- Ability adjustments: +1 DEX
- Low-light Vision: Half-elves can naturally see a very short distance in darkness; enough to be able to faintly make out written words or glyphs on a nearby object, but likely not much further than that.
- Sleeplessness: Half-elves are immune to sleep spells and effects.
- Hardiness vs Enchantments: Half-elves receive a +2 bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells.
- Partial Skill Affinity (Listen): Half-elves receive a +1 bonus to Listen checks.
- Partial Skill Affinity (Search): Half-elves receive a +1 bonus to Search checks.
- Partial Skill Affinity (Spot): Half-elves receive a +1 bonus to Spot checks.
- Skilled: Half-elves receive an additional skill point per level.
- Elven Instinct: Half-elves receive proficiency with longbows, short bows, longswords, and rapiers.
- Half-elves no longer receive the Elven language for free.
Description
Half-elves are descended from humans and one of the elven subraces: Moon elves, sun elves, wild elves, and wood elves. These half-elves blend human and elven features, with physical traits influenced by the subrace of their elven parent and the ethnicity of their human parent.
Moon half-elves often have pale skin with a bluish tinge around the ears and chin. Sun half-elves typically possess bronzed skin and golden hair. Wild half-elves usually have brown skin, while wood half-elves often have coppery skin with green highlights.
Physically, half-elves are more slender than humans but more robustly built than elves. The elves of Faerûn are taller and more sturdily built compared to elves from other worlds, making Faerûnian half-elves very close to human size and weight.
While half-elves can be found throughout Faerûn, this section mostly focuses on the distinct culture of half-elves residing in Amn which, given the scope of the setting, describes the majority of half-elves that will be witnessed during play.
Most half-elves are accustomed to being seen as outsiders, often feeling distant from both their human and elven heritage. However, in the vibrant and ambitious nation of Amn, where wealth is all that matters to many, half-elves find a unique opportunity to thrive. Drawn by the promise of wealth, adventure, and social mobility, many half-elves are attracted to Amn’s thriving trade networks and cosmopolitan cities. Murann, with its strategic location on the coast and its bustling port, offers particularly alluring opportunities.
Murann is a melting pot of cultures and races, where half-elves can leverage their diverse heritage to their advantage. The city’s booming trade industry, lucrative mercantile enterprises, and constant influx of travelers and merchants from across Faerûn provide half-elves with ample opportunities to succeed. Here, they can even find themselves valued for their adaptability, charm, and unique blend of human ambition and elven grace, rather than ostracized for their heritage, should they be able to pay their way and contribute to society as any other inhabitant is expected to do.
Half-elves in Amn are known for their ambition and drive. Many seek to establish themselves as influential merchants, skilled artisans, or cunning negotiators. Others are drawn to the city’s vibrant adventuring community, eager to join expeditions that promise both danger and reward. The half-elves' innate versatility makes them well-suited to a wide range of professions, and most half-elves may be able to live essentially human lives within Amnian cities, pursuing the same careers, chasing many of the same goals, and finding joy and happiness through similar mediums.
History
Half-elves have a notable presence in Amn, making up 5-10% of the population in most cities.
While most Amnian cities do not have a great influx of elves moving through them, mostly due to Amnian views of magic, their legal system, and grand cultural differences between the elven and Amnian ways of life, there are the odd few who do travel there and end up siring children with human partners. Typically the elven parent, in this scenario, is male, and they do not choose to reside within human lands for long after the fact. Amnian half-elves almost exclusively have moon-elf ancestry.
More commonly, half-elves are likely to choose other half-elf partners to couple with, as they will outlive a human partner, and die long before an elven one. A coupling of half-elves also results in half-elf children.
A substantial amount of half-elves in Amn, however, are individuals from various regions of Faerûn, perhaps who have struggled to find anywhere else they belong throughout their lives, and were drawn to the wealth and opportunities that Amn offered. Typically these individuals are used to living in human society and have little to no experience of elven society.
Once half-elves settle in an Amnian city, they tend to remain there, building stable and prosperous lives. Once these individuals are successful in whatever profession they pursue - particularly if they amass wealth - the cities of Amn offer a level of acceptance and opportunity that many half-elves find difficult to leave behind. The sense of community, combined with the economic and social advantages available in Amn for those who are skilled, encourages them to put down roots and invest in their local communities, perhaps even eventually becoming citizens off of the back of their hard work. Such a feat is, perhaps, even more attainable for a half-elf than a human in some cases, due to their extended lifespan.
Outlook
While half-elves are not especially respected and admired in most parts of Faerûn, humans in regions where elves are not commonly encountered can be particularly resentful of elven blood. Elves are graceful, attractive, long-lived, mysterious, and skilled with mighty magic. Humans who do not know them well can easily come to regard elves - and, by extension, half-elves - with envy and fear. In places like Silverymoon or the Dalelands, a half-elf’s race is nothing remarkable, and they face little or no bigotry. However, in Amn, where elven presence is less common and there is a strong focus on human achievement and commerce, half-elves often encounter prejudice and suspicion. On the other hand, they are also relatively remarkable compared to when they reside within the previously mentioned 'safe spaces' for them, allowing them to stand out from the crowd and excel at pursuits they may normally be considered mediocre at in such places.
Many humans in Amn view half-elves with a mix of envy and distrust, seeing them as a reminder of a culture that is foreign and potentially threatening. This bigotry can manifest in social exclusion, limited opportunities, and outright hostility. In some areas, half-elves are perceived as different and dangerous due to their elven heritage, and they must navigate a society that is wary of their presence.
In response to these challenges, many half-elves in Amn adopt one of two paths. Some choose to withdraw from human civilization, seeking solitude in the wilderness or forming tight-knit communities with other half-elves where they can find acceptance and peace. Others, however, embrace the opportunities available in Amn and strive to overcome the prejudice they face through personal success and wealth.
In Amn, success can often transcend racial prejudice. Half-elves who achieve wealth, influence, and social standing can earn the respect and acceptance of their human peers. The mercantile nature of Amn means that most races can gain significant prestige regardless of their racial background. As a result, many ambitious half-elves work tirelessly to prove their worth in the competitive environment of Amnian cities.
The half-elves of Amn are often quick to seize opportunities and excel in various professions, from commerce and diplomacy to the arts and adventuring. Despite the prejudice they may face, half-elves in Amn are often determined to carve out their own place in society, both suffering their unique heritage as a challenge and bearing it as a strength. But, naturally, there are undoubtedly several failures for every successful story.
Half-elves generally act very similarly to the way humans do and are alike in how they experience emotions and process situations for the most part. However, although it is a far cry from their elven ancestors, their lifespan cannot be ignored. Because of this, many half-elves do not share quite the sense of urgency that a human might unless they are often thrust into life-threatening danger. Knowing that they will long outlive their human friends and associates as they watch them begin to age can bring a great deal of dissonance to the minds of half-elves, which often prompts them to be more likely to befriend others of their kind as they grow older, instead.
Half-Elf Characters
The half-elves of Amn follow many pursuits. Among them can be found people of every character class, other than artificer, and nearly every multiclass combination, for flexibility is a key trait among half-elves.
Although perhaps it will be more common before too much longer, for the time being, few half-elves have meddled with technology in the same way that humans have. It is possible that this is due to the spark of innovation and ingenuity that is often referred to as humanity's strongest suit not being quite as prominent in individuals who are only half-human, but this is merely speculation.
Half-elves can use any prestige classes open to humans. They also have access to the arcane archer prestige class.
Half-Elf Society
Amnian society, while prosperous and ambitious, is not without its challenges for half-elves. The nation is a hub of commerce and trade, attracting a diverse array of people from across Faerûn. Despite this, half-elves often find themselves navigating a complex social landscape marked by both opportunity and prejudice.
Though half-elves often face significant bigotry and suspicion, the ambitious nature of Amnian society means that success can help half-elves transcend these prejudices, but the path is not easy. Cities such as the bustling port of Murann offer numerous opportunities for half-elves to establish themselves as influential merchants, skilled artisans, or cunning negotiators. Those who achieve wealth and influence can often find acceptance and respect, overcoming the prejudices that might otherwise hold them back.
Half-elves reach adulthood at around the age of twenty, and take on various roles in society. Many work in the cities, engaging in trade, commerce, and the arts. Others find their place in the adventuring community, drawn by the promise of wealth and the thrill of exploration. Despite the opportunities, half-elves must continually prove their worth to gain the acceptance of their human peers.
Even with an active elven parent, half-elven children in Amn find it difficult to retain a significant amount of elven culture. The stark cultural differences and the direct exposure to human society often overshadow their elven heritage. Elven culture, with its deep-rooted traditions and long-lived perspective, can seem incredibly alien to those immersed in the fast-paced, ambitious country of Amn.
Outside the bustling cities, or in shadowed corners of them, some half-elves choose to live in more secluded communities or as loners in the wilderness, preferring solitude to the prejudice they face in urban areas. However, those who stay in the cities often form close-knit groups, finding camaraderie and support among their own kind or kindred spirits. These communities provide a sense of family and belonging, helping some half-elves survive Amnian society. Additionally, these groups are not always on the right side of the law, as crime can also lead to wealth and prosperity within Amn, and there is no reason why a half-elf, with their natural dexterity and grace, would not be just as good at it as they would be at more socially acceptable career path.
Amnian half-elves typically are neither embraced by, nor shunned by elven society. They are typically treated indifferently by such communities, as despite their inherited elven traits, they have led the lives of humans and know little of elven customs and traditions. However, this is not to say that a half-elf who had spent their life around humans could not eventually impress themselves upon elven society. The individual in question would likely need to make a concerted effort to learn the ways of the elves extensively and make every effort to at the very least respect them, if not obey them.
Language and Literacy
The half-elves of Amn typically speak Common and Chondathan.
In Amn, half-elves often grow up in a linguistically rich environment, reflecting the nation's diverse trade connections and cultural influences. Half-elves typically speak Common and Chondathan as their primary languages. The heavy emphasis on trade and constant interaction with various non-elven cultures offer little opportunity to learn and use Elven, a language that is vastly different in structure and complexity compared to human languages.
The complexities of Elven, combined with the limited exposure to it in predominantly human societies, make it all but inaccessible for half-elves growing up in Amn. Instead, their linguistic skills are honed in languages more pertinent to their daily lives and trades.
For bonus languages, half-elves in Amn frequently choose a regional language that they grew up with, if they are foreigners. Otherwise, they may speak languages that they have picked up during their time within an Amnian city. Due to the culturally diverse nature of Murann, specifically, most non-DM granted languages are reasonable choices.
All half-elves in Amn are literate, except for barbarians, ensuring they are well-equipped to engage in the nation’s social landscape.
Half-Elf Physicality
Physically, half-elves are more slender than humans but more robustly built than elves. They inherit a sliver of the grace and agility of their elven ancestors while not sacrificing the endurance of their human lineage. This combination makes them well-suited for a variety of roles, from agile skirmishers to resilient warriors.
Half-elves typically stand between 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh between 100 to 180 pounds, depending on their specific heritage and individual build. They enjoy a longer lifespan than humans, typically living up to 180 years, but they do not reach the extensive lifespans of their elven ancestors. It is not entirely uncommon for half-elves to begin to view this extended lifespan as a sort of curse rather than a gift over the course of their lives, however, depending on their experiences.
Most half-elves have inherited their elven parent's sharp senses, particularly keen eyesight and hearing. This makes them excellent scouts and perceptive individuals, able to detect subtle changes in their environment. Their mixed heritage also grants them a natural resistance to unnaturally-induced sleep, as well as a natural affinity for learning how to use weapons commonly wielded by elves, and the ability to see in the dark as well as an elf might.
Half-Elf Deities
Most half-elves in Amn will worship gods from the human pantheon. The particular gods worshiped can vary greatly from individual to individual, depending on a number of social biases they experience through their lives, including the deities worshipped by their parents or community and their profession. A small, but notable amount, however, worship gods from the elven pantheon instead of, or in addition to any human deities they may offer prayer to. This is often due to their elven parent, or a lust to reconnect with their elven heritage which may form over time, depending on the individual.
Relations With Other Races
The half-elves of Amn get along well with most of the major races of Faerûn. They favor their own kind first and foremost, as there is no other race that understands their struggles - particularly being accepted by society and their racially unique lifespans - but they happily work with both humans and elves too, as well as dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. Half-elves even have been known to show greater tolerance to half-orcs than most other races, due to the unique kinship, of sorts, they share in the discrimination they both face, although this behavior is certainly by no means universal.
Typically, half-elves in Amn will act towards other races as one might expect a human to, but it is not uncommon for the struggle to fit in that half-elves constantly face to either leave them more sympathetic towards the plight other races may face or, in some cases, considerably more jaded towards them.