Story: The Dawn of the Half-Elf
The Half-Elf is shunned by most of the Elves and often viewed with suspicion by the other peoples of the world. But among the Humans, many have done great deeds and are looked upon with admiration. They are sometimes seen as the best of two peoples - longevity (about 300 years), beauty and skills of an Elf, and craftiness with love of adventure from the Humans.
Many generations ago, after the Elves turned away from the Fallen Ones in response to dreams from the Most High to embrace wisdom, they began to influence the other peoples of the world. And as they traveled and counseled the other kingdoms, some of the Human men fell in love with the Elven women.
Among the Elves, both the men and women are exceedingly clever, attractive, and capable, and when an Elf man stares into the eyes of an Elf woman, he sees an equal and is not surprised at all with the profound things each of them can do, for it is natural to them. But when Humans gaze upon the dazzling eyes of the Elves, they are quite enchanted without any need for spells. In general the Elven men and women are kind and respectful to the Humans and do not take their enchantment seriously, but there are some Elven women who smile and giggle with one another at the longing in the Human men's eyes, for most of the Elf men do not look at them that way.
Thus began the race of the Half-Elf, when the daughters of Elves gave in to the longing of the sons of Humans. Their fathers tried to counsel them against such relations, for there are many differences between the peoples, especially in expected years of longevity. But love has a way of winning arguments, and by law the Elf woman must leave her kind behind to raise her child among the Humans. As the Half-Elf children grow in knowledge and skill, some of them have in turn won the hearts of their distant Elven kin, for both the Half-Elf men and women can often match the cleverness, attractiveness, and capabilities of their distant kin, and they bring an adventurous spirit not common among the older and more cultured Elves.
But not all of the Elven community was happy with the new half race. Some of the Elders warned against sharing the Magic of Nature with the Half-Elf, because they dwell with the Humans and can be corrupted by them. Thus began the Great Debate concerning who should have access to the Knowledge of the Most High and the Magic of Nature, for the older Elves correctly assumed it was the source of power that their civilization was built upon, but they mistakenly assumed the Most High would want them to limit who was exposed to it. Over time, the Cultural Divide began to form in the Elven communities between those with a strong racial pride and tendency towards isolation and secrecy, and those who wanted to bless all the peoples of the Known World and share the joy and power that comes from the Most High.
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