Wavedancers: An Introduction

After the palace landed, the survivors scattered in all directions. Some followed Timmain north. Among the first children born was Voll, one day Lord of Blue Mountain. With several other of the first born of the High Ones, he led his peers south and west until they found Blue Mountain and molded it into a safe haven for themselves. Later Timmain gave Timmorn to the remaining elves who had followed her, and their children, and they became the Wolfriders.

Another group headed south and east. During their migration, Savah was born amongst them. At last, her small group – just a mere hand of elves – crossed the Burning Waste and settled Sorrow’s End.

But these two groups were not the only to escape the massacre of the palace. Another group travelled west until they reached the sea, and south until they found a sheltered cove. There they settled and made themselves part of the world of two moons.

Humans claimed the land, but no such thinking – however rudimentary the ability – creature inhabited the waters. For shelter, for safety, for peace, these High Ones used their weakened abilities and shaped themselves to survive off on the oceans of the world, as well as the land.

Physiology
Through necessity, a small flesh-shaping ability as remained with the descendents of this group. Among them, they all have the ability to shape gills for water breath, and smooth them away for airbreathing. They also shape webbing between their fingers and toes to facilitate swimming. The changes from the land form to the water form are instinctive, and done without thought. Preventing the change when moving from one environment to the other takes thought and will, just as forcing the change when not changing environments does.

Some High Ones rejected the land entirely and reshaped their bodies to reflect this. After studying the life of the water, they chose to shape themselves into a blend of elf and fish. Shaping their two legs into a long, muscular tail covered with a tough, flexible skin that is almost hide, and graceful fins, they become creatures of the water who could reach astonishing speeds.

However, after the initial flesh shaping of the High Ones who opted for mer-form, any of their children to be born so, remained so. A child born of two mers will be mer, but a child born of a mer and a landwalker could take after either parent.

Some of the High Ones also shaped themselves for sea-dwelling, but not to such extent. Fins along the arms and legs is the most common permanent shape-change done.

Overall, the sea elves tend to be close to the High Ones in height, but their skin tone ranges between the paleness of Wolfrider to the darkness of Sunfolk. Their kinship with other elves is obvious in their eyes, ears, four-fingered hands and four-toed feet - and less obviously in the connections between their spirits and their bodies.

Joining with Mer-Elves
Joining is an important part of life, ensuring the survival of the species. Among elves, it’s also a celebration, a sharing, and an important part of reassurance and pleasure. They place no stigma on it, and make no judgments. The elvish attitude towards sex is symbolized in the word they use for it: joining.

Since joining such a natural, accepted, and prevalent activity among elves, this question will undoubtedly come up. Where are the mer-elves genitalia? Genitalia on mer-elves is hidden by skinflaps that seal almost invisibly unless they are eliminating, or they’re sexually aroused. The increased blood-flow associated with arousal causes the genitalia to swell and part the skin flap, allowing sexual intercourse.

Society and Government
Elves, being telepathic beings, are used to maintaining close ties to others. The intimacy of sharing minds is common to them, and avoidable. To be without that mental intimacy leaves an elf feeling incomplete and depressed – very much like something is missing in their lives. Sheltered in their bay, safe from the danger of humans, the sea elves had little need to turn to a solitary person to be their leader. The council form of leadership with which they were most familiar on the ship has continued on the world of two moons. Nine elders form the council.

The elders are chosen based on leadership ability, inclination, experience, and sense. During times of crisis, the elder most suited for handling the crisis becomes first among equals. At other times, the elders are simply part of the community, with members approaching them as needed for assistance in their particular areas of strength. When the community faces major changes or decisions, the elders will hold council with everyone, and then amongst themselves.

Every elf is a contributing member of the pod, with their place and task. Every elf is valued for the talents and skills they contribute.

Family Life
Upon reaching the sea, the elves observed creatures that they named wavedancers. Airbreathing and warmblooded, these animals delighted in simply being, and found much time to play. Their leaps and runs in the water reminded one of the elves of dancing, and so they were named wavedancers.

Once the elves settled in their cove and they had time to actually learn to communicate with the wavedancers. Much of basis for their family compositions is based upon what they learned from the wavedancers.

The community as a whole refers to themselves as a pod, just a wavedancer community thinks of themselves as a pod. Children are raised by the community as a whole, and while two elves may have a strong preferences for each other, forming short term relationships – lovematings – and long term relationships – lifematings – they are not nuclear families. It is common for family grottos to include aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. However, everyone has their preferences, and it’s not unheard of for a single elf, or a childless couple, to live in their own private grotto.

Homes
The sea elves stick close to the shore, and most of their community is located in a network of caves and grottos that have both underwater and land entrances. Grottos formed for families are divided into individual sleeping shallows. The larger family grottos also have a central gathering area. Most gatherings of the pod, and daily living, is done in the central grotto – a large, expansive cavern which all private grottos and store rooms open into, and where meals are shared.

There are small hydrothermal vents in Westering Bay. These vents keep the waters of the bay warm during the season of white-cold, even while there is snow on the surrounding forest. The grottos and caves maintain an even temperature year round, protected from summer heat by the caves, and winter cold by the vents.

Diet and Nutrition
The sea elves, unlike Wolfriders, cook their food. Eating uncooked flesh, whether fish, poultry, or red meat, is unknown to them and is somewhat repulsive. The scent of blood doesn’t appeal to them, and is, instead, a danger sign since it draws predatory animals to a location and prompts a feeding frenzy. Most of their food is taken from the sea, and what can be harvested close to shore.

Names
Sea elves have not had any encounters with humans yet. They have been as protected as the Sunfolk, in their hidden bay. They have had no mingling of blood with another being of the world of two moons.

Sea elves are born knowing their name. Their parents know their name at the time of their conception, hearing it ring through them as Recognition is met and another elf spirit takes physical life. They have no soul name, and they have no tribe name: they have, simply, their name.

Bonding with the Wavedancers
On the world of two moons, the animals we know as dolphins are called wavedancers. The sea elves have a close relationship with these graceful, playful creatures. Since wavedancers tend to remain in one area unless forced to relocate, a small group of pods have been in close contact with the elves. While there is not a bond remotely like that of wolf to Wolfrider here, there is nonetheless a bond. Proximity to the elves had boosted the local wavedancers up their evolutionary chain a rung or two ahead of the rest of their kind. They have rudimentary language, if one can learn their sonic soundings, but among the elves their primary form of communication is limited empathy.

Wavedancers and elves do not form the singular bond with each other that a Wolfrider and wolf does. Instead, they treat each other as close neighbors, often working and playing together. Wavedancers alert the elves to incoming storms and humans, and elves care for and heal injured wavedancers.

And there is more...
Which shall be added as our members develop the sea elves through their writing...