Halflings

## Physical Appearance

   Halflings are small humanoids, averaging 3’5” feet in height. They are usually stout (though a halfling would call them well-fed), with wide-set hips and shoulders. They tend to have shorter, “disproportionate” legs as opposed to humans. Halflings have a wide range of skin tones from pale to light brown, depending on where they live. They have a large variety of hair colors, from pale blond to black, and a decently large percentage of red and auburn-haired. Their ears are longer than all but elves, but more rounded than elven ears.

## History

Halflings were once rulers of the land that is now known as Morianna. They had a great and united kingdom based around magic and sorcery. After the great cataclysm the magic-focused halflings lost much power and influence in the realm. As humanity began to increase in numbers and form a proper civilization, the halflings agreed to coexist with them peacefully. This included the dissolution of the halfling kingdom, and instead the halflings formed many small communities in and around the human dwellings. Stout halflings built their homes up on the border with the dwarven nation, while the lightfoots created agrarian communities where they didn’t go off wandering as vagabonds.

## Alignments

Halflings are kind and generous on the whole. The ideal halfling is neutral good, with a friendly nature and gregarious personalities. Halflings try to live peacefully among others, to never cause offense and to create an environment where all have an equal say in the community. They have tight-knit communities. There are a few sects of halflings who are less pleased with the way humans took over and established Morianna and feel that their lands were taken from them, but these halflings are few and far between, and tend to be a vocal but harmless minority.

## Society & Culture

Halflings in general have a bright and cheerful community. When living amongst humans halflings quite easily blend in and are able to live in human society. However, there are quite a few halfling only communities in the rural farmlands of Morianna. These villages are warm centers of community where halflings live comfortable lives focused on agriculture and beekeeping.

### Gender Roles

Halflings are fairly gender equal. Women tend to stay home, raise children, and take care of the household, and men tend to go out and do the manual labor. However, that doesn’t mean that women are considered subservient to men. Within society, women and men are equal, and women are permitted to own land and property. This is considered a fair distribution of labor

### Half-bloods

Half-halflings are extremely rare, not due to any stigmas but just because human and halfling romance is fairly rare. Halfling genetics tend to be either fully dominant or fully recessive, so that half-halflings only portray the genetic traits of one of the two parents. Due to this, children usually go to live with one of the two that it most closely resembles.

### Linguistics

Halfling language is close to common, and may be the “base” language from which Common was formed back during the Halfling Kingdom. As such, it’s fairly easy for humans to learn the language, and for halflings to learn common, this is another way the two cultures have a common thread.

### Education

Education among the halflings is mostly done within families, with the mothers teaching children basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. Then at some point they will either go to work in their father’s business, or apprentice to another local business. Halflings with a lust for adventure may venture out of their farming communities and head to the larger urban human cities to do their apprenticeships and look for work.

### Architecture

Halfling cities are small affairs, with 2-3 story buildings maximum. They like stone and wood building materials, with thatched or wooden shingled roofs. In the south of Morianna and by the coast, they also use mud brick dwellings. Despite their usual height and size, Halflings usually build their homes and structures with tall ceilings and doorways to accomodate their human cousins. The furniture within however, will most often be halfling sized, though in pubs, taverns, and inns there will always be at least one high table and one room with human-sized beds.

## Government & Laws

Halfling communities exist within the boundaries of Morianna, however they are not technically citizens of Morianna, and the land upon which they make their communities is considered autonomous from the actual country of Morianna. They are still bound to the laws of Morianna, which they obey relatively easily, as they mainly align with their own views.

Each halfling community is a social democracy. Individuals are elected as Mayor and as City Council. Local farmers, merchants, anyone at any level of society can be elected if they put themselves forward. The City Council and Mayor mitigate civil and legal disputes as magistrates and juries, they define laws, collect taxes and distribute money to public services. The government puts a heavy emphasis on working folks at every level earning their way. There is no “noble” class of halflings. While there are wealthy halflings, those that live within the community are not considered any more important than others (in theory).

## Economy & Resources

Halflings have a bustling economy based on their agricultural exports. Wheat, barley, corn, and other grains are common, as is flour and meal and the products of those grains. Halflings also are world renown beekeepers, and halfling honey is famous, as is halfling meade. Halflings export much of their products that they don’t use themselves, mainly to the human cities of Morianna, but also to the dwarven nation and to the elves.

Halflings don’t make many crafted products, other than those related to the agricultural field. To find armor and weapons halflings tend to go to human cities to purchase them, and most human cities will offer a selection of such armor in the right sizes for halflings. They do however, produce a fair selection of magical items such as potions, alchemical ingredients, and uncommon magical items like sending stones or bardic instruments.

Halflings also have another common export, music, arts, and specifically bards. There is quite a famous Bardic College located in one of the larger Halfling cities, Merrowsburg, where many who wish to become bards (no matter the race) come to study bardic magic. Halfling music is enjoyed by all races and is commonly translated into multiple languages as it crosses the globe by word of mouth. Same goes for Halfling poetry.

## Marriage & Relationships

Halflings are generally monogamous. Around age 40-50 they will be finished with their apprenticeships and will generally begin the courtship process. Courting is a long, involved process, quite romantic, and can last as long as a decade. Due to this, young halflings will generally have several partners, until they finally settle down with one. Halflings will generally have larger families of 3-4 children. Due to the average age of elder halflings being in the 200-300 mark, grandparents and even great-grandparents will live in the home and assist with the raising of children.