Elves (Discworld)
Encyclopedia
In Terry Pratchett
's Discworld
novels, elves are extradimensional inhuman monster
s.
Elves on the Discworld
are based more on the nastier kind of fairy
-folk in Europe
an (and other) folklore
s than elves as portrayed in most modern (post-Tolkien
) fantasy fiction. They are not native to the Disc, but come from a "parasite universe", sometimes called Fairyland
. This pocket dimension
can latch onto different universes at certain times, allowing the elves (and other fae creatures such as unicorn
s, Jenny Greenteeth
and, before they were cast out, the Nac Mac Feegle
) to go hunting.
Elven invasions of the Discworld are recorded in Lords and Ladies
and The Wee Free Men
. The Science of Discworld II: The Globe
involves an attempted invasion of Roundworld (a version of our world). In Moving Pictures
it is mentioned that a few elves have moved to Holy Wood.
, they are capable of breeding with human
s, resulting in offspring
with superficially elvish characteristics - skinny, pointy ear
s, a tendency to giggle
and burn
easily in the sun
- but fundamentally human traits i.e. empathy
. As mentioned above, creatures from the elves' universe
often go hunting
when they manage to enter a 'real' universe, one of the things they hunt being people. Elves have no proper imagination
or real emotion
s, and therefore such things fascinate them. Because they cannot create they steal music
ians and artist
s. Because they cannot have children they steal children from the Disc to be their toys. Because they cannot feel empathy they enjoy the suffering
of others. In Lords and Ladies, Pratchett states that elves would smash the world if they thought it would make a pretty sound. Pratchett also compares the elves to cat
s, both being extremely stylish and excessively cruel
.
Even if an elf is, for reasons of its own, trying to be nice, its lack of understanding of humans means that there is always something "off" about it. Mostly they get away with this, due to the illusion
-creating glamour
they cast. While elves are, as mentioned above, not musical, elfsong is perceived as beautiful
by humans, and is highly hypnotic. When the Queen of Lancre, Magrat Garlick is released from its hypnotic effects, she realises that elven music really sounds like a saw
being played. Elves are generally seen as innately beautiful and stylish, but this is just another aspect of the glamour. Some of them are only vaguely humanoid
.
The glamour does not seem to have as much effect on trolls and dwarfs
, partly because they lack the romantic imagination to let it work and partly because of their connection to iron.
Elves have copper
-based, blue-green blood
, and are extremely vulnerable to iron
. This is partly because there is no way of magicking iron, and partly that they have the ability to detect magnetic
fields, and use them to navigate (as pigeons are thought to do) and even sense the thoughts of others from short distances. The presence of iron disrupts this and sends them into a panic
. The main gateway to the world of Elves in Lancre is surrounded by several large boulder
s of naturally magnetised meteor
ic iron. When there is no iron around they have the absolute confidence of beings who know exactly where they are.
Rational
thought
and the absence of superstition
, which makes the glamour easier to resist, is referred to by Nanny Ogg
as "iron in the head".
and Queen
. They act much the same as the King and Queen in chess
, the Queen is the more obvious ruler, organising the raiding parties and maintaining absolute control of her kingdom. The King tends not to get involved if he can avoid it and keeps to himself in a different aspect of Fairyland. The King and Queen may once have ruled together, but it has been implied there was an acrimonious split, which brings to mind the rift between the fairy courts of Oberon and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream
.
If it comes to that, there may not only be one King and Queen. However, due to the elves' lack of imagination and creativity any Kings and Queens of the Elves tend to be similar.
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's Discworld
Discworld
Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
novels, elves are extradimensional inhuman monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s.
Elves on the Discworld
Discworld (world)
The Discworld is the fictional setting for all of Terry Pratchett's Discworld fantasy novels. It consists of a large disc resting on the backs of four huge elephants which are in turn standing on the back of an enormous turtle, named Great A'Tuin as it slowly swims...
are based more on the nastier kind of fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
-folk in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an (and other) folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
s than elves as portrayed in most modern (post-Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
) fantasy fiction. They are not native to the Disc, but come from a "parasite universe", sometimes called Fairyland
Fairyland
Fairyland commonly refers to the land of fairies, in folklore.Fairyland may also refer to:* Álfheimr, the abode of the elves in Norse mythology* Elfhame or Elfland, the abode of the elves in English and Lowland Scottish folklore...
. This pocket dimension
Dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
can latch onto different universes at certain times, allowing the elves (and other fae creatures such as unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
s, Jenny Greenteeth
Jenny Greenteeth
Jenny Greenteeth is a figure in English folklore. A river hag, similar to Peg Powler, she would pull children or the elderly into the water and drown them. She was often described as green-skinned, with long hair, and sharp teeth...
and, before they were cast out, the Nac Mac Feegle
Nac Mac Feegle
The Nac Mac Feegle are a type of fairy folk appearing in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels Carpe Jugulum, The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith and I Shall Wear...
) to go hunting.
Elven invasions of the Discworld are recorded in Lords and Ladies
Lords and Ladies (novel)
Lords and Ladies is the fourteenth Discworld book by Terry Pratchett. It was originally published in 1992.-Synopsis:At the end of Witches Abroad, Magrat Garlick, Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax left Genua bound for home, in Lancre...
and The Wee Free Men
The Wee Free Men
The Wee Free Men, first published in 2003, is the second Story of The Discworld book for younger readers. A sequel, A Hat Full of Sky, appeared in 2004 , a third book, Wintersmith appeared in 2006, and the fourth, I Shall Wear Midnight, was released in September...
. The Science of Discworld II: The Globe
The Science of Discworld II: The Globe
The Science of Discworld II: The Globe is a 2002 book written by the novelist Terry Pratchett and the popular science writers Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen...
involves an attempted invasion of Roundworld (a version of our world). In Moving Pictures
Moving Pictures (novel)
Moving Pictures is the name of the tenth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 1990. The book takes place in Discworld's most famous city, Ankh-Morpork and a town called "Holy Wood"...
it is mentioned that a few elves have moved to Holy Wood.
Description
Though elves lack the ability to procreate within their own speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, they are capable of breeding with human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s, resulting in offspring
Offspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
with superficially elvish characteristics - skinny, pointy ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
s, a tendency to giggle
Giggle
A giggle is a high-pitched, bubbly way of laughing. It is usually suppressed, resulting in short bursts of laughter. A giggle is often considered a very feminine laugh. Giggling is sometimes affiliated with laughing gas a dentist would administer. Giggling is also sometimes done nervously. Giggling...
and burn
Sunburn
A sunburn is a burn to living tissue, such as skin, which is produced by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, commonly from the sun's rays. Usual mild symptoms in humans and other animals include red or reddish skin that is hot to the touch, general fatigue, and mild dizziness. An excess of UV...
easily in the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
- but fundamentally human traits i.e. empathy
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
. As mentioned above, creatures from the elves' universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
often go hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
when they manage to enter a 'real' universe, one of the things they hunt being people. Elves have no proper imagination
Imagination
Imagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
or real emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s, and therefore such things fascinate them. Because they cannot create they steal music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
ians and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s. Because they cannot have children they steal children from the Disc to be their toys. Because they cannot feel empathy they enjoy the suffering
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, is an individual's basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm. Suffering may be qualified as physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of intensity, from mild to intolerable. Factors of duration and...
of others. In Lords and Ladies, Pratchett states that elves would smash the world if they thought it would make a pretty sound. Pratchett also compares the elves to cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s, both being extremely stylish and excessively cruel
Cruelty
Cruelty can be described as indifference to suffering, and even positive pleasure in inflicting it. If this is supported by a legal or social framework, then receives the name of perversion. Sadism can also be related to this form of action or concept....
.
Even if an elf is, for reasons of its own, trying to be nice, its lack of understanding of humans means that there is always something "off" about it. Mostly they get away with this, due to the illusion
Illusion
An illusion is a distortion of the senses, revealing how the brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. While illusions distort reality, they are generally shared by most people....
-creating glamour
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
they cast. While elves are, as mentioned above, not musical, elfsong is perceived as beautiful
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
by humans, and is highly hypnotic. When the Queen of Lancre, Magrat Garlick is released from its hypnotic effects, she realises that elven music really sounds like a saw
Saw
A saw is a tool that uses a hard blade or wire with an abrasive edge to cut through softer materials. The cutting edge of a saw is either a serrated blade or an abrasive...
being played. Elves are generally seen as innately beautiful and stylish, but this is just another aspect of the glamour. Some of them are only vaguely humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
.
The glamour does not seem to have as much effect on trolls and dwarfs
Dwarfs (Discworld)
Sam leighton is dwarf kingDwarfs in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels are similar to the Dwarves of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, to which they largely started out as a homage, and dwarves in other fantasy novels. They are short, stocky, bearded metal-workers, generally seen wearing chain mail...
, partly because they lack the romantic imagination to let it work and partly because of their connection to iron.
Elves have copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-based, blue-green blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
, and are extremely vulnerable to iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. This is partly because there is no way of magicking iron, and partly that they have the ability to detect magnetic
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
fields, and use them to navigate (as pigeons are thought to do) and even sense the thoughts of others from short distances. The presence of iron disrupts this and sends them into a panic
Panic
Panic is a sudden sensation of fear which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction...
. The main gateway to the world of Elves in Lancre is surrounded by several large boulder
Boulder
In geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
s of naturally magnetised meteor
METEOR
METEOR is a metric for the evaluation of machine translation output. The metric is based on the harmonic mean of unigram precision and recall, with recall weighted higher than precision...
ic iron. When there is no iron around they have the absolute confidence of beings who know exactly where they are.
Rational
Rationality
In philosophy, rationality is the exercise of reason. It is the manner in which people derive conclusions when considering things deliberately. It also refers to the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons for belief, or with one's actions with one's reasons for action...
thought
Thought
"Thought" generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective consciousness. It can refer either to the act of thinking or the resulting ideas or arrangements of ideas. Similar concepts include cognition, sentience, consciousness, and imagination...
and the absence of superstition
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
, which makes the glamour easier to resist, is referred to by Nanny Ogg
Nanny Ogg
Gytha Ogg is a character from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. She is a witch and member of the Lancre coven.- Personality :The character of Nanny Ogg is based on the Mother stereotype of the Triple Goddess myth...
as "iron in the head".
Governance
Elves are ruled by a KingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
and Queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
. They act much the same as the King and Queen in chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, the Queen is the more obvious ruler, organising the raiding parties and maintaining absolute control of her kingdom. The King tends not to get involved if he can avoid it and keeps to himself in a different aspect of Fairyland. The King and Queen may once have ruled together, but it has been implied there was an acrimonious split, which brings to mind the rift between the fairy courts of Oberon and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
.
If it comes to that, there may not only be one King and Queen. However, due to the elves' lack of imagination and creativity any Kings and Queens of the Elves tend to be similar.