Halfling

Halflings are a race of short humanoid creatures. There are many Halfling populations in Nedia on the Islands around Kakon, notably the Maletsok Islands. Being highly seclusive, these populations have evolved very different cultures from one another, depending on what their environments require. What unites them all, however, is a fondness for life and living things. Halflings are a boisterous and jovial stock, loving gardening, brewing, and taking time to enjoy the fruits of good labour.

Thanks to their personalities, Halflings generally get along with all peoples and have few enemies. Their communities can often be found in close proximity to or even within the territory of other races, relying on their trade and protection to maintain their simple lifestyles. Typically they will adopt some manner of the culture of their surrounding people, but some Halfling communities exist entirely on their own, notably the Pelozerians of the Maletsok Territory.

Origin Myths

The Dying Birth

According to Imperial thought, Halflings share their origin with Humans, being born of a creature of the Heighastan Plane who drowned in a body of water after the great inundation. The drowning of the mirror being caused all reflections to shatter in Nedia, and birthed the Halflings. Similar to Humans, but shorter in stature and content in humour.

Sacred History of Maletsok

In Maletsokish Lore, halflings, particularly Pelozerians, were the creations of Manrien the Purveyor. In the Chapter of Birth, numerous Gods created physical beings to act as their assistants and servants in the world. Manrien, the God of Life, made the Pelozerians in his own image to be help him in cultivating the land and make food and drink. After a time, Manrien made a Holy Brew which he gave to the Pelozerians and gave them life. The Pelozerians went on and gave it to the other servants of the Gods, giving them sentience.

Cultures

Pelozerian

Pelozerians are the Halflings native to Maletsok Islands. They are a jovial stort, robust both of humour and belly; for they are very fond of all things life-giving. They are most happy than at a wide, well-fared table with many friends and bright music. Days are best passed, according to Pelozerians, with a good hunt, a great grill, and an even finer rest. To many, especially their Dobrid neighbours, they may appear lazy, or even childish. But the Pelozerian lifestyle is a carefully structured worship of their preferred god, Manrien the Purveyor of Luthaenoism. For indeed, they value such things that Manrien Himself would value: companionship, art, and love.

They tend to live in small towns, organised into broad town-groups called Condados. Their homes and buildings are simple: naught more than humble timber A-framed structures with thatched roofs, so that they appear like sharp hills in the countryside. Larger structures sometimes take the form of their Dobrid neighbours, especially on the borderland. Most towns are built entirely in single storeys, but in their capital city of Almeiras, two storey buildings are found, particularly for businesses and taverns. However, these multi-leveled buildings are best thought of not as one building with two floors but two buildings on top of one another.

Their villages often do not include keeps or walls -- defenses were brought in by the Ethelan Empire: Pelozerians prefer to deal with things peacefully over a table adorned with breads and wine. As an agreeable people, Pelozarians tend to have little need for a centralized authority. The borders of their Condados were set not from warfare or royal lineage, but on convenient geographical lines or slight cultural variations. However, they are quite content with their Ethelan overlords, who provide great peace and trade opportunities, costing only the presence of a standing army.