Category:Bone Elf

Bone Elves are currently presided over by Sidhlot at their main enclave. Correctly labeled as a patrilineal society, this does not mean that females are precluded from becoming strong in their own right. Sidhlot's own daughter, Anashia is earmarked as his heir instead of her husband taking over completely, and several other clan outposts have had female leaders who rule those places in Sidhlot's name with the same iron fist as a male would.

While the book on Elven Marriage states that Bone Elf marriages are almost always abductions, this isn't actually true. There are surely abductions, but they are not the norm, or even close to the norm. Bone Elves marry for the reasons many other Elven clans do; love, property or simple companionship. Bone Elves. however, do not normally enjoy large ceremonies and the Marriage Book on them had that partially right. During a Bone Elf marriage ceremony, the officiate is present if requested by the couple. Not all couples rely on a religious or spiritual blessing, as this is considered a more modern "fad", along with the newer tradition of having only family present to witness. The more traditional, older marriage saw only the couple making their sacred vow alone in the presence of their chosen deity. Bone Elf marriages are almost always considered a lifelong commitment, or the "Soul Marriage", Gelinajuan Ruh -- although practical considerations as well as temperaments are also taken into consideration as far as widows and widowers go within a community.

In general, the Bone Elves as a whole are a insular community -- again, very similar to Mountain Elves. Bone Elves themselves however tend to be what the Mountain Elves would call "less polished" to polite company. As a community in whole, they pride themselves on survival tactics, logic, and loyalty as core values. In recent years (recent to Elves, which is to say longer than you or I as humans would consider recent) this has caused a decline in birth rates. This in turn has lead to some shift in culture norms, as some members of the clan have left for a variety of reasons setting off a deterioration of Bone Elf culture throughout the enclaves -- a problem that is considered not unlike a plague by the leaders.

The practice of Necromancy has long been held as a penchant of Bone Elves. The truth is slightly more complex though. Bone Elves throughout their existence have practiced necromancy, but the crux of it is slightly more complicated than what one normally associates with the art. To a Bone Elf born and bred in the clans traditions, Necromancy is treated respectfully as its seen as a path to immortality.

The skills and magic involved are highly prized, as the rituals and spells involved are considered to be taxing and complex. Raised biped and quadruped bodies of creatures are treated with respect, the creator thanking them for their service. Humanoids are given the most reverent respect, with ceremonies involving the preparation of bodies. When a Bone Elf dies in the clan -- they do not "Fade" as is often thought of with Elves. It is almost a certainty that the corpse is prepared and stored for ritual use later. Fighters, and those who are versed in the arts of war either physical or magical are preserved with the most care, while other bodies are not as sought after. The infirm and weak are not treated any less reverently at death, but are not utilized for this purpose. Necromancy therefore is seen as a generally noble cause and profession amongst Bone Elves, and those that have viewed the practice of the outside world of Elanthia in general find what they see distasteful, although the pragmatism of a Bone Elf would not put him above using outsider Necromancers for his or her own purposes.

Most that declare themselves to be Bone Elves to the outside world are, in fact, flagrant pretenders -- either because they find it fashionable to be contrary or for some other nefarious purpose. Occasionally a true Bone Elf will reveal him or herself overtly. In these cases, that Bone Elf is generally swiftly dealt with.

Bone Elves can and do look like any other Elf, when they are trying to blend in -- and they often do -- in order to gain education, money or other knowledge. Some Bone Elf young adults simply visit a nearby large city for a few weeks and take in the sights, (much like a Rumspringa) some decide to stay on either absorbing new traditions or maintaining their Bone Elf lifestyle in secret, but in the past most choose to return home with their newfound knowledge or disgust of the greater world at large, although as stated above, the rate of those returning to the Bone Elf enclaves has dwindled.

A superb Bone Elf will never let you know he is one, a good Bone Elf may let you know at some point in your relationship with them... maybe.

-GM Evike