Halfling
While their small stature generally keeps halflings out of the spotlight in human settlements, the small folk have nevertheless found a niche for themselves and play an important role in Golarion.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Halflings are short humanoids and among the smallest of the civilized races of Golarion. They tend to be around three feet tall, though mostly human in proportion, with perhaps rounder heads and slightly more childlike proportions. Their coloration is as variable as the locales they call home. Their skin tends to be somewhere between a rich almond color and a pale nut-brown. Many have brown hair, though quite a large proportion of them are as fair as the Ulfen. The eyes of halflings tend to be fair, with green and blue being the most common colors. Many, though not all, have variations in color that make them seem more similar to other humanoids, typically humans, who live in the region they share. All halflings have very durable feet, the soles of which are very tough. As such, they rarely wear shoes, though some wear spats. Halflings have a fine growth of soft, warm hair on the tops of their feet to keep them warm, and have slightly pointed ears.
Their small size allows adventurous or guileful halflings to get into some rather tight spots, and they use their cunning and uncanny luck to get out of just as many, if not more, tough situations.
Biological Traits
Genetics and Reproduction
Halfling Ancestries
- Gutsy Halfling
Gutsy HalflingTRAIT
Requirements Halfling AncestryDescription Your family line is known for keeping a level head and staving off fear when the chips were down, making them wise leaders and sometimes even heroes.
Applications When you roll a success on a saving throw against an emotion effect, you get a critical success instead. - Hillock Halfling
Hillock HalflingTRAIT
Requirements Halfling AncestryDescription Accustomed to a calm life in the hills, your people find rest and relaxation especially replenishing, particularly when indulging in creature comforts.
Applications When you regain Hit Points overnight, add your level to the Hit Points regained. When anyone uses the Medicine skill to Treat your Wounds, you can eat a snack to add your level to the Hit Points you regain from their treatment. - Jinxed Halfling
Jinxed HalflingJinxed Halfling - HeritageTRAIT
Requirements Halfling AncestryDescription You were born with a strange blessing: bereft of the typical halfling luck, you can instead manipulate the fortunes of others.
Applications You can never take the Halfling Luck feat, and you gain the Jinx action. - Nomad Halfling
Nomad HalflingTRAIT
Requirements Halfling AncestryDescription Your ancestors have traveled from place to place for generations, never content to settle down.
Applications You gain two additional languages of your choice, chosen from among the common and uncommon languages available to you, and every time you take the Multilingual feat, you gain another new language. - Quarterling
Quarterling - HeritageTRAIT
Requirements Any Non-Halfling AncestryDescription Either one of your parents was a Halfling, or one or both were quartierlings. You have unusually Large Feet and other telltale signs of Halfling heritage.
Applications You gain the Halfling trait and Keen Eyes. In addition, you can select Halfling, Quarterling, and your original ancestry feats whenever you gain an ancestry feat. - Twilight Halfling
Twilight HalflingTwilight HalflingTRAIT
Requirements Halfling AncestryDescription Your ancestors performed many secret acts under the concealing cover of dusk, whether for good or ill and over time they developed the ability to see in twilight beyond even the usual keen sight of halflings.
Applications You gain low-light vision.
Growth Rate & Stages
During their younger years, halflings often feel drawn to leave their stable and altruistic communities, and strike out on their own to seek their fortune. This leads many young ones to become vagabonds, traveling about and living by their wits and what they can steal. Once this wanderlust wears off, they often discover a profound longing for home and hearth and spend years maintaining and improving their domicile and taking joy in the simpler things in life.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
On Golarion
Although halflings in the Inner Sea region are most commonly found in the nations of Andoran, Cheliax, Galt, Isger, Molthune, Nidal , Taldor, and Varisia, they are a travelling race, and have spread to nearly all corners of the globe, even to far-away Arcadia , where they are one of the most populous races.Cheliax
The nation of Cheliax is notorious among halflingkind, as they are treated worse here than in nearly any other part of the world. Known derogatorily as slips, the Chelish have nothing but contempt for them, and generally keep them as slaves.Isger
The treatment of halflings in Isger is similar to that in Cheliax, and the former has one of the larger halfling populations in the region. Many are bought by the Asmodean Order to work in the many orphanages that sprung up as a result of the Goblinblood Wars over a decade ago.Mwangi Expanse
Tribes of demon-worshipping cannibal halflings are said to inhabit the Kaava Lands of the Mwangi Expanse.Average Intelligence
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Keen EyesKeen Eyes
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
Dress
Most dress in styles similar to that of their human neighbors. Halfling slaves dress more ostentatiously than their free brethren, albeit in cheaper fabrics. This is especially true in Cheliax, where their masters see them as status symbols and markers of wealth.Gender Ideals
Sexual dimorphism in halflings is similar to that in humans, with males being slightly larger and heavier, though many of the larger races do not notice this difference which seems much more obvious to the small folk. Males generally only grow facial hair as sideburns, and tend to be a good two to three inches taller. Females are slimmer and shorter, appearing much like a human woman of half size, though both sexes typically have pleasant round faces, and big cheery smiles.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Halflings most often speak Taldane, but they also have their own racial language that is also called Halfling.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Halflings are generally easy-going yet excitable, staid and yet frenetic if roused. Their greatest advantage is ironically their perceived physical weakness, as halflings know that they will usually be underestimated by the larger folk.
Professions
Halflings often work in service professions such as maids, cooks, and innkeepers, which leaves them in the perfect position to observe the world around them. This knowledge is invaluable to a halfling, given their generally defenseless position. It is not uncommon for halflings to be exploited for their labor, and they are one of the most common races of slaves in the Inner Sea region, especially in Cheliax.Luck
Despite their often menial work, halflings on the whole (and especially younger halflings) tend to always keep an eye open for the next opportunity, hoping to improve their lot. This can make them seem danger-seeking to other races, and while it is true that halflings can take extraordinary risks if they believe it will bring them great reward, they are also better at spotting danger. This has given them the reputation for being lucky, but halflings generally dismiss these claims as resulting from their superior reflexes, cunning, and broad skill base. There are a few halfling individuals, however, who seem to be magnets of bad luck, and they are generally avoided. Instead of a being a curse, most halflings think of these individuals are being blessed by Desna, and young people bearing this gift are often encouraged to study magic. Others, known as jinxes, are able to turn their luck around and inflict it as bad luck on others. While some believe this to be unfair and underhanded, jinxes contend that they are only evening the odds.Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
History
Halflings grew up among the human cultures of Avistan, alongside and often overlooked by the growth and success of those nations and regions they inhabited. They have their own rich tales and heroes that few of the bigger folk have ever even guessed at. Finding evidence of halflings throughout the ages is difficult, as history generally focuses on human societies, overlooking the smaller folk in their shadows. The first recorded evidence of halflings is from Ancient Osirion, although the elves claim to have noticed the race before Earthfall. Despite this, little is mentioned of halflings during this time.
Common Myths and Legends
Religion
Most halflings worship the human gods popular in their homelands, specifically those who emphasize community, beauty, honor, and freedom such as Abadar, Cayden Cailean, Desna, Erastil, Iomedae, Sarenrae, and Shelyn. There is a sizable minority who worship the aspect of Norgorber known as the Gray Master, while darker cults venerate him as Blackfingers.Halfling
- HP: 6
- Size Small Speed 25 ft
- Ability Boosts Dexterity, Wisdom and Free
- Ability Flaw: Strength
- Language Common and Halfling Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from Dwarven, Elvish, Gnomish, Goblin Speak and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).
- Keen Eyes
Scientific Name
Homo Sapiens Colles
Related Ethnicities
Related Technologies
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