Halfling

A humble people of short stature. They're closely integrated into the Dragon Empire, and originally hail from the Shirelands. There are many mutually contradictory myths about their creation.

## History

Halflings have typically tried to remain neutral in matters of diplomacy, and have consequently been uninvolved with many historical events. This is perhaps because of the relative safety provided to them by the Fangs to their west, the Sea of Storms to their south, and the Queen's Wood to their east -- though there have been some incidences of elven influence over halfling society in the past.

After a past Dragon Emperor managed to tame the Sea of Storms, however, the Dragon Empire was free to encroach, almost entirely unimpeded by the meagre halfling militias of the time. They first claimed the island of Threshold, and then much of the rest of the Shirelands over the course of the next few Ages, eventually establishing the city of Concord.

The Imperials stopped short of the easternmost region, however, out of fear of antagonising the Court of Stars. By the 13th Age, the independent Shirelands has been reduced to the towns of Twisp, Burrow, and Old Town.

## Society

Halfling society has been shaped mostly by a few major aspects -- their long-lived but aloof relationship with the elves of the Queen's Wood, their relative geographical isolation and subsequent complacency, and their slow conquest by the Dragon Empire.

### Cold Comfort

Halflings can be untidily divided between two cultural subtypes: traditionalists, who adhere to the old ways, and cosmopolitans, who have adopted the Imperial way of life. Both types of halflings can be found anywhere that halflings live, though cosmopolitans are more common in the Empire, while traditionalists are more common in the independent Shirelands.

Traditionalist halflings are generally suspicious of outsiders, and tend not to venture far from their home towns. Despite their lack of military history, the traditionalist halfling militias of the independent Shirelands have since swollen with fear of further Imperial or elven encroachment. They typically go barefoot, relying on their tough, hairy feet instead of the boots or shoes of other races. Pipeweed, a hallucinogenic plant harvested from the edge of the Queen's Wood, is a popular part of traditionalist halfling recreation and festivities.

In contrast, cosmopolitan halflings have, to varying degrees, left their old culture behind in favour of the modern Imperial ways, donning footwear and eschewing pipeweed to gain the respect of their peers. They may also adopt more industrious lifestyles to combat the popular notion of halfling indolence. Generally, the farther from the Shirelands a halfling lives, the less likely they are to retain their traditional cultural practices.

### Discord

Despite the easygoing reputation of the stereotypical halfling, there is a long-standing bitterness between some imperial halflings and the broader Dragon Empire, where traditional halfling values are scorned as slovenly and decadent.

This is especially true in Concord, which has a sizeable minority halfling population. Concordian halflings are generally impoverished, marginalised, and relegated to the city's slums. Despite the glamorous influence of their human and elven neighbours, the halflings of the Concord slums often stubbornly hold on to the traditions of the Shirelands, partially due to disdian towards their occupiers, but mostly because it's cheaper (aside from how expensive it is to get ahold of pipeweed in Concord).

The Concord slums and the independent Shirelands are host to a centuries-old halfling liberation movement that seeks to reclaim their ancestral homes from the grasp of the Empire. Due to Imperial suppression, they've only ever seen short blips of popular support.

### Adventurism

With the quiet, mundane life of the Shirelands, it's not uncommon for a young halfling to grow bored and wish for a more adventurous life. The same natural borders that have for so long kept the halflings safe, however, have also historically made it dangerous to venture outside.

Some halflings have wandered boldly into the Queen's Wood to seek out the glamour and mystique of the Court of Stars, to mixed results. Others have trekked through the woods to the north and sought to hitch a ride on a Koru Behemoth -- but are often caught off guard by just how much they'd underestimated the size of the beasts. An unfortunate few have gone west, into the Fangs, and are invariably never heard from again.

With the now-tamed Midland Sea to the south, it's easier than ever for a halfling to slake a case of wanderlust. In contrast to the laid-back conception of halflings at large, halfling adventurers have a reputation for being particularly bold or even foolhardy. Halfling migrants and adventurers can be found all over the Dragon Empire, and are surprisingly common given their relative population size.