Half-elf People are no good. You can only trust animals and the bottle. -- Delmao, half-elven thief Unlike the parents of muls, elves and humans are often attracted to each other. Half-elves are typically the unwanted product of a casual interracial encounter. Personality: Half-elves are notorious loners. Many Athasians believe that half-elves combine the worst traits of both races, but the most difficult aspect of half-elves – their lack of selfconfidence – comes not from their mixed origins but rather from a life of rejection from both parent races. Half-elves try in vain to gain the respect of humans or elves. Physical: Averaging over six feet tall, half-elves combine elven dexterity with human resilience. Bulkier than elves, most half-elves find it easier to pass themselves off as full humans than as full elves, but all have some features that hint at their elven heritage. Half-elves however do not have the elven ability of the run. Relations: Humans distrust the half-elf’s elven nature, while elves have no use for their mixed-blood children; elven traditions demand that such children be left behind. Human society gives half-elves have a better chance of survival, but even less kindness. Half-elves sometimes find friendship among muls or even thri-kreen. Half-elves will cooperate with companions when necessary, but find it difficult to rely on anyone. Many half-elves also turn to the animal world for company, training creatures to be servants and friends. Ironically, the survival skills and animal affinity that halfelves developed to cope with isolation make them valuable beast handlers in human society. Role-playing Suggestions Desperate for the approval of either elves or humans, you are even more desperate to appear independent and self-reliant, to cover your desire for approval. As a result, you tend towards a feisty, insecure, sullen self-reliance, refusing favors. You take every opportunity to show off your skills in front of elves and humans, but if an elf or a human were to actually praise you, you would probably react awkwardly or suspiciously. From your childhood, your closest friendships have been with animals. Other half-elves do not interest you. As time goes by and you learn from experience, you will find that you can also get along with other races neither human nor elven: dwarves, pterran, muls, even thri-kreen. You don’t feel the terrible need for their approval, and yet they give it more readily.