Recognition creats in a pair of afflicted elves a strong urge to mate with each other; the imperative is so powerful that to deny it is to court sickness or perhaps even death. Also, Recognition ensures that a mateing will result in offspring (elf children are quite rare otherwise) and further, that those children will express the best genetic qualities of both parents.

   Recognition does not mean two elves need to stay together, just so long as the sexual and genaritives are attended to. Dewshine and Tyldak are a perfect example. She didn't like Tyldak so they did what they had to do then went their sepperate ways. Lifemateing is a decision of choice, wheras Recognition is imposed. After a suitable period of time an elf can experiance recognition again with a different partner. If one of the elves dies before recognition is consummated, the survivor will not die, but will experience the "sickness" that comes from the unfulfilled urge, then recover. It is not the function of recognition to kill elves.

   It is a devise to creat high quality Elf children.

                          -Richard Pini The Big Elfquest Gatherum