Forgotten Kingdoms Forums

Hello. I was recently reading about elves, and I read about communion between two elves, where, by touching palms they can share thoughts and become closer. Apparently, after communion, in battle the two "communed" elves can fight much better, as if they are one, rather than two. It is tiring, apparently, only being allowed once per week.

I was wondering three things:

1. Has anyone heard of this? Would they be able to back the information up, to make sure I have not just imagined this?

2. Is it possible to roleplay this?

3. Would it be possible to code this into the MUD? From what little I know (absolutely nothing) it wouldn't be much to add in a code that would let two elves fight better, along with some (echoes?).

Well... let me know any thoughts about this. I am intrigued as to whether I am completely imagining all this...

From Lerytha Holt, Scholar of Oghma

I do not know much about Elves, but I did read somewhere about Elves doing something like this. But I would not imagine that it is not something that just any two elves would do. It is very personal and only done with someone that is trusted greatly. As far as implementing it, I belive it is not simple to code any type of feat or skill. But I like the idea.

1. Communion is detailed in "The Complete Book of Elves" and mentioned in one of the new R.A. Salvatore novels. I'll dig up quotes when I get home from work. I think there's also some about it in one of the Elaine Cunningham novels too.

2. I would venture to guess that this sort of roleplay would have to be applied for due to the almost telepathic nature of the bond between elves who share Communion. The final decision is up to the Imms of course. I personally wouldn't embark on that sort of roleplay without an approved application. Communion is like marriage... only deeper.

3. I don't know anything about coding so please don't take my opinion on this as a definite answer. The best I could suggest would be that the two elves who join in Communion be given objects with special applies and a limited number of uses. Otherwise, I see this sort of thing being WIDE open to massive amounts of abuse.

Andreas wrote:1. Communion is detailed in "The Complete Book of Elves" and mentioned in one of the new R.A. Salvatore novels. I'll dig up quotes when I get home from work. I think there's also some about it in one of the Elaine Cunningham novels too.

2. I would venture to guess that this sort of roleplay would have to be applied for due to the almost telepathic nature of the bond between elves who share Communion. The final decision is up to the Imms of course. I personally wouldn't embark on that sort of roleplay without an approved application. Communion is like marriage... only deeper.

3. I don't know anything about coding so please don't take my opinion on this as a definite answer. The best I could suggest would be that the two elves who join in Communion be given objects with special applies and a limited number of uses. Otherwise, I see this sort of thing being WIDE open to massive amounts of abuse.

As to the books...in the new Thousand Orc and Silent Drow, it mentions Tarathiel and Innovindil moving in perfect harmony in their killing, fighting arm in arm against orcs. Dont know if this is communion or not but they are close and it seems to me like it would be.

Greetings,

An excellent question and I think Andreas answered it pretty well. I rp a character that is within this sort of relationship with another pc on the mud. I know of one other excellent rper that did such a think in the past. I would make the following suggestions or recommendations before even considering this line of rp.

1. Make sure you spend many months in role play before going close to this role play. This is not something that can be changed. Be prepared if your soulbounded dies you shall to pretty much. It isnt something to seperate them, the communion is so deeply done that you are totally and completely one, even souls are linked together. This is not something to be taken lightly, this is not something that can Ever be changed. It is done then it is perminant, plain and simple. Actually we did it through role play and rituals over time and that rp is still not completed for a long and drawn out thing . I would place it a hundred times more personal then any marriage, considering you share emotions.

2. I would never suggest coding this. I think it would ruin and cheapen the rp for the situation, the rpers merely should talk to one another, share the emotions of the characters together through links and other means. Truly the characters should be so indepth they can finish each others sentances. Really, you should both be able to work together to let the characters learn everything possible for one another from feelings, emotions, thoughts, sharing of everything. If there was anything ever allowed for the coding change for it, I would only suggest the addition of Group tells or free tells between the two pcs only for the role play of them touching mind to mind and sharing of emotions in their role play. I would never go further then that in any way shape or form. The addition of combat abilities I would say merely use smotes or role play to show those aspects. That is a very very very minor portion of what the bonding does. Remember this is an extremely rare thing to be done even among the elves!

3. I would suggest also seeking out the priests of your faithful and also the elven faith if you are not beloning to it. Speaking in huge rp secessions for the situation and truly making it into a rp event for your character. It is something as important to your character as anything really if you go for this course. The only thing I can think of as bigger would be the joining your faithful of your diety (for the gods come first always, but I am priest so :grins: )

Well that is my two cents upon the issue, or one and a half. This is all in addition to Andreas' council whom I never have been wrong following. I hope helps a little bit, if you need more information I can scrounge up some quotes from books ( I believe one of the harper series mentioned it and it was mentioned in a 3rd editin source, the elves handbook and also perhaps it was elm in myth drannor or another book too. There is a few rare instances for it. but just remember extremely special and dangerous for your character to enter into).

Now that said I hoped helped a little bit

Jeffery
Rper of Penryn The arrogant Ar'Tel'Quessir

"All elves have the inborn ability to share their experiences, their feelings, and their lives with those elves they love or trust implicity. This sharing, called communion, can only be undertaken by fully willing elves. It does not work with half-elves, nor does it function when one of those participating has even the slightest reservation. This includes those under the influence of charm-related spells, for they hold qualms deep in their hearts, even if told they do not.

Communion requires all elves involved (to a maximum of four) to be in a state of total relaxation. They must be in a place of peace, preferably where the world is not likely to intrude with its troubles and its cares. A natural surrounding works best for this operation.

Communion requires the participating elves to be totally serene, thinking only of the others in this most intimate bond. (Thus, communion is not an effective method of relaying messages of any urgency.) All the elves must free themselves of judgements and prejudices about the others, which may take some time. Indeed, some communions have been known to take a fortnight or more merely in preparation for the bonding.

When the participants have sufficiently calmed and retreated from the rigors of the world, they lightly touch palm to palm, finger to finger. They open their minds to the others, freely and completely joining together; if even a tiny reservation remains, the bond fails. During communion, the elves explore all the facets of each others' personality - the loves, hatreds, hopes, and fears.

While in this trance, communing elves are totally vulnerable to anything that might happen to them physically, for they cannot defend themselves against any attacks while communing. Mentally, they are even more vulnerable to attack, saving at -4 against most mental attacks, for their minds are totally unguarded.

Interestingly enough, the very act of communion offers a protection of sorts. Those in communion are defended against being spied upon, either mentally or physically; this defense takes the form of an invisible barrier surrounding the communing elves. It is speculated that the elves are so enrapt with each other that they project a mental shield that keeps discovery to a minimum. Of course, this offers no protection against an attack from someone who knows of the time and whereabouts of a communion.

The benefit of communion is not only that elves learn the most secret facets of others. Because of the sharing, they also become intimately acquainted with others' habits, fighting styles, and ways of thinking. For the day immediately following communion, the bonded elves can fight in perfect harmony, one's weapon following through where another left an opening. If fighting side by side against common foes, they gain a +2 to hit and a -1 to AC for the next day only, and only if they work together. All the elves must have at least one partner from the communion at their sides if this bonus is to be brought into play.

Communion can only be effected once a week. Those who try it more often with the same partners find themselves sharing with essences that are essentially themselves, for those who have participated together have shared enough of their spirits that there is little difference between them. Furthermore, communion tends to be somewhat draining even while it invigorates. Bonding so totally is simply too much of a drain oon one's psyche to be attempted lightly and frequently. Communion works best when the participants have something to learn or gain from one another."

The Complete Book of Elves, pp. 31-32

What Innovindil and Tarathiel from R.A. Salvatore's novels share is probably closer to the Elven Bond which can somewhat be summed up as a permanent form of Communion. "This is an even stronger version of the communion ability elves share, for this is a livelong bond and not lightly broken." - The Complete Book of Elves, p. 41

"Standing side by side, Tarathiel and Innovindil brought their weapons up in a flowing cross before their chests, rising past their faces and going out at the read to either side, so that Tarathiel's right arm crossed against Innovindil's left, forearm to forearm. They held that touch as they went out against the charge, moving as if they were one, flowing back and forth and turning as they went, Tarathiel crossing behind Innovindil, coming around to the female's right and shifting past, so that they were touching right forearm to right forearm, right foot to right foot, heel against toe.

Not understanding the level of the joining, an orc rushed in at Tarathiel's seemingly exposed back, only to find Innovindil's blade waiting for it, turning its spear aside with ease. Innovindil didn't finish the move, though, but rather went back to an orc that was still off-balance from Pikel's bomb barrage. The elf slid the blade easily through the orc's exposed ribs as it stumbled past. She didn't have to finish that move either, for Tarathiel had understood everything she had accomplished in the parry as surely as if he had done the movement himself. He just reversed his grip on the dirk in his left hand, and while still parrying the blade of the orc he was fighting before him with his sword, he thrust out hard behind, stabbing the attacking spear wielder in the chest.

In a single, fluid movement, Tarathiel extracted the dagger and flipped it into the air, catching it by the tip, then brought his arm toward the orc before him as if he meant to throw the dirk.

The orc flinched, and Tarathiel rotated away.

Innovindil came across, her long sword slashing the confused orc's throat.

Tarathiel stopped the rotation first and dropped his sword arm down and around, hooking his still-moving partner around the waist. He pulled hard, lifting Innovindil off the ground, pulling her over his hip, and whipping her across before him, her feet extended and kicking at the orc that had come in at Tarathiel.

She didn't score any hits on that orc - she wasn't really trying to - but her weaving feet had the creature reaching with its short, hooked blade, striking repeatedly and futilely.

As Innovindil rolled across his torso, Tarathiel reached across with his left hand, and she hooked her right elbow over it, and he stopped his rotation completely, except with that arm, playing with Innovindil's momentum to send her spinning out to his left.

At the same time, as soon as she had cleared the way, the male struck out with his right arm, his sword arm. The poor orc, still trying to catch up to Innovindil, never even saw the blade coming.

Innovindil landed lightly, her momentum and spin bringing her right across the path of another orc, her blades slashing high, stabbing low.

In that one short charge and spin, the elves had five orcs dead or dying."

The Thousand Orcs, pp. 247-248

I was just wondering... I was looking through here trying to get more insight to the elves and learning them a little better to FK lore since I'm used to WoW lore...

The elves obviously have some sort of psychic ability here... and I was wondering if it is possible within the books and stuff since I dont have time to read them... if an elf could enter another elf's mind and not fully commune, but share thoughts or something like that? If I dont make sense let me know and I'll try and clear it up.

While SOME of the FR books have detailed examples of Elven communion through reverie, it is not something that is controllable. Elves do not seek out other elves specifically and commune with them. It is rather random. We do not support such a special pyschic ability on FK.

alrighty thanks bunches was just curious