The Philosophy of Elves

 So you want to play an elf...

There are many takes on Elves in fantasy literature, so let's stick with Tokien's description of the Noldor. The most significant difference between Elves and humans is that elves are undying. This implies that there is always more time. That sense you had when you were 18-22 and invincible? That's the way an elf always feels with respect to sickness or physical and mental debilitation. In short, he never thinks about it and there is no "weighty future" facing him. Another consequence is the pet-dog effect: no matter how loved it is when alive, it will pass and leave you. It cannot understand that you abide, undiminished, even growing in strength. This creates a barrier to deep friendships with beings other than elves; they come and go so quickly they can barely discern the cycles of decades, let alone those that only return with the centuries.

Of similar importance, their brains work differently than ours. They don't need to sleep in order to process long term memories and stave off madness. They spend time in recollection, which grounds them in the same way that deep and persistent meditation can help ground humans, but they do not dream as we do. Their imaginations are less affected by their pre-conscious activity, since there is no natural state in which their executive function is suspended. Instead, they freely explore possible futures and worlds, considering them contemplatively.

Spiritually, elves are certain of their future. Some have lived in the Undying Lands, and some have walked the Halls of Mandos. They do not just have the "certainty of faith," they have the certainty of experience. The concept of dying in war does not have the same impact knowing with utter conviction what happens next.

Finally, they learn faster, move better, and are generally more competent than almost anyone around them. They have the confidence that an SAS or Delta Force operator has moving through a civilian environment. They have an understanding borne of multiple lifetimes spent at peak fitness and aptitude performing a variety of professions from gardener to soldier to surgeon. They also recognize that they can't spend all their time fixing everyone else's mistakes or correcting their ignorance.

The Philosophy of the elves, therefore, revolves around their tendency to pursue an infinite goal to an unachievable end: individual perfection in a community of like-minded individuals. The elf sees this as "coming to rest" in a state where action takes the least effort and has an effect that is indistinguishable from the natural movement of the world. This is known as Ilvanya Carda, "Perfect Action."

The elf commits himself to a lifetime of approaching ever closer to full actualization through two paths: the introspective and the expansive. On the introspective path, one finds the way to the Undying Lands by becoming the fully realized craftsman: jeweler, artisan, sword smith, archer. On the expansive path, one commits to making all ways lead to the Undying Lands by broadening one's integration with the world.

In Ilvanya Carda, elves approach the valar as patrons and masters, seeking to embody their skill and wisdom. They look to the valar to answer their questions and set a pattern by which they, too, can achieve mastery. They do not pray to or worship the valar, but they do ask their beneficence and guidance.

Their closest companions are those who are on the same path, and their bonds to each other are proportional to their mutual realization of Ilvanya Carda. This bond is most closely related to human love. It is not a dispassionate commitment, but one that is felt perhaps more deeply than the relatively fleeting experience of human attachment.

Elves have a three-fold relationship to the world. They "inhabit" it, meaning that they live within it by actualizing its spirit. They are often observed rejoicing or enjoying the world as it presents itself. They also "defend" the world by restoring its freedom and essence when they see injury or blight. However, they must resist the temptation to "lead" the world. It is at least a distraction, and can degenerate into heresy, such as when an elf bonds too tightly to a human or pursues a ruling position outside the elven community to attempt to "fix" a non-elven realm.

Taking these observations into account, when playing an elf take the long view, but be present. Recognize the fleetingness of the world, but do not therefore ignore the blemish before you. Remember that you give voice and action to the world, and so it is not you but the world that must act. Perfect yourself so that you might be ready to give whatever is needed, but do not become attached to a particular outcome, however good it may seem. Do these things and you will be a good friend, whether you survive or not.