halfling

from the helpfile

Race: Halfling
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Halflings are short and resemble large Human children. They are far from cowardly, yet they often choose not to stray far from their beloved burrow homes where they live in the hills of Ferdarchi. Being small and not physically powerful, they rely on their speed and and hardy constitutions to make them the equal of larger opponents. Although they are happiest at home among their family and friends, Halflings often feel a need to travel sometime during their life and with their quick fingers and natural aptitude for stealth, they are often sought for opening doors or scouting dangerous areas. Once their curiosity is filled they tend to return to their homeland and engage in farming or other simple trades, telling their travels to their children who in turn yearn to see the world for themselves.

from Frederic's "Bestiary"

Halfling

The halflings, or hobbits as they are sometime called, are a quiet people who want no more out of life than a nice home and something to eat. Well, perhaps a lot to eat. Their name comes from the fact that they are half as tall as the humans that they resemble.

Halflings are similar in humans in many ways other than physically. Like humans, halflings are not found "in the wild." In fact, halflings are very concerned with their manners, similar to the codes of honor in many societies, and a halfling that does not act civilized has no place amongst other halflings. This tendency towards civilization combined with the natural halfling tendency to enjoy the finer things in life tends to discourage halflings from taking up a life of adventuring. The few halflings that I know who do travel tend to fill their packs full of food rather than weapons before heading off on an adventure. This lifestyle makes halflings excellent healers, as well as cooks, and everyone knows of the great Lirrin of Eristan and her apprentice, Flynn, two of Eristan's founding healers, both of whom are halflings.

While this description tends to make halflings sound like they are mere socialites, this is not in the least true. If a job needs to be done, halflings will put forth every effort to see that it is done. Many halflings are farmers, and even those who are not often keep small gardens outside their dwellings. Even though halflings do not like to fight, if their community is threatened they will fight as if possessed to keep their community safe. More than one group of raiding bandits has been surprised by the ferocity of the halflings.

Another thing that I have said that might lead people to the wrong conclusion is that halflings are never found "in the wild." This may lead people to believe that there are no strictly halfling communities. There can be found, generally in the low hills, small communities of halfling burrows, which are small dwellings half in and half out of the hill. These communities are often situated near roads, for even if the road did not originally travel near the halflings, the thought of a meal prepared, and invariably offered, by a halfling cook is something that many travelers cannot resist. Many halflings cannot resist this either, and it is not uncommon for halflings to eat up to five or six meals in a day. This gives rise to the well known halfling physique, namely...stout.