The Mating Bond

In the ACOTAR universe there is such a thing called a 'mating bond'. It is said to be kindred to a soul mate but considered much, much more powerful and deeply steeped in magic. When a Fae refers to another being as their 'Mate' - they are referring to this special pairing that is said the Cauldron itself decides upon. It is more than just being someones partner and even more than being someones husband, wife or spouse. It is more like a binding of their spirits. Whether the Cauldron chooses mates because they're similar to one another or because they're opposites is completely unpredictable. The original belief was that the Cauldron brought beings together that would produce the best and strongest offspring. However, The Cauldron is even known to make lousy mates who not only reject the bond but can flat out hate each other despite the fact they're relentlessly and inevitably drawn to each other.

When it comes to the bond theres some general terminology that might help you figure out whats what when it comes to a bond.
There is the initial 'Ah-ha' moment when mates first get a 'sense' of the bond but it has not been accepted. No magic gained.
There is the 'Snap' And 'Acceptance' moment when a bond is accepted at the same point by all parties involved. This is the moment the MAGIC SNAPS into place and the magical powers connected to a mating bond 'activate' and you must apply through stores to add it to your profile.
Generally speaking the bond usually snaps within the immediate physical vicinity of their mate(s), however on raree occasion a bond may snap at a distance but only under duress and dire emergent circumstances. IE one of the mates is in life threatening danger. This is very rare circumstance but not impossible.
There is the ritual of sharing food which is a SYMBOLIC gesture and does not really affect anything. This giving of food can be done a private momeent or in a big mating bond ritual where they exchange food in front of friends and family.

NOTE: A bond can NOT 'snap' into place, one sided. A bond only Snaps when ALL parties involved fully accept the bond and the magic becomes active between them. They may be AWARE of the bond prior to the snap and have a sense of it but no magical powers are active before the 'snap and acceptance' occurs of all parties involved.

The following is a bit of information about how the 'Mating bond' specifically on Echoes will work.

• Does the Mating Bond Count as One of the five Unique powers I'm allowed for my character?
  Simply put, no it does not count as one of the five powers a character is allowed to have. Staff considers it a freebie power since it only directly affects the mates involved in the bond.
• Does a 'Mating Bond' grant powers? (feel their mate's emotions, physical harm/feelings, etc.)
  For our AU we say that the Mating bond allows for the development of 'feeling' your mates approximate physical location (Weakens with greater distances) and forges as sort of empathetic connection with them. Allowing mates to sense each others feelings. It also allows for a form of telepathic communication between mates that weakens into muffled whispers along greater distances. The farther apart, the more words seem to turn into limited feelings or sensations before being cut off completely (IE; From one end of Prythian to the other). When your character accepts a mating board canonically, you should apply for it in shoppes to added it as a unique power in your profile. There is also a free badge you can add to show your character has found its mate.
• How would they know?
  How you can tell is by an undeniable draw to them like the person is their gravitational force and their scent is extremely, extremely enticing and hard to resist. They will also have a 'moment' where it 'snaps' into place. This can be a gradual realization over time or as blunt as a slap to the face where it feels like the world beneath their feet has shifted.
• Is scent affected?
  Yes, when a mating bond is accepted/occurs, the mates will retain their own natural scent but it will become embedded with their mates scent as well. Something extremely subtle but is noticeable if people pay keen enough attention and recognize both sides of the intermingled scents. For example if Karen knows Bob but not Mary and Bob and Mary are mates, Karen can detect a 'change' in Bobs scent but won't recognize Marys scent to know its her.
• How many beings can be apart of a 'Mating bond'.
  The Staff on Echoes has discussed this question and decided for the sake of being more inclusive and for the sake of poly-amorous relationships, a mating bond may include up to a maximum of three different beings. This, in canon, will be considered a very RARE occurrence and because of it will need to be purchased from Stores and through Shoppes as an item by all three involved characters before it can take place canonically on board. There also needs to be an IC moment where the three beings involve show the mating bond claim settling in each of them to make it canon. A mating bond trinity involves all three people toward all three people, it is not one person connected to two others.
• How do mates symbolically accept the bond?
  Symbolically, the act of preparing a meal for your mate as an offering is the simple symbolic gesture. This can be done in private, without ceremony or be done during a ceremony mating party in front of people. It's up to the mates themselves how they wanted to symbolically recognize they're mated.
• Are their other 'unique' powers enhanced if they're bonded?
  Whatever powers a character had before they're mated, will not be affected or enhanced by a mating bond. Only the powers given through the mating bond would be affected.
• Does the mate bond increase possessiveness/Protectiveness?
  Yes. The mating bond makes a mate very protective and possessive over their mate. Often referred to as being very territorial as to what they see as 'theirs'.
• Is a Mate 'entitled' to be with their partner?
  This is a matter of perception when it comes to social beliefs but legally, no. Any fae can attempt to reject their mate as they will it. Though in some cultures and noble houses it is highly frowned upon to reject a mate and some fae will believe they have a 'right' to their mate no matter the circumstance. There is however, no law that guarantees a mating bond will be accepted.
• Is there a mating ceremony?
  Yes! There absolutely can be mating ceremonies. They can be small and intimate or as loud and lavish as the mates involved desire.
• How do mates react when the bonding is accepted and snaps into place?
  The first week or two in particular is said to 'chafe' under the skin with an excess of possessive energy and the need to protect and claim. A newly mated fae can be more aggressive and reactive during that first week more than any other. There is an overwhelming desire to 'claim' in a very physical, sexual sense that pushes Faes that have been recently mated to have an extremely high sex drive toward their mate(s) - which is why in the first weeks they will spend a lot of time bedding one another.
• What happens if a mate rejects their bond?
  If a bond is never accepted and is rejected from the start, it is a difficult thing to live with for both parties. There will always be a longing for that 'other half' that just isn't there and a natural pull toward them even if it's been rejected. The magic of the bond still lingers underneath it all, it just stays weak and irrelevant.
• Can a rejected mated bond be re-kindled after its initial rejection?
  The Mating Bond in the Echoes community is seen as Cauldron and Mother blessed magic tethering two or three beings together. It's magic can never fully be destroyed. They will always feel a tingle toward their mate(s) and never fully be able to escape them. So yes, we believe that if a mating bond is reject, it could later be re-kindled if BOTH parties want it and come to accept it. However, on board, if a bond is rejected and players decide to later accept the Bond after initial rejection - staff may request to see valid ic moments of the mates emotionally 'bonding' and working to rebuilding it before granting the accepted mating bond powers to be 'activated' Ic.
• Once accepted by all beings involved, can a mating bond be broken?
  An accepted mating bond where the magic has settled into the essence of the beings involved is said to be impossible to break. That even the King of Hybern, with all his power and his vast amount of Grimoires and powerful spell books couldn't successfully break a mating bond. Any efforts to even try to break a mating bond is said to have been excruciatingly painful. That spells that have been tried feel like being struck by lightning over and over. A tearing, burning intense pain that shreds you apart from the inside out. Like your bodily being torn asunder, as if something critical is being torn out of your very being. Yet none of them succeed, just cause immense agony.
• Can Fae have human mates?
  Yes but the bond will always feel stronger and more prevalent on the fae side of things. Since fae are magical and humans are not. The fae will always feel the bond first and will have clearer abilities to feel/sense their human mate. The humans side of things will be a bit 'murky'. They will still feel the connection, the empathic bond but it will be in a muted sense in compared to what the fae feels and will work over shorter ranges.
• What happens if a mate dies?
  The death of a mate is as emotionally devastating as it is physically painful. You can feel that magic essence of them painfully wither and die. That hollow separation from the surviving fae to the deceased is endless and haunting. Many fae spend decades in mourning after losing a mate and the grief of it is enough to kill.
• If you lose your mate, can you find another?
  No, once you lose a mate through the magical bond being broken through death, there will not be the possibility of a second mate for you. If OOC you lose a member/character that played your mate, you can say that they thought they were mates but were wrong and plot a new mate with another member on board but if the original mate is still active on board, unless other wise discussed OOC, they should remain your characters mate.