does somebody has reade any book or novel about wood elves, that explain about their customs? One player in my game wants to have a wife, but i dont know if marriage exist in the Asrai culture, or it is more free ?

Here's some info for you: www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

I don't know if the novel covers it, but I think it would be much more interesting if the wood elves did a cultural raising of children and had a free lifestyle. Thus having a wife would be less like "owning" someone and more about the once a milenia propagation of the species and otherwise capricious nature of the asrai.

jh

Thanks Emirikol! I believe the same too! They should live a more freestyle of marriage , although even in nature some creatures get only one partner for life

Given long lifespans but also strong emotions and realities of child-rearing, influenced also by the pattern of Ariel and Orion, I would see them as having a relationship of "bonding" by choice, with the woman's choice being stronger.

Descent is through the female line as women are not limited in their conduct and thus motherhood is certain but paternity less so. Children are raised with the support of the kithband, your long term blood tie is to siblings through your mother. Brothers would avenge a sister for example.

This doesn't mean that the asrai don't hold an ideal of romantic love, but they are practical about not expecting that all the time.

To the extent male asrai have a "love and leave 'em" practice outside Athel Loren (assuming they see anything attractive about "them" at all) this may be somewhat explained culturally.

For practical game play, you may also wish to stay away from the 87 year old infant syndrome introduced in D&D 2e with the long bell curve rate of maturity. I'd have them mature physically about the same as a human (and would do this with all demi-human races) to young adulthood and then have a slower progression thereafter.

jh