[WoR spoilers] Regarding Parshendi warpairs

[RenegadeShroom]

Along with the new researchpairs and other such terms for Parshendi mating pairs. Should these be included in some form of familial relationships? The Parshendi don't seem to have marriage or an equivalent from what we've seen so far, but at the very least, "once-mates" does seem to be a very significant relationship for the Parshendi, significant enough that it determines who they perform their jobs with for a good portion of their lives on the Shattered Plains.

 

I'm just wondering if this should be included under that "spouse" category of familial relationships, or maybe have a new thing, or if I'm just being silly?

[Joe ST he/him]

no you bring up a very good point, and it probably does deserve a spot. If everyone is agreed, I shall add it to the template

[RenegadeShroom]

Yeah, I just wasn't sure, since at the moment there aren't many Parshendi characters, and out of the ones we've seen there's only four I can think of who even have named partners. Thanks, Joe!

 

I'm just gonna use the spouse category as a placeholder until/if you decide to add "once-mate" or something along those lines to the template, then, if that's cool?

Edited July 6, 2014 by InsurrectionistFungus

[Argent he/him]

I don't recall as much as I wish I did, but is it explicit that once-mates are paired by the society? I only recall this being mentioned in the context of Venli and her research assistant, and I remember deciding that it was a choice the two of them made, not something they had to do because of social pressure. Though neither was specified. 

[RenegadeShroom]

The way Eshonai talks about it in the narration doesn't really imply that it's out of the ordinary. She just says that they're close, really.

 

Venli and her once-mate were close, [...] If they'd gone to the battlefield, they'd have been a warpair. Instead, they were a researchpair, or something. 

(page 167, Interludes-1, Word of Radiance hardcover.)

 

The only point of comparison we have though are Bila and Thude, who are a warpair. But since there's no mention of whether they are once-mates or something to that effect, it's hard to tell.

Edited July 7, 2014 by InsurrectionistFungus