AN: One of the most important chapters of the Archives: A full genetic explanation of Valkyrian heredity. Frankly, the overly simplistic idea of "Valkyria recessive, normal dominant" is patently false. Very few traits are only regulated by one gene, and even still, recessive genes have the tendency to appear in nonconsecutive generations in one-gene scenarios rather than going extinct.

This book was a landmark work in Valkyriology. Although controversial for its views on Euros and Darcsens (the two races of Europa) and for Förster's track record of human experimentation, its effect on consolidating the pool of knowledge on the Valkyrian race is undeniable.

On the History and Genetics of Valkyrian Evolution

Clementia Förster

The Valkyria of history originated from the frigid northeastern most parts of Europa, in what is now Kutska and Soberia in the East Europan Empire. This region, although not the richest in ragnite, was formerly known as the "land of the blue rocks." Instead of being buried underground, the ragnite ore was available at the surface. With such close proximity to exposed ragnite, it should be no wonder that the Valkyria developed here. This, however, only partially answers why the Valkyria developed in this region.

Ragnite, in the highly refined form used today, is a very stable and safe molecule, but in an impure state it is known to have mutagenic properties. This is especially true when impure ragnite is burned from a frozen state for fuel. Archaeological evidence has suggested that ragnite in this form was often used as a fuel, especially by poor Euros, who do not possess the gene for resisting mutations from handling raw ragnite as Darcsens do.

The first Valkyrur mutation to develop, according to molecular clock analysis, appears to have arisen some six thousand years ago from a Euro in Kutska. This coincides at about the time the Darcsens are believed to have discovered ragnite refinement. By itself, this gene is actually the one that causes ragnite reactivity, a condition occurring in about 1 in every 100,000 Europans, where the affected suffers extremely high fevers and seizures upon contact with ragnite. It is a dominant gene, but the fact that ragnite is so ever present in Europan life means that affected individuals do not often survive to reproduce.

While this mutation appears to be detrimental, genetics is about the interplay between different genes and how they may enhance, mask, or make up for each other. The second mutation was the most important one, developing in an individual known as "Valkyrur Eve." The mutation developed in the chromosome of the mitochondria, the organelle responsible for energy synthesis in all eukaryotic beings. This mutated mitochondria is capable of synthesizing energy at accelerated rates, explaining the unusual stamina and recovery of the Valkyrur. This mutation also allowed the use of ragnite as an energy source, as a better fuel for a heightened metabolism.

Now the mitochondria has a separate chromosome that is always transferred from mother to child. It is hypothesized that Valkyrur Eve or one of her female descendants married an individual with ragnite reactivity to create the first person with the first semblance of Valkyrian power. The heightened sensitivity combined with the mutated mitochondria of that first proto-Valkyrian to not only counterbalance any harmful reactions but use it to fuel a powerful metabolism.

The only problem now was for the body to withstand the continued stresses of its newfound power, and to be able to consciously control it. It is here that records from the Barious Temple come into play, speaking of the grand predecessor among these ragnite-sensitive individuals who came to grips with his power:

"The work of many generations done,
Seed to womb, new life begun
With powers surging in blue flame:
Pure blood now flowed within his veins."

Through this passage it is implied that these people had come to realize their identities as wielders of some power, however uncontrolled it may have been, and that a great deal of selective breeding was done to create the first Valkyrur. The genes to generate the Valkyrian flame, consciously control it, and withstand its enormous stress on the body are massive: At least 200 genes are known to regulate it, all of which are recessive genes.

Therefore, a Valkyrur is defined as a person who has all of these three:

1. The ragnite-reactivity gene

2. The mutated mitochondria

3. The correct gene complex to create the blue flame

After many generations, the proto-Valkyrur were bred away to give way to the true Valkyrur. At first, the Valkyrur were actually allies with neighboring Darcsens, who could refine ragnite even better than today's process. It was the Darcsens who forged the lance and shields for the Valkyrur. However, a fallout occurred that lead up to the Valkyrian conquest. Two reasons are thought to have caused this.

First, the Valkyrur strongly believed that the only true way to use ragnite's power was to channel it through the body in the form of the flame. This was a corner stone of their religion. Darcsens, on the other hand, had already built fairly advanced machinery using ragnite's power, which was considered heresy to the Valkyrur.

Second, it was found through political marriages that the mixed-blood children of Darcsen and Valkyrur resulted in an individual resembling either a Euro or a Darcsen with no powers whatsoever. The Valkyrur, obsessed with blood purity, could not handle this. As it turns out, the Darcsen gene that renders them immune to ragnite's mutagenic effects completely prevents the Valkyrian trait from being expressed, even if all three Valkyrur components are present. In genetics, this is known as epistasis.

Whatever the case, the war proved to be a bloody one. The Barious Temple tells us that although the Valkyrur were powerful, the machines of the Darcsen were a match for them, and only the power of numerous Final Flames was capable of destroying these "temples of dark arts." Barious, once the capital of the dominant Darcsen race, was reduced to rubble in the ultimate battle, and the Darcsens scattered.

Even with Valkyrian victory, there had always been many more Darcsens than Valkyrur. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but the Valkyrur, who relied on blood purity to sustain their power, were hit with a greater impact. They relied on inbreeding to sustain themselves, and as a result insanity and other genetic disorders crept up into their descendants.

It was then that the final few Valkyria realized an important secret. While the Darcsens possessed the gene that would turn off their powers, they actually did possess many of the recessive genes in the gene complex. In a sense, they could be a time capsule to cultivate all the recessive genes needed for the gene complex, in the hopes that a Valkyrian woman could later reactivate the Valkyrur again. They found these genetic time capsules in the traitor Darcsen clan that had joined them in the Valkyrian War: The House Randgriz.

Prior to this, the harems of Euro females that the Valkyrur kept dispersed the genes into the Euro population in the form of bastard children. Many of these genes, indeed, are present in some form or another in all Euro today. However, the mitochondria from the mother proves to be the great limiter. Somewhere in time, there must have been a secret union between a Valkyrian woman and a Euro male to create a female Carrier. Indeed, it can be demonstrated that all natural Valkyria today come from three Carriers in the far reaches of time.

The offspring of the Carriers who have all three components of the Valkyrur, however, are not completely like the Valkyrur of old. They have the appearance of Euro, and their powers only manifest themselves if artificially stimulated, or if severe injury is incurred.

It appears too, that the gene complex is actually incompletely dominant. Individuals whose gene complex is completely heterozygous may also demonstrate Valkyrian powers, but they need contact with extremely refined ragnite as well as severe injury.