Halfling
Additional Information
Social Structure
Halflings live in tight family groups which in turn are part of a larger interconnected familial structure within their locality. Though all halfings in a Burrow may not be directly related, for the most part they all act as if hey are unless the issue of courtship is at hand.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Halfling settlements are mainly found on the Southwestern edges of the Volkardian Territories, though they are not recognized as citizens of the kingdom. As a people, they are well and widely traveled and can be found all over the world.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Each Burrow (or Town) is led by a council of elders who decide local matters.
Courtship Ideals
Halfling courtships usually involve a man proving his worth to a woman through demonstrations of hard work and reliability. Men will establish a home, learn to cook and clean, and master a craft in an attempt to win the affections of a mate. Females usually establish their value through learning how to craft various ales and brews, practicing and showcasing gardening skills, and mastering a craft of their own. A couple will usually date for a period of a few months to a few years before deciding on marriage. Weddings are a joyous and celebrated occasion that usually involves the entire Burrow and it is not unusualy for several couples to be married at a single ceremony.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Halflings speak common and a dialect of common that is so distinct that it has been branded as its own language (since it is unintelligible outside of Halfing Burrows), referred to as Halfing.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Halflings typically value simple lives devoid of drama or disturbances. They have particular affinities for carpentry, gardening, and brewing and export high-quality products in exchange for goods they cannot normally obtain or are currently having difficulty obtaining.
Cuisine is a major driver of Halfling culture, and most individuals enjoy tasting dishes for far away places and distinct cultures. A Halfling is often measured on how many unique dishes they are able to prepare for a feast, and chefs are among the most renowned individuals within Halfling society.
Halflings also enjoy the company of animals, particularly canine and bovine companions. They are also known to raise hogs, chickens, goats, and sheep for slaughter or export.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Halflings value oral tradition over anything else, and each family maintains a communal mental library of tales relating to their heritage which is passed down through generations. Many of these tales are anecdotes relating to moral propriety and play an integral part in preserving the laissez-faire, pacifistic existence of Halfling society.
When any tale is written, it is a work of fiction rather than fact, and most Halflings subscribe to the belief that any story found in a book is a tall tale. For this reason they have more often than not come into lengthy debates with Gnomish scholars who insist on referring to their own written records in all matters.
History
Halflings are an oddity on the planet Urthe. Despite their best efforts, Gnomish scholars have been unable to place their origins, where or when they were first recognized as a species, or how they evolved at all.
Very little documented history regarding Halfling involvement or effect upon Urthe exists. The only recorded history regarding them exists within the Lushanese archives, which tells of an appearance of an armed Halfling detachment appearing before the Battle of Argerdox. On the morning before the battle, while the commanders of the Alliance met to discuss the upcoming sortie, perimeter scouts reported an unknown force approaching from the west. Upon their arrival, the Alliance commanders numbered their detachment as 10,000, all equipped with rudimentary leather armor. Three quarters of their number were armed with slings and given magically enchanted stones for ammunition. The remaining fighters were armed with shortswords, wooden shields, and stated they were only there to guard their sling-armed brethren. In addition, 3 three halflings, two of whom were male and 1 female, were present but according to the greater force "were not a part of of the group and followed them here". The 3 halfings appeared to be feral, armed with axes twice their size, clothed in ragged furs, and caked in grime. During the opening salvoes, the halfling contingent bravely marched forwards beside the Elven Archers and Dwarven Crossbowmen, firing missiles alongside their allies. In an unheard-of display of savagery, the three halfling barbarians were observed to have slaughtered thousands of enemies, though the two males heroically died before the days end.
Of course, no documentation exists in any Halfling settlement of this armed detachment ever marching to battle. The town (or "burrow", in Halfling terms) of Leventon does have a local story passed through generations that tells of a group of brave Halflings who defended their lands from "the wrong sort of folk" by hurling magical rocks with the aid of three "addled" Halflings. Gnomish scholars agree that this refers to the final battle of the 2nd Great War.
Other than this incidence, Halflings are an unremarked race on Urthe. The Lushanese do not mention them again in their archives, Dwarves regard them as a friendly source of ale and spirits, and Humans look upon them as little more than an curiosity. The minor races, busy with their own troubles, do not regard them in any way and even Goblins ignore them as a source of breeding stock. They are in many ways, and isolated race.
Historical Figures
Barnabas Bluebarrell - An adventuring Halfling who has been active in the areas around Bregor's Bay and the southern edges of Volkardian territory over the last 30 or so years. He has been the particular bane of several evil-aligned cults and has a particular grudge against draconic cults.
Common Myths and Legends
When asked about their origins, Halflings without fail have all answered the same way: A hearty laugh, a playful slap, and an assertion that "we have always been here!".
It is for this reason Gnomish scholars refuse to converse with Halflings on any serious level.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Halflings largely enjoy pleasant relations with most other civilized races.
Related Organizations
