Power-Hungry Elf Origins

[kpenguin]

Why exactly does V want ultimate arcane power? Elves usually aren't the ones who become the wizards who yell out "POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!", especially the ones raised by tree-hugger rangers.

I suspect, based on the latest comic, something similar happened in V's life early on where (s)he was unable to help someone, resulting in their death. V wants to attain ultimate arcane power so that something like that can (s)he never experiences something like that again. The Battle of AC revisted does old insecurities.

Or those arcane secrets just drove him/her MAD, MAD!

[Tempest Fennac]

That's an interresting theory. I assumed it was solely because spending decades learning magic would be a waste of time unless your aim was to get the most out of it as possible. (It's a shame that V was created before Races of the Wild came out, s/he would have become an adult at 25 if that was the case:smalltongue:).

[JaxGaret]

That is a very interesting theory. Makes sense if it's accurate.

[hamishspence]

Tony Moseley's Zogonia made a similar joke- elf-human interaction, elf when hearing human's age:

Elf: "Whoa. You are potty trained, right?
Kev: "You know what? I'm just going to go now."
Elf: "Aw don't feel bad! My little brother didn't potty-train until he was fifty-two."

Looks like its a standard joke among D&D cartoonists.

[magic9mushroom]

Interesting theory.

[Morty]

Elves don't become power-hungry? Tell that to Irenicus. That said, this theory has merit.

[lord_khaine]

i dont know, it could also just be explained by plain old elven arrogance.

[hamishspence]

Dig around in the Forgotten Realms history, and you will find numerous power-hungry elven villains, and empires of non-drow elves that sometimes made the drow look positively nice.

Most notably, Vyshanntar, the sun elven empire.

[Athaniar]

Speaking of power-hungry elves (if we're allowed to take non-D&D examples), the Highborne (*points to self*), and later, the blood elves.

[Spiryt]

I also don't know what being elf or not has to do with lust for power, but theory is indeed probable.

But personaly I think that's not any trauma or stuff - V just want power cause it's power.

[Kaytara]

I also don't know what being elf or not has to do with lust for power, but theory is indeed probable.

But personaly I think that's not any trauma or stuff - V just want power cause it's power.

I don't know. Do you want more power just 'cause it's power?

When it's something as concrete as COMPLETE AND TOTAL ULTIMATE ARCANE POWER, you'd usually have a rather specific reason for wanting it.
I like the OP's theory. It's plausible, especially considering that we know next to nothing about V's past, save that his parents were rangers and that he was apprenticed to a wizard for some time. And according to Rich, in the case of at least one member of the Order he didn't want to reveal much of the backstory because that character's past would play an important role in the story later. Vaarsuvius could easily be one of those characters.

[hamishspence]

Given Haley, Durkon and Roy have plenty of backstory, that leaves Elan, V, Belkar.

Elan had some of his backstory coming up in DCF, before Origin was written.

Belkar seems almost designed to avoid backstory- He's just horrible :smallbiggrin:

That leaves V.

Could be wrong, but I think V is a little bit more likely than the others.

[Jher'c Kelborn]

Elves don't become power-hungry? Tell that to Irenicus. That said, this theory has merit.

My point exactly.

[Spiryt]

When it's something as concrete as COMPLETE AND TOTAL ULTIMATE ARCANE POWER, you'd usually have a rather specific reason for wanting it.


Beacuse power is powerful :smalltongue:

Seriously, V is mage, it was said that he was studying hundred of years before learning first spell, he's dedicated to it and other mystical stuff et cetera. (S)He wants knowledge, understanding and power to manipulate the world like nothing else can grant.

Plus, recently he had shown us his/her "less neutral" nasty part of character.

In short quite stereotypical magicky mage. Wants ultimate power beacuse it would be the quintessence of their learning, talent and interests in life.


I don't know. Do you want more power just 'cause it's power?

Why not. Do you have some in profitable price? :smallwink:

[Tempest Fennac]

I assumed it was refering to the scene where Roy met the Oracle due to that being used in the online comics.

[MickJay]

I'm wondering if V's looks are supposed to remind of characters going to the "dark side", in some Star Wars setting physical looks of some characters changes in similar way when they've used too much "dark" force or went too far in that direction ("power, unlimited power!!!" scene is one example, another is from KOTOR games). It could be just lack of sleep, though.

I don't know what V's initial motivation was, but the memory from Azure city definitely pushed V into (at least) half-madness. Whole life devoted to pursuit of power, and when it finally can be useful, it's not enough. Ouch.

[hamishspence]

Heroes of Horror 3.5 sourcebook does this- the Taint system. Can affect the person physically and/or mentally- caused by entering a very evil area, approaching a very evil creature, or doing evil acts.

[Querzis]

Thats weird because I always saw elves as much more power-hungry then anyone else. I cant even think of a fiction where they arent described as arrogant. That being said, I like that theory.

[hamishspence]

Elves as "empire building masters of magic" and elves as "living in harmony with the wild" have tended to sit uncomfortably together. Even before AD&D, they resolved this with subraces/cultural difference.

Tolkien's elves also had notable differences in style.

[King of Nowhere]

To me, V wants ultimate arcane power mainly for the knowledge's sake. Hir attitude reminds me that of many scientist: they look for new dicoveries, and they believe that those new discoveries will be useful and help people, but they don't research for that reason: they research because they want to know more, they want to satisfy their intellectual curiosuity, they want to unveil the misteries of the universe. V seems that kind of guy to me.

[Assassin89]

I could be a possibility that V is working to outdo someone, and what if that someone is V's mate.

:elan: Dun Dun Dunnnnn

[Ikialev]

Elves don't become power-hungry? Tell that to Irenicus.

He was unelfed.

[Spiryt]

He was unelfed.

As a punishment for his power hunger. :smallconfused:

[hamishspence]

Elaith Craulnober, elf crime lord, is evil but can be entertaining. in the Elaine Cunningham books he's sometimes an ally, of sorts.

[qwerty]

Why exactly does V want ultimate arcane power? Elves usually aren't the ones who become the wizards who yell out "POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!", especially the ones raised by tree-hugger rangers.

I suspect, based on the latest comic, something similar happened in V's life early on where (s)he was unable to help someone, resulting in their death. V wants to attain ultimate arcane power so that something like that can (s)he never experiences something like that again. The Battle of AC revisted does old insecurities.

Or those arcane secrets just drove him/her MAD, MAD!

Sounds like a good theory and I for one think that that mite be the reason.

[David Argall]

But personaly I think that's not any trauma or stuff - V just want power cause it's power.
One wants power because it allows one to reach other goals. It is a tool, not an end. Now this end can be anything, and may be unknown to, or forgotten by, the power-seeker, but we still will find there is a reason to seek power. It is not a reason in itself.
Now just what reasons V has is not so clear. He could have been beaten up by other kids and now seeks to symbolically beat them up, or to protect others from "them", or sees the power as simple protection from them. There are likely other responses too, and this is just from one possible event we have no knowledge on whether or not it ever happened or seriously bothered V. The current strip encourages us to think that at least some of her motives are what we call good.

[MickJay]

To me, V wants ultimate arcane power mainly for the knowledge's sake. Hir attitude reminds me that of many scientist: they look for new dicoveries, and they believe that those new discoveries will be useful and help people, but they don't research for that reason: they research because they want to know more, they want to satisfy their intellectual curiosuity, they want to unveil the misteries of the universe. V seems that kind of guy to me.

That's a possibility, but then why would he want "ultimate arcane power" and not simply "ultimate arcane knowledge"? Also, he seems to enjoy actively using his power, if only to prove his superiority over the sword-swinging rabble.

[Optimystik]

For the power-hungry elves camp, there's also Dalamar, Raistlin's apprentice.

I don't claim to know V's reasons, but I have a feeling his mate is involved... or will be, as a last-ditch effort to keep him from this dark path.

[Spiryt]

One wants power because it allows one to reach other goals. It is a tool, not an end. Now this end can be anything, and may be unknown to, or forgotten by, the power-seeker, but we still will find there is a reason to seek power. It is not a reason in itself.

It can be and it is. I don't want to get too 'realistic" here, I will just say that history tends to remember people who wanted power just beacuse power was so tempting.

I already posted a reasons why V would want power IMO.

[Optimystik]

It can be and it is. I don't want to get too 'realistic" here, I will just say that history tends to remember people who wanted power just beacuse power was so tempting.

I already posted a reasons why V would want power IMO.

In those cases, history also forgot the reason that reason originally sought power. "History is written by the victors," and seldom is the victor that wishes to portray his foes in a sympathetic light.

Even Xykon, the most one-dimensional character in the strip, wants power for a reason - so that nobody can challenge his rule of the plane. Controlling the Snarl is a means to an end for him.

[Zordrath]

One wants power because it allows one to reach other goals. It is a tool, not an end. Now this end can be anything, and may be unknown to, or forgotten by, the power-seeker, but we still will find there is a reason to seek power. It is not a reason in itself.
In this case, it could be a reason in itself - V wants to perfect his wizardry similiar to an artist perfecting his skills. We know V sees wizardry as the most noble profession there is, so becoming the best at it could be a driving force of it's own.

Given how much the characters are fleshed out recently, however, I tend to agree that there has to be a deeper reason behind it. Maybe it has something to do with V's mate, and the reasons why s/he has left said mate and is currently travelling alone?

Or perhaps there hasn't been any particular reason so far, which is why we're getting one now.

[magic9mushroom]

One wants power because it allows one to reach other goals. It is a tool, not an end. Now this end can be anything, and may be unknown to, or forgotten by, the power-seeker, but we still will find there is a reason to seek power. It is not a reason in itself.


'Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others ; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were− cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?'

Need I say more?

[Optimystik]

Need I say more?

If pure power was really The Party's objective, they would be content with the ability to control the wills of others, and never actually have to employ it. But far be it from me to argue with Eric Arthur Blair.

QED

[David Argall]

Originally Posted by O'brien, 1984
'Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others ; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were− cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?'


Need I say more?

Quite a lot actually.

I may recall the story, and if so, the character is not voice of god, but merely his own personal opinion.

And when somebody says "We are different from all the oligarchies of the past," the immediate response should be "No, you are not.", or "that's what the last 5 oligarchies said too."

But no, power can't be desired simply for the sake of power. Those who want power want something else [which need not be anything they can actually get by power]. In the story, assuming I have it right, what is wanted seems to be respect. They are power junkies who get a high out of people begging them. The power is simply an efficient way to get that respect. It takes more work to write a great book.