Half-elves have standard racial traits, with the following modifications:
- Half-elves receive a +1 bonus to dexterity.
- Half-elves receive the Skilled feat.
- Half-elves no longer receive the Elven language for free. They may learn this language as normal through other means.
Description
Common half-elves are descended from humans and moon elves, sun elves, wild elves, or wood elves. While these people can be found all over Faerûn, this section describes the half-elf culture of Aglarond, the land where the largest number of common half-elves live. Common half-elves blend human and elven features, influenced by the subrace of their elven parent and the ethnicity of their human parent. Moon half-elves have pale skin tinged bluish around the ears and chin, framing their lower faces. Sun half-elves have bronzed skin, and hair of gold. Wild half-elves have brown skin. Wood half-elves have coppery skin tinged with green highlights. Most common half-elves are a bit distant, used to being cast in the role of outsiders. In the Yuirwood, this isn’t so: The half-elves make up the majority and have a long and proud history. Many half-elves come to the Yuirwood once they are old enough to leave home. Here, at last, is a place in which they can hope to be accepted. Half-elves are more slender than humans, and more heavily built than elves. Since the elves of Faerûn are taller and more sturdily built than the elves of other worlds, Faerûnian half-elves are very close to human size and weight.
History
The Yuirwood, home to many thousands of half-elves, is located in Aglarond in the Unapproachable East. The Yuirwood was once populated by a large number of wood elves. In 756 DR, however, humans arrived in the area and began establishing settlements. At first the two cultures clashed, but they eventually banded together against the mutual threat of the monsters that then lived in the woods. The two races living in the Yuirwood intermingled for centuries, eventually blending to form a true half-elven culture. In 1065 DR, the half-elves of the Yuirwood made peace with the humans living long the coast between their lands and the Sea of Fallen Stars, and the nation of Aglarond was born. Those humans who refused to make peace left for the western tip of the Aglarondan peninsula, and formed their own country, Altumbel. Aglarond was ruled by half-elven monarchs for generations. About fifty years ago, the royal line died out, and the last queen passed the throne on to her apprentice, the Simbul. Under her rule, the people of Aglarond prospered in the face of Thayan aggression, and through their stalwart defense of their land have forced their powerful neighbors to abandon (at least temporarily) the dream of expanding to the Sea of Fallen Stars. The Yuirwood is unique among forests, in that it is impenetrable by detection and scrying magics. This has been a great advantage to the Simbul and her people, as it makes it impossible for hostile forces to monitor the movement of people and troops within the forest that covers most of Aglarond. Relkath’s Foot is the largest settlement of half-elves in the Yuirwood (and all Faerûn, for that matter). It is home to some 5,080 people, most of whom are half-elves.
Outlook
While elves and half-elves are respected and admired in many parts of Faerûn, humans in lands where elves are not commonly encountered can be resentful of elven blood. Elves are graceful, attractive, long-lived, mysterious, and skilled with mighty magic, and humans who do not know them well can easily come to regard elves—and, by extension, half-elves—with envy and fear. In places such as Silverymoon or the Dalelands, a half-elf’s race is nothing remarkable, and she faces little or no bigotry. In lands where there is a long history of elvenhuman conflict, such as Tethyr or Sembia, her elven blood marks her as different and dangerous, with all the fears and suspicions one might expect. Many half-elves respond to the suspicions and slights of their human neighbors by staying well away from human civilization, preferring a solitary life in the wildernesses of Faerûn. Others instead take up a life of travel, never staying in one spot long enough for racial prejudices to distance them from the folk around them. As the homeland of a mixed society of elves, humans, and half-elves, Aglarond is unique among the lands of Faerûn. In Aglarond, a half-elf’s race is unremarkable, and a half-elf is judged by her own actions and accomplishments, not her kindred. Aglarondan half-elves are a quiet, thoughtful, and courteous folk, slow to befriend outsiders, but unfailingly loyal to the friends they’ve made. Many half-elves from other lands journey to Aglarond at least once in their lives, and more than a few remain there, enriching the Simbul’s realm.
Half-Elf Characters
The half-elves of the Yuirwood are a diverse community who welcome immigrants. Among them can be found people of every character class and nearly every multiclass combination, for flexibility is a key trait among half-elves.
Favored Class: The highest class a half-elf has is considered to be his favored class.
Prestige Classes: Common half-elves can use any prestige classes open to humans. They also have access to the arcane archer, spellsinger, and bladesinger prestige classes.
Half-Elf Society
Aglarondan society is generally free and open. Despite being caught between the reclusive people of Altumbel and the aggressive zulkirs of Thay, Aglarond has known peace in recent years. However, the Aglarondans know that the price of their freedom is eternal vigilance. Only their resolve, courage, and skill hold Thayan conquest at bay. Any folk of good heart who are willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the defense of their homes and their liberty are welcomed in Aglarond, and over forty years of the Simbul’s rule, Aglarond has been greatly strengthened by the immigration of half-elven craftsfolk, foresters, and adventurers. In Aglarondan, humans, half-elves, and elves live side by side, each accepting of their neighbors’ ways. The half-elves here reach adulthood at about age 20 and then take on whatever role they feel best suited for in their society. Many work in the woods, hunting wild animals, collecting pelts, harvesting rare woods and herbs, and gathering nuts and berries. Aglarondan foresters take care not to despoil the Yuirwood, and go to great pains to avoid taking too much game or felling too many living trees. Elders are respected in Aglarond for the wisdom they have presumably gained over the years. Once a half-elf is too old to work, he is cared for by his family or his village until he passes on. When outside a place like Aglarond, half-elves are loners and often keep to themselves. Some treasure the camaraderie and the sense of family they get when traveling with a group of adventurers.
Language and Literacy
The half-elves of the Yuirwood speak Common, Elven, and Aglarondan. Aglarondan is a relatively young language that developed from the blending of Elven with the Damaran tongue of the human settlers who colonized the Yuirwood’s coasts five hundred years ago. For bonus languages, half-elves often choose Chessentan, Damaran, Draconic, Elven, Mulhorandi, Orc, or Sylvan. All common half-elves are literate, except for barbarians.
Half-Elf Magic
Common half-elves can use the racial spells of both humans and elves. They have no spellcasting traditions of their own, however. Aglarondan arcane spellcasters often follow the Simbul in the choice of magical schools in which she concentrates: Evocation and Transmutation.
Half-Elf Deities
Common half-elves can choose any human or elven deity as a patron. Many favor Sune for the love that brought their parents together. Aglarondan common half-elves favor Chauntea, Selûne, Valkur, and the elven pantheon (the Seldarine). Those good-aligned half-drow who live in Aglarond have brought the worship of the Lady of the Dance with them.
Relations With Other Races
The common half-elves of Aglarond get along well with most of the major races of Faerûn. They favor their own kind first and foremost, but they happily work with both humans and elves too, as well as dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. The halfelves of Aglarond show a marked tolerance of half-orcs. On the other hand, Aglarondans are deeply suspicious of Thayans, Mulhorandi, and Untherites. These old, corrupt empires have sought to control the Aglarondan peninsula for centuries, and even though Mulhorand and Unther no longer have territorial aspirations in the area, the free folk of Aglarond have long memories.