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Humans and Eldar are so similar both physically and mentally. The Eldar consider the fact the greatest joke of the universe. Both races have similar builds and organs. They have the same blood chemistry. Eldar may be taller and more slender, with faster reflexes and psychic abilities, but the last two can be argued for the evolved Humans foreseen by the Emperor. Both races think alike as well: the Supreme Arrogance of the Eldar is matched only by the Xenophobic Pride of Mankind. Rumors have spread concerning the possibility of interbreeding between the races, although the Eldar consider it slanderous while Humans consider it blasphemous. So, the question is, true or false? (Don't condemn me for this...just curious...)
Additional Question: If it can be done, would the children need Spirit Stones?

Tadashi wrote:Humans and Eldar are so similar both physically and mentally. The Eldar consider the fact the greatest joke of the universe. Both races have similar builds and organs. They have the same blood chemistry. Eldar may be taller and more slender, with faster reflexes and psychic abilities, but the last two can be argued for the evolved Humans foreseen by the Emperor. Both races think alike as well: the Supreme Arrogance of the Eldar is matched only by the Xenophobic Pride of Mankind. Rumors have spread concerning the possibility of interbreeding between the races, although the Eldar consider it slanderous while Humans consider it blasphemous. So, the question, true or false? (Don't condemn me for this...just curious...)

Where did these 'rumours' come from? Just curious.

As far as I know, breeding between humans and eldar is incompatible, but that may just be because humans find it disgusting on a heretical level, cause that means you're getting it down with a filthy filthy xenos. Eldar would find it disgusting cause, well, they consider the humans filthy, filthy mon'keigh and would probably see it in the same way as we would view another human being mating with a monkey.

Just sayin'.

Just came up across it while searching for Eldar fluff...a fan fic of sorts...can't remember the name...so I wanted to know if it's possible based on current fluff...

If it's a fan-fic, then it is obviously in no way canon, and just someone's own interpretation of the 40k universe. Unless you're thinking of Love Can Bloom's pairing (Vindicare and Farseer Taldeer), in which case... well.

Based on current fluff, I got nothing to say that it couldnt happen, biologically, though I am still under the strong impression it is still not possible. Regardless, the cultural bias and complete arrogance/disregard of the other race would make such a coupling nigh-improbable.

And even if they did breed, think of the children. Half-eldar, half-human. They'd be considered an abomination to both race, and would likely not find an acceptable standard of life within either society.

Then again, I heard that apparently a long, long time ago, RT-era most likely, Tigurius was half-eldar and that explained his prodigious psychic abilities. So who knows...

Love Can Bloom? What's that? And I thought Imperial Assassins were emotionless killing machines, so why would a Vindicare even do something so, well, emotional as couple with an Eldar Farseer. As for the Farseer, well they're probably the most arrogant among the Eldar so... And Taldeer of Dark Crusade? If I remember, the Blood Ravens overran her forces and she was killed in a stand-alone fight against what looked like Thule's entire Fourth Company.

Tadashi wrote:Love Can Bloom? What's that? And I thought Imperial Assassins were emotionless killing machines.

Google it, but caution, it is definitely NSFW. But it's just a fandom pairing that got started due to some drawings made, I believe. It's amusing, but dont take any of it seriously. Like, really, dont, lol.

Thanks for the advice.

Wasn't it implied in ghostmaker that the lady inquisitor had eldar heritage? Otherwise what worth would she have been to the eldar, and why would they have taken her back to their craftworld?

(Correct me if I'm wrong, I read ghostmaker quite a while ago.)

No, her mother was just killed by an Eldar, that's all. And she was trapped in the Webway when she closed it with her psychic powers.

Humans and gorillas are physically similar, yet cannot breed.

Humans and pigs share enough anatomical similarities that doctors and soldiers practice on pigs, yet cannot breed.

Lions and tigers can breed despite being different species.

Who knows?

Just be advised that some people have very strong feelings, either way, about such a suggestion. You might as well start suggesting female Space Marines next...

Nah, the last one's really impossible. Gene-seed implantation in females results in horrific, (and mercifully) fatal results.

It is more likely that you can interbreed with a frog, that has at least some genetical similarities to a human being, than with a lifeform that didn't even evolve on the same planet.

I have a picture of a hot female Eldar Farseer and a Vindicare Assassin looking at her from behing. It comes from Dark Heresy rpg: Ascension. I want to post it here but I don't think I'm allowed to .

Eldar didn't evolve. They were created by the Old Ones.

Bringing up genetical similarities is iffy.

Humans share astounding genetical similarities with both fruit flies and potatoes. Yet the market for "Potatoes gone wild" is surprisingly small.

Actually, the ancestors of the Humans were also created by the Old Ones. That would make the Humans and Eldar sub-species of each other.

Half Human / Half Eldar cross breeds were possible in the original Rogue Trader when it was much more Elves in Space and following the fantasy where it is possible. There was even a important member of a Space Marine Chapter who was a halfbreed - Navigator or Astropath - not near my WD's / Compendiums at present.

Given the massive technological and biotech abilities of many races - corss breeding is not impossible just unlikely.....most of those who have the Tech (Adeptus Mechanicus, Dark Eldar) are not going to do it unless there is a very good reason.

Asusual Chaos might try and make it so just cos its fun adn different.......and annoys others

IMO Its probably less likely to show up in official lpublicaitons these days but I don't think its ever been actually ruled out.

Tadashi wrote:Actually, the ancestors of the Humans were also created by the Old Ones. That would make the Humans and Eldar sub-species of each other.

Weren't the Orks also created by the Old Ones? Anyway, a shared creator does not guarantee that they are sub-species.

Just finished looking up Love Can Bloom...somewhat amusing, but rather irritating in some ways.

In old BL books (don't remember was it Ravenor, Eisenhorn or Inquisition War)) there were hints that crossbreeding is possible (though in form of legend). 'Dexes afair says nothing 'bout this matter though.

And for handwavium plausibility...well, afair CW eldar reproduces slow because fertilization includes and depends on more than just physical actions (what DE substitute by tortures which "invitroes" can "watch"),so in universe where psykers and Chaos run rampant...everything's possible.

Well, even if they did cross-breed, there's no way either race would accept them. The parents would end becoming outcasts, hunted by the Inquisition and shunned by the Craftworlds.

Human troops hoiked from their home planet to who-knows-where, fighting for their lives from day 1, and the unfailing proclivity of humans to at least try to mate with anything nearby and not too hostile, I'm only surprised the universe isn't full of cross breeds.
Don't forget, we're not talking here about "normal" people with time to consider the pros & cons, we're on about soldiers who are invariably scared, tired, too cold/hot/wet whatever, seeking comfort wherever it may be found, to put it delicately.

Tadashi wrote:Well, even if they did cross-breed, there's no way either race would accept them. The parents would end becoming outcasts, hunted by the Inquisition and shunned by the Craftworlds.

Why wouldn't the Eldar not try and kill the parents and child seeing if they're not punished, other may try the same thing. And we know from Craftworld Kaelor and DOW 2: Retribution that Eldar can fight and kill each other over differences.

It was possible then was retconned to them being incapable of doing so.

Disturbing prospect: Cross-breeding occurs, and both the Inquisition and the Craftworlds work together to hunt them down. When they're finally cornered, Harlequins pop out of the Webway and spirit them off to Emperor-knows-where.

Tadashi wrote:Disturbing prospect: Cross-breeding occurs, and both the Inquisition and the Craftworlds work together to hunt them down. When they're finally cornered, Harlequins pop out of the Webway and spirit them off to Emperor-knows-where.

Sounds like a great DH adventure or even a hort story .

Not even the Farseers can predict the actions or motives of the Harlequins. Who knows? Maybe a half-breed Eldar-Human would have the strengths of both races but not their weaknesses. Something the Harlequins would want to protect from the short-sighted Imperium or the conservative Craftworlds.

Tadashi wrote:Disturbing prospect: Cross-breeding occurs, and both the Inquisition and the Craftworlds work together to hunt them down. When they're finally cornered, Harlequins pop out of the Webway and spirit them off to Emperor-knows-where.

This would be a great Black Library book.

Cross-breeding is impossible unless the eldar were related to humans biologically and split about 50,000 years ago.
Just because species look the same, doesn't mean they're similar in any way.
Just look at dolphins and sharks-both big fishy things, but actually completely, totally different.

Mr Morden wrote:Half Human / Half Eldar cross breeds were possible in the original Rogue Trader when it was much more Elves in Space and following the fantasy where it is possible. There was even a important member of a Space Marine Chapter who was a halfbreed - Navigator or Astropath - not near my WD's / Compendiums at present.

That would be Chief Librarian Illyan Nastase of the Ultramarines.
Half-human, half-eldar.

Neither a Navigator nor astropath (Navigators are not marines, nor part of the marine structure/TO&E - same as for Astropaths).

Iliyan Nastase of the Ultramarines would be the example people are looking for.

I would say that the Old Ones created both humans and eldar, so possibly they used similar blueprints for each, why reinvent the wheel? Secondly, we don't know how eldar genetic material would interact with human. Maybe it would not so much as hybridise in equal proportions but overwrite much of the human DNA and consolidate it. Maybe it's a rare occurrence but possible.

You can't really make any claims about how alien DNA should work in a universe where humans and other alien species were created by super beings in a war against some other gods and their race of robots.