The Races – Halflings

The history of the elves is known, and of the dwarves, but the point at which the Halflings split from their Human parents is lost to history and will likely never be discovered. What is known is that their first contact with the other noble races was in the lower jungles of Catapi at the end of the Third Dark Age when a tribe was discovered by the famed Elven explorer Selvi Sen. His first journal states it thusly:

“I have found cousins to the elves! They are like us in appearance, and very wild. They have our ears and eyes, but their skin is colored as the paler humans. I say they are like us in appearance, but it is a lie; they are tiny! Shorter perhaps than even the dwarves. They are only as tall as a child, and a young one at that, for they scarcely reach my waist. Their children are unimaginably tiny, once I was allowed to behold them. Where dwarves are stocky, they are graceful. Where dwarves are stolid, they are airy. Their hair grows long, and they wear little more than the crudest leather, but every inch of their clothing and dwellings is decorated gaily with feathers, rough-cut gemstone, flowers, dyes, and paints. Their village looks like a foundry for rainbows. It is absolutely remarkable. One fellow who introduced himself (using gestures and repetition, of course, as we had no common tongue) as Kikukimbuli showed me the most marvelous treasure…”

This report spread like hayfires across the lands of the Elves and eventually into the realms of men, and the jungles saw an enormous increase in treasure-seekers and gold-diggers. Many theorize that the new adventurous competition, as well as the spread of the Halflings into the lands of the noble races was what prompted the Elves to finally emerge from their seclusion and take an active hand again.

The Halfling heart is courage given form. Despite their size, they are know for great feats of daring and temerity. They have quicker eyes than Elves, faster feet than Gnomes, and more creativity and cunning than Humans. They are also hopelessly charming, which has been a tremendous benefit to them as they are physically very weak, owing to their size. They are much lighter than Dwarves and have none of the solidity for which the Dwarves are known.

A Halfling is welcome almost anywhere, as they have a reputation for charm and luck. Many of them are seafarers, paid simply to ride a ship to bring it good fortune. Others become great musicians or adventurers. Their appearance, which is very close to that of a human or elvish child, causes others to be less guarded and careful around them, but be warned that they are no less dangerous than any other race, or more moral. That little charmer may well be an opportunist thief.