Halfling

This race, closely related to humans, is mostly nomadic, travelling in small familial groups between different human settlements. They are often untrusted wherever they go, as they are always the outsiders.
This race was not actually directly created by a god. They were the result of evolution on a small island where dwarfism kicked in, then just stuck. They then spread out to the rest of the world after the fall wiped out their original home. They are few in number, perhaps only a million in the whole world, but are well known due to their tiny stature and stereotypes.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Halflings look like humans that have been shrunk down to half their original size. In proportion, they are almost identical to humans. However, this small size means several things. They have slighlty larger feet, run slightly cooler than humans, which explains their slighlty longer potential lifespans. And, of course, they are far weaker than a human.

Biological Traits

Two subgroups exist, the lightfoots and the stouts. Stouts are found more in dwarven lands, and have taken one some of their features, possibly from a small amount of interbreeding. The lightfoots are the more originial halflings, and have a charm about them that makes people tend to be ok with them being around. Lightfoots are also sometimes found on the water, living in barges, but this is likely not a seperate group.

Genetics and Reproduction

Halflings are serial mongamists, but rarely stick together after a child has been born and raised to around 2 years old. Halflings gestate internally for only 6 months, and typically give birth to a single child, though twins are not unknown. Around 1/2 of all children survive to adulthood, with most dying in the first year.
Chilren are raised by the community. While the parents do take an active part of their life, the entire community is involved and orphans typically fair ok.

Growth Rate & Stages

Halflings grow up a little slower than humans. They can speak by their second year, and walk at around the same time, but they only really start their adult lives at 20, not at 15 like a human. At that age, they typically go on a walkabout, where they unhitch from their caravan and wander by themselves or in a small group. By the end of this, at around 25, they return to their familial group, or in around half of cases, join a new group. They typically have their first child around here, and then continue having children, typically 5 in total, over the course of the next 25 years.
At around 50-55 female halflings become infertile, and both sexes begin to weaken. Most halflings survive to see their 80th birthday, and around 50% (of those that make it past 5 years) see their 120th, though the oldest of them can live to be 180 at the exteme. Most caravans though have an elder of around 140-160.

Ecology and Habitats

Halflings are very versatile, but prefer warmer climates, around 22 C average.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Halflings are hunters gatherers, collecting from the land and then moving on when it is depleted. As such, they are extreme omnivores. They do, however, tend to bring pigs with them on their caravans, and use them to pull their carts, as well as for meat.

Biological Cycle

Halflings have a secret fertility cycle, unknown even to the woman. It is approximately a 6 week cycle, with a peak fertility at around the middle of the 2nd week, continuing for around 10 days on either side.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Halflings travel in familial groups, typically less than 100. These groups are normally mostly related, though it is common for a young halfling to join a group other than their own. Some men remain unconnected to familiar groups, going from one to another over time, but they tend to be looked down upon.
Within the group, the elders have great respect, for their knowledge of good spots to go in unparalleled. After this, the older women, then the older men, then the younger men, then the younger women, then children.

Facial characteristics

Their faces look like a cross between a child and adults face. They have many of the same features as an adult, but scaled to be closer to that of a child. Their heads are slighlty larger in proportion to their body.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Found everywhere humans can be found, in small numbers. Rarely a permanent part of the population, though there are some popular spots where a caravan can always be found, or where a certain caravan stays for the majority of the time.

Average Intelligence

Though their brains are smaller than a human, around half as large, they are approximatelly as intelligent as humans.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Halflings have excellent sense of danger, possible evolved from some sort of natural character. This manifests as a sort of unnatural luck, where a halfling will subconsciously dodge attacks or hit targets, even if the odds are against them. It is possible this is the reason they did so well in the world of big people.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Halflings have 2 names, a given and a family name. Family name is from the mother.

Major Organizations

A few halflings have established boarding houses in the larger cities, these act as hubs of travel, where groups can gather to share stories or just meet.

Gender Ideals

Female Halflings are expected to be rather plump, with a fair amount of fat on them. In addition, long hair indicates a long period of health. Male halflings are expected to be strong (at least for a halfling), brave and attractive.

Relationship Ideals

Most relationships last just long enough to bring up a child to around 3, after which the man typically leaves.

Average Technological Level

Halflings are just barely agricultural. While they may own mechanical trinkets, they have no idea how to make them.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Halflings speak the language of the land they are in.

Common Dress Code

Halflings tend to wear quite light clothes, but a lot of them, typically 3-4 layers. Women are normally entirely covered except their head, while the men are slighlty less restricted.

History

Originially from the island of Flores, they were contacted by some humans and began spreading throughout the known world, first as curiosities, then as itinerant traders. However, when their home was destroyed by the fall, they fully embraced the nomadic lifestyle and began travelling the world.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Scientific Name

Homo Nanus

Lifespan

80 years

Average Height

85-90 cm

Average Weight

14 - 16 kg

Average Physique

Quite lean and spry, they are built nearly entirely of fast-twitch muscles, and so are excellant quick movers, if not as strong or as endurance based

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Ocuppy a similar scale to humans, but with fewer pale members.