Halfling: Racial Deformation

When passing the century mark, halflings often become rounder. The men grow a little heavier in the bellies and the women gain some extra padding in the hips. Often it is at this time that those who have not already settled down choose to do so, embracing a more sedentary life and the opportunity to bear children.

Many members of other races find it difficult to guess a halfling's age, especially as they grow older. Though with time their faces and hands become maps of the trials and emotions they have weathered, it is often only the silvering of their hair, the browning of their skin, laugh lines on their faces or the hallmarks of childbirth in women that can betray a halfling's true age. Halflings also rarely bear the signs of decrepitude others races show at the end of their days. This often surprises taller races, who expect to see the signs of their own old age in the smaller race. Perhaps it is in part the slow decline in years with which the halfling race has been favored that confuses the tall folk.

Halflings are anything but isolated. Their ability to socialize is equaled only by that of humans. They rarely stay quiet about something they hear, making them great sources of information (though sometimes poor secret keepers!). However, a halfling may distort facts to increase a story's entertainment value or to protect the identities of friends and family. This has been known to create complications when others trust in the complete veracity of the facts in their tales. Asking for evidence is recommended when dealing with halfling news.

Their natural curiosity in life makes the halflings an active race. Whether they are travelers or settled down, they tend to busy themselves with the many wonders the world offers. Having traveled more than members of other races and having grown up in the embrace of knowledgeable elders gives halflings a natural intuition that very few possess. Perhaps it is their constant wonderment and fresh perspective that keep their minds free of the complications with which the tall races are known to burden themselves.