Ghostwise
Ghostwise halflings, also called ghostwise hin, were the least common of Toril's three major halfling subraces.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Ghostwise halflings were similar in size and weight to other halfling types, with males being 2 feet and 10 inches to 3 feet and 10 inches (0.86 to 1.1 meters) in height and 33 to 38 pounds (15 to 17 kilograms) in weight, while females were 2 feet and 8 inches to 3 feet and 6 inches (0.81 to 1 meter) in height and 27 to 33 pounds (12 to 15 kilograms) in weight.
Behaviour
A defining characteristic of the ghostwise hin was their devotion to their clan and their near-obsessive respect for familial bonds. They were, also as a whole, wary and reclusive, and experienced less wanderlust than other halflings, keeping their wanderings confined to their forest territories
Additional Information
Social Structure
Ghostwise halflings were very elusive and were generally isolated from the outside world.5 They often lived a nomadic life in clans. Those who left the clan often carried a token of some important natural feature in their clan's territory, such as a stone or a vial of water from a stream. Losing one's token was considered a sin and required an act of atonement assigned by the clan leader.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The homeland of the ghostwise, as with all halflings in Faerûn, was Luiren, but very few ghostwise remained in that land, and those who did dwelt deep in the Lluirwood.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most ghostwise hin only learned the halfling language and Common, although their patriarchs and matriarchs would often learn one or two other languages such as Sylvan and Chondathan, while their druids were more likely to learn Sylvan or Gnoll. Almost all ghostwise halflings were illiterate.
History
In times ancient and unrecorded, the land that became Luiren was an untamed wilderness home to three great tribes of hin, the lightfoots, the stronghearts, and the ghostwise, who sometimes feuded but mostly lived in peace with each other.
In −102 DR, however, an evil spirit came to the land and a cleric of the ghostwise called Desva came to lead the ghostwise hin. The ghostwise tribe turned to the worship of Malar and began to glory in violence and bloodshed; their hunters turned feral, painting their faces to resemble skulls and stalking the forests in search of other hin as prey. As Desva led them farther into evil, the cleric taught the strongest hunters to take the forms of werewolves and poisoned the natural predators of the land with insane bloodlust.
For a generation the Lluirwood was a place of death, but in −68 DR, the hunter Chand became war chief of the stronghearts and made an alliance with the war chief of the lightfoots. The two tribes united to search out and destroy ever ghostwise lair and stronghold; entire villages were ruined in the fighting as Chand held to his purpose and no hin warrior gave mercy nor stayed their hand. This lasted for three years until −65 DR, when Chand finally slew Desva, ending what was later called the Hin Ghostwars.
The ghostwise tribe, however, was decimated in the fighting and most of the survivors were exiled from the Lluirwood for their crimes; only the handful that had forsaken Desva and joined Chand's warriors were allowed to remain. The exiles migrated to the Chondalwood, where they settled and took an oath to never speak until they had atoned for what they had done.
In 1264 DR, the druid Voolad Espiral led an army of dark trees and other monsters in a surprise attack on the city of Thruldar, ultimately razing it to the ground and killing most of the inhabitants. Ghostwise tribes in the nearby forest noticed the evil magic involved and investigated. Upon discovering Voolad's doings they launched an attack of their own, killing Voolad and, when the dark power he served raised him as a ghost, sealing him and his army inside the ruined city with powerful spells. They subsequently kept guard of the ruins in hopes of discouraging pesky adventurers that might release the caged evil.
Skin: Pale
Hair: Brown, Black
Eyes: Brown, Black
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