For my NaNo story (intended to be a manga eventually!), the story is not setting-driven -- it's character & action driven.

Therefore, instead of working really hard to get away from cliches, I'm rather just going to use the genre conventions of generally accepted fantasy characters, specifically elves.

The country is split between humans and elves, and eventually they're going to get into a civil war. Average fantasy island country. I may or may not go the direction of assigning elements to the types of characters (as in many Japanese video games and Tolkien's three types of elves and Silmarils). It's in definite consideration.

I already know the two obvious genre conventions of elves -- pointy ears, and the whole tall/thin build thing.

What are the others?

And is elven mindspeaking considered to be a genre convention or is it just an Eragon & Eragon-fan thing? (I don't want to come off as another Christian Eragon book; so far I've read two different series from major Christian publishers that are such...)

**Definition: genre convention: something that is generally accepted to be common among all elves**

I don't think misspeaking elves is a genre convention. Another aspect of elves that is generally excepted is their skills with the bow and healing.

I would agree with Airianna that mindspeaking elves are not a genre convention. In fact, I don't think I've seen it done (though you mention it happens in Eragon, which I haven't read).

When I think of conventional elves I think of immortality and wisdom. Also, they frequently hold themselves distant from other races. There are plenty more conventions, I'm sure, but these are the ones that first come to mind.

In RotK, it says that Gandalf, Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel 'mindspoke' "For they did not move or speak from mouth to mouth, looking from mind to mind; and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro." -RotK, Many Partings.

I think of wisdom, 'immortality', and lovers of knowledge, tales, and light, the stars especially. I also think of bright, shining gems, swiftness and lightness, and bright swords/spears.

I stand corrected. I have read all Tolkien's works countless times, but oddly enough that passage never stood out to me as mindspeaking, though they certainly are communicating thought to thought. I suppose because when I've seen mindspeaking done elsewhere (not between elves), it is usually written out as in regular conversation.

Perhaps it would be best to say I have not seen thoughts written out as conversation among elves, though it may well happen in many books. And in ROTK, it's not just the elves, but Gandalf also, so it doesn't seem a distinctly elvish trait (necessarily).

Mmm, good point. But it seems to be the elves in majority. I thought maybe it was their rings, but Celeborn doesn't have one, so I'm not sure.... Maybe that is how Gandalf could mindspeak. I think I caught that because that was the first time I had ever come across 'mindspeaking' before. Hmmm...

Ooh! I also think of dark hair, blue eyes, and (of course!) pointy ears.

Hah, another person who agrees that elves ought to be dark-haired... (most of the time I only see golden-haired elves, particularly where the films of LotR are involved)

Yeah, that passage in RotK is very vague, probably intentionally so. And Gandalf is a Maiar so we don't know the extent of his abilities.

Ah, yes, starlight... ♥ I like that.

And skilled woodcraft, must remember that.

I need to assemble this information into a list... anyone else have input on this subject?

Yeah, in LotR (the books), very few of the elves had golden hair. I always pictured them with dark hair. The 'faerie folk' I pictured with reddish-brown curly hair, and freckles.

I just thought of more... their ringing, clear laughter and keen glances.