Ringforming

Passing of years, gathering experience...

"So hold up, yer tellin' me tha' you get a new bloody name every so often?"
"Once in a century, friend. And it does not replace my previous ones."
"Has tae be bloody difficult holdin' track. How old are ye?"
"My name is Oril-Nyrn-Theth. It has been 37 years since my latest ring - Teth - was formed."
"...Ye sort of lost me there, could ye explain again?" ~Conversation between an wood elf and a dwarf.

Ringforming is a repeated ritual in wood elf societies, that concludes all of the experiences of a person through the last passed century and condences that into a single name, often an elvish word representing that century or a tonal sound signifying the personality of the elf. Traditionally, these names are viewed as the rings of a tree, to help identify and qualify and elf in the eyes of another. Wood elves value wisdom, old age and experience over other characteristics in a person, and their tribes are often lead by Elders, who might have significantly long names. A tribe with an elder who has an abnormally short name usually signifies great loss, or tragedy where elves don't pass into what they view as old age too often.

From the first century to the seventh

As an elf is born, they are granted a "child name" which lasts on them for the first 30 years of their life. This is the only name that is completely removed as they grow older, as when a wood elf reaches 30 years of age their child name is replaced with a name that their Elder thinks suits them the best. The child name is chosen by the elves parents and often represents their affection for their children. The next name an elf acquires is after they reach the age of 100, followed by the third as they reach 200.
No-one is quite certain on how long lived elves are. With the turmoil of the world, it is rare to meet an wood elf past their 4th century. Oldest wood elf in recorded history has been dated over 7 centuries old. The same name convention does not apply to the high elves, who do value wisdom but from the perspective of intellect and wit rather than from age-old experience.

"Alright, look... Let us try this again. Your name is?"
"Pfah, don't ken what'cha gettin' out o' this... Gergrun Straightroute, son of Benrig, of Thunderhalls."
"See? Now I am Oril-Nyrn-Theth, and after 63 years I might be Oril-Nyrn-Theth-Kar, or maybe even -Kith and it is still shorter than your monikers, my friend!"
"But I don't add names to me names, elf!"
"What did you say after our last trip?"
"A-ha! Tha' ye better call me Trollslayer after slayin' tha' beast!"
[Slight silence befalls the conversation]
"But-... Why do ye add names to yer existing names?"
[The elf lets out a loud sigh]

A singular name of a wood elf usually consists of 1-3 syllables and the names are often meant to be short, to give room for other names to come. It is considered culturally taboo for an outsider to use a singular name of a wood elf without their granted permission and it is considered an extreme disrespect to call the tribe's Elder by any other than their full name, unless with specifically granted permission.

Related Ethnicities

• Wood Elves