Chimerism

Description

'Chimerism' is a congenital condition in which a person or animal is born with severe malformations or unnatural characteristics. These malformations are often described as 'animalistic'. The condition is considered rare, with fewer than 1/2500 infants born a 'Chimera'.

Symptoms

These malformations seem completely random with no definitive developmental cause, recorded malformations include but are not limited to:

• Abnormally large or small body size
• Unnatural skeletal structure, elongated limbs or quadrupedal body plan.
• Developments of keratin horn(s) and claws.
• Either full or partial areas of reptilian scaled skin.
• Growths of non-functional skeletal/muscular structures (wings, additional limbs, etc.)
• Extension of spinal column facilitating development of tail(s).
• Development of unusual optical structures (rectangular pupils with increased vision, Tapetum Lucidum for greater vision in the dark).
• Development of unusual sensory structures (Rhinarium for heightened smell, auricular muscles to orientate ears for finer hearing).
• Sterility/Infertility

Whilst the benefits of developmental structures seem obvious, very few Chimeras survive past infancy, due to these structures causing severe bodily harm to the infant (For example, an infant develop horns that curl over, piercing the body or skull, or the skull takes on a herbivorous deer-like structure that can damage the brain.)

Wild Chimera

'Wild Chimera' is the term used to describe the rare case in which Chimera animals that grow to maturity.

Like most wild animals, when forced they can display aggressive behavior. In the case of extreme growth they can be very dangerous to towns and woodland, with the strength to tear up trees and knock down homes.

Causes

Whilst a definitive cause has not yet been identified, current theories suggest the cause to be embryonic development in locations of high ambient magic concentrations (see Dogma of Magic). Whilst the statistic of 1/2500 is used to broadly reflect the likelihood, areas of high ambient magic concentration see a likelihood to be approximately 1/1000 (within Laey Lines) and 1/500 (within Laey Points).

Superstition

Chimera are considered bad omens in some civilized societies. Especially in civilizations that distrust magic, some use this as proof that magic is dangerous and humans should not have it.

In some fringe tribes of the Umber Wilds, this superstition is taken to an extreme with Chimera infants being seen as a curse which can get a mother and child ostracized from their tribe and left to die in the harsh wild.

There are a number of living Chimera in Sanctuary, in the shifting social landscape this superstition has lessened. This provides opportunity for these people who are often seen as outcasts.