Raelin is obviously a female of the Telerin Race, but what exactly are the Teleri?
Superficially, the Teleri are and appear very similar to humans, though they are generally taller and slimmer. Teleri have faster metabolic rates than humans, and their sensory skills are more advanced -especially in the realm of hearing, in order to adapt with their ever changing environment and climate on their homeworld, Edhelin. Day can easily shift to night and back within a few hours, due to the dual moons that orbit their planet, which itself revolves around two blue suns.
The Teleri are known to be very spiritual in their daily lives, valuing the thoughts, mind-sets of others and their perspective. Much of their culture is based on the passing of the Ages, with every Age significant to the events that occur in society. Wealth, Luxury and Self-gratification is second-priority to self-preservation and social survival.
Now, young Telerin at the age of about seventeen years of age, are required to undertake a
Proving in order to mark their passing from a youngling into full adulthood. This Proving serves as an opportunity for the youngling to learn intrapersonal talents that couldn't be easily discovered whilst in a community, to discover themselves along the way, and to learn to appreciate life among others. This also serves as an opportunity for their military forces as it tests the individual in all aspects of their life, focusing on how an individual can perform if isolated and left to fend for themselves. Every individual Proving is a major event in a Telerin's life, their whole family gathers to see the youngling off, and they are given family heirlooms, memorable advice and personal gifts, passed from elder to youngling as a reminder of their eternal bond to their roots. The youngling cannot return until they have slain one of the many lethal creatures that roam the areas and secure a trophy that could stand the test of time -most preferably, the weapon that the creature uses to try to kill them, and return to a general location only disclosed between the youngling and the Prover, one of the government officials that oversee the whole process. The blood of the slain creature would then serve as a temporary tattoo along the face of the Telerin, made in their own personal style to signify the truth, as most corpses in that certain area are quickly scavenged and devoured by the beings that dwell there, bone and all.
"Rae" carries with her a Moonwolf fang, which hangs on a chain dangling by the necklace on her neck. It is believed that the Moonwolf was an elusive and predatory creature on the twin moons, able to achieve sentience and dominance among the other hostile creatures.