Blessmark Isle

Halflings are from Blessmark Isle. They are known as skilled sailors and facilitate much of the realm's commerce. It is said that during the Apocryphon, Dyron took all the First Ones with a free spirit and love of adventure and created an island where they could be free from trouble.
Blessmark Isle
Despite being peaceful and friendly folk, the Halfling homeland of Blessmark Isle is completely safe from invasion. The sea surrounding the mysterious island is home to dangerous creatures called thresharks, terrible beasts that ruthlessly attack any vessels entering their territory. However, for unknown reasons, the thresharks do not attack any ships helmed by a Halfling. Thus a few members of other races have visited Blessmark Isle as passengers on Halfling ships, although the privilege is very rarely granted.
Perception of Halflings
Outside of the Isle, Halflings are amusing at best and tolerated at worst - their facilitation of trade and skills as navigators mean that they are often too useful to get rid of. Some few make their homes in the Sword Pact nations, acting as representatives of Halfling trade guilds or as private captains for hire. In general, the Halflings are ignored unless they are needed, which is just the way they like it.
Appearance
Physically, Halflings are 3 to 4 feet tall and almost universally blonde. They also have a set of gills along their rib cage which open when a Halfling is submerged in water allowing them to breathe underwater for a very long time. The men never grow beards but do cultivate long and elaborate sideburns.
Playing a Halfling
A halfling character will likely have a background in sailing, although this isn't always true. They are usually some degree of Good - Lawful Halflings are those that adhere to the guild structure, while chaotic Halflings will pursue their own profits. Halfling characters are not usually physical fighters due to their size and lack of strength, but there are many famed alchemists and skilled spellcasters among their ranks. They are also well suited to stealthier pursuits.

Structure

Halfling society is largely governed by their elaborate guild structure. The tree plantations of Blessmark Isle that provide the lumber used in shipbuilding are almost exclusively owned by private individuals, who in turn use these plantations to construct trade fleets. There are four main guilds: the Whitecap Mercantile Group, the Blessmark Shipping Guild, The Blueport Skippers, and the Norvaast Commerce Exchange.
The Whitecap Mercantile Group specialize in trading around the Western and Northern coasts of the Sword Pact, stopping at ports in Walston and even Tevenari, if the captain is brave enough. They fill their holds with fine Halfling pottery and tools and exchange them for furs and hides trapped in the Wolflands and Raidpeaks.
The Blessmark Shipping Guild is the largest and most powerful trade guild, monopolizing all trade along the southern coasts of the Sword Pact and Ilumvir Empire. Their trademark oversized galleons, with the guild's golden waves emblem emblazoned on the side, are a common sight in many major ports and on the high seas.
The Blueport Skippers are made up of some of the bravest Halflings, as this guild trades with the tieflings of Al-Muzhar. Though other Halflings frown on fraternization with the notorious slavers of the south, the great profits reaped by the Skippers through their sale of timber to the barren Muzhiri Desert stifle most complaints.
The Norvaast Commerce Exchange is the newest Halfling trade guild, founded by Willin Martle, a young Halfling who recently inherited a large fortune from his recently deceased aunt. Willin's goal for the Commerce Exchange is to provide a centralized forum for the various nations of Tevastra to sell their exports and purchase their imports, without favouring any one port over another. This new philosophy has been met with alarm and scorn from the other trade guilds, who value their monopolies. On the other hand, the Norvaast Commerce Exchange has found many eager customers among the other races.

Culture

For clothing, they prefer to wear open jackets, with the females using a hooked string to keep from exposing too much bosom. They dress in shades of green and blue. They wear unique boots made of a material called Dyronium - essentially rubber. Dyronium boots are waterproof and provide excellent grip on ship decks. The process through which Dyronium is made is a closely guarded secret, and items made from Dyronium are extremely expensive. When Halflings speak Avarosic, their speech is peppered with the word "ya", and they either shake their head or nod their head after every sentence to show their meaning.

There is profit on the horizon.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

Little folk, Fishmen, Gillboys

Demonym

Halfling

Related Species

• Halflings