Azirian Phylogeny

Evolutionary history

The people of Azir are all distantly related to each other, via a common ancestor millions of years ago on an unknown world. The two main groups of Azirian people are the "elves" (Nelya and relatives) and the "furry people" (Zireen and relatives). The Nikta and relatives are technically more closely related to elves, although often associated with the furry people because of their appearance. In addition to these groups are more distantly related people such as the Zaik and related Mizarian rodent-people, which have been created by genetic engineering.

The branching pattern of the Azirian family tree is influenced by two main factors. First, the opening and closing of Impossible Gates can allow a population to become established on a distant world, then become cut off from the original population. Second, when two populations come together on a single world, they can establish new hybrid populations, if they are closely related. For example, the Kireethin are hybrids of Zireen and Sangari populations that have recently come into contact on the world of Sharnirazva. Alternatively, one of the populations can outcompete the other, causing the less successful population to fall back to another world or even to become extinct. The Ttanissyn and Thruad are recent examples of populations that have become extinct due to recent contact with other Azirian populations (Nithra and Nikta, respectively). More rarely, two populations will eventually come to coexist on the same world (as with the Neyasai and Zireen of Rishai).

Azirian family tree

  5         4         3         2         1         0 (million years ago)
+---------------------+--+---------------------------Tanja
|                     |  +-+-------------------------Sayana
|                     |    +----+--------------------Klathnar
|                     |         +-------+----+-------Kaltani
|                     |                 |    +-------Lialia
|                     |                 +---+---+----Nelya
|                     |                     |   +----Yitha
|                     |                     +-+------Hlal
|                     |                       +------Miri
|                     +----+-------------------------(Ttanissyn)
|                          +-----------------------+-Nikta
|                                                  +-Neyasai
+----+-----------------------------------------------Binda
     +-----------------+--------------------Dhuli
                       +---+----------------------+--Sangari
                           |                      |  + Kireethin
                           |                      +--Zireen
                           +---+---------+-----------Varinnoya
                               |         +-----------Zoray
                               +-----+---------------Nithra
                                     +---------+-----Hralta
                                               +-----(Thruad)