Half-Elf

Called "a people who are not a people, a nation that is not a nation" the half-elves are defined by being not quite of one world nor quite of the other. Though they are found throughout the known world, anywhere both elves and humans co-habitate, they are not a "people" in the sense that we use that word. Each half-elf is a unique product of their particular background: this one an Elysian speaking Helionist, that one a Lunar speaking Shamsari, this other one a Stellar speaking Sunjati. Yet they are an ever growing portion of the population. Some have even suggested that, one day, half-elves will outnumber both humans and elves.

Half-Elf Traits

Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age: Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.

Size: Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision: Thanks to your elf blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Skill Versatility: You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

Languages: You can speak Low Solar and either or both of the languages of your parents. You may be able to read and write any of these languages depending on your Background.

History

It is not possible to write a true history of the Half-Elves, both because they do not form a cohesive group, and because they seem to have existed since before recorded history. The first explicit mention of Half-Elves comes to us from the first Quanar Shahdom in the form of a single line from Xenophon's Cyropaedia , "The Great King and his vassals and companions took wives from the defeated Hetairoi, and brought forth with them many half-breeds". Alas, this rather derogatory attitude towards Half-Elves is still rather common even in our own time.

Unsurprisingly, half-elves can most commonly be found in the border regions between elven states and human states, as well as in areas where elves rule over large populations of humans. They can be found at every level of society, from commoners to nobles. There has never been, as far as we know, a half-elven royal dynasty, although the great Zul-Qarnain sought to create one by marrying the daughters of the Quanar Shah Darius the Defeated. Only his early death and the tragic murder of his teenage son and successor prevented this from happening. The Diadochi who inherited his empire rejected their fallen lord's efforts to integrate the Quanar and the Hetairoi, and would instead pursue a policy of human supremacy.

Very little can be said of the natural inclinations of Half-Elves. Their inclinations are as diverse as their forebearer's, and they have pursued every field of endeavor known to Human and Elf. Warriors, mages, artisans, farmers, scholars; Half-Elves may excel in all of these callings. Only in two areas are their notably higher numbers of Half-Elves than the average: first, as diplomats (as may seem obvious) and second, as Bards. It is clear why this is the case; as children of two peoples, they generally have access to both cultural traditions, and tend to speak multiple languages. Indeed, Half-Elf artists have often been great innovators in the arts as they introduce elements from one portion of their heritage into the tradition of the other.

If this entry seems rather sparse, please accept my humble apologies. Due to the nature of the subject, any more detailed history of the Half-Elves would inevitably lead us into the realm of individual biography, which is beyond the remit of this endeavor. However, it is the personal opinion of the author that the true history of the Half-Elves has yet to take place. Their time in the light of history lies in the future, not the past.