The World of Teréth End - People & Races

There are two kinds of Halvers (Poelo): Standard (-Elon) and True (-Toen). Each Halver-kin appears as a miniature Uren, without the Dwürden heft and hirsuteness with whom they are frequently confused. Standard Halvers are renown for both their hard-work and love of food, drink and merriment. True Halvers are known for their warlike manner and fearless demeanor. Of the two, Standard Halvers are believed to be the older of the two types, while the emergence of True Halvers is a matter of recent history.

Standard Halvers (Poelo Elon)

The Poelo Elon (po·EHL·o EHL·ahn) are the most Uren-compatible race among non-Urens. Their appetites for gourmet foods, fine wine and good pipeweed are both legendary and the foundation for many jokes. Because the Poelo Elon are generally small and sometimes quick, they often have a repuation as thieves. Standard Halvers can further be divided into three sub-groups: Oddfriends, Stoutfriends and Tallfriends.

Physiology: For unknown reasons, all Standard Halvers seem able to drink and eat twice what an Uren (of twice their size) can consume before betraying their fullness or drunkeness. They are also very keen observers with regard to foods' taste and smell, having a palate much more sensitive than their Uren kin. Most Standard Halvers would prefer to not eat all given the choice of eating a meal without the requisite spices and proper cooking woods. Few however would make the stance for than a few moments. Due to their insatiable appetites, few Standard Halvers are considered trim. However, the race starves and dehydrates at twice the rate of other races.

Most Standard Halvers live about twice the number of years that it standard for the Uren (i.e. 120-150 years).

Psychology: Standard Halvers are a very social race, loving to talk, gossip, listen and spin tales. The joke that Standard Halvers love "small talk" has been told countless times, but is no less correct. There seems to be no subject that Halvers are not happy to discuss and bless with their many opinions. In addition, the Standard Halver memory is amazing when dealing with trivial matters. Two Standard Halvers can sit and talk about nothing of substance for days, while keeping each other enthralled with their mastery of trivial tidbits. Many Standard Halvers are entranced by family lineages and when seated with another member of their subrace can (within several hours) deduce how the two are related, or at the least find a common friend, or friend of a friend, or friend of a relative, ad nauseam.

There is a common misconception in most regions where Standard Halvers can be found, that the race as a whole are lazy. This stereotype is reinforced by images of fat and sleepy Halvers eating and drinking at all hours of the day. While it is true that the Poelo Elon eat much more often than their Uren neighbors, it is not true that they are layabouts. The Halver work ethic is nearly as strong as their appetites.

Magic: Standard Halvers, unlike the Dwürden and Gnorm, are not hindered from using magical items or manipulating the Tapestry. Some theorize that a similar but opposite warping process to the one that created the Chaosborn may have also created the stable Poelo Elon. The origin of the race however is lost to the ages.

Standard Halvers > Oddfriends (Odoen Noele)

Physiology: The wide round pale faces and hollow eyes of Oddfriends has often been attributed to the severe inbreeding of the Othic Odoen Noele (o·DO·ehn NO·ehl·E). While it is true that the Odoen Noele families seem closely intermixed, there is something more awkward or possibly sinister about this strange sub-race, than that of cousins inbreeding. Physical mutation is disturbingly common among Oddfriend populations. Very rarely are the mutations beneficial in nature. Gross outwardly visible abnormalties have led some to wrongly categorize individuals as Chaosborn.

Psychology: Oddfriends are not the frollicking, happy-go-lucky people their cousins are reported to be. The Odoen Noele not only seem un-emotional due to their lack of facial expression, but are naturally cynical and distrusting. Something in their Halver blood keeps them from coming across too severely. Perhaps it is other races' expectations of what a Standard Halver's demeanor should be that prevents people from perceiving the truly dour nature of the Odoen Noele.

Culture: Oddfriends live in and around the City of Oth, they are found nowhere else. They exist on the fringes of Human habitation, producing 80% or more of all the ale that is sold in the dark and dreary City. Anyone that has tasted Doen Noele ale could tell that Odoen Noele ale is not as good, but it remains a refreshing treat for the inhabitants of Oth.

Language: Oddfriends speak the Uren tongue of Othic, as well as the older dialect of Old Othic (a derivative of Dekàlan). Many of the Odoen Noele also speak Oddspeak, which is a remnant tongue of an older Halver language that has been lost with the passing years and long isolation from other Poelo Elon. Einodie Odien bears a strong grammatical semblance to Eonodoe Elon (the Halver "mother-tongue").

Magic: One important difference that sets Oddfriends apart from their rounder cousins is that they are fully capable spellcasters. Odoen Noele wizards however, have limited access to magic. Uninitiated in the ways of their Dekàlan colleagues, Oddfriend spellcasters are limited in the types of spells they choose to study. This is key. It is unclear whether they are unable to cast "vulgar magic" or whether they simply choose not to do so.

Oddfriend sorcerers are called Gimblars, named for the "worthless" rings of odd knickknacks that they carry which serve as material components. Gimblar magic is much different than Uren and Elve magics. Not only must an Uren or Elve wishing to learn Gimblar magic need to understand the underlying Halver tongue, but they need to make a Decipher Script check (DC 20).

D&D 3.5 Oddfriend Pkg.

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Type; Small Humanoid (Halfling)

MM35p149

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Strength -2