Halfling

Halflings, called Hobniz by the Flan, have three distinct types. The primary group is the lightfoot, the typical halfling found in the Flanaess. Lightfoots average just over 3 feet tall and are ruddy faced, with hair and eyes in various shades of brown. The next most common sort are the stouts, somewhat shorter than lightfoots and having broad features and coarse hair. Last are the tallfellows, who are taller, slimmer, and have fairer complexions than lightfoots. Most halflings have wavy or curly hair. Some, particularly stouts, also grow hair on their cheeks.
Halflings originally occupied small settlements in the river valleys of the west-central Flanaess. They spread slowly into other territories, so that by the time of the Suel and Oeridian migrations, few were north of the Gamboge Forest or east of the Harp River. They are common in much of the Sheldomar Valley, interacting freely with humans, dwarves, elves, and gnomes. Historically, they prefer to dwell in stable nations ruled by stronger folk.
Today, halflings are found in much of the Flanaess, but they still favor the central and western regions from the Urnst states to the three Uleks.
Hobbits ("hobniz") are a cheerful race that make homes in burrows similar to the gnomes. Light hair covers most of their bodies, especially the backs of their hands and the tops of their feet. Hobbits usually travel barefoot, their thick-soled feet protecting them from the pain others would feel stepping on briars and sharp stones. Most hobbits build shallow burrow cottages called hobbit holes in grasslands, forests or hills. They have no nations or kingdoms, but live here and there in small villages and little towns, far away from the Big Folk. A peaceful existence. They love good food and drink, in great quantities, and a pipe to smoke afterwards. To an outsider it may seem that hobbit life is centered around eating, they generally take six meals a day - first breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, dinner, tea, and supper. Hobbits make a living as farmers, hunters of small game and as reasonably skilled craftsmen. Three subraces of hobbits live in the Flanaess. The harfoots are the most numerous~ and many live among humans. The fallohides are about six inches taller and comparatively willowy in build, usually living near elves, and stoors are about six inches smaller and live among dwarves.
Hobbits are quiet, retiring, and do not seek attention. They are farm folk, pastoral people who don't get excited about much. Basically good-natured, they have adapted many creature comforts used by humans, and like safe comfortable lives. The few hobbits who go adventuring are exceptions to the rule.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Halfings average 3 feet in height and have wide, round eyes and large feet, which are well padded and hairy. Halflings seldom need to wear shoes except in very cold weather. Long days in the sun give a halfling’s naturally light skin a ruddy brown tan every summer. This, their curly hair, and their thick hands all fit their agrarian lifestyle like a well-worn frock coat. Most halflings prefer dull-colored clothing so they won’t attract attention to themselves, but the wealthy or prideful wear finer, brightly colored clothes to denote their status.

Ecology and Habitats

Most halflings prefer lush, green lands with fertile soil, abundant water and mild seasons, and they strive to dwell in areas far removed from the troubles of the world. Yet, the world is broad, and some must live in proximity to other peoples and the troubles they create. There are halflings who make their homes in the coarser areas of the world, including towns or even cities, though these halflings are rare. Halfling houses tend to be small and made of brick when built above ground, while others live beneath the earth in expansive underground houses built into the tops of hills and underneath large mounds.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Many halfling foods are made to retain their freshness for lengthy periods, and they use herbs with healing and other medicinal properties.

Behaviour

Halflings are jovial, friendly and hospitable, yet they prefer their own culture to those of others. They typically eat too much and develop paunches early in life. Indeed, to have a great paunch is considered a sign of good breeding and wealth. Normally, halflings eat often during the day. They start the day by enjoying a breakfast, followed by a brunch and then lunch. This often precedes an afternoon snack of cake and tea, to be followed by supper and then a late dinner. It is said that halflings can keep time by the grumbles and rumbles of a hungry belly. Halflings also work diligently on their farms, houses, gardens, fences and other projects pertaining to their needs; “Relaxing requires a lot of work,” many halflings are wont to say.
Slow to anger, halflings prefer to settle disputes through legal means whenever possible, by appropriate compensation when necessary and through other measures only if unavoidable
A halfling’s desire for quiet and safety carries over to their personal lives, with only the occasional adventurous halfling leaving home to travel the world. A mystery to their brethren, these halflings often find themselves in the most unusual of escapades and adventures. These situations can reveal one of the least known qualities of halflings: a heart as stout as the strongest warrior and a courage unflagging to the point of foolhardiness.

Civilization and Culture

Common Dress Code

Halflings prefer to wear knee-britches and tunics or shirts, often with vests. Males wear coats and high collared shirts on formal occasions, while females dress in a bodice-covered shift and long skirts. Shirts and britches are often striped in alternating bright and dark colors. They dress themselves in gnome style when hunting or at war, wearing clothing of mottled greens and browns.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Though they have no lack of courage, halflings shun violent or aggressive behavior in social settings. They are slow to anger and always ready to seek a negotiated solution to any dispute.
A halfling feels no sense of shame if he or she chooses to leave the presence of some obnoxious bully rather than getting involved in a fight-even a fight the halfling thinks he or she can win. Fortunately, because of their communal village upbringing, few halflings are this rude, and such situations mainly arise when the halfling mixes company with humans, dwarves, or goblinoids.
Personal insults delivered to a fellow villager are considered low class, reflecting more poorly on the one who makes the insult than the target. Politeness is much admired, and one who shows tolerance to a neighbor who has wronged him is considered to be the epitome of a class act.
Parties among halflings are common and will be given for a variety of reasons. Birthdays are always cause for celebration, and with so many family members living together it's rare for a month to go by without several birthdays in it. Each community will also have many annual holidays. These vary by culture-there are no such holidays observed by halflings everywhere. Often the Small Folk will celebrate whatever festivals are popular among their human and demihuman neighbors, soon giving these observances a character all their own.
The hosts of a party are expected to provide food and drink-but much of this will be contributed by neighbors prior to the event. Thus, none of the guests show up with anything to contribute, but they've all provided a bottle, a wedge of cheese, loaf of bread, or the like beforehand. Indeed, this is one way halflings get invited to parties-if you find out that your neighbor is celebrating his birthday, for example, take over a small jug of ale in the morning and he can hardly turn you away when the festivities commence in the afternoon!
There is little sense of social status among the halflings in a village, aside from the amused tolerance shown by adults to children and the general respect for the elderly. Wealthy halflings are expected to throw bigger parties and to generally show generosity to those less fortunate-yet they are not accorded any 'upper class' standing because of this. The villagers may well elect a sheriff, mayor, or constable and give this individual nominal authority to arrest troublemakers. Rambunctious behavior is rare among halflings themselves, however, so the sheriff's main concern will be to control the behavior of humans, dwarves, and other possible troublemakers who come through the community.

History

The myth of Littleman is repeated in virtu­ally all halfling cultures of the mortal realms. However, the details of the story differ with every teller. In some versions of the tale, Yon­dalla creates Littleman out of essences she has stolen from the humans, gnomes, dwarves, and elves. ln others, she said to have created halflings long before Littleman's time but then left them alone for an age to see how they'd tum out, like a farmer who plants seeds and then leaves them be until the young plants have sprouted. Others give no explanation of how halflings came into the world but simply start with Yondalla's meeting with Littleman.

All versions agree, however, that before re­corded history began, halllings were a shy and fugitive people living as hunter-gatherers on the edgts of civilization, hiding in isolated burrows from the humanoids and monsters that preyed upon them. The civilized races-elves, humans, dwarves, and gnomes-took little if any notice of them, while to the humanoids they were merely tasty, if elusive, meals. Then, for reasons which these races have never fully understood, the small folk suddenly came out of hiding, gathered together, and created small agricul­tura settlements for themselves across the face of the known worlds (the halflings themselves attribute the impetus to their mythical cultural hero, Littleman, and the goddess Yondalla). At any rate, it is clear that halflings arrived on the scene after humans and well behind the longer­lived dwarves, elves, and gnomes. The halflings seem to have made a point of not competing with the brawnier neighbors, instead selecting regions of lowland or dense thicket whic.h they industriously drained and cleared, forming the pastoral shires inherited by their descendants.
Halfling societies have developed among most of the lands that have seen significant human settlement. Sometimes the small folk live among the humans, sharing their cities (though many will be gathered in a well­defined "Halfling Quarter") or fanning beside their larger cousins. More often, however, ha1Hings will live in small enclaves on the fringes of human realms. As a rule, halflings do not display the urge to expand their frontiers that so characterizes humanity; they are on the whole an easy-going and unambi­tious people. Once every dozen generations or so some restless halfling will gather a group of like-minded souls and forge into wilderness to dear new lands, but like their ancestors they will avoid areas already inhabited by others (whether human, demihuman, or humanoid). There is no record of halflings ever invading an area for the purpose of driving its inhabit­ants out and settling there themselves, al­though they are adept at mingling with whatever inhabitants they find already there.
Halflings strive to form the most neighborly of societies wherever they live. The race has a gift for getting along with dwarves, elves, hu­mans, and gnomes in all climes and environ­ments. Lack of prejudice is a noted halfling characteristic-one which allows them to wel­come all types of strangers into their com­munities and to mingle comfortably in the cities and towns of larger races. Typically, halflings will cooperate with their neighbors for the defense of a larger area. Thus they gain an alliance with larger troops, and the ally welcomes companies of superb missile troops.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Halflings are insular, and generally prefer only the company of fellow halflings. Of the other races, halflings prefer humans most of all, for they do much business with them, and they find that human farmers and herdsmen often share similar values. They are also favorably disposed towards gnomes, whose temperament resembles that of halflings more than any of the other races. Elves fascinate halflings, but they are far too ‘magical’ to be considered respectable. Halflings grudgingly admire dwarves, but find them a bit too gruff, hard-headed and clannish for their personal tastes. Halflings do not relate well to goblins and their kind, whom they passionately dislike.

Lifespan

150 years

Average Height

3 feet

Average Weight

55 lbs.