Player's Booklet FiV€ by Ed Greenwood ff VOgfH?WW «W5W»»SJ Table of Contents Introduction 2 The People 2 Clans 6 Government & Justice In The Shires 9 Language 11 Of The Telling of Tales 13 Music of the Halflings 15 Of Pipesmoke 16 Home 17 Money & Hade 18 High-Level Halfling Characters 19 The Master: A Halfling Sub-Class 19 Credits: Design: Ed Greenwood DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and D&D are registered Editing: John Fitzgerald trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Product Manager: Bruce Heard SamplePRODUCT fileS OF YOUR IMAGINATION and the TSR logo are Coordinators: Bruce Heard, Karen S. Boomgarden trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Cover Artist: Clyde Caldwell Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random Interior Artist: Artie Ruiz House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Graphic Design: Stephanie Tabat, Dave Sutherland, and Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Dennis Kauth Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR UK Ltd. Cartography: Dave Sutherland, Dennis Kauth, and , , . , , c p . • This module is protected under the copyright laws of the United „ u n ci States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use 1 ypography: Betty fclmore of the wrkten matcria] or artwork herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. Dedication This one's for Grandma and Aunt Clara. See? There still are magic kingdoms. ®1988 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. TSR Inc. TSR UK Ltd. POB 756 The Mill, Rathmore Road Lake Geneva, Cambridge CB14AD WI 53147 USA United Kingdom ISBN 0-88038-592-8 9232 iNtRODUCtiON Welcome to the Players Guide To The about it; just run off and have fun. When Shires will only act stupid or innocent Five Shires. This book contains informa- ye stop having fun, come home." when performing plays in taverns or tion for both players and DMs, but unlike halls. Halflings are generally straightfor- the larger DM's booklet, these pages will "Clje People ward, honest folk. concentrate on information role-playing Halflings are a proud people, but they The inhabitants of The Five Shires are D&D® game players will need to bring a are also sensitive to the needs of other almost entirely (96 percent) halfling. The halfling player character to life. creatures which share their land. They do remainder are humans, dwarves, and not consider themselves superior to other The existing rules of the DUNGEONS elves, mostly ambassadors and traders, races or to those who have different & DRAGONS® game cover the mechan- and are almost always to be found in the beliefs, unlike the human tribes of the ics of creating a halfling player character. large settlements of the Shires. Emirates of Ylaruam who distinguish Follow them; except for a special subclass Humans are the most likely non-hin known as the Master, this booklet makes between True Believers and Unbelievers. races to be found outside such settle- Halfling pride is not exhibited by being no changes to the existing rules. Instead, ments, either as solitary peddlers travel- the culture and essential nature of half- haughty, or quick to find insult, or by dif- ling the roads, or solitary mages living in ficult behavior toward others. lings are explored. towers. Such magic-users, always Lawful For players who don't want to play a in alignment, are welcome by local hin Hin take pride in their own survival halfling character but do want to adven- clans if they live peacefully, have few visi- through centuries of persecution, and in ture in The Five Shires, your DM will tell tors from outside the Shires, and aid local their deeds and accomplishments. The you how hin treat non-hin (halflings call hin with their magic. In return, they history of hin society is recorded in the themselves hin). If your non-halfling receive the peace and protection of the tapestries of the various hin clans. character is going to begin play in the hin in the beautiful countryside of the Hin tend to be curious and inquisitive, Shires, if he was born or raised there or Shires. though not in a pushy or very obvious has lived there for some years, read the manner. "All things pass the eyes of one rest of the book. Unless your character has who watches and blinks not with impa- some problem in perceiving the world or Sifce' of tience," goes a very old hin saying. Hin has lived a life of enforced isolation, most are always interested in learning more or all the information in the other sec- Due to their stature and disposition, half- about the world around them. In youth, tions of the book will have become appar- lings are often thought of as childlike, all halflings go through "yallara," a time ent to your character just by living in the unimportant in terms of international of finding themselves, an essential part of Shires. warfare and diplomacy, and mentally this learning. A hin will never be so set in Halflings who live or travel outside the immature; happy, innocent, fun-loving, his ways that he will be blind to possible Shires may not be able to celebrate all the uncaringSample, and stupid. file trouble or resist new ways or inventions, customs of hin in the Shires, but all who Racial stereotypes are always false, but regardless of age or station. The continual play halflings should be aware of these they are based on perceptions of common observation of the world around also customs; they are essentials to the nature traits and may contain a kernel of truth. makes a hin difficult to surprise or dupe, of all halflings. As your DM reveals these Whereas dwarves are thought of as dour, as many individuals of other races have customs, look for the philosophies that grim, and taciturn, halflings are thought discovered to their cost. lie behind them. For example, the half- of as having a merry spirit, and this is ling custom of The Dragging isn't really true. What is wrong is to think of hin as a Monale about killing ores, but about the desire to lightheaded, unimportant, simple race, While standing on the soil of The Five be free from oppression and help one's happy with their lot as pigs are happy in a friends. Shires, all halflings gain +2 to their mud-wallow. This view is incorrect, but morale and a + 2 bonus to Saving Throws First and foremost, a player who wants halflings are not the type to go to war to breathe life into a halfling character against magical fear and similar magics about it. that work upon the emotions. Hin are must put aside notions of cute little pipe It is also wrong to view halflings as mis- smoking creatures who have quaint man- almost fearless in the defense of their own chievous children. Halflings in general land and folk; they are very willing to die ners and think of halflings as people. As have none of the wide-eyed innocence of old hin say to the young, "Begin then to protect their fellows. "Do what must human children and are far more respect- be done; the clan will remember," runs and learn. When ye have the hang of ful of the property and dignity of others. learning, ye will know just how little ye an old hin proverb. Although it is true that many of those hin This does not mean that hin will fool- have come to know and why it is good to who go adventuring and travel outside learn. But never worry about not know- ishly throw their lives away when retreat- The Five Shires enjoy both thieving and ing to fight later would better protect ing things. When that makes sense to ye, mischievously playing pranks, hin in the it'll probably be too late, so don't worry their fellow halflings, but it does mean DcNial that adventurers facing monsters can 40-45 effect diverted 3O'-7O' away from A denial uttered within 30' of Black- expect aid from halfling children and target, or robbed of 3 dice of flame does not involve a hit point loss; ancients alike, not a lot of screaming and damage, depending upon the the Blackflame powers the denial (the flight. intent of the denying hin Blackflame loses some power; this is 46-49 effect robbed of all but token described more fully in the Dungeon DCNial effect (mainly visual); maximum Master's booklet). Only Clanmasters, possible damage dealt to all tar- Keepers, Witnesses, and Masters of 4th Halflings of 5 th level or higher have a gets is 2 hit points level or greater will know this until other special power known as "denial." A half- 50-53 effect negated completely; hin learn it by battlefield observation. ling can deny a single spell or magical charges still used, spells still lost For an example of play involving deni- item effect once every 24 hours simply by 54 or effect hurled back upon caster or al, see Bungo's Denial. Players should crying, "No!" and focusing his will into more wielder, for full effect remember that this isn't a miracle cure. thwarting the attack. This power will only Each halfling can only use it once per day work within The Five Shires, as it draws Possible Modifiers To A Denial Score: and it is often ineffective. on the inherent forces of the land. If the power being denied is that of an When a hin denies something, he artifact: -5. Bungo's Denial instantly suffers a 1 to 4 hit point loss.