Life Bonds

Life Bonds are an ancient rite of all the Tribes, and it is their version of marriage. A Life Bond automatically occurs between two people when a woman becomes pregnant with a child. Until the child reaches the age of 8, the parents are considered to be in a Life Bond. For each subsequent pregnancy, the Life Bond is extended to cover the youngest child until the age of 8. At 8, the child becomes a ward of the entire Tribe and enters society as an apprentice. Although the child may still live with family during this time, the parents are no longer bound to each other by Tribal law.

However, many Life Bonds are made for life in agreement between a couple. As with almost anything in a Tribe, a mutual agreement can be reached between two individuals for just about anything, and this includes Life Bonds. Therefore, a couple may choose to extend or enter into a Life Bond even if no children are involved. The rules around children are simply there to enforce parenting of the child until he or she is ready to join the Tribe proper.

## Rites of the Life Bond

The sanctity of a Life Bond is considered absolute. During this time, couples are required to remain committed. Adulterous behavior outside of a life bond is punishable, in rare circumstances even by death. Therefore, from childhood, the Tribesfolk are made well aware that entering into a Life Bond is not something to be taken at all lightly. Once the child has reached the age of 8, the laws governing an enforced Life Bond end. Parents are then free to go their separate ways if they so choose. However, Life Bonds that are created as part of an agreement continue to maintain law around them.

Besmirching the honor of a Life Bond is also punishable by Tribal law. This means that interfering with or attempting to pit the partners in a Life Bond against each other is often considered a serious crime. Partners in a Life Bond are considered to be equals and are treated often as a single person. Therefore, one would never expect, for example, a partner in a Life Bond to commit an act of treason or to otherwise bring harm to the other partner in a Life Bond. Likewise, should one partner in the Life Bond come into trouble, it is likely that both partners share that trouble. This is also true of their children until the age of 8.

When engaged in a Life Bond, the couple will most often consolidate their family into one household. This may also involve an extended family from one side or the other coming to live with the couple. This often results in a joyous occasion of needing to build a new home structure or expanding an existing one.

## Combining Families

Life Bonds also combine families as is natural when two people form a union and have children. Families on both sides of the bond now share a grandchild, and as a result, relations between the families often improves. Life Bonds may also be encouraged between families as a way to build stronger bonds between them. This is especially important for strong or powerful families who wish to maintain that strength within a large village.

Often, families which are overjoyed by a union will both come together to build the home of the new couple. This may also included extended quarters if the extended family will also end up living together under the same roof.

## Combining Tribes

It is not at all uncommon for people from neighboring Tribes to fall in love and wish to form a Life Bond. Meetings between Tribes are difficult due to geography, but they do occur especially in trading visits. It is actually common for single people to be the ones to travel between Tribes so that they may meet others in different lands. It is a very exciting moment for the entire Tribe when two young people enter into a Life Bond across Tribes. Such unions build high relations between those Tribes and help to ensure prosperity, trade, and friendship between the Tribes.

Life Bonds can also be formed between Tribes as a part of a deal or contract. Such Life Bonds between powerful Tribes and their families, especially to cement alliances, are not uncommon. In effect, these can act as temporary arranged marriages.

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--Neil (talk) 18:13, 21 October 2016 (AST)