Fey-Kin

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Half-Elf

Between two worlds, between two peoples, some of each and part of neither.

Origins

All discussions of half-elf origins are indelicate. The reason is simple: All half-elves are fusions between the Fey origins of the Elves and the very mundane origins of the Humans. Elves tend to view Half-Elves as a bit embarrassing, tangible proof that somewhere, somehow, an Elf succumbed to a bad case of 'jungle fever.' Humans would be more accepting, except that typically of Humans, they resent the fact that Half-Elves live longer than they do, which naturally drives humans into fits because the half-elf is getting one over on them.

In simple fact, most half-elves are NOT the offspring of a bad case of 'jungle fever', or even less unsavory things. Half-Elves are a stable race in their own right, the Fey and the Mundane settling into an uneasy but permanent alliance. In many ways, half-Elves get the strengths of both their parent races, but they are emphatically their own race as well. Since Elves tend to treat them like embarrassing pets, like that dog that just won't stop humping legs, and humans have to work hard not to let their envy coalesce into spontaneous lynch-mobs, half-elves often form their own enclaves within larger cultures and socialize and marry among themselves.

Culture

Half Elves have no culture of their own, and it is perhaps their greatest weakness. Over time, it is probable that half-elves will develop such a thing, but it is certainly not the case in the game world. In practical terms, most half-elves live in modest enclaves embedded within human cultures. There are a lot more humans than elves, and while humans are all green-eyed with jealously every time a beautiful half-elf woman admits she's over a hundred years old and still looks twenty, that's still better than being treated like a pet or a game piece by the Elves. That said, half-elves have a huge advantage over Elves, in that there is no limit to the number of half-elves. It is strictly NOT spoken of, but Elves who wish children in good times, and who can persuade no other Elf to 'make a spot', can resort to half-elves. This is an uncomfortable topic at best, to all involved.

Half-elves tend to be just as driven as Humans are, with the advantage that they live a long, long time. When you can reliably count on three hundred years for your investments to mature, you take a long view of things. Sadly, from a half-elf's perspective, human cultures and nations are mutable, changing things. It is hard for half-elf to declare fealty to a king when they know that in fifty years or less he'll be gone, and they'll just have to declare fealty to the next guy, assuming the humans don't burn down and abandon the whole city on an apparent mad whim.

From a half-elf's point of view, elven society is also appealing for its stability. It's nice knowing that your bank isn't going to dissolve in only a hundred years or so the way human businesses do, and it's nice knowing you can make some friends and expect them to be around for the birth of your first child next century. That said, making friends with an Elf is tough business. For a half-elf to get an elf to treat him as a sentient being is an even harder challenge, as many elves tend to view half-elves as tainted lesser things fit only for amusement.

Starting Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5 ft. 2 in.	+2d8 in. (5 ft. 4 in. - 6 ft. 6 in.)	100 lbs.	+(2d8×5 lbs.) (110 - 180 lbs.)
Female	5 ft. 0 in.	+2d8 in. (5 ft. 2 in. - 6 ft. 4 in.)	90 lbs.	+(2d8×5 lbs.) (100 - 170 lbs.)

Starting Ages

Adulthood	Intuitive	Self-Taught	Trained
20 years	+1d6 years (21 - 26 years)	+2d6 years (22 - 32 years)	+3d6 years (23 - 38 years)

PC's

Half-Elves have no class or alignment restrictions.

Standard Racial Traits

All Half-Elves have the following Standard Racial Advantages:

• Attributes: Half-Elves choose from one of the following ability score bonus sets when creating their character. No ability score may ever be modified above a 20 or below a 7.
  • +2 to two different stats, -2 to one stat
  • +2 to one stat, +1 to three different stats, -2 to one stat
  • +4 to one stat, -2 to two different stats

• Size: Half-elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Type: Half-elves are Humanoid creatures with both the human and the elf subtypes.

• Base Speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.

• Languages: Half-elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Half-elves with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

• Low-Light Vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

• Mixed Messages: Something about the Half-elf physiology makes them more resistant to certain spells and mental attacks. Half-elves gain a +2 racial bonus to Will saves against spells and effects with the 'mind-affecting' keyword.

Major Racial Traits

Choose one of the following Major Racial Traits:

• Favored Class Adept: Beginning at 1st level, and each time you gain a level in your favored class, you gain the favored class bonus (gain either +1 extra hit point or +1 extra skill point) twice. This means you could use both favored class bonuses to gain two bonus hit points, two bonus skill points, or one of each. In campaigns where multi-classing is not allowed, your class is always considered your favored class.

• Specialist: Gain the Skill Focus feat for one skill at character creation. Gain the Skill Focus feat for an additional skill at 10th level.

Minor Racial Traits

Choose one of the following Minor Racial Traits:

• Unobtrusive: After years of social ostracism, you have learned to make yourself unobtrusive. You can initiate a stealth stance as though you have total concealment when in a crowd of people (15 or more). Furthermore, you add half your character level to your Stealth skill (round down, minimum +1).

• Wary: You have learned the hard way to always guard against random acts of violence. You gain a +2 racial bonus to your AC against attacks of opportunity.