Half-Elves

**Culture:** "Love-at-first-Sight is often thought of as nothing more than a flighty fantasy, but it is believed by more rigorous loremasters to be an accurate phrase when speaking about human-kind's introduction to the Eldar. For thousands upon thousands of years, Half-Elves have lead tragic and difficult lives caught between human mistrust and elven disdain, finding that they often don't belong with either. Perhaps more than any other race, half-elves understand loneliness more keenly and while often considered attractive to both races for the same reasons as their parents, half-elves rarely fit in with either humans or elves, as both races see too much evidence of the other in them. This lack of acceptance weighs heavily on many half-elves, yet others are bolstered by their unique status, seeing in their lack of a formalized culture the ultimate freedom. As a result, half-elves are incredibly adaptable, capable of adjusting their mind-sets and talents to whatever societies they find themselves in. Even half-elves welcomed by one side of their heritage often find themselves caught between cultures, as they are encouraged, cajoled, or even forced into taking on diplomatic responsibilities between human and elven kind. Many half-elves rise to the occasion of such service, seeing it as a chance to prove their worth to both races. Others, however, come to resent the pressures and presumptions foisted upon them by both races.

In the last 500 years however, half-elves have risen to great prominence in the world as a bridge between the kingdoms of men and the eternal realm of the elves. Silith Istil, much like half-elves themselves, is a wonderous marriage of both cultures and has in such a short time become a major power in Alden Rhun. At long last, half-elves now have a home in which their numbers have absolutely exploded, their new hybrid Valian culture seeping into Castillian, Alexandrian, and Endian societies. Though their newfound identity as an independent people is still being formed, what is clear is that half-elves have officially arrived. " -*d20pfsrd/paizo/Fabian*

**Biology:** Half-Elves are a blend of elven grace and human brawn, lithe, and athletic. They tend towards the taller side with both males and females being between (5'8" - 6'5"), males on average are about (160 pounds) and females around (120 pounds). They tend to have their human parent's eye-color, but their elf parent's hair and skin tone. Though their ears **are** pointed they're much shorter than full-blooded elves as is their lifespan. Half-elves age about three times as slowly as humans but this is still only a blink in the eye of an elf, their life spans averaging between 240 - 320 years

In the matter of mating and relationships it depends on if the half-elf was raised among humans or elves with the half-elf adopting the social norms of those they were raised among. Valian social norms are closer to those of humans (like monogamy) but are much more accepting of alternative life-styles (like homosexuality) than human societies tend to be. Unlike elves, half-eves don't go through phases of sexual preference, but unlike humans there is a greater instance of bisexuality among them. It should also be noted that puberty for half-elves redefines the meaning of **awkward;** their human peers reach maturity well before childhood has ended for the half-elf, whereas in elven society the half-elf will start to have urges and new feelings their elders feel they are too young to be experiencing. The particular tastes of half-elves in the bedroom is varied and impossible to really sum up in a generality, often coming down to their own personalities and experiences. Half-elf pregnancy is gentler on the mother than that of humans, but more difficult and painful than that of elves, lasting a full 18 - 25 months. Half-elves are born either to an elf and human parent, two half-elf parents, or an elf and half-elf parent, a half-elf and human will produce a human child.

**Relations:**

Humans: Half-Elves find humans more approachable than their elven relatives because humans have a tendency to let one know *precisely* where one stands. Life among humans can be bitter-sweet for half-elves who live long enough to see a dozen generations pass before them.

Dwarves: The lifespan of the stout-folk is closer to a half-elf’s own than that of either of their parents. As a result, half-elves and dwarves often form lasting bonds, be they ones of friendship, business, or even competitive rivalry.

Elves: Their inscrutable ancestors often come across to the half-elf as aloof and ultimately unconcerned with their fate. While this is often an emotional exaggeration, it is true that elves tend to keep their lesser kin at arms' length knowing that their time is short. Some elves believe the pain of losing kin to old age is too much to bear and thus advise against producing half-elf children, more cynical and bigoted elves see half-elves as invitations of death which will eventually destroy the Eldar.

Halflings/Gnomes: Traditionally, half-elves both disdained **and** envied the frivolous carefree way the small-folk live. With the establishment of Silith Istil, many Halflings and Gnomes have formed flourishing communities with Valians finding their quaint and colorful ways enriching to their burgeoning culture.

Half-Orcs: Perhaps the most peculiar and dichotomous relations exist between half-elves and half-orcs. Those half-orcs and half-elves who were raised among their non-human kin normally see one another as hated and ancient foes. However, half-elves who have been marginalized by society feel a deep, almost instant kinship with half-orcs, knowing their burdens are often that much harder because of their appearance and somewhat brutish nature. Not all half-orcs are inclined or able to understand such empathy, but those who do often find themselves with a dedicated diplomat, liaison, and apologist.

Drow: Half-Elves raised among elves recognize Drow as bitter enemies, and those raised among humans likely have little opinion beyond the general knowledge that they are dangerous foes. Valians in particular however share the elven zeal of destroying the drow wherever they are found

Those few half-elves born of humans and drow, like most half-orcs, are commonly born out of violence and savagery that leaves the child unwanted by its mother if not killed outright. Moreover, as the physical features of half-drow clearly mark their parentage, crafting a reputation founded on deeds and character instead of heritage is more challenging for them. Even the most empathetic of other half-elves balk at the sight of a half-drow as the dark elves have made themselves every bit as hated by the civilized races as orcs or goblins.

**Alignment and Religion**: "Half-elves’ isolation strongly influences their characters and philosophies. Cruelty does not come naturally to them, nor does blending in or bending to societal convention. Half-elves’ lack of a unified culture makes them less likely to turn to religion, but those who do generally follow the common faiths of their homeland. Others come to religion and worship later in their lives, especially if they have been made to feel part of a community through faith or the work of clerical figures. Some half-elves feel the pull of the divine but live beyond the formal religious instruction of society, such individuals often worship ideas and concepts like freedom, harmony, or balance, or the primal forces of the world." -*d20pfsrd/paizo*