Mark Mohrfield opines that "elves would regard such body-modifications" as pruning and splicing "as being Makings instead of Growings and consequently disdain the practice."
While I agree that Aldryami do not prune themselves, I'm positive they graft and splice! Many plants, as they grow, become interconnected. The root systems of some trees become so interconnected that forests of these trees can be thought of as one plant. So I see no reason that elves too cannot grow together and become one. I believe the healing spell of "Regrow Limb" translates from Aldryami as "Graft Limb," and that the spell effects are near instantaneous if their own dismembered limb (or even the limb of another elf) is available to be reattached. I envision Aldryami warriors who have had an arm or leg crushed or bitten off in battle going to the body of a dead companion, lopping off the needed limb (while chanting the Song of Need and Praise {aka Food Song}, of course), holding the needed limb to their own stump, and then via magic being whole again.
An elf might respond to you with the following:
growing be the intertwine
of flesh and blood part of the vine
of life and love for all things green
where bruised and hurt make growing seem
impossible without gift of
growing be the intertwine
Simon Bray (who for some reason feels the need to shout his name) speaks of the "dreaded Sun Hawk dance." Why is it so "dreaded?" If it's so horrible, why do the Praxians do it for such a minor spirit as Sun Hawk? And why does it involve piercing? Please give me the Praxian cultural/religious context for such a ritual.
Peace,
Peter
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