Halfling

Drive to Travel

Nomadic explorers, Halflings are natural-born adventurers. Always on the move and never wanting to stay in a place too long. They are generally overlooked by most other races simply because of their seeming lack of impact on the world. They are part of no major nation, they haven't made any great advancement, they certainly don't stand out as warriors, and there is scarcely a story of heroics featured around them. Though this does not seem to bother them. They are just happy to follow along and live a carefree lifestyle full of new experiences. Not especially looking to complicate their lives with the spotlight.

A Halfling Never Forgets

Living their lives always on the move is helped tremendously by the Halfling memory. Being able to remember stories passed on for centuries, songs briefly sung in the last town they visited, or even just the trends of the local weather. While not exactly an eidetic memory, Halflings have a knack for remembering even the most insignificant of details much longer than most other people without even having to try. This also means other peoples tend to lean heavily on Halflings to find out the local or distant scoop from where they just traveled from.

Biological Traits

Their faces are rounded with slightly wider than normal eyes. Noses are on the smaller side but pointed, while their ears are rounded and wide. Being pretty spindly, Halflings don't normally possess a great amount of strength but are agile enough to get themselves out of sticky situations. Halflings have a voracious appetite but always seem to be able to maintain their slim figures. Their bodies are suited to travel, meaning they metabolize food very quickly. Even with lots of exercises though, they have trouble bulking up. Their bodies are just not suited to large lumps of muscle. They also remain spry and active throughout their lives. Able to keep up with the nomadic lifestyle while their hair greys and features grow broader in their old age. They begin to show signs of aging as they enter their 30s.
They reproduce normally for mammals, but pregnancy for the mother lasts only 3 months. Halflings don't mature until age 14, but they can walk right after birth. Wandering around and exploring even as babies, making it difficult to keep an eye on even a newborn Halfling child. Though they call no place home their population is quite large, and coupled with their wanderlust it is strange to find yourself somewhere where you can't find a Halfling.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Common "Mate" Family: (Si "Silin" Lolinlacka)
Common: Single syllable name for everyone. Men typically are limited to 2 letters and Women 3 letters.
Mate: A combination of the Common and a syllable from the Family name for use by trusted friends.
Family: A 4 syllable word made by combining their parents and two people their parents respected.

Common names (First Names) are typically extremely short one-syllable words that compliment the quick bouncy speak patterns of Small Talk. This leads to many repeated names throughout the generations. Women of the race tend to have ever so slightly longer names than men. In practice, this helps expand the very limited naming pool that is made available to the naming custom.
Family names (Last Names) are broken up into four distinct syllables which are formed from the first names of the parents and two other people the parents respected. Some see it as a slowly waning tradition and have instead opted to create new last names in their union and have their children keep the new common name.
Mate names help to distinguish oneself when you are around someone with the same name as yourself. A Mate name is a two-syllable combination of one's common name and a syllable of their family name. Usually one of the first two. This mate name is usually reserved for use when the specification is needed. This practice started when friends wanted to offer each other easier ways to identify each other. Because of this mate names are also offered to people the person finds dear and trusted.

Example Names (Common "Mate" Family)

Female

• Que "Quepo" Pofindala
• Mal "Malja" Jojamala
• Luc "Lucwil" Wiljonaki
• Sor "Sorzach" Zachilowjp
• Zil "Zilson" Forsonkili

Male

• Ab "Absin" Tomsinbulgee
• So "Sorick" Kestrickmodman
• Lu "Ludoh" Dohkizuckrill
• Si "Silin" Lolinlacka
• Ra "Rani" Monicrasa

Gender Ideals

During pregnancy, the men are the default defenders and providers for the new family and the women are the children's caretakers for the first few years of its life. As soon as the child reaches the age of 2-3 though, those roles are usually dropped. The couple will continue to take care of the child but the strictness of who does what is not so harshly defined. Halflings normally are very fluid about gender perceptions. Not caring about the terms unless it is about having a good time *wink* *wink*. So it is strange for them to see such large divides in roles and tasks based on gender in other races and societies. A few Halflings have been known to take up cross-dressing in order to have fun with these gender rules imposed by other races. With both genders able to grow facial hair with ease and the Halfling's adaptive nature, it makes it difficult for other races to tell their true gender if they are trying to hide it.
When they find a companion they like they will pair up and travel together. In the case of a Halfling couple, traveling together is an extremely personal experience. After months, if they continue traveling with each other, things will become more and more intimate between the couple. Nothing is usually declared between the two, no sort of marriage ceremony or promise to one another. Just an unspoken trust between wanderers. Having a child signifies the end of a relationship. So if they decide to have a child together they will stay together until the child turns 9 or 10. The couple then usually separates with one parent taking the child with them. This separation is a tradition to teach their children detachment and about change from an early age.

Common Etiquette Rules

• Let passersby know what is happening down the road

• Never leave a town without passing some coin along

• Leave nature unspoiled

Common Taboos

• Don't look in a fellow travelers bag

• Never claim a story as your own unless it is

• Don't carry a corpse with you, bury it where it lay

Ability Score Increase: You gain 2 to your Charisma score.
Size: Small
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25ft
Superior Memory: You have Advantage on any check made to remember or see if you remember something.
Toughened Feet: Your feet have Resistance to all damage.
That Kind of Face: You have Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Checks made within crowds.
Default Language
Small Talk

Origin/Ancestry

Gnam

Lifespan

14 - 65 years

Average Height

3'-3' 8''

Average Weight

65-110 lbs

Subraces

• Halfling (Driftling)

• Halfling (Houseling)