Half-Darkling Races

Half-Darkling

Overview

The Stoutfolk come from a common, but very small, source. When they were first created, they spread themselves out. Some delved under the mountains, others took to the hills, while yet more collected into urban centers. As their cultures and languages separated, and as their bodies adapted to their environs, they each took on names in their local languages. They commonly refer to each other as ‘cousins’, and can still interbreed amongst themselves without issues and with humans with some issues. Offspring typically (but not always) take after their parent of the opposite gender. Don’t ask why, it just happens that way.

"Everyone agrees that we have tainted souls - but jury's still out on which half does the tainting."

Lore
While the birthing of Half-Drow is casually frowned upon in the Underdark, few self-respecting dark-elven clergy would tolerate anyone telling them what they can and cannot do with their own bodies and as lurid and disturbing as the idea might be to some; this includes laying with whoever pleases them - including humiliating, dominating or violating slaves, captives or enemies - resulting occasionally in half-drow.

In drow society -- because of their dark-blindness, sterility, and drow pride in their blood-lines -- half-breeds are quite frequently killed at birth on the altars of Urgath, though sometimes they are raised as slightly less unsightly slave labor or household servants by the noble-born drow. Those who escape the horrors of the Underdark are often confused for drow themselves in addition to many of the same prejudices as half-elves.

Quirks

Half-Drow characters usually go unreliably senile before 125 years of age, their mortal minds unable to handle the length of their lives, though if taken care of, usually die of age-related illness well before their second century. Typically, in the Underdark however, this does not happen.
Half-Drow identically to half-elves due to a quirk of biology cannot bear natural-born children with most natural species.
Half-Drow cannot see in the dark and like Half-Elves, require light to see. This is frequently used by Drow to torment them, but also suffer from Drow vulnerability to bright lights - comfortable only in a dim medium.
Half-Drow lucky enough to survive the Underdark often have reserved and cold dispositions, and a vengeful nature taught to them by decades of slavery, war, strife, and politics with significant traumatic conditioning behind seemingly emotionless masks.
Half-Drow who escape the clutches of drow society to the surface are rarely willing to travel back to the Underdark for any reward - having already experienced nightmarish horrors among their former keepers that few surface tortures could hold a candle to.
Half-Drow raised in the Underdark often have difficulty smiling because it is not culturally acceptable among the Drow. Often, while learning surface mannerisms, this manifests as peeling one's lips back from their teeth into a kind of uncomfortable-looking sneer.
Half-Drow raised among drow are frequently taught a form of sign-language that they often use the communicate in silence, or to carry on side-conversations while others are talking. Half-Drow may frequently fall back to it in times of stress.
Half-elf characters (including half-drow) must be at least 40 years old. Being visibly children before this age, such characters may not be played on Orcrest.

Core Characteristics

Size: Medium

Average Lifespan: 200 years (Senile by 125)

Physical Characteristics:

Half-drow have smaller pointed ears than elves.
Generally Grayish or Pallid Skin.
Vivid, even unnatural (to humans) eye colors.
Half-drow can be any height between drow and human norms.

"If we are to be treated as savages regardless, why should we act any different?"

Lore

Half-Orcs are the result of coupling between Orcs and humans or elves. In most cultures, half-orcs are prejudiced against. In the lands of their human or elven ancestors, half-orcs are commonly seen as savage thugs and looked down upon. As a result, most half-orcs in human society are forced into menial labor or violence for a career. Some choose to take on the life of an adventurer, perhaps merely as another acceptable means to wealth and power or sometimes as a way to throw off the shackles of other people’s perceptions.

While an uncomfortably large number of Half-Orcs are the result of conquest, slavery, selective breeding or outright rape, most Half-Orcs born today are the result of second-generation coupling between two half-orcs -- although half-orcs can breed true with humans or elves, producing "quarter-orcs"; crossing the lines between humans and elves can result in sterility in offspring. Mostly, Orc-blooded children take after their orcish parents and are also considered 'half-orcs' for purposes of this article. Half-Orcs born of humans tend to be taller, and stronger than half-orcs born of elves which are typically more agile and longer-lived than even humans. Still, both maintain relatively 'Orcish' appearances. Indeed; Many 'Half-Orcs' are often confused for full-blooded orcs or exceptionally large goblins.

Quirks

Half-Orcs born of Elves or Drow often have pointed ears like elves, which often causes them to be confused for large goblinoids. They can live as long as one-hundred years.
Half-Orcs of Human stock typically have rounded ears, and live as long as fifty years, maturing physically by age 16, though your character must be at least 18 years of age.
Half-Orcs can be the result of the coupling of Orcs or Half-Orcs with Half-Orcs, Elves, Drow or Humans.
Depending on the society a half-orc grew up in; a given half-orc may possess an Orcish, Human, or Elvish name.

Core Characteristics

Size: Medium to Large

Average Lifespan: 50 years

Physical Characteristics:

Half-orcs typically have lower-jaw tusks that jut above their upper lips.
Half-orcs often have greyish-green or gray skin with some pigment based on their non-Orcish parent.
Half-Orcs can be any height between Orc and Human norms.

B E Y O N D O R C R E S T

Half-Darkling