Halfling coming down from the forest? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Halfling coming down from the forest?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
rabidsmiles
Aug 08, 2011 17:36:00 I was wondering how the people of Athas would respond to a Halfling who, for whatever reason, decided to leave the forest ridge and join the society? I know the base general knowledge of them is that they are barbarians and cannibals but what about a well spoken, friendly one?

I am setting up a halfling character and am wondering how this choice will end up affecting game play? It is going to have the Forest Ridge - Spirit Guided background, to give the DM a plot point if he wants to use it:

Spirit Guided - The jungle spirits whisper in your dreams, warning about a coming cataclysm. Will the catastrophe affect your people, or those living in the lands below? Are the spirits aggressive or friendly? Do they frighten you? Have they always spoken to you, or is this communication a recent development?

Not to mention it gives me a really good reason for why the druid halfling has left the forest for the cities...

Forgive me if this has been asked before...it probably has but the search function here is just trash
#2
naxel
Aug 08, 2011 20:06:10 No matter how friendly your character is and how he may quickly warm up to lowland city inhabitants, going from the Forest Ridge to the Tablelands is a straight up culture shock. He's probably heard stories about the goings-on there - the defiling, the deserts, the people - and those stories are going to be confirmed in more ways than he expected or less ways, and either way it's going to be a surprise.

There are small scattered groups of halflings in the lowlands, mostly as various exceptions to the rule, and they'll still be unaccustomed to one from the Forest Ridge most likely
#3
khorne37
Aug 09, 2011 10:33:29 It is not that uncommon to see Halflings down in the Table lands. A few of the SK's employ them as scouts for the army. Others are there because the eating can be good. Still others just want to see some sights...
#4
DontEatRawHagis
Aug 09, 2011 10:34:56
I was wondering how the people of Athas would respond to a Halfling who, for whatever reason, decided to leave the forest ridge and join the society? I know the base general knowledge of them is that they are barbarians and cannibals but what about a well spoken, friendly one?

I am setting up a halfling character and am wondering how this choice will end up affecting game play? It is going to have the Forest Ridge - Spirit Guided background, to give the DM a plot point if he wants to use it:

Spirit Guided - The jungle spirits whisper in your dreams, warning about a coming cataclysm. Will the catastrophe affect your people, or those living in the lands below? Are the spirits aggressive or friendly? Do they frighten you? Have they always spoken to you, or is this communication a recent development?

Not to mention it gives me a really good reason for why the druid halfling has left the forest for the cities...

Forgive me if this has been asked before...it probably has but the search function here is just trash

They would hide their children everytime you were near. Fearful that you would eat them. I compare halflings to how a lot of native american tribes were viewed as by western society back in the early part of Colonization. They are godless savages who would kill you and skin you as soon as you walk into their village. Though like most stories this can be over exaggerated. Its true that most halflings are cannibals but only minority actually go out of their way to kill people for food.

However city people do not know this. Everyone assumes worst case senario when it comes to halflings, wizards, and oasises(water drakes are deadly).

City under the Sand has some pretty good representations of Halflings. Halfling raiders and even savage halflings.
#5
rabidsmiles
Aug 09, 2011 13:33:50 Hmm...the Native American analogy is a good one...that's probably something I'd intrigrate into how the character behaves then.

Thanks guys ^^
#6
DoctorBadWolf
Aug 18, 2011 22:30:03 Some supliment somewhere talked about how DS halflings have a fascination with other cultures. Not respect, mind you, but a strong curiosity.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rabidsmiles Aug 08, 2011 17:36:00	I was wondering how the people of Athas would respond to a Halfling who, for whatever reason, decided to leave the forest ridge and join the society? I know the base general knowledge of them is that they are barbarians and cannibals but what about a well spoken, friendly one? I am setting up a halfling character and am wondering how this choice will end up affecting game play? It is going to have the Forest Ridge - Spirit Guided background, to give the DM a plot point if he wants to use it: Spirit Guided - The jungle spirits whisper in your dreams, warning about a coming cataclysm. Will the catastrophe affect your people, or those living in the lands below? Are the spirits aggressive or friendly? Do they frighten you? Have they always spoken to you, or is this communication a recent development? Not to mention it gives me a really good reason for why the druid halfling has left the forest for the cities... Forgive me if this has been asked before...it probably has but the search function here is just trash
#2 naxel Aug 08, 2011 20:06:10	No matter how friendly your character is and how he may quickly warm up to lowland city inhabitants, going from the Forest Ridge to the Tablelands is a straight up culture shock. He's probably heard stories about the goings-on there - the defiling, the deserts, the people - and those stories are going to be confirmed in more ways than he expected or less ways, and either way it's going to be a surprise. There are small scattered groups of halflings in the lowlands, mostly as various exceptions to the rule, and they'll still be unaccustomed to one from the Forest Ridge most likely
#3 khorne37 Aug 09, 2011 10:33:29	It is not that uncommon to see Halflings down in the Table lands. A few of the SK's employ them as scouts for the army. Others are there because the eating can be good. Still others just want to see some sights...
#4 DontEatRawHagis Aug 09, 2011 10:34:56	I was wondering how the people of Athas would respond to a Halfling who, for whatever reason, decided to leave the forest ridge and join the society? I know the base general knowledge of them is that they are barbarians and cannibals but what about a well spoken, friendly one? I am setting up a halfling character and am wondering how this choice will end up affecting game play? It is going to have the Forest Ridge - Spirit Guided background, to give the DM a plot point if he wants to use it: Spirit Guided - The jungle spirits whisper in your dreams, warning about a coming cataclysm. Will the catastrophe affect your people, or those living in the lands below? Are the spirits aggressive or friendly? Do they frighten you? Have they always spoken to you, or is this communication a recent development? Not to mention it gives me a really good reason for why the druid halfling has left the forest for the cities... Forgive me if this has been asked before...it probably has but the search function here is just trash They would hide their children everytime you were near. Fearful that you would eat them. I compare halflings to how a lot of native american tribes were viewed as by western society back in the early part of Colonization. They are godless savages who would kill you and skin you as soon as you walk into their village. Though like most stories this can be over exaggerated. Its true that most halflings are cannibals but only minority actually go out of their way to kill people for food. However city people do not know this. Everyone assumes worst case senario when it comes to halflings, wizards, and oasises(water drakes are deadly). City under the Sand has some pretty good representations of Halflings. Halfling raiders and even savage halflings.
#5 rabidsmiles Aug 09, 2011 13:33:50	Hmm...the Native American analogy is a good one...that's probably something I'd intrigrate into how the character behaves then. Thanks guys ^^
#6 DoctorBadWolf Aug 18, 2011 22:30:03	Some supliment somewhere talked about how DS halflings have a fascination with other cultures. Not respect, mind you, but a strong curiosity.