Ooc: The Halfling Guide

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

OOC: Some of you might have heard that the Halflings are working together to make an extensive guide, updated from Petyr's guide. This is correct, we will be! A few Halflings, including Dalek348, have approved this idea.

So far, here are the things we've be working on, and / or need to work on:

- Ancient Halfling History - (A special thanks to drplat for writing this.)

A History of Halflings - by Petyr Brandybuck

Preface

As is common knowledge, the origins of the halfling race reside began with couples consisting of a human and a dwarf. Nowadays, the halflings have distinct traits of their own, practically unmistakable when compared with the modern counterparts of their progenitors. The purpose of this book is to educate the populace about the culture and history of the halflings. The information in this book has been preserved either in ruins, in literature, or in folklore.

Chapter 1 - Beginnings - Years 0-300

Though there are many conflicting accounts regarding the creation and following years of Aegis, most records agree that the race of humans and that of dwarves most likely had contact before Year 50. And, as when any two cultures collide, so do their blood, and so at some point in time, humans began to mate with dwarves. We can trace some traits back to this point, such as brewing and farming talents, but as we will see, other generic halfling traits developed over time.

Indeed, it is hard to pinpoint the first halfling. After researching animal breeding as well as magical oddities, I would propose that, intially, the children of a dwarf/human couple would not be classified as a halfling. You see, it would make much more sense if halflings were a height in between that of a dwarf and human, but instead, they are actually shorter! This would indicate that, some time in the past, a great outer influence caused the future children of these mixed couples to have this odd height.

It is reasonable to conclude that halflings as we know them today were present by Year 300, based on folklore and literary records.

Chapter 2 - Early Developments - Years 300-600

A combination of small stature and inherant greed drove some of the first halflings to thievery, a very viable profession for nimble hands in the cities. They gained a reputation for being mischievous and devious, and thus gained little respect for their brewing or farming prowess. There was some prejudice against them, no doubt; never once in history or literature does one hear of a heroic or powerful halfling. To say that they were suppressed would be incorrect, but people did find them a thing to be "tolerated".

Over time, of course, most halflings developed a sort of fear of violence and arguments, reducing the number of thieves. As well, most halflings moved to Oren to escape the war-mongering attitude of the dwarves. This is estimated to have taken place over the time span of Years 400-600 The humans were little better, though. And, over time, halflings began to move to more rural areas, escaping those that would persecute them. Small communities on the very border of human cities were formed, and there halflings began to develop customs to cheer them up. Indeed, good food and good times seemed to become the goal of every halfling.

Chapter 3 - Later Developments - Years 600-1200

Halflings continued migrating farther and farther out of the city. It came to be that small communities of halflings were spread out in the vast plains surrounding Oren, with the halflings only revealing themselves occasionally to trade goods. Over time, the negative connotation towards halflings mostly disappated, but the halflings enjoyed their semi-solitary lifestyles. ::

The countryside is where the art of halfling brew and cooking truely matured into the art form that it is today. Indeed, the herbs and spices that could be found in the countryside of Oren had never been truely used to their full potential, and so halflings were the first to utilize them. Some of these herbs include the yellow wildflower, spice of apple, and fern dust. The ale, while very potent, began to develop more of a focus on flavor and aftertaste. This also was the case with halfling bread and cider.

It is important to note that there were still some halflings living in cities at this point (~Year 800). Most halflings were born of halfling/halfling, but some were still born of a human/dwarf couple. These halflings enjoyed a much easier life than their ancestors.

Around this time in history, the number of halflings had indeed grown to a point where surnames were required to identify with, as previously, only single names were used. Names, both first and last, were usually one or two syllables. Notable surnames and houses that began at this time were the houses of Took and Brandybuck, founded by Tulkan and Grombadook, respectively. The Tooks had the traits of what might be called the quintessential halfling - friendly, yet shy, of average height and demeanor. The Brandybucks, however, were a tad more adventurous, with darker hair than most halflings. Each family lived in a single burrow hill, most of them in the general vicinity of another. These family hills were the closest thing to a town as had truely ever existed yet in halfling culture. ::

However, in around Year 1010, some families started to break apart from population pressures. Families like the Brandybucks eventually spread all througout the lands.

By around this time, halflings had been isolated enough that, not only did this unique culture of peace and merriment develop, but the halflings actually forgot or disbelieved in the creation stories and of Aenguls, Daemons, and God. Indeed, the halflings didn't really develop a totally obscure faith, but instead took on a quasi-religious outlook that revolved around the things they held dear: harvest and food, companionship, nature, and peace. No "gods" were ever named, nor was worship very common, but there was a common belief that, if a halfling betrayed his tight-knit community, that the harvest and the tranquility of life would be lost.

Chapter 4 - The Rise and Decline of the Village Era - Years 1200-1304

Around the year 1200, a small group of halflings, from both Took, Brandybuck, Goodbody, and other families, decided to form a self-sufficient community apart from the family burrows. They had decided to make it a collection of hills, hidden from society by the waters and hills surrounding it. This community eventually came to be named "Dunwood", and it remains the most notable halfling town to date. There are massive wheat fields and a beautiful, clean lake. This town was always notable for being quite territorial, for as the humans began to urbanize more and more, family burrows were abandoned, and Dunwood was one of the last retreats for the country-loving halflings. As word of the town's existence came to be, spread by the word of the Wandering Wizard, halflings from both cities and family hills came to try and gain a burrow here. The founders of Dunwood were initially very welcome, but soon, the onrush of want-to-be residents came to such a high number that it was impossible to distinguish which would be beneficial to the community. The aspect of companionship was always very emphasized, and as a later resident of the town, I can vouch for this fact. By the time that I moved to Dunwood, it was impossible to walk through the streets of Al'Khazar without being pestered for the town's semi-secret location.

Envious of the town, many halflings and non-halflings alike began making similar towns in the surrounding hills, a more known one by the name of Thistledown.

I am now qualified, at this point, to tell the history from a first-person perspective. Yes, for I arrived in Dunwood during a small population boom, when the town was thriving and more inhabitants came every day. The Elders of the town at the time were Kip Took, Len, Gimblo. I was first escorted to the town by Gimblo, who took Bell and I for a visit. And, as I mentioned earlier, we were pursued through the streets of Al'Khazar by nosy people! Gimblo turned a corner, snapped his finger, and suddenly Bell and I were in Dunwood (a trick I have yet to emulate perfectly). The smell of hot bread and ale wafted from the ale garden, and I could hear a halfling singing with a lyre in the distance. Indeed, it was truly the ideal place for a halfling. Indeed, soon, the whole town took a trip to Al'Khazar to pledge allegiance to the newly-kinged Edmund.

After many a year of drinking, story-telling, and visitor-shoveling, the town seemed to go into a cultural decline. The Elders grew a tad sickly, and so they appointed Owen Sturdyfoot II as the Mayor to help govern. However, even his efforts did not maintain the vitality of the town, as Brian left to become an Ascended, Biodoc passed away, Rusty moved to Al'Khazar, and Lilly was kidnapped. This decline occured in other towns, too, leaving an area surrounding Dunwood filled with empty hill-homes and the likes. I, too, left after a call from the Druids, though the years of countryside living would have a profound influence on me for my entire life.

Chapter 5 - Up to Modern Day - Years 1304-Present Day::

After many years, around 1340, I decided along with a few relatives to restore the popularity and culture of Dunwood, and so we hosted DunFest, a large festival with much merriment. There was drinking, dancing, singing, and the likes, of course. However, afterwards, it did not have the profound influence on the town population that I would have liked. And so, I went back to Malinor, only to try another festival later. Indeed, it appeared that our selective ways way long ago had a profound influence on the interest in the town, and so many gave up their hopes of moving and settled in the city. Many halflings have forgotten the joy of the simple and clean life, to my surprise. While I certainly traveled and was no typical halfling, the air off of Lake Dunwood in the early morn still stirs my soul like very little else does.

At the most recent DunFest, I did meet some fellows quite interested in culture, but none were halflings. I have tried to embrace the city-dwelling halflings with open arms, but very few have answered the call.

With the division of Oren, I as one of the only remaining Elders of the town decided to not immediately pledge our allegiance to either faction, instead remaining independent for some time. I did, however, set up a trade caravan of goods between Dunwood and Galahar, trying to make use of our overstocked wheat.

At the time of writing this, the state of the world grows dim as the Undead continue to win victory after victory. The future will surely deserve another tome of halfling history, perhaps more in depth, as this was merely a general overview. Hopefully this has been an informative and enjoyable read.

Petyr Brandybuck

- Modern Halfling History - (A special thanks to Strawberry114 for writing this.)

Halflings arrived in Asulon on the same boats that carried the rest of the survivors from Aegis. Shortly after the first of the boats arrived, Petyr, the leader of the halflings at the time, went searching for a suitable location to rebuild what the halflings once had. He found the perfect plot of land to the far south of the continent, called the Vale, to create his village.

Meanwhile, the surviving halflings were lost within the camps of other races. Slowly but surely, they found their way back to the halfling village, given the name Branborough.

All was fine in the first years of Branborough's existence. Burrows were happily built for the new halfings, and the village prospered. After eight years, Petyr left the Vale, leaving it in the hands of his young nephew Frerry. Shortly after Petyr's resignation, Frerry was threatened by humans living in the mountains to the north of the Vale. The town was in outrage, but all was settled with a meeting of humans and halflings.

The Vale returned to its quiet state before the human threats. Nothing significant happened for years upon years, not until Petyr returned to the Vale. A few festivals were had, as well as the construction of the Branborough Workshop in his short visit back to the Vale.

After Petyr's second leave of the Vale, humans attacked again, this time threatening the halflings to join their empire. With a note from their king they let the halflings alone. It is likely that because of the attention from this incident, more halflings found their way to the Vale, repopulating it to as it was when the town was created.

The town flourished with life once more, and currently the halflings are at peace.

Recently, the first Branfest was held, a tradition lost since Aegis.

- How to Roleplay a Halfling (Accents, cultures, views, etc.) -

- Appearance and Physique - (A special thanks to SuperSodaPops for writing this.)

Halflings are unique when it comes to their stature. They are said to resemble children, although they have the features of adult humans. Due to this, they are often called Halfmen, and referred to as the smallest beings in Asulon. The average height for a Halfling ranges from 3 to 4 feet.

Halflings are not known for their combat skills due to this size, coupled with their lack of burliness. Unlike Dwarves, who are short and stout, this race is short and less built. It is not uncommon to see an obese Halfling, though, for they do love food and lazing about.

The Little Folk are famous for their hardy feet. It is a well-known fact that they avoid wearing shoes. Doing so is quite uncomfortable, as they have much thicker and more leathery feet than humans. This extra layer of skin can withstand thorns and sharp rocks. The foot of a male Hobbit has a curious amount of hair, that spreads over its top. Little is known why they have so much foot hair, but the Halflings do not seem to question it. Their feet, in proportion to the rest of their body, are quite large.

The hair of Halflings is often curly, or wavy, and almost never straight. It tends to range from blonde to dark brown, and on rare occasions, black. Black hair is rarely seen in the Vale, and brown seems to be the color in most abundance.

Halfling's eyes are also quite a curious spectacle. Their eye color is about the same as a human's, ranging from brown, to green, to blue, with the addition of less common colors, such as violet. The most intriguing eye color is, well, in fact, a mixture of two different colors. The condition "Heterochromia iridium" is common in Halflings. This means that both eyes are different colors. It is seen more often in she-Halflings than in male Halflings, for reasons unknown.

- Courtship and Marriage - (A special thanks to TMdeath for writing this.)

Halfling Courtship is and marriage is similer to that of the human race, but it also has a few differences. Here are some specifications.

When a Halfling finds an attraction to the opposite gender, he or she will usually approach the other, eventually asking them to go on a date of some sort. They might go to any location (the pub, a nice picnic etc). On this "date," the two will get to know each other better. The Halflings might find that they enjoy the others company, in which they will go on another "date." Or, they might find that they dislike the other, in which they will head off in search of a new person.

Barring that there are any mishaps, fights, or loss of interest, the two Halflings will eventually fall in love, and start to get on a more personal level. After an even longer time, the Halfling's love might become so strong that they feel they can spend the rest of their lives together. If so, the male Halfling will offer the female Halfling an item of significant importance, and ask for her to marry, and spend the rest their lives together. If the female accepts the two will begin preparations for a wedding (It is very rare for a pair of halflings not to have the wedding ceremony, but in a few cases halflings have skipped in altogether).

These ceremonies will be held (normally) in an outside area, as most Halfling communities have no large church or building to hold it in. These weddings will have large amounts of people (nearly the whole town, for Halflings like to party), food and drinks. Once the initial party is over, the weddings begin. In these, the betrothed stand close to each other with an Elder in the middle. The two wear fine clothes as do the rest of the onlookers. Rings are then brought out by a first man and lady. The husband's is often inlaid with refined lapiz and the wife's is inlaid with a diamond. The two exchange rings then their vows are read by one of the Elders. The two seal their vows by drinking some of the towns finest vintage wine from the same cup. A toast is then raised by the onlooking crowd for the well-being of the relationship.

The party then resumes with traditional Halfling jigs and other dances, carrying off late into the night. After the couple is happily married they will indulge on a search for a home they can live in together (note, they skip the honeymoon as halflings don't like to travel as much as other races). The couple will then raise a family and resume their happy halfling lives together.

- The Vale -

- The Tookwater Terror - (A special thanks to TMdeath for writing this.)

The Tookwater Terror was originally a beast spawned for Iblees' great army. It fought in a great battle at sea with the grand human armada. Eventually the beast was defeated and the commander of the grand fleet decided to take it as a trophy. They loaded it up in one of the largest ships in the fleet and took it back to be kept in a large underground lake. The terror was then beaten, slashed, starved, and burnt until it cowered at the sight of man.

In the fall of Aegis, the Terror was forgotten about in the commotion. It escaped its watery prison and swam to what is today the southern sea of Asulon. From there, it swam inland into the Tookwater River for the great amount of fish and animals that drank along the river bank. One day, it was spotted by our very own Petyr on one of his many fishing trips.

They were both afraid of each other at first, but after a while, Petyr worked up enough courage to go out and feed the Terror. The two slowly approached each other, and the rest was history. They became "friends," in a way. The Terror gained the name of the Tookwater Terror as that is where it resides. It will occasionally be seen by Haflings and has been known to help out Halflings who cant swim; saving their lives.

- Halfling Architecture -

- The Orc/Halfling Relationship -

- Current Citizens and Leadership of the Vale - (A special thanks to SuperSodaPops for writing this.)

This is being worked on by SuperSodaPops. Please help by listing your character's job here:

http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/62578-the-branborough-census/

Do you have anything you want to add? Post it below!

[Lirinya 4036]

Going through the list properly.

1 and 2 – both relating to history I have no clue. I was only in Dunwood for a short time until we swapped maps, then we came to The Vale, where I RPd very little, so the history isn’t something I know much of.

3, How to Roleplay a Halfling. Accent etc.

Halflings are like any other race, however they remind me of the orcs. Even though they are a human subrace, their culture and lore is different to that of a regular human. Their lifestyle is completely different. It’s free. They pay no taxes, they work together, they are a community and I think anybody who decides to RP a Halfling should honour the lore, it will make for better RP, rather than having a Halfling that lives like a human, for example.

Accent:

The accent I have used for both my Halflings spans from my local, irl accent and dialect. Yorkshire. I come from a farming village irl. Ok so, we don’t work together and we pay taxes, but essentially halflings are farmers who make their way through the world tending to crops and drinking. Sounds familiar to me anyways.

As said before, I base my Halflings speak on how I would speak to my family. For example:

Normal: Hello, how are you?

Halfling: ‘Lo, ‘ow are yer?

Link to more examples: http://www.yorkshiredialect.com/

This is only by personal opinion, and the dialects will vary depending on the player and their interpretation of the language. Not all Halflings even speak like this, some speak in pure common. Since learning a new language or dialect like this can be testing, some avoid it. Which is fine, as it can be difficult. It will also depend on their characters background.

Lorna, my first Halfling had only ever spoken to halflings, then didn’t speak to anybody for around 12 years. After that, the first person she met was Petyr. So she picked up an accent from him. The as she met more people in Asulon, it slowly developed and changed.

Rienna is slightly different. With her being biologically half elf, she is more cultured. Her accent is very similar to Lornas, partially because she loves being in The Vale and partially because I OOCly love typing like that.

Appearance:

When I first made Lorna I had no idea what a Halfling should look like, or act. I had never met one OOCly or ICly and was very worried to try. The only things I had to refer to was the wiki, and ‘Hobbits’. When I googled halflings I got what these peasant looking people who wore no shoes, the women wore long , basic dresses. They looked pretty bland. This is where I started bringing my characters looks together.

Lorna was pretty basic, she had long brown hair, a long green, raggy sweater and wore boots and gloves. I wanted a character who was worried about how she looked. So she tried to dress nice. As Lorna mixed with the humans in the Verge, she became more ‘better dressed’. Her clothes became more towny and more modern, in a sense. But never too much.

Rienna’s clothes match those of Lornas to an extent. Mainly down to how I design them.

Though Rienna is more culturally diverse, at least that is my reasoning.

Notice both have multi coloured eyes, this being : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterochromia_iridum

Something I read back in the old wiki stating that it wasn’t uncommon for this to occur in halflings. I liked the sound of this, it was different and I knew nothing about it,

‘A common characteristic among them is to have two different coloured eyes. Not all have this, but it’s not considered rare either’

So I made Lorna have one green and one blue eye. Made her stand out more. Rienna, however was more of an experiment with designing, so her eyes were lilac and yellow. Something I intended to change before I started playing her. However I never edited the skin and, it would make no sense to change them now she has mingled with players.

The rest I have little knowledge of.

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

Wow! That was fantastic, Liri. :D I'll get to writing up as much as I can, once I finish this horrible summer project for my class next year. Almost done!

[Lirinya 4036]

Updated the post :P Since I had change to type it up properly.

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

Lirinya - I added more of the physiology of Halflings, as you focused more on clothing (I think we'll fit that in Culture!!!). I did, however, use the Heterochromia iridiam you spoke about. :)

Okay, so here goes. This is not final, it is just what I wrote up yesterday.

-Appearance and Physiology of Halflings-

Halflings are unique when it comes to their stature. They are said to resemble children, although they have the features of adult humans. Due to this, they are often called Halfmen, and referred to as the smallest beings in Asulon. The average height for a Halfling ranges from 3 to 4 feet.

Halflings are not known for their combat skills due to this size, coupled with their lack of burliness. Unlike Dwarves, who are short and stout, this race is short and less built. It is not uncommon to see an obese Halfling, though, for they do love food and lazing about.

The Little Folk are famous for their hardy feet. It is a well-known fact that they avoid wearing shoes. Doing so is quite uncomfortable, as they have much thicker and more leathery feet than humans. This extra layer of skin can withstand thorns and sharp rocks. The foot of a male Hobbit has a curious amount of hair, that spreads over its top. Little is known why they have so much foot hair, but the Halflings do not seem to question it. Their feet, in proportion to the rest of their body, are quite large.

The hair of Halflings is often curly, or wavy, and almost never straight. It tends to range from blonde to dark brown, and on rare occasions, black. Black hair is rarely seen in the Vale, and brown seems to be the color in most abundance.

Halfling's eyes are also quite a curious spectacle. Their eye color is about the same as a human's, ranging from brown, to green, to blue, with the addition of less common colors, such as violet. The most intriguing eye color is, well, in fact, a mixture of two different colors. The condition "Heterochromia iridium" is common in Halflings. This means that both eyes are different colors. It is seen more often in she-Halflings than in male Halflings, for reasons unknown.

[Strawberry114 43]

Yes, I did write this~ I'm not the best writer, so someone has to look over this for spelling, grammar, etc. And if I got anything wrong in the lore.. Not the final copy.

History of the Halflings since Asulon!

Halflings arrived in Asulon on the same boats that carried the rest of the survivors from Aegis. Shortly after the first of the boats arrived, Petyr, the leader of the halflings at the time, went searching for a suitable location to rebuild what the halflings once had. He found the perfect plot of land to the far south of the continent, called the Vale, to create his village.

Meanwhile, the surviving halflings were lost within the camps of other races. Slowly but surely, they found their way back to the halfling village, given the name Branborough.

All was fine in the first years of Branborough's existence. Burrows were happily built for the new halfings, and the village prospered. After eight years, Petyr left the Vale, leaving it in the hands of his young nephew Frerry. Shortly after Petyr's resignation, Frerry was threatened by humans living in the mountains to the north of the Vale. The town was in outrage, but all was settled with a meeting of humans and halflings.

The Vale returned to its quiet state before the human threats. Nothing significant happened for years upon years, not until Petyr returned to the Vale. A few festivals were had, as well as the construction of the Branborough Workshop in his short visit back to the Vale.

After Petyr's second leave of the Vale, humans attacked again, this time threatening the halflings to join their empire. With a note from their king they let the halflings alone. It is likely that because of the attention from this incident, more halflings found their way to the Vale, repopulating it to as it was when the town was created.

The town flourished with life once more, and currently the halflings are at peace.

Recently, the first Branfest was held, a tradition lost since Aegis.

[TheRoyalOnion(Aris) 101]

Courtship and Marriage: For Halflings

This is just my two cents on what I thought Halfling Courtship would be like. Feel free to send me corrections and suggestions

Halfling Courtship is and marriage is similer to that of the human race but it also has a few differences, here are some specifications. When a halfling finds and attraction to the opposite gender He or she will usually approach the other eventually asking them to go on a date of some sort. They might go to any location the pub a nice picnic etc. On this "date" the two will get to know each other better the halfling might find that they enjoy the others company in witch they will go on another "date" or they might find that they dislike the other in witch they will head off in search of a new person. Barring that there are any mishaps fights or loss of interest the two halflings will eventually fall in love starting to get on a more personal level. After an even longer time the halfling's love might become so strong that they feel they can spend the rest of their lives together. If so the male halfling will offer the female halfling an item of significant importance and ask for her to marry and spend the rest their lives together. If the female accepts the two will begin preparations for a wedding (It i very rare for a pair of halflings not to have the wedding ceremony but in a few cases halflings have skipped in altogether). These ceremonies will be held in a (normally) outside area as most halfling communities have no large church or building to hold it in. These weddings will have large amounts of people (nearly the whole town halflings like to party) ,food and drinks. Once the initial party is over the weddings begin. In these the betrothed stand close to each other with an elder in the middle. The two wear a fine cloths as do the rest of the onlookers. Rings are then brought out by a first man and lady. The husband's is often inlaid with refined lapiz and the wife's is inlaid with a diamond. The two exchange rings then their vows are read by one of the elders. The two seal their vows by drinking some of the towns finest vintage wine from the same cup. A toast is then raised by the onlooking crowd for the wellbeing of the relationship. The party then resumes with traditional Halfling jigs and other dances carrying off late into the night. After the couple is happily married they will indulge on a search for a home they can live in together (note they skip the honeymoon as halflings don't like to travel as much as other races) The couple will then raise a family and resume their happy halfling lives together.

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

^ Thank you so much for this! I honestly didn't know if anyone would get it done. You're a lifesaver, and this is fantastic! :D

[TheRoyalOnion(Aris) 101]

The Tookwater Terror

This Is the lore i thought up for the Tookwater terror.Feel free to send meany corrections or suggestions.

The Tookwater terror was originally a beast spawned for Iblees's great army. It was fought in a great battle at sea with the grand human armada. Eventually the beast was defeated and the commander of the grand fleet decided to take it as a trophy they loaded it up in one of the largest ships in the fleet and took it back to be kept in a large underground lake. The terror was then beaten slashed starved and burnt until it cowered at the sight of man. In the fall of Aegis the terror was forgotten about in the commotion. it escaped its watery prison and swam to what is today the southern sea of Asulon. From there it swam inland in the Tookwater river for the great amount of fish and animals that drank along the river bank. One day it was spotted by our very own Petyr on one of his many fishing trips. they were both afraid of each other at first but after a while Petyr worked up enough muster to go out and feed the terror. The two slowly approached each other and the rest was history. they became "friends" in a way. the terror gained the name of the Tookwater terror as that is where it resigns. It will occasionally be seen by haflings and has been known to help out halflings who cant swim saving their lives.

[Petyr 485]

I already have the ancient history (Aegis) written.

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

Ah, perfect! I'll start formatting this all together. Petyr, could you link me to the history? I can't seem to find it.

[TheRoyalOnion(Aris) 101]

I already have the ancient history (Aegis) written.

Ha! I knew he was still alive!

[Petyr 485]

A History of Halflings - by Petyr Brandybuck

Preface ::

As is common knowledge, the origins of the halfling race reside began with couples consisting of a human and a dwarf. Nowadays, the halflings have distinct traits of their own, practically unmistakable when compared with the modern counterparts of their progenitors. The purpose of this book is to educate the populace about the culture and history of the halflings. The information in this book has been preserved either in ruins, in literature, or in folklore.::

Chapter 1 - Beginnings - Years 0-300::

Though there are many conflicting accounts regarding the creation and following years of Aegis, most records agree that the race of humans and that of dwarves most likely had contact before Year 50. And, as when any two cultures collide, so do their blood, and so at some point in time, humans began to mate with dwarves. We can trace some traits back to this point, such as brewing and farming talents, but as we will see, other generic halfling traits developed over time. ::

Indeed, it is hard to pinpoint the first halfling. After researching animal breeding as well as magical oddities, I would propose that, intially, the children of a dwarf/human couple would not be classified as a halfling. You see, it would make much more sense if halflings were a height in between that of a dwarf and human, but instead, they are actually shorter! This would indicate that, some time in the past, a great outer influence caused the future children of these mixed couples to have this odd height. ::

It is reasonable to conclude that halflings as we know them today were present by Year 300, based on folklore and literary records. ::

Chapter 2 - Early Developments - Years 300-600 ::

A combination of small stature and inherant greed drove some of the first halflings to thievery, a very viable profession for nimble hands in the cities. They gained a reputation for being mischievous and devious, and thus gained little respect for their brewing or farming prowess. There was some prejudice against them, no doubt; never once in history or literature does one hear of a heroic or powerful halfling. To say that they were suppressed would be incorrect, but people did find them a thing to be "tolerated". ::

Over time, of course, most halflings developed a sort of fear of violence and arguments, reducing the number of thieves. As well, most halflings moved to Oren to escape the war-mongering attitude of the dwarves. This is estimated to have taken place over the time span of Years 400-600 The humans were little better, though. And, over time, halflings began to move to more rural areas, escaping those that would persecute them. Small communities on the very border of human cities were formed, and there halflings began to develop customs to cheer them up. Indeed, good food and good times seemed to become the goal of every halfling. ::

Chapter 3 - Later Developments - Years 600-1200::

Halflings continued migrating farther and farther out of the city. It came to be that small communities of halflings were spread out in the vast plains surrounding Oren, with the halflings only revealing themselves occasionally to trade goods. Over time, the negative connotation towards halflings mostly disappated, but the halflings enjoyed their semi-solitary lifestyles. ::

The countryside is where the art of halfling brew and cooking truely matured into the art form that it is today. Indeed, the herbs and spices that could be found in the countryside of Oren had never been truely used to their full potential, and so halflings were the first to utilize them. Some of these herbs include the yellow wildflower, spice of apple, and fern dust. The ale, while very potent, began to develop more of a focus on flavor and aftertaste. This also was the case with halfling bread and cider. ::

It is important to note that there were still some halflings living in cities at this point (~Year 800). Most halflings were born of halfling/halfling, but some were still born of a human/dwarf couple. These halflings enjoyed a much easier life than their ancestors.::

Around this time in history, the number of halflings had indeed grown to a point where surnames were required to identify with, as previously, only single names were used. Names, both first and last, were usually one or two syllables. Notable surnames and houses that began at this time were the houses of Took and Brandybuck, founded by Tulkan and Grombadook, respectively. The Tooks had the traits of what might be called the quintessential halfling - friendly, yet shy, of average height and demeanor. The Brandybucks, however, were a tad more adventurous, with darker hair than most halflings. Each family lived in a single burrow hill, most of them in the general vicinity of another. These family hills were the closest thing to a town as had truely ever existed yet in halfling culture. ::

However, in around Year 1010, some families started to break apart from population pressures. Families like the Brandybucks eventually spread all througout the lands. ::

By around this time, halflings had been isolated enough that, not only did this unique culture of peace and merriment develop, but the halflings actually forgot or disbelieved in the creation stories and of Aenguls, Daemons, and God. Indeed, the halflings didn't really develop a totally obscure faith, but instead took on a quasi-religious outlook that revolved around the things they held dear: harvest and food, companionship, nature, and peace. No "gods" were ever named, nor was worship very common, but there was a common belief that, if a halfling betrayed his tight-knit community, that the harvest and the tranquility of life would be lost. ::

Chapter 4 - The Rise and Decline of the Village Era - Years 1200-1304

Around the year 1200, a small group of halflings, from both Took, Brandybuck, Goodbody, and other families, decided to form a self-sufficient community apart from the family burrows. They had decided to make it a collection of hills, hidden from society by the waters and hills surrounding it. This community eventually came to be named "Dunwood", and it remains the most notable halfling town to date. There are massive wheat fields and a beautiful, clean lake. This town was always notable for being quite territorial, for as the humans began to urbanize more and more, family burrows were abandoned, and Dunwood was one of the last retreats for the country-loving halflings. As word of the town's existence came to be, spread by the word of the Wandering Wizard, halflings from both cities and family hills came to try and gain a burrow here. The founders of Dunwood were initially very welcome, but soon, the onrush of want-to-be residents came to such a high number that it was impossible to distinguish which would be beneficial to the community. The aspect of companionship was always very emphasized, and as a later resident of the town, I can vouch for this fact. By the time that I moved to Dunwood, it was impossible to walk through the streets of Al'Khazar without being pestered for the town's semi-secret location. ::

Envious of the town, many halflings and non-halflings alike began making similar towns in the surrounding hills, a more known one by the name of Thistledown. ::

I am now qualified, at this point, to tell the history from a first-person perspective. Yes, for I arrived in Dunwood during a small population boom, when the town was thriving and more inhabitants came every day. The Elders of the town at the time were Kip Took, Len, Gimblo. I was first escorted to the town by Gimblo, who took Bell and I for a visit. And, as I mentioned earlier, we were pursued through the streets of Al'Khazar by nosy people! Gimblo turned a corner, snapped his finger, and suddenly Bell and I were in Dunwood (a trick I have yet to emulate perfectly). The smell of hot bread and ale wafted from the ale garden, and I could hear a halfling singing with a lyre in the distance. Indeed, it was truly the ideal place for a halfling. Indeed, soon, the whole town took a trip to Al'Khazar to pledge allegiance to the newly-kinged Edmund::

After many a year of drinking, story-telling, and visitor-shoveling, the town seemed to go into a cultural decline. The Elders grew a tad sickly, and so they appointed Owen Sturdyfoot II as the Mayor to help govern. However, even his efforts did not maintain the vitality of the town, as Brian left to become an Ascended, Biodoc passed away, Rusty moved to Al'Khazar, and Lilly was kidnapped. This decline occured in other towns, too, leaving an area surrounding Dunwood filled with empty hill-homes and the likes. I, too, left after a call from the Druids, though the years of countryside living would have a profound influence on me for my entire life. ::

Chapter 5 - Up to Modern Day - Years 1304-Present Day::

After many years, around 1340, I decided along with a few relatives to restore the popularity and culture of Dunwood, and so we hosted DunFest, a large festival with much merriment. There was drinking, dancing, singing, and the likes, of course. However, afterwards, it did not have the profound influence on the town population that I would have liked. And so, I went back to Malinor, only to try another festival later. Indeed, it appeared that our selective ways way long ago had a profound influence on the interest in the town, and so many gave up their hopes of moving and settled in the city. Many halflings have forgotten the joy of the simple and clean life, to my surprise. While I certainly traveled and was no typical halfling, the air off of Lake Dunwood in the early morn still stirs my soul like very little else does. ::

At the most recent DunFest, I did meet some fellows quite interested in culture, but none were halflings. I have tried to embrace the city-dwelling halflings with open arms, but very few have answered the call. ::

With the division of Oren, I as one of the only remaining Elders of the town decided to not immediately pledge our allegiance to either faction, instead remaining independent for some time. I did, however, set up a trade caravan of goods between Dunwood and Galahar, trying to make use of our overstocked wheat. ::

At the time of writing this, the state of the world grows dim as the Undead continue to win victory after victory. The future will surely deserve another tome of halfling history, perhaps more in depth, as this was merely a general overview. Hopefully this has been an informative and enjoyable read. ::

Petyr Brandybuck

[Dalek348 1962]

A collection of Halfling limericks that already exist and the creation of new ones wouldn't go amiss, helps people to identify our culture, making us more defined.

[LaCabra (Soda) 1519]

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