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Half-Elves are the sterile offspring of Humans and Elves. Because they cannot reproduce, their population is almost always relatively low and they are often frowned upon by inheritance-minded Humans, or looked upon with pity by Elves.
Nearly identical to Humans in height and weight, skin tone and hair color, Half-Elves are distinguished most often by their stunted "Knife-Ears," and so cover them frequently with clothing or long hair. More difficult to hide are certain Elven facial features when they emerge, as narrowed eyes, narrow jaws, and high cheekbones, or the gold-flecked irises that mark them as descendants of the Feywild. It is not uncommon for especially statuesque or bright-eyed Humans to be mistaken at first glance for Half-Elves, and to suffer accordingly.
Like Humans, Half-Elves can often live as long as one-hundred years, though they tend to age more gracefully and die closer to their hundredth year than their sixtieth or seventieth. Unlike Elves, they can grow body and facial hair. Male Half-Elves often grow beards to try to hide their ancestry when among Humans, or shave when among Elves.
Half-Elves in Orben
Half-Elves were among the most unfortunate children of any combination of races while the Elves ruled much of the known lands, and in many cases remain so. In early days they were almost always the product of rape, and in latter days brought shame upon their human mothers (revealing them as a consort to much-hated Elves), or embarrassment to their Elven parents (who often consign them to servitude, hiding them deep in their own households, their parentage never to be revealed). In this latter fashion an Elven parent might publicly pass themselves off as "taking in" a half-breed wretch out of compassion, when in reality they were fostering their own child.
The end of Elven rule did little to improve the lot of Half-Elves, and they have found acceptance in only the most integrated and tolerant of societies, like those of Beleri in Southern Linothor, or Myultaoh in Sulgate.
Half-Elf Society and Culture
Because planning for the future is an exercise in frustration for Half-Elves, most of them share little traditions with others and live in the moment. They have a reputation (deserved or not) for promiscuity and uncleanness, and can sometimes be viewed as selfish, thieving, or even kin-slayers if the events happen to tilt the strict laws of inheritance in their favor—Half-Elves and other half-breeds are almost always last in line for any kind of inheritance so suspicion naturally falls upon them after the favor of fate has. Because of such treatmen, Half-Elves often become rangers, adventurers, traveling merchants, and mercenaries, although they just as often work as prostitutes or concubines due to their infertility.
Half-Elves in Mhirdrun
Half-Elves are regarded as all Elves are in Mhirdrun: a danger to Humanity never to be above suspicion. It was a Half-Elf child who brought down the last Human kingdom, and few have forgotten it, least of all Mhirdrun's distant king, Precter, who has proven he will suffer no Elf of any lineage to hold power in his country.