Are Elves Daisy Eatters?, Are Elves really Vegans? Options

[Butterblume]

Never caught that vegetarian elf thing.

It's odd, because every description of elves in the fantasy books I read eat meat (why else would they hunt animals). Some of the non-Tolkien ones even like to gorge on human flesh (like Terry Pratchett's, I think).

One could claim most japanese don't eat meat, but that would be a bad conclusion regarding cause and effect.

[Sir_Psycho]

I imagine that elves not eating meat would be more of a social/cultural trend, not anything to do with their physiology.

[Demon_Bob]

[apollo124]

[Dogsoup]

I thought the thing with elves being physiologically unable to digest meat was kinda cool. Sets them apart from humans just as trolls' (and orcs') teeth or horns do. Could also lead to interesting situations/obstacles to solve every once in a while for the elf players.
It could of course be solved with a fairly simple biomod, would you want to get rid of it.

[nathanross]

As someone who plays shadowrun because he gets to play elves, I have always hated ork players mocking my elf calling him a daisy-eater. Of course, I do feel some retrobution knowing that they have at tops a 50 year life span.

Anyways, as to the actual topic, I do think it is logical that elves are slightly less comfortable with red meat biologically, than are orks or trolls. All my characters (except one) have nothing against meat, but one grew up on fish and has a moderate allergy to red meat. I think the allergy if taken should count as uncommon since real meat IS uncommon, and should only apply for one allergy.

I dont think fish are the same as other animal flesh, any biologists out there?

[WhiskeyMac]

I'm thinking that it goes with the elitism of elves since about 90% of the vegetarians and vegans I've met are complete asshole elitists. Give the elves more of a reason to look down on us "lowly" humans :D

I never got how the Ork and Troll cuisine was pretty much German and Irish cuisine in massive quantities while the Dwarf cuisine was based on the Dwarf's race and Elves were vegetarians. What about like coastal elves? Did they only eat seaweed and stuff like that?

[azrael_ven]

You are right nathanross; fish are different from cow meat. Of course so is chicken, lamb, and pork. So just because they don't eat red meat, doesn't mean they don't eat something else.

[ornot]

I think it would be a cultural thing, and probably even more a case of stereotyping by other metatypes. I mean, they're all tall and beautiful, so they're probably all bulemic or something.

And Whiskeymac are these elitist vegetarians the same kind that crave bacon, and feel like they're giving up something special? I hate those guys, but they're in a minority. I've been a vegetarian for years (23, if you want numbers) just because I don't like meat, and lots of vegetarians are like me. Thing is, only the really vocal ones get noticed. So please, no generalisations.

[Dawgstar]

I'd probably think that in the Tirs, you're likely to find a high ration of vegetarians at least, since lots of elves seem to have taken the 'back to the land, crystal-waving' thing more seriously there than in others. Also, being so environmentally friendly as both countries try to be, there's probably not much livestock raising. That's more for Tir Tairngire than Tir Na Nog, though, since I wouldn't try to come between an Irishman and his whiskey steak. It's just not done (more than once).

[Kyoto Kid]

[Fastball]

No quotes yet, huh? The description for elves in SR4 states "According to stereotype, elves are . . . back-to-nature 'dandelion eaters' (though in fact a majority of elves is vegetarian)."

No reason given for the preference.

[BookWyrm]

By the quote, I take it as that the majority of Elves are vegitarians, but not necessarilly vegans. A few, in the minority of the generalization, are omnivorous.

[TheOOB]

I've always ran it that the average elf usually doesn't eat meat(then again, who does in the 6th world?). Their teeth arn't quite as good at chewing meat, and their digestive system can't handle it as well so they are prone to cramps and stomach aches if they eat too much meat. Also elves have a fairly strong cultural/mental aversion to it.

That said nothing stops them from eating meat, they can if they want to, they just don't usually want to.

Of course thats just how I house rule it, handle it however you want elves to be in your game.

[Grinder]

[treehugger]

I've seen quite a lot of mentioning elves being "dandelion-eaters", i never understodd what that meant ... i know this might not be the place, but would someone be kind enought to explain me what this means ? (english isnt my birth language)

EDIT :
Sorry i just googled this and found out about Dandelion.
I still have a language question : in french we have an expression "Bouffer les pissenlits par la racine" meaning "Eating dandelions by its roots" as a litteral translation, but its used to describe someone dead (someone eating dandelions by the roots is in a grave ...)
Do you have the same word play in english ?

[Da9iel]

The closest thing we have is "Pushing up daisies."

[eidolon]

edit: nothing to see here, just pre-coffee griping.

[Wraithshadow]

[Nim]

Alternately, the same philosophy that leads some elves to vegetarianism might also incline them against eating 'unnatural' food...vat grown meat, processed-and-flavored soy, etc. They might be big fans of organic farming, etc etc. I don't know that it's ever mentioned in the books, but it'd be consistent. Of course, you're looking at some Lifestyle costs there....

[nathanross]

[MYST1C]

[Grinder]

A classic. :love:

Your ideas on veganism are both very interesting and sound reasonable to me. But I guess most people won't bother much about going vegetarian or vegan when it's so easy to live on soy-based food alone that doesn't has meat flavor added.