Zaderism

Zaderism is the name for a condition that affects nearly any type of Serenza creature; with those affected being called Zaderei, or Zaderic individuals. While neither a disease nor a disorder, Zaderism does produce some anomalies in those it affects, the most noticeable three traits being greatly increased durability, luminescent red eyes, and a dark sunburst like marking across one side of the face. The latter two of these traits are the telltale signs of a Zaderei.

## Origins

Zaderism was a byproduct of Jalenga curiosity and genetic manipulation as they sought to use alchemical tricks and manipulations to help better understand the world and control its machinations. They also wanted to see how well they could augment other races, which in turn meant that the Zaderei were precursors to the Kumenza, who were more of the finished product of these experiments.

Their original test subjects were mothers and women, and the result wound up producing a condition that affected more women than men. However, instead of skewing the existing gender ratio, it instead essentially added more females to the system, taking it from approximately a 97:100 female/male ratio to a 102:100 ratio. Gradually, this trait spread to most other races, affecting women of every race apart from the Arakos and Wakuda, and affecting men of every race apart from the Arakos and Wakuda as well. While it is commonly believed that Zaderism could affect male Shinzoka, no male Zaderic Shinzoka have ever been recorded to exist.

## Causes & Classification

Zaderism is a sex-linked trait found on the sex chromosomes of the humanoid races of Mencu (barring Arakos and Wakuda). Since most races have a similar XX (female) and XY (male) configuration as humans, this means the trait affects one sex more than the other, in this case, women. It is because of this that it affects women more than men, and the gender disparity among the Shinzoka is why no Zaderic males of the species are known to exist.

### Classification

Zaderism is an X-linked dominant trait, which means that males either have it or they don't. As such, they are referred to as Zaderic Serenza or non-Zaderic Serenza. Women can either have one Zaderic chromosome or two, and as such, they are scientifically referred to as either "Mza Zaderei" (one Zaderic chromosome) or "Kzi Zaderei" (two Zaderic chromosomes). Very few differences exist between Mza Zaderei and Kzi Zaderei, with Mzas being on par with male Zaderei, while Kzis tend to be remarkably more durable than their peers, and their pointed ears tend to jut out from their heads at a more outward angle.

### Genetics

Zaderism is a dominant trait, which means a male Zaderei will always pass it down to his daughters. If in the rare event he crosses with a non-Zaderic female, all of the female offspring would be Zaderei, while none of the male offspring would be. If a male Zaderei and a Mza were to mate, half of the male offspring would be normal, while the rest as well as all of the female offspring would be Zaderei. If the mother is a Kzi, all children would be Zaderei, with the father's genetic status only influencing whether his daughters would be Kzis or Mzas.