Halfling

Halflings, called Hin or Hulder in their own language, are short humanoids with a very similar appearance to humans. Halflings are known for their bravery, their luck, and their adaptability to many situations.

Physiology

Halflings appear very similar to humans, but shorter. Their skin colour, eye colour, and hair colour and complexion varied in ways similar to humans. Some halflings have pointed, leaf-shaped ears, though other lineages do not, instead retaining human-like ear shapes. Proportionally, halflings are broader and have larger heads than most humanoid species. Hair growth on halflings was faster than most other species, but not as fast as dwarven hair growth. Halflings ranged from an average height of 2’9” to 3’3” - around half that of humans, giving them their Common name. Halflings usually weighed around 40 lbs. Halfling reached adulthood in the late teens, and lived to be around 120 years.

Culture

Despite diversity in culture, society, and appearance between various halfling groups, halflings as a whole did not see any ethnic difference in others of their race. Self-identity for most halflings was based around the person rather than the environment they were raised in. In this case, two terms were often used when referring to individual halfling identities - Lightfoot and Stout. Lightfoot halflings were said to be touched by the goddess Avandra, and are often excitable, adventurous, and grabbed by wanderlust. Stout halflings, on the other hand, were said to be blessed by the goddess Yondolla, and are often composed, homely, and kind. Whether a halfling lived up to one of these stereotypes was not a foregone conclusion; these terms were usually spoken by elderly halflings when observing the local halfling kids playing with each other, rather than some formal bestowment.
There were two exceptions to this ideology - Lotusden and Ghostwise. Occasionally, a halfling was born with a tail, more bestial features, and a large birthmark on their back. These halflings were said to be of the Lotusden, and had a special connection to the Old Gods of the halflings. Despite many halflings following the Hulderil sect of Urbnatism, the birth of these children were considered a good omen. There were also the pale, seclusive Ghostwise halflings, who were believed to be the descendants of the Huldra that refused to be baptized in the Spring of Renavisa, and were then captured and experimented on by the Aberrations in the Invasion Era.
Most halflings grew up in one of three living situations: in tiny villages settled by other halflings, in nomadic groups, or with other races. Halfling villages were unusually difficult to find; stories exist of cartographers mapping halfling villages, then returning later to find the entire hamlet vanished. In other cases however, the villages let themselves be found, becoming a welcome rest stop for travellers. A few larger settlements throughout Diaghal started their existence as halfling villages, with the city of Monteau in Fonterre being an example.
When travelling with others of their kind, nomadic halflings groups can range in size from small bands made only of their immediate family, to an entire clan travelling together. Nomadic halflings also join up with other migratory cultures, such as the Fhianna. Despite being peripatetic, it wasn’t uncommon for nomadic halflings to settle in a single location for lengths of time measuring up to a few years at most.
One of the most famous traits of halflings was their adaptability to their environment, and one of the ways that this often manifested was halflings living in urban environments with multiple other races. Many halflings that lived in cities took on the customs and culture of those they were living with, though still sometimes kept a few halfling beliefs and practices, like respecting the Old Gods when in areas filled with wilderness. Travelling halflings could often find comfort and hospitality provided freely by these urban halflings, overjoyed to see others of their kin.
Halflings loved storytelling. The species didn’t write a lot down, but had an extremely strong oral tradition. Most stories told were about ancestors, and the adventures they went on. In this way, halflings loved treasure and antiques - not out of a sense of greed, but because they believed that each object told a story. Some halfling adventurers started their journeys to gather interesting objects, then returned home afterwards and lived out the rest of their lives in relative harmony.
Halflings often adopted the religions of the culture that surrounded them, but the traditional faith of the halflings is the Hulderil sect of the Urbnata Church. Despite being categorized as a denomination of Urbnatism, Hulderilism actually predated the foundation of the Urbnata Church, and in fact influenced many of the beliefs, rituals, and practices in Urbnatism. Hulderil Urbnatism followed the goddesses Avandra and Yondolla, the mythical “creators” of the halflings, as well as a few other important supernatural beings. Halfling elders would act as both leaders and priests of halfling communities. Unlike other denominations of Urbnatism, Hulderilists did not mummify their dead, but instead simply buried them. They believe that the body itself, regardless of its compositional state, was enough to act as a soul anchor to spirits to pass on omens and messages to their loved ones. Halflings also pay respect to who they call the Old Gods - spirits of nature that they believe was their primary religion before Avandra and Yondolla baptized them. Some of these Old Gods were named, such as Arvoreen, Charmalaine, and Cyrollalee, but many were not. One of these Old Gods, Urogalan, is actually followed in many denominations of Urbnatism.
Halflings spoke the language of the same name, Halfling which they called Hulhillic. The language had many dialects, but these dialects were mutually intelligible. Few spoke the language outside of halfling communities.

History

According to myth, Avandra and Yondolla were wandering in the woods together, when they found a group of creatures hiding in a hollow tree. These creatures, called Huldra, were invisible, but with their divine eyes, Yondolla and Avandra could see that they looked like short humans with tails and hollow backs. When the two gods asked why the Huldra were hiding, they replied that the world was a dark and scary place, and that they would rather stay where they were. In response, the two gods took the Huldra to a village near a great ruin. Yondolla showed them family and community, and asked them how the world could be so scary when you had people supporting you. Avandra showed them travel and wealth, and asked them how the world could be so dark when you had great adventures to experience. The huldra thought on this, and many were convinced of the two gods' arguments. They wished to join the world at large. Avandra and Yondolla went to their mother, Erathis, and asked for help in giving the huldra concrete forms. Erathis touched a mountaintop with her sword, and from it came a great oasis, the Spring of Renavisa. Avandra and Yondolla took the huldra and immersed them in the water, and when they stepped out, they gained new forms. The two gods then gave them great gifts. Avandra gave them the gift of luck, so they always could rely on getting out of trouble. Yondolla gave them the gift of bravery, so they always stood strong when anything threatened them. With these, the huldra became a new race on the face of Diaghal; Halflings.
Halflings spread out quickly from what is today Fonterre, reaching the very edges of Diaghal. While most halfling-established nations were small and of little historical interest, they easily fit into the various cultures of other humanoids - much like they do in the modern day. In contrast to their nations, halfling heroes were common and famous throughout all periods of history.
During the Invasion Era, those halflings that refused to be baptized were captured and experimented upon by the Aberrations. Like many races enslaved by the Aberrations, these halflings were freed from their eldritch captors, but were forever changed. Known now as Ghostwise, these halflings have a pale, ethereal appearance, and have the ability to communicate telepathically. In the modern day, these halflings are so rarely seen that many are unsure if they even exist.
When the Rathin Empire was founded by Rutilius the Great, halflings stayed a majority race throughout the entirety of its existence, and contributed much to its culture.
Unlike many other non-human races in the Hitochi Empire, halflings were considered closely related to humans, and therefore had a near-equal standing with them in the caste system of Hitochi.
In the modern day, halflings are so widespread that they are often large minorities in the population of most nations. Nations with considerable halfling minorities are the many states in the territories of what once was Hitochi, the nations in the Asvalan Peninsula, Calania, and their birthplace of Fonterre.

Origin/Ancestry

Huldra

Lifespan

~120 years

Average Height

2’9” - 3’3”

Average Weight

~40 lbs