Lerna Elves: The Spinestealers

Who of us, Crimson Elves, didn’t grow up hearing stories of the “Spine­stealers” roaming the sea, plundering our merchant ships of both goods and their spines? We have heard the stories for so long that most only think of the Lerna Elves, as they call themselves, as a seafaring people, hunters of beasts of the depths below, mercenaries, and pirates. And while that is a large part of their culture, one should not be fooled in thinking that is all these elves are. We only see one side of them when we meet them on the high sea.

Lerna Appearance

The Lerna Elves have a grayish lightly tanned complexion and, most often, red hair, but black, brown, and ash hair can also be found amongst them. The sailors commonly tattoo their bodies with a pattern unique to the circle who commands the ship they serve upon; the one depicted here is the pattern of Kira Kindfate’s circle. Each year, the tattoo grows and reveals the history of which circles they have belonged to over time. Their most striking feature is, of course, the naked-bone spines attached to the back of their necks, though, common in their depictions, far from all have these spines. By my estimates, only a fourth have even one spine, and there are usually only a few elves with three or more spines on a given ship.

Lerna Ability

These spines are not a natural occurring feature, but are taken from other elves and surgically attached, hence their nickname. We have several accounts of crewmembers on our merchant ships being subjected to this gruesome fate, but the Lerna Elves are picky and will only take the high-ranking officers or most accomplished warriors from a conquered ship. Playing the weak fool might be advised, should you ever happen to be captured by a Spinestealer.

The spines are said to grant the elves enhanced abilities, quicker reflexes, and sharper wit. Some also have longer spines that can’t possibly come from elves, which they can move like snakes to strike and grapple their enemies in close-quarter combat.

Lerna Culture

The Lerna Elves live on the far side of the Crimson sea. Their lands extend along the coast from Ship-Crusher Passage in the north to the Aldorian sea in the south, and inland east all the way to the Wall of the World. As mentioned, there is far more to their society than just hunting beasts and elves on the sea. Their inland culture seems more normal to our standards, but they do not put as much weight on what circle they belong to or which federation it serves, though both constructions exists in their society, too. Rather, there is a divide between the “spined” and the “spineless.” Having a spine instantly raises their status above the majority of the population without.

This can be seen on their ships, too. Like our own ships, theirs are owned and run by a circle making up the ranking officers on the ship. But rather than high birth and rank within a federation deciding if they are worthy to join a circle, how many spines they possess is often a more highly valued factor, as well as the deeds they can claim to their name, which are what captains and quartermasters look for when picking whom to join their circles.

They often show off trinkets taken from their prey on their person to indicate their worth as a warrior; teeth from great sea-beasts, and the silver and gold insignia taken from our own officers and captains have become signs of status among the elves on the sea.

Lerna History

The Lerna Elves have lived in the mountains near the Wall of the World from at least the Dark Age of Secrets, but gradually moved towards the coast as the Crimson Sea started glowing red in this age. Exactly from which group the Lerna are descended from is still under some dispute due to their long isolation in the mountains and poorly kept historical record. Though it’s speculated they are descendants of the Ash Elves, possibly with some mixed relation to the Silver Elves, or even, as strange as it sounds, the High Elves.

How the practice of spinegrafting began is not known, but it has existed in some form from at least the Dark Age of Decay, possibly having its roots in the Dark Age of Secrets. The practice is highly guarded from outsiders, and we do not know much about it.

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