In the ancient past, halflings were the masters of the world. All other demihuman and humanoid races— including humans— are descended from the ancient halflings. Today, however, halflings, are primitive savages who control only limited areas of Athas. In most cases, player character halfings come from the Forest Ridge. DMs may allow players to create characters using the more advanced halflings of the Jagged Cliffs if they so desire, but a good reason must be developed for why a cliff-dweller has left home and community to take up adventuring.
Halflings grow as tall as 31⁄2 feet and weigh between 50 and 60 pounds. and proportioned like humans, though they have wise, childlike faces that never succumb to the rigors of age. They always appear to be in peak physical condition.
Ritual and custom control every aspect of halfling life. They have a rich culture expressed in art and song. They remember their history through oral traditions—unfortunately, however, much of it has deteriorated into half-accurate legends and fanciful fables. Still, halflings remember the deep and abiding respect their forefathers had for the world, and this remains an important part of each halfling's psyche.
Halflings strongly believe in racial unity. Though the halfling race is divided politically and geographically into separate villages and tribes, each halfling respects his race as a whole. Disputes between members of different tribes are settled peaceably whenever possible through ritual and custom. These customs are often directed by each tribe's shamans, the elemental clerics or druids who hold positions of honor and respect above all other halflings.
On a personal level, halflings relate to each other extremely well. A considerable culture of art, song, and other expressive means of communication has developed that crosses the political and geographical bounds separating the tribes. Even such diverse halfling groups asthe cliff-dwellers of Thamasku and the desert raiders of Small Water can communicate on a basic level with halflings of other regions.
Because of this, halflings rely on their culture to express abstract thoughts and to relay complicated concepts quickly. A typical halfling assumes that whomever he's talking to has the same culture to draw upon and therefore understands everything passing between them.
It's difficult for a halfling to compensate for a listener who isn't intimately familiar with the culture. As such, it's easy for halflings to become frustrated with outsiders. However, halflings who travel widely have a greater tolerance of those who “lack culture.” These halflings can communicate without an immediate sense of frustration.
Halfling culture cares for each individual's inner well-being and spiritual unity with race and environment. They have little concept of conquest or monetary wealth, and vices that other societies take for granted-such as greed and avarice—are particularly discouraged.
Halfling player characters should role-play difficulty in adjusting to other customs and points of view. As a generally open-minded race, halflings tend to be curious or confused by the actions of others rather than initially combative. Halflings will attempt to learn all they can about other cultures, but will almost never adopt those cultures as their own. Halfling clerics teach that the customs of others are no threat to their own, so a halfling player character will welcome the chance to learn another point of view, rather than instantly try to change it.
Treasure that appeals to other character races holds little interest to a halfling PC. He's more concerned with promoting halfling culture, his own knowledge, or his inner well-being. He'll never lie to or betray another halfling. Lastly, he sees his own size as not a detriment but an advantage. Stealth and speed, for example, is better than bulk any day.
Halfling PCs can select any warrior or priest class, as well as the thief and psionicist class. They can also choose from a few multiclass options. Their base movement rate is 6.
Halflings date back to an age before the advent of magic, and thus they have a natural resistance to wizard spells. This translates into saving throw bonuses for attacks from magical wands, rods, staves, and wizard spells, as shown in TABLE XI. This bonus is also applied to saving throws against poisons.
| Constitution Score |
Saving Throw Bonus |
|---|---|
| 4-6 | 1 |
| 7-10 | 2 |
| 11-14 | 3 |
| 15-18 | 4 |
| 19+ | 5 |
Halflings gain a receive the same surprise bonus described in the Player's Handbook. Unlike halflings in other campaign worlds, Athasian halflings gain no additional initial languages, they don't have infravision, and they aren't divided into subraces. Halflings live to a maximum age of 138 years.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||