[solved] Council questions

So, on the Council info, it's stated that once an Elemental joins the Council, they essentially give up their previous relations--ties to family, friends, and the like--to serve the Council.

I don't know how many young Elementals fully understand the heaviness of that decision, but how strictly is that enforced? Can an Elemental still visit his family or is that prohibited/punished? I was stalking Nolan's sheet and noted that he went in and out of the Council a few times in his life. Have there been consequences or penances in leaving/returning?

I'm asking these questions because my BB person in the works might be a good candidate for being an Earth elemental, but as he's very family oriented, that might be a conflict of interest for him (and a good source of plots for me, mwhahaha)


Sorry for these rambles of questions, but they're all related and I thought I'd get them out there rather than just ask one by one.

I was a bit confused by your question, because I don't remember seeing anything about an elemental having to give up their families in order to serve the council. The closest thing I can find in the current guide is this:

The Elemental Council probably unites 90% of the worlds Elementals in a common cause. Their codex of honour is the most strict, their internal ranking and workings complex and hundreds of years old. Members of The Council speak an oath to follow the codex, and to remain loyal in all situations. They vow to leave all personal bonds and issues behind, only act on behalf of The Council.

I've never interpreted that as meaning they have to give up all contact with friends and family - logically, if that was enforced, all elemental children would be forced to leave Hogwarts so they didn't see friends, and never see their families again, which would be ridiculous - how many eleven year olds would agree to never seeing their parents again in order to receive training in some arcane branch of magic! Besides, look at Peter Alva and Sophie Tannenbaum, or WIP Brynja who has a family.

I see this more as somebody like a surgeon or a high-ranking politician. While they certainly can have a family life, they have to put their career - or in this case, their Council loyalties - first. A child's birthday might have to take second place to a council issue, for example.

As for Nolan; he's a git. I have no clue how he got away with it. I suspect by turning to stone anyone who threatened to tell on him

Yes, that last line was the one I was taking about. I guess I took it more literally, considering the wording in the guide is rather severe, so forgive me if I misinterpreted it. The surgeon parallel makes sense, though, and still serves as a good source of conflict, since I know how strained surgeon's lives can be.

I guess this can be marked as answered, thanks!

OK, no worries!

I am severely surprised by this interpretation and it's nonsensical. Elementals don't give up their lives. In fact most elementals are only loosely associated with the council and have very little interact.

It's more an act of symbolism then one of literal meaning. The elemental council is a formalised society, placing great value in it's archaic customs.

I do tend to make things more dramatic in my silly head than they really are. I haven't really roleplayed much with elemental characters, but since there's been a number of plots concerning them, I got curious. Anyway, thanks for putting my head back to earth.