On Elven Superiority (essay)

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: An Essay on Elven Superiority

Author: Lord Silvean Rashere

I hold that all pure Elven races are naturally superior to those who do not carry their blood lines. I define pure Elven races as Faendryl, Dhe'nar, pure Elves, and Sylvans.

I offer this essay in separate arguments for ease in debate and argumentation. The essay shall not be reproduced in any form except that which includes all parts, the essay entire. Furthermore, this essay shall not be reproduced without my name given as the author of all its parts.

Spiritual Concept of Elven Superiority

It is my declaration that a very defined system of spiritual racial comparison has always existed upon Elanthia. Just as Drakes are the original superiors as far back as our recorded history traces, the Arkati are the superiors currently, and the closest race to the Arkati are the Elves. Clearly, there is a defined line existing there from Drake to Arkati to Elf.

Evidently, the natural power of Elanthia, or mana, is the source of this spiritual superiority. For what is spiritual and religious power if not a worship of those beings with superior grasp of mana? The gods, or Arkati, are the closest to Elanthian mana; they weave it as they see fit. The gods use the same magic that mortals do to a much higher degree of natural ability. It can also be held that spiritual power of the mortal involved with religious magics is highly important, but always the mana is what makes up the great majority of the energy involved.

I can prove this statement; the Raise Dead spell makes use of less mana and more spiritual energy for weak results from a god. The Resurrection spell makes use of more mana and less spiritual energy for strong results from a more responsive entity. I conclude the concept of Arkati being the natural masters of mana in the results of this mastery upon them: Immortality, enhanced emotion, enhanced intelligence, and enhanced magical ability, to name a few.

Elven races are second to the Arkati as a major group close to the mana of our world. It is the Elven races that first used magic. It is the Elven races that share the traits of the Arkati caused by this relationship so close to the mana: Immortality, enhanced emotion, enhanced intelligence, and enhanced magical ability. See historical and physical arguments for further proof of these details. The Elven races are proven simply as spiritual superiors in two ways. First, the Elven races share the traits of the Arkati, including full immortality. Second, the Elven races were first to gain the blessings of the Arkati based on their superiority in that they were aided in the creation of the first mortal Empire.

I conclude the argument of Elven spiritual superiority with a quote from the highly popular document titled History of Elanthia: "[Elves are] the most magically adept of all races."

Physical Concept of Elven Superiority

It is my declaration that evident physical traits reveal the Elven races to be superior to all others. I will support this statement with simple facts for as far as I can argue with the strength of foundation alone. The physical facts proving Elven superiority are: immortality, lack of bodily hair, and resistance to disease.

Immortality: The immortality concept of the Elven races is one often pondered by those not among their number. Elves simply have the ability to live life spans of thousands of years; eternal life is not an outside concept. However, the full explanation is impossible to be revealed. Regardless, Elves have life spans capable of spanning generation upon generation of any other mortal race -- even Dwarves. The explanation for this extended life span being due to a close spiritual relationship with Elanthia is given in the Spiritual arguments.

It is simple fact that Elven races are the most long-lived of any race, regardless of the truth in the highly secretive eternal life concept. This one physical characteristic creates in Elves abilities above and beyond that of any other race. The Elven ability to experience and interact with the world for so long is proof of superiority. The old age of a Human or Dwarf is nothing to the Elven concept of aging. This shows, once again, obvious physical superiority.

To clarify the eternal life concept implied in immortality I offer one more statement. An Elf of will cannot age into death.

Lack of Bodily Hair: All mortal races were once constrained to live in caves during the age of the Drakes. Such life created in these mortals a need for warmth as they lacked even fire until it was gifted upon them by Fash'Lo'Nae. Such warmth was provided naturally by the growth of body hair.

Elves do not have any (or very, very little in various cases which I personally attribute to lack of bloodline purity) bodily hair upon them for the simple reason that the race has evolved to a point of complete mastery over the elements. Elven races have come the farthest due to simple natural ability from those caves, from that savagery, from the age of the Drakes and the lack of hair proves this. All other races have some amount of bodily hair. Elven superiority is proven in the lack of physical need of such hair due to their having an obvious, rightful place in civilization.

Resistance to Disease: The Elven resistance to disease stems from their immortality, which in the end stems from their close spiritual and magical relationship with Elanthia. Elven resistance to disease far superior to that of all other races is yet another sign of obvious triumph over a savage world that no other race can equal.

It is evident that Elves are physically proven to be the superior race to all others, by simple statement of fact.

Historical Concept of Elven Superiority

It is my declaration that factual historical information proves the superiority of Elven races over all others. This is evident in three ways: the relationship of the Arkati to the Elves, the size and power of the original Elven Empire, and the advancement offered by the Elven races over time.

Relationship to the Arkati: The Arkati's relationship to Elves has existed since the fall of the Drakes. Being the closest race to Arkati (see spiritual arguments), the Elves were taught the ways of civilization from them with care that no other race gained. It is also evident that the Arkati relationship provided Elves with the foundations for their coming social, spiritual, magical, scientific, and scholarly superiority in this first historic step taken by Elves and Arkati far in the past. The teacher and student relationship between Arkati and their most worthy pupils proves Elven superiority on a historical level.

The Elven Empire: The size and strength of the original Elven Empire, ruling force in Elanthia for nearly fifty thousand years, is simple evidence of Elven superiority. The Elven Empire was the first true mark of civilization by mortals upon Elanthia. It swiftly developed into the very center of all mortal advancement. The Elven Empire has absolutely defined Elanthia as what it is today. It becomes apparent that as the founders of the strongest empire ever to grace Elanthia, far larger and more powerful than the Turamzzyrians are now in their peak, that the Elves are the historical superiors of all races. Elves are the ones who have changed the face of Elanthia. Elves struck the final blow in destroying Despana and her horde.

I quote once again from History of Elanthia: "All lesser races developed their own civilizations, but none ever matched the great empire of the Elves."

Advancements: The very status of all Elanthian society, scholarly findings, science and technology, and most certainly magic is based on that created in the age of the Elven Empire. The greatest songs are Loenthran songs. The greatest sorcery is Faendryl sorcery. The greatest wizardry is Illistim wizardry. The greatest scholars are Illistim and Faendryl scholars. The foundation of politics is in Ta'Nalfein. The foundation of sea travel is in Ta'Ashrim. The foundation of military combat is in Ta'Vaalor. Every concept, every luxury, every step toward the Arkati that the moratl races have taken was either performed or started in the seat of Elven power.

Elves are the superiors here; they are the ones to thank for where mortal races are today. Not just in one or two areas, but in all areas. Elves reached degrees of true mastery in all arts, unchallenged excellence in most. It is self-evident.

Contributor's note:

Taken from the House Chesylcha library, c.1999.