Canonfire! - Races of the Flanaess

Delving further into Greyhawk's optional races for Classic Dungeons & Dragons, discover the variety of Halfling cultures, including a conversion of the Pecwae race from the Sovereign Stone setting to Greyhawk.

Races of the Flanaess - Halflings
By: chatdemon
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

Race: Halflings (Hobniz in the language of the Flan)
Description: Halflings, or Hobniz as the Flan language calls them, are fully described in the Classic D&D rulesbooks. They have the same variety in appearance that the humans of the Flanaess do.

The standard Halfling, as described in the rulebooks, is generally known as a Hairfoot. Two other common varieties exist:

Tallfellow Halflings (Hobnen in the Flan tongue) tend to be a bit taller (3 1/2 to 4 feet tall) and more slender than their fellows, with only light fur on their feet. Tallfellows are the most gregarious and adventurous of the Halfling people, and are the most likely to be encountered outside Halfling communities.

Stout Halflings (Hobnik in the language of the Flan) are even shorter (averaging 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall) and more portly than their peers, with the usual foot fur for a Halfling. Stouts are stubborn and unadventurous as a rule, and only rarely found outside Halfling communities, much less adventuring.

For the purposes of game mechanics, all 3 halfling subtypes are considered to be the same. The variety is explained only for role playing purposes. A fourth Halfling variety, the rare and mysterious Pecwae, are explained below.

Ability Modifiers: none
Class Restrictions (and XP modifiers by class)
Note: Halflings who take a class other than Halfling lose their racial ability bonuses to saving throws against magic and breath weapons. In addition, Halflings who take a class other than Halfling or Thief lose their racial ability to Hide.

Cleric: Yes (-10% to earned XP, -25% after level 8)
Druid: No
Fighter: No
Paladin: No
Knight: No
Avenger: No
Magic User: No
Mystic: Yes (-10% to earned XP, -25% after level 8)
Thief: Yes (-5% to earned XP, -20% after level 8)
Halfling: Yes (to preserve game balance, it is suggested that the Attack Rank rules option for advancement past 8th level should be used)

Race: Halfling - Pecwae (Pecwae speak the Flan tongue as their native language, so this is their Flan name as well)

Description: The Pecwae are a timid, curious race of Halflings once common throughout the western Flanaess. Slave taking and diseases brought by the Oeridians and Suel as they migrated into the Sheldomar valley long ago have caused serious attrition in the Pecwae people though, and now they are fairly rare, appearing mostly in small communities in the Oytwood and Hornwood Forests of Geoff. It's likely that some groups of them also still exist in the depths of the Dreadwood, but no reliable evidence exists.

Pecwae are similar in appearance to Tallfellow Halflings, averaging about 4 feet in height and possessing a slim build. Some sages speculate that they have traces of Elven or Faerie blood as well though, evidenced by their long, delicately pointed ears and slightly Elven facial appearance. Pecwae tend to have lightly tanned skin and light brown to dark brown hair which is thin and wiry. Eye colors are usually green or brown.

The Pecwae are a very simple people, strongly tied to nature spirits and druidic traditions. They tend to abhor combat, fleeing a fight if possible. Pecwae villages and wandering tribes often ally with local humans, preferring the company of the Flan people above others, in order to have aid when threatened by stronger races.

Ability Modifiers: +1 Wis (max 18), +1 Cha (max 18), -2 Str (min 3)
Note: Halflings who take a class other than Halfling lose their racial ability bonuses to saving throws against magic and breath weapons. In addition, Halflings who take a class other than Halfling or Thief lose their racial ability to Hide.
Class Restrictions (and XP modifiers by class)

Cleric: Yes (-10% to earned XP, Pecwae must take the Druid class path after level 9, they cannot advance further as regular clerics)
Druid: Yes (-10% to earned XP)
Fighter: No
Paladin: No
Knight: No
Avenger: No
Magic User: No
Mystic: No
Thief: Yes (-10% to earned XP, -30% after level 8)
Halfling: Yes (-5% to earned XP, to preserve game balance, it is suggested that the Attack Rank rules option for advancement past 8th level should be used)

Note: Pecwae area adapted from the Sovereign Stone campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, published by Sovereign Press ( http://www.sovpress.com/ ). I really like the race and feel it fits nicely into a Greyhawk campaign, so I've adapted it here.