I've been thinking about this a little more and there's a biological situation with Miqo'te that's hard to ignore. Â Unless a female Miqo'te is willing to become monogamous and have mixed-race children (something the lore suggests is very frowned upon), Miqo'te would rapidly become extinct if the precious few males that existed chose to become monogamous.Â
I feel like for both Seekers and Keepers, regardless of how they feel about culture or how integrated they've become, the issue of reproduction and the very limited stock of males would need to be addressed. Â Obviously, one only needs a single male to propagate an entire species. Â Even so, I think that Miqo'te females could be monogamous if they want, but Miqo'te males wouldn't be encouraged to be so. Â
If the birthrate is something like 20 or 30 to 1, monogamy would quickly exhaust the supply of Miqo'te males. Â If something like that were happening in our society, monogamy would seem like an extremely selfish choice, perhaps a choice that's simply not allowed.
But if relationship/romantic monogamy was what was being prized, then it may not matter. Â Reproduction would be more akin to duty, not something that invites romance or long-term relationships. Â This way a Hyur and a Miqo'te could be eternally bonded but if they wanted children, the female would make it known (however Seekers or Keepers let males know they're ready for that). Â This avoids the problem of mixed race offspring (which again, the lore suggests his highly frowned upon).
I know that lots of people play Miqo'te as though they are Hyur with cat ears but the cold fact of their reproductive biology suggests that reproductive monogamy simply isn't feasible. Â I imagine that such a problem would invite all kinds of exciting drama in an otherwise emotionally/romantic monogamous relationship.
The simplest solution is polyamory but that word suggests love and I think that's a little strong. Â Reproductive surrogate might be closer to the role a male Miqo'te would have to play, regardless of their emotional/romantic status.
I feel like for both Seekers and Keepers, regardless of how they feel about culture or how integrated they've become, the issue of reproduction and the very limited stock of males would need to be addressed. Â Obviously, one only needs a single male to propagate an entire species. Â Even so, I think that Miqo'te females could be monogamous if they want, but Miqo'te males wouldn't be encouraged to be so. Â
If the birthrate is something like 20 or 30 to 1, monogamy would quickly exhaust the supply of Miqo'te males. Â If something like that were happening in our society, monogamy would seem like an extremely selfish choice, perhaps a choice that's simply not allowed.
But if relationship/romantic monogamy was what was being prized, then it may not matter. Â Reproduction would be more akin to duty, not something that invites romance or long-term relationships. Â This way a Hyur and a Miqo'te could be eternally bonded but if they wanted children, the female would make it known (however Seekers or Keepers let males know they're ready for that). Â This avoids the problem of mixed race offspring (which again, the lore suggests his highly frowned upon).
I know that lots of people play Miqo'te as though they are Hyur with cat ears but the cold fact of their reproductive biology suggests that reproductive monogamy simply isn't feasible. Â I imagine that such a problem would invite all kinds of exciting drama in an otherwise emotionally/romantic monogamous relationship.
The simplest solution is polyamory but that word suggests love and I think that's a little strong. Â Reproductive surrogate might be closer to the role a male Miqo'te would have to play, regardless of their emotional/romantic status.
Carne armum ergo sum.
