D&D General why do we have halflings and gnomes?

[Oofta]

On a side note: I wouldn't hold up FR as an exemplar of logical world building.

 

[Maxperson]

coastal areas had the significant wealth to be worth raiding because they allowed industries like fishing & sea trade. If it was jut a matter of raiding "someone" the vikings could have raided inland iceland or greenland.

FR doesn't really structure like that

The farther inland you go, the more likely it is that you will be seen and some garrison somewhere will come wipe you out. And then you have to take that risk again on the way out. It was more than just wealth that made most of the raids coastal. It was also speed.

 

[Maxperson]

Halflings like simple things and pleasures and do not horde nor collect wealth. So same logic applies to them, they're not worth the effort.

Well, that and coastal cities got raided because they were on the coast. You aren't going to go more than a day or two deep into enemy territory unless you can guarantee supply lines.

A raiding party won't need supply lines. That's for larger armies. It would still be very risky for a raiding party to go inland due to the greatly increased chances of hitting an armed force and dying.

 

[Maxperson]

On a side note: I wouldn't hold up FR as an exemplar of logical world building.

No, but it is a fun world.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

coastal areas had the significant wealth to be worth raiding because they allowed industries like fishing & sea trade. If it was jut a matter of raiding "someone" the vikings could have raided inland iceland or greenland.

FR doesn't really structure like that

The vikings raided everywhere that was next to water that their boats could reach. Including inland along the river system. Raiding via boats is very much a function of ease of access...

 

[JiffyPopTart]

A raiding party won't need supply lines. That's for larger armies. It would still be very risky for a raiding party to go inland due to the greatly increased chances of hitting an armed force and dying.

100% this (what the heck is going on that I keep agreeing with @Maxperson in 2021??)

A raid is a quick sortie into enemy territory to grab something or perform a quick mission and then hopefully get back out intact. An invasion (which the vikings also did) implies many more invaders, bases, lines of supply, and a longer term attempt to control area versus moving through it for a short time..

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Halflings would rather to enjoy a simple life than to be sat on the throne with Damocle's sword over their heads. It is not fear, but it spoils the fun.

Halflings are horrible soldiers in the battlefield, but a true nightmare as guerrilla against the suppy lines. What if the sling is their national sport? If they are warned by the cleric's omen or the oracle's vision then the raiders lose the surprise factor, and when they arrive the town is empty. They could loot but not catch slaves, and the found food could be poisoned.

Roman sling bullets had the stopping power of a .44 Magnum

Researcher and slingshot enthusiast Jörg Sprave discovered the surprising power of slingshot bullets found at Burnswark Hill just west of Dumfries by analysing the kinetic energy they could impart.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Oofta]

A raiding party won't need supply lines. That's for larger armies. It would still be very risky for a raiding party to go inland due to the greatly increased chances of hitting an armed force and dying.

Fair enough, they won't go so far into enemy territory that they can't get out before reinforcements arrive. Even if they knew exactly where powerful defenses were before they went a-raiding, people will rise up against them.

Besides, how many raids (and raiders) are there? If it's not an army, the damage is going to be hit-or-miss and probably focused on high value targets. Halfling villages are not going to be high value targets.

 

[Maxperson]

Fair enough, they won't go so far into enemy territory that they can't get out before reinforcements arrive. Even if they knew exactly where powerful defenses were before they went a-raiding, people will rise up against them.

Besides, how many raids (and raiders) are there? If it's not an army, the damage is going to be hit-or-miss and probably focused on high value targets. Halfling villages are not going to be high value targets.

There generally are no reinforcements for raiders. A Viking raid was rush in quickly, grab loot, kill people who got in the way, grab slaves, and then run back out and go home.

As for numbers, "the typical raiding party in early or mid 9th century may have been 10 or 20 ships. At 50 or 60 warriors per ship, this would be somewhere in the range of 500 up to 1,200 warriors."

 

[Bohandas]

Another issue with halflings that I'm not sure anyone's touched on yet is that whenever hobbit style halflings are used it sort of feels like somebody's injecting their fetish for feet into the story. It's like that Gunshow comic about the pee themed adventure, except instead of pee it's feet