The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games - Michael J. Tresca [20]
In Chainmail, dwarves fought better against trolls, ogres, and giants; goblins and kobolds were their mortal enemies (Gygax 1978:29). In Dungeons & Dragons, dwarves were originally only allowed to be fighters, never progressing beyond sixth level. They specialized in the war hammer and were highly resistant to magic (Gygax and Arneson 1974:7)
The question of the females of the species having beards has long raged in Dungeons &Dragons circles, due primarily to Tolkien’s reference that dwarven women are so similar to dwarven men that “the eyes and ears of other peoples cannot tell them apart.” (Tolkien 1955:360). Dungeons &Dragons settled the question in the fourth edition, portraying dwarves as beardless and even attractive (Carter 2007:33).
ELVES AND HALF-ELVES • Elves share a common ancestry with dwarves in myths and legends. They range in height from smaller than human to man-sized. Elves are beautiful, musical, and wise in the ways of magic and nature. They are expert bowmen (Johnston 2007:17). And they always have pointed ears.
Tolkien was unhappy with the traditional depiction of faeries, including elves, as puckish little beings as popularized by Shakespeare (Lakowski 2007:61). In response he created elves known as Quendil. They were immortal and ageless, possessing the greatest happiness and deepest sorrow. They were roughly the size of men, but stronger in spirit and limb. As they aged they only became wiser and more beautiful. Tolkien’s elves literally glow, their eyes, hair, and clothes shimmering, their voices lyrical. When the elves were “sundered,” their lines were divided into the Eldar, who journeyed to Valinor at the behest of the Valar, and the Avari, who refused. Of the Eldar come the “subraces” popular in Dungeons & Dragons: high elves (Noldor), wood elves (Tawarwaith), and grey elves (Sindar) (Day 2001:75).
The Dictionary of Word Origins defines “elf” as a “race of powerful supernatural beings in Germanic folklore” (1990:197). “Ælf” is a possible origin, in turn derived from “albiz,” possibly from “albho,” meaning “white.” The nearest cousin, then, is the “alp” or “alf,” plural “alpar” or “alfar.” It should be noted that the Alps mountain range has a common ancestry with the word, which would designate it as an elven home. The word “alp” means “nightmare,” which denotes an unpleasant characteristic associated with the notion of elves, or at least their mountain ancestors.
In its German form, the alp has more attributes akin to a traditional vampire than to elves. The alp was traditionally male, attacking female victims at night by sitting on their chest and causing horrible nightmares. Alp attacks were known as Alpdrücke, which means “pressing,” a possible explanation for sleep apnea, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. This form of night terror would take shape in the form of the night hag in Dungeons & Dragons, which performs much the same role but is considered a more Judeo-Christian demonic influence (Carton 2008).
Despite its negative connotations, the alp had many fey qualities. They were known for their mischievous antics, from souring milk to terrorizing animals. In addition to being a shapeshifter, the alp was never without his hat (Tarnkappe), which provided invisibility, a precursor to Tolkien’s elvish cloaks. Perhaps the most modern manifestation of an alp is Freddy Krueger, who is fond of torturing the young in their sleep, known for his mischievous and deadly wit, and is never seen without his hat (Aeon 2001).
It was the Norse who divided elves into two different types: the light elves (Ljosalfar) and dark elves (Dopkalfar). Nordic myth neatly categorized races with their homes in the