Bhaal's DNA
Buttercheese
Member Posts: 3,766
Alright alright alright.
So here is a thought I had been buzzing around that weird vaguely egg shaped blob that is at the end of my neck for quite a while now.
Bhaal screwed his way all over Toril (or was it just the Swordcoast?) prior to the time of troubles, right?
With a vast array of species and races. I think it's rather save to assume that most of his children do not actually share the same DNA.
Now the question is: Why?
Of course it's the easiest to assume that Bhaal simply took a different form (almost) every time.
But what if he didn't. Maybe he went Holy Ghost on a good chunk on those ladies or he only used one/ few forms to go Gilgamesh on them.
So this is my idea: What if the Bhaalspawn are actually genetical clones of their mothers and only their souls contain Bhaal's essence?
Maybe only a few Bhaalspawn actually share Bhaal's DNA, maybe none at all.
What do you think?
So here is a thought I had been buzzing around that weird vaguely egg shaped blob that is at the end of my neck for quite a while now.
Bhaal screwed his way all over Toril (or was it just the Swordcoast?) prior to the time of troubles, right?
With a vast array of species and races. I think it's rather save to assume that most of his children do not actually share the same DNA.
Now the question is: Why?
Of course it's the easiest to assume that Bhaal simply took a different form (almost) every time.
But what if he didn't. Maybe he went Holy Ghost on a good chunk on those ladies or he only used one/ few forms to go Gilgamesh on them.
So this is my idea: What if the Bhaalspawn are actually genetical clones of their mothers and only their souls contain Bhaal's essence?
Maybe only a few Bhaalspawn actually share Bhaal's DNA, maybe none at all.
What do you think?
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Comments
On the other hand, it's also entirely possible that the creation of an avatar imparts some divine aspect on a genetic level, that the "seed" of a deity is made manifest in some physical form and constitutes very real aspects of an avatar body. As such, the avatars would be "related" to each other in a genetic sense, on the level of something like siblings perhaps, or cousins.
We do not know much about how Bhaal "did it" in particular, however there are hints at him actually going and "performing the act", as it were.
As to the genetic specifics, we can only speculate. What we CAN say for certain however is that: cannot be true, as there are male children of Bhaal, which by definition cannot be clones of a female. That is not to say that magic isn't involved to make a "male version" of a female clone - a quasi-clone, if you will. Anything is possible. Magic is the all-powerful joker card anyway, since you can explain away just about anything you like with it.
The books and rules don't go into detail about the reproductive cycles and properties of gods.
And there's no really any real-world comparison we can use.
Bhaal being a god, could very well possess another creature or take the shape (and DNA) of an existing individual or even an amalgam of individuals of that race to create an average and then use that created form to spawn children.
After all, when you use Shapechange, you turn into a generic version of that creature.
Biologically, not two creatures are alike. So the spell could draw from averages of that race to turn you into one.
Now imagine what Bhaal, being a god, could do. Bhaal's DNA when it comes to Bhaalspawn could very well be the average of individuals of that race.
Can't gods sense the presence of their followers anyway?
If 100 elves worshipped Bhaal somewhere, he could take their average features and turn into a unique but also generic Elf. Then change their features as he liked and then do the same with all race combinations he would want.
I like to think of this theory as that program that combines thousands of people's faces into that country's average.
Gods' avatars on the Prime is something they literally create and shape it to their liking, sometimes they have multiple avatars.
They have no physical body otherwise and therefore no DNA. Their essence travels in the Astral Plane.
It's why only gods can kill other gods. One divine essence hurts the other divine essence. The physical bodies of their avatars mean nothing, so no mortal can kill them.
Well, the thing about dead gods is that they have the tendencies of resurrecting after gaining a certain amount of new followers. Which also holds true for gods who were slain by other gods. So perhaps its more accurate to call them "dormant" than "dead". Remember the talk with Myrkul in MotB?
Which comes to mind that the gods themselves are, in fact, creations of mortals "believes" given shape by overdeities, such as Ao or Io. This would also explain as to why the scions of gods can be of any race which actively is worshipping said deity.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wall of the faithless to demolish.
Then again, seeing as Bhaal sired a bloody chinchilla, he probably indeed hit on anything. Even gerbils. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if even Boo had a great-great Bhaalspawn grandparent in his family tree. *shrugs*
So a godly being with godly powers raped and impregnated mortal beings. I mean, can you say Zeus? Poseidon? Hades? Quetzalcoatl? (ok, it was his sister and he was tricked >.>) Well, unlike Zeus, he didn't transform into different animals and had his fun.
I think I lost track here, so whether it was before, after, or during. I'm just going to stick with the assumption he just went all rape-y. He's a god, he could've shaped his children on a genetic level anyway he saw fit honestly.
"N...no! Honey! You don't get it! I... uh... I'm gonna die soon! Yeah! Mortal, and everything. Sure. So you see I HAD to nail her. And her. And her. And yeah, those other ones, too. Spread the seed, you know. Prepare the resurrection. And stuff. (Boy I better come up with something quick to make all this actually happen...)"
Pardon: Used to be gods.
Maybe he couldn't get to this plane of existence anymore without that kinda link to the world through whatever, maybe its like that move The One where the spawn are destined to kill each other until one remains and he's then able to control/embody that as its closer to his abilities/is only when he can do it, or he could have also not existed on this plane very long and thus added the essence as much as possible before forcefully leaving? Dunno the rules for gods and if/how long they can stay around in their full godly power, but I like that last one personally lol.