The Halfling Races

Traits

Common features

Halflings have been able to thrive in nearly all countries and cultures, because they have a tendency to avoid conflict and make themselves valuable. Being among the smallest of sentient races, with a reputation of peacefullness and satisfaction with small delights, they are rarely viewed as a threat.
Halflings average about 90 centimeters tall and weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms. They mostly resemble humans, being similarly proportioned, except that they have relatively bigger feet. They have fuzzy body hair on the tops of their hands and feet as well, and their facial features are mostly round. Masculine halfling can only rarely grow beards, and never have moustaches, but most of them do have thick sideburns.

Subraces

Halflings tend to travel and mingle a lot with others of their own race, so there are only two recognized subraces on the continent of Zurica. The saunterhearts dwell in the south, and the sturdyfeet thrive in the north.
Saunterheart halflings
These are the most common halflings in most of Concordia, except the northernmost provinces where sturdyfeet halflings have immigrated from Torenrig. Saunterhearts are generally more curious, playful, and active, more welcoming to strangers in their midst. They have a variety of skin tones, but mostly brown or sandy brown hair with a wavy to curly texture. The eyes of saunterheart halflings are often hazel or brown.
Sturdyfoot halflings
Having made their home amongst the dwarves of Torenrig, sturdyfeet have adopted some of the no-nonsense attitude in that culture. They have become more reclusive and subdued, and are now accustomed to harsher, colder weather conditions. Their skin tones are more pale than the saunterhearts', and sturdyfoot halflings tend to have darker or even black hair. Their eyes can be blue, clear grey, or more uncommonly green.

IAMI-periods

To equalize the life stages of all the races including very diverging lifespans, and ensure that they can be categorized correctly when it comes to rights, taxes, and healthcare, all ID cards also share their racial Infancy-Adolescence-Maturity-Index, or IAMI. For halflings, the life stage periods are:
Infancy: 0-12 years
Adolescence: 13-20 years
Maturity: 20+ years
Lifespan: 150 years

Culture

Homeliness

At some point in their life, nearly every halfling will crave to settle down and build a place to call home. This can be stationary, or a cart or raft. What is important is that they can surround themselves with comfort, good food, and lovely company. Older halflings do tend to be rotund. In lean times they share what they have with each other and sometimes even with strangers in need, out of merciful generosity. If halflings choose to go on adventures, it is usually motivated by friendship or curiosity, to support their relations or explore the world. Wealth or glory don't mean much to most of them, but experience and bonds are priceless.

Adaptability

Halflings are known as cheerful, friendly people, who avoid notice and try to never offend others. Throughout many generations they have gotten used to living among other people without mingling in their politics. They make themselves valuable in whatever community is their home, but when it comes to it, they stick to their own. That's how their own traditional ways were preserved despite the fate of the societies around them. They brought the deity Olem to the wider community of Concordia, and often work in civil service jobs. Other halflings form small tightknit farming communities in the outer regions. No matter what they do, they are disciplined workers and loyal friends, and are therefore always welcome.

No complications

Halflings are very pragmatic and concerned only with basic needs and simple pleasures. A rare halfling would present their wealth by spending it on fancy clothes, expensive jewelry or ostentatious art in their home. Most prefer comfortable practical clothes, using bright colors to express themselves. Similarly there is little patience for indecisiveness or beating around the bush. They like straightforward solutions and directness, while of course staying polite. There is also no strong social hierarchy, although the eldest are almost always well-respected.

The halfling language

The Halfling language is hard to learn, but not because of linguistic complexity. They write very little, so there are few books to learn from, and they keep their strong oral tradition mostly to their own kin. Only those who are welcomed in a halfling community as a family member would be taught the language. Other than that, halflings speak Common fluently enough to speak with other people.

Naming conventions

Originally introductions between halflings included the name of one of their parents or grandparents, with O'/Ui' (grandchild of) or Mac/Nic (child of) as a prefix, but nowadays family names are passed down with each generation. Both family names and personal names also tend to become more simplified for Common spelling.
Unisex names
Ailbe, Branna, Casey, Dara, Dillon, Enda, Faolan, Kaylin, Murtagh, Nollaig, Oran, Regan, Riley, Rowan, Shea.
Feminine names
Aefie, Aisling, Alva, Bree, Caragh, Ciara, Cora, Dearla, Deirdre, Eimear, Eiren, Enya, Fiah, Fiona, Imogen, Jillian, Kayleigh, Lavinia, Lisha, Maeve, Nessa, Nuala, Orla, Oonagh, Pauleigh, Roishin, Sersha, Shannon, Shauna, Trym, Verna.
Masculine names
Aidan, Barry, Brian, Callum, Connor, Craig, Darren, Donald, Errich, Fergal, Finn, Garret, Ian, Killian, Liam, Lyle, Malvin, Merric, Neil, Oryn, Owen, Patrick, Pippin, Rian, Ronan, Roy, Sean, Shane, Tiernan, Wesley.
Family names
Barrett, Bride, Burke, Donnel, Egan, Gill, Hogan, Jenning, MacSweeny, McDougal, McGee, Maguire, Murphy, O'Malley, Roche, Stuart, Ward.