Races and Meta-Types
Meta-Types and Meta-Traits are the scientific term used to describe a number of human variants and genetic oddities that have occurred since the coming of magic. Individual born with oddly colored eyes, hair or abnormal features are said to have a "Meta-trait". Colloquially, they may also be referred to as fey-touched, branded, gifted, empowered and numerous other terms, depending on the culture.
Individuals who exhibit certain common combinations of Meta-Traits can be said to exist as a Meta-Type. Many consider certain meta-types to be unique races, though genetically there is no basis for this. It is well known that many of these traits seem to be common expressions of old world human fiction and myth.
Table of Contents
Meta-Traits
As Meta-Elements are composed of magical elements combined with classic ones, it is is thought that Meta-Traits represent "magical genes" that have attached and mutated with the human genome. Many Meta-traits obey classic laws of genetic inheritance, though no such 'magical genes' have yet to be seen. The interaction of meta-genes seems to exist entirely in the astral plane as an element of someone's soul.
It is thought that more meta-traits exist than can actually be seen. As one's genes determine how tall they are, someone's meta-traits might control their influence over magic or spiritual affinity. Generally, though, Meta-Traits refers only to visibly detectable elements. Visual Meta-Traits seem to have a positive correlation with exceptional individuals, both physically and magically, though this is only on average. Meta-Traits are displayed by roughly 5% of the world's population.
Hair and eye color are the most common Meta-Traits, which can exist as any color. Dual and Tri color features exist but are somewhat rare.
So called "Fey" ears are also common, generally gently and subtly pointed and not as drastic as what is considered a part of the Elven Meta-Type.
Rarer Meta-types include sharpened teeth, wings, gills, horns, hoofs and other oddities.
Meta-Types
Elven
Elves represent the most common meta-type, representing perhaps 1% of the world's population. Elves are defined their generally thin, long pointed ears that is drastically different from a human or even fay ears. More importantly, this seems to be an indicator of psychological and minor physiological differences. Elves have a higher correlation with expectionality than just Meta-Traits, tied with a much lower fertility rate (with many elves being born sterile). Elven pairs always give birth to more Elves, while the same is not as reliable with meta-traits. The Elven Meta-type is the most reliable and consistent of the meta-types, genetically, though the elven population is hampered by it's low fertility rates.
Many born to the Elven meta-type treat it simply like a meta-trait -- an interesting and distinguishing characteristic. Roughly 25% of elves get hit with "Wanderlust" at a young age, where they wander off to find an Elven village. Wanderlust is somewhat predictable. Those born with traits in line with the local elf population almost always get struck, while most elves exist as "uniques".
Elves are the only meta-type to commonly form communities and are almost always isolationist. Most live in the wilderness, though places like Shiv have "Urban Elves" that tend to congregate into elven ghettos.
Elves also have a tendency of adopting dead languages to aid in their isolationism and are one of the few things keeping old world languages around.
Subgroups of elves from different regions can have strong differences. The most common subtype of Elves are the Moldano Elves. Ashen skinned elves with white hair that were bred as slaves by the Moldano nobility. Moldano elves have exhibit higher instances of mental instability, though this is likely more of an environmental factor than anything. These behaviors, brought out by their hostile living conditions, have given Moldano elves an over inflated and unfair reputation for being violent sociopaths. This also often leads to the unfortunate persecution of other non-Moldano dark skinned elves. 80% of Moldano elves are kept as slaves on Orso Moldano and of those who are free, few leave the Island.
Gansbrok elves are noted for having "lop" ears and smaller statures.
Exalted
The exalted are men and women born to great height and stature. They are also called "Augustine" or sometimes "Greatmen" and are often said to have "Grandeur". Exalted stand at over 8 feet tall, broad and muscular. Many exalted exhibit physical strength and speed beyond what even their massive bodies should allow. They are prized and feared on the battle field and most tend to be attracted to combat. As exalted traits don't tend to set in until after puberty, some think it is a trait acquired by highly physical, competitive and sometimes violent people.
Mercenary leader "Heidrian of the Storm" is perhaps the oldest and most famed exalted warrior, who is rumored to have lead mercenaries in the Aistoria and Akanis region for perhaps hundreds of years. Despite being grey and wrinkled and wearing hundreds of pounds of black steel armor, Heidrian is said to still move like lightning.
Spiritual Constructs and Crosstypes
A common misconception is that the various "sentient" monsters that exist in the world as human meta-types. Beings like the demons of Orso Moldano are "Spiritual Constructs", being composed entirely of spiritual energy that created through the impressions of human subconscious. A demon, through it can speak, is not truly a "demon", simply a physical manifestation of the idea of a demon idea.
As such, most spiritual constructs are rather one dimensional in behavior and personality and are barely sentient. Most humanoid monsters are spiritual constructs, though some are individuals born with unfortunate meta-traits.
A Crosstype is a being born from strange interactions between a Construct and a Human, a topic that is quite messy and variable but the TL;DR basic answer is that the mothers in this situation are almost always the humans. Most pregnancies fail with ethereal, strange fetuses early on. Pre-existing fetuses who were "corrupted"(Like Vayn) Those who survive are humans who take most of their genetic information from their mother. and tend to exhibit strange meta-traits and compulsions. They also tend to be exceptional in magical attunement, even if their construct-fathers represented something completely non-magical.
Those born from monstrous fathers tend to live short, violent lives, compelled by their fathers violent prorogation. Those born to more benign entities may survive longer. A crosstype fathered by a Dryadic spirit may choose to live a life of solitude in the forest. It is rumored that many have attempted to breed demonic crosstypes in Orso Moldano.
Also See
Extra Info - The NSFW on Crosstype pregnancy, other fantasy races and other stuff.
Categories: World Building