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Nyx_Necrodragon
Acolyte

United Kingdom
12 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  13:12:24  Show Profile Send Nyx_Necrodragon a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
We're playing a generational game set in the Realms. Two of the characters are in a relationship and planning children, a drow (black hair and purple eyes) and a star elf (white hair, grey eyes). What would their children be? has anyone had any experience with running elven interbreeding?

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  13:40:57  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I believe the canon answer is that it should be of one particular race. I believe that decision was made for rules reasons (they couldnt design a system that allowed for halfbreeds without having 4 million races).

My own personal take is that like human genetics the offspring will have a mix of traits from both parents but one will likely be more dominant than the other. But then i have my own ruleset that allows for halfbreeds very easily.

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Edited by - Gary Dallison on 25 Jan 2018 13:49:43
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  14:34:49  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Drow-blood line wins even with only 1/4 drow. If you want to make a little switch do it with the eyes because there is precedent for drow with various strange eye colors based on parents.
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11829 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  15:45:40  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What Daz said. At least on Toril, there is SOMETHING that keeps the bloodlines pure to one of the parent's bloodlines. One of the things we've speculated about was that the elves long ago did a High Magic ritual to enact this (I think we said it was probably because they're racist). Oh wait, one of the things we were positing was that it had to do with the fact that orcs and elves are specifically noted as not being able to produce children with each other, and we were thinking that this was due to a High Magic ritual to stop the creation of elf-orcs. This didn't stop the creation of elf-human and even some noted elf-dwarf hybrids though.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  19:33:13  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yes, canonically, you have to pick one or the other for children (or you DM rolls some dice).

Genetics works very differently on a world where races were just 'made', whole-cloth, then one that evolved naturally.

Althou, after tens of thousands of years, you'd assume the chaotic nature of the universe would allow for the occasional 'half' among elves. Dragons are supposed to follow the same rule, and yet, I find tons of half-breed dragons in canon. Whole Dragon articles about some of them!

So YEAH, done for rules, because reasons, but if you and your group want to create a halfbreed, go for it, ut you're mostly on your own.

On the other hand, there is nothing that says a Crinti (Half-Drow) and a half-elf couldn't have children, and I notice that despite the coolness factor in THAT, WotC/D&D have managed to completely ignore that scenario (same reasons). Once you create a 'halfy' like that, fans will want rules to go along with it.

To be honest, with all the weirdness that happened with the Dark Elves in 4e (Brown/Black), you'd think they would have touched upon this by now. Of course, a drow that got turned back into a Dark Elf would just be a darker-skinned Sylvan (Wood/Green, or just plain 'elf' in 4e/5e) Elf, and then we'd be back to square-one with the half-breed elf rules again.

I notice even RAS avoided having Drizzt knock-up any of those 'fairy elves' he was friends with form the Moonwood. No little 'Gray babies' wandering around LOL (I am picturing tiny little 'Goths' with pointy-ears LMAO). And Salvatore has NEVER been one to shy away from breaking canon.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 25 Jan 2018 19:33:41
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  21:57:04  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I do not recall the original source, but somewhere it says that the drow bloodline will win out every time. Might be an old drow sourcebook or might be one of the novels.
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  22:03:44  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think it has more to do with the Curse of the Gods when dealing with Drow.

That borders on racial stuff I don't want to touch on though...and I think other authors are the same way.

That being said, I think since every other race of elf is essentially the same, you can just add whatever details you want.

Hells, I'd go with Twins and just have one be of each race.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  22:07:33  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If I were to guess, it comes from one of Elaine's books. I know she touched on what happened when the other elf races mix in Evermeet, so look there. I seem to recall it as a powerful drow lecturing about why drow rock so much. We are stronger, even our blood is stronger because hybrid children always take after the drow parent. That kind of thing.
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TBeholder
Great Reader

2428 Posts

Posted - 25 Jan 2018 :  22:45:39  Show Profile Send TBeholder a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It's always an elf of a certain subrace, but minor traits may get through, to the point that subrace is not always obvious for humans. E.g. Ashemmi.
For that matter, "visible" traces of human, extraplanar or presumably fey blood (elf + halfelf* -> elf*) get through too. E.g. the golden-eyed drow, or Belinda Moonglow.
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

I do not recall the original source, but somewhere it says that the drow bloodline will win out every time. Might be an old drow sourcebook or might be one of the novels.

That was about Vhaerunite settlements?
Isn't not necessarily related to frequency of the traits inherited. The drow have advantages, the rest is natural selection. Or simple math - in a non-separated mostly drow populace, the other elf subrace would gradually disappear via mixed pairs: down the generations it's 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * ...

People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch
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BenN
Senior Scribe

Japan
382 Posts

Posted - 26 Jan 2018 :  00:07:25  Show Profile Send BenN a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I notice even RAS avoided having Drizzt knock-up any of those 'fairy elves' he was friends with form the Moonwood. No little 'Gray babies' wandering around LOL (I am picturing tiny little 'Goths' with pointy-ears LMAO). And Salvatore has NEVER been one to shy away from breaking canon.


Actually, this isn't the case. One of RAS's characters, Doum'wielle, is half-drow, half moon elf (her mother is one of the 'fairy elves' from the Moonwood), and her physical description strongly suggests that she has traits from both parents. The picture on the wiki page (link below) is from Cutter, the graphic novel, where both she and her brother are depicted as a mix of drow & moon elf.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Doum%27wielle_Armgo
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sfdragon
Great Reader

2285 Posts

Posted - 26 Jan 2018 :  00:39:32  Show Profile Send sfdragon a Private Message  Reply with Quote
and mind you that goes against previous lore.

it is one or the other not both... though.. that might just be for surface elves or RAS forgot that little tid bit.

if it is just for surface elves than the drow traits would win out for atleast 90% leaving 10% other elf, so you could have a mud blood elf that has 1 purple eye and one grey eye and % on the hair.( or as been said 1 of each, after all khelban's twin daughters one is a human and the other is half elf.

why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power


My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234
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