Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-27320169-20151229190234/@comment-27718380-20160122095948

AlteOgre wrote: Right.

And on the subject of inter-breeding, consider that the situation described for the elite within the societies of elves and men doesn't necessarily represent what happened among the commoners of elves and men. Also consider that once inter-breeding starts and becomes 'accepted' the demographical impact after many generations (ages) may be quite significant.

There are indications that the Avari would eventually whine away and become mere sprites/faeries ... if they wouldn't depart to Valinor. It may be a very acceptable notion to assume they inter-bred and found that resulting in an acceptable alternative to continue their 'immortality' on Middle-Earth. I can imagine this must have been a far less attractive option to the Noldor and Sindar of the third age from the cultural-historical perspective of their peoples ... but would have become more acceptable during the fourth age, especially with the bond between Elrond's daughter Arwen and the Dunedain King of men. As the Avari had inherited a different cultural-historical narrative, they may have found it much easier to overcome the 'inter-breeding treshold', and much earlier too. Knowing how untrusting they were, I'd say they stayed more isolationists and remained, 'defying' the words of the Valar that they'd eventually wither away.