Halflings

Basic Information

Anatomy

Believed to be the closest common ancestor to all humanoids of Farus, the halflings share many characteristics with dwarves, humans, orcs, goblins, and the now extinct species of elves that once lived throughout the Sea of Muses. Of related species, only goblins are smaller, and none have as much body hair as halflings.
Halflings share the same proportions as humans, with slightly larger-than-proportional hands and feet. They grow to an average height of about 2.5-3 feet - half the height of the average human. Their bodies are typically covered in soft, fine hairs which grow darker and thicker on the forearms, back, and tops of feet. Finally, halflings possess superior agility to most other humanoids due to their skeleton's containing more spongy bone than solid bone. This makes them proportionally more lightweight than even goblins and still able to absorb force from work or injury, however breakages that occur must be treated with skill, as there is less dense bone tissue to knit back together.

Genetics and Reproduction

Halfling reproduction is mechanically identical to that of all humanoid species who share their ancestry, with a few notable exceptions. The duration of halfling pregnancies is half that of humans (about 5 months from conception to birth). These pregnancies typically produce double the offspring, with twins accounting for the majority of all births and quadruplets occurring at the frequency of twins in other humanoid populations. Additionally, halfling lifespan is more than double that of humanoids, with many elders living well into their second century.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Halflings are omnivorous and have been observed to require quadruple the amount of food that a human does. This is common to goblins as well, and orcs who require double this amount of food. It is also documented that halfling anatomy incorporates a smaller secondary digestive tract, branching at the bottom of the esophagus, into which only dessert items may pass. The practical upshot of this peculiar digestion is that halflings are never full enough to not eat dessert, and can eat nearly as much of it as they desire (usually as much as they can get) with no effect on metabolism, blood sugar, or weight gain. How this process functions is unknown in modern medicine and has never been researched within halfling history as halflings discourage questioning good things.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Indigenous to the Northern Marshlands, halflings spread throughout the upper regions of the Dearth and into the surrounding highlands and mountains before contact with neighboring goblin, orc, and ogre tribes. The Urunad is the largest extant civilization of predominantly halflings in the world, though in the modern era, halflings may be found in the settlements of every known civilization (and according to the Urunad, some unknown ones too).

Average Intelligence

Halflings exhibit the same sapience and intelligence as other mortal races. However, their society and education are typically the most focused matters of commerce and diplomacy.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Most halflings, especially those raised within the Urunad, boast superior hearing and vision to those of other sapient species. However, no evidence has ever been scientifically gathered to substantiate this claim.

Lifespan

200 - 250 years

Average Height

0.6 - 1 meter

Average Weight

15 - 22 kg

Geographic Distribution

• Northern Marshlands
• River Lisson
• The Dearth

Related Organizations

• The Urunad

Related Ethnicities

• Urunathi