Halflings

Halflings are a race of short humanoids dwelling primarily in The Old Valley and various other scattered regions in the world. Halflings are known for their excellent produce and cooking, but are often discriminated against by other races, particularly humans. It is a common belief that all Halflings are thieves.   Farmers in the southern and central parts of the province are particularly notable for their dislike of Halflings - resenting the 1500-year-old decision that stole their best farmland (The Moot) and gave it to the "Shorties", and the belief that all Halflings are thieves is stronger here than almost anywhere else in Borinth and Amar.   In the town of Wördern, in Amar, there is a tradition when celebrating a child's birthday, to make a straw-man the size of a Halfling, and stuff it with treats and candies that he "stole" from the children. Then, it is hung from a tree while blindfolded children beat it with sticks until it breaks and "gives back" the candy. Locals deny that drunks have occasionally used a real Halfling for this.  

Overwiew

  A race roughly half a man’s size that has always seemed to be wherever Mankind has gone. The Dwarfs record that a tribe of “beardless Manlings we first thought to be children” travelled with the human tribes as they passed through the Spine Mountains. On the other hand, some scholars think the Halflings are a race of men experimented on by Verena to find a way to resist Chaos, while a few others argue Ranald created them as a bizarre joke. Regardless of what others say, the Halflings simply say they are as they have always been, and they "like it quite a bit, thank you very much".   Being a rural folk, even in their towns, the Halflings are earthy types who enjoy good food, strong drink, a good smoke, and conversation that would turn a Marienburg marine’s ears blue. Expressive to a fault, Halflings think nothing of discussing their aunt’s nightly business with perfect strangers in complete detail. “Just to pass the time, y’know.” They love a good chat and strangers are welcomed by farmers along the roads as long as they bring gossip, coin, or lunch. Or preferably all three.   Halflings outside the Old Valley usually are seen by the small-minded as nothing more than cooks or thieves —or cooks and thieves— though this is rather unfair, because it creates stereotypes out of two Halfling traits. The first is their indisputable ability to make a fine meal out of almost any ingredients. The second is their differing views on property, ownership, and theft.   Most Halflings have grown up in what is effectively a large extended family of siblings, aunts, uncles, “cousins by way of marriage,” and the like. The practice of taking what is needful, be it a pie, a few crowns or even a piece of jewellery, is deeply embedded in the Halfling character. After all, if everyone is family, why should you ask permission? Of course, they’ll let you “borrow” it. These two traits have led to a perception outside the Old Valley of Halflings as little more than domestic help you have to keep an eye on.   Many halflings have a deep knowledge of genealogy, able to trace their lineage to the time of Ludwig the Fat. The greatest treasure of the Old Valley is said to be Haffenlyver, an embossed scroll expounding the family lines of many of the Old Valley's most notable families. The Haffenlyver is kept by the Elder of the Old Valley, Hisme Stoutheart.   Outside of the Old Valley, Halflings may become restaurant owners, tavernkeepers, pipeweed sellers, or street vendors in one of Borinth's or Amar's major cities. They may become innkeepers or farmers in a human village. They also have a strange affinity for Ogres, serving as overseers for Ogre work crews or cooks for Ogre mercenary bands.  

Religion

  The Halflings are very practical about their religion; in fact, some observers have commented that they are more superstitious than religious. Their gods, thus, typically have a homely sphere of influence, such as herb lore, cooking, or the hearth and home. Halflings also worship some human deities, in particular Sigmar, Taal, and Rhya.   The Old Valley has no priests nor temples (except the ones built for them by the Sigmarites), but shrines to the various Halfling deities are common, and village elders are willing to beseech the gods on behalf of their communities, should the necessity arise.   The Halflings worship the gods of Borinth, and Sigmar in particular is venerated as one of their great protectors, though there is no record of Sigmar ever mentioning Halflings, let alone saving them from something. They also have their own gods, but their worship is much more casual than the devotions of humans, Dwarfs, or Elves to their deities.   Esmeralda is the goddess of the home and hearth whom Pie Week honours, but there are others, too: Phineas, patron of tobacco with the ever-full pouch; Josias the Farmer, who always knows what the weather will be and can coax life out of the driest dirt; and Hyacinth, the goddess of fertility and childbirth. There are others, but they are obscure and little known to outsiders.  

Clans

  Given their naturally affectionate natures, and the close proximity of so many potential partners, it is perhaps no surprise that Halfing birth rates are so high. Halflings favour matrilineal succession, charting their lineages through the mother’s side This means that when a Halfling child is the product of two different clans, the infant is deemed to belong to the mother’s family. Halflings record their ancestry with pride, and most Haflings in the Reikland can chart their lineage back to one or more of the Great Families from the Old Valley. The Haffenlyver, the great genealogical record of the Halfling Clans, is held by the Elder of the Mootland, who also acts as the final judge over any disputes regarding bloodlines and ancestry.   While Halflings almost always know who their mothers are, not all Halflings possess the desire, or skill, to serve as parents. Thus, the responsibility for raising the child lies with the clan as a whole, rather than with any one individual. Childcare and education are handled communally, with the local clan elders acting as de facto parents, doling out wisdom and discipline in equal measure. This social upbringing instils the values and traditions of the clan in their youngsters, meaning each Halfling clan possesses a distinct character, and many are predisposed towards certain roles and professions.   Although representatives of almost all the Halfling Clans of the Old Valley can be found in Reikland, 12 are particularly common. Most of these migrated to the area many centuries ago, and, in most cases, have seamlessly integrated with their communities.   Ashfield - renowned as fieldwardens, the Ashfields are one of the more militaristic clans of the Old Valley   Brambledown - wandering itinerants often found abroad, the Brambledowns often work as Riverwardens   Brandysnap - the archetypical halfling, the Brandysnaps have a reputation for being lazy, although this is in part due to their bucolic lifestyle   Hayfoot - also known as the Hayfeet, these halflings are renowned as merchants, often traveling abroad   Hollyfoot - workers and craftsmen, the Hollyfoots are often abroad the Old Valley   Hayfoot-Hollyfoot - the Hayfoot-Hollyfoots believe they are the true clan, and Clan Hayfoot and Clan Hollyfoot are the illegitimate offspring of their own one, true bloodline   Lostpocket- the Lostpockets are those halflings without a clan, either those born without one or those who have been dispossessed from their clan   Lowhaven - also known as the Shortbottoms, the Lowhavens are infamous criminals and thugs   Rumster - the most famous cooks in Borinth, Rumsters are renowned for their pies   Skelfsider - one of the poorest clans of the Old Valley, the Skelfsiders are known to take whatever job is offered to them   Thorncobble - a clan that can trace their lineage back to the time of Ludwig the Fat and regard themselves as nobles of the Old Valley   Tumbleberry - the Tumbleberrys are one of the most well integrated clans into human society   Stouthearts - the clan of Elder Hisme Stoutheart    

Halflings and Magic

  Halflings are not naturally magical beings, magic just happens to them. Magic rings "happen" to be found. Magic weapons left lying around? In the middle of a battlefield? These and many other enchanted items will just "happen" to turn up in the Old Valley one day, and come from all over the world. Even dark, dangerous magic doesn't seem to turn a hair on their feet. There is such a thing as a Halfling Wizard, but the time it takes to study is often better spent on more fattening exercises - eating for example.