Dunyain children, the math doesn't add up.

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robizeratul

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« on: July 10, 2016, 03:57:42 pm »
Is there something fishy happening here? Kellhus is an Emperor, in the 20 years time skip why didn't he have more children ? Is there something special about Esmenet? Because the math doesn't add up... 20 years, that's 7300 days. Theoretically he could have sex each day, he is Dunyain after all, it would only take a few minutes. He also has an unlimited amount of girls, heck, he could even only have sex when they are most fertile... 
 
Even if the chances are 1 in 1000, it's impossible for him to NOT have other children if he really wanted to. Am I missing something or are we deceived ?

locke

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« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2016, 09:36:27 pm »
First, in general, given a healthy male and a healthy female, unprotected sex has about a thirty percent chance of conception, so long as ovulation is at least nigh. second, concubines are generally selected with care and esmenet mentions they did so. Third, males have limitations on the ejaculate they produce per diem,  even a dunyain can't keep providing viable quantities of sperm x times a day or whatever you think he should be achieving. 
Given this kellhus wasn't banging 7000 concubines over the years.

And of course there are the rumors about esmenets ancestry that may make her more if a genetic match.

And of course for thirty years of banging, moenghus only had one not defective progeny.

Edit, on my phone didn't realize this was q and a thread, sorry.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2016, 09:38:50 pm by locke »

robizeratul

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« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2016, 12:03:24 am »
sure, I listed the maximum possible number...however something between 500 and 1500 women in 20 years is realistic for an Emperor. 
 
Didn't know that about Moengus, 30 years? Didn't know it's that long... 
 
Still, thanks for the answer. I see there must be something about Esmenet...maybe we will find out :)

Callan S.

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« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2016, 12:22:49 am »
I think it's a combination of things

1. The gods curse his fertility because that's their thing, but they curse him slightly less with his, you know, actual wife.

2. It can't just be any woman, it has to be a special selection. So it's not an unlimited selection.

3. The public knowledge of his 'infertility' would be politically damaging, thus it can't be done blatantly

4. He can't just have children anywhere, they'd be picked off by political adversaries

5. He actually has a number of children. Given how he decided to kill his dad, maybe he felt he now had enough on his plate to manage as any of his children, if not managed right, might manage to kill him. The more children the more his capacity to manage is used up - it may well run out and how could he let something get out of his grasp, eh?

6. The time frame for the apocalypse means children of a certain age are simply of no use, thus its time to stop breeding.

themerchant

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« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2016, 10:14:32 pm »
he did copulate with other woman, they either died in child birth or birthed "monstrosities" or both.