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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bishmon" data-source="post: 4000595" data-attributes="member: 56176">In the world I'm working on, the main halfling population lives on a small group of islands off the coast of the main continent having migrated there a long time ago because whereas their smaller sizes were a disadvantage on land fighting hand-to-hand, it was an advantage at sea because it meants more bodies could be on a ship to do more work. Not only do their ships tend to have more cannon than other ships, they also use their smaller size and increased dexterity to put men up in the masts and crow's nests with bows. As a result, they're the preeminent naval power, even though their naval interests tend to be more mercantile than militaristic.They're a very popular race in my world because of the trade they bring. Not only are they the most far-reaching traders, they also have unique goods from their islands not found on the mainland. Their far-reaching trade means that small populations of wanderlust-stricken halflings are common in most communities, especially port towns.They're also a popular race because of their friendly dispositions, which helps them in their mercantile efforts and also in brokering alliances, trading naval help or trade advantages for access to important waterways, peace agreements, etc.I thought it was important to really carve out a place in my world for halflings, because that was always my issue with them. To me, they just seemed like afterthoughts. Like there's these small humans that you'll occasionally see running a tavern or picking a lock in a dungeon, and maybe one of them will make you laugh at some point, but otherwise they're pretty inconsequential. I'm hoping giving them a more notable role in the world, combined with emphasizing their nearly universal popularity, their athleticism, and the sense of adventure and wanderlust instilled by their naval life will make them more appealing to my players.The thing I'm kicking around in my head for them now is figuring out a culture and physical description for them. I want it to be interesting and appealing, and different enough so they're not just human-lite, but I don't want it to be so different that it feels like a novelty. But that's a work in progress as the ideas that I like tend to come to me rather than me going and finding them.</blockquote>

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