I'll probably never finish this, but spent enough time to justify (hopefully) uploading it here. This is based on things as they were a while ago in the Twokinds universe.
Disclaimer: Contains use of pseudo-science and surface formed abstractionist logic to form concepts relating to the hybridization of fictional and archetypally defined species. While I will attempt to quantify the base concepts requiring concrete rationalization, my use of supersyllabic clusters does not explicitly imply or negate the logical viability of the author's statements and responses. Due to the writer's absence of social and literary experience, it is also necessary that words are not always held to their linguistically proper uses, so far as those uses do not exceed their justifiably rationale applications. Finally, the author wishes to state that while it is not their implicit or explicit intention to propel any sort of negative experience on the reader, lack of empathical knowledge and capability on part of the writer may create disadvantageous mental and physical states varying by both the readers social and genetic relationship to the material and/or word choice.
Okay... so hybrids. What would happen if the Human and Keidran species of the 2kinds universe successfully procreated as is apparent in the current story arc? What traits would be dominant in terms of physical, chemical and magical abilities? And most importantly (for hybrids anyway) how do each of those traits interact? Why do I care enough to write about it? Well, think of this in terms of D&D character creation if you want, social archetypes often form our basis for fantasy works and by reverse engineering them we can recover realistic systems that apply both to the creation of our own work an our perception of the human mind as well. I personally enjoy reading sourcebooks from various tabletop games for that very reason, regardless of whether or not I actually play the associated games. Owen K.C. Stephens'
[censored] & Bloodlines: A Guidebook to Half-breeds is an excellent social commentary on humanity's remaining race interests that would otherwise spark furious arguments if brought into the open. Many races and their crossbreeds (especially the Half-Knolls) are treated with a varying amount of inevitability, concerning both vocational capacity and intelligence, which while harmless in a fantasy setting, seems to echo the older questions concerning eugenics and the role of ancestry in determining a person's moral capacity. So even though it takes place in a fantasy setting, quite a bit can be learned by taking any unrealistic concept seriously and expending the effort to figure out how it would work under the constraint of human (though not necessarily scientific) rationality.
Sooo... What's a Keidran?
Basic Archetype: Anthropomorphic
Special Archetype Related Traits: Multiple Ethnicities, Close to Nature, Elevated Sensual Tendencies, Short Lived, Aggressive, Violent, Non-Destructive, Strong Masculine/Feminine Traits, Emotional, Non-Expansive, Excessive.
Basic Social Archetype: Tribal (Native American), Chaotic Good
Special Social Archetype Related Traits: Aggressively Territorial, Traditional, High Variation Between Tribes, Fickle, Increased Emphasis on Breeding, Melee Weapon Preference, Xenophobic, Non-Industrial, Small Government, Enslaved (Partial), Passive.
Notes: Highly emotional and aggressive individually, but socially passive. Meaning that while territorial expansion is rather unlikely, any perceived aggressiveness by foreign groups or individuals will generally result in immediate and intense retribution. It is generally the belief that Keidran are better left alone than challenged or even befriended due to their decidedly fickle (if not Bipolar) personalities. While some attribute this to their supposed 'feral' nature (implying a mental incapacity to concentrate, thus rendering them mentally inferior) it is more widely accepted that their shorter lifespan simply requires that they be more impulsive without obsessing over smaller details. While it is true that making friends with a Keidran isn't the safest investment, those that manage it find themselves embraced with a level of intimacy that most other cultures reserve for close family or even lovers. The jump can be both startling and awkward for those unaccustomed to the more 'friendly' elements of Keidran society and especially so if the recipient of such attention is from a more conservative society (also known as Basitins). Those who have a hard time discerning the sensual from sexual are advised to view the Keidran in question as a sibling and if they are female,
learn their heat cycle! Thankfully, while your time with them is inevitably short, Keidran do not forget their friends and only an act of incredible betrayal is capable of severing those hard won bonds.
While the polarized nature of Keidran society is advantageous in many ways, it may prove to be their downfall in the end. Sadly this habit has been taken advantage of by the slave trade who have learned that as long as a Keidran believes itself safe, rebellion is almost nonexistent. To make matters worse, spells which manufacture blindness to abusive treatment are not only in high use, but legally required for all slave owners. Eventually succumbing to brain damage, longterm Keidran slaves generally remain passive and easy going even after the spells have either worn off or been removed. This method of control has somewhat ironically complicated the use of Keidran on the battlefield, as the infamous 'feral' form requires a great deal of aggression to be effectively utilized and while easygoing and submissive can be considered positive traits for a servant or farmworker, they provide very little to the battlefield. While feral Keidran have been present in battle, magical means are needed to inspire the form and to "hopefully" return the Keidran to its more benign state before it decides to tear its own master to shreds. Needless to say, slave Keidran are used more as kamikaze soldiers as maintaining any sort of strategic strike force or even infantry requires a level of skill far above the capabilities of most combat mages. Finally, while uncollared Keidran slaves have been used in battles, their running speed has proven to heavily complicate attempts make them actually remain on the battlefield.
Further complicating the Keidran's relationship to the other races is their continuation of the tribal government. Put simply, there are many tribes, meaning that negotiations do not occur with the Keidran, they occur with the Fox Tribe, Tiger Tribe, Wolf Tribe etc. And making political negotiation even harder is the simple fact that a tribe's commitment to a treaty generally dies with whatever leader happened to agree on it. While this is a common trait for all cultures, consider the fact that it is also common to elect the old as leaders. Now consider the twenty year lifespan of the average Keidran.
And then I got bored.
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