Half-Elf
Magic Blood
Half-Elf families are quite the hassle if you ask me: at one side you have a parent you are going to outlive, and the other is going to outlive you.
Half-Elves, also known as Elfkin, are the result of Elves conceiving children with fellow races across Fabulae. Sharing the ageless looks of their Elven parent but the diversity of Humans, many have a difficulty fitting in either society. However, many try finding a place to call their home, regardless of their heritage.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Biological Traits
Restless Soul
Likes Elves, Half-Elves require less sleep than others. While they do need to rest, their bodies are resiliant against tiredness or sleepiness. Many theorise this has to do with their magically charged bloodline, which might lead to forms of insomnia.
Subraces
Thinblood
Formally referred to as Drowkin, Thinbloods are Elfkin whose parentage derives from Drow. Recognisable by their greyish skin and silver hair, many possess abilities of the dark Elves such as darkvision and light sensitivity. However, most are killed in Drow culture, solely because they are seen as blasphemy amongst their beliefs. Hence, it's rare for many to live long in the Subterrane.
Non-Human Elfkin
Some Half-Elves find their parent's heritage to derive from not just Humans, but rather from other races. This leads to other unique physical traits, such as Orc tusks or the height of Dwarves, which at most only change their aesthetic rather than abilities. There are even rumours of halfbloods born from outsiders, such as the elusive Fae.
Genetics and Reproduction
Half-Elves are capable of reproduction with their parents' races, although the children will always have some form of Elven blood in their body. Gestation-wise, their pregnancy is about 10 months, with a healthy birth consisting of one to two children at the time.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Half-Elves are typically found in the regions where Elves and other races co-exist with one another, although there have some spotted in other areas as well.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Elfkin have an enhanced perception of reality, allowing them to hear and see better than normal. Most blame it on their pointy ears being used to sense disturbances in the air, while others just believe their eyesight is better.
Like Elves, they also possess the ability to easily see in dimly lit environments such as dungeons and dark forests, making them handy for adventuring parties.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Half-Elves are the children of two fairly distinct racial cultures, making them mix elements of both races into their own sub-culture. Those raised in Human societies tend to share more Human traditions, while those in Elven ones share more Elven traditions. Few have the exact same ideals or beliefs, preferring to take the best of both worlds.
Common Myths and Legends
- Half-Elves have precise hearing: Some believe that a Half-Elf can hear a pin dropping down a hallway with their hearing, although that might be somewhat exaggerated.
- Half-Elves can see for miles: Rumours go around that Half-Elves have an eyesight that can see into the horizons. In truth, it's a bit less spectacular.
- Half-Elven ears are super sensitive: Similar to Elves, people believe Half-Elves have such sensitive ears pinching them would result in their knees going weak.
- Half-Elves are born sterile: Due to crossbreeding, some stories go around that Half-Elves are incapable of reproduction due to their hybrid nature, similar to a mule.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Half-Elves exist in a space between being both beloved and hated by their communities, mostly depended on how each views one another. Their kind is seen as the symbols of peace for some societies, others consider them merely bastard children of affairs with the enemy.
Human societies actually seem to work the best with Elfkin, considering them more akin to Human plus. Due to their enhanced senses, many end up becoming valuable explorers amongst adventuring parties while others just find comfort being around fellow Humans.
Meanwhile, Elven cultures are known to be harder for Elfkin, seeing as many barely live longer than their parents. It doesn't help that Elves don't have the same family ideals as other races, which leads to Elven parents abandoning their children once they're mature enough.
Thinbloods, however, end up with the worst relationships. For many their existence is taboo in Drow ideals. They are hunted down to try and purify the tainted bloodlines of the Dark Elf society. More often than not, this leads to them living in isolation of the outside world to avoid being found out about their existence.
Half-Elf Players
Half-Elves are the border between two very distinct societies, having difficulty fitting either one. As such, they seek to find a place to belong or feel at home. Whether it be with an adventuring party, or people who also don't belong anywhere in the world.
1.52m - 1.98m
41 kg - 82 kg
Hi ! This article was great to read. Looking at your world, it seems that the general fantasy races are all related, descended from the same Automna. That is a nice take ! To give you a bit of feedback: I'd suggest you align your text in the "justified" mode rather than in the left-aligned mode, to make the text blocks seem more solid. I'd also suggest you add some picture, if you can: like a portrait, for example. As for the content, adding some culture/settlement names that are known for being largely inhabited by half elves, for example, or some typical jobs they are expected to do (whether they actually do that or not) may be a good idea? In any case, keep up the good work !
Hey there! Yeah justified might be interesting but have been told it's sometimes hard to read for some people, so I mostly keep it left-aligned. As for the latter, yeah I honestly didn't want to get too detailed for cultures where this is prominent, but in interspecies relations I did mention their enhanced senses do make them handy in adventure parties. Thanks for the feedback!