Halfling

Halfling, hobbit, kender, kuduk, yowie, boggart, peck, or floresi: there are nearly a dozen names for the wandering-folk who often stand at the knee of many other races. The halflings, as they're most commonly called, are a curious race of people who define themselves by their lack of a nation almost as strongly as the dwarves identify themselves with Dwarden. Life for many halflings is one of simple comfort: a warm hearth and good meal after a long day of work, chatting with your friends and family while drinking tea, or relishing in a simple pipe and rocking chair. Though some find themselves living in agricultural or pastoral communities on the fringe of larger societies, many take to the open road and live life without ever truly settling down.
Halflings stand only slightly above three feet tall, keeping them under the eyeline of almost all other races. They're stout for their size, with broad faces, ears, shoulders, hips, hands, and feet. Their skin and hair tones match those of humans - from light and bright to rich and dark. Their eyes may appear small on their faces, and their pupils take up a proportionally larger part of the eye than most other races. It's exceptionally rare for a halfling man to be able to grow facial hair, but that doesn't stop some from trying to imitate dwarven or human styles.
The halflings that find themselves living in cities often take up trade work such as alchemy, cooking, leatherworking, or carpentry. A halfling's skill with their hands and attention to detail means they're often quite capable in these roles, and in some cities they've built quite a positive reputation. It doesn't take long, however, for a halfling to tire of the same sights and wander off to find a new experience.
Halfling culture is often hard for other races to wrap their heads around. For instance, halflings believe that sharing a piece of good news after hearing bad news wards off further misfortune. It can seem quite insensitive to other cultures, but it's meant as a kind gesture. Halflings also place a great deal of importance on family connections, often keeping detailed family trees and remembering relatives they may have only met one time in great detail. Humans or elves are often quite confused when a halfling asks them to describe their third cousins. Halflings, especially those who spend the majority of their time traveling, tend to place greater value on a trade than using coin to purchase something. Many shopkeepers place "coin only" signs in areas where halfling visitors are common to discourage attempts to trade for goods.
Though their is no unified halfling home on Llenilan, no one city or nation they claim culturally or historically, most halflings are delighted to see another of their kind, and can spend hours talking about places they're been and who they met along their journey. Research into halfling history is an exercise in decoding family histories, campfire songs, and collections of folktales. Scant few artifacts of major halfling settlement have ever been found, and decoding when the wandering-folk arrived on Llenlian, and what they originally called themselves, is a task that seems nearly impossible.

Lifespan

170

Average Height

3'0" - 3'8"

Average Weight

40 - 50 lbs.