Halflings
The product of a union between a vampire and a human, halflings or dhampir are considered to be progenies of both horror and tragedy. This is because a Halfling has all of the perks of being part Vampire, but they also have all of the problems that a human can suffer, including becoming ill with human ailments.
Hardship and suffering fill a halfling's life. Despite their exquisite features and innate charm, they face a lifetime of prejudice, mistrust, fear, and persecution from vampires. It is not only a hard life, but a painful one for most of them. In a halfling's chest is a living, beating heart. Although the heart beats slower, it still beats until the human blood grows old and dies out of old age or a vampire takes mercy on them and brings them over completely.
What a Halfling Looks Like
They are immensely beautiful. Due to their beauty and superhuman abilities, they can be mistaken for immortal children by other vampires who see them from a distance when they are still maturing. They have well-developed physiques and smooth, flawless skin, which is paler than a human's but not as pale as a vampire's.
They are capable of eating and gaining nourishment from both human food and blood, though they prefer blood in most cases. Their body temperature is unusually warm when compared to that of a vampire's, but their body temperature is the average temperature for a human.
Most halflings take on similar qualities of a vampire, sharing features such as sharp, pointed, retractable fangs that replace their human canines, a piercing gaze, and pale skin. Their set of fangs descend at the their will, usually when about to feed, or when threatened or attacking. Halflings also have incredibly sharp fingernails which are almost claw-like. These claw-like fingernails can be made to extend at will and are one of their natural weapons.
Halflings possess the mixed scent of vampires and humans. This gives them a unique scent all their own, balanced between being both appetizing as a human's and sweet as a vampire's. This presents them with both an advantage when hunting, and a disadvantage when trying to avoid full-blooded vampires.
They are supernaturally much stronger and faster than humans, with sharper senses, but are not as strong, fast, or sharp as a pure vampire. They have perfect memory recall and develop mentally at a rate far faster than their chronological and biological age, speaking in complete sentences and walking just days after birth.
The Nature of a Halfling
While they are like most humans and vampires alike, most halflings keep few, if any, close companions. Those whom they deem useful are judged by their merits as individuals, not by their race. However, even with those they feel attached to, most halflings are often sullen, silent, distant and reserved.
Some fear the persecution heaped upon them may be transferred to their companions, whereas others worry their own bloodlust will one day overwhelm them and they'll inadvertently turn upon their friends. This leads to a halfling more often than not being an otherwise solitary being who is often excluded from both the human and the vampire world.
Relationships
Similar to vampires, Halflings are often driven by an innate desire to find their mate, or their 'One'. While this instinct isn't nearly as strong as a vampire's, it still often causes halflings to seek out partners, be it for a companion for a while or a one night sexual fling until they have successfully found a life long partner.
Since this instinct isn't as strong as a full blooded vampire's, it means that for an extended period of time, a halfling can ignore this innate desire to have a companion. Some spend their entire lives trying to fight this desire, and often spend their entire existence going from one sexual partner to another.
Aging ("Growing up")
Halflings age more quickly than average humans. Halflings grow at a, somtimes, alarming rate during their early lives. They reach full physical maturity at about seven years of age, with an apparent biological age of their late teens to early twenties. At this point their development will then cease altogether, reaching the same unchangeable state of full vampires.
Classes & Ranks
Unlike most other species of magical/mythical creature, halflings lack a formal class and ranking system. This is because they were kept predominantly as slaves and pets until Aoi Rei liberated them from their roles as nothing more than mere slaves or pets.
