Half-Elf
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PC Statistics
Favored Class: Any
Feats and Special Abilities:
Weapon Proficiency: Elf
Sleeplessness
Hardiness vs. Enchantments
Partial Skill Affinity: Listen
Partial Skill Affinity: Search
Partial Skill Affinity: Spot
Lowlight Vision
Overview
Half-elves are born of a union between a human and an elf. On Avlis, there are a number of different elven subraces:
Origins
All of the above mentioned forms of elf are able to foster hybrid offspring with humans, however combinations with anything other than Dru'Elian high elves are exceedingly rare, and almost never occur. Ghost elven females are too delicate to bear young or even survive copulation with humans. Thus, half-elves that are part ghost elf invariably have a ghost elven father and a human mother. Because of the male ghost elven outlook on life, this is unlikely to occur. For *Drangonari elves, the combination is rare because such offspring are born with what the drangonari see as severe disabilities, such as truncated wings and no breath weapon or ability to cast darkness, and they are not usually allowed to live. For Sereg'Wethrin, births have been known to occur through acts of pillage on human women during raids. However, these offspring are seen as inferior by the Sereg'Wethrin and a threat to their fragile race. They are always immediately hunted down and killed by the Sereg'Wethrin when word is received of their births. They relentlessly pursue this mission until it is completed, even if it takes decades to achieve.
Physical Description
Common Avlissian
A half-elf's appearance varies greatly depending on which kind of elven subrace their parent belongs to. Typical Avlissian half-elves have slightly rounded almond shape eyes, ranging in color from dark brown or black to a light blue or steely grey. Skin color is usually inherited from their human parent in these cases, as well as the ability to grow facial hair, which is unheard of in all elven races. Though their facial features are not as chiseled as a full elf?s, they appear more defined than those of a human face. Half-elves are also a little taller than normal elves, but shorter than average humans. Males regularly attain 5 ? feet by adulthood, and females easily reach 5 feet.
Ghost Elf
When fathered by a Ghost elf, these beings inherit a goldish-green color to their skin, and blonde hair. Their skin does not glow or give off light like a full-blooded ghost elf, however. Eye colors in these cases are almost always inherited from the human mother.
Drangonari Elf
Combinations with Drangonari elves are a sad and pitiful mix. If bred with a drangonari that possesses wings, the child will have them too, but they will be stunted and non-functional. Their skin is composed of rough patches resembling scales, and colors range from a pale sickly green to brown. About half of these offspring have slit-shaped pupils, and they usually inherit eye color from their elven parent.
Sereg'Wethrin
Sereg'Wethrin half-elves are rarely ever witnessed, but it is thought that their skin is a dull gray, and hair and eyes are black. Aside from this, they largely resemble half-elven Avlissian elves.
Relations
To varying extents, all half-elves are outcasts from their human and elven societies. For the most common type of half-elves, those that have an Avlissian or ghost elven parent, acceptance into the elven communities as an equal participant is hard-won because of their human-like features and shortened lifespan. A half-elf may have the exact same love of nature as their elven kin, but because they only live for at most three to four centuries, the elves will never believe that they can know nature as they do. Sereg'Wethrin half-breeds rarely live past toddler age because they are hunted down and killed by the full-blooded Sereg'Wethrin. Drangonari half-breeds are seen as disgusting aberrations by their full-blooded kin, and are often ousted from the community at a young age. Usually they are asked nicely at first, and more forcefully if the warning needs to be repeated.
For their human kin, accepting them is hard because of the opposite reasons; The half-elf's lifespan far exceeds the humans. Growing up in a human society is hard for them because they see their human friends and loved-ones getting old and dying over periods of time that seem short to the half-elf. Half-elves that are part drangonari or Sereg'Wethrin have the added strain of their races' violent tendancies taking their toll.
Most non-human and non-elven races barely make a distinction between a half-elf and an elf or human. Those races that have poor relations with the elves will often extend those relations to half-elves, and this includes humans in many cases. Races that have good relations with the elves, such as the fairies, will generally be kind towards the hybrids. Fairy-elf and fairy-human hybrids are often especially sympathetic towards half-elves, for they share a common theme.
Alignment
In general, there is no average alignment for half-elves. They come from so many different backgrounds and have such varying life experiences that they run the whole range of law and chaos and good and evil. Those that are raised around elves often tend towards goodness. On the other hand, half-elves that have experienced extreme negativity from one of their parent races may feel the need to strike out in a way that would lean them towards evil or chaos.
Half-elf Lands
There is no singular country ruled by these beings. Many of them exist among humans in M'Chek and the Kurathene Empire. Half-elves may also congregate in large cities, whatever the dominant race may be, if any. Places such as the Seven Cities often house many half-elves because of the cosmopolitan nature of urban life. There are also a large number of half-elven individuals in the nation of Jechran, where their racial differences are not stressed as much. A fairy hybrid haven known as Elysia lies near the nation of T'Nanshi, and this fortress has also been known as a haven for elven hybrids as well.
Religion
The most likely religion for a half-elf is the one it was raised with. If they were raised among humans, there can be many possibilities, for humans are varied in their religious tastes. They worship major gods such as Mikon and Valok, but also many of the minor ones. Those individuals that were raised among the Avlissian or ghost elves will often lean towards Dru'El.
Language
Half-elves raised around humans will use the common tongue as their main language. Many speak Nanshi Elven as well, especially those who lived near elves for great lengths of time, and it is not too uncommon for some half-elves to know some of the fairy or woodland languages.
Names
Half-elves will have human or elven names depending on where they were living when they were born. This is true of both first and last names. For both humans and elves, the last name signifies a family and can carry some degree of prestige which can also be carried by the half-elf in some cases.
Male Names: Alaran, Earar, Kohav, Maher, Lonovan, Larold, Saman, Tinan, Zeke
Female Names: Amelia, Delia, Gene, Melina, Nansha, Samara, Talyooma, Toova, Yeledela'dru'el, Yoofeh
Last Names: Arkald, Fenton, Ju?Eir, Sunstreamer, Trellewin
Adventurers
Half-elves are often tormented by inner fears and chaos that lead them to the roads of adventure. Many wish to run away from life and civilization, becoming rangers in the wilds, or druids. Some go the other way and try to lose themselves in city life by joining the underground societies there and learning the ways of the rogues. Many possible adventures await these folk, though some do not seek it out.