Family Trees of the Alternaverse
I have always been frustrated by how very little information we have on ElfQuest family trees. Who are Woodlock's parents? Are Brownberry and Foxfur actually sisters, or do they just look alike? How are all the Gliders related? I'm a genealogy nut, and it really bugged me, not knowing. Here follows the family trees of the Wolfriders, the Gliders and the main players of Oasis and the Islands. Click on the larger trees for a full-sized image.
The Chief's Line is based heavily on the known (and suspected) canon Blood of Chiefs. Goodtree had two known children by her lifemates Acorn and Lionleaper, Speedwell (by Lionleaper) and Mantricker (paternity uncertain). Speedwell Recognized young and had a single child, Spark, before she was mortally wounded by humans in the BoTC anthology Dark Times. Most ElfQuest fans suspect that Spark is either Redlance's father or grandfather.
In the Alternaverse Spark became a treeshaper like his grandmother Goodtree, and changed his name to Kindle when he grew up. He and Goodtree were never close, Kindle always blamed her for Speedwell's death, and when Goodtree was dying, she named her son Mantricker, many years Kindle's junior, as her successor. While Kindle was relieved not to become chief, he always held a certain resentment for his uncle Mantricker, whom he believed owed his existence to Speedwell's death. Kindle Recognized twice in his life - his first Recognition resulted in a stillborn daugther, his second, to Fawnspot (an original Alternaverse character), produced Redmark (Redlance). Kindle died when Redmark was around forty years old. A long-tooth hunt failed, and Kindle was killed by the wounded cat. His lifemate Fawnspot died several years later, during an outbreak of foaming sickness. Their son Redmark (later Redlance) eventually became chief of the Eldertribe Wolfriders, later known as the Evertree Wolfriders.
Mantricker, meanwhile, took Brightwater as his longtime lovemate, just as he did in canon EQ. As the canon Moonshade is known to be Brightwater's daughter, I have decided that Alternaverse-Moonshade is in fact the youngest child of Brightwater and Mantricker. We know Brightwater had another cub by Mantricker, who died young from foaming-sickness. In the Alternaverse, Moonshade was born shortly after Mantricker was killed by humans, by which point Bearclaw (already named his father's heir) was chief.
Bearclaw is known to have Recognized several times in his 1200-year life. In the Alternaverse he Recognized Trueflight, Strongbow's mother, and produced Grayling, leading to the Line of Chiefs of the Jackwolf Riders. Meanwhile, his daughter Swift founded the Great Holt, and ruled as chief for many millennia before stepping down in favor of her daughter Venka.
The Stargazer Clan and the Healers
It took some fiddling, but I managed to connect most of the known healers in the Alternaverse into one sprawling tree.
In the Alternaverse, Rivermist was the great-grandmother of Clearbrook. Her granddaughter Windsong (an elf mentioned in the BoTC), Recognized Dreamwalker (another obscure elf about whom nothing is known and much can be suspected), and had Clearbrook. Clearbrook, in turn, Recognized Woodhue (later One-Eye) twice, bearing Moonsbreath and Scouter. Moonsbreath and Scouter both Recognized healers (Rain and Leetah respectively). Leetah's sister Shenshen, in turn eventually Recognized Brightmetal, the grandson of Winnowill.
Rain's family is unknown in canon-verse, but in the Alternaverse, he is the grandson of Finder. Finder did not lose his gift for "finding" after his healing powers matured, and one day in Tanner's time he had sudden urge to go questing. He finally found the source of the itch in the back of his mind, when reached the edge of the Forbidden Grove and encountered an elf in wrapstuff. Upon unwrapping the elf, he found Nightstar, the missing daughter of Huntress Skyfire. They Recognized and produced Piper. Piper in turn, Recognized Acorn, Goodtree's former lifemate, and produced Rain, born about a hundred years before Mantricker's death.
Meanwhile, Skywise's daughter Yun Recognized Wavecatcher, thus bringing the Cove Folk healers into the tree.
Blackbark was Moonshade's mentor in canon ElfQuest, and it seemed likely that he was in fact one of Brightwater's lovemates and served as Moonshade's stepfather (as Moonshade's sire Mantricker died before she was born). I came across an elf named Moondance who lived in Mantricker's time, and I decided she was Blackbark and Brightwater's daughter, and the mother of the sisters Brownberry and Foxfur.
Bowmaker was an archer in Mantricker's time, and I decided that in the Alternaverse he would be the father of Trueflight. For her part, the Alternaverse Trueflight Recognized Hawk, formerly known as Sprout, the son of Hummer and Buckthorn (see Hidden Years #20). Unfortunately, Hawk died when Strongbow was still a child, and the archer has little memory of his sire. Strongbow grew up idolizing his chief Bearclaw as a foster-father.
Owl, the twin brother of Graywolf, is known to be the father of Longbranch and suspected of being the father of One-Eye. In the Alternaverse I have decided that Longbranch and One-Eye are in fact half-brothers on their father's side. Owl Recognized Fernhare back in Freefoot's day and sired Longbranch, who in turn had many cubs over the years. Having very little wolfblood, Owl was still alive in Bearclaw's day, albeit aged and growing increasingly weary. Owl planned to withdraw to the forest and pass away, but before he could follow through, he Recognized Evenstar (an elf mentioned in the anthologies) and sired Woodhue, later One-Eye. Owl waited to see his son born, then left the tribe and disappeared.
Longbranch, meanwhile, Recognized in Mantricker's day and sired Thistlemane (an Alternaverse character). Thistlemane grew up and Recognized Amber, and the two produced Woodlock. Thistlemane and Amber both died during an attack of foaming sickness. By the time of Joyleaf's chieftainship, Longbranch was nearly 3,000 years old, and has long since stopped taking lovemates. He was surprised, therefore, when he Recognized young Brownberry and sired Nightfall. Longbranch and Brownberry lived happily together until they were both killed by Madcoil.
I've always thought there were a remarkable amount of blondes in the Wolfriders. After extensive browsing through "Who's Who" lists and the like, I've managed to create a family tree for the Alternaverse that links the golden blondes together.
Bluesky, an elf mentioned living in Freefoot's time, was mother of Rillwalker and grandmother of Dayshine. Based on the similarities of names, I guessed that they might well be ancestors of Rillfisher and Dewshine, and set out to create a tree. An obscure elf named Watersheen and an original character named Softfern became Dayshine's children, and the mothers of Treestump and Joyleaf, and Rillfisher, respectively. Thus Rillfisher and Treestump are first cousins (a not-unknown kin-bond when Recognition strikes). Close readers of ElfQuest will remember Rillfisher's father Moss as the lazy cub mentioned in Hidden Years # 20.
River, Eyes High's mother, is another elf mentioned in the BoTC anthologies whom I have transplanted to the Alternaverse. River is related to Bluesky's family, and is Treestump's second or third cousin. Treestump never lifemated with River, and the two parted after Eyes High's conception.
While it is widely suspected that Haken is the father of the Gliders in EQ canon, in the Alternaverse he holds the honour of being the unknowing patriarch of both the Gliders and the Sun Folk. After Tillin is killed by humans, her lifemate Sunan and several of his followers decided to leave Blue Mountain. Haken's daughter by Tillin, Vreya, also leaves Blue Mountain, much to Haken's grief. The Rootless Ones head further south to escape the ice; thus Haken is the great-great-grandfather of Savah, and (as fans have always suspected) the direct ancestor of Rayek. Meanwhile, back in Blue Mountain, Haken and Chani are the ancestors of Winnowill, Aurek, Door, and Aroree, while Lord Voll is the ancestor of Tyldak.
After Blue Mountain That Was fell in the siege led by the Wolfriders, Two-Edge and his eventual lifemate Aroree chose to remain at the ruins and rebuild. At first they shared a modest home with their son Brightmetal and his lifemate Shenshen. But after discovering the misfit trolls, remnants of Greymung's old kingdom, Two-Edge and Brightmetal took it upon themselves to reform the misfits and found a proper kingdom.
Brightmetal and Shenshen eventually had two children, Gem and Smokewater.Gem Recognized her distant Oasis cousin Skylark - a volatile pairing that produced one daughter, Windstone. Smokewater, while he never Recognized, developed a taste for troll maidens. He married no less than five times, and sired a total of twenty-three children! These princelings went on to interbreed with both trolls and elves, to create the trollkin.
All descendants of Two-Edge are capable of breeding with either elf or troll. Their magical gifts can vary immensely, from full-fledged Gliders to weak senders. Following Haken's decision to colonize Homestead, Two-Edge abdicated as King of Blue Mountain in favor of Smokewater, and took a small court of trollkin with him to found the creatively named New Mountain kingdom.
Eastwaker is famous among the pirates of Green Moon Bay for Recognizing five different elves and siring an astonishing six children. His firstborn is Windstill, daughter of Mourningdove. Eastwaker next Recognized Cypress, who became his lifemate. She bore him Evergreen and Loosestrife. Eastwaker then Recognized Gullwing, who bore him Savin. Four children was already a record among the Islanders, and perhaps had he stayed in Green Moon Bay, he might never have Recognized again. But shortly after abdicating his role of Speaker in favor of Evergreen, Eastwaker decided to go exploring with his lifemate and a small crew. They set sail in the Flying Fish, expecting to return after a few years, but they were swept far off-course and eventually shipwrecked on Hearthstone. Alone and isolated, the survivors all soon felt the pull of Recognition. By Pearldiver, Eastwaker had Juniper, whose son eventually Recognized Cypress. By Azure, Eastwaker had Warmask, who took over as leader of the Hearthstone elves after Eastwaker and Cypress returned home to Green Moon Bay, their desire for exploration well satisfied... at least for the next few millennia.
The undisputed patriarch of the Plainsrunners is Vok, former lovemate of Kahvi and lifemate of Mardu. He has sired many children over his life, whose descendants have gone on to people the Plainswaste. Jirda, Manx and Teir are all heads of their own sprawling dynasties, with Jirda based in the far west, Manx more to the north, and Teir in the central Plainswaste. Tragedy struck Teir's line when his granddaughter Bruma died at Howling Rock, along with over a hundred other Plainsrunners. Howling Rock is now blighted land, shunned by the Plainsrunners of the Wild Hunt. Meanwhile, Vok's descendants through his daughter Vaya have scattered to such distant lands as the College of Magic, the Great Holt, and even the most recently, the neighboring world of Homestead.
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