This topic will feature additional insights in Alterran lore, usually in answer to questions from readers. If you would like anything explained, or a question aswered, please ask in the form of a comment. I will try to accommodate you. :-)
Enduring Monogamy and the Elves of Alterra: The Biology of an Immortal Species
A few readers have commented that they don’t quite understand the nature of the sort of eternal bond displayed by some of the immortal characters in Alterra, such as Gaelen and Ri-Elathan, or Shandor and Liathwyn. Because the readers (like the author) are human beings, they tend to view relationships through human eyes. Humans often seek a new partner upon the loss of the original one, and they frequently beget children by more than one partner. It has distressed some readers that Gaelen (the principal female protagonist) will never bear children. ‘Does she not love Orogond?’ they ask.
The situation between Gaelen and Orogond (with respect to child-bearing) reinforces three points:
1. Immortal species MUST have carefully restricted reproduction.
2. Natural Selection works, but it is imperfect.
3. This author is a Biologist.
Let’s deal with the third point first. I am, in fact, a Biologist, and my writings reflect it. The creatures in Alterra are consistent with an earthlike world. I can explain the environmental forces that led to the emergence of each and every one; to an extent, they all ‘borrow’ from existing creatures. Ulfar, for example, are a combination of influences from hagfish, lampreys, and Komodo dragons. Currgas have traits displayed by nearly every aquatic mammal on earth, but most especially otters and water-shrews. Even Olcas, the ‘evil minions’ of Alterra (all evil folk need minions, after all) can be explained through biology (see ‘Orcs vs Olcas: very different indeed!). Ok, so I won’t deny it. Alterra was imagined by a scientist.
Now, the first and second points:
In our world, there are different reproductive strategies displayed by various organisms, depending on their nature. Some species produce large quantities of offspring, but their mortality is high, and life-spans are short, as is generation time. Examples are annual weeds, many insects, and small rodents. They are referred to as ‘r selected’ species.
Others employ the opposite strategy; their reproductive rate is low, their generation time is long, as is their life span, and their mortality is low in comparison to r-selected species. These are known as ‘K selected’. Example are blue whales, redwood trees, and (believe it or not) humans.
Elves are the ultimate K-selected species in Alterra. They live forever unless they are killed or they choose to fade. They cannot suffer disease, nor do they age.
Humans are mortal, and in Alterra their mortality rate is high, though their life spans are longer than ours. When they become too numerous, they are often felled by disease.
If Elves practiced the sort of unrestricted reproduction that humans do…well…we’d be up to our elbows in Elves! Obviously some mechanism for limiting Elven reproduction had to be in place to prevent such an event. Now, lest you believe that this Biologist has lost all trace of romance, do not fear! (Those who have read my books know better, anyway.)
The bond between Elven life-mates is a spiritual one, but it has biological consequences. When any Elf meets the person who will become his/her life-mate, there is a process of bonding that may be immediate, or it may take time to develop. In the case of Gaelen and Ri-Elathan, for example, it was immediate. That tends to be the case when at least one of the partners is of advanced age. In the case of Nelwyn and Galador it took a bit longer and was more subtle, as befits the nature and history of the characters (Galador, while of fairly great age, had given his heart once before, albeit to the wrong partner).
Once this bonding occurs, it is irrefutable, undeniable, and permanent. Elves may have many casual relationships, and these may involve all sorts of pleasurable indulgences (for those of you who are curious). Childbearing, however, is restricted to the life-mate alone.
It is the females who control this in Elven populations—they have the greater parental investment. Therefore, Gaelen’s body will not allow her to beget children by anyone other than her life-mate. (There are precedents in nature, and I could explain further, but I’ll forego the pleasure.) She might love Orogond, but she will never experience the same depth of spiritual and physical union that she had with Ri-Elathan (‘Rain’). That union was so deep that Gaelen’s spirit was literally torn apart when Rain died.
Male Elves can beget children outside the bond of the life-mate—Galador, for example, fathered a child of a human female (Gwynnyth) before he met Nelwyn. Elven females, however, cannot. Therefore, the only children begotten of male Elves outside the life-bond are from females of other races, and such unions are extremely rare in Alterra.
Gaelen’s life-mate was taken very early in their relationship, and they little time to develop together. No children were conceived—there wasn’t enough time. Gaelen can pursue other relationships, even as she did before she met Rain, but they are casual. She loves Llewellys, for example, but only on the level of a very dear friend. Eventually, she comes to love Orogond. Because he is human, she can open her heart completely to him without intruding upon her relationship with Rain. When Orogond dies he will leave her forever. In the meantime, there will be no children produced by Gaelen. Her biology will not permit it.
Sorry about that!
--CSM
