Halflings

Halflings
Halflings are a relatively short humanoid race, that hold a very similar outward appearance to humans. Originally from Itania - beyond the Persus Mountains - many of their people now live around the Dún Ail river basin, an area of rugged highlands with a cold, wet climate.

Halflings are an innately curious people; they are natural explorers and wanderers, and although like all races there is great depth and variety among them, they have a unique propensity toward curiousity that underlies their inquisitive nature.

Despite an often rambunctious reputation, halfling culture is not exceptionally geared towards merriment (outside of festivities).

Appearance
Reaching barely past a human waist, they do not cast an imposing figure. Whilst adequately proportioned, it is nonetheless not uncommon to observe halflings on the plumper side (their curiosity equally extending into cuisine).

Beyond their reduced stature, their facial features are generally more accentuated than a human's, with heavier brows and more pronounced cheekbones. As with humans, halflings are found to have an array of complexions and accompanying eye and hair colour.

History
Little is known about the halflings prior to their arrival in Tol, even by the halflings themselves. History was kept by the druids and poets, the former dogmatically opposed to writing and physical record keeping, leaving their history an oral tradition.

Halflings crossed into Tol in the aftermath of the Vile Spore Plague, a plague that devastated Itania forcing most of its inhabitants to flee, or perish. This knowledge, however, is lost to the halflings.

Quite uintentionally, the first of those fleeing happened upon a large uninhabited valley at the foot of a particularly large mountain. The Halflings soon began colonising the valley (which was of such a size that it was a 4 day journey for the Halflings from the mountain to the valley's terminus on foot) naming it the Boaetha Valley (after the daughter of the fertility goddess Brigainh). It's natural virility saw an explosion in the previously decimated halfling population.

As colonisation of the valley neared it's completion (and much of the arable land now claimed), conflict inevitably began to brew. Boundary skirmishes prompted neighbouring familial groups to band together in mutual defence, which over time led to the emergence of unique customs and traditions, ultimately formalised into the clan system. By the time clans were fully formed and legitimised, minor confrontations often evolved into drawn out conflicts. It was in these tumultuous circumstances that we first see the emergence of the single unifying ruler; the High King. From the first High King, Eógan, began the new royal house of Eóganachta that would solely hold High Kingship, ending the feuds to usher in a prolonged era of prosperity amongst the halflings.

Dal Ulaid / The Old Kingdom
The Old Kingdom - or Dal Ulaid - was a golden age of halfling civilisation. The first written records (limited as they are) date back to this period, as do a slew of important poems accompanied by a blossoming in artwork and song. Making use of the natural geysers throughout the valley, saunas cropped up, as well as underfloor heating.

Having largely quashed the interclan quarrels of the past, and working under the unifying leadership of successive High Kings, the first colonies outside of the valley were established. In a series of military expeditions, first under King Nial, and later his children and grandchildren, the halflings made headway into the rocky river basin outside of the valley (known then as the "Pale"). There they faced the Fir Bolg, a more poorly armed foe who nonetheless posed a significant obstacle to Nial. They again and again refused to engage Nial openly, always retreating and drawing the halfling forces into narrow ravines where Fir Bolg ambushes saw the expeditions bombarded with boulders and thick javelins - their shields and armour useless against the force with which the larger and more muscular Fir Bolg could throw.

The Fir Bolg were gradually driven back, such was the tenacity of the halflings who continued their harassing raids and assaults on the Fir Bolg over several decades. The conquest of the Pale saw new colonies established for the first time in centuries; despite being much less hospitable than the valley, it offered an opportunity that some halflings chose to take, building new holds throughout.

The Exodus
In one sudden and catastrophic fell swoop, the golden age was over. The great mountain at the head of the valley exploded, in what the halflings would later come to realise was a massive volcanic eruption. The pyroclastic flow swept rapidly down, through the valley, wiping out many holds and villages instantaneously. Those further down the valley were not left without injury, as thick ash clouds blackened the skies and poisoned the air, forcing those surviving the initial destruction to flee out into the Pale. This became known as The Exodus, a watershed moment in the history of the halflings.

Reduced to death and ash, forever after the Boaetha Valley would be known as the Ash Barrens. By some accounts, this was the birth of a dragon, emerging from deep within the magma beneath the mountain.

With the resettling of these refugees, the Pale became known as Dún Ail (lit. Fort Land/ Land of the Forts), with the new High King taking up residence in Dun Duad, an old Thal settlement built into the caverns behind a waterfall, since converted into a fortified Great Hall.

Dal Rianh /  The New Kingdom
Far from the Dún Ail highlands and settled halflings, Clan Moynagh have begun to form a new kingdom, much to chagrin of the High King and his supporters.

Hidden away inside the Boander Scar, west of the Sultanate, is perhaps the beginning of a prophesised new kingdom of the halflings. A vast network of subterranean chambers connected by arching tunnels, the halfings are not closer to understanding who, when, and how it was built. Initially uncovered by a rag tag Moynagh band, they have since been join by a host of bands from various clans of the diaspora who have answered the call to found a new home for their kind.

Diplomacy
In general, halflings maintain relative neutrality. Whilst they are open to trading in some capacity (particularly the Dow of Keelport), they generally keep other races at arms length. Among the diaspora, neutrality is important to their way of life, so as not to upset any potential employers or clients (insofar as nomadic mercenaries can).

Society
Halfling society is heavily dispersed and divided. Whilst many nominally support the High King, living and farming in the Dún Ail, yet more form the Halfling diaspora. In this way, their societies and cultures are incredibly diverse depending on where these halflings are found, sometimes integrating local customs and beliefs, particularly among the city dwelling settled disapora.

Halflings famously make extensive use of alpacas, who are native to the mountainous regions surrounding the Dún Ail. Alpacas are the preferred steeds and pack animals even amongst the disapora, whilst they are equally as important for their milk and fleeces (alpaca wool forms the basis of halfling textiles). Alongside alpacas, they also make extensive use of Halfling Wolfhounds, a breed of incredibly large shaggy hounds the size of ponies. They are employed as mounts by halfling shock troops, famously effective against other mounted troops such as horses, camels, and even elephants are said to be repelled by the bold viciousness of the Halfling Wolfhound.

Clans
The halflings are organised, on both a social and political level, around a clan system. Every band (and so every member of a band) is part of a larger clan, each clan being governed by a council of eldermen (nobles). Although less common among the diaspora, the settled clans usually have a noble matriarch or patriarch - their chief - that acts as clan judge and rules on any decisions affecting the whole clan.

High King
Those halflings living in the Dún Ail highlands pledge their loyalty to the High King. Prior to their exodus from what is now the Ash Barrens, the seat of the High King was one of great prestige, imposing their will as the only central authority to speak for all of the Halfling clans.

However, much has changed since then; a gradual decentralisation of power in favour of clan chiefs has coincided with the erosion of the High King's authority.

Diaspora
Primarily consisting of nomadic peripatetic bands, or roaming mercenary warbands known as gallóglaigh, the diaspora has long been the face of halfling. Many humans, Atroxi, and Faun know of the halflings exclusively from dealings with these nomads.

The bands often each find their own niche; some bands are makers of fine jewellery or other crafts, some host traveling fairs, circuses, or performing troupes, and yet others host criminal elements. Due to the latter, halfling bands often carry a stigma as being thieves and swindlers, particularly among humans.

Druids
Druids are the magic users of the halflings, but more than this, they are religious leaders, spiritual guides, bestowers of wisdom, lawkeepers, medicinal experts and advisors to nobility (including the High King). Or rather, they were.

Druids as a class of people pre-date the migration, preserving the religious and cultural traditions of the halfling homeland beyond the Persus Mountains. And it is through the Druids that knowledge continued to pass between generations.

Druids tamed the wild magics around them to bring good weather for crops, to abate bursting banks of the Gaill River, to heal the sick when a poultice could not, and perhaps most significantly they were able to convene - in a limited fashion - with the gods themselves. This gave Druids a divine authority that was unchallenged by even the High Kings, who gladly accepted words of wisdom (and warnings) issued by the Druidic advisors.

It was The Exodus, however, that spelled the end of their ilk's prominence among the Halflings; they were blamed by nobility and commoner alike for their abject failure in foreseeing the circumstances of the Exodus. Surely such a terror would warrant the god's warnings? Surely those with powers of divination would have warned of such a thing? This was the line of thinking. Many Halflings felt foresaken, and in place of the absent gods Druids were to feel this dejected wrath, being pushed from their leading communal roles in the days of the valley, into hermitic isolation, outcast.

That is not to say, however, that they ceased all social roles entirely, but rather a significant reduction in their influence and role in the day to day lives of their people. Druids became relagated to the sidelines of society, utilised now primarily for their medicinal knowledge, though sometimes still their insight among those still loyal to the old ways.

The Dow
Based in the coastal town of Keel Port, the Dow are a small kingdom of Halflings apart from the rest of wider halfling society. Avowing and rejecting the legitimacy of the High King, they instead follow the so called Dowager Queen, from whom they take their name.

Halvingjar
The Halvingjar are those halfling inhabitants of the Isles of Sirily; a chain of small islands to the Northwest of Keelport. They were part of the original refugee group of halflings fleeing Itania, however unlike the rest of their kin (who chose to settle in the valley) they continued their retreat and left the valley. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to settle the lands directly beyond the valley (The Pale) due to the presence of the Thal who were hostile towards their colonisation attempts. Eventually they were driven to the coast, but the ongoing threat of Thal raids left them unsettled. Fishermen eventually discovered the uninhabited rocky islands, and soon after migrated to them fully.

Having diverged from the valley halflings earlier than the likes of the Dow, their culture and legal system is entirely unique, far removed from the mainland halflings.

Living amongst islands, they are a seafaring people of highly adept sailors. Fishing and have been known to raid human settlements in the south along the coast and rivers

One of the only peoples of Tol have contact with Mer

Based on the Norse-Gaels

They are known amongst other halflings for their webbed hands and feet

In fact not all Halvingjar have this trait, but it is a dominant trait that many possess

It is seen as a blessing of Seuxnēat (sooz-na) the giant squid and patron god of the Halvingjar

Warfare
The gallóglaigh of the halfling diaspora are renowned warriors within nations of Tol. Foregoing all other responsibilities, they are bands of dedicated professional soldiers, taking on mercenary work across the face of the continent. In defiance of their reduced stature, the gallóglaigh are famous for their emblematic use of the large claidheamh-mòr (a type of two-handed long sword), however they also make extensive use of polearms and are usually accompanied by a brigade of slingers. Clan Moray in particular are famed for their slingers.

The gallóglaigh rely heavily on shock tactics, charging their opponents to break the front line, then withdrawing to avoid drawn out combat (particularly when facing heavily armoured enemies).

The settled halflings of the Dún Ail employ a much more robust means of warfare, carrying circular metal studded wooden shields, and commonly swords or single bladed hatchets. Additionally, these troops each carry a number of darts - short javelins - that are hurled at the enemy before charging.

Heavier troops - known as hirdsmen - are employed in limited numbers as a personal retinue by nobles. Wearing metal plated brigandine armour, and wielding fearsome double handed axes, they were especially found in direct service of the High King (for whom they are as much a matter of prestige as they are protection).

Inter-clan warfare is not uncommon, especially within Dún Ail.

Religion
Halflings worship an array of personal deities; usually associated with socially advantageous characteristics and attributes, such as Ficha (the god of hearths) with wisdom, and Oran (the goddess of warfare) with cunning.

Halflings have many folktales of gods walking among them, disguised, most notably Coìfe.

Among the most commonly recognised gods are:

Brigainh
Although her adulation is by far the most ubiquitous, Brigainh - goddess of fertility, motherhood, and compassion - is not the chief deity of the halfling pantheon. Prayers to Brigainh, and utterances of devotion, are common in the day to day lives of halflings, with such phrases as "Brigainh's blessings" (a common greeting) and "May you feel Her (Brigainh) embrace" (wishing for a positive outcome in one's endeavours).

Suppliants exalt the goddess by adorning themselves with crowns and collars of plaited wheat, and engaging in an rich variety of ritual festivities (with intensely varying practices among different clans and regions).

Uthláig
Uthláig stands above all other gods; both as the chief deity, and physically, due to their immense height. Seated at the head of the mighty drinking table of the gods, they are the patron of champions and heroes, and the embodiment of courage in all its forms.

As a babe, Uthláig became lost when they wandered too far into the woods, until they were discovered by a giantess named Ama. Ama, who was unable to have children o fher own, adopted Uthláig and chose to raise them as hers, suckling the infant on her own milk.

Over time, Uthláig grew, and grew, and continued to grow, nourished by the giantesses' bossom. By the time they were 12, Uthláig had already reached the height of their adoptive mother. By 20, Uthláig was not only taller but braver and more agile than all of the giants.

Whilst hunting, Uthláig heard a terrible scream amongst howls. Running toward the source, they came upon a forest nymph under assault by a pack of large, ferocious wolves. Without missing a beat, Uthláig charged toward the frightened nymph, barrelling into the the first wolf and knocking it prone, before dodging the gnashing jaws of 2 others. The surprised wolves jumped back, focusing their attention on the newcomer. As stout and savage as the pack of wolves were, they were taken off guard by the towering figure before them. Uthláig, who had now flung themselves between the wolves and the nymph, took no such pause, summoning great strength to lift a boulder within the stream, hurling it at the nearest wolf.

Twins Domag & Nier
Twin gods associated with admiration & jealousy. They appear completely identical, so that often times one is indistinguishable from the other. They are equally presented as gods of appreciation & envy, desire & lust, trusting & naïve.

In this way, they are the gods of balance and moderation.

Coìfe
Patron of poets and singers, Coìfe is thought to spend most of his time mingling among halflings unseen in disguise. Often depicted as a lone traveller who sings and performs for his supper, one is said to receive his blessings if they oblige him, and his ire should they not show hospitality.

He is as much a god of journeys as he is homecomings, and many invoke him for good luck.

His greatest worship is among the diaspora.

Mythology
Even now, the halflings are not known for their writings and bookkeeping, with minimal written records existing from before their arrival in Tol. That is not to say, however, that they have no sense of their history, struggles, and achievements; theirs is an oral history, passed down through lengthy poems and songs recited often by an elite class of poets. These masterful orators repeat the stories of their forebearers ensuring that all halflings are steeped in the rich mythology of their kin.

Dal m'Goid
Their original homeland beyond the Persus Mountains. To the halflings themselves, little knowledge about their homeland survived the crossing; whether by their own design or some divine intervention, too many differing accounts of this loss of knowledge exist to corroborate anything. What is known by the halflings is that they did not leave their homeland willingly. They are said to have been forced away, crossing tundra and mountain, in a long, arduous, journey that many did not survive. This occurred in waves, as more and more halflings were forced from their homes, reluctantly facing the dangers of this difficult trek.

The poets recite with confidence that Brigainh, the halfling goddess of fertility, was so saddened by all that her children endured in the crossing, that her tears poured down onto the mountains creating the Gaill River that would carve out a great valley and birthing a daughter - Boaetha.

The initial wave of halflings to arrive were the Cessair. Nourished by the teardrops of the goddess, they found it to be abundantly fertile, and so it was that the first halflings settled the valley. As successive waves of halfling refugees made the crossing, they were each guided to the valley by the unseen hands of the gods.

High King Eógen
Eógan was the legendary first High King of the halflings. The details of his ascendancy are unclear, as poets have made extensive use of their creative licenses, elevating him to near demi-god status within some circles.

Among these is the tale of Eógen and the Giants. Giants are said to have invaded, only to be confronted by the young, boisterous Eógan, who challenged the King of the Giants - Belamus - to a foot race to decide who should rule the valley. Belamus, seeing the size of the young halfing, roared with laughter and readily agreed. Eógan, however, knowing the valley proposed a route that would take them through a treacherous bog. In his arrogant confidence, Belamus agreed without question. Come the race, Belamus took an expectant lead, reaching the bog long before Eógen. But as soon as he stepped into the bog, Belamus began to sink, and with each step he took he sank further. Before long he became entirely stuck, allowing Eógan to close the gap, and due to his small figure and fleet foot he swiftly crossed the bog (in some accounts using Belamus' barely visible head as a stepping stone), and reached the finish line, declaring victory over the now entirely submerged Belamus. Humiliated, the giants left, and as per the terms of the competition, Eógan was declared king of all the valley as the first High King.

Yet other stories saw Eógan use varying degrees of skill, subterfuge, trickery, and martial prowess to win high kingship, with ultimately all halflings accepting his legitimate right to rule.

What is clear and consistent among the retellings, is that Eógan came from humble origins; clanless and landless, he leveraged this political neutrality alongside his natural charisma to unify all of the clans under a single leader. Equally, an external threat is a common thread among the poems, so Eógan likely found a means of overcoming a foreign entity/entities, winning over any remaining doubters.

Ficha's Gift / The Prophecy
Ficha, the blind god, is said to have given his eyes as a dowry to wed Boaetha - Brigainh's daughter and the eponymous patron of the halflings home valley. Ficha is known to the halfings as the god of hearths, but he is also equated with wisdom and foresight.

In the wake of The Exodus, a druid named Brinwyn claimed to have received a vision from Ficha of a new homeland for the halflings. He espoused that just as Eóghan before, a new hero would come to lead a new kingdom in a far off alien land. In the weeks that followed, other druids began to recite the same vision; and so the prophecy took shape.

This came as a direct challenge to High King Gawain, who, in exile, still claimed his kingship of the valley. The High King's supporters inside and outside of the royal household attempted to quash the prophecy, and discredit the druids for what they saw as treason.

In spite of this (and owing to the cultural segregation) the prophecies took a much greater hold among the diaspora, with many bands committing themselves to the search for the New Kingdom.

Mosslings
The Mosslings are an incredibly reclusive halfling subrace dwelling deep inside the ancient Giant Oak forest known to most halflings as the Belamus Forest, in the shadow of the northward Persus Mountains. Unlike most halflings, who were forced to flee Itania as refugees, the Mosslings crossed over many centuries earlier, resulting in a significant divergence between the two.

They lay claim to an ancient heritage; preserving the original culture, religion, and rituals from before the halfling migration into Tol. Their observation of religious practices considered archaic and nonsensical by the newer, wider, halfling community, in addition to the prominence of druids (which are otherwise incredibly rare in modern halfling society, often living hermitic lives and treated with equal parts suspicion and awe) has led to a significant cultural divide and mutual distrust.

Eschewing the stratified society of their kingdom-dwelling cousins, Mosslings live humble lives, preferring to subsist on the abundant edible vegetation and allying with their forest home as best they can. This deeply personal connection extends to the forest's other inhabitants, as they have been known to befriend Giant Forest Hogs, who are large enough to easily ferry around the slight Mosslings. They have a particular fondness for the sweet (and mildly hallucinogenic) Camcam truffles, which are conveniently unearthed by the sensitive snouts of their Hog companions.

Aside from this, there are notable physical differences; Mosslings have generally darker complexions with far more pronounced points to their ears and much larger eyes, dominated by their obsidian pupils. They clad themselves in a ghillie camouflage allowing them to blend in almost entirely with their forest home. This too lends itself to the mysticism that surrounds the Mosslings.

There are halfling stories about Mosslings claiming that Fae from Itania live among them.