Halflings clan origins, geography, and partial history

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Halflings clan origins, geography, and partial history

Postby Wadeywade on Sat May 10, 2014 3:25 pm

I did a small writeup for the Halfling race, since there was so little to work from to establish a character. I have only used a name fro the list so far, which was done before the writeup. below is everything I worked up, I took the oldest halfling character I could find in the database as basis for some of the info, so many thanks (and a dont shoot me please) to Pender Kender with hopes that this will give those of us who play the sawed off adventurers something fun to work with.

(editors note: I tried to cobble together existing parts of halfling lore to make one cohesive history. particular thanks to Pender Kender for some of those established histories as a basis to expand and diversify upon)

(Passages from the Book of Useless Knowledge, also known as the History of Everything and Nothing)

The Burgh ( a brief long history)
hidden well on the Plateau of Palandra near the sea and an area of fairly large size, The Burgh (pronounced borough) is the lands that the founding Halfling clans claimed as their own during the first Golden Age of the Ilifrian Empire. Not often seen and often well hidden, they interacted little with the outside world until the end of that age, upon the appearance of the floating island of the Magi.
Nobody knows how far or how deep the Burgh goes, like an anthill, tunnels connect one part to another, with structures on top as well as under giving the deceptively small area alot of space. Many Halflings lived below ground and worked above, though some worked below ground as well. building or harvesting mushrooms and other root plants. Each city state was connected to the rest by tunnel or by road, and though halflings are not know much for travelling outside of the Burgh, likely one would know of any given family as the interactions in the Burgh amongst the residents, disregarding distance, were common.

-Geography-
Nestled high within the Palandra Mountains, the Burgh occupies the geographical space known most famously as the Plains of Palandra. Well hidden and fortified by the mountains, this land has remained relatively unchanged for several generations. Life here goes on, as it always has; only the greatest of cataclysms left their mark on the realtively sheltered world of the Halfing peoples.

-Well known places-
Long Hollow-A few days ride to the North of the City of Odds, this city is one of the largest parts of the Burgh. for the inhabitants of the Burgh, it is the best place to find the best cooks, brewmasters and bakers.
City of Odds- this city stands at the heart of the Burgh, it is the oldest and best established city in the realm. Here all commerce comes together, a central hub of the Burgh and its residents' lives.
Great Nob and Lesser Nob- To the east stand the Great and Lesser Nobs. these were the last cities founded, the hills themselves (if one stands in the City of Odds and looks east) look like a pair of swelled breasts, the buildings that stand there appear like a pair of great nipples taut against the sky.



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The Seven founding clans
Although there are many, many different families in Halfling society, most tie back to one of the Seven Clans of the Burghs. though there are still few who still bear the names of the families, it is believed all have a common relative or relatives back up in the family tree; It isnt uncommon to find one is a half-cousin or fifth uncle, to another, ten times removed.


-the Founding Seven clans-

Kender-the oldest known established clan of the Burghs. The histories begin with Albias Kender, legendary adventurer and traveller, coming to the Burghs leading the other five clans (which would later become six). Their families established the Burghs and have always lived there, rarely does one of their clan leave, and often when they do they do not remain gone for long. Kenders bloodline members are usually brown or black haired, though its not uncommon to meet a redheaded or blonde member of the family when one of the clan has progeny with a Stringfellow or a Hillpot. they are also the only original clan who has blue eyes and that is the hallmark of their bloodline, though not every Kender clansman descendant has blue eyes, only one directly descended of the line of Kender bloodline can have blue eyes. (op permitted on character creation only, with proper backstory and established genealogy)

Hillpots-The Hillpots are the (formerly) most powerful family in the Burghs. their family was one of the original six clans that came with Albias Kender. commonly they have either red or black hair, brown or green eyes. they reside in the Center of the Burgh, dominating it. it was believed they climbed their way up by guile, and that of the six original clans, the Hillpots carried the most secrets. they do not intermingle with the Brownbushes, as their clans are feuding.

Roundbottoms-well known craftsmen amongst the clans, these dark-haired, dark eyed, dusky-skinned folk are easily spotted amongst their kinsmen.They also mostly stick to themselves, and as a result are believed to be a small clan when that is the furthest thing from the truth. Many of their clansmen believe they are part dwarf, or at least born of the very earth they are so good at burrowing in. they are well known engineers, sappers, and homebuilders.

Stringfellows- Stringfellows are uncommonly tall for Halflings, and are known also for their bright red hair. Their clan is often considered athletic and more physical than the others, most Stringfellows work in jobs usually not suited for halflings, because of their larger and more robust size.

Brownbushes-the Brownbushes are much like their Roundbottom cousins, dark haired and eyed but are paler of skin, though not as pale as other clans. they were the official keepers of the lores and histories of the people of the Burgh and their family often dabbles more often in magicks than the rest. They are also the only family not directly tied to the Hillpots, as theirs has a clan feud with the former.

Proudfeet-Proudfoots are distinguished by light eyes and hair, Legend has it they were once born of elven blood, but if this was so the light skin, hair and eyes were the only indication. they commonly were shopkeepers and in keepers in the Burgh, a rooted and storied part of their merchant class. they are also known as a clan of adventurers, or as the people of the Burgh expressed it, "occasionally struck of extreme wanderlust."
legend has it a Proudfoot once slew the Goblin King and sold his crown, and that all Proudfeet suffer from the malady that causes them to covet that which shines brightest.

Stouthearts-the newest clan, it is a direct result of the marriage and progeny of a Proudfoot and a Stringfellow, marrying the progeny of a Roundbottom and a Kender clansman; Banno Kender, later known as Stoutheart after the first Battle of the Burgh. although such a mincing of bloodlines is not uncommon it was that Banno Stoutheart became known in battle, and because of because of his service and sacrifice to their people Banno was allowed to begin his own clan. It is commonly said amongst them, "Every Stoutheart is a Kender, but not every Kender is a Stoutheart." They are also the only other clan with blue eyes. Stoutheart married Elysium Roundbottom.
the clan itself is only three or four generations old, and the name Stoutheart is the single rarest name amongst Halflings.

-The 11 secondary clans of the Burgh-

there are 11 families that came to the Burgh after the founding. these families intermingled and intermarried with the others and helped populate the Burgh to its current population and demography. as the Burgh grew, houses were built over the burrows and the city itself became a town upon a town.
they 11 secondary clans are:
Burrheel
Fellstones
Blackwaters
Gahmges pronounced: (Gahm-jess)
Stillwater
Underhill (cousins to the Overhills)
Overhill (cousins to the Underhills)
Brooks
Brook-Mendles (pronounced BrookMendls really quickly)
Cruikroods
Longtoes

-variations on a theme-

halflings have many clans, most of them stem from the original six. When their original homeland was devestated by a plague and a blight, they were scattered until one of their kind would gather them and lead them on a great trek to a new homeland. this place, which came to be known as The Burgh (pronounced like borough), would be their homeland for many generations, hidden well from the outside world and known to only a few outsiders. Burrheels, Stonepots, and their ilk all derive roots from the seven founding families of the Burgh or the 11 lesser clans, sometimes sharing a name component with the root clan though this rule does not always bear out.

many other clans exist as well, branching off of these 18 families in one direction or a other, creating a dizzying number of sub-clans and families on a rather enormous almost staggeringly big family tree. it is often said, amongst their ilk, that one cannot see from one end of the family tree to the other without a spyglass or telescope. meticulous records are kept and the branches of the Halfling clans are carefully tended and pruned to make sure the bloodlines are never muddied by madness or illness, and so that families are not brought together too soon before their time, allowing them to keep the bloodlines pure and undamaged.
"There are no strings on me." Leonard Snart
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“it gladdens me to know Odin prepares for a feast, soon I will be drinking ale from curved horns! I will not enter Odins Hall with fear, I shall wait for my sons to join me.. and when they do, I shall bask in their tales of triumph! the Aesir shall welcome me. my death comes without apology! I welcome the Valkeries, to SUMMON ME HOME!”-Ragnar Lodbrok
Wadeywade
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