Sometimes known by their adopted name, Ayr'Dal, half elves are the surprisingly common offspring of
Human and
Elf parents (or, in some cases, of two half elf parents). Most half elves have
Wood Elf blood, but as any
Elf can breed with a
Human to create a half-elf, rare half-
High Elves and even rarer half-
Dark Elves exist as well. Though blessed with many of the advantages of both the
Human and
Elven sides of their lineage, most half elves do not lead easy lives. They are not an independent race with their own society, nor do they truly fit in to either parent's culture. In general, a half elf's life is a constant struggle to find a place to fit in and to forge friendships with those who tend always to see him as an outsider.
Homeland
Half elves have no homeland of their own. They can be found in any
Human,
Wood Elf, or more rarely,
High Elf city. Fewer still take up residence with other races. Many half elves eventually migrate to
Qeynos, where they gain more acceptance than in most other lands.
Demeanor
Most half elves come to accept that no society truly claims them as citizens, and many decide that they have no more in common with
Humans or
Wood Elves than they do with
Dwarves and
Gnomes. They concentrate on forming close circles of trusted friends, regardless of race, and see themselves in a unique position to travel freely among many peoples. Of course,
Dark Elves,
Iksar,
Ogres, and
Trolls like half elves no more than they do either parent race, and — in the latter case at least — care more about what a half elf tastes like than about an individual half elf's personal philosophy.
Other half elves see enough injustice and prejudice early in their lives that they feel compelled to take up arms against such evils. Occasionally these half elves become jaded and embittered as they face endless struggles with few thanks, and eventually become so consumed by their own desires that they turn to thievery or brigandry in rebellion against the cities and people who spurn them. More commonly, though, half elves see the world as a place to be explored and use their lack of a home as a reason to travel extensively and deal with individuals rather than entire cultures.
Appearance
Blessed with the best features of both their parents, half elves are among the most attractive of all races in Norrath. In many ways, this beauty helps offset the cultural prejudice they face in many regions. Retaining the delicate features and to some extent the pointed ears of their
Elven heritage, half elves also have the thicker, stronger frames of humans. They tend to be slightly shorter and thinner than
Humans, and a bit taller and heavier than elves. Eye and hair color can vary widely, as among humans.
Half elves often have a strong sense of style, blending their lineage into something uniquely their own. Some half elf men grow trim facial hair (for elves cannot grow facial hair), while others maintain the fresh, clean faces common to
Elves. Similarly, half elf women mix and match the hair styles of
Human and
Elven fashion, often creating their own looks similar to both, but identical to neither. Half elves may take their clothing styles from either
Elves or
Humans, but those with tailoring skills often create tasteful and striking wardrobes that absorb the best qualities of all the cultural styles around them.
Religion
There are very few gods not worshipped by some half elf somewhere. Many half elves follow the religious beliefs of one parent or the other. Half even druids most often worship
Karana the Rainkeeper, or
Tunare, the Mother of All, and these deities are fairly common among other half elves as well. Those half elves who have been twisted by their bitterness sometimes turn to
Bertoxxulous or
Innoruuk.
Quests
Most half elves' lives are nothing but one long quest in search of a place to call home and a sense of identity. It is perhaps natural that many never find these things, instead continually throwing themselves from one ganderous situation into another. Half elves can also be driven by all the desires of
Humans or
Elves, ranging from pure greed and power-lust, to the simple desire to see the world, to the noble drive to stamp out evil.
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