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<blockquote data-quote="Irda Ranger" data-source="post: 3935288" data-attributes="member: 1003">Are those the only depictions of Halflings though, or just one of several?&nbsp; Would you have felt better about it if the halfling pickpocket was wearing a top hat or a toga?There are so many cultures in the world (present and historical) that it's often impossible not to imply some similarity with some group.For instance, if you assume that halflings are wanderers:1. They can't live in houses or hill-holes. It has to be either wagons (Roma) or Yurts/Tee-pees (Mongols/Native Americans).2. They have to have a profession that &quot;travels well&quot;, which leaves out any fixed-position vocation such as farmer, blacksmith, miller, etc. etc.&nbsp; That leaves Tinker (Roma), Entertainer (Roma), Merchant (Jew) or just nomadic pastoralist (Mongol/Native Americans).The above real-world examples are just one of many.&nbsp; Many other societies, including ones I'm not familiar with, I'm sure, would have fulfilled the same roles.&nbsp; As long as WotC mixes it up even a little bit I don't think they can afford to widely avoid every possible stereotype.&nbsp; If they did (1) players would be totally lost, from a cultural perspective, with no points of reference, and (2) there probably wouldn't be any good choices left.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Irda Ranger, post: 3935288, member: 1003"] Are those the only depictions of Halflings though, or just one of several? Would you have felt better about it if the halfling pickpocket was wearing a top hat or a toga? There are so many cultures in the world (present and historical) that it's often impossible not to imply some similarity with some group. For instance, if you assume that halflings are wanderers: 1. They can't live in houses or hill-holes. It has to be either wagons (Roma) or Yurts/Tee-pees (Mongols/Native Americans). 2. They have to have a profession that "travels well", which leaves out any fixed-position vocation such as farmer, blacksmith, miller, etc. etc. That leaves Tinker (Roma), Entertainer (Roma), Merchant (Jew) or just nomadic pastoralist (Mongol/Native Americans). The above real-world examples are just one of many. Many other societies, including ones I'm not familiar with, I'm sure, would have fulfilled the same roles. As long as WotC mixes it up even a little bit I don't think they can afford to widely avoid every possible stereotype. If they did (1) players would be totally lost, from a cultural perspective, with no points of reference, and (2) there probably wouldn't be any good choices left. [/QUOTE]

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