Halfling kingdom

[12owlbears]

My friend and I are designing a setting for our next game. We decided that their were going to be four major nations in this setting. Their would be an ocr Kingdom, a dromite kingdom, a lizardfolk kingdom, and a halfling kingdom. We have a good idea of how the orc's, dromite's and lizardfolk would act but were having trouble coming up with ideas for the halfling kingdom

[Palanan]

...which is understandable, since halflings generally aren't portrayed as kingdom-builders. More often the halflings are presented as living quietly alongside humans in generally human settlements, or else living in their own very modest demesnes in overlooked corners of the world, where humans or other races rarely bother to enforce their claims.

For a halfling-only region, I would consider--perhaps not deep ancient forest, which is typically where elves have dominion, but perhaps a region of forgotten fields and secondary woodlands, lands once settled and farmed by humans, but then abandoned for any number of reasons. That might be a place to start.

[BWR]

Find a copy of "The Five Shires" from Mystara/BECMI days.
Not exactly a kingdom but definitely a domain and chock full of great ideas for giving halflings flavor (even if it is very Tolkienesque, with a few twists) and tons of adventure ideas.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by BWR
Find a copy of "The Five Shires" from Mystara/BECMI days.

Hmm. Would that be this Five Shires (http://www.amazon.com/Five-Shires-Dungeons-Dragons-Gazetteer/dp/0880385928/)? It has Ed Greenwood's name on it, not sure if this is what you mean.

That said, and since I'm not allergic to Ed Greenwood, this looks interesting.


Originally Posted by 12owlbears
We decided that [there] were going to be four major nations in this setting.

Are humans in this setting at all, or just the four races you've mentioned?

If this is a human-free zone, and thus dwarf- and elf-free as well, you'd have a lot more leeway for the halflings to expand into the classic niches usually dominated by those other races.

I could see at least two distinct halfling societies: the deepwoods halflings, who keep to the old forests and rarely venture out; and the expansionist builders, with a knack for fine-work and clever invention, who have the most sophisticated society on the continent, based on trade and innovation. How those two branches of the halfling line interacted with each other--for better or for worse--could help flesh out the history of the continent.

[Phelix-Mu]

Halflings also have some old fluff (possibly 2e) that they are decent frontiersmen and settlers. This meshes well with their established wanderlust and tendency to try to exploit any opportunity to make their way in the world (new lands mean new opportunities).

So, here's my pitch:

Some time in the semi-historical past (I'd say less than a hundred years), a new landmass or area opened up somehow. Perhaps ocean-goers discovered an unknown island or subcontinent (like Australia), or perhaps an area previously inhospitable (full of some kind of dangerous thing, cursed by mcguffin, retreating ice age thaws new region) is now habitable.

In any case, halflings are among the first to explore and settle this land, eager to find a place away from the kind of casual racism/marginalism that often accompanies their interaction with other major races.

Scroll ahead several generations, and the nascent halfling nation has grown to great size. Halfling mentality has added to their success. Foreigners are welcome, particularly if they have something to contribute to trade or civic welfare. Pragmatic international relations have made the area stable and peaceable, maybe in strong contrast to the other kingdoms. Finally, the halflings are masters of business, and have cornered the market on whatever valuable resources their new lands provide, supplying quality goods at affordable prices.

So, that's my first stab at it. Any additional info you could give on the other established nations would help determine how the fourth should function, as nations never exist in a vacuum, but are strongly dependent on how they interact with each other.

[Ansem]

Portray them like in Overlord with sir Fatso the Large III as the current ruling monarch.

[Jgosse]

I would go with hidden valleys or gorges or some such. mountains all around difficult to get at river running through it or some such.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Phelix-Mu
In any case, halflings are among the first to explore and settle this land, eager to find a place away from the kind of casual racism/marginalism that often accompanies their interaction with other major races.

Interesting you say this, because I was just thinking a little more about this, and it occurred to me that the halflings would most likely be the explorers and discoverers in this setting. I could see them as the curious, inquisitive ones, always looking for new things to eat and new places to curl up and hide--or to raise a comfortable halfling-hall with all the comforts.


Originally Posted by Phelix-Mu
...the halflings are masters of business, and have cornered the market on whatever valuable resources their new lands provide, supplying quality goods at affordable prices.

I like your scenario overall, and I especially like this aspect of it. Building on this, you could imagine that halfling traders have diffused throughout the other kingdoms, offering services and wares no one else is able to provide. Depending on the sophistication of the other kingdoms, there might be "halfling quarters" in all the major cities, in the same way that Venice had a Venetian Quarter in Constantinople for centuries, with special access and unique trading privileges.

Venice had the bargaining chip of being a major naval power, whereas Byzantium often had to rely on mercenary fleets for their own naval defenses. If the halflings here are the explorers and master mariners of this setting, then it stands to reason that they might hire out vessels and squadrons in exchange for commercial concessions.

And if halfling traders are welcomed, or at least tolerated, throughout the other kingdoms--why, a small group of traveling merchants would make a perfect cover for some other enterprise....


Originally Posted by Phelix-Mu
Any additional info you could give on the other established nations would help determine how the fourth should function, as nations never exist in a vacuum, but are strongly dependent on how they interact with each other.

And absolutely this. We need to know more about the other societies involved, and especially their attitudes towards halflings. Is the orc-nation a stereotypical realm of ceaseless violence and brutality? Or do they instead follow stern hierarchies and willingly submit to the rule of law? This sort of information makes all the difference.

.

[EugeneVoid]

Make sure to make the houses all small, and everything is scaled down. Heck, I bet the halflings have forts in wierd places that would be harder for larger races to fight/get in.

[Edenbeast]

I tend to see them like they are portrayed in Dark Sun. Usually my halfling kingdoms are feral and tribal. Riding ostriches and wolves.

[EugeneVoid]

I tend to see them like they are portrayed in Dark Sun. Usually my halfling kingdoms are feral and tribal. Riding ostriches and wolves.

This.
Have them ride vicious little things that are too small for regular things to get on.
Have them throw grenades in combat.

[MonochromeTiger]

My friend and I are designing a setting for our next game. We decided that their were going to be four major nations in this setting. Their would be an ocr Kingdom, a dromite kingdom, a lizardfolk kingdom, and a halfling kingdom. We have a good idea of how the orc's, dromite's and lizardfolk would act but were having trouble coming up with ideas for the halfling kingdom

my suggestion is to set the halfling kingdom in the middle of a gigantic metal bowl over the world's largest active volcano, they're at war with the lizardfolk kingdom and wield ketchup as their only weapon....wait...that's just my urge to kill halflings in painful ways...

well perhaps a highly decadent plains land kingdom (with high access to good farmlands for an easy food-source), a moderate amount of wealth likely stolen from other kingdoms and lands and a thriving slaver group providing servants for the vain and lazy nobility who reign over the kingdom.

[Ravens_cry]

I had an idea for a halfling kingdom that was a city state that was centred around an enclosed harbour surrounded by some high cliffs. A principality, the present Crown Prince was a curmudgeonly older halfling with a wry sense of humour and a keen ability to broker deals.
Very much a city of sailors and merchants, there is not much in the way of a military, though they bought some bombards (or catapults and other non-gunpowder weapons if that's more your speed) from dwarves that they mount on the cliff walls, and they hire human mercenaries when they need a little more.

[BWR]

Hmm. Would that be this Five Shires (http://www.amazon.com/Five-Shires-Dungeons-Dragons-Gazetteer/dp/0880385928/)? It has Ed Greenwood's name on it, not sure if this is what you mean.

That said, and since I'm not allergic to Ed Greenwood, this looks interesting.


That's the one. It's also possibly Greenwood's best work.