Help in setting up a winged elf female

I need help with setting up winged female elf. She is one of if not the most beautiful elves elf to exist. She happens to be skilled in the use of magic and is knowledgeable in magic and magic related fields. She was trained in the use of swords. I might make her be the first elf or one of the first elves to have wings. What changes do I need to make to her description to make it sound it sound better? What do you think she should be wearing? How can I make her original and not sound like other elven females?

My elves come from another dimension. Elves are immune to poisons and diseases and are ageless. They never need to sleep.

A stunningly beautiful statuesque woman who stands six feet tall walks in, moving with grace, surety, and seduction. There is something sexy about the way she carries herself, a hidden power to her movements. She has an hourglass figure with flawless smooth-as-silk white skin. Protruding from her back are silvery wings that crest three-and-half feet higher than the shoulders and spread twenty feet at full length. Despite the impressive wingspan, they seem to wrap her like a gown of feathers when she is not flying. Her flowing soft, silky, and lustrous red tresses "the color of autumn leaves" spill down her back down to her ankles. She tends to go about barefooted, each toe adorned with a gorgeous ring, much like her long fingers. Her oval shaped face looks angelic. Two silver circular earrings are worn in both of her pointed ears. High cheekbones showed off her amazing bone structure and pronounced the perfect arch of her brows. A small, but perfectly shaped upturned nose rests between two mesmerizing violet eyes. Her luscious bow shaped lips deceive her authority. Her general attire consists of a leather black corset which shows off her well-endowed chest and black bikini bottoms that show of her butt nicely. She wears coat-length black leather gloves.

Caution—I watched Black Panther two weeks ago, so this first question is almost entirely from my Wakanda feelings right now.

Why does she have to be fair-skinned/white? In the real world, a Winged Humanoid should have at least a decent tan since they usually fly above most non-clothing shade like trees and lower buildings. For a human redhead that's probably skin-cancer central, because flying for as short as one hour means they'd be in a constant cycle of sunburning, healing for a week or two, and sunburning again the next time they went on a trip. You could handwave it with clothing and maybe helmets, but clothing makes more drag unless it's extremely well-fitted.

Plus, a lot of people give their elves technicolor hair/eye colors, but the "beautiful superhuman" elves will ALWAYS have white skin, so just giving some elves an African/South-Asian appearance would be a change.

Second question: The hourglass shape seems really unwieldy for flying. Lots of curves means lots of fat around the waist and chest, which a lot of humans like because it's a subconscious indicator of good health and fertility (lots of meat on your bones = well-fed, and big hips = easy childbirth). But it's not good for flying because all that fertile, childbearing padding means lots of WEIGHT that your wings will have to haul up. Plus it's not aerodynamic, because in addition to all the dead weight you'd be lugging around, it's just a bad SHAPE for moving through the air. Notice how birds and planes are streamlined? Not much at the sides, generally very straight to avoid too much drag. Alternately, many birds have muscular and wide chests both for powerful wing-strokes and a larger lung capacity (especially birds of prey), so they end up "wide at the front and narrow at the back" like a teardrop or a reversed bullet.

After a few months, she's going to lose all those luscious curves just from how much energy flying takes—and probably swap them for muscle, too. I would LOVE to see a muscular and solid elf instead of the dainty, slender ones that everyone has.

A realistic Winged Humanoid would either be lightly-built as a whole with the bare minimum of fat for "less weight and easier flying," but then they'd be a Fragile Speedster or Glass Cannon who couldn't put up with too many fights. Alternately for the bird-of-prey route, they'd have a really wide and muscular back and shoulders thanks to having twice the amount of limbs on their torso than regular humanoids (which may look "top-heavy" to normal humans, like a body-builder who skipped too many leg days).

Ankle-length Rapunzel Hair is very pretty, but ALSO very heavy. Which means lots of dead weight that's bad for flying, plus potential for LOTS of tangles and scalp-ripping. My hair isn't even close to ankle-length (just hip-length) but if it's loose, it catches in doors, on chairs, and sometimes tangles around my shoulders if I'm dressing. Plus if my braid isn't nicely settled on my shoulder or back, the weight is annoying and makes my neck stiff after a while. If you're flying, several pounds of hair flapping around is NOT going to be fun for your scalp.

This could definitely be a cultural justification where the winged elves go "LOOK, I CAN FLY EVEN WITH ALL THIS LUXURIOUS HAIR DRAGGING ME DOWN AND CATCHING ON EVERYTHING" (like peacocks), but nods to reality would be fun to see, since Elves are usually too "perfect" to deal with hair caught in door-frames or tangled in clothing.

Also, toe-rings in anything but a party/ceremonial environment? Will probably break if you land too hard or at a bad angle, and broken metal bits aren't nice to your feet.

Edit to add: If she's the literal FIRST winged-elf and not simply the first DISCOVERED winged-elf of an existing culture, she may very well find out everything I just mentioned, since she wouldn't have had any help from natural evolution or her people's culture.

Also, BIG CLOTHING NOTE: A corset and half of a bikini is going to SUCK for flying in numerous ways. Moderate corsets won't restrict your breathing too much, but they're going to be VERY restrictive (you can't bend your torso very well) and if she's not part of a winged culture, the corset may not be adapted to either her new limbs or the new MUSCLES that flying develops. Also, too much exposed skin means she'll be either cold as hell in strong winds or she'll burn like bacon in hot weather, especially if she follows human redhead rules and sunburns in an hour.

edited 4th Mar '18 7:54:21 PM by Sharysa

Okay, so first thing: No being could ever evolve that list of traits, certainly not starting from apes, so either you are riffing of Tolkien and elves are basically descended celestial beings. It you are doing that, use that as inspiration for look. Wings that basically look like a piece of the sky given physical substance and so on...

Or your elves are the result of a very high magic civilization using magic for basically transhumanism - Which would explain why she is uber attractive to humans. She is the end result of very powerful magic being used to perfect and alter the body. This is also a good way to create a character who has a fairly modern outlook in a fantasy setting - The place she is from is beyond first world via massive use of magic, which gives guidance to character building. Maybe she is, for example, *not* down with restoring the rightful king to his throne, because what is this monarchy bullshit? The right and proper government is government by spirit construct empowered by the consensus of the people.

edited 6th Mar '18 4:25:54 AM by Izeinsummer

When I said she had white skin I meant that her skin was white in color not the color of a white person. Her having white skin comes from the fact I had her being a different character before I made her an elf. I had forgotten that I left her skin being white in color instead of changing it to something that would fit with her being an elf. Would you see her having copper skin? What would be the best way to change her description so that she stays attractive but is more built for flying? What would best things for her wear then? So what your saying is I, should make her hair no longer than shoulder length?

Elves are skilled in magic. Even some of the elven warriors know some magic.

Elves have never evolved on earth but they instead evolved on their home dimension.

I know something about the dimension the elves come from if it might help you out. Some know it as Tír na nÓg and as the First World. I have thought about making the home dimension of the elves also the home dimension of faeries.

I already listed the body-shapes she'd have. First type is the typical Elf body-shape—as slender and light as she can get while staying healthy (probably with a ruler-straight figure as well). Second type evokes a bird of prey with a muscled arms and chest, but average to minimum weight on the legs. If you're worried the second body-type isn't going to be "attractive," then go watch the new Wonder Woman because Diana and all the Amazons are muscled women who are REALLY hot.

I can't really pick the type of body-shape because she's your character. You DID mention she was a swordswoman, which is why I thought about the birds of prey as well as normal birds. Depending on how much magic you have, she could be a dainty little 100-pound songbird-woman who shanks everyone twice her size because she has magic and ambushes them (or just plain fights dirty), or she could be a Hot Amazon eagle-woman who kicks ass and takes names from above.

As for the hair, skin-tone, and clothes—again, I can't decide. You're the one writing the story. Maybe you can give her sunscreen or magical sun-protection to keep her fair complexion, or maybe you'll change her appearance to look less Caucasian and more Asian/African since she's up in the sunlight all the time.

Most importantly, what is the context of that scene? Is she a noblewoman or another elite whose Rapunzel Hair would be justified because of her status? It's not IMPOSSIBLE for that excerpt you posted to happen—it could just be that she's at a party, or making her grand entrance specifically to impress all the non-winged elves. Is she a noblewoman who wears loose hair, jewelry, and a corset ALL THE TIME, because she has guards to protect her? Or is she a soldier who normally wears fighting gear and a bun or braid, but she loves dressing up for parties?

edited 6th Mar '18 10:37:54 PM by Sharysa

If she's a swordsman then she'll be wearing armor. Not like steel plates or anything but more likely a thick leather vest, and arm and leg pieces. Also, since she can fly she'll probably be attacking from above which means extra leg armor is a must. Barefoot is out of the question, armored boots and greaves would be more practical.

.. How wedded are you to swords? Because its kind of a terrible weapon for a flyer. Archery or spear (Not for throwing, but for use as a lance during flybys) seem much more reasonable. If it must be swords, something like a saber is the only reasonable choice - Curved, and meant for slashing as you pass by your opponent at high speed.

I have replaced her hourglass figure with her being muscular since I think it would fit more with her for one being a skilled warrioress. Her skin color is now copper in color. Elves have tan or copper skin. I have also thought about elves having brown skin. She is muscular in an athletic way, sleek muscles rippling under her flawless copper skin.

Inarona is a skill elven warrior who was trained at an early age in the use of weapons. I am seeing Inarona using her magic to help her out in combat. She has been in combat before. Inarona will invent a new form of combat based on her ability to fly.

She is of high noble birth. Her younger brother (Adquinal) and sister (Olanala) are both twins. Her mother was a skilled mage.

I thought that the description would be the first time the character appears at all. I am thinking that she was outside when the description was written.

She likes to dress up when she gets the chance to.

You don't have to describe a character all at once. It's the old "show not tell" principle, you can inform the reader on her without literally telling the reader.

For example, if she normally wears armor but likes to dress up you could have another character remark on that the first time they encounter her off the battlefield. If she's a skilled warrior who uses unconventional tactics you can show what she does, rather than just saying she's a skilled warrior with unconventional tactics. Stuff like that.

If she's been fighting since a young age she might have an unusual personality.

Your standard garden-variety Elves tend to be comparable to human height somehow. Making her and her race taller would be unusual. (Google 'Elisany Silva da Cruz' for an idea of how the contrast might work. There are others of varying races, ages, sexes, and nationalities, but she's the one that first came to mind.)

Also, the description has her conforming to human standards of beauty. Explain this in-context, as it would naturally have ramifications.

Don't use 'muscular' or 'athletic'. Try 'sinewy' - suggests concentrated and obvious muscle while making her light enough to fly. (Sorry Sharysa.) More Bruce Lee than Serena Williams, basically.

Use 'magic' as scrunchies to keep her hair out of the way. Not sure why it'd grow that long if her race flies, but they'd have a way to deal with it and 'magic' is as good as any.

Specifically inhumanly white skin is probably fine. It's a common enough coloration in birds, and an explanation that it's a different composition of flesh meant to reflect UV (rather than filter it, as is the case with human skin) should be enough. Since this implies regularly being in bright areas, I'd give her a second set of 'filter' eyelids that work as sunglasses or snow goggles to preserve the human-like eyes I'm guessing you'd like to keep.

A tall, sinewy, cloud-white winged lady would be sufficiently unusual by human standards that she could be described as conventionally attractive and yet not. No swords while flying - there's no combat style that'll make her effective at melee range while flapping her big-ass wings. A 'launcher' that compresses her magic into arrows of light, perhaps? (With enough recoil to make it a skilled weapon.) Depending on how fast she can dive - terminal velocity, not cruising speed - that might be a form of attack that takes advantage of a trident... or a mid-air turn into a kick that does heavy impact damage.

Her 'battle' clothes would need to be light and aerodynamic. Metal's right out and so's chitin. Hardened plant fiber plates over cloth is 'exotic' enough to defy explanation, and sounds firm enough to serve as light armor. (If you want to be a little creepy, a magic-enhanced mycelium that forms at will and hardens over any sufficiently light clothing she's wearing might also work.)

I think that's it. Dunno if you were still looking for stuff.

I would like her to an unearthly quality to her looks besides just having violet eyes and pointed ears.

Would it be weird if I make my elves stand 5 feet, 9 inches tall to 6' feet, 6 inches tall?

What would happen if I made the elves technology organic? What effect would using organic technology have on the abilities that my elves have?

Tall, skinny (sinewy), visibly has a skin color that no living human being could, and those majestic flap-flaps will help make her look 'unearthly'. I had 6-7 feet in mind when I mentioned heights earlier, but another option would be to work out what the average human heights are in that setting, then make the elves x1.3 as tall. (Or, if 5'10" is an average height, x1.3 would be 7'6".)

On a related note, this site may be of use to you.

'Biological' equipment powered by the wearer's own magic sounds like a thing, yeah. But it depends on how the setting is set up. This is similar to something I said in that other thread, but if the humans compensate for their lack of magic with tech, and the elves all have enough magic (I'm imagining a 'lifeforce' innate to the individual here) to not require tech - that would be a thing worth pursuing, I think.

Elves are the most skilled in magic since they first discovered magic. Some elves have taught some humans in the use of magic.

Magic can consist of incantations, gestures, and material components.

What do you think of elves having a weakness to ferrous metals?

I made elves x1.3 as tall as humans which makes her 7 feet, 4 inches tall.

What do you mean by how the setting is set up?

That weakness to certain metals is traditional, yes. But, instead of a touch-contact weakness, what if they were allergic to iron or weren't able to metabolize it in the same amounts as humans? They'd need to be vegetarians, and this would extend to them being unable to eat food that's been cooked on iron, or water stored in bottles made of certain metals, or water that's passed through iron pipes, etc. (Sterling silver is okay, and realistically durable enough for these uses - it's just rarer and correspondingly more expensive, so your elves would probably bring their own cookware with them while traveling in human lands.)

What I meant by how the setting is set up is, in that case, their use of biological equipment would be justified if that was the more effective solution to engineering issues, in their homelands. That is, if their magical abilities were to be high enough that they could use that biological equipment, it would make sense that they ended up putting more effort into researching this magic/biology relationship over the traditional fields of physics. Likewise, races with lesser magic compensate for that by improving their materials and engineering sciences/technology.

For example, say your elf uses a magic-power crossbow while in human lands. It's extremely useful, but can only be repaired (healed?) by a knowledgeable Fletch-Mage with the right materials, and neither of those really exist outside of the elf lands. Conversely, say her human associate uses a naginata; its cutting strength relies on certain materials and craftsmanship. The materials may exist in the elf lands, but the iron is considered poisonous and the wood is sacred (let's say), and no one there is able to make a replacement.

A note about height: people over 7 foot usually have serious joint problems, especially in the legs and spine. Our joints and skeletal structure just don’t really work well on people that big. If that’s an average height for the species their joints and skeleton might look very different from ours.

Elves' magic abilities are extremely high since they are the one who first discovered magic more than ten thousand years.

What do you think about the organic technology that elves use having the ability to slowly regenerate damage cause to it?

Elves being unable to metabolize iron sounds interesting. Could elves still have their touch-contact weakness to iron besides not being able to metabolize iron?