Gloranthan elves are phenomenally intelligent. As servants of the forest spirits, they can process information far faster than humans can. And yet the elves rarely are found among knowledge cults such as Lhankor Mhy and they are considered to have no aptitude or inclination for sorcery.
Humans, particularly those of the various knowledge cults, often find this troubling. One influential Irrippi Ontor sage has hypothesized that the elves seeming superiority is because they are more “limited” beings than human – also explaining their resistance to the Lunar Way. Many Malkioni hold similar opinions.
There is certainly something to this. The aldyrami often seem intellectually rigid, even brittle, holding to routines and characterizations long after their objects have changed or departed. And yet, the elves often seem several steps ahead of their more numerous adversaries. Numerous troll efforts to wipe out the Stinking Forest and Redwood elves have failed, and the elves of the Garden survived three centuries of troll domination of the Big Rubble.
As a point of comparison, Gloranthan elves are tied with dragonewts as the most intelligent of the major Elder Races. They are a little more intelligent than the Ringworld City Builders, and a step below the Puppeteers.
