Hobbits of the Shire
“Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt.”
A Close Friendship with the Earth
The Shire, a pleasant corner in the Quiet of the World, has stood safe and peaceful for many years. Its inhabitants, a little people called Hobbits, possess a love for solid traditions and respectable ways, and a strong dislike for anything out of the ordinary. If Hobbits had their way, the days would go by in an unchanging world, as they have since anyone can remember. But even if most Hobbits pretend not to heed it, there are dark things moving beyond the borders of the Shire; and while someone has long been taking care that no shadow interrupts their well-ordered lives, these shadows are lengthening. Since Mr. Bilbo Baggins’ astonishing adventure with a group of Dwarves and a travelling Wizard, all kinds of stories concerning remote lands, dark woods, Giants, Elves, and dark halls beneath the earth have started to circulate among Hobbits of the more adventurous sort. Now, certainly not everyone believes that Mr Baggins really left his comfortable hole at Bag End to go anywhere, but some actually do, and every year another lad or lass leaves home to go adventuring. Gandalf, the conjuror, has often been blamed for such incidents, and the sight of his pointy hat is sure to ruin the day of all respectable Hobbits.Description
Hobbits are much smaller than Men, even smaller than Dwarves, and are often mistaken for children by Men who see them. Such likeness may be explained through a longforgotten common ancestry, which would also explain why Hobbits often like or dislike the same things as Men do. A merry folk, Hobbits are good-natured individuals. When pushed to resort to weapons, they choose small swords and short hunting bows, which they can shoot with uncanny precision when needs be.Standard of Living
Hobbits live in peace and relative prosperity. Their land is rich and their borders protected. They seldom trade with other folk, with the occasional exception of travelling Dwarves. Their culture’s economy ranks as Prosperous. Bonus Equipment: A fur-lined travelling cloak, travelling gear for the current season, a bedroll, a backpack or saddlebags, comfortable boots, 5d6 silver pennies, plus choose any two: a fine walking-stick, dwarf-made pots and pans, enough handkerchiefs to see you through the adventure, a pipe and pipeweed, an overstuffed pillow, a plate and cutlery fit for picnics, ink & parchments to write letters home.Hobbit Traits
Your Player-hero has certain traits deriving from your Hobbit ancestry.- Ability Score Increase – Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
- Adventuring Age: 25-60. Hobbits do not easily abandon their comfortable lives, but when they do they usually wait at least for their coming of age at 33. But a particularly reckless Hobbit might feel the call to adventure when in his tweens, as Hobbits call their twenties. Hobbits generally pass early in their second century, remaining fairly healthy until the very end of their twilight years.
- Size – Hobbits are generally just slightly under three feet tall and weigh around 50 lbs. Your size is Small.
- Speed – Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
- Resilient – You have advantage on saving throws against Corruption.
- Hobbit Nimbleness – You can move through the space of any creature who is at least one size larger than yours.
- Noble Pursuits – You have proficiency with short bows. You gain proficiency with one artisan’s tool of your choice: brewer’s supplies, carpenter’s tools, cartographer’s tools, cook’s utensils, gardener’s tools, potter’s tools, smith’s tools, weaver’s tools, or woodcarver’s tools. You also gain proficiency with pipes.
- Hobbit Elusiveness – You have proficiency in the Stealth skill.
- Languages – You can speak, read, and write the Common Tongue, or Westron as the scholars have it. Whatever native tongue the Hobbits once had is all but gone, save for a few unique words such as “mathom” – an object one has no immediate use for, but for whatever reason, is unwilling to throw away.
Family Ties (Pick One)
While the original three lines of the Hobbits have long intermingled, the traits of the various ancestor strains show up in odd ways, sometimes with one or more characteristics of the different breeds appearing in the same family. As a Hobbit of the Shire, you must pick one of the three following family lines. The ability score increases and traits indicated below are in addition to those above, received by all Hobbits.Harfoot
- Ability Score Increase – Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
- Unobtrusive – You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Stoor
- Ability Score Increase – Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Fallowhide
- Ability Score Increase – Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
- Student of Old Lore – You have proficiency in the Lore skill and with calligrapher’s supplies.
Hobbit Names
Hobbits names are composed of a first name and a family name. First names for boys are usually simple and short, with Hobbit girls being often given names of flowers or precious stones, but among the older families survives a custom of giving more heroic and high-sounding names whose origin can be traced back to a time before the Shire. Names like Fredegar or Hildibrand betray a common root with similar names used by Men in the vales of the Great River. Family names seem to fall into three main categories: surnames without a traceable meaning (Baggins, Boffin, Took), ‘descriptive’ surnames (Hornblower, Proudfoot), and surnames hinting at a geographical feature (Burrows, Hayward). Male Names: Adalgrim, Adelard, Andwise, Balbo, Bandobras, Berilac, Bilbo, Bingo, Blanco, Bodo, Bowman, Bucca, Bungo, Carl, Cotman, Cottar, Dinonas, Doderic, Dodinas, Drogo, Dudo, Erling, Everard, Falco, Fastred, Ferdibrand, Ferdinand, Ferumbras, Filibert, Flambard, Folco, Fortinbras, Fosco, Fredegar, Frodo, Gerontius, Gorbadoc, Gorbulas, Gorhendad, Gormadoc, Griffo, Halfred, Hamfast, Hamson, Harding, Hending, Hildibrand, Hildifons, Hildigard, Hildigrim, Hob, Hobson, Holfast, Holman, Hugo, Ilberic, Isembard, Isembold, Isemgrim, Isengar, Isumbras, Largo, Longo, Lotho, Madoc, Marcho, Marmadas, Marmadoc, Marroc, Meriadoc, Merimac, Merimas, Milo, Minto, Moro, Mosco, Mungo, Nob, Odo, Odovacar, Olo, Orgulas, Otho, Paladin, Peregrin, Polo, Ponto, Porto, Posco, Reginard, Robin, Rorimac, Rudigar, Rufus, Sadoc, Samwise, Sancho, Saradas, Saradoc, Seredic, Sigismond, Ted, Tobold, Togo, Tolman, Wilcome, Will, Wiseman. Female Names: Adaldrida, Adamanta, Amaranth, Angelica, Asphodel, Belba, Bell, Belladonna, Berylla, Camellia, Celandine, Chica, Daisy, Donnamira, Dora, Eglantine, Elanor, Esmeralda, Estella, Gilly, Hanna, Hilda, Lily, Linda, Lobelia, Malva, Marigold, May, Melilot, Menegilda, Mentha, Mimosa, Mirabella, Myrtle, Pansy, Pearl, Peony, Pervinca, Pimpernel, Poppy, Primrose, Primula, Prisca, Rosamunda, Rosa, Rose, Ruby, Salvia, Tanta. Family Names: Baggins, Banks, Boffin, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Brandybuck, Brown, Brownlock, Bunce, Burrows, Chubb, Cotton, Gamgee, Gardner, Goldworthy, Goodbody, Goodchild, Goold, Greenhand, Grubb, Hayward, Headstrong, Hornblower, Maggot, Noakes, North-Tooks, Proudfoot, Puddifoot, Roper, Rumble, Sackville, Sandyman, Smallburrow, Took, Twofoot, Whitfoot.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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