A-type and B-type Evon

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A-type and B-type were personality-based subdivisions of the Evon, an important species-nation in BHH. The concept was not present in all BHH stories; though initially introduced by Kerry in the Oburron and Jenner paracosm, it was Robert who mostly invoked it in later versions of BHH, whereas Kerry tended to ignore it and Tom actively rejected it. When the concept was used, it cascaded through the whole of Evonian society — the two Evon types were almost different species-nations, and most binaries on Evonia mapped roughly to the types. Ciarraí Teagwyn Kavanah and Mala Dzumach Kavanah were A-types, whereas Ajax Inuta Krassen was B-type. Sabriel Lunadelle Redena was more ambiguous.

A-type Evon were broadly higher-energy, more enthusiastic, more empathic, more manipulative, more ruthless, and less patient. B-type Evon were colder, calmer, more interested in the abstract, more arrogant, and cared more about ethics (rules) than morals (principles). Both sides felt that they were more rational and more intelligent; A-types tended to be better at applying reason to the real world and processing their own emotions, though they were more likely to act irrationally for fun or love, whereas B-types were better at pure logic and were less likely to be impulsive, but were often confused by real-world complexity and overwhelmed by their own undealt-with emotions.

In politics, A-types tended to be radical egalitarians, whereas B-types tended to be anti-political functionalists. The great majority of both were scientists, but the minority of Evon who were social scientists, politicians, deratas, explorers or artists were much more likely to be A-types. In the Oburron and Jenner paracosm, A-types tended to have names that began with i, be taller and have blond(e) hair, whereas B-types tended to have names that began with m, be shorter and have brown hair. Mala was originally imagined as a B-type so she retained these stereotypical traits in later versions of BHH, despite then being an A-type.

Other Evon types were occasionally referenced. The idea has its roots in "the game", where Lily Black was called an "X-type", and this term was given various meanings in the Oburron and Jenner paracosm as a label for a rare third type. Before branching out to become a distinct species-nation, the Water Evon may once have been a third Evon type based on intuition, patience and being faintly otherworldly and ethereal.