Sorcery and Enchanting with Elven LPs

I’m working on a setting where some Elves are capable (and willing) to perform the same acts of gross magical use as humans. Spell Songs are still there as the sort of subtle magic all Elves are capable of but Sorcery and Enchanting are available to those who study magic. What I don’t know is if it would be more appropriate to burn up some new LPs for those wizard elves or if I should shoe horn in the appropriate skills on pre-existing LPs. Any ideas, comments, etc. greatly appreciated.

I don’t have much experience with elves in play, so take that into account when reading this.

The way to address this is largely dependent on [i]why[i] this exists in the world. The various racial magic systems all seem to enforce greater themes about each of the stocks; they are strongly idiomatic. If you just want a few flashier, more “sorcerous” effects, I suggest creating a couple new spell-songs that have the flavor you want. BUT try and work them into the elven idiom. I think the songs Air of Gates, Doom Sayer, Supplication to the Wind, and Threne of the Chameleon are good examples of the flashier, or more mystical, spell-songs. Pick a few of the more specificly Sorcerous effects (Shooting fire, calling lightning, ETC) and mold them into the Elven Idiom. Song of the First Flame, Heaven’s Blade, or whatever. Fire and lightning and singing, and you gotchu an Elf Wizard, BUT be very mindful of idiom. Subtlety is key. If you go this route, just deal with the enchanting stuff as it comes up. Elven enchanting (via Antiphon Union) is great, and works wonderfully as written. If you need a new spell-song to get the effect you want, consider resolving it in play. Moar fun.

Another thing you could do is just make a spirit-binder path for elves. They’re already good at it, and it has it’s own complications.

The last, and most extreme thing you could do is make a few lifepaths that lead to sorcery for an Elf. The caveat is, it warps you. Make the first lifepath take away Essence of Earth, or change it to something like “Slave to the Earth” (granting you an infamous relationship with all elves, or nothing at all). You are no longer immortal. It’s cold outside. Deal with it. Make the lifepath have a few skills like "Lost Love-Wise, “Human-Wise”, “Mortality-Wise”, “Beauty-Wise” and maybe inconspicuous and something else (work it out as appropriate). The lifepath is a fall from grace… you are losing your immortal nature, you are too tied to the realm and the ephemera of life. THEN, make that lead into another path where First Born gets changed into a new trait. Maybe something like… Journey to the End. IDK. Bottom line is, you can’t use elven skill-songs or spell-songs. You just don’t have it in you. Your fundamental connection to the fabric of nature is severred. You are Slave to the Earth, and Not of its Weave. You are Shiny, Pretty, Blessed with Goodness of Eyesight, and still Sad Forever, but you are basically human now. Catch is, your new, changed trait counts as gifted for Sorcery. Only, every sorcery test counts as a test toward Grief as well. And you can’t lament. Maybe limit the impetus of spells you can cast just like roden. If you REALLY want to, they can use skill-songs but they aren’t open-ended.

Just ideas. I personally think the first option is the best. I just came up with that last thing on the fly, and it has some obvious complications (on paper). Just pay attention to idiom, whether you make it yourself, or follow what’s written, and you should be okay?

Elves are badass enchanters already, thanks to Antiphon Union.

All good stuff, but in the setting it was the Elves who taught the Humans magic, etc. I’m aiming for straight up Sorcery use (these are not strictly Tolkien elves, for example I replaced Grief with Arrogance as the emotion trait) - drawing on an external source of power and bending reality to one’s will (Summoning and Blood Magic is present too). Corruption is totally in effect for magic users (and everyone else) in the setting. The spell songs (for this setting) are the inherent magic of the Elves and not based on that external source.
Items with Antiphon Union and Enchanting are going to be rare but extremely powerful.

Sorcery is a man only skill with good reason.

Imagine if you will a Elf who cast magic while singing a song in combat. Hold them at bay with a nice long range spell, while you prep yourself for close range combat with song of the sword or ballad of rage.

Example:

Our elf wizard starts cast a spell of 3/4 actions, Emperor’s Hand, Sarch’s Glare, White Fire.
While the wizard is casting his spell, he also starts to sing, Song of the Sword, Ballad of Rage.

Now our elf wizard lets off his spell and will be prepped for melee combat. (if there is any to be had after the spell)

Or a nasty non damage combo would be Horror while singing Song of Burning Bright. The foe is forced to take two Steel checks in a very close period.

Basically the Elves will be able to stack two very powerful effects in and out of combat, even socially with some of the spells and songs.

Heck an Elf enchanter with Antiphon Union and Enchanting would be able to create crazy powerful things on the item side. (Talk about your on stop shopping)

Also Elves have a flat out better stat pool then Man, which means some of the risk that comes from casting sorcery will be negated.

If the setting cannot change I suggest one of two things

1: PC’s cannot be Elves. Sure these crazy powerful elven casters might be fun to throw against your PC’s as enemies but to let a person be one (and if other PC’s are not also one …) is asking for trouble.

2: Remake elves, drop the spell songs and song skills, change the stat pool, and give them the sorcery and enchanting. I mean your already giving the a new emotional attribute and making them non Tolkien like. They are almost a different race anyway (in concept).

Elves are already the most powerful race in the game they don’t need access to some of the most (if not the most) powerful skills in the game.

Or have elves represented mechanically as a human subculture, if you’re creating elves that are very different from BW elves. Just give them their own cultural traits, disallow some lifepaths, add several elf-specific lifepaths, done.

I’m with Ben (option 2) and 3jane. Call them Elves, but just use the lifepaths of Man.

Create LPs, cool, thanks all. They’ll show up with the rest of the custom LPs I plan on burning up for this.