Halflings
Halflings are a small people who love hearth and home, farming and cooking, a well-prepared meal and a good drink, and peace, comfort, and good conversation. Their creation came as part of the Second Creation after the events of The Sundering. There is no record of exactly where they came into the world, but the large majority of eventually settled in a valley in the northern part of Kadrun in an area which would eventually be called the Richlands. The ones that didn't end up settling in the Richlands, moved to other parts of the world with some settling into area already controlled by dwarves and elves.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Halflings are bipedal humanoids of a short stature. One of the distinguishing features of halflings, besides their height, is that they have larger than normal, furry feet with thick skin that allows them to walk around without shoes. While short, halflings are often stout because of their love of food.
Biological Traits
Most halflings stand about 3 and a half feet tall to and weight between 60 and 90 pounds. Halflings reach adulthood at the age of 20 and can live into the middle of their second century.
The skin tone of halflings depends on where they live. Halflings that live in the Richlands often have pale skin with a ruddy complexion or tan skin. Halflings often have brown or sandy brown hair, but halflings with red or blond hair is an uncommon appearance. Halflings with darker hair colors typically have brown or hazel eyes and those with lighter hair colors typically have blue or green eyes. Halfling men rarely have beards, but some have long sideburns.
Genetics and Reproduction
Halflings reproduce via sexual reproduction and give birth to live young. They have a gestation period of around 9 months.
Ecology and Habitats
Halflings prefer to live in areas which can be easily farmed and used for other agricultural purposes, like grasslands, plains, and rolling hills. Halflings tend not to build and live in large, dense cities
Dietary Needs and Habits
Halflings are omnivores who love all kinds of foods. They tend to eat their meals in courses that usually start with fresh uncooked vegetables or a soup, move towards some kind of meat served with cooked vegetables or a meat pie cooked with fresh vegetables, and finishing with some kind of desert. Loaves of bread are served with most meals.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Halflings tend to have round faces and bushy, curly, or thick hair.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Most halflings live in the Richlands and the areas surrounding it, but there are also halflings living in many other places in the world of Tholenheim.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
While halflings have the same hearing and vision capabilities as humans, halflings have keen senses of smell and taste.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Halfling parents name their children based on their own personal criteria, one of which is naming them after ancestors.
COMMON FIRST NAMES
MALE NAMES: Eldon, Merric, Perrin, Ronston, Halfred, Adelard, Seredoc, Tolmon, Odo, Falco, Lotho, Mungo, Theridoc, Isembard
FEMALE NAMES: Cora, Euphemia, Verna, Marigold, Roslyn, Seraphina, Miranda, Engelberga, Theodora, Berenga, Gerda
FAMILY NAMES: Brushgather, Goodbarrel, Boffin, Bandawax, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Hanson, Underbough, Hilltop, Hornblower, Lindenbrook
Beauty Ideals
The aesthetics that halflings prefer are relatively simple. They prefer things like warm smiles, healthy bodies, and curvy or full figures to expensive clothing, jewelry, or make-up.
Gender Ideals
Halfling men and women are both expected to take care of the livelihood and the household. In the case of families that own and operate farms, both the men and women are expected to do the farmwork, raise the livestock, and tend to the household.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship for halflings is a simple affair. Simple gifts such as flowers, food, seasonings, and small crafts are often given and appreciated. Modest forms of affection are allowed in public, but anything more intimate is frown upon in public. When a relationship progresses to the point where marriage is on the horizon, one partner approaches the family of the other to explain their intentions and the family will usually give their blessing unless they do not think well of the partner.
Relationship Ideals
The ideal relationship for most halflings is one of friendship and family. Large families are relatively common for halflings, but in the cases of halfling relationships where children are not possible, the partners are often quite involved in the families of their relatives or will raise orphans in their village as their own.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Halflings have their own language was developed long before most of them settled in the Richlands and the most popular of the dialects of that language is the dialect of the Richlands.
Common Etiquette Rules
The most common rule of etiquette for halflings is that any guest to one's home is to be offered good food and drink, often in the form of tea and baked goods.
Common Dress Code
Halflings prefer simple, comfortable clothing in most situations and tend to wear loose comfortable clothing because of their rounder and thicker body types. For occasions when they are required to dress up, halflings do enjoy bringing out their more fancy clothes.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Meals are one of the most important customs for halflings. They have more meals per day than most other species, and even more on holidays and birthdays. Large community celebrations that consist of large communal meals and loud music are a large part of halfling culture.
Common Taboos
Refusing a meal or not feeding a guest are huge taboos in halfling culture. Missing a meal is also frowned upon.
While hard work is appreciate and encouraged by halflings, overworking is to be avoided, especially when overworking causes one to miss a meal. Work can always be done on another day, but the experience of a good meal cannot, at least according to halflings.
Lifespan
130-160 years
Average Height
3 feet, 6 inches-4 feet.
Average Weight
60-90 lbs.
Average Physique
Compared to humans, halflings are generally more stocky and tend to carry more body fat than gnomes and dwarves.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Halflings have the same variety of skin tones as humans do. An individual halfling's skin tone depends on where they are from.
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