Half-Xeph
Physical Description:
Half-Xephs stand roughly the same height as their human mothers but are slight of build like their xeph fathers. Half-Xephs are as varied in skin tone as the humans that birth them but they retain the angular faces of their father’s. Because of this, most humanoid races find them fairly attractive, and if their skin tone is light enough, they are sometimes mistaken for half-elves. Their eyes are always amber in color, but, unlike their xeph ancestors, they do have human-like pupils. Most half-xephs have a full head of strikingly black hair but, although extremely rare, other hair colors have been seen. Unlike humans and half-elves, half-xephs grow no facial hair.
Society:
The xeph first came to this world when the elves fled through the planes causing a planar rift. What they found was a world where having dark skin and angular features made everyone hate you. The drow hunted and killed them because they dared to look so like the dark-skinned elves. All the other races hunted and killed them because they mistook them for drow. Half-Xephs were engineered by the xeph so they could survive in a world dominated by both the drow and those that hated and feared the drow. They are always born from the union of a human female, usually without her consent, and a male xeph. Even though this process has a high mortality rate, roughly 70%, it was found that a human male and a xeph female had a 100% mortality rate. Because of this, the half-xeph population has never really become overly abundant. Half-xephs are found in two extremely distinct societies, Humans and Xeph. If raised by the xeph, half-xephs learn to speak Xeph, and usually Common to help blend in better when with the other races. They are coached on how to better use their natural psionic abilities and taught the hard history of their ancestors. They are also told of the ancient homeland where they thrived before being cursed to live on this plane. On the other hand, those half-xeph that, for reasons widely varied and often times unknown, are raised by humans usually know very little of their xeph history. They rarely learn the Xeph language, typically only learning Common. Many times the humans that are raising their adopted son or daughter don’t even know their child is a half-xeph. They usually explain away the amber eyes and angular face with a logical fictional story about “traces of ancient elven blood”. Whether raced by xephs or humans, half-xephs usually have a positive outlook on life, tending to look for the silver lining in everything, even their own half-breed existence.
Relations:
Half-Xephs tend to get along better with humans, gnomes, and halflings, much because they tend to share a positive outlook on the world. They share a love of artwork and craftsmanship with dwarves, meaning they generally also get along with them. Half-Xeph try to avoid drow, orcs, giants, trolls and ogres due to their brusqueness and war-like ways.
Religion and Alignment:
Xeph in general do not follow a particular god or goddess, instead following a life philosophy. Because of this, half-xephs raised by the xeph also follow this same philosophy, although they tend to respectful of other’s religions. Half-Xephs raised by humans fall into the same category as the humans that raise them, usually following the same god or goddess of that community. As a whole, half-xeph tend to be chaotic in nature but, like humans, they run the gambit from blackest evil to purest good and everything in between.
Racial Traits:
+2 DEX, +2 CHA, -2 STR
Humanoid (Psionic, Xeph, Human)
Medium Size
Base land speed 30 ft
Darkvision 30 ft
Burst (Su): Three times per day, a half-xeph can put on a burst of speed to increase her speed by 10 feet, plus 10 feet per four character levels beyond 1st, to a maximum increase of 30 feet at 9th character level and higher. These bursts of speed are considered a competence bonus to the half-xeph’s base speed. A burst of speed lasts 3 rounds.
(If raised by xeph) Naturally Psionic: Half-Xephs gain the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If a half-xeph takes levels in a psionic class, he instead gains the Psionic Talent feat.
(If raised by human) Skilled: Half-xeph gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Automatic language: Common and Xeph (if raised by Xeph). Bonus languages: Any
Favored class: Any
Adulthood: 16 years
Base Height: Male - 4' 10”+2d10(5’0”-6’6”) Female - 4' 5”+2d10(4’7”-6’1”)
Base Weight (2d6x5): Male - 110 lbs +2d6x5 (120-170) Female - 80 lbs +2d6x5 (90-140)
