The term “half-elf” is often erroneously applied to many interracials, as the term “elf” has been assigned to many of Aserra’s Idayn and Nafod races by humans. The concept of elves originates with a race of fae that was known to live alongside the gods. The Idayn bore a resemblance to the elves which some humans were already familiar with, and the term became wide-spread. Some Idayn simply accept this and shrug it off, but none of the races have made much of a campaign to teach humans to address them properly. In societies where the “elf” term is widely used, the word is applied to anyone with tapered ears and no other distinguishing features, and carried over into mixed-race offspring with these races as half-elf, which many interracials adopted for simplicity’s sake. Though the can suffer far more disparaging names, such as “half-breed”, “half-blood”, “mutt”, or other terms.
Interracial offspring often face many hardships. Their differences and relations with their parent races may ostracize them in one or both of their parents’ societies. Even if they are accepted socially, they may still feel out of place, or must deal with the realities of living longer or shorter lifespans than those they love.
Discussion Thread
Interracial offspring take traits from both their parents’ races. The elemental races all have long, tapered ears while humans, Kiar, and Iengi all have small, rounded ears, and the Kuzo have large, pointed flap-like ears. Typically, when an individual of an elemental race reproduces with a human, the offspring will have the long, tapered ears which are halved in length from their elemental parent. These ears may be altered surgically to allow the child to fit into human society better, but without modern anesthesia, antibiotics, or a competent surgeon, some parents may not be willing to subject their child to this procedure if they feel the risks outweigh the benefit of fitting in.
Heterochromia Iridium, or eyes of two different colors, may commonly occur amongst interracial offspring, especially between human and elemental races. Full heterochromia is a rare genetic abnormality that occurs in humans from time to time (and sometimes linked to genetic ailments), but it will be allowed more readily for interracial RPG characters as a genetic quirk caused by their mixed heritage.
Other traits are race specific and will be addressed in further entries.
Magical Abilities
The elemental races are the only ones with an inherent magic system. Some individuals of other races may have their own special abilities or a capacity for higher spiritual strength that makes them more adept at using magic; traits which can be genetic and passed on to their interracial offspring. In the case of elemental races, the interracial child will only inherit elementalism if born to a mother of the elemental race. When a woman of one of these races becomes pregnant, her offspring is automatically incarnated with the soul of the same elemental spirit, regardless of racial purity. However, while they may have the correct soul for elementalism, human blood often makes the ability harder to access and control, so they will rarely measure up to their full-blooded peers.
Lifespan
The races of Aserra have widely varied lifespans ranging from practically immortal in the case of the Dra’nafod and Idayn to the nearly 100 year lifespan of humans, and the mere 20 year lifespan of the Kiar. Typically, the potential lifespan of an interracial child falls somewhere in between the lifespans of their parent races. This longer lifespan often further ostracizes interracials as adults as they can outlive potential lovers, spouses, and perhaps even their own children.
Potential Combinations
The following races can reproduce with each other, but some have unique conditions for reproduction depending on location, society, culture, and genetic traits.
- Human
- Zaedyn*
- Mariel*
- Brech’mar*
- Idayn*, Fayl’Idayn, Aeul’Idayn*, Ery’Idayn, Oir’Idayn, Ur’Idayn
- Ochae’nafod and Dra’nafod
- Danaij and Danaij’vai
- Kiar*
- Iengi*
- Kuzo*
- Fae*, Gods, Demons, other spirits
- Asath, due to their snake tails are incompatible with other races.
- Eain’Idayn, as their equine halves are incompatible with other races.
- Marfod, due to their aquatic life cannot reproduce with other bipeds, and they are genetically incompatible with Mariel in their marine form.
- Samiss, as reptiles are incompatible with the mammalian races (even Asath).
- Vampires and Homunculi cannot reproduce biologically at all.
- The Zaedyn have a hard time reproduction with other races due to the genetic complications of their wings. Childbearing with individuals of other races often occurs within a committed relationship as it is more likely to conceive a non-viable pregnancy and takes many attempts to beat the odds for a viable one.
- The Mariel undergo a transformation in their twentieth year when their fins turn to legs, their scales disappear, and their gills close, forcing them to breath air on the surface. Only in this period can they reproduce with bipeds. It is easy for a male Mariel to impregnate a woman while on land, but the situation is more complicated for female Mariel who may not have time to bear their child before the year is up, which could lead to miscarriage due to the transformation, abandoning their child on shore if it survives her transformation, or giving up entirely on returning to the ocean and remaining a biped for the rest of their life, which is typically significantly shortened if they remain on land.
- There are no physiological issues preventing the Brech’mar from reproducing with other races, the problem arises from differences in opinion on beauty and size between Brech’mar and potential partners, as well as cultural norms and expectations.
- Due to the seclusion and isolationist ways of the Idayn, very few opportunities arise for interracial reproduction, especially with humans. Half-Idayn are often shunned by the Idayn community.
- The Aeul’Idayn are the only race that inhabits Athok, and though they occasionally have contact with other races, reproduction with them is rare.
- The massive difference in size between the Kiar and other races complicates reproduction in many ways. Physically, female Kiar could face serious health complications in carrying a child of a larger race. Individuals of other races often find a Kiar of childbearing age disturbingly child-like, especially considering that they are actually on a few years old. The Kiar also are very monogamous and generally prefer to keep their own kind.
- The Kuzo are considered to be sub-human and very unattractive to other races. However, Kuzo males are known to kidnap and rape women of other races, which has led to pregnancy. These pregnancies may be terminated¹ or the babies killed in some cases, though. Kuzo females being impregnated by members of other races is incredibly rare.
- The Iengi are genetically comparable with other races, but much like the Kuzo, they are considered sub-human and unattractive—along with the fact that they are much larger than other races. Also like the Kuzo, smaller Iengi males can capture and rape females of other races, resulting in pregnancy, though such a pregnancy can be a threat to the health of the mother considering the potential size of the baby.
- Female fae, gods, demons, and other spirit beings from higher planes can become pregnant by having sex with mortal men, even if they are on another plane. Their children are born native to their mother’s realm, but fairies sometimes switch their shape-shifting children (known as Changlings) with human children. Male spirit beings cannot impregnate mortal women without crossing over into the physical plane with a temporary body that can carry their genetic material.