So, about those halflings...

[Celebrim]

Personally, I haven't see any reason to believe they aren't just a human sub-race with consistent dwarfism (the genetic condition; nothing to do with Dwarves the D&D race)

The genetic condition of Dwarfism has alot to do with the Dwarven race. If you will look at a person with genetic Dwarfism you will see that they look alot like a dwarf - short limbs, relatively large almost normal sized chest and head looking very stout and barrel like compared to thier size. They tend to have prominent foreheads. They also tend to be between about 4' and 4' 10" in height. Genetic dwarves are the origin of the mythological dwarf, and the reason why the archetype hold such power in our imaginations.

Hobbits on the other hand don't have consistent dwarfism. They are consistantly midgets, or 'little people' to use the more PC term. Although the term dwarf and midget are used interchangably in popular culture, they aren't actually the same thing. Unlike genetic dwarves with thier foreshortened limbs, midgets tend to maintain normal human proportions. They are just smaller, and often much smaller. In fact, they are about half normal human height. And this itself is only slightly outside the range of normal human variation, for example see the Mbuti people of Africa.

Without the Hobbitish characteristics, 'Halflings' are just short people.

 

[lukelightning]

Haflings need a real name for their race, none of this "half" nonsense that basically equates their race to being half a human. How about combining them with gnomes and just calling 'em gnomes?

 

[Dragonhelm]

Well, I don't mind halflings either way. They're there - and I'm mostly ignoring them. However, I wonder, why a CCG like Magic can have well-defined Halflings (called Kithkins), that evoke the Hobbit/Halfling feel, while the D&D halflings drift around between Mini-Elves, Hobbits, and Kender (even in 3.5).

I think the Kithkin are different enough with the Thoughtweft that they wouldn’t infringe on the hobbit intellectuall property. If it is an IP issue with halflings, I wonder why TSR didn’t have a problem using them, but WotC does. I also wonder why companies like Troll Lord Games uses them when WotC doesn’t.

My guess is that the LotR movies have somehow impacted the whole situation.

The genetic condition of Dwarfism has alot to do with the Dwarven race. If you will look at a person with genetic Dwarfism you will see that they look alot like a dwarf - short limbs, relatively large almost normal sized chest and head looking very stout and barrel like compared to thier size. They tend to have prominent foreheads. They also tend to be between about 4' and 4' 10" in height. Genetic dwarves are the origin of the mythological dwarf, and the reason why the archetype hold such power in our imaginations.

Hobbits on the other hand don't have consistent dwarfism. They are consistantly midgets, or 'little people' to use the more PC term. Although the term dwarf and midget are used interchangably in popular culture, they aren't actually the same thing. Unlike genetic dwarves with thier foreshortened limbs, midgets tend to maintain normal human proportions. They are just smaller, and often much smaller. In fact, they are about half normal human height. And this itself is only slightly outside the range of normal human variation, for example see the Mbuti people of Africa.

Without the Hobbitish characteristics, 'Halflings' are just short people.

The Little People of America (LPA) define dwarfism as an adult height of 4’10" or shorter, among both men and women, as the result of a medical or genetic condition. Typically, most dwarfs these days prefer the term “dwarf” or “little person” and find the term “midget” to be offensive.

In fact, there are over 200 varieties of dwarfism. Some are proportionate, some are disproportionate. You can find out more info here: Dwarfism and Short Stature Syndromes. And yes, I have watched too much “Little People, Big World.”

Haflings need a real name for their race, none of this "half" nonsense that basically equates their race to being half a human.

Tanis Half-Elven once addressed his surname in the Dragonlance Chronicles. He was asked why he was never called “Half-Human.” He said that “Half-Human” equated to being half a man.

How about combining them with gnomes and just calling 'em gnomes?

I’d rather not, personally. There’s too much history involved. Rather, I’d like to see them both developed to be unique races.

 

[sckeener]

Offtopic...the one thing I definitely want is a different picture of all the races together....specifically the two pieces of art work that show the different sexes....

I can't remember if it is the gnome or the halfling...but one of them in both pictures is pointing at the genitalia of the half-orcs....

I'm all for subtext and hidden easter eggs....but the image of homo erotic images involving a savage (half-orc) and a kid (the halfling/gnome)...

not so much interested in......

 

[lukelightning]

the image of homo erotic images involving a savage (half-orc) and a kid (the halfling/gnome)

The fact that you sought out this interpretation speaks volumes. Obvously you have hidden gnomo-sexual desires.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The fact that you sought out this interpretation speaks volumes. Obvously you have hidden gnomo-sexual desires.

Everyone is just a little bit gnomosexual. We're just too sexy.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Everyone is just a little bit gnomosexual. We're just too sexy.

This week on Bravo - Gnome Eye for the Tall Guy.

 

[Hairfoot]

Magic [has] well-defined Halflings (called Kithkins), that evoke the Hobbit/Halfling feel, while the D&D halflings drift around between Mini-Elves, Hobbits, and Kender (even in 3.5).

That, Lord Tirian, is fan-bloody-tastic.

MtG flavour and fluff aside, the Wayne Reynolds illustration demonstrates just how un-Shire-like old-style halflings can be. I'm pleased as punch that someone thought to break them out of the hackneyed farmer stereotype they've been lumbered with for decades.

When did the Kithkin cards start appearing?

 

[Baby Samurai]

This week on Bravo - Gnome Eye for the Tall Guy.

That's…that's wonderful.

 

[sckeener]

The fact that you sought out this interpretation speaks volumes. Obvously you have hidden gnomo-sexual desires.

Nah...I think it is the fact that I've played too many one shot games where I didn't like the group, so I played the brute...fighter half-orc....slow witted with a one track mind...

after awhile you notice that there is some midget point at the privates...like she is offering up some amazing stuff...waving her hand...going Ta Da, and offering some big packages to the viewer...