Ling, he/him // Icon by @kyoshicafe // Mass-reblogger, commenter of fanfics, admirer of people who create. Also currently on a journey to be a better person.
-"I would like to rage."
I’ve heard the headcanon being handed around that Critical Role’s Fjord is not, as his profile says, a half-orc. I think there’s compelling evidence, as follows:
No tusks. I suppose it’s possible that a half-orc might not inherit tusks from their orcish parent; this isn’t the strongest evidence, but I’ll keep it anyway.
Uneven skin tone. Again: this could simply be a unique design choice, but it’s still worth considering.
Pointed ears. Granted, this is possible in a half-orc, but it’s certainly unusual.
Slit pupils. This is something VERY hard to justify in a half-orc. As far as I know, orcs don’t have slit pupils. Neither do humans. If Fjord were a half-orc, where would he get this?
Relentless Endurance: When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest. This is a half-orc ability that Fjord did NOT use when he was knocked out by the imp in episode 3. Yes, it’s possible that he was already down to 1HP, but: Travis didn’t say anything along those lines; Fjord was doing fine before the hit. Yes, it’s possible that Fjord is a new character and Travis simply forgot, but: Wouldn’t Mercer remind him? Yes, it’s possible that he intentionally chose not to use it for some reason, but: there’s no reason for him to save it. They aren’t expecting another, bigger battle so soon after taking down Cowrie, and with the party looking as rough as it did, it would make better strategic sense to use the ability so that he could help wreck the two remaining imps.
So, what IS our handsome friend, then? I’ve heard some people throw around half-yuan-ti or half-triton, but I personally believe that he is:
Water Genasi.
His appearance is consistent with the canon for a water genasi: humanoid, pointed ears, green skin, no tusks. Slit pupils are also somewhat fishlike, so it’s also an understandable design choice. Considering that genasi are descended from genii, I wouldn’t be surprised if one have slit pupils.
The entire watery aesthetic: the barnacles and seawater on the falchion and the sailor background. Canonically, most water genasi are sailors. Of course, there’s no requirement for sailors with ocean-themed hexblades to themselves be water elemental beings, but it adds another point of connection.
Acid resistance. Tell me if I’m wrong, but at some point, Fjord was hit with an acid attack in episode 3. Travis reminded Mercer that Fjord has “some kinda resistance or something,” in response to which Mercer cut Fjord’s damage in half. This could be an armor or item, but I think it’s very unlikely that Fjord would have a magic item that powerful at level 2. The only other magic item we’ve seen has been the money pot, a relatively weak trinket. If Fjord were water genasi, however, then his acid resistance would be a racial trait.
There you have it: Fjord is a water genasi. You heard it here first.
This is it. This is the theory I’m stanning.
After a quick google I found several thi gs that would back it up:
“Genasi inherit something from both sides of their dual nature. They resemble humans but have unusual skin color (red, green, blue, or gray), and there is something odd about them […]Seen in silhouette, a genasi can usually pass for human. Those of earth or water descent tend to be heavier, while those of air or fire tend to be lighter. A given genasi might have some features reminiscent of the mortal parent (pointed ears from an elf, a stockier frame and thick hair from a dwarf, small hands and feet from a halfling, exceedingly large eyes from a gnome, and so on).” Which if he is half-orc would make total sense and the lack of tusks could be part of his oddness.
“Water genasi almost all have some experience aboard or around sea vessels. They make excellent mariners and fishers. Like earth genasi, though, water genasi prefer quiet and solitude; the wide shores are their natural homes. They go where they want, do what they want, and rarely feel bound to anything. Good backgrounds for water genasi include hermit and sailor.”
“Genasi use the naming conventions of the people among whom they were raised. They might later assume distinctive names to capture their heritage, such as Flame, Ember, Wave, or Onyx.” FJORD
“Most water genasi look as if they just finished bathing, with beads of moisture collecting on their skin and hair. They smell of fresh rain and clean water. Blue or green skin is common, and most have somewhat overlarge eyes, blue-black in color.”
ALSO pretty much every Genasi image online has arm bracers. Which Travis has said he was very specific about. And check out thr water genasi’s arms
It seems like something Fjord could totally be hiding with his clothes
