Halfling

* *Current Realm and Enneade*: Eternal Suns, Progenitor, Tuat, Atlas, Mirrormark, Qedseba, and Inet’Saret

#### **Statistics**

***Age***: Hafling possess a lifespan of about 250 years. Culturally and biologically, they reach adulthood as fast as humans do.

***Characteristic*s**: Dexterity +2

***Languages**:* Ancient Markish, your home Realm’s language, and Halfling

***Size***: Halflings’ average weight is 20 kg, and their average height is 1 to 1.1 m. Your size is Small.

***Speed***: 5 m base walking speed

***Lucky***: When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

***Brave***: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

***Halfling Nimbleness***: You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

##### ***Lightfoot***

***Characteristic*s**: Manipulation +1.

***Naturally Stealthy***: You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.

##### ***Stout***

***Characteristic*s**: Vitality +1

***Stout Resilience***: You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

#### **Appearance**

The **halflings'** appearance is like that of a very short human. They seldom grow past 110 cm tall and generally weigh no more than 18 to 20 kg. Their skin tone ranges from pale to sun-touched. Their eyes and wavy hair are usually colored in the brown spectrum, from the darkest of shades to hazel. Beards are uncommon culturally, but some male halflings like to style their outgrowth to sideburns.

#### **Lore**

##### ***Neter and the Halflings***

Their creator Enneade, Neter, the protector of hearth and hospitality, created the halflings in his image. Neter himself, unlike many of the other Enneade, was uninterested in flaunting his power and riches. He preferred to show himself in a small and straightforward form whenever he made his presence known. Early on in the world’s history, he and Tot, the gnomes’ Enneade, became fast friends. There is no denying the similarities between the halflings and the gnomes. Neter also instilled many of his positive qualities in his creation. He wanted them to value family and home more so than conquest and riches. Curiously the halflings became one of the most tolerant, innocent, and friendly races in the World, welcoming anyone to their hearth if they believed they had good intentions.

Halflings aren't cowards however, they protect their community and family fiercely if they have to, but usually, there is no need. Furthermore, Neter has always watched over his creation and invested a lot of his power and attention for their sake. Many halflings would claim that Neter, out of all the Enneade, loved his creation the most.

A halfling community is ordinarily not more than 100 members, thriving on what the land can provide in the form of agriculture and husbandry, and, if they are lucky, maybe some trade with other communities. Cooperation is therefore critical for halflings, both within their community and without. They like to make their homes out of simple stone and wood buildings or create cozy underground homes in sizable hills, outside major cities, or in the countryside. They usually stay out of politics and conflicts, preferring to avoid danger rather than invite it. Instead, most halflings like to live for the day, helping their community to blossom by their trade and spending their free time socializing or performing some kind of hobby. A halfling community often does not have a leader. Instead, they collectively listen and adhere to the wisdom of its oldest members. Storytelling is the most common practice to grant some form of formal education to younger members of the community. When the day’s work is over, and supper is over, it is common for the community to gather in a common room, where elders step forward to tell stories of past halflings, interweaving history, geography, and moral teachings into the stories. It is a beloved tradition for the halflings, and foreigners should count themselves lucky to experience such an evening.

##### ***Neferia***

After Tot and Neter came to see Moqatri, the Enneade of the dwarves, and Isismia, the elves’ Enneade, as dear friends, the four Enenade created the wondrous world of Neferia together and became the Patrons of Neferia. After the halflings had made their home in Neferia and other Enna races migrated to join them in the bustling world, the halflings were inevitably influenced. From interacting with other Enna races, some halflings developed a lust for exploration. Some halfling families started to view the road as their home and carved out a livelihood in caravans or boats, exploring Neferia and beyond. Others became curious about the various cities growing on Neferia and moved from their rural homes to busy towns, earning coin through their professions or hobbies. These halflings routinely became pioneers for other halflings who wanted to migrate to the city as well. Many members of a halflings community find it easier to move into a city if there is already a halflings presence there. In some cities, halfling neighborhoods were established as the halflings prefer to live close to their kin.

##### ***Death of Neter***

Neter and the halflings were the strongest voice for neutrality within the Patrons of Neferia during the Age of Collapse. After all, it had so far worked well for the halflings, and they collectively thought that they could ride out this storm too by standing safely on the sidelines. But the war came anyway to the Patrons. By the end of the war, the handful of Enneade that were left divided themselves into two camps. Those who stood with Amaknuphis and those who stood against it. The Patrons couldn't support someone so vile as Amaknuphis, so standing against him became inevitable. During the final conflict, when Moqatri charged into battle from Amaknuphis’s insults, the Patrons’ fates were sealed. Neter himself fought ferociously, and many Enneade underestimated his ability. But it wasn’t enough. Eventually, Neter died defending his best friend, Tot.

Like many other Enna, the event of their creator Enneade's death is a terrible experience that shook the halflings to their core. No longer would they have such a valiant and loving defender on their side. Ironically, their strategy of friendly existence and focus on base food production was very much needed after the war, and all of the surviving Enenade welcomed them to do just that, except Borias. The halflings' non-confrontational nature makes Borias dislike the halflings and vice versa.

The halfling communities became even tighter than before, and they realized that having a member or two of the community who could defend them was imperative for their survival. These days, the community sends out a few promising individuals to gather experience and strength. Still, despite their small stature and innocent behavior, halflings have been able to thrive in the aftermath of the War of Collapse. They seem to possess an uncanny level of luck that helps to keep them out of trouble. Some halflings claim that Neter, in his dying breath, sacrificed all of his power to protect his creation out of love. Even if he is dead, Neter is still a very beloved and worshipped Enneade by all halfling communities.

##### *Lightfoot*

This subrace of halfling is the least common of the bunch in this new age. They are the most curious and explorative. A trait that does not always have a happy ending. They are the most common halflings in cities and towns, found on the open road or even out on an adventure. The Lightfoots are incidentally also the smallest of the subraces but possess an impressive talent to go unnoticed.

##### *Stout*

In comparison to the lightfoots, the stout is the backbone of the halfling communities. They are the most common subrace and make up the bulk of the more traditional countryside communities. They are known to be prudent and a very uncommon sight to find on the open road unless they are traveling to a close-by market or village to trade.