Halfling
Halflings appear, upon first sight, to be small, wellnourished humans. They share many of the mannerisms and habits of their larger cousins, but a closer look reveals they have large, hairy feet and rather wide eyes displaying the temperament of wily farmers. Halflings are generally an agrarian people, preferring open pastures and lush farmlands to cities or other places crowded with tall folk. They get along well with most peoples, but rarely leave the safety of their homes and communities. Even when they do, it is generally only at the behest of others. Meticulous and prosperous, halflings enjoy good food, relaxation and a quiet life.
Description: 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.
Halflings range in skin color, though all are at home in the sun.
This, their curly hair, and their thick hands all fit their agrarian
lifestyle like a well-worn frock coat. Most halflings prefer dullcolored
clothing so they won’t attract attention to themselves,
but the wealthy or prideful wear finer, brightly colored clothes
to denote their status.
Personality: 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.
Personality: 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.
Racial Affinities: 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.
Environment: 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
Racial Affinities: 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.
Environment: 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.
RACIAL TRAITS AND ABILITIES
Fearless: Halflings, for the most part, lead sequestered lives and are often considered naive. This is not entirely accurate; halflings are not raised with fears and trepidation imparted to them by myth and fancy, but are reared on tales of selfdependence and the overcoming of life’s many hurdles. For either or both reasons, halflings possess stout hearts and are not easily frightened, even in dire circumstances. This trait imparts a +2 bonus on all saving throws against fear.
Hide (Dexterity): Halflings are practised at avoiding the prying eyes of others in outdoor settings. A successful check allows the halfling to hide making them almost invisible. If a halfling decides to move while attempting to remain concealed, they can still hide, but will suffer a penalty to the check. At up to one-half their movement rate, halflings suffer a -5 penalty to the check. At one-half their normal movement rate to full speed, they suffer a -10 to the check. It is impossible for a halfling to move faster than normal speed while hiding. If the halfling is being observed, even casually, the character cannot hide. If the observers are momentarily distracted, however, the halfling can attempt to hide. This check, however, has a -10 penalty because the character has to move quickly into hiding.
Move Silently (Dexterity): Halflings, being naturally small and dexterous, can move as quietly as a breeze upon a summer morn. With a successful dexterity check, halflings can move silently. They can move up to one-half their normal movement rate with no penalty to this check. For moving at one-half of their normal rate up to the character’s full speed, the character suffers a -5 penalty to the check. It’s practically impossible to move silently while running or charging, so this type of action incurs a -20 to the check.
Duskvision: Halflings, with their large and piercing eyes, can see in starlight and moonlight just as a human can at dusk. They retain the ability to distinguish color and some detail under these conditions, though everything is cast in shadows. They have no enhanced vision underground, in torchlight, or under similar conditions of poor illumination.
Resistant: A lifetime of good food, when combined with hard work and a self-reliant spirit, makes for a healthy people. Halflings are more resistant to the ills of life than most other races, so they receive a +1 bonus to all constitution saving throws.
Languages: Halfling, Common, Dwarven, Gnome, Elvish, Sylvan, Goblinoid
Size: Small
Movement: 20 Feet
Typical Classes: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Cleric, Druid, Bard
Attribute Modifiers: +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength
Ability Modifier:+ 2 Conceal, +2 Hide, +2 Move Silent
RACIAL TRAITS AND ABILITIES
Fearless: Halflings, for the most part, lead sequestered lives and are often considered naive. This is not entirely accurate; halflings are not raised with fears and trepidation imparted to them by myth and fancy, but are reared on tales of selfdependence and the overcoming of life’s many hurdles. For either or both reasons, halflings possess stout hearts and are not easily frightened, even in dire circumstances. This trait imparts a +2 bonus on all saving throws against fear.
Hide (Dexterity): Halflings are practised at avoiding the prying eyes of others in outdoor settings. A successful check allows the halfling to hide making them almost invisible. If a halfling decides to move while attempting to remain concealed, they can still hide, but will suffer a penalty to the check. At up to one-half their movement rate, halflings suffer a -5 penalty to the check. At one-half their normal movement rate to full speed, they suffer a -10 to the check. It is impossible for a halfling to move faster than normal speed while hiding. If the halfling is being observed, even casually, the character cannot hide. If the observers are momentarily distracted, however, the halfling can attempt to hide. This check, however, has a -10 penalty because the character has to move quickly into hiding.
Move Silently (Dexterity): Halflings, being naturally small and dexterous, can move as quietly as a breeze upon a summer morn. With a successful dexterity check, halflings can move silently. They can move up to one-half their normal movement rate with no penalty to this check. For moving at one-half of their normal rate up to the character’s full speed, the character suffers a -5 penalty to the check. It’s practically impossible to move silently while running or charging, so this type of action incurs a -20 to the check.
Duskvision: Halflings, with their large and piercing eyes, can see in starlight and moonlight just as a human can at dusk. They retain the ability to distinguish color and some detail under these conditions, though everything is cast in shadows. They have no enhanced vision underground, in torchlight, or under similar conditions of poor illumination.
Resistant: A lifetime of good food, when combined with hard work and a self-reliant spirit, makes for a healthy people. Halflings are more resistant to the ills of life than most other races, so they receive a +1 bonus to all constitution saving throws.
Languages: Halfling, Common, Dwarven, Gnome, Elvish, Sylvan, Goblinoid
Size: Small
Movement: 20 Feet
Typical Classes: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Cleric, Druid, Bard
Attribute Modifiers: +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength
Ability Modifier:+ 2 Conceal, +2 Hide, +2 Move Silent
Scientific Name
Halfling
Lifespan
100-200 years
Average Height
3’ 0” to 4’ 6”
Average Weight
45-70 lb.
