Lightfoot Halfling

Introduction

The folk of Faerun are more familiar with the lightfoot hin than with either of the other two subraces, primarily because the lightfoots are the more numerous and widely traveled of all the halflings. Nearly every human community of any size larger than a village has at least a few halfling residents. When most Faerunians think of halflings, the lightfoots are the people that most often leap to mind.

Outlook

Lightfoot halflings may be the most common of all subraces, but their behavior is also the most varied. It’s impossible to describe the “typical” lightfoot halfling because, much like humans, the race embodies individuals that are the absolute antithesis of on another. This diversity of behavior is mirrored in a diversity of outlooks. Some halflings adopt views and beliefs about the world that are very close or even identical to whatever human community they happen to dwell in, while others retain distinctive points of view that separate them from other races and groups (including other halflings). It’s not uncommon to meet halflings who, because they spend the greater part of their lives roaming from place to place, have outlooks that are amalgams of those from multiple cultures and environments.

The aspect of the lightfoot outlook that most nonhalflings notice, however, is that they are the hin subrace that is more likely to wander out of an innate desire. It is not unknown for individual lightfoot halflings or even entire families to decide that, after living in the same place for decades, they want to move on to someplace else. Some learned folk speculate that the lightfoot hin experience a habitual need to see many different places and enjoy a variety of experiences. Other sages and loremasters wonder if the lightfoot penchant for the semi-nomadic lifestyle is socialized behavior, learned from centuries of practice. These scholars theorize that the lightfoot hin who left Luiren because of the Ghostwar massacres were unable to find a new homeland that suited them as well, so they wandered. After so many hundreds of years of wandering, the behavior is not natural to the lightfoot hin, or so this school of though holds. Whatever the case, there’s no denying that many lightfoot halflings seem determined to see a great deal of Faerun and have many interesting experiences during their lifetimes.

Characters

As befits their name, lightfoot halflings often take classes that work well for wanderers, such as rogue and bard.

Society

Lightfoot halfling society is hard to quantify, because lightfoots can be divided into three groups: those who live among humans, those who live among other lightfoots, and those who wander from place to place. Some lightfoot halfling families live their entire lives in one place, sometimes as part of a human community, and sometimes in a settlement populated almost entirely by halflings. Others live their entire lives on the roads and byways of Faerun, never remaining in one place very long.

Deities

The diversity evident in the lightfoot halflings’ outlook and society is also reflected in their religious beliefs. Of all the hin subraces, the lightfoot are the most likely to worship deities other than those belonging to Yondalla’s Children. In addition to the deity they most favor, many lightfoot households – particularly those that prefer life on the road to a more settled existence – often venerate a household patron, often inspired by some matriarch or patriarch in the family’s history.

Brandobaris, the Master of Stealth, is much beloved by the lightfoot hin for his realistic and good-humored view of life. Brandobaris is a common patron deity of those halflings who trust to their luck to see them though as they wander from place to place. The worship of Cyrrollalee, the Hearthkeeper, is widely popular among lightfoot halflings born within the last two generations. Her message of the ascendance of the halfling race to a station of respect and power in Faerun had fallen to receptive ears. The ranks of her clergy have swelled with the number of lightfoot hin seeking to spread her message and contribute to the search for a new lightfoot homeland.

Yondalla’s faith is popular with the lightfoot halflings, both those who wander and those who prefer to settle in more permanent communities. Recently there has been some tension between her clergy and those serving Cyrrollalee: Yondalla is not at all certain that this younger deity’s call for a halfling homeland is wise.

Creating New Character On Arelith

Base race

Halfling

+2 Dex, -2 Str

Favored class: Rogue

Special abilities

Small stature:

+1 size modifier to attack rolls.

+1 size modifier to AC.

+4 size bonus to hide checks.

Skill affinity (move silently): +2 racial bonus to move silently checks.

Skill affinity (listen): +2 racial bonus to listen checks.

Lucky: +1 luck bonus to all saving throws.

Fearless: +2 morale bonus to saving throws against spells and effects of the fear subtype.

Good aim: +1 racial bonus to attack rolls made with throwing weapons.

Classes

Favoured Class: Rogue

Often rogues or bards.

Alignment

Usually neutral

Appearance

• Skin: Ruddy
• Hair: Black and straight. Halfling men often have long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and moustaches almost unseen.
• Eyes: Brown or black

• Adulthood: 20 years
• Middle Age: 50 years
• Old: 75 years
• Venerable: 100 years

Aging

Age		Bonus
Adulthood	20 Years	+5d20
Middle Age	50 Years
Old	75 Years
Venerable	100 Years

Racial Crafting

Dale Sword

Notes

• Bonus language: Halfling language
• Starting city: Cordor, Brogendenstein, Sencliff or Skal

Playable Races on Arelith   

Human	Human - Deep Imaskari - Firbolg - Half-Giant - Shadovar
Dwarf	Shield Dwarf - Gold Dwarf - Duergar - Wild Dwarf
Elf	Moon Elf - Aquatic Elf - Avariel - Fey'ri - Sun Elf - Wild Elf - Wood Elf
Gnome	Rock Gnome - Svirfneblin - Forest Gnome
Halfling	Lightfoot Halfling - Ghostwise Halfling - Strongheart Halfling - Fey
Half-Elf	Half-Elf - Gloaming - Green Hag - Kenku
Half-Orc	Half-Orc
Monstrous	Drow - Goblin - Kobold - Gnoll - Orog - Hobgoblin - Ogre - Minotaur - Imp - Troglodyte - Yuan-ti Pureblood - Derro - Rakshasa - Vampire - Grodd Goblin - Snow Goblin - Bugbear
Planetouched	Aasimar - Air Genasi - Earth Genasi - Fire Genasi - Water Genasi - Tiefling