Official art of two individuals of mixed ancestry: an elf-dragonborn and a dwarf-orc, by Nikki Dawes from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn pg. 164.[art 1]
Individuals of mixed ancestry are those whose parents or ancestors belong to two or more (typically humanoid) races.
The most common mixed ancestries are half-elves and half-orcs, though many others exist as well. Some ancestries are more improbable than others, such as that between a goliath and a gnome. However, the use of magic during conception and childbirth can facilitate such unions, though hiring a mage to do so is often expensive.[1]
Abilities[]
While some cases of mixed ancestry characters have predetermined abilities in 5th Edition, given how common they are, Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn offers an optional rule to create character that are the result of a more unusual union: according to this rule, the character might use the abilities of one of their parents' races, but exchanging one or two traits with those of the other parent. Thus, if a firbolg, for example, had a child with a triton, this child could manifest the Amphibious trait instead of the Powerful Built usually associated with feygiants.
Given that not all racial traits are equal, this optional rule works best if the swapped traits are in similar categories (flavorful, narrative-focused, combat-focused, etc.), and even then it is expected to give the GM the right to approve, reject, or revisit the combination to see if it works, or if it ends up being overpowered or underpowered.[2]
Notable individuals of mixed ancestry[]
Half-elves[]
- Keyleth: Druid, member of Vox Machina, headmaster of the Air Ashari
- Vax'ildan: Rogue/paladin, member of Vox Machina, Champion of the Raven Queen
- Vex'ahlia: Ranger, member of Vox Machina, Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt and Coinmistress on the Tal'Dorei Council
- Sarenne de Chastain (probably): Blood hunter, member of the Order of the Lycan. She's described as a human, but with half-elven ears,[3] indicating that she might have distant elven ancestry despite not being a half-elf
Half-orcs[]
- Fjord: Warlock/paladin, member of the Mighty Nein
Uniya[]
Other mixed ancestries[]
- Blaine Kraverrogg: Half-halfling half-human necromancer and member of the League of Miracles[4]
- Brevyn Oakbender: Half-goliath half-human blood hunter and a member of the Tombtakers[5]
- Duncan (probably): Halfling from Byroden with suspected gnomish ancestry.[6]
- Greisalda Cassios: Half-dragonborn half-human curator of the Cobalt Reserve[7]
- Haylie and Topher: Half-firbolg half-human children born during the Calamity[8]
- Hutchin (presumably): Dragonborn who appeared to have serpentfolk heritage.[9]
- Jester Lavorre: Tiefling cleric with a water genasi father, member of the Mighty Nein
- Yulan (probably): Human with triton ancestry.[10]
- Two guards in Kymal looked like a monstrous mix of dragonborn and lizardfolk,[11] with a little orc ancestry mixed in.[12]
Planetouched mixes[]
Some humanoid races exist due to the presence of blood from other planes in their lineages, giving rise to individuals completely different from the families in which they originated.
Aasimar[]
While most are born in fully mortal families,[13] some aasimars are born from the union of a humanoid and a celestial, like an angel.[14][15]
Genasi[]
While some can get their power from an Elemental Plane or a powerful elemental event like a storm,[16][17] other genasi are born from the union of a humanoid and an elemental, usually a genie.[18]
Hexblood[]
While some were created in the Fey Realm or were blessed/cursed by powerful magic connected to nature, other hexbloods are the result of the union/bargain of a humanoid and a powerful fey, such as a hag.[19][20]
Tiefling[]
While many lineages began through bargains and deals with forces of the lower planes,[21] usually the Nine Hells, some tieflings are born from the union of a humanoid and a fiend.[16]
Trivia[]
- Uthodurn is a city primarily of elves and dwarves, and those who have mixed elf-dwarf ancestry are locally called "attalwen", meaning "two-hearted".[22]
- Fey entities, when having children with other fey, seem to produce members of a single fey type: an example of this is Fearne Calloway, the faun daughter of another faun, Birdie Calloway, and an elf-looking fey, Athion Zathuda. Moreover, fey can change their appearance, gender and type several times during their life in order to reflect their feelings and nature,[23] so even individuals that would be of mixed ancestry are full members of the fey type they incarnate in any given moment.
References[]
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, pp. 163–164.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 164.
- ↑ Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, p. 32.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 58.
- ↑ Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, p. 74 and 75.
- ↑ See Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin, p. 5.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 59.
- ↑ See "Downfall: Part One" (3x99) at 0:51:59.
- ↑ She had a more slender, snake-like build than the norm, with a tall neck, a head coming to a point, and bright golden eyes. See "A Hungry Jungle" (3x18) at 2:12:45.
- ↑ See "Onward to Vesrah" (1x87) at 3:12:33.
- ↑ See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 1" (E2x01) at 2:56:23.
- ↑ See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 1" (E2x01) at 3:00:10.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 167.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 166.
- ↑ Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, p. 255.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 28.
- ↑ See Call of the Netherdeep, p. 11.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp. 170–172.
- ↑ See "The Dire Descent" (RT2x03).
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, p. 18.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 163.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 120.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 123.
Art:
- ↑ Official art of two individuals of mixed ancestry: an elf-dragonborn and a dwarf-orc, by Nikki Dawes from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn pg. 164. Used with permission.