Is the WK mantle affecting Harry's sperm?

[raidem]

In the thread on Queen Succession Rules, the topic about "the point at which the mantle of Lady would be destroyed came up.  Mab defines it as the Lady "to become a mother."  Her statement is as follows.

"Three Queens of Summer; three Queens of Winter," she said, that alien gaze returning to me.  "Maiden, Mother, and Crone.  You are the Maiden, Lady Molly.  And for you to be otherwise, to become a mother, would be destroy the mantle of power you wear."  The mantle protected itself--as it must.
"What?" 
She tilted her head and stared at me.  "It is all within the law.  I suggest you spend a few hours each day meditating on it in the future. In time you will gain and adequate understanding of your limits."

We have seen that there is a self defense mechanism within the Lady mantle that prevents sex, but if push came to shove could a pregnant Lady exist.  We know that only 'to become a mother' destroys it.  Anyway, that is a topic of another thread.  Now shift back to Harry's sperm

I have wondered if Harry, wielding the Knight's power, is having his sperm changed such that his children from this point forward will have greater fae genetics. I wondered how such condition would affect a child sired by Harry with Murphy.  And should such child, fetus at this point, accompany Murphy in time traveling into the distant past to become Mab.

To simplify the main topic of discussion, I assert that Harry's future children will have very high levels of fae genetics.

[Mira]

   My guess is not, because the Knight is human and remains human, he doesn't transform over time into a Fae...  So other than the higher risk for some birth defects due to Murphy being in her forties now, the baby would be all human with possible magical talent from Harry's side.   

[groinkick]

Sperm needs to be warm to survive.  I would not be at all surprised if the Winter Knight Mantle makes the Winter Knight incapable of having children via freezing them.

This would make a lot of sense.  It allows the Winter Knight to have sex with the Winter Lady without fear of impregnation (means Harry, and Molly can get down and dirty, or at least the possibility is there for story reasons.)

On the flip side maybe it doesn't because it means that there is a good possibility that the Winter Knight can father a child with the Queen.

[raidem]

   My guess is not, because the Knight is human and remains human, he doesn't transform over time into a Fae...  So other than the higher risk for some birth defects due to Murphy being in her forties now, the baby would be all human with possible magical talent from Harry's side.

We have learned that Molly had distant fae familial connections which was partly what allowed her to be shaped into a vessel. She needed more 'rehab' than usual because of these distant roots.  It would follow then that a child sired by a Knight who holds power that originates from the Queens would be closer to the fae than what otherwise would be the case.

I'll go further to emphasize this, the Knight power originates from the Queens. So the Knight holds a Fae Mantle, part of the Queens and similar to many of the Elder Fae.  I think a child of the Knight would be considered a changeling, or scion because of this.

It brings me back to Allison Ann Summers.  Could she have been the murdered Summer Knights daughter? With Titania?

So, for my purposes onward I'm going to assume any child Harry has while wearing the Winter Knight will be a scion or changeling until proved otherwise.

Next question, Will Harry conceive of a child while wearing the Winter Knight mantle?  Did Harry conceive of a child with Mab during Changes?

[Griffyn612]

It's not necessarily the genetics that would be changed, but the spiritual component.  I still like to think that Dresdenverse mortals consist of body, spirit, and soul.  Being exposed to Fae magic might change some of the spirit, which could be passed from parent to child. 

That way, the body remains human. 

[Ananda]

Wow, there is a discussion about Dresden’s sperm. Butcher really needs to get you guys some new material. 

[raidem]

Changelings don't necessarily have to be first generation.  It could be a from a Fae Grandparent or maybe even farther back
Quote from: Twitter conversation
Question among my @HarriedWizard RPG group for @longshotauthor : would changelings be sterile? and if not how would the genetics work?
@DeusSolis @HarriedWizard No, not at all.  And cautiously.
@DeusSolis @HarriedWizard Consider it a dormant gene group that could potentially be activated by environmental exposure.
@longshotauthor @HarriedWizard So a half-elf changeling could have kids that when exposed 2 faerydom, child could exhibit faery qualities?
@DeusSolis @HarriedWizard Yeah, though they'd need more exposure the wider the generation gap was. It would be impractical at some point.

Jim says to consider that "there is a dormant gene group that can be activated by environmental exposure."  Based on that I think we can say that the Knight mantle is activating this gene group within his sperm such that should he sire a child, they will have a strong connection to the fae.  Possibly qualifying as a scion or changeling.  I mean we have Harry himself being suggested as not entirely human by Goodman Grey.  It isn't such a stretch to believe that his kids are going to inherit extra potent fae activated genes due to his exposure to his mantle and proximity to the Queens.  Let us not forget this exchange. 

Harry: I am only human.
Mab: For now.

So, I think we can consider at some point Harry's kids born after are going to qualify as something other than 'human'.  I'm again referring to changeling, scion, etc.

I'd also say he has an existing set of same or similar genes derived most likely from his mother.  I and others have found it likely that Harry is descended from some faerie or Vadderung.  We do have Maggie Le Fey as Harry's mother.  It is likely she has fairy roots somewhere.

[Griffyn612]

Jim says to consider that "there is a dormant gene group that can be activated by environmental exposure."  Based on that I think we can say that the Knight mantle is activating this gene group within his sperm such that should he sire a child, they will have a strong connection to the fae.  Possibly qualifying as a scion or changeling.  I mean we have Harry himself being suggested as not entirely human by Goodman Grey.  It isn't such a stretch to believe that his kids are going to inherit extra potent fae activated genes due to his exposure to his mantle and proximity to the Queens.

He's talking about physical offspring with his statement, not someone just exposed to Fae magic.  You're assuming (perhaps correctly, but not assuredly) that Harry has Fae genetics.  He might not.

[raidem]

One, I think Harry does have Fae genetics.  I mean we see that Molly had dormant Fae genetics with greater generational gap.  We do have Harry's mother gifted with navigating the Nevernever and earning the Le Fay moniker.  I think it reasonable to assume Harry already had a dormant gene group.

Two, Harry holds a Fae mantle.  This essentially qualifies him as some quasi Fae entity that operates in an area that straddles Fae and Human realms.  So, I'd imagine that the Fae mantle is changing, inserting, or activating this gene group for his future offspring and this gene group of course lies on the genes carried by his sperm.  That is why I posed the question including it.

[Rasins]

Not to poo-poo ... but I think this thread is all the evidence we need that we need new material to discuss.

[raidem]

Agreed.  There is a legitimate inquiry here.  It could be rephrased better, but still it would about the same thing: the genetic information Harry passes from himself to his children post accepting winter mantle. Would you suggest another term?

(Assuming Harry is at some point descended from fae and has the fairy gene group)
Does the winter knight mantle reactivate Harry's own dormant genes.
Does the winter knight mantle strengthen faeries genes within Harry's sperm thereby strengthening his future children's connection to faerie.

For Fix:
Fix has the fairy gene group.
He has the Summer Knight mantle and his physique/appearance has changed while wielding it.
Has the Knight mantle further activated these genes for himself?
Has the Summer Knight mantle affected his sperm, specifically the fairy gene group that is partly carried on it.

[peregrine]

I'd think that turning the Knight part fae would entirely defeat the purpose of having a mortal as the Knight who can do all the things the fae can't.

[raidem]

The fae and sidhe in general can kill mortals. Queens can't.  It wouldn't prevent the Knight from carrying out his duty to kill for the Queen.

Also, I don't think necessarily that the reactivation of his fairy genes means he is fae, I think it may mean that any fae genetics influencing physical appearance will get expressed, at least as seen by us.  I did though state that he, as a Knight holding power that originated from the Queens, is a quasi-fae entity that has a set of rules binding him, at least so long as he wears the mantle.

[Rasins]

I'm trying to remember, when Harry was on DR with the two ladies, did he mention that they looked alike now?

[groinkick]

I'm trying to remember, when Harry was on DR with the two ladies, did he mention that they looked alike now?

I don't think so.  Are you thinking about him realizing that Maeve, and Sarissa looked alike?