A female elf in a state of reverie.
Reverie, or trance,[1] was the elven state of meditation, which had certain sleep-like effects.[2][3]
Description[]
During this state of meditation, elves conducted a series of mental exercises that refreshed their bodies and minds. During this meditation, elves were aware of the outside world, though breaking meditation in response to external events had an effect similar to disturbing the sleep of any other humanoid.[4]
Elves could use any comfortable surface to sit or lie down on to undergo reverie,[5] though some avoided using human beds.[6]
Sleep[]
Though elves were highly resistant,[7][8] or even immune,[1][9] to magical sleep effects and spells, this did not mean that they were physically unable to sleep.[4][10] Elves were sometimes able to sleep if they desired, though they almost always rested in a state of reverie, which took half the time for the same benefits of sleep,[1][2] and also acted as a memory tool.[4] As such, elves very rarely slept, and usually only did so when they were severely ill, wounded, or exhausted.[10] It was thought that the ability for elves to go into reverie, instead of sleep, was the explanation as to why they could shrug off magical sleep-like effects.[4]
Astarion showcasing that even vampirism could not easily change an elf's preferred way of resting.
Though most types of elves did not sleep in the majority of scenarios, some types slept more regularly. Drow were one such race, and generally slept far more often than their kin on the surface. Some drow slept, whilst others entered reverie, in order to gain typical rest.[11] When drow were exhausted after tiresome events such as Open Days,[12] they would close their shops or residences and acquire sleep. Even major Houses would close and have an already-rested set of guards to look over the House members while they slept.[13] Drow were also known to seek out stalactites that had had the silence spell cast upon them, and slept inside their hollowed insides when they required rest.[14] However, not all drow slept, and many preferred reverie. With every passing century, less drow were able to fade into reverie, and instead needed actual sleep in order to acquire gainful rest.[15]
Among the races of surface Elves, true sleep was most commonly entered by priests and followers of Sehanine Moonbow, the Elven goddess of mysticism, dreams, death, and the moon. Worshipers of Sehanine would enter the sleep state specifically to dream, hoping to receive visions from the goddess, and would consult her priests to help them understand and interpret these dreams.[16]
Several individual elves did not undergo reverie, or were known to have fallen into a state of sleep:
- Galaeron Nihmedu, a half moon/half wood elf, lost his ability to undergo reverie after excessively using the Shadow Weave.[17]
- Gromph Baenre, the powerful drow archmage of Menzoberranzan, was unable to enter reverie, even in spite of his high level of discipline. He had been able to slip into reverie at a much younger age, however.[18]
- Filsaelene Merwyst, a sun elf who was so exhausted and emotionally frail that she fell into a state of sleep.[10]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 23. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 26–27. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Colin McComb (1993). The Complete Book of Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 34. ISBN 1-56076-376-0.
- ↑ Richard Baker (August 2004). Forsaken House. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 7. ISBN 0-7869-3260-0.
- ↑ Richard Baker (August 2004). Forsaken House. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 10. ISBN 0-7869-3260-0.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 29. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
- ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Richard Baker (August 2004). Forsaken House. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 322. ISBN 0-7869-3260-0.
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham (September 1996). Daughter of the Drow (Mass Market Paperback). (TSR, Inc), chap. 20, pp. 267–268. ISBN 978-0786905140.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1992). Menzoberranzan (The City). Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 1-5607-6460-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1992). Menzoberranzan (The City). Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 1-5607-6460-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1992). Menzoberranzan (The City). Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc), p. 11. ISBN 1-5607-6460-0.
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham (September 1996). Daughter of the Drow (Mass Market Paperback). (TSR, Inc), chap. 8, p. 109. ISBN 978-0786905140.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 38, 47. ISBN 978-0786966240.
- ↑ Troy Denning (March 2001). The Summoning. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0-7869-1801-0.
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham (September 1996). Daughter of the Drow (Mass Market Paperback). (TSR, Inc), chap. 15, p. 204. ISBN 978-0786905140.