Dorian_Grey
First Post
[h=1]Children of Snegurochka[/h](Origin: Based very loosely on the Snow Maiden folktale)
Deep within the cold taiga of the north are isolated pockets of halflings who trace their origin to a pair of lonely humans and the mythical Snow Maiden. It is written that, the humans - alone in the frozen woods - saw the Yule approaching and their children were far away. Sad, they decided to brighten their day with the creation of a beautiful snow maiden. As the morning sun rose over the mountains, the elderly couple stepped out of their small cabin and humming Yule songs, set to gathering snow. As they worked their sadness moved them, and they began to cry. The tears froze on their faces, and the husband realized that the winds had taken their sadness and left behind crystals for their snow child. He plucked the frozen tears from their faces and put them on the snow child's head: A crown of beautiful ice that seemed to play with the light and invite it to dance. The woman then smiled and rushing inside returned with a pair of light blue marbles and a red ribbon. She then carefully placed them on the child's face. For the rest of the day they played with the child, and brought her food. The old man even made her a doll of straw and wool that he placed at the child's feet.
Watching all of this was the Spring Maiden. Moved by their blight, the young goddess summoned her companion, Father Winter. She explained what she had watched and both were moved to tears. As night began to fall and the old couple went inside, Father Winter and the Spring Maiden set to work to bring the Snow Maiden to life. Finished, the Spring Maiden closed the child's eyes and kissed her on the cheeks, causing them to flush with life. Adorned in warm robes from Father Winter and holding a staff from the Spring Maiden, the snow maiden awoke. She picked up her doll and ran to her families door, where she knocked and was welcomed by shock and surprise by the old couple.
Over the years, the child never grew, and seemed to become lonely - yet she always put on a brave face for her parents. Each year she would create snow companions in the snow, adding one each additional year with the help of her mother and father. They would fashion toys and clothing, and sometimes even weapons for when they repelled goblins or dark spirits. Yet this brave face and happiness crumbled dramatically upon their death 20 years to the day after creating the child. Upon their death, Jarilo returned and the child begged her to bring them back. However, that power was beyond her. They had passed to Morana and her aunt was not known to let go of what she gathered. Distraught, the snow child began to wail and her tears flowed uncontrollably - freezing in the cold night. As she wailed and flung herself into the snow, the frozen tears scattered and landed among the snow children. Crafted carefully by love, and given gifts and compassion, they seemed to wake on their own volition and turned to the child to comfort her. The Spring Maiden looked down on this in awe, and realized that she had left a spark of her own divine self in the child. Humbled by her mistake, yet awed by what it had created, she quietly retrieved her divine radiance and blessed these small folk with life and love.
Thus the Snow Halflings were born in compassion, and blessed by a goddess.
Dedicated to Work & Play
To survive in the northern forests requires hard work, and none know this better than the Snow Halflings. They are industrious and practical, and always willing to lend a helping hand to a neighbor. They are known for excellent wooden architecture, and their small cottages are often works of art, either masterfully built to blend in with natural features, or lifted into a sturdy tree arching gracefully over the forest floor. A single halfling community, a mir, will often divide work and bring the bounty of their labor to their community first. Usually at the base of a particularly fine fir tree, the community will gather and trade between each other for what they need. Cheating is almost unheard of as those that would do such a thing would be banished.
Yet, not all is hardwork. Many Snow Halfling adults spend their days working hard with their hands, while their minds develop new toys and games for their children. Doll making, toys made of wood or tin, and board games are all popular creations. Even among adults no gathering is complete without some kind of game, even if it is something as simple as charades. And although children often work and help out among the home, many convert their chores into adventures and play as well. This spirit is generally encouraged by the community and many will play along with the flights of imagination their children develop.
Holidays are common, with Yule being the favorite. Again, in celebration of their origin, the community comes together and each family builds a snow child. After feasting and celebrations, the children are asked to bring the snow child a present - typically wrapped in brightly colored cloth and ribbon. Each child solemnly lays the present at the feet of the snow child they built, and then is ushered off to bed. Then the adults take the gifts and distribute them so that the "snow child" brings their brother or sister a gift, usually with the help of Father Winter and his helper, the "Snow Maiden" of the mir.
Bountiful Harvests in an Unclaimed Wilderness
Their harvests include tree nuts and berries, while they grow a variety of root vegetables in the harsh soil such as onions and turnips. They also actively grow and harvest lichens and mosses. This is a life where work begins in darkness and ends in darkness, but one that the Snow Halflings find rewarding and fulfilling. In addition to a wide variety of edible plants, Snow Halflings also raise moose and reindeer for both meat and as riding animals. In the winter months, they travel between communities on reindeer drawn sleigh, and tell legends of Father Frost lifting the sleigh into the air with his magic.
Further they have developed a wide number of uses for the various trees around them: making sugar, fibers and linens, and even articles of clothing such as shoes and hat rims that can then be used to shape fur hats. Their industriousness is without limit and has earned them a comfortable living in an environment most humans would write off as barren.
Self-governing and Free
Living in what humans would consider a barren wilderness means that these halflings often do not live with or under human rule. They have their own government, under the rule of a Tzar who claims direct lineage back to the Snow Maiden. The Tzar rules with a Council of Boyars, elder Snow Halflings who gather in their Winter Palace to guide the halfling people. Each mir nominates a Boyar who becomes their representative, and is also responsible for organizing aide to other halfling communities and representing the Tzar locally. The current ruler is Tzarina Alyona Ivanov, the 187th wearer of the Frozen Crown.
Snow Halfling Traits
As a snow halfling you do not share your kin's fondness of feckless behavior, and instead value hard work and perseverance. You know how to have fun, but other halflings often consider you a stick in the frozen mud. Be that as it may, while they seek to hide from the cold, you welcome it and embrace it - knowing it presents know challenge to you.
Ability Score Increase. Your wisdom score increases by 1.
Children of Snow. You gain resistance to cold damage.
Deep within the cold taiga of the north are isolated pockets of halflings who trace their origin to a pair of lonely humans and the mythical Snow Maiden. It is written that, the humans - alone in the frozen woods - saw the Yule approaching and their children were far away. Sad, they decided to brighten their day with the creation of a beautiful snow maiden. As the morning sun rose over the mountains, the elderly couple stepped out of their small cabin and humming Yule songs, set to gathering snow. As they worked their sadness moved them, and they began to cry. The tears froze on their faces, and the husband realized that the winds had taken their sadness and left behind crystals for their snow child. He plucked the frozen tears from their faces and put them on the snow child's head: A crown of beautiful ice that seemed to play with the light and invite it to dance. The woman then smiled and rushing inside returned with a pair of light blue marbles and a red ribbon. She then carefully placed them on the child's face. For the rest of the day they played with the child, and brought her food. The old man even made her a doll of straw and wool that he placed at the child's feet.
Watching all of this was the Spring Maiden. Moved by their blight, the young goddess summoned her companion, Father Winter. She explained what she had watched and both were moved to tears. As night began to fall and the old couple went inside, Father Winter and the Spring Maiden set to work to bring the Snow Maiden to life. Finished, the Spring Maiden closed the child's eyes and kissed her on the cheeks, causing them to flush with life. Adorned in warm robes from Father Winter and holding a staff from the Spring Maiden, the snow maiden awoke. She picked up her doll and ran to her families door, where she knocked and was welcomed by shock and surprise by the old couple.
Over the years, the child never grew, and seemed to become lonely - yet she always put on a brave face for her parents. Each year she would create snow companions in the snow, adding one each additional year with the help of her mother and father. They would fashion toys and clothing, and sometimes even weapons for when they repelled goblins or dark spirits. Yet this brave face and happiness crumbled dramatically upon their death 20 years to the day after creating the child. Upon their death, Jarilo returned and the child begged her to bring them back. However, that power was beyond her. They had passed to Morana and her aunt was not known to let go of what she gathered. Distraught, the snow child began to wail and her tears flowed uncontrollably - freezing in the cold night. As she wailed and flung herself into the snow, the frozen tears scattered and landed among the snow children. Crafted carefully by love, and given gifts and compassion, they seemed to wake on their own volition and turned to the child to comfort her. The Spring Maiden looked down on this in awe, and realized that she had left a spark of her own divine self in the child. Humbled by her mistake, yet awed by what it had created, she quietly retrieved her divine radiance and blessed these small folk with life and love.
Thus the Snow Halflings were born in compassion, and blessed by a goddess.
Dedicated to Work & Play
To survive in the northern forests requires hard work, and none know this better than the Snow Halflings. They are industrious and practical, and always willing to lend a helping hand to a neighbor. They are known for excellent wooden architecture, and their small cottages are often works of art, either masterfully built to blend in with natural features, or lifted into a sturdy tree arching gracefully over the forest floor. A single halfling community, a mir, will often divide work and bring the bounty of their labor to their community first. Usually at the base of a particularly fine fir tree, the community will gather and trade between each other for what they need. Cheating is almost unheard of as those that would do such a thing would be banished.
Yet, not all is hardwork. Many Snow Halfling adults spend their days working hard with their hands, while their minds develop new toys and games for their children. Doll making, toys made of wood or tin, and board games are all popular creations. Even among adults no gathering is complete without some kind of game, even if it is something as simple as charades. And although children often work and help out among the home, many convert their chores into adventures and play as well. This spirit is generally encouraged by the community and many will play along with the flights of imagination their children develop.
Holidays are common, with Yule being the favorite. Again, in celebration of their origin, the community comes together and each family builds a snow child. After feasting and celebrations, the children are asked to bring the snow child a present - typically wrapped in brightly colored cloth and ribbon. Each child solemnly lays the present at the feet of the snow child they built, and then is ushered off to bed. Then the adults take the gifts and distribute them so that the "snow child" brings their brother or sister a gift, usually with the help of Father Winter and his helper, the "Snow Maiden" of the mir.
Bountiful Harvests in an Unclaimed Wilderness
Their harvests include tree nuts and berries, while they grow a variety of root vegetables in the harsh soil such as onions and turnips. They also actively grow and harvest lichens and mosses. This is a life where work begins in darkness and ends in darkness, but one that the Snow Halflings find rewarding and fulfilling. In addition to a wide variety of edible plants, Snow Halflings also raise moose and reindeer for both meat and as riding animals. In the winter months, they travel between communities on reindeer drawn sleigh, and tell legends of Father Frost lifting the sleigh into the air with his magic.
Further they have developed a wide number of uses for the various trees around them: making sugar, fibers and linens, and even articles of clothing such as shoes and hat rims that can then be used to shape fur hats. Their industriousness is without limit and has earned them a comfortable living in an environment most humans would write off as barren.
Self-governing and Free
Living in what humans would consider a barren wilderness means that these halflings often do not live with or under human rule. They have their own government, under the rule of a Tzar who claims direct lineage back to the Snow Maiden. The Tzar rules with a Council of Boyars, elder Snow Halflings who gather in their Winter Palace to guide the halfling people. Each mir nominates a Boyar who becomes their representative, and is also responsible for organizing aide to other halfling communities and representing the Tzar locally. The current ruler is Tzarina Alyona Ivanov, the 187th wearer of the Frozen Crown.
Snow Halfling Traits
As a snow halfling you do not share your kin's fondness of feckless behavior, and instead value hard work and perseverance. You know how to have fun, but other halflings often consider you a stick in the frozen mud. Be that as it may, while they seek to hide from the cold, you welcome it and embrace it - knowing it presents know challenge to you.
Ability Score Increase. Your wisdom score increases by 1.
Children of Snow. You gain resistance to cold damage.
