RevDevon
11-06-2005, 02:12 AM
This was on one of the older versions of nox ...thought others may learn from it ...
Elders-Pillars of the Society?
Written by Stefan 11-30-2004
I am writing this by request as in the past I have met different views, some rather vehement, towards the subject of Elders. There seems to be a great deal of misconceptions towards Elders, and some Elders seem to think they are more than what they are, which only contributes to the misconceptions. Keeping in mind that I am not all-knowing, nor am I perfect, I can give information on the subject based upon my own life, my dealings with other Elders, and research on the subject.
To begin with, let's look at the thoughts and/or misconceptions of what and Elder is or perceived to be.
One concept is that an Elders is, or thinks they are, all-powerful; that their word should be seen as Law and think they know everything there is about being a vampire. Another is they are no better than politicians vying for control of the society one way or another; that they have a secret agenda which is basically domination and rule. Yet another is that they serve no purpose; they are basically figureheads representing a by-gone day and are not needed. Some think them mysterious and untrustworthy, some see them as giants, wise, fools, powerful, weak, indecisive or stong in authority. Without a background of knowledge, it seems nobody can make an accurate call on the subject.
Then there are those that see the Elder (one that operates as an Elder should) and wants desperately to become one because Elders are sometimes view with esteem, respect and in some cases, reverence. Because of that, they are blind to the immense responsibilities, the constant strain and worry, and weight of burden that the Elder has. Some even forget that some Elders are targets not only with hunters, but amongst the society itself.
Then there's the question of becoming an Elder. Some think Elders ascend to the position, some are appointed, some go through ceremonies, etc...and want to know HOW to become an Elder.
Hopefully I can shed at least a glimmer of light on the subject.
Elders simply are. The basic concept of Elder is one who has lived long, seen and experienced much. Most Elders are recognized more than they are appointed because of their knowledge and experience. Without generalizing, I shall list some of the things that people have observed in me as an Elder and what I have observed in other Elders to at least paint a picture, skeletal though it may be. The qualities I've noted are:
1. Elders generally are older; they have some age about them, but not
necessarily multiple decades.
2. Elders have knowledge and are usually willing to share that knowledge.
Keep in mind while an Elder will share knowledge, like a Philosopher they
will not necessarily share all their knowledge, only what you have
specifically asked of them. Like any good sensei/teacher, it is always
good to have an ace in the hole.
3. Elders genuinely care about everyone. You have to think of an Elder's
point of view to be like that of a mother or father. Elders try not to
pry or become overly-involved in any one person's affairs, but tends
to care for and observe those who they help.
4. Elders have the wisdom to know when to speak and when not to
speak: "It is better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth
and remove all doubt."
5. Elders seek peace and unification in all areas of the society/community.
6. Elders tend to have more power (vampiric) than they ever let on; if
anything, they play down power and use words and logic in most
things.
There are many areas of Eldership that we shall examine. Starting as far back as I can.
Vampiric history is, in and of itself, shrouded in mist. There are logs and diaries that have been written, but it is not until recent years that any real publications of our society have emerged. They themselves are based mostly in tradition. By and large, our history has been passed down orally. The problem there is, much of that oral tradition has been kept within the very old Houses and Clans, who do not share much outside of their ranks if at all. There have been pages recovered here and there speaking of dates reaching back to the mid-1800's, but have not been released to general view unfortunately. The Elders were not only leaders, but scribes. Most documents outlining the House history and any addendums would either be given to the next Elder in line or buried with the Elder. Thus making it diffucult to trace history, but is becoming easier as time goes on.
Elders were once seen in a very different light. If you look in the Old Ways and the older times when basically you had Houses and Clans, the Elder would be seen as the "founder of the feast" so to speak. In those times, there was no internet and the only community there was were those in the House. The Elder was more or less "in charge" to keep the House/Clan on track and safe. Silence was key to safety in the sense of you did not reveal yourself to anyone except your own. Elders would speak on behalf of the House/Clan to other Houses/Clans, and made peace/war when necessary.
Elders in a more modern-day sense share certain attributes of the Elders of old, but not on such stringent terms. Elders have help shape and form the community; they have developed a loose set of guidelines for the good of the society, established havens, brought Houses and Clans out of the shadows and made them more available. They have shed most of the stigma that they were seen in from older times, and learned more of and from the other Elders than they would have before. They are not tyrants or rulers, but they are guides; they are here to help build and unify the society as much as possible. Elders tend to have the lore and rituals of the Old Ways, but bring the newer age together with the old. They have the wisdom to know that we must adapt or die.
Now, there are times when an Elder must flex muscle. This is usually when all other attempts at resolving a conflict has failed. It pains an Elder to enter a power play or to perform an unpleasant duty such as expelling a person from a House/Clan. This is sometimes called excommunication in some areas, just depends on the local color. Here a distinction of Elders will become very apparent; either the Elder carries out a punishment without consulting the House, or they will bring the situation to the attention of the other members of the House to decide upon. An Elder who takes it upon himself to carry out functions without the House knowledge or approval is following very closely to the Old Ways, and generally controls the House. An Elder who involves the House in such decisions has learned to respect the House and its members and acts only in the good of the whole. He/she knows that if the House is involved in such decisions, the House will respect the decisions; they act as an arbiter to the proceedings, and ultimately carries out the decision of the whole House.
I am happy to say that the role of the Elder is changing with the times; to fail to do so would bring stagnation to the society. Elders in this present time are beginning to communicate with each other; barriers are beginning to be bridged and ideals are being discussed not for just the good of a few, but for the betterment of our society as a whole. As we talk, we share the information with our leaders and members in order to unify us all. As with anything, there will be differing opinions and ideals in smaller veins of thought, but as a whole I believe the time will be soon upon us that we will share a common network of information; we will know where we are, what we do and look out for each other. I look forward to that day, for that is the day when all barriers will essentially be gone and we can function and care for everyone together.
Stefan
November, 2004
Elders-Pillars of the Society?
Written by Stefan 11-30-2004
I am writing this by request as in the past I have met different views, some rather vehement, towards the subject of Elders. There seems to be a great deal of misconceptions towards Elders, and some Elders seem to think they are more than what they are, which only contributes to the misconceptions. Keeping in mind that I am not all-knowing, nor am I perfect, I can give information on the subject based upon my own life, my dealings with other Elders, and research on the subject.
To begin with, let's look at the thoughts and/or misconceptions of what and Elder is or perceived to be.
One concept is that an Elders is, or thinks they are, all-powerful; that their word should be seen as Law and think they know everything there is about being a vampire. Another is they are no better than politicians vying for control of the society one way or another; that they have a secret agenda which is basically domination and rule. Yet another is that they serve no purpose; they are basically figureheads representing a by-gone day and are not needed. Some think them mysterious and untrustworthy, some see them as giants, wise, fools, powerful, weak, indecisive or stong in authority. Without a background of knowledge, it seems nobody can make an accurate call on the subject.
Then there are those that see the Elder (one that operates as an Elder should) and wants desperately to become one because Elders are sometimes view with esteem, respect and in some cases, reverence. Because of that, they are blind to the immense responsibilities, the constant strain and worry, and weight of burden that the Elder has. Some even forget that some Elders are targets not only with hunters, but amongst the society itself.
Then there's the question of becoming an Elder. Some think Elders ascend to the position, some are appointed, some go through ceremonies, etc...and want to know HOW to become an Elder.
Hopefully I can shed at least a glimmer of light on the subject.
Elders simply are. The basic concept of Elder is one who has lived long, seen and experienced much. Most Elders are recognized more than they are appointed because of their knowledge and experience. Without generalizing, I shall list some of the things that people have observed in me as an Elder and what I have observed in other Elders to at least paint a picture, skeletal though it may be. The qualities I've noted are:
1. Elders generally are older; they have some age about them, but not
necessarily multiple decades.
2. Elders have knowledge and are usually willing to share that knowledge.
Keep in mind while an Elder will share knowledge, like a Philosopher they
will not necessarily share all their knowledge, only what you have
specifically asked of them. Like any good sensei/teacher, it is always
good to have an ace in the hole.
3. Elders genuinely care about everyone. You have to think of an Elder's
point of view to be like that of a mother or father. Elders try not to
pry or become overly-involved in any one person's affairs, but tends
to care for and observe those who they help.
4. Elders have the wisdom to know when to speak and when not to
speak: "It is better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth
and remove all doubt."
5. Elders seek peace and unification in all areas of the society/community.
6. Elders tend to have more power (vampiric) than they ever let on; if
anything, they play down power and use words and logic in most
things.
There are many areas of Eldership that we shall examine. Starting as far back as I can.
Vampiric history is, in and of itself, shrouded in mist. There are logs and diaries that have been written, but it is not until recent years that any real publications of our society have emerged. They themselves are based mostly in tradition. By and large, our history has been passed down orally. The problem there is, much of that oral tradition has been kept within the very old Houses and Clans, who do not share much outside of their ranks if at all. There have been pages recovered here and there speaking of dates reaching back to the mid-1800's, but have not been released to general view unfortunately. The Elders were not only leaders, but scribes. Most documents outlining the House history and any addendums would either be given to the next Elder in line or buried with the Elder. Thus making it diffucult to trace history, but is becoming easier as time goes on.
Elders were once seen in a very different light. If you look in the Old Ways and the older times when basically you had Houses and Clans, the Elder would be seen as the "founder of the feast" so to speak. In those times, there was no internet and the only community there was were those in the House. The Elder was more or less "in charge" to keep the House/Clan on track and safe. Silence was key to safety in the sense of you did not reveal yourself to anyone except your own. Elders would speak on behalf of the House/Clan to other Houses/Clans, and made peace/war when necessary.
Elders in a more modern-day sense share certain attributes of the Elders of old, but not on such stringent terms. Elders have help shape and form the community; they have developed a loose set of guidelines for the good of the society, established havens, brought Houses and Clans out of the shadows and made them more available. They have shed most of the stigma that they were seen in from older times, and learned more of and from the other Elders than they would have before. They are not tyrants or rulers, but they are guides; they are here to help build and unify the society as much as possible. Elders tend to have the lore and rituals of the Old Ways, but bring the newer age together with the old. They have the wisdom to know that we must adapt or die.
Now, there are times when an Elder must flex muscle. This is usually when all other attempts at resolving a conflict has failed. It pains an Elder to enter a power play or to perform an unpleasant duty such as expelling a person from a House/Clan. This is sometimes called excommunication in some areas, just depends on the local color. Here a distinction of Elders will become very apparent; either the Elder carries out a punishment without consulting the House, or they will bring the situation to the attention of the other members of the House to decide upon. An Elder who takes it upon himself to carry out functions without the House knowledge or approval is following very closely to the Old Ways, and generally controls the House. An Elder who involves the House in such decisions has learned to respect the House and its members and acts only in the good of the whole. He/she knows that if the House is involved in such decisions, the House will respect the decisions; they act as an arbiter to the proceedings, and ultimately carries out the decision of the whole House.
I am happy to say that the role of the Elder is changing with the times; to fail to do so would bring stagnation to the society. Elders in this present time are beginning to communicate with each other; barriers are beginning to be bridged and ideals are being discussed not for just the good of a few, but for the betterment of our society as a whole. As we talk, we share the information with our leaders and members in order to unify us all. As with anything, there will be differing opinions and ideals in smaller veins of thought, but as a whole I believe the time will be soon upon us that we will share a common network of information; we will know where we are, what we do and look out for each other. I look forward to that day, for that is the day when all barriers will essentially be gone and we can function and care for everyone together.
Stefan
November, 2004