History Main / TheAgeless

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' has two variants on this trope: Monks and Druids gain the Timeless Body ability, which causes them to no longer age physically (or at least do not get any penalties for aging) until they drop dead when they reach their species' maximum age (thus invoking the OldMaster trope). Two races, [[{{Transhuman}} Elan]] and the [[GaiasVengeance Killoren]], have no maximum age and will visibly age to a certain point (venerable age for Elan, old age for Killoren) but never die of old age. Combining either race with either class leads to this trope. There's also an epic feat that makes each of your age categories come later as a product of your maximum age: Picking this feat for races who have no maximum age leads to this trope again.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' has two variants on this trope: Monks and Druids, once they reach a certain level, do not age physically (or at least do not get any penalties for aging) until they drop dead when they reach their species' maximum age. Two races, [[{{Transhuman}} Elan]] and the [[GaiasVengeance Killoren]], have no maximum age and will visibly age to a certain point (venerable age for Elan, old age for Killoren) but never die of old age. Combining either race with either class leads to this trope.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' has two variants on this trope: Monks and Druids, beyond a certain age, do not age physically (or at least do not get any penalties for aging) until they one day drop dead of old age when they reach maximum age. Two races, [[{{Transhuman}} Elan]] and the [[GaiasVengeance Killoren]], have no maximum ages and will age to a certain point (venerable age for Elan, old age for Killoren) and then stop. Combining either race with either class leads to this trope.

This is frequently a racial trait of [[OurElvesAreBetter elves]] and almost always a feature of {{robot}}s. Frequently overlaps with ImmortalityBeginsAtTwenty.

Frequently overlaps with immortality by HealingFactor, to the point here it's more unusual to find someone with a HealingFactor ''without'' slowed or stopped aging than with.

* The elves in ''TheLordOfTheRings'' and ''TheSilmarillion'' have an infinite lifespan until the world ends, have the vigor and strength of a human in his prime no matter how ancient they are, and they do not get sick. They only die if slain. Even that isn't always permanent; after an elf's spirit has spent some years in the Halls of Waiting, if they have thoroughly repented and learned from any sins they comitted, they get re-embodied -- this, however, is not not an inherent power but a grace provided by the Valar (the godlike archangels of Arda).

* The elves in ''TheLordOfTheRings'' and ''TheSilmarillion'' have an infinite lifespan until the world ends, have the vigor and strength of a human in his prime no matter how ancient they are, and they do not get sick. Though they can be slain, after an Elf's spirit has spent some time in the Halls of the Dead it can be re-embodied, though only with the help of the Valar (the "gods" of Middle-earth).

* DoctorStrange does not age and will not die (after an incident where he and Death came to an agreement) but is physically ordinary. It's implied he is immune to disease as well.

* Scientists in RealLife have been attempting this type for a very, long, time. Many believe that humans will eventually attain it.
** There is a substantial number of people who believe that the first bicentenarian-to-be has already been born, and is possibly already an adult!

* John in ''TheManFromEarth''

* In ''IndianaJones and the Last Crusade'', drinking from the HolyGrail grants you this form of immortality. There's a downside, however: [[spoiler:The elderly crusader explains that yes, you live forever - but only so long as you remain in the grail's sacred area. You must drink from the Grail periodically to rejuvenate yourself (hence why Indy and his dad aren't immortal despite drinking from it). Since it can't be taken from its sacred area, obviously you need to stay relatively close to that area to keep drinking from it.]]

* NorseMythology: The Aesir and Vanir are immortal in this way, so long as they continue to eat the Apples of Idun.

* This occurs in RealLife among several different species. The correct term for it is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_immortality Biological Immortality]].

* The Remillard Clan from Julian May's ''GalacticMilieu'' series. Each one appears to stop getting older at a different age. They have minor regenerative powers, but they can still be seriously injured or killed.

* In ''TheElderScrolls'', the Nerevarine becomes this, as a consequence of [[spoiler: having Corprus but getting negative effects cured]]. If brought to sufficient heights of power, they can also gain enough regenerative power to leave this trope and [[FromASingleCell enter another]].

** Dragons in ''{{Skyrim}}'' are this, being quasi-angelic entities who can never truly die unless their soul is absorbed by [[TheChosenOne a Dragonborn]]. [[spoiler:Parthunaax]] in particular has been waiting on top of the Throat of the World for Alduin's return since the Dragon War many thousands of years ago.

* Dragons in ''{{Skyrim}}'' appear to be this.

* Aozaki Touko, the AmbiguouslyGay {{Badass}} BenevolentBoss EccentricMentor of ''KaraNoKyoukai'', can transfer her soul to identical 'puppets' whenever she is killed, and there seems to be no limit on how many puppets she can make or how long they can last.

** ''Anyone'' can live indefinitely if they have the Fifth Heightening or above (People with less than that age more slowly, but the Fifth Heightening is when it stops completely). It's actually better than being a Returned since such people don't need a constant supply of Breath to live.

* The Elves in ''ElfQuest'' (except for [[spoiler:the Wolfriders]]) do not die of old age, however, sickness occasionally happens, e.g. [[spoiler: Krim's first child died as an infant.]]

* In both ''{{Earthdawn}}'' and ''{{Shadowrun}}'', dragons and Immortal Elves have this quality. Dunkelzahn was apparently tens of thousands of years old, and some immortal elves were thousands of years old in ''{{Shadowrun}}''.

* The majority of the Wilds from [[TrudiCanavan Trudi Canavan's]] "The Age of Five" trilogy fall into this category. The most extreme example is [[spoiler: The Gull - the oldest of the Wilds, who has the physical body of a prepubescent child]].

* "InTime" features a humanity that has stopped the aging process, freezing everyone's age and physical abilities at 25. Time itself has replaced money as currency, meaning that the poor live day to day, while the rich can effectively become immortal.