Despite being the same race, Halflings and Wildlings consider themselves very different.
However, no "Wildlings" on the main continent are actual, full born Wildlings. They are Halflings who have decided to live in trees like their ancestors.
Most Wildlings don't even speak the common tongue, and those that do prefer to pretend they don't speak it.
Wildlings live in the Endless Forest where they wage war with the Elves constantly.
True Wildlings live on their home Island, where they are feared by sailors.
Halflings are looked down on as a race by many, often times sold into service or slavery. However some live free.
There is a secluded Halfling town on the outskirts of Dalry, protected by the kingdoms of Mirerenna and Ruand.
Most Halflings prefer to live in Southern Ruand where they are not only treated as equals, but as pillars of the community.
Halflings and Wildlings alike keep immaculate records and are very educated, because they lost all their history on the island.
Dagbert Lightfoot is the mayor of the Farwater Halflings, and he is well known far and wide.
The Race of Halflings is the newest to incorporate into mainland Tyriedar, and also hotly disputed as possibly predating the Dwarves. For Ages they lived alone,
secluded on a large, mysterious island south of the continent. There the short in stature creatures lived in peace. The island was quite tropical, with a huge rain forest full of trees that reached clear into the sky. The Wildlings, as they are more commonly known in their tribal form, built elaborate homes in the
trees. Whole cities interconnected, where whole generations lived and died without ever setting foot on solid ground. They grew crops in their trees,
raised animals for slaughter, and enjoyed a very elaborate society. Then again, it was probably the smartest idea because the island was home to many species of plant and animal life, with danger and death around every corner. Glowing flowers, giant mushroom forests, plants that could literally eat you, enormous crabs and insects, snakes and jaguars, all waiting to snack on the little creatures.
In their treehouses, Wildlings worshipped two basic Gods: Maab and Fodors, or Mother and Father. Mother was seen in everything living. She was the beating heart, the blood
pumped through their veins, the food they ate, the trees they called home, the creation of new life. Father was the earth itself, providing a cradle of
stability for all life. He was the soil, the ocean, the sun, the moon, the rain falling from the sky. Together Mother and Father provided protection and
food for their children, the Y'asi-Ruta Tribe, and thereby loved them immensely.
For years they were only a myth, and a prized possession by the most noble of all races in Tyriedar. Men, Elves, Dwarves and Norn alike sought the
wildlings like jewels and precious metals. In fact they were once thought to hold the secret to eternal youth. But Wildlings would not go so easily.
Mesash, the Island they lived on, was their home and they protected it at all costs. Pirates in the southern ocean would raid the island, losing many
men in the process in hopes of capturing just one or two of the Wildlings. The pay was that good -- Now you couldn't pay a pirate enough to venture to the island.
However, Wildlings did not possess a fountain of youth or any other secrets. What they wielded was very powerful nature magic. They have always been very close to the earth. Their island was covered by many different types of plants that themselves were enchanted and contained magical properties and the Wildlings were granted the ability to control this magic and expand upon it, so far as to create a method of healing called spellbinding. Wildling and Halfling healers are known far and wide for their renowned abilities in life magic. Spellbinding has been a sacred art passed down from generation to generation, even while the magic was gone from the land. A spellbinder works with herbs, soil, wrappings and their hands to take the ailment from the victim and pull it onto themselves.
Yet even the most powerful of Spellbinders could not help the Wildlings when fire literally rained down from the heavens to mark the end of the Third Age. The ground shook and the mountain rumbled until it finally erupted into a ferocious blast. The summit, most commonly known as Nightfall by the pirates for its glowing embers on the night's ocean, wiped out and destroyed many Wildling communities. Those that survived were forced to swim for their lives and leave their homeland for the main continent of Tyriedar. But the most horrific side effect of the volcano was the common belief among the once happy and light hearted fighters, that Fodors, their father, was mad at his children. With magic gone from the world and the mysterious Wildings making their way to the land, they were immediately captured by the citizens of Tyriedar, and so began the real struggle.
Some managed to stay on the mysterious island. Yet even though there are Wildlings that still live on the island, to this day it is a very dangerous and treacherous journey back. After the volcano, the Ilsand became home to a very different kind of Wildling. They are much more ruthless, much more bloodthirsty, and especially more wild. After the volcano Mirerenna began to ship their convicts out to the island as punishment, and many believe that the best course of action is to just swim for your life and hope to be picked up by a pirate and not killed. Even drowning is a preferred outcome. Anything is better than what the little people will do to you on the island.
On Tyriedar, the Fourth Age showed the Wildlings little kindness. Many fled their captors into the Endless Forest, making new communities and becoming fierce fighters. To this day the southern part of the forest is lined with Wildlings and is often regarded as an unsafe passage because of their aggression. A race that has been so heavily persecuted, they have become a little trigger happy with their bows and arrows. Generally, the Wildlings are quite agile and stealthy creatures. They know how to stay out of sight in order to strike their enemy before they even get a chance to fight back. Most say the Wildlings will see you before you ever see them. And if you happen to lay eyes on one, odds are you are already doomed.
But those not fortunate enough to have found the protection of the Forest were sentenced to a tough life. In the beginning there was no conscious when it came to the selling and trading of Halflings, as they are more commonly referred to as by society. Great auctions have been held to sell the children of Maab and Fodors and buys have come from far and wide. From a certain point of view, one may argue the race has become much more well traveled and cultural than they would have if not for the volcano, but that is completely ignoring the slavery they have been forced into. For many years they were used to work the fields from morning until night, with little rest. Working conditions were poor and they weren't paid anything. Over the years they have made many strides, with many races refusing to keep the Halflings in slavery any longer, and many working to treat them right and make them equal citizens.
Halflings and Wildlings, while the same race, often times don't view themselves as such. Now in the Fifth Age, there is a definite line between the two. Wildlings stay in the forest, away from people and keep to their old ways. Halflings have taken on the moniker of their previous days of servitude. Many Halfling communities exist in Tyriedar and they are very widespread. Near Dalry, things aren't so great for them. There is a tiny community, surrounded by high cliffs and secluded from most intruders is not only protected by a division of Halfling enforcers but Human guards as well, a promise made to them by the Queen of Ruand and the King of Mirerenna. Yet those in Dalry would like to change that. There are still Halfling auctions within the nation's borders, even if they are frowned upon from the outside. Dalry believes that the Halflings are meant to be servants, to work as farmers or their personal battlefield pages. After all, they're quite small and could stay out of the way. The royal family has at least 100 Halfling servants, and while they like to claim they get a fair wage, everyone knows these are their slaves and they flaunt them in the faces of everyone who may oppose their views.
In fact, Dalry not only has the highest population of Halfling servants, but they also send out their bravest fighters to acquire more Halflings from the Endless Forest or from the colony that still has Wildlings living in it on their original island. Most fear the Wildlings and their blood thirsty poison tipped spears in the woods, but it is a sin to show any sign of weakness in the face of battle in Dalry. With a thousand new soldiers a day, the slave trade is still alive and well. Sometimes the only place Halflings feel they can go to get away from danger is Gya, though within those borders things are never quite... right.
Of course that isn't quite the same when one is talking about Ruand. Men have this uncanny ability of representing both evil and good in this world, a fact no more apparent than how they treat the Halflings. The horse-lords are the most outspoken in protecting them. In the south, near the town of Farwater, there is a large, wonderful Halfling community, full of life and cheer and joy. Unlike their Wildling brothers, Halflings choose to live not just on the ground, but many like to live nestled in cozy holes. Their tiny houses line the trade routes and are spread out all around the city, with a very large centralized Halfling-only district just east of the town where they have frequent festivals and holidays right along side the people of Ruand.
Many Halflings work their magic in the fields, growing huge crops, and even plants that many believed couldn't survive on the continent. The magic of a green thumb is very common among the race, and with the return of magic in the Fifth Age, they have become more prosperous than ever. They also take to raising livestock and pack animals extremely well. Husbandry was commonly practiced on the island and the art has been passed down from generation to generation. Though many have taken the skill one step further and use their cunning skills in combat to train battle companions to sell in their markets. The Halfling Bazaar in Farwater is the largest of it's size, boasting not just Halfling goods, but also items from far and wide to be sold to those willing to make the journey. They refuse to turn anyone away no matter the race or class.
When the magic returned, many Halflings have gone on to train in their abilities or even the arts of battle, if they can get anyone to give them the time of day. Racism is a very real thing in Tyriedar. But it is the Wildlings whom have had the most change with the return of their magic. It was one day about twenty years ago that they first saw it. The Wildlings have always been locked in an intense battle with the Elves of the forest, and in that moment both Elf and Wildling stopped in battle as they laid their eyes upon the glowing flowers growing, breathing deep in the southern forest. These flowers were the very same flowers growing on their original island. Maab and Fodors had found them again and brought them the magic to prove it. Instantly the Wildlings dropped their weapons and began to dance, rejoicing in this moment, singing in their native tongue. If they couldn't go home, home would surely come to them.
If you have any questions concerning halflings, please see here.
However, Wildlings did not possess a fountain of youth or any other secrets. What they wielded was very powerful nature magic. They have always been very close to the earth. Their island was covered by many different types of plants that themselves were enchanted and contained magical properties and the Wildlings were granted the ability to control this magic and expand upon it, so far as to create a method of healing called spellbinding. Wildling and Halfling healers are known far and wide for their renowned abilities in life magic. Spellbinding has been a sacred art passed down from generation to generation, even while the magic was gone from the land. A spellbinder works with herbs, soil, wrappings and their hands to take the ailment from the victim and pull it onto themselves.
Yet even the most powerful of Spellbinders could not help the Wildlings when fire literally rained down from the heavens to mark the end of the Third Age. The ground shook and the mountain rumbled until it finally erupted into a ferocious blast. The summit, most commonly known as Nightfall by the pirates for its glowing embers on the night's ocean, wiped out and destroyed many Wildling communities. Those that survived were forced to swim for their lives and leave their homeland for the main continent of Tyriedar. But the most horrific side effect of the volcano was the common belief among the once happy and light hearted fighters, that Fodors, their father, was mad at his children. With magic gone from the world and the mysterious Wildings making their way to the land, they were immediately captured by the citizens of Tyriedar, and so began the real struggle.
Some managed to stay on the mysterious island. Yet even though there are Wildlings that still live on the island, to this day it is a very dangerous and treacherous journey back. After the volcano, the Ilsand became home to a very different kind of Wildling. They are much more ruthless, much more bloodthirsty, and especially more wild. After the volcano Mirerenna began to ship their convicts out to the island as punishment, and many believe that the best course of action is to just swim for your life and hope to be picked up by a pirate and not killed. Even drowning is a preferred outcome. Anything is better than what the little people will do to you on the island.
On Tyriedar, the Fourth Age showed the Wildlings little kindness. Many fled their captors into the Endless Forest, making new communities and becoming fierce fighters. To this day the southern part of the forest is lined with Wildlings and is often regarded as an unsafe passage because of their aggression. A race that has been so heavily persecuted, they have become a little trigger happy with their bows and arrows. Generally, the Wildlings are quite agile and stealthy creatures. They know how to stay out of sight in order to strike their enemy before they even get a chance to fight back. Most say the Wildlings will see you before you ever see them. And if you happen to lay eyes on one, odds are you are already doomed.
But those not fortunate enough to have found the protection of the Forest were sentenced to a tough life. In the beginning there was no conscious when it came to the selling and trading of Halflings, as they are more commonly referred to as by society. Great auctions have been held to sell the children of Maab and Fodors and buys have come from far and wide. From a certain point of view, one may argue the race has become much more well traveled and cultural than they would have if not for the volcano, but that is completely ignoring the slavery they have been forced into. For many years they were used to work the fields from morning until night, with little rest. Working conditions were poor and they weren't paid anything. Over the years they have made many strides, with many races refusing to keep the Halflings in slavery any longer, and many working to treat them right and make them equal citizens.
Halflings and Wildlings, while the same race, often times don't view themselves as such. Now in the Fifth Age, there is a definite line between the two. Wildlings stay in the forest, away from people and keep to their old ways. Halflings have taken on the moniker of their previous days of servitude. Many Halfling communities exist in Tyriedar and they are very widespread. Near Dalry, things aren't so great for them. There is a tiny community, surrounded by high cliffs and secluded from most intruders is not only protected by a division of Halfling enforcers but Human guards as well, a promise made to them by the Queen of Ruand and the King of Mirerenna. Yet those in Dalry would like to change that. There are still Halfling auctions within the nation's borders, even if they are frowned upon from the outside. Dalry believes that the Halflings are meant to be servants, to work as farmers or their personal battlefield pages. After all, they're quite small and could stay out of the way. The royal family has at least 100 Halfling servants, and while they like to claim they get a fair wage, everyone knows these are their slaves and they flaunt them in the faces of everyone who may oppose their views.
In fact, Dalry not only has the highest population of Halfling servants, but they also send out their bravest fighters to acquire more Halflings from the Endless Forest or from the colony that still has Wildlings living in it on their original island. Most fear the Wildlings and their blood thirsty poison tipped spears in the woods, but it is a sin to show any sign of weakness in the face of battle in Dalry. With a thousand new soldiers a day, the slave trade is still alive and well. Sometimes the only place Halflings feel they can go to get away from danger is Gya, though within those borders things are never quite... right.
Of course that isn't quite the same when one is talking about Ruand. Men have this uncanny ability of representing both evil and good in this world, a fact no more apparent than how they treat the Halflings. The horse-lords are the most outspoken in protecting them. In the south, near the town of Farwater, there is a large, wonderful Halfling community, full of life and cheer and joy. Unlike their Wildling brothers, Halflings choose to live not just on the ground, but many like to live nestled in cozy holes. Their tiny houses line the trade routes and are spread out all around the city, with a very large centralized Halfling-only district just east of the town where they have frequent festivals and holidays right along side the people of Ruand.
Many Halflings work their magic in the fields, growing huge crops, and even plants that many believed couldn't survive on the continent. The magic of a green thumb is very common among the race, and with the return of magic in the Fifth Age, they have become more prosperous than ever. They also take to raising livestock and pack animals extremely well. Husbandry was commonly practiced on the island and the art has been passed down from generation to generation. Though many have taken the skill one step further and use their cunning skills in combat to train battle companions to sell in their markets. The Halfling Bazaar in Farwater is the largest of it's size, boasting not just Halfling goods, but also items from far and wide to be sold to those willing to make the journey. They refuse to turn anyone away no matter the race or class.
When the magic returned, many Halflings have gone on to train in their abilities or even the arts of battle, if they can get anyone to give them the time of day. Racism is a very real thing in Tyriedar. But it is the Wildlings whom have had the most change with the return of their magic. It was one day about twenty years ago that they first saw it. The Wildlings have always been locked in an intense battle with the Elves of the forest, and in that moment both Elf and Wildling stopped in battle as they laid their eyes upon the glowing flowers growing, breathing deep in the southern forest. These flowers were the very same flowers growing on their original island. Maab and Fodors had found them again and brought them the magic to prove it. Instantly the Wildlings dropped their weapons and began to dance, rejoicing in this moment, singing in their native tongue. If they couldn't go home, home would surely come to them.
If you have any questions concerning halflings, please see