Halfling

> *“Sometimes people ask me why we Halflings are so comfortable, so complacent. They reckon we’re weak, small, easy to forget, simple to suppress and crush under the boot. But it’s nothing quite so demeaning. The simple fact of the matter is that we Halflings have found our place in the world, and are happy to simply cultivate it.” -* quote from Nezu Sheepkicker, a Halfling elder.
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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.

## **Physical Description - Small and Practical**

The diminutive Halflings survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offence. Standing about 3 and a half 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 to 45 pounds.

Halflings’ skin ranges just as much as a human’s might, though many are of a tanned complexion due to long periods in the sun. Their hair is usually a lighter colour, again stemming from their time in sunlight, but darker shades do exist. Interestingly, Halfling eyes are typically only a brown or hazel colour. It is rare for Halfling men to sport beards, but moustaches and sideburns are a lot more common amongst their kind. They like to wear simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favouring basic colours.

Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re 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.

## **Mentality - Kind and Curious**

Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harbouring few dreams of gold and 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. Halflings are easily moved to pity and hate to see any living thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing what they have even in lean times.

Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, Dwarves, and most other races, 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 try to get along with everyone else and are loath to make sweeping generalisations - especially negative ones.

* **Dwarves -** most Halflings see the Dwarves as loyal allies and respect their commitment to their words and actions. However, they also see them as uptight, wishing they would relax once in a while.
* **Imperials -** Halflings see themselves and the Imperials as very similar. At least most of them. They sympathise and relate to the hard work of the common folk and the conviction of soldiers and lords.
* **Centaurs -** Halflings see the Centaurs of Roylandia as noble and respectable. They respect their dedication to the code of chivalry. However, they also see the Centaur nobility as harsh and unnecessarily cruel to the peasantry they reside over.
* **High Elves -** Halfings see the High Elves as a race with incredible culture and arts. They admire their music, their art, their grace, and more. But they also know that High Elves are typically hiding something behind their mask of elegance.

## **Society - Pastoral Pleasantries**

Most Halflings live in small peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build realms 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. Though the central Halfling communities are a part of and loyal to the Empire of Man, they are very much self-governing in their own right and mostly separate from the annoying politics of normal Imperial society. Many are happy with this arrangement, but some amongst their race question why they are a part of the Empire if they simply look after themselves anyway.

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 Adventurers - Exploring Opportunities**

Halflings usually set out on the adventurer’s path to defend their communities, support their friends, or explore a wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.

## **Halfling Names**

A Halfling is given a name, family name, and possibly a nickname. Family names are often nicknames that stuck so tenaciously they have been passed down through the generations. In this way their naming structure is similar to that of the Dwarves, matching family names to individual or, in this case, ancestral deeds.

**Example Male Names -** Orvion, Sharzu, Erace, Dankin, Tebul, Linwan, Wilhace, Terin, Finras, Elace.

**Example Female Names -** Frolie, Rikath, Fayvira, Fenola, Sanys, Marmita, Sylvira, Rosla, Eoelle, Graleigh.

**Example Family Names -** Silenthare, Cinderhand, Mildeyes, Ravenman, Greatbraid, Dustseeker.

## **Halfling Traits**

Your Halfling character has a number of traits in common with all other Halflings.

* ***Ability Score Increase -*** your Dexterity score increases by 2.
* ***Age -*** a Halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives for about 2 centuries.
* ***Alignment -*** most Halflings are lawful good. As a rule, they are good-hearted and kind, hate to see others in pain, and have no tolerance for oppression. They are also very orderly and traditional, leaning heavily on the support of their community and the comfort of their old ways.
* ***Size -*** Halflings average at about 3 and a half feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is small.
* ***Speed -*** your base walking speed is 25 feet.
* ***Lucky -*** when you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can re-roll the die and must use the new roll.
* ***Brave -*** you have an 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.
* ***Languages -*** you can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Halflings tend to speak with long vowels and rise-falls at the end of their sentences, characteristics that are likely to spill over into other languages they might speak.