Subrace Question

[Mr_Sandman]

Originally Posted by CeeDub

Or, as a bit of a mind-screw: Orc + Elf = Human

Or even Elf + Human = Orc.

Orcs are of course corrupted elves, but what corrupts them is part human parentage.

That's why changlings are monstrous. After an elf-woman abducts a young man as her plaything and gets pregnant, she gives birth to a nasty, orcish infant. Since elves are capricious and amoral, but legalistic after a fashion, she reasons that since a human man gave her an imperfect baby, it is her right to trade it for a better human baby.

Most of the orcs/changelings don't survive, but the few who do are very tough, and they pass that on, so their offspring are strongly orcish, no matter who they breed with. There would still be a detectable orcish look in someone who's great grandparent was an orc.