Elf Genetics

I'm going to try to introduce at least one topic of discussion each month, just to keep things interesting. The July topic will be elf genetics.

Now, as per canon, there are conflicting ideas on how many High Ones were with Timmain. In the comics, there were six. In the BoTC books, there were many more, but an undisclosed number. Regardless, the genetic pool was limited and self-contained. After a handful of generations, you couldn't help but have everyone related to everyone else. In most cases, such inbreeding would lead to mutations and deformities. That hasn't been the case with the Wolfriders. Why? Is it that there simply haven't been enough generations to produce those mutations, or is there some other aspect of elfin genetics that safeguards them from the negative mutations caused by inbreeding?

I've always felt that since the palace was so big, it made since that there was many more elves than 6, like in BoTC. But that's still a limited gene pool. Well, technically we know there's only been 10 chiefs, and two were siblings. So nine generations, right? Maybe that isn't enough for elves. Plus, there was the wolf blood introduced. So that would introduce "new blood" to the group per say. Though we know all the current wolfriders trace back to Timmorn, so I guess that doesn't mean much.

So I'm going to guess it's something in the elves genetics. Since they shrunk to half their original size in 9 generations, their genes must evolve very fast. So maybe that fast evolution prevents inbreeding? Cuz each generation is that much different than the previous one? That's my suggestion.

We really don't know much about elven genetics. They were a highly-evolved race, and it's entirely possible that the ones that banded together to form the basis of the Wolfriders were diverse enough to create a safe gene pool for the tribe. However, I'm going to throw in my own theory: that Timmain's shape-shifting magic was enough to keep mutations at bay for her descendents. That, and Recognition may have come into play often enough to make sure the succeeding generations had the best genetic material to pass along. Just an idea.