The High Art of Spinegrafting

As the foremost expert on the topic and longest practicing master, I will once and for all record the true art of Spinegrafting. No longer need lesser Lerna grafters fumble in the dark, hacking away at their poor subjects. Here I have gathered a complete understanding, from the basics to the most obscure details.

(I’m not to be held responsible for any harm or deaths which may result from the procedures outlined in this book. Proceed at own risk.)

Shown here are the anchor points where spines (and leeches) can be attached. The area stretches from the back of the skull down to the middle of the back. Understanding where to place a spine as well as which locus and bond to use is the very basis of grafting.

Note: Loci are depicted here as they are most commonly placed, but some degree of freedom can be afforded to the grafter when choosing where to place a certain locus. For example, control loci can be placed in the crown and mental loci can be placed along the central high rachis. Primal loci however are strongly advised to be placed in the shoulder rachis only, for the bestial influences not to overwhelm the subject.

Spine Typology

• Parts of the Spine
  • Skull base
    • The crown
    • Major locus
  • High rachis
  • Shoulder rachis
  • Weak rachis
• Transition Points
  • Psychic transition
  • Skull transition
  • Primal transition
• Types of Loci
  • Spirit locus
  • Mental locus
  • Control locus
  • Ghost locus
  • Reflex locus
  • Primal locust
  • Leech point
• Types of Bonds
  • Spirit bond
  • Spine bond
  • Crown bond
  • Instinctual bond
  • Basic bond

It’s a commonly held belief that getting a grafted spine is a quick and easy path to knowledge, power, and fortune, however, this is not the case. While it is true that all these things can be gained, the price is great. Not only does any grafter worth their bones charge a considerable sum for their services, but there is also a more ethereal price to consider. A grafted spine is a permanent change to both body and mind, for, once attached, a spine can never truly be removed, even if the spine is physically broken, the locus—which contains the soul—will remain. A spine grafted poorly can not only prevent further spines to be grafted, but can also cause any number of ailments, including madness, rot, or death. Many fools who call themselves grafters in this age seem to work more by luck than any knowledge of the art. Take, therefore, great care to only use grafters of repute if your mind is in any way dear to you.

But this book isn’t aimed towards the subjects wishing to receive a grafting, but, rather, it should serve as a guide to those who wish to be the great craftsmen who perform the grafting, the art of stitching flesh, bone, and soul and to elevate elves above their natural ability.

On a basic level, grafting is about sustaining the soul of a dead elf or other creature in order to draw from their power. Whom the spine belonged to is ultimately the most important thing to consider, for even a perfectly grafted spine taken from a fool will only grant you the essence of being a fool. The finer details of grafting can enhance one aspect or an­other of the spine, but it cannot change the fundamental properties of it.

But don’t be misled thinking you will gain the complete knowledge of the spine’s former owner. Taking the spine of a mason will not give you the knowledge to build a castle, it will, however, give you an intuitive feel for stonework. When you pick up a hammer and chisel, they will be familiar in your hands and you will get a sensation of how to strike the stone. The memories of the person are dead, but the master mason didn’t need to remember how to work the stone; his very bones knew how to swing the hammer. These are the instincts the spine contains.

The matter of physically connecting the spine to the subject is explained in great detail in chapters 32 through 46, but know that the physical procedure is the easy part. Any surgeon could be taught that aspect of the art quickly, but a spine without its soul is no more than a dead rattling appendage. The true art is in the creating of the locus that contains and focuses the essence of the spines and the bond which connects the spines to the subject and to each other. This is done with the gundir serpent spine all grafters must possess. The ghostly spine allows the grafter to feel inside the subject through their skin and channel the energies needed to create the loci and bonds.

Before the first graft can be done, the subject must be tested to see they have at least a lesser affinity of either oil or blood, else the grafting is impossible. A lesser affinity will suffice for two or three grafts, however, at least a moderate affinity is required for further grafts.

The very core of grafting is the creation of the locus, which contains the spirit of the spine. Get this part wrong and the spine is not only useless but positively dangerous to the subject.

The first and most critical locus is always placed on the skull transition (1) for optimal bonding in all directions. This spine connects to the subject’s soul and through it all other spines commune. It is key to have a willing spine serve this task for a successful graft. Using a hostile spine (taken by force) greatly increases the mental strain on the subject, which makes further bonds all but impossible, not to mention madness is quite common in such cases. Using beast spines as the spirit locus has also proven unfruitful. Finding an elf to willingly give up their life and spine is often the biggest obstacle for anyone who seeks to receive their first grafting.

The most common locus for its stability and lower risk to the subject, is the control locus. This locus provides the subject a moderate amount of both cognitive and instinctual benefits from the spine, but, most importantly, it helps stabilize the bonds to other, more unruly, spines.

The Mental locus is most commonly inserted in the base of the skull but can also be used in the central high rachis. It enhances the cognitive benefits of the spine, but at the cost of almost all ability to move the spine as well as a higher mental strain to the subject. Since its discovery, it has been the preferred choice for scholars, tradesmen, and spinegrafters alike. A feeling of someone else being inside your head is a common side effect of this locus.

Here is the progression of an elf aiming to maximize their mental capability. Commonly referred to as the “necklace” and the “full crown,” though grafting that many spines is quite advanced and not achieved by many.

The Primal locus is used to attach spines from beasts and sea creatures. This locus creates the most mobile spines by far, though, without a control locus nearby, they can’t be directed by the subject and will instead react intrinsically to defend the subject. The term “wild spine” is often used for elves with uncontrolled beast spines that can sometimes lash out unexpectedly.

It is strongly advised to use beast spines only below the primal transition to keep enough distance to the spirit locus due to the wild influences of such spines. The best practice for attaching beast spines is to use a control locus on the primal transition, which allows for an instinctual bond to the beast spine rather than a basic bond, further improving the subject’s control over the spine’s movement.

Common variants of beast spine usage, the “wild spine” configuration has become more popular among poorer elves as it only requires a single beast spine.

The reflex locus has, for the most, part fallen out of favor as more powerful loci were discovered, but I’m including it here for posterity and because it still has some uses. It was the first locus discovered and historically used for both beast and elven spines. Its effect is lesser than any of the previously mentioned loci. Its only real benefit is its ease of bonding, only requiring an instinctual bond. One popular use is as a conduit for further beast spines on the laterals of 5, as it is exceedingly difficult to extend the spine bond past the primal transition to use control loci.

The ghost locus is specialized to the spine of the gundir serpent. This is the most important tool of the grafter and allows us to perform the art. Once grafted and the bond is established, a part of the serpent’s spine can be cut off leaving a ghostly apparition in its place. It has been named the “grafter’s touch,” for it is with this ghost of a spine that the grafter can reach inside a subject through their flesh to create the loci and bonds.

Why the gundir serpent is the only spine that can create this locus has been a mystery generations of grafters have been unable to understand.

Sometimes spines can become unruly, leaving the entire graft-construction unbalanced, in which case spine-leeches can be used to calm, soften, or disrupt a spine. The leech is bonded with an instinctual or basic bond to the spine and its tail can be entirely implanted under the subject’s skin. Leech breeders have branched off several useful variants in recent times to tailor the desired effect to the specific problem. They are also used on elves without any spinegrafts to treat a number of ailments. Leeches can, unlike spines, be removed and changed as needed.