Mixed Races
There's no restrictions or social stigma around interracial marriages within Genesis, and despite their differences most of the races are similar enough to have viable children. Mixed-race individuals are relatively rare for a variety of reasons and don't generally exist in large enough numbers to have communities of their own, but are well-accepted alongside their racially distinct kin.
The following is a list of potential mixes, as well as some notes about the specifics of particular blends of ancestry.
HUMAN/ELVEN
Human/elven individuals, most commonly referred to as half-elves, inherit a fairly even blend of both parents' genetics. Their appearance can vary widely in terms of hair, eyecolor, and skintone norms, but they tend towards the slight build of their elven parent and have subtly pointed ears. A half-elven lifespan is somewhere between the ranges of their respective parents and averages from 100-150 years.
Human/elven relationships are some of the most common, since both races frequently live alongside one another, but low elven birthrates mean that children are difficult. Many couples will never have children, and more than one is practically unheard of. HUMAN/SHAPESHIFTER
Human/shifter individuals are called wildlings, and heavily favor their shapeshifter parents in terms of appearance. The primary difference between half and full shifters lies in their inherited ability to change form; while full shifters can theoretically take on an infinite number of forms, wildlings can only take on a single animal form. This lack of flexibility means that they can have difficulty living as a part of a shapeshifter pack, and many choose to live with their human parent.
Human/shapeshifter relationships are relatively rare, since the two races infrequently cross paths. Most often they're the result of lone shapeshifters and similarly solitary humans who form a bond while living in the wilderness, or less frequently result from lone shapeshifters choosing to live as a part of a human settlement. There's no major barriers to having children, and human/shapeshifter couples are as viable reproductively as either of the races individually. ELVEN/SHAPESHIFTER
Elven/shapeshifter individuals are exceedingly rare, and have no specific name to describe their heritage. When they do occur many find their appearance somewhat unsettling due to a slightly feral cast to their appearance that becomes more pronounced in the face. They look largely elven, but with mid to dark skintone, amber eyes and dark hair, and will sometimes express animalistic traits like horns, fangs, or claws. Elven/shapeshifter lifespans tend to be on the short-lived side, averaging no longer than a hundred years at the most. They share a half-shifter limitation on their ability to change shape, only able to take on a single animal form.
Elven/shapeshifter relationships are very rare, due to a natural opposition in attitudes between the two races. On top of this they face the further obstacle of low elven fertility, meaning that children are even rarer.
The notable exception to all of these limitations is the elven kingdom of Fyrenstone shard, whose resident Wave Walkers are the result of elven/shapeshifter interbreeding in the distant past. That line proved strikingly viable, to the point where the Wave Walkers now exist as a distinct subspecies of elf that exhibits traits of their own. SHAPESHIFTER/ANIMAL
Shapeshifter/animal individuals are something of an oddity, seen as unremarkable within shapeshifter communities but regarded with some skepticism anywhere else. They have a sort of inversion of the typical half-shapeshifter limitation, where their 'true' form mirrors that of their animal parent and they then have the ability to take on a form resembling a fullblood shapeshifter. Their intellect and life expectancy are equal to their shapeshifter parent, though they may lean a step further than most shapeshifters in terms of exhibiting animalistic mannerisms.
Shapeshifter/animal pairings are usually the result of either feral shifters or those who heavily favor the animal end of the spectrum in their personal lifestyle, choosing to live most of their lives in animal form and with only loose connections to pack society. Shapeshifters are fully capable of communicating with the animals they take the form of, meaning that many are perfectly content integrating themselves fully into another species' community. SERAPHS
Seraph blood always breeds true, meaning they're capable of reproducing with any race with startling viability. Their offspring will resemble a mix of human and the race of the other parent, but have a Seraph's full abilities and affinity for fire; the age at which this happens can vary, with some exhibiting their demonic heritage right away and others not developing until the onset of puberty.
Human/Seraph relationships are the default for the family; their population size is too small for pure Seraph bloodlines to interbreed without negative effects, and they rely on a steady influx of human spouses to bolster their numbers. Any other mix is vanishingly rare, largely due to the family's negative relationship with the other races of Genesis, and typically only occurs as the result of forbidden sexual assault. Half-Seraph children face enormous stigma within Genesis, and their non-Seraph parent will go to great lengths to try and hide their child's heritage. NAGA
Like the Seraphs with whom they share a common ancestry, naga blood always breeds true; however, the extreme sexual dimorphism between the different sexes means that only female naga are capable of interspecies reproduction. Half-naga offspring vary in viability, and the naga are ruthless in carefully maintaining a set of criteria that they look for in newly hatched young. Those who don't meet the standards of the race are culled in infancy. Unfortunately, half-naga are genetically weaker than their naga parents and tend to live short lifespans in the range of 40-60 years; they're considered a weak, blood-diluting necessity and inferior to individuals with naga parentage on both sides, and hold a lesser place in society.
Naga/human pairings aren't a matter of love so much as a matter of genetic necessity, and involve a high degree of magical coercion to ensnare potential human mates. They rarely last long, and often involve in the death of the human partner. VAMPIRES
Due to the sheer genetic alteration that occurs during their Blooding, vampires are sterile even in their 'human' form. They cannot produce offspring, whether with their own kind or members of the other races, and can only reproduce through predatory parasitism.
Human/elven individuals, most commonly referred to as half-elves, inherit a fairly even blend of both parents' genetics. Their appearance can vary widely in terms of hair, eyecolor, and skintone norms, but they tend towards the slight build of their elven parent and have subtly pointed ears. A half-elven lifespan is somewhere between the ranges of their respective parents and averages from 100-150 years.
Human/elven relationships are some of the most common, since both races frequently live alongside one another, but low elven birthrates mean that children are difficult. Many couples will never have children, and more than one is practically unheard of. HUMAN/SHAPESHIFTER
Human/shifter individuals are called wildlings, and heavily favor their shapeshifter parents in terms of appearance. The primary difference between half and full shifters lies in their inherited ability to change form; while full shifters can theoretically take on an infinite number of forms, wildlings can only take on a single animal form. This lack of flexibility means that they can have difficulty living as a part of a shapeshifter pack, and many choose to live with their human parent.
Human/shapeshifter relationships are relatively rare, since the two races infrequently cross paths. Most often they're the result of lone shapeshifters and similarly solitary humans who form a bond while living in the wilderness, or less frequently result from lone shapeshifters choosing to live as a part of a human settlement. There's no major barriers to having children, and human/shapeshifter couples are as viable reproductively as either of the races individually. ELVEN/SHAPESHIFTER
Elven/shapeshifter individuals are exceedingly rare, and have no specific name to describe their heritage. When they do occur many find their appearance somewhat unsettling due to a slightly feral cast to their appearance that becomes more pronounced in the face. They look largely elven, but with mid to dark skintone, amber eyes and dark hair, and will sometimes express animalistic traits like horns, fangs, or claws. Elven/shapeshifter lifespans tend to be on the short-lived side, averaging no longer than a hundred years at the most. They share a half-shifter limitation on their ability to change shape, only able to take on a single animal form.
Elven/shapeshifter relationships are very rare, due to a natural opposition in attitudes between the two races. On top of this they face the further obstacle of low elven fertility, meaning that children are even rarer.
The notable exception to all of these limitations is the elven kingdom of Fyrenstone shard, whose resident Wave Walkers are the result of elven/shapeshifter interbreeding in the distant past. That line proved strikingly viable, to the point where the Wave Walkers now exist as a distinct subspecies of elf that exhibits traits of their own. SHAPESHIFTER/ANIMAL
Shapeshifter/animal individuals are something of an oddity, seen as unremarkable within shapeshifter communities but regarded with some skepticism anywhere else. They have a sort of inversion of the typical half-shapeshifter limitation, where their 'true' form mirrors that of their animal parent and they then have the ability to take on a form resembling a fullblood shapeshifter. Their intellect and life expectancy are equal to their shapeshifter parent, though they may lean a step further than most shapeshifters in terms of exhibiting animalistic mannerisms.
Shapeshifter/animal pairings are usually the result of either feral shifters or those who heavily favor the animal end of the spectrum in their personal lifestyle, choosing to live most of their lives in animal form and with only loose connections to pack society. Shapeshifters are fully capable of communicating with the animals they take the form of, meaning that many are perfectly content integrating themselves fully into another species' community. SERAPHS
Seraph blood always breeds true, meaning they're capable of reproducing with any race with startling viability. Their offspring will resemble a mix of human and the race of the other parent, but have a Seraph's full abilities and affinity for fire; the age at which this happens can vary, with some exhibiting their demonic heritage right away and others not developing until the onset of puberty.
Human/Seraph relationships are the default for the family; their population size is too small for pure Seraph bloodlines to interbreed without negative effects, and they rely on a steady influx of human spouses to bolster their numbers. Any other mix is vanishingly rare, largely due to the family's negative relationship with the other races of Genesis, and typically only occurs as the result of forbidden sexual assault. Half-Seraph children face enormous stigma within Genesis, and their non-Seraph parent will go to great lengths to try and hide their child's heritage. NAGA
Like the Seraphs with whom they share a common ancestry, naga blood always breeds true; however, the extreme sexual dimorphism between the different sexes means that only female naga are capable of interspecies reproduction. Half-naga offspring vary in viability, and the naga are ruthless in carefully maintaining a set of criteria that they look for in newly hatched young. Those who don't meet the standards of the race are culled in infancy. Unfortunately, half-naga are genetically weaker than their naga parents and tend to live short lifespans in the range of 40-60 years; they're considered a weak, blood-diluting necessity and inferior to individuals with naga parentage on both sides, and hold a lesser place in society.
Naga/human pairings aren't a matter of love so much as a matter of genetic necessity, and involve a high degree of magical coercion to ensnare potential human mates. They rarely last long, and often involve in the death of the human partner. VAMPIRES
Due to the sheer genetic alteration that occurs during their Blooding, vampires are sterile even in their 'human' form. They cannot produce offspring, whether with their own kind or members of the other races, and can only reproduce through predatory parasitism.
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