Demi-Human

Demi-Human (亜人族) is a term used to refer to the various sub-species of Humans that exist. They exist primarily as a result of Twilight Valentine's various experiments with genetic engineering and cross-breeding. Since they are subspecies of humans, rather than an outright different species, they are all capable of interbreeding with each other and regular humans with zero issues.

Sprites
Sprites (半妖精族) are Demi-Humans who can trace their origins back to Elementals. They tend to possess longer life-spans and stronger magical force the more pure their blood is, with some of the purest members of it's races living for almost a millennium just from their innate power.

There are four primary families among the sprites that can each trace their roots back to a specific element.


 * Dwarves (地人族) representing the earth element and derived from the High Dwarves (地精人).
 * Merfolk (魚人族) representing the water element and derived from the Sirens (水精人).
 * Oni (鬼) representing the fire element and derived from the Enki (火精人).
 * Elves (耳長族) representing the wind element and derived from the High Elves (風精人).

Beastfolk
Beastfolk (獣人) are Demi-Humans who can trace their origins back to Magic Beasts. The original and predominant member of their family are Lycanthropes who possess extraordinary physical capabilities and the ability to shift from a human form to their inner animal form, as well as a hybrid between the two. Various other races, such as Kobolds, Orcs, and Rabbitfolk are degenerated Lycanthropes who over time lost their ability to shift between man and beast, resulting in a permanent mix.

While the Lizardman and Dragonewt races bare no direct relation to Lycanthropes, their nature of being part-beast is shared and their powers are functionally identical as a result, just with a draconic nature.

Others
While Demi-Humans are predominantly filled with subspecies that have adapted to Magicules and gained tremendous powers as a result, there are some races among them that were not so fortunate and are nearly identical to Humans in terms of power. This might have historically been seen as a blessing in disguise due to the immense prejudice towards anything magical in any capacity, but the recent era of Demi-Human rights established during the events of Territorial Seizure makes this no longer important.

Classification as Monsters
Due to the prejudice of early humans, as well as the policies established by the Western Holy Church, Demi-Humans were regarded as Monsters for nearly all of human history. Anything remotely magical, even some mages, were often seen as evil and persecuted as a result, being offered no human rights. Thus many Demi-Humans who often wielded fantastical magical abilities that made them resemble monsters, were treated with the utmost disdain and classified as Monsters on principle.

During the events of Territorial Seizure, due to the emergence of Tempest, Demi-Humans were officially recognized as members of humanity and given proper rights by the Western Nations. The Dwarf and Elf nations had been previously tolerated by the church, but even they were not officially recognized until this declaration.

Evolution
There are two mainstream evolutionary paths available to human and demi-human species, Enlightenment and Majinization. There is a third in the form of awakening the power dormant in ones bloodline and returning to a purer form of their subspecies, but this is only normally available to certain Demi-Human subspecies and only during special circumstances.