What are halfling manners like?

[Rfkannen]

Ok weird question I know, but what would halfling manners be like?

Context. My campaign is doing a timeskip, and during it my character was taught manners by a halfling. And I'm thinking about how he should act now.

Any tips on how to play the change?

Ps. My character was before a chaotic evil bloodthirsty teifling from the abyss who had spent his entire life only around demons and didn't understand other mortals. Want to make the change dramatic and funny.

[Koo Rehtorb]

It's bad manners to let anyone leave hungry.

[Honest Tiefling]

1) Hospitality! If someone is in need of a warm bed and a warm meal, you provide. Give what you can spare to the less fortunate, and always help someone else on the road, for you never know when you might need to rely on the kindness of strangers yourself. Perhaps if you share bread, salt or beer with someone, there might be an expectation of mutual protection for a time.

2) Practicality. Depending on your halflings, they might be nomadic. Nomadic people don't need a ton of clutter hanging around, so if it's not needed, ditch it. They might not be big on random gift-giving for this reason. Flashy clothes are nice and all, but they rip and then how will you repair it on the road? Get some nice, sturdy clothes instead.

3) Jokes. Halflings get a charisma boost in many settings, so they must have some reason for it in this setting. Perhaps they have insult battles to hone their wits (in good fun, of course) or have a deep seated respect for story tellers, who are entrusted with the history of their people and gods.

4) Adopt their religion! Your PC was a tiefling, perhaps they have converted to a halfing (or halfing approved) god. If the god in question is good aligned, this will be a big difference.

5) Humility. Another thing associated with the wee folk of DnD, and could work well with your character depending on their personality.

[Shpadoinkle]

Halflings are based on Tolkein's hobbits- in fact, in early editions of D&D they were actually called hobbits until Tolkein's estate contacted TSR and told them to knock it off. Reading up on hobbits and their lifestyle should be helpful in establishing the kind of lifestyle halflings would lead.

Also, bear in mind that hobbits themselves were based on rural Englishmen. So as a bit of a short primer: Halflings are hardworking, generally good-natured, friendly, and polite folk, mostly working as farmers, brewers, ranchers and so on. While they don't really show it, they dislike Outsiders, because Outsiders usually mean Trouble.

Remember the first chapter of The Hobbit? Bilbo recognized Gandalf, and was friendly to him at first, but when Gandalf lingered Bilbo started getting nervous and began desperately wishing he would just go away and not cause any trouble.

[lightningcat]

Old school country manners, but with a distinct lack of personal space and a bit more whimsy.

[Khedrac]

Sorry, but this one has to be ASK YOUR DM - it is totally dependent on the campaign world, and therefore how your DM views halflings.

If playing 3.5 you can look at Races of the Wild for one presentation of Halfling culture (which, iirc. is a nomadic interpretation).
Equally, if playing in a Dark Sun/Athas campaign then halflings are bloodthirsty cannibals who inhabit the jungles surrounding the central desert area (and I think their manners are "if it is moving and in our lands then kill it and eat it").
Some DMs (usually including me) wee most Halfling cultures as settled ones, so the RoW advice will need to be filtered accordingly.

[LibraryOgre]

As others have mentioned, a lot depends on what kind of halflings you mean. After all, there's a fair bit of difference between "having someone over for dinner" between Shirefolk and Dark Sun halflings.

However, if you want formal halfling manners, read the first chapter of The Hobbit, and try to act like Bilbo. Be polite to everyone, no matter how rude. Don't mention anything controversial, or dangerous, and somewhat look past any questionable part of people's backgrounds. Use euphemisms to avoid talking about things directly... you don't mention an orc raid on Brockenborings, you talk about "that unpleasantness up by the Greenfields." Spiders didn't take over the quarry, it's "some trouble up Scary way." Unmarried girls don't get pregnant, they "go to visit their gramma in Needlehole." He's not full of ****, he's "well versed in the products of Budgeford, if you take my meaning."

[calam]

I always imagined they'd be a culture where it'd be impolite not to enjoy something where things like burping while eating is polite because it shows you enjoy it while not using a gift would be a serious faux pas but it would depend on your campaign.

[Jay R]

It depends on the culture of halflings in that world.

In Tolkien's world, hobbits are based on early 20th century respectable rural English society. But that is entirely up to the DM (and maybe the player as well, if he is inventing a background and the DM is good at co-operative character generation.)

If I did this, the halflings would be hobbits, and the best description of hobbit manners comes from Gandalf's morning visit and (much more so) the dinner for the dwarves.

'When the silence that followed had become uncomfortable, he added: “I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me.” A little stiff perhaps, but he meant it kindly. And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?'

'He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he—as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful—he might have to go without.'

Oh - and make a point of having your pocket handkerchief.