, with eye colors of facet of the rainbow. I can accept them having varying degrees of black skin, or some universes using that cyan blue or purple color for their skin. However unless your name is Drizzt Do'Urden I despise them having anything but red eyes.

That's what the Ancient Elves of Dragon Age should've been 'Dark Elves' anyway.

[GoldenGail3]

That's what the Ancient Elves of Dragon Age should've been 'Dark Elves' anyway.

AKA known as the Drummer.

[IHaveReturned1999]

AKA known as the Drummer.

I'm talking about elves of African descent.

[GoldenGail3]

I'm talking about elves of Riviani descent.

Okay. 

[DementedSheep]

We don't need a cartoonishly evil race (we already have darkspawn), especially not "dark elves" since the elves are already just as grey as any other race and don't need an evil counterpart to contrast. Drow society is stupid, they backstab each other so much they would never be able to get anything done.

[IHaveReturned1999]

Why do they have to demonize people with black skin as evil? Typical and obvious of them.

[Gervaise]

If it's an consolation, I've dug out a book for a game setting Chivalry and Sorcery, where the top echelon of elf society are the Alinnil or true elves, who rule with an Iron Hand.   Their skin is so pale as to be almost transparent, their hair is almost white and their eyes contain only a subtle hint of blue (they sound like albinos).  They are tall, nearly seven feet but slim, giving them a fragile appearance.    They hold positions in elf lands as feudal overseers, with other ranks of elves beneath them.  They are very concerned about purity of blood because their lineage is unbroken from old Faerie but their race is dying out.  They are not exactly evil but it would appear they are rather severe owing to their fears about the survival of their race.  

 

Get this, the reason for this is they have been infected with the Blight.   They are not sure of the origins of this taint that is killing them off but it seems to have made an appearance along with the earliest humans.   At this time elves and dwarves were still allies and the humans seen as little more than clever monkeys.    You know this all sounds awfully familiar.   Do you suppose our developer friends got any of their ideas from here?

[Qun00]

I'm talking about elves of African descent.

Africa doesn't exist in any of the works of fiction that feature elves.

[GoldenGail3]

Africa doesn't exist in any of the works of fiction that feature elves.

Which is why I corrected them. 

[The Ascendant]

The Ancient Elves of Thedas were the most like stereotypical Dark Elves. They were a slave based society, were ruled by immortal God Kings and were greatly involved with Demons.

[IHaveReturned1999]

Africa doesn't exist in any of the works of fiction that feature elves.

I meant the elves on DA should've been dark.

[fdrty]

Plot Twist - Could Qunari be the Theodosian Dark Elves ? The Qunari could be a combination of Elder Scrolls Dunmer and LOTR's Orcs. A small contingent of Ancient Elves, dissatisfied with the way their society is structured, leaves Elvhenan and later they get experimented on by the Ancient Tevinter or by Evanuris such as Ghilan'nain. 

 

It's hinted that the Qunari are actually a mix of races - perhaps elves and dragons? Corypheus and Cole make comments about it if you play as a Qunari Inquisitor. Also Qunari horns resemble dragoons, and they seem to revere dragons (Iron Bull has a huge dragon boner, also Ataashi). Qunari have elf-like ears.

 

 

Why do they have to demonize people with black skin as evil? Typical and obvious of them.

 

I definitely do not want to see 'black = evil' in a world as nuanced and as liberal as Dragon Age.

[animedreamer]

If it's an consolation, I've dug out a book for a game setting Chivalry and Sorcery, where the top echelon of elf society are the Alinnil or true elves, who rule with an Iron Hand.   Their skin is so pale as to be almost transparent, their hair is almost white and their eyes contain only a subtle hint of blue (they sound like albinos).  They are tall, nearly seven feet but slim, giving them a fragile appearance.    They hold positions in elf lands as feudal overseers, with other ranks of elves beneath them.  They are very concerned about purity of blood because their lineage is unbroken from old Faerie but their race is dying out.  They are not exactly evil but it would appear they are rather severe owing to their fears about the survival of their race.  

 

Get this, the reason for this is they have been infected with the Blight.   They are not sure of the origins of this taint that is killing them off but it seems to have made an appearance along with the earliest humans.   At this time elves and dwarves were still allies and the humans seen as little more than clever monkeys.    You know this all sounds awfully familiar.   Do you suppose our developer friends got any of their ideas from here?

 

The physical description reminds me of the Melnibonean race from a game I once played.

[IHaveReturned1999]

 

 
I definitely do not want to see 'black = evil' in a world as nuanced and as liberal as Dragon Age.

They'll do it.

[GoldenGail3]

They'll do it.

Are chu seriously? 

[WardenBlue]

My Surana is technically a Dark Elf  . Although my Lavellan isn't, she's kind of tan. 

[DementedSheep]

That depends on context.

Skyrim's dark elves were cursed to have dark skin, but what makes it bad for them isn't that it doesn't conform to beauty standards.

Racism based on skin color isn't even a thing in that universe, so it would be illogical to look at it from a real world perspective.

Rather, it is a curse to the Dunmer because their gray skin represents a sinister appearance, especially combined with their red eyes.

Dunmer don't even have "dark skin" comparable to any real world race. The redguards are dark skined, the dunmer are grey. 

[WardenBlue]

Dunmer don't even have "dark skin" comparable to any real world race. The redguards are dark skined, the dunmer are grey. 

Their Grey Elves than? And aren't Red guards humans though? 

[IHaveReturned1999]

Are chu seriously?

Uh yeah.

[DementedSheep]

Their Grey Elves than? And aren't Red guards humans though? 

Yes, I only mentioned them to point out the difference in how "dark skin" is used. I'm just seeing people who seem to be linking dark elves to dark skin = bad  and that implying bad things about dark skinned people but most of time "dark elves" in fiction, elder scrolls being an example, don't look like dark skinned people at all. I think the tendency to give fantasy evil races dark skin (usually blue-black or grey-black which aren't normal skin tones) is less racism and more the association with a darkness (as in a lack of light).

[WardenBlue]

Yes, I only mentioned them to point out the difference in how "dark skin" is used. I'm just seeing people who seem to be linking dark elves to dark skin = bad  and that implying bad things about dark skinned people but most of time "dark elves" in fiction, elder scrolls being an example, don't look like dark skinned people at all. I think the tendency to give fantasy evil races dark skin (usually blue-black or grey-black which aren't normal skin tones) is less racism and more the association with a darkness (as in a lack of light).

Well, true, but Dark Elves in Skryim aren't hated... I feel like their pitied somewhat. 

[DementedSheep]

Well, true, but Dark Elves in Skryim aren't hated... I feel like their pitied somewhat. 

In universe I think the dunmer/dark elves are far more hated than pitied even in Skyrim where they are refugees, they also have a harsh culture with slavery and deadra worship ( Boethia and Maphala are pretty blatantly evil though Azura isn't as bad). They are kinda like DnD drow in that, only toned back and with less for teh evilz.  They were also as mentioned, cursed to have ashen skin and red eyes so it is meant to be a negative thing. Though the Altmer (who are run by what is basically elven Nazi's now and are probably hated more than the Dunmer) and Bosmer (cannibals) aren't very liked either. 

 

The Dunmer get respected sometimes by NPCS and by players because they survive and keep going with so much bad fortune and manage to live in inhospitable lands though hard work.