Makin' breeds.

[Narf]

Not technically a new species, because:

Elves can mate with humans to create half-elves.

This is true, as far as biology is concerned, elves are a subspecies of humans (or vice versa)

Dwarves are just on the verge of speciation, having just passed the minimum marker (cross species offspring are infertile).

If there weren't magick in this world this'd actually be a really interesting setup as it means that dwarves as a species were separated from humans for long enough to diverge as a species, and then reintroduced to the human population.

Elves were also set appart, but not for nearly as long.

Of course since there's magick, then there's also the 'wizard did it' hypothesis which is probably more valid in Zalanthas.

[Dar]

I would point out that the classic example of blacks and whites to elves and humans is a bit flawed. We're the same species the only variation being skin pigmentation. Elves are a different species.

Examples
Human having sex with an ape

I imagine humans managed to have sex with pretty much every mammal and on occasion ... a tree.

[FantasyWriter]

Since only once sentient species has evolved on out planet, we don't have a good comparison, but I believe the black/white thing is much closer (or would have been 20+ years ago) than the human ape thing.

[DustMight]

Since only once sentient species has evolved on out planet, we don't have a good comparison, but I believe the black/white thing is much closer (or would have been 20+ years ago) than the human ape thing.

I apologize for the derail, but FantasyWriter, how are you defining sentience - because there is more than one species on this planet that is sentient.  We just eat the others.

[Yam]

Since only once sentient species has evolved on out planet, we don't have a good comparison, but I believe the black/white thing is much closer (or would have been 20+ years ago) than the human ape thing.

I apologize for the derail, but FantasyWriter, how are you defining sentience - because there is more than one species on this planet that is sentient.  We just eat the others.

Just pretend he said sapient.

[lordcooper]

Since only once sentient species has evolved on out planet, we don't have a good comparison, but I believe the black/white thing is much closer (or would have been 20+ years ago) than the human ape thing.

I apologize for the derail, but FantasyWriter, how are you defining sentience - because there is more than one species on this planet that is sentient.  We just eat the others.

One capable of inventing pizza?

[Fredd]

I would point out that the classic example of blacks and whites to elves and humans is a bit flawed. We're the same species the only variation being skin pigmentation. Elves are a different species.

Examples
Human having sex with an ape

dog having sex with a cat

bird having sex with a fish!

Elves are not different from humans because of their ears. They're different because they're elves.

Then Jeshin, I give you this

Bestiality. (dog and human, ect) People do these acts on earth

Enough said

[Synthesis]

[FantasyWriter]

Since only once sentient species has evolved on out planet, we don't have a good comparison, but I believe the black/white thing is much closer (or would have been 20+ years ago) than the human ape thing.

I apologize for the derail, but FantasyWriter, how are you defining sentience - because there is more than one species on this planet that is sentient.  We just eat the others.

As the term is used in popular science fiction and fantasy.

Wikipedia/Sentience/Science Fiction.

Science fiction

In science fiction, an alien, android, robot, hologram, or computer who is described as sentient is usually treated as a fully human character, with similar rights, qualities, and capabilities as any other character. Foremost among these properties is human level intelligence (see above), but sentient characters also typically display desire, will, consciousness, ethics, personality, insight, and many other human qualities. Sentience is being used in this context to describe an essential human property that brings all these other qualities with it. The words "sapience", "self-awareness", and "consciousness" are used in similar ways in science fiction.

Some science fiction plot lines explore ethical concerns analogous to the concerns of advocates of animal rights. In an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Measure of a Man", Data, a sentient android, takes legal action to prove that he has the same rights as a human being. In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Author, Author" the Doctor, a holographic program by nature, fights for his rights as a sentient lifeform. The film A.I. Artificial Intelligence considers a machine in the form of a small boy which has been given the ability to feel human emotions, including the capacity to suffer. In these examples, sentience plays the same role as it does in the philosophy of animal rights.

In many science fiction works sentience is often used as a synonym for sapience meaning "human-level or higher intelligence". But others make a distinction; for example, in David Brin's Uplift stories, the Tandu are undoubtedly sapient (both technologically skilled and cunning) but only marginally sentient, since they regard other races and sometimes other Tandu mainly as potential prey.

[Dalmeth]

Human+elf sex is Abberant in Zalanthas, no matter where you are. But in every culture in the real world, you have similar things.

Taboos exist in places where cultural influences are strong.  Among the thousands of broken, destitute masses who have lost most of the people that make up their culture through tribal warfare, disease, or just plain misfortune, there are plenty of those who will favor just about anyone who is of use to them.

We don't play people quite that deprived.