Half-Elf

Half-Elves are a race descenting from the cross-breeding of Elves and other species, most commonly Humans. Due to their mixed nature, most Half-Elves find themselves being torn between two societies, but never truly being in any of them; they are too Elvish for Humans and too Human for Elves. As such, they often act as diplomats or intermediates between Elvish and other communities. However, despite their preference for adopting one of their parents' cultures, there are examples of entire Half-Elf cultures and nations appearing.

Cultures

Diudyr

The Diudyr are a group of Half-Elves that formed the Diudyr Republic along the Bevur River, bringing a stalemate to the Ethelan-Melarond War. Both Ethelan and Melarond make up their Elven ancestry, with the human element coming from Harefo of the south.

The Diudyr are a proud folk who uphold peace and order for their communities above all. They value their security forces and hold a profound respect for authority, for it is authority that keeps order and order that keeps peace. Diudyr are trained in martial arts from a young age, which they use to protect their families and communities. Young Diudyr receive a weapon of some kind as a sign of reaching adulthood, which they traditionally carry on their person for the duration of their lives, and with which they are buried at their death.

Despite their emphasis on combat, Diudyr are strictly pacifists, and will usually refuse to engage in any type of combat (physical or otherwise) in order to protect what they perceive to be the natural order, which is that of peace and tranquility. Diudyr tend to believe that chaos and destruction is only permissible when it is natural, and that it is only natural when it is not produced consciously, and all preventative measures have been taken. For example, a disastrous flood would be permissible only if it had risen above any reasonably sized barrier, but not permissible should a properly sized barrier break due to poor design. The particularities of what is permissible and what is not causes some scholarly division among the Diudyr elite, but never enough to cause division among the community.