Hafan’khan’in. Their plight was originally really sad. They were conquered early on in the history of the Empire and used as slaves. Originally from far to the East, they were brought to the Isles a subjected race. It was then they got thier racial nickname of Halfling, for the Isles people were a proud lot and to them, slavery was worse than death and any who allowed themselves to be considered full person. The Empire soon taught them a harse lesson in humility, but the name has stuck for this diminuatively sized race to this day. Even after emancipation, they continued to live and work and thrive in the Isles.They are a hard living race fond of work and fun alike and for that, I like them. Why they have the reputation as thieves and mischief makers I have no idea. perhaps it's a throw back to the old days? Certainly I've seen no more evidence of this showing than in other races inhabiting these islands.. - Races of the Isles, Eldrick the bard

Hafan’khan’in

Most Hafan’khan’in are about 3' tall and weigh 60 to 70 pounds. They are generally plump, with round, broad, and often florid faces. They have curly hair atop their heads and on the tops of their typically bare feet. The average life expectancy of a Hafan’khan’in is 150 years.
Hafan’khan’ins, as they are often known as, are a sturdy and industrious people, generally quiet and peaceful. They enjoy all the creature comforts, and while not overly ambitious, they are friendly and open. Their homes are well-furnished burrows, and most of their work is done out in the sunshine. Hafan’khan’ins get along with the others races, including humans, and they can be found in practically any civilization.

Hafan’khan’in characters can be of the following classes: cleric, fighter, or thief. The race’s multi-class options are limited to fighter/thief.
Players who choose Hafan’khan’ins for their characters have 35 character points to spend on racial abilities. These points can be spent to customize a Hafan’khan’in from the general skill list below. Only 5 points can be retained for use later in the character creation process. Abilities cost either 5 or 10 character points; refer to the descriptions below.

Aim bonus (10): +1 to the Aim subHafan’khan’in ability score.
Attack bonus (5): +1 attack bonus with hurled weapons and slings.
Balance bonus (10): +1 to the Balance subability. This allows the character to have up to a difference of 5 in the Dexterity subability scores.
Detect evil (5): Hafan’khan’in are very perceptive. Once a day a Hafan’khan’in with this ability can detect evil in creatures or individuals. This ability does not function on items or locations.
Detect secret doors (5): The Hafan’khan’in can detect secret and concealed doors, as an elf
Hide (10): the ability to hide in woods with a chance equal to a thief of the same level’s hide in shadows ability.
Health bonus (10): +1 to the Hafan’khan’in’s Health subability score.
Infravision (5): Infravision with a 30' range,
Mining Detection Abilities (5): A character with this skill is familiar with mining, tunneling and stonework. By concentrating for one round the character can:

Determine approximate direction underground, 1–3 on 1d6.
Detect any grade or slope in the passage they are passing through, 1–3 on 1d4.

Reaction bonus (5): +1 to reaction rolls due to other races’ acceptance of Hafan’khan’in
Saving Throw Bonuses (10): Hafan’khan’ins have a high resistance to magical spells and poison. This natural block grants Hafan’khan’in characters a bonus to all saving throws vs. magical wands, staves, rods, and spells, and applies vs. any poisonous or toxic substances. This bonus is determined by the character’s Constitution/Health score. For every 3 1/2 points of Health, the character receives a +1 bonus. These bonuses are summarized below. Hafan’khan’ins—unlike dwarves and gnomes—are not hindered when using magical items.

Stealth (10): Like elves, Hafan’khan’ins gain a bonus to surprise opponents, but only if the Hafan’khan’in is not wearing metal armor. They can move so quietly that opponents suffer a –4 penalty to their surprise rolls. If the Hafan’khan’in must open a door or move aside some other obstruction, this penalty is reduced to –2.
Taunt (5): Once a day the Hafan’khan’in can taunt someone, as per the 1st level wizard spell.

Hafan’khan’ins are adept at utilizing local resources in their labors. If they live in an area with a lot of trees, carvers will know everything about each variety of wood available. If the environment is rocky, experienced stone-masons will predominate. The most dramatic evidence, perhaps, of this adaptability is the fact that the Hafan’khan’in have developed a high level of skill at working the raw materials in their nearly woodless and stoneless environment: they make everything from their homes to their tools, weapons and clothing out of leather, bone, and ice. The specific skills likely to be found in a Hafan’khan’in community vary. The quality of Hafan’khan’in work is very consistent. While rarely the equal of the greatest artisans in the world--dwarves make better axeblades, elves better wine--on the average it is better than the average available elsewhere. Areas where Hafan’khan’in craftsmen truly excel include many tasks involving dexterity and great detail. The small folk make splendid jewelers, engravers, locksmiths, woodcarvers--indeed, artists of all types. They love colors, and once again the propensity for detail allows a Hafan’khan’in painter to bring a scene to bright and vivid life. If clocks are known to a world (e.g., if its technology is sufficiently advanced), then it is likely that the finest clockmakers will be Hafan’khan’ins. Also, because of their proclivity for entertaining gossip and news of all kinds, Hafan’khan’ins make great storytellers. Some of them have a gift for music, and Hafan’khan’in musicians and storytellers are in great demand at any village feast or festival.

Hafan’khan’ins are ill-suited for jobs requiring size and strength, such as blacksmithing, ocean sailing, or cargo hauling. Though a Hafan’khan’in village will usually have a smith who makes nails and horseshoes, his or her work will not be up to the level of most human smiths and will probably be for local consumption only; the same is true of Hafan’khan’in teamsters.

Growing Up

Offspring are a source of great pride and joy to their parents. Hafan’khan’ins enter the world as helpless as human infants, requiring similar care for the early part of their lives.

For the first ten years, a Hafan’khan’in's relative growth pretty well parallels a human's--i.e., a ten year old human and Hafan’khan’in will look much the same age, although not in size, and will have about the same level of maturity. Children of both sexes and many different ages commonly play together, following rules created by the older youths that still allow the youngest a measure of freedom and decision-making in the game.

It is during these formative years that young Hafan’khan’ins practice those traits that will form some of their basic skills when they grow up. Hide and Seek is a favorite game among Hafan’khan’ins and is almost always played out of doors. Thus the youngsters become adept at concealing themselves in all sorts of natural cover--in patches of brush, behind tree-trunks, and even amid beds of flowers.
Young Hafan’khan’in quickly develop the calm patience that allows them to remain still for long periods of time, since they learn over and over that it is the one who moves that is seen first.

Another favorite game is called Knock the Block, in which a small object such as a block of wood, or perhaps a tin pot or iron kettle, is placed some distance away, and the young Hafan’khan’ins take turns throwing things at it, recording points for hits. The game is sometimes played with slings and stones (among older youths). For special tournaments and important matches, clay targets are used, with the winner determined by whoever's shot strikes hard enough to shatter the object. This common game is presumably one reason why so many Hafan’khan’ins grow up to be so adept with missile weapons.

From the age of eleven or so on to adulthood, Hafan’khan’in development slows in comparison with the Big Folk. A Hafan’khan’in's adolescence lasts for about a decade and a half (more in the case of the longer-lived subraces). However, the period is characterized by a lot less angst than is typically felt by a human--perhaps because of the warm, supportive, noncompeting environment provided by family, burrow, and community.

Hafan’khan’in artisans and craftsmen do not follow a formal apprenticeship program--indeed, adolescents are encouraged to experiment with a wide variety of pursuits. The cheesemaker, for example, will be helped by virtually every village youth over the course of several years. Those who find that they enjoy the work will spend more and more time with the `master,' until by adulthood the youth has learned everything the cheesemaker can teach about the trade.

Another reason, perhaps, for the relaxed adolescence of the typical Hafan’khan’in is that male-female friendships are as common as friendships between members of the same sex, often lasting from childhood through adulthood. Many of these lifelong friendships culminate in marriage.

Hafan’khan’ins are a folk who can derive pleasure from many simple things and are not afraid to show it--a Hafan’khan’in who is happy laughs; one who feels affection or love will express himself or herself with words or deeds.

The small folk love to tell and hear stories and will generally be attentive and silent when anyone spins a tale. Not surprisingly, they especially love stories in which the small and clever triumph over those who are physically larger and stronger but clumsier and less quick-witted.

Hafan’khan’ins also have a frank appreciation for bawdy humor and practical jokes. They have the ability to laugh at themselves, though one prank often leads to another in retaliation, and so on. Such good-natured exchanges have been known to continue, reciprocated back and forth, for decade after decade.

Hafan’khan’ins enjoy eating and drinking in plentiful quantities--indeed, despite the difference in size, the typical Hafan’khan’in will eat as much if not more than a human twice his or her size; this is because Hafan’khan’ins have a very high metabolism. Most Hafan’khan’ins eat three large meals a day, interspersed with three sizable snacks: breakfast, brunch, lunch, teatime, supper, and bedtime snack. Although they enjoy an occasional meal of meat, especially poultry or wildfowl (roast pheasant is considered a great delicacy), the short folk rely extensively on bread, fruit, and cheese.

Hafan’khan’in bakers are famed for their abilities with dough, making all types of sweet or salty, light or heavy breads. Cheesemaking is another skill in which many Hafan’khan’ins are proficient, and here, too, variety is a prime hallmark--each individual cheesemaker will typically specialize in one kind of cheese, no two of which will be alike, allowing a Hafan’khan’in community to offer a variety of sharp and mild, hard and soft cheeses.

Hafan’khan’ins are born gardeners, far exceeding any other race in their knack for growing foodstuffs. Any Hafan’khan’in with access to a plot of ground will usually maintain a garden, wherein he or she will carefully nurture fruits and vegetables of all types appropriate to the climate. Even in a small garden, a Hafan’khan’in will generally plant at many different times during the spring, assuring a continuing harvest from early summer through late autumn. Hafan’khan’ins do not favor a lot of spice in their foods, however, so few raise peppers or other strongly-flavored crops unless a nearby ready market for them exists. Onions are a notable exception--many Hafan’khan’ins love them and have even been known to munch them raw, much as a human might eat an apple.

Hafan’khan’in brewers are well-known and their products popular with humans as well as other Hafan’khan’ins. As with cheesemaking, a brewer will specialize in a single beverage. These can vary from heavy stout (Hafan’khan’ins often jokingly hand a first-time human drinker a knife and fork with the glass) to light and creamy ales. Fruit wines are also popular, with Hafan’khan’in vintners specializing in using whatever fruit is near to hand.

It should be noted that, though Hafan’khan’ins favor many sorts of wines and ales, they rarely get drunk, due no doubt to their high metabolism. Rather, the alcohol tends to make them pleasantly drowsy, and a group of Hafan’khan’ins that share a bottle of potent stuff will typically become quite relaxed, quiet, and contented as the evening wears on.