Half-elf
Encyclopedia
In Norse mythology
, a half-elf is the offspring of an elf
and a human
.
Notable examples include the Danish princess Skuld
of Hrólf Kraki's saga
, and the hero Högni
of the Thidrekssaga (his mother was a human queen), and the royal line of Alfheim, which was related to the elves and more beautiful than other people, according to the Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar
.
authors. Perhaps the earliest such published usage is the character Orion in Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter
.
The concept gained popularity through its use in the writings of English fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien
. As a result, half-elves have become common in other fantasy writings and related material such as role-playing game
s. In Tolkien's works, the term Half-elven or Peredhil
refers only to a few related individuals throughout history, however, in many post-Tolkien writings, the term half-elf designates an entire race.
Half-elves
are featured in Dungeons & Dragons
and related material.
The main protagonist of Terry Brooks's The Sword of Shannara
, Shea Ohmsford
, is a half-elf. The Ohmsford heroes and heroines of the subsequent books are all descended from him, and later so are the Elven royalty of the Elessedil family.
In the books written by Raymond E. Feist
, namely The Serpentwar Saga
, Calis is a half-elf, where his half-brother Calin is a son of the Queen of the Elves, Aglaranna. His father is Tomas, who is half human and half Valheru.
In the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, Eragon becomes a half-elf in the second book Eldest
through dragons and a spell during the elves' Blood-oath celebration, though he was born human by his parents.
In the video game Tales of Symphonia
, there is a long-running theme of discrimination against half-elves to the point at which the main villain, Mithos Yggdrasill, feels it necessary to build a new planet for them. In the original installment in the "Tales of" franchise, Tales of Phantasia
, half-elves are still discriminated against, but their discrimination seems to play a lesser role than it did in Symphonia.
This concept is flipped in the Dragon Age: Origins
novelThe Calling
, as half-elves are explicitly stated to be impossibilities. Elven genetics being extremely malleable, human characteristics always dominate in the children of humans and elves, and the offspring are always phenotypically human. It is implied that fan-favorite Alistair may be one such individual.
In the short-lived animated series UBOS
, one of the main cast of characters, Gus, is a half-elf.
In the Queen's Blade series
, the character, Nowa the Forest keeper, is a Half-elf. Elves and human never got along, and elves were regarded as monster. Elves naturally hated humans as well. The elves moved into the forest to stay from humans. Nowa, having been driven away from her home by humans, was taken in by the Combat Instructor Alleyne, and tuaght her the fighting style of the elves. However, even in the safety of the elven forest, most of the pure blooed elves see her as trouble and believe her to be a bad omen. The only people who have been kind to her are her teacher her pet monkey Ru, and protagonist Leina.
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, a half-elf is the offspring of an elf
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
and a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
.
Notable examples include the Danish princess Skuld
Skuld (princess)
Skuld was a princess of Scandinavian legend who married Heoroweard and encouraged him to kill Hroðulf . The accounts of her vary greatly from source to source.-Hrólfr Kraki's saga:...
of Hrólf Kraki's saga
Hrólfs saga kraka
Hrólfs saga kraka, the Saga of King Hrolf kraki, is a late legendary saga on the adventures of Hrólfr Kraki and his clan, the Skjöldungs. The events can be dated to the late 5th century and the 6th century. It is believed to have been written in the period c. 1230 - c. 1450...
, and the hero Högni
Hagen (legend)
Hagen or Högni is a Burgundian warrior in tales about the Burgundian kingdom at Worms. Hagen is often identified as a brother or half-brother of King Gunther .In the Nibelungenlied, he is called Hagen of Tronje...
of the Thidrekssaga (his mother was a human queen), and the royal line of Alfheim, which was related to the elves and more beautiful than other people, according to the Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar
Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar
Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar or The Saga of Thorstein, Viking's Son is a legendary saga taking place in the 7th century and it is about the father of Frithjof the Bold. It begins in Norway and Sweden but continues into exotic places such as India. It is not one of the more famous sagas, but it is...
.
In other contexts
The concept was borrowed by modern fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
authors. Perhaps the earliest such published usage is the character Orion in Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter
The King of Elfland's Daughter
The King of Elfland's Daughter is a 1924 fantasy novel written by Lord Dunsany. Written before the genre was named, it is considered to be among the pioneering works of modern fantasy. Its importance was recognized in its later revival in paperback by Ballantine Books as the second volume of the...
.
The concept gained popularity through its use in the writings of English fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
. As a result, half-elves have become common in other fantasy writings and related material such as role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s. In Tolkien's works, the term Half-elven or Peredhil
Half-elven
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Half-elven are the children of the union of Elves and Men. The Half-elven are not a distinct race from Elves and Men, and must ultimately choose to which race they belong...
refers only to a few related individuals throughout history, however, in many post-Tolkien writings, the term half-elf designates an entire race.
Half-elves
Half-elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :The half-elf appeared as a player character race in the original Player's Handbook . The half-elf also appeared in the original Monster Manual...
are featured in Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
and related material.
The main protagonist of Terry Brooks's The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
, Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford is a fictional character and the protagonist of Terry Brooks' epic fantasy novel The Sword of Shannara. In the universe, he is the last known person with the blood of Jerle Shannara, making him the only one who can wield the powerful Sword of Shannara to vanquish the Warlock Lord.-...
, is a half-elf. The Ohmsford heroes and heroines of the subsequent books are all descended from him, and later so are the Elven royalty of the Elessedil family.
In the books written by Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
, namely The Serpentwar Saga
The Serpentwar Saga
The Serpentwar Saga is a series of fantasy novels set in Midkemia by the author Raymond E. Feist. The novels revolve around two characters, Erik von Darkmoor and Roo Avery and also includes a host of previous characters from past novels, including Nakor, Pug, Macros the Black, Calis and Jimmy...
, Calis is a half-elf, where his half-brother Calin is a son of the Queen of the Elves, Aglaranna. His father is Tomas, who is half human and half Valheru.
In the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, Eragon becomes a half-elf in the second book Eldest
Eldest
Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini and the sequel to Eragon. Eldest was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006. Eldest has been released in an audiobook format, and as an ebook. Like Eragon, Eldest...
through dragons and a spell during the elves' Blood-oath celebration, though he was born human by his parents.
In the video game Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia
is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, selling 953,000 copies, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2...
, there is a long-running theme of discrimination against half-elves to the point at which the main villain, Mithos Yggdrasill, feels it necessary to build a new planet for them. In the original installment in the "Tales of" franchise, Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
, half-elves are still discriminated against, but their discrimination seems to play a lesser role than it did in Symphonia.
This concept is flipped in the Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins is a single-player role-playing video game developed by BioWare's Edmonton studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the first game in the Dragon Age franchise...
novelThe Calling
The Calling
The Calling is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, best known for their hit single, "Wherever You Will Go." The group formed in 2000 and have released two albums. They have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2005.-Band history:...
, as half-elves are explicitly stated to be impossibilities. Elven genetics being extremely malleable, human characteristics always dominate in the children of humans and elves, and the offspring are always phenotypically human. It is implied that fan-favorite Alistair may be one such individual.
In the short-lived animated series UBOS
UBOS
The Ultimate Book of Spells, or UBOS, is a Canadian children's animated television series which began production in 2001. The series aired on YTV in Canada, Toon Disney in the United States and on CBBC and Pop in the UK, but ran for only 26 episodes....
, one of the main cast of characters, Gus, is a half-elf.
In the Queen's Blade series
Queen's Blade
is a series of visual combat books published by Hobby Japan based on the licensed works from Flying Buffalo's Lost Worlds. First published in 2005, it features sexually suggestive depictions of an exclusively female cast of characters. The overall plot of the game revolves around a tournament...
, the character, Nowa the Forest keeper, is a Half-elf. Elves and human never got along, and elves were regarded as monster. Elves naturally hated humans as well. The elves moved into the forest to stay from humans. Nowa, having been driven away from her home by humans, was taken in by the Combat Instructor Alleyne, and tuaght her the fighting style of the elves. However, even in the safety of the elven forest, most of the pure blooed elves see her as trouble and believe her to be a bad omen. The only people who have been kind to her are her teacher her pet monkey Ru, and protagonist Leina.