Halfling

## Overview

The comforts of home are the goals of most halflings’ lives: a place to settle in peace and quiet, far from marauding monsters and clashing armies; a blazing fire and a generous meal; fine drink and fine conversation. Though some halflings live out their days in remote agricultural communities, others form nomadic bands that travel constantly, lured by the open road and the wide horizon to discover the wonders of new lands and peoples. But even these wanderers love peace, food, hearth, and home, though home might be a wagon jostling along a dirt road or a raft floating downriver.

### Personality and psychology

The diminutive halflings survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offense. Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention.

Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened.

Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harboring few dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers among them usually venture into the world for reasons of community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity. They love discovering new things, even simple things, such as an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing.

### Physical description

Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds. A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.

Halflings’ skin ranges from tan to pale with a ruddy cast, and their hair is usually black, brown or sandy brown and wavy. They have dark, brown or hazel eyes. Halfling men often sport long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and mustaches even more so. They like to wear simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors.

## Culture

### Halfling names

A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname. Family names are often nicknames that stuck so tenaciously they have been passed down through the generations. According to tradition, children often are given names with similar sonority with their parents'.

### Society

Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling nobility or royalty, instead looking to family elders to guide them. Families preserve their traditional ways despite the rise and fall of empires. If war comes to pass, they are not forces one would want to battle without preparation. All halﬂings learn to use slings and javelins well before they reach maturity. Many also learn how to use short swords and throwing axes, as well as certain exotic halﬂing weapons such as skiprocks and war slings. A halﬂing’s ﬁrst line of defense is usually a ranged weapon. Should an enemy get close enough for melee combat, the longsword or short sword is the most common choice.

Many halflings live among other races, where the halflings’ hard work and loyal outlook offer them abundant rewards and creature comforts. Some halfling communities travel as a way of life, driving wagons or guiding boats from place to place and maintaining no permanent home.

Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. Most are concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering.

### Laws and Justice

Tradition encourages Halflings to support their communities and spurn law-breakers. Other races will readily treat Halflings as laborers and possessions to be bought and sold. In light of that slavery and their tight communities, they do not tolerate oppression.

### Language

Halflings speak Common and Halfling. The Halfling language isn’t secret, but halflings are loath to share it with others. They write very little, so they don’t have a rich body of literature. Their oral tradition, however, is very strong. Almost all halflings speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.

### Leisure

Music is an art form that every halﬂing can appreciate. It not only helps to bring in coin but also lifts the spirits after a long, hard day of travel. It provides the framework for dancing, an indulgence of which halﬂings are particularly fond. Only when the need for silence is great does a halﬂing go without his music. Favored instruments among halﬂings include lutes, lyres, horns, and small drums, as well as more exotic string and percussion instruments acquired at some point in their travels. Their best-known compositions are merry tunes that draw listeners into dancing. Among their own people, however, songs of the open road and laments for the departed that can draw a tear from even the most stoic eye are equally prized.

Among the most important arts in a halﬂing community is storytelling. Halﬂings write down practical information, such as supply lists and transaction records, but they rarely take the time to record legends or gossip. The oral tradition is stronger in the halﬂing race than almost any other, and almost every halﬂing is an accomplished storyteller.

### Arts and Crafts

Like humans and dwarves, halﬂings usually specialize in crafts and professions, with each person occupying a necessary niche in the community and providing a particular service throughout his life. Most common occupations are: blacksmith, wheelwright, wagon builder, butcher, various cooks, hunters, animal trainers, spinners, weavers, priests, tinkers, jewelers, and general laborers.

Halflings enjoy embellishing the items they use in daily life. Some paint designs of remark-able beauty on the sides of their wagons; others make jewelry or embroider clothing for their own use.

### Technology and Magic

Most halﬂings believe that magic is great for driving off orcs, entertaining outsiders, and dealing with the occasional emergency. In the long run, though, technology is often more practical and more reproducible. After all, just about everyone who makes a wagon wheel goes about it the same way, and if you studied a wagon wheel long enough, you could probably get a good idea of how to make one. In contrast, two spellcasters may cast the same spell in entirely different ways, and no one—not even experienced wizards—can ﬁgure out how to reproduce a spell just by seeing its effect.

The study of magic is a niche activity in halﬂing communities. Everyone appreciates having a few wizards, sorcerers, and  clerics  around  for  emergencies,  but  their  usefulness is limited in daily life. Magic items, however, are another matter  entirely.  With  only  minimal  instruction,  anyone can use many items of power; those that are not needed can be sold for good prices. Thus, spellcasters who travel with halﬂing caravans often find themselves pressured to either create magic items or find something productive to do with their time. Most halﬂings who pursue such classes also have other professions that are more useful to the community on a day-to-day basis.

Halfling technology focuses primarily on practical items and transportation. Small, portable items are favored so that they can easily be carried in wagons or on one’s person. Any item that makes daily life easier or can get a caravan out of trouble is of great interest to a halﬂing band. Heavy, bulky items and equipment are of little interest to halﬂings unless they can see a way to sell such items at a handsome profit.

Upgrades in transportation, food preservation, medicines and tonics, and other technology of interest are quickly passed from one settlement to another—and to human, dwarf, gnome, and elf communities as well. Even technology that did not originate among the halﬂings spreads quickly once they get hold of it.

## Trivia

* A certain family of Halflings has ties with the demon royal family.