Gwanu

Gwanu or fading death is the process by which elves die aside from bodily injury. It can be said that it is a sort of psychological injury, but it is a slow process that can be reversed at any time along the way.
When an elf becomes distraught to the point that they are listless, heartsick, and depressed, their immortal body begins to be undermined by the intense mental state. Prolonged grief and misery will bring an elf to "give up their spirit" or to "give up the ghost". This is a very appropriate expression, as it is quite like what happens: An elf first becomes emotionally aloof and then begins to look haggard and thin-skinned. The visible changes will progress and possibly even show as signs of aging (wrinkles, body hair, gray hair etc.). Their mind will be less present and the light will leave their eyes. If the condition progress the elf will start to become ghost-like. An elf in this state, esp. one who gets stuck in this state and becomes otherwise spirit bound, is often called an elf wraith or elgorth. Without becoming spirit bound, the elf will become shadowy and ethereal and then fade away like dust or smoke. It in fact leaves a very fine dust that is semi-reflective and highly valued alchemical ingredient for those without a taboo against it. The darkness it may possess is unknown so it is recommend by elven loremasters to refrain from using it in potions, though it is collected and put in urns which can be observed to exhibit enchanted properties.
==Language==
The term is related to the verb gwanna 'to die' (by fading, as elves do) and gwanath 'moment of death', which reffers to the moment of passing by the process of fading. An elf in the state of gwanu will experience gwanath. Gwanna-death is in contrast to fir-death, the death of men and mortals. The words gúr, gurth and, guruth all refer to death in general. The season of firith caries a sense of fading, as the leaves fade as an elf might (and do return in echui), but perhaps the root for mortal death is used because the leaves fall and decay on the ground and do so frequently (annually is frequent for elves).
==Examples==
"Ho elgorth ned lú hen. Gwannassent dan nuithassent. Mán hán darthassent a ha hain suil, in yryg estanc úlaer. Tallon oen, i baurannant luithath carnad."
He became an elf wraith in that time. He was fading, but he stopped. His spirit remained and became like those creatures we call wraiths. It was a great ordeal which took many kinds of magic to suppress.
- Maeron, of the changing of Aerdur
Category:Elves