It's only mentioned that orcs and elves can't produce offsprings. However, there's no rule that forbids children between half-orcs and half-elves... or at none that I'm aware of.
What about Half-Orc Charname and Viconia? By the rules of biology, if two individuals can reproduce and produce fertile offspring, it usually means they belong to the same species (barring extremely rare cases, such as wholphins), so I don't see why an Orc and an Elf couldn't reproduce by the rules of biology, seeing as either can reproduce with humans and produce fertile individuals. Although, it might be because of a divine decree by the part of Corellon, seeing as Corellon and Gruumsh absolutely hate each other's guts, which might also explain why Drow can reproduce with Half-Orcs, as they are no longer governed by Corellon, although it also may be because of the demonic blood in their veins, which is notorious for allowing individuals to circumvent the rules of biology, divinity and sanity.
I really doubt that Bioware even realised half-orcish character would conceive a child with Viconia, and even less that they cared enough to to research the "canon lore" on the matter it change their planned ending.
@jackjack, that OotS comic was perfect to the topic! I belly-laughed. Thank for sending me to work today with a huge grin on my face!
And see, "male human with an orc fetish falls in love with and marries female orc, and they raise a child together" isn't so far-fetched after all. Looks like Rich Burlew thought of it before I did.
There are inspiring and heroic ways to tell the backstory of a half-orc or half-elf, and then there's just going really, really dark. Most people prefer to stay away from "dark" in their high-fantasy swords and sorcery roleplaying games, I think. Not all, but probably most.
You know, given the commonly accepted mode of Half-Orc conception. I am surprised that WotC allowed Half-Orcs to become such a staple of D&D lore, and that there hasn't been greater controversy (as far as I know). I mean clearly Games Workshop decided they couldn't risk it with the Fimir, even though Warhammer Fantasy is not exactly sunshine and roses either.
Having thought about this topic a bit more, and building on from what I said regarding AD&D 4th Ed, I think I am going to stop bothering too much about being particularly accurate about D&D lore. I mean I do love the richness, depth and sheer amount of content. I love how I could find a massive map of Faerun online, find any random named city like Phsant, and be able to find out some lore and history about it.
But there's also some things about the lore that I don't like, and I am going to take the liberty of interpreting it my own way, or just ignoring it. I think all players, to an extent, create their own versions of Faerun and its characters in their minds anyway, so I don't think it's important to fully understand the 'canon Faerun' as dictated by WotC and their writers. I am also certain that given the long history of D&D, there's probably loads of inconsistencies, retcons and contradictions, so there is no one 'undeniable' canon version of Forgotten Realms anyway.
They kinda tried to tackle this in 4th Edition, where in the loose lore of the core setting half-orcs have been around so long that nobody's really sure where they came from. Some say rape by orc raiders, some say a divine creation by the war god Kord, and others say why not ask a half-orc, which will invariably get you punched in the face.
Adorable perhaps, but I can only imagine the headaches of two wingless parents raising a flying child. "You get back here and clean up this mess right now - Don't you fly away from me when I'm talking to you young man!"
Adorable perhaps, but I can only imagine the headaches of two wingless parents raising a flying child. "You get back here and clean up this mess right now - Don't you fly away from me when I'm talking to you young man!"
IIRC some Aasimar and Tieflings are born with wings, and most are not the direct result of extraplanar reproduction, but rather mutations that make such traits reappear after lying dormant for generations. So it is not inconceivable that parents of such individuals are eventually faced with the same situation.
I think I read somewhere that some races cannot reproduce with some other races, for example Orcs and Elves. That's you have Half-Orcs and Half-Elves, though no Half-Elf-Half-Orc or whatever.
Humans are the most versatile biologically.
About the marriage of a Human and an Avariel, the child would be a Half-Elf and maybe with some patches of feathers on their back where wings would sprout. Similarly to an Aasimar. Though no actual wings, I think.
So if the child of a half orc and a half elf bhaalspawn breeds with the offspring of a dwarven Dragon Disciple and a half-gnome/half-halfling (quarterling?) what would the child be?
So if the child of a half orc and a half elf bhaalspawn breeds with the offspring of a dwarven Dragon Disciple and a half-gnome/half-halfling (quarterling?) what would the child be?
Kid would be rocking some good saving throws for sure.
So if the child of a half orc and a half elf bhaalspawn breeds with the offspring of a dwarven Dragon Disciple and a half-gnome/half-halfling (quarterling?) what would the child be?
Kid would be rocking some good saving throws for sure.
That's the spirit! Always thinking in the bonuses!
So if the child of a half orc and a half elf bhaalspawn breeds with the offspring of a dwarven Dragon Disciple and a half-gnome/half-halfling (quarterling?) what would the child be?
The child would be one hell of a majestic Mongrelfolk, no doubt about it.
Comments
By the rules of biology, if two individuals can reproduce and produce fertile offspring, it usually means they belong to the same species (barring extremely rare cases, such as wholphins), so I don't see why an Orc and an Elf couldn't reproduce by the rules of biology, seeing as either can reproduce with humans and produce fertile individuals.
Although, it might be because of a divine decree by the part of Corellon, seeing as Corellon and Gruumsh absolutely hate each other's guts, which might also explain why Drow can reproduce with Half-Orcs, as they are no longer governed by Corellon, although it also may be because of the demonic blood in their veins, which is notorious for allowing individuals to circumvent the rules of biology, divinity and sanity.
And see, "male human with an orc fetish falls in love with and marries female orc, and they raise a child together" isn't so far-fetched after all. Looks like Rich Burlew thought of it before I did.
Maybe Lamarck was right after all... :P Jk.
"You get back here and clean up this mess right now - Don't you fly away from me when I'm talking to you young man!"
Humans are the most versatile biologically.
About the marriage of a Human and an Avariel, the child would be a Half-Elf and maybe with some patches of feathers on their back where wings would sprout. Similarly to an Aasimar. Though no actual wings, I think.