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  Barrel Rider Games
  Presents
  Halflings
  Tales from the Fireside
  Introduction: Bravest of Heroes …....................................................................................................... 4
  Chapter One: A Simple Life Celebrated (Role-Playing the Halfling) ….................................................... 5
  Chapter Two: Precious Trinkets (Halfling Magical Items) …................................................................... 11
  Chapter Three: Foolish Adventures (Halfling Adventurers) …................................................................ 16
  Chapter Four: Friends and Fiends (Allies and NPCs) …....................................................................... 20
  Written by: James M. Spahn
  Art by: Joe Calkins, Bradley K. McDevitt, Marc Raddle, 
  Cover Background:  © Adamant Entertainment, 2012; © Rick Hershey 2012, used with permission.
  For use in your classic fantasy role-playing games, including Labyrinth Lord, and the Advanced 
  Labyrinth Lord role-playing games. Labyrinth Lord (TM) is copyright 2007-2011, Daniel Proctor. Labyrinth 
  Lord (TM) and Advanced Labyrinth Lord (TM) are trademarks of Daniel Proctor. These trademarks are used under 
  the Labyrinth Lord ™ Trademark License 1.2, available at www.goblinoidgames.com.
  All other text not specifically covered under the Open Gaming License described below is Copyright 
  2012, James M. Spahn. All art not credited above is public domain.
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  Introduction
  The Bravest of Heroes
  It is hard to argue the importance of halflings in modern fantasy. But halflings are 
  far more than skilled burglars and back-stabbing rogues. By the end of the 20th century, 
  the image of halfling had evolved from its fantasy roots in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit 
  and Lord of the Rings to something a bit more unique and adventurous. Halflings had 
  become, by and large, quick-witted, fearless thieves who seemed eager for adventure.
  In the tradition of retro-gaming and returning to the roots of fantasy gaming, 
  Halflings: Tales from the Fireside attempts to return to the origins of these small heroes. 
  It approaches halflings from the point of view of a simple, hard working folk who are 
  more at home in a garden than an ancient tomb. Halflings who take up the call of 
  adventure are the exception, not the rule. Indeed, it is this rare choice that makes them 
  heroes. The few who choose to walk down that winding and dangerous road may do so 
  in the name of fortune and glory, but deep down all halflings share a love of the simple, 
  honest life. Therein lies the true heroism of these people, the willingness to place all that 
  they love in danger so that the rest of their kin may dwell in aware peace of the 
  dangerous world. 
  And in the end, isn't that kind of sacrifice what truly makes one a hero? It's not the 
  number of spells a character can cast, nor their proficiency with a blade. It's the choices 
  they make – and that is what Halflings: Tales from the Fireside is about. 
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  Chapter One
  A Simple Life Celebrated
  (Role-Playing the Halfling)
  The Origins and History of Halflings
  Halflings have existed for as long as 
  anyone can remember, thought not always 
  as they are today. Elves and the old races 
  of the world recall nomadic fishermen who 
  traveled up and down the banks of the 
  great rivers of the world and lived a rustic 
  life. The small folk themselves have little 
  recollection of these days, though they do 
  not deny that this may be the truth. 
  Halflings themselves are simply not 
  concerned with the great ages of the past. 
  Instead they focus on what their lives are 
  like now.
  Many legends and stories are told 
  around the hearths of halfling communities 
  regarding how they came to be as they are 
  today. They speak of a great and verdant 
  valley of peace and plenty where all the 
  halflings of the world dwelt as once large 
  community. Then, a terrible tragedy befell 
  the small folk. Some legends say there was 
  a winter of endless blizzards and crops ran 
  short. Others say a terrible army of goblins 
  and other fell creatures descended on their 
  paradise. Another story claims that great 
  kings of men and dwarves drove them 
  from their lands and to the edge of the 
  wilderness. A rare few say that in-fighting 
  and bickering degenerated into an 
  bloodshed between kinsfolk and cousins. 
  But all halflings know that at some time in 
  history the great community collapsed and 
  different clans and tribes were scattered to 
  the wind and settled in the lost and 
  peaceful glens of the world.
  But these stories of history and 
  origins thought of as myth by even the 
  most educated halflings. They do not 
  concern themselves with matters of 
  ancient history, instead focusing on the 
  past through family and legacy to be left to 
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  their community.
  Halfling Culture
  Halflings are often regarded as 
  simple almost backwards people. They 
  typically live simple rural lives as farmers, 
  woodworkers, miners and other 
  unsophisticated professions. They live 
  simple lives of peace in realms distant 
  from the war and conflict that regularly 
  troubles the world of Labyrinth Lord. They 
  are happy to go about, day by day, season 
  by season, year by year, undisturbed by the 
  events of the world around them. Few 
  other races bother them, save the rare 
  citadel of dwarves or outlying town of 
  humans that occasionally trade with them 
  for food or tobacco.
  Because of this separated, idyllic 
  life halflings rarely become adventurers or 
  delve into the lost and dangerous dungeons 
  of the world. A halfling that chooses to 
  spend their days in life or death battle and 
  their nights sleeping on cold dungeon 
  floors is rare indeed. But some halflings 
  are driven to leave their peaceful 
  homelands. Whether it is because of heroic 
  stories heard as a child that have put 
  thoughts of romance and high adventure in 
  their head, a sense of duty to protect their 
  homeland from distant threats that draw 
  nearer to their borders every year, or 
  simple wanderlust, a halfling is a valued 
  companion to any company of adventures 
  to whom they accompany.
  Halflings Society
  Halflings typically live in small 
  communities known as clans. A normal 
  halfling clan contains anywhere from 
  thirty to one-hundred halflings, though 
  larger clans of up to five-hundred are not 
  known. These clans are typically 
  composed of several different bloodlines 
  that are often intermarried. Because of the 
  value halflings place on community and 
  family, they typically have extensive 
  knowledge of their convoluted family trees 
  that often go several generations into the 
  past. This also leads to a great respect 
  among the elder members of halfling 
  clans, particularly sheriffs both past and 
  present. 
  This tendency of tight knit 
  community and respect for one's elder 
  mean that halflings very rarely have great 
  conflicts in their communities. Indeed, 
  most halfling clans would be hard pressed 
  to recall any crime greater than the theft of 
  a pie over several generations. Because of 
  this lack of crime, halflings have 
  developed a love of talk among themselves 
  and will exaggerate any eccentrically 
  among their fellows to produce gossip. 
  Indeed, discussing gossip and hearsay is a 
  favorite past time of all halflings over a 
  large evening meal.
  The vast majority of halfling clans 
  are self-sustaining and draw from the land 
  any resources they need to survive, 
  whether it be wood, stone or food. They 
  have a great love of the land and often 
  tend large gardens that grow some of the 
  most beautiful flowers found anywhere in 
  the world. They take particular pride in 
  growing vibrant gardens and exotic strains 
  of smoke-Leaf (see Halfling Magical 
  Items for more details.) To protect 
  themselves from the rare threats that find 
  their way into the peaceful lives of a 
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  halfling clan, they maintain a nominal 
  force of trained guards who patrol the 
  roads and borders of halfling settlements - 
  though they rarely venture beyond these 
  borders. A typical halfling clan will have 
  2d6 1st level Halflings to serve this 
  purpose for every 100 halflings who lives 
  within a community, lead by one sheriff 
  (8th level Halfling). In times of dire near, 
  such as when learning of a band of 
  wandering monsters or maruading wild 
  life this number may double (or even 
  triple) at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion. 
  Traditions of Halfling Society
  While halfling society is tied 
  strongly to community and 
  family, most clans operate 
  independently from one 
  another and as such, 
  traditions vary from clan to 
  clan. However, Seasonal 
  Festivals, Riddle-Games, 
  and the keeping of a 
  Gathering House are 
  universal to almost all 
  halfling clans.
  Seasonal Festivals: 
  Halflings are a social 
  people who love fine food 
  shared amongst jovial 
  company. As such most 
  halfling communites hold 
  four (at least) festivals each 
  year, corresponding to the 
  height of each season of the 
  year. They are traditionally called 
  Sprouting (Spring), High Sun (Summer), 
  Harvest (Fall), and Yule (Winter). Each 
  festival is typically a week long 
  celebration that begins on the seasonal 
  equinox and is over seen by the clan 
  sheriff. They always contain an almost 
  endless series of feasts as well as 
  seasonally themed games. For Sprouting 
  there are often contests for who has grown 
  the most vibrant flowers. During High 
  Sun, there is typically a competition to see 
  who can catch the most fireflies on a 
  single evening. Harvest often features 
  contests pitting competing farmers against 
  one another for who can grow the largest 
  pumpkin, while Yule tradition holds that a 
  beer tasting contest be held, with the best 
  brew judged by the clan sheriff.
  The Riddle-Game: Time honored 
  tradition and appreciation for 
  a puzzling mystery has made 
  the riddles a popular past time 
  among the small folk. 
  Halflings both young and old 
  will regularly trade puzzlers 
  and word plays with one 
  another long into the night. 
  While the rules regarding 
  what qualifies as a riddle and 
  what does not are loose, it is 
  generally accepted that once 
  someone agrees to answer a 
  question posed and accepted 
  that it must be answered.
  Player Characters may 
  participate in the Riddle-
  Game if they choose. When a 
  PC is given a riddle and they 
  accept it they may make a 
  single guess. Characters with a particularly 
  high Intelligence receive a number of extra 
  guesses equal to their Bonus Languages 
  modifier. These guesses are not literal, but 
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  merely guesses that the player may make 
  to the Labyrinth Lord as a representation 
  of their character's deductive reasoning 
  with the Labyrinth Lord informing the 
  player if one of their bonus guesses is 
  correct and there by allowing the character 
  to make a single "correct" guess.
  The Gathering House: Second only 
  to the sheriff's home, the Gathering House 
  is typically a large building near the center 
  of a halfling settlement and is used to 
  house to store and display artifacts of 
  historic importance to the clan and its 
  prominent families. While these items are 
  not typically arcane in nature, it is not 
  unheard of for a magical item or two to be 
  found in any given Gathering House. 
  There is a 20% chance that any given 
  Gathering House contains 1d4 magical 
  items, typically determined randomly by 
  the Labyrinth Lord.
  Halflings and Warfare
  The small folk are not a people for 
  war. With the exception of the guards or 
  the sheriff, most halflings are not 
  proficient with many weapons. This is not 
  to say they are unwilling to fight when 
  pressed, only that violence is typically the 
  absolute last resort for the typical halfling. 
  This combined with their settlements often 
  being tucked into the quiet corners of the 
  world means that few of the small folk 
  ever find themselves drawn into battle. 
  However, when cornered or driven 
  to defend home and family, a halfling will 
  often become a tenacious foe who 
  surprises an unwary enemies with their 
  tenacity and bravery. Indeed some 
  halflings become known as Stouthearts, 
  brave and true protectors of companions 
  and kin. These brave defenders are 
  particularly resilient to the evils of the 
  world and hold fast to the ideals and 
  simple joy of their homeland in even the 
  darkest places of the world.
  The Luck of the Halfling
  Other races of the world often 
  regard Halflings, particularly those 
  halflings who choose to go off on 
  adventures to be be blessed with a kind of 
  fool's luck. They somehow seem to 
  survive even the most dangerous situations 
  and often come out of impossible ordeals 
  through sheer dumb luck. When asked 
  about this, a typical halfling will shake 
  their head at such nonsensical notions 
  while adventuring halflings will offer a 
  wink and a chuckle and little more.
  These Lucky Fools are almost 
  always adventuring halflings and gravitate 
  towards a Chaotic alignment more than 
  most other short folk. This is not because 
  of any sense of malice or evil in their 
  hearts, they simply act on a whim and are 
  typically driven by whatever impulse has 
  struck them at the moment.
  Halflings and Alignment
  Lawful Halflings: By and large, the 
  majority of halflings are Lawful in 
  alignment. They are honest, hard working 
  folk who value truth, sincerity and a strong 
  back. A Lawful halfling will always act in 
  the best interest of their clan and family 
  and rarely act in a deceptive manner - even 
  to non-halflings. However, outsiders are 
  almost always regarded with distrust by 
  halflings of Lawful alignment and if 
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  encountered these halflings will almost 
  always report their whereabouts and 
  actions to the nearest guard or even the 
  sheriff.
  Neutral Halflings: Some of the 
  small folk are a bit more self-serving, but 
  not malevolent. They seek to better their 
  own crops, their own food pantries and 
  their own immediate families. These 
  halflings act in a manner that will best 
  benefit their immediate family and 
  themselves. While they will rarely lie to 
  other halflings, they will sometimes omit 
  truths when it is advantageous. They 
  typically have few qualms about being 
  dismissive or even rude to outsiders, often 
  acting a discourteous manner to non-
  halflings who come to their lands 
  uninvited. If they do choose to inform a 
  guard or sheriff about outsiders, they will 
  often punctuate this with wild conjecture 
  and theory about the presumed nefarious 
  actions of these strangers.
  Chaotic Halflings: A Chaotic 
  halfling is a rare thing indeed. While most 
  halflings of chaotic alignment are selfish 
  and singularly self-serving, these folk 
  rarely find a home in the community 
  minded society of their clan. They often 
  take to a life of adventure because they 
  find they are unable to fit into the confines 
  of their clan. Not all halflings of Chaotic 
  alignment are so devious though, and 
  some are simply fearless free-spirits who 
  take up a life of adventure to fulfill an 
  insatiable wanderlust.
  Halflings and the Rest of the World
  Because halflings rarely travel 
  beyond their own borders and have a 
  natural ability to remain silent and unseen 
  when they wish, they are often regarded as 
  mystical creatures by other demi-human 
  races. This could not be further from the 
  truth. Halflings have a natural distrust of 
  all things outside their own culture. 
  Humans are typically regarded as large, 
  clumsy creatures who are far too ambitious 
  for their own good that get themselves 
  involved in great wars that are far too 
  troublesome and dangerous for the 
  common halfling to even think about. 
  Fighters are often regarded as brutal war 
  mongers looking for the first opportunity 
  to shed blood with their great swords and 
  spears. Clerics are seen as worshiping 
  strange gods that drive them to take up 
  bizarre quests that are better off avoided in 
  favor of appreciation for the creature 
  comforts of this world over the rewards 
  often preached of in the next life. Thieves 
  are immediately distrusted for their skill at 
  deception and legerdemain as well as their 
  panache for acts of self-serving treachery. 
  Magic-users are distrusted more than any 
  other type of human, for arcane magic is 
  strange beyond all comprehension to 
  halflings, who regularly believe these 
  powerful spellcasters to be responsible for 
  enchanting otherwise sensible young folk 
  into running off into the wild lands of the 
  world in search of fortune and glory told 
  of in ages long past.  
  Dwarves are a bit of a mixed bag 
  when it comes to their relationship with 
  the small folk. While they are recognized 
  as respectable traders who will keep their 
  word in matters of business as well as 
  respecting the values of family and 
  tradition, the dwarven proficiency for 
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  craftsmanship of arms, armor and metal is 
  regarded as an ill that will only lead to 
  trouble. Dwarven love of gold and jewels 
  is also a source of mistrust for many 
  halflings, who believe a particularly dour 
  dwarf will go to unscrupulous lengths to 
  gain even a single coin of their gold.
  Among all the races of the world of 
  Labyrinth Lord, only Elves hold a place of 
  true regard in the heart of the common 
  halfling. Elves are still kept at a distance, 
  for they typically live in deep woodlands 
  far from the serene valleys of most 
  halfling settlements and their affinity for 
  magic is seen as fey and exotic by most.
  Halflings and Adventure
  Halflings who choose to take up the 
  life of an adventurer are rare indeed. In a 
  typical halfling community only about one 
  in every fifty people ever choose to take 
  up such the life of an adventurer. These 
  people are regarded by their 
  friends and family as being 
  exceedingly odd and perhaps 
  even a bit mad. They will find 
  themselves often regarded 
  with a weary eye by their own 
  people when (or if) they 
  return home - though they are 
  not unwelcome. The same 
  cannot often be said of their adventuring 
  companions, who will often find 
  themselves forbidden entry to particularly 
  conservative communities. 
  This is not always the case, 
  however. Adventurers who do a great 
  service to a halfling community will find 
  that the clan regards them with a kind of 
  grudging respect and though that 
  community may treat the adventurers with 
  appreciation in the aftermath, they are 
  rarely accepted as a true member of the 
  community. Instead they are often given a 
  hearty thank you along with a grand 
  celebration where they are given a few 
  gifts of sincere appreciation before being 
  soundly sent down the road and back into 
  the wild lands from which they came.
  In spite of these prejudices many 
  halflings who go off on adventures strange 
  and rare become folk heroes to younger 
  halflings and stories (whether true or 
  exaggerated) are often told of 
  these Treasure Seekers who 
  supposedly out-riddle dragons 
  and discover enchanted gold. 
  They are revered, often in 
  secret, and always at a 
  distance, by most of their less 
  adventurous kindred.
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  Chapter Two
  Precious Trinkets
  (Halfling Magical Items)
  The Halfling's Pipe
  Halflings are known far and wide 
  for their love of smoking tobacco, which 
  they call smoke-leaf. The crafting of 
  wooden pipes used to smoke this leaf is 
  considered an art amongst them and many 
  halflings have spent long hours of free 
  time carving beautiful wooden pipes with 
  ornate designs and detailed carvings.
  Pipes carved by famous and skilled 
  halflings are often of particular value 
  amongst the small 
  folk. A halfling of at 
  least 8th level may 
  craft one Halfling's 
  Pipe every three 
  months. It costs the 
  Halfling 1000gp in 
  fine wood and precise 
  tools to create the 
  pipe. At the end of 
  this three month period the halfling has a 
  15% chance of failing to craft the item and 
  wasting the resources.
  Once completed, the pipe may be 
  used by anyone who enjoys fine smoke-
  leaf. However, halflings and magic-users 
  may use a Halfling's Pipe in combination 
  with Enchanted Smoke-Leaf to mimic the 
  effects listed below. Elves do not partake 
  of smoke-leaf and therefore may not use 
  Enchanted smoke-Leaf. 
   
  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf
  Halflings (and often magic-users) 
  grow many exotic fields of tobacco and 
  smoke-leaf, weaving enchantments into 
  the soil to produce magical effects from 
  these plants when they are dried and 
  smoked. A halfling or magic-user who has 
  established a stronghold may dedicate a 
  part of their lands to growing enchanted 
  smoke-leaf, if this land is suitable for 
  farming. Only one crop of enchanted 
  smoke-leaf may be grown in a single year, 
  yielding one of the following effects 
  below. Each crop of enchanted smoke-leaf 
  must be tended to 
  carefully and only 
  yields 25 doses of 
  enchanted smoke-leaf. 
  The cost of planting, 
  harvesting and curing 
  the smoke-leaf is 
  5000gp and there is a 
  15% chance the crop 
  will fail and the 
  resources are lost without any results. 
  (These results may be modified by the 
  Labyrinth Lord, based on weather 
  conditions or other circumstances). 
  In order for enchanted smoke-leaf to 
  be effective, it must be smoked from a 
  Halfling's Pipe by a halfling or magic-user, 
  though the level of the halfling or magic 
  user does not matter. It takes one turn (10 
  rounds) of uninterrupted smoking to 
  generate enough smoke to gain the effects 
  listed below. If this time is disturbed by 
  combat, the effect is lost and the dose of 
  smoke-leaf is wasted.
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  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf: Charm Person
  Often called “Sweet Hills”, this 
  fragrant pipe tobacco makes a single target 
  more amiable to the smoker. They are 
  affected by a Charm Person spell as if it 
  were cast by the pipe-smoker and must 
  make a saving throw to resist the effects. 
  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf: Levitate
  Known as “Valley Fog”, this pipe 
  tobacco generates a large, dense cloud of 
  smoke that pools at the pipe-smoker's feet 
  and can lift him into the air as a Levitate 
  spell.
  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf: Phantasmal Force
  Called “Enchanter's Mist” by most 
  halflings, this smoke-leaf generates a large 
  multicolored smoke that can be willed into 
  very detailed shapes and forms by the 
  smoker just as a if the smoker were casting 
  a Phantasmal Force spell.
  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf: Protection from 
  Evil 10'
  Known as “Halfling's Luck”, this 
  smoke-leaf creates a large cloud of thin, 
  airy smoke centered around the smoker. 
  This cloud of smoke acts as a Protection 
  from Evil 10' cast by the pipe-smoker.
  Enchanted Smoke-Leaf: Sleep
  This blend is simply called by most 
  “After Dinner.” The smoker blows the 
  heady, heavy smoke into the air towards 
  their targets just as if they were casting a 
  Sleep spell.
  The Wizard's Pipe
  Halflings are not the only people of 
  the world to appreciate the fine art of 
  smoking a pipe. Magic-users also have 
  taken up the past time of smoking because 
  they find it clears their mind and makes 
  their studies more fruitful. Some wizards 
  have even taken to crafting their own pipes 
  and placing enchantments upon them to 
  improve their studies.
  A magic-user who smokes a 
  Wizard's Pipe while memorizing their 
  spells each day may, depending on the 
  enchantment on the pipe, memorize one 
  additional spell each day. Each individual 
  Wizard's Pipe is designed to benefit with a 
  specific spell level and may not be used to 
  memorize any other spell level than that 
  listed below. A Wizard's Pipe of any level 
  may be used by a magic-user to partake of 
  enchanted smoke-leaf, however a magic-
  user may not use more than one Wizard's 
  Pipe per day.
  Magic-users of at least 9th level may 
  craft a Wizard's Pipe. Crafting takes 1 
  month per level of bonus spell granted by 
  the Wizard's Pipe and a magic-user may 
  not craft a Wizard's Pipe to gain a bonus 
  spell level that he is not already able to 
  cast. So, for example, a 9th level magic-
  user cannot craft a Wizard's Pipe that 
  would grant them a bonus 6th level spell 
  because they are have not yet learned to 
  cast that level spell. Due to the complex 
  nature of the crafting and enchantment 
  there is an increased chance of the crafting 
  attempt resulting in a failure, thus wasting 
  the components and time.
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  Level of Bonus Spell Granted
  Crafting Cost
  Chance of Crafting Failure
  1st 
  1000gp
  15%
  2nd 
  2500gp
  20%
  3rd 
  5000gp
  25%
  4th 
  10,000gp
  30%
  5th 
  20,000gp
  35%
  6th 
  40,000gp
  40%
  7th 
  80,000gp
  45%
  8th 
  160,000gp
  50%
  9th 
  320,000gp
  55%
  Sheriff's Club
  A stout cudgel of briarwood,with a 
  handle wrapped in deerskin, these 
  weapons are traditionally carried by 
  Sheriffs  and other leaders in halfling 
  communities. In functions as a Club +1 in 
  the hands of any class other than a 
  halfling. When wielded by a halfling, it 
  becomes a Club +3.  Some of these 
  weapons are Senior Sheriff's Club and 
  function as a Club +5 in the hands of a 
  halfling. 
  Blade of the Bounds
  These short swords are often carried 
  by guards and militia in a halfling 
  community. They are short and broad-
  bladed. Because halflings are regularly 
  called upon to defend themselves against 
  larger foes, these blades are often 
  enchanted with magical protections that 
  improve their agility against such 
  opponents. A Blade of the Bounders 
  functions as a Short Sword +2, and also 
  increases a halfling's Armor Class bonus 
  against larger than man-sized opponents 
  from -2 to a -4.
  Spider-Stinging Blade
  Even though halflings regularly 
  choose to dwell in fertile fields and lush 
  forests they often draw the ire of spiders 
  who skitter from the shadows. These 
  weapons normally function as a Short 
  Sword +3, but when wielded against 
  spiders, they function as +6 weapons.
  Ring of the Leaf-Walker
  These rare and coveted rings appear 
  as a golden band of tiny leaves that can be 
  slid over a finger. While wearing a Ring of 
  the Leaf-Walker a halfling who is 
  attempting hide in shadows or behind 
  cover while underground is successful on a 
  1-4 on 1d6 (instead of the standard 1-2 on 
  1d6) as long as they remain motionless. 
   
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  Fancy Waistcoat  
  These fine vests are often dyed 
  yellow, green, red or other bright colors 
  and adorned with all manner of fancy trim 
  as well as detailed stitching, typically for 
  Sheriffs or other important people in a 
  halfling community. They are rarely sewn 
  to in sizes that fit races other than halflings 
  (1-2% Human, 3-4% Elf, 5% Dwarf 6-
  100% Halfling).
  When a Fancy Waistcoat is worn by 
  a person they receive -1 bonus to their 
  reaction adjustment when interacting with 
  halflings.
  Boot Cuffs
  Simple metal 
  bands are a boon to 
  adventuring halflings 
  who want to remain 
  true to their roots. 
  When slid over the top 
  of any footwear Boot 
  Cuffs cling snugly the 
  wearer and then cause 
  both the Boot Cuff and 
  the footwear to witch 
  they are attached to 
  become both invisible 
  and insubstantial, thus 
  allowing any halfling 
  wearing them to retain 
  all the benefits of any magical footwear 
  while still enjoy the comforts of traveling 
  in bare feet. Because of the unique nature 
  of these objects, they do not function when 
  used for any other purpose.
  Lucky Sling-Stone
  Appearing as a river stone polished 
  by endless years of lapping water, these 
  sling-stones are often regarded as lucky by 
  superstitious halflings. Indeed, some often 
  are. They function as sling bullet +1, and 
  always reappear in their owner's pouch 
  1d4 rounds after they are fired. When 
  found, Lucky Sling-Stones are usually 
  discovered in hand sewn leather pouches 
  in groups of 1d4.
  Hearth-side Songbook
  Halflings value family and 
  community more than most people in the 
  world. Because of this they keep large, 
  hand written tomes of songs 
  and stories passed down from 
  parent to child over the years. 
  These stories often help to 
  halflings and their 
  adventuring companions 
  strength their will against 
  particularly terrifying foes. 
  If given an hour of free time, 
  a halfling may read the 
  Hearth-side Songbook to his 
  companions. After an hour of 
  uninterrupted reading the 
  halfling and up to five others 
  who are within 60' of the 
  halfling during the hour 
  receive a +4 bonus to saving 
  throws provided by a Remove 
  Fear spell and to resist a Symbol of Fear or 
  Symbol if Despair (and other similar fear-
  based effects and spell-like abilities, at the 
  Labyrinth Lord's discretion) for the next 
  twenty-four hours.
  The benefits of the Hearth-side 
  Songbook can only be applied once a 
  week.
  14
  
  Perfect Meals
  Halflings are known far and wide as 
  being masterful cooks. Every once in a 
  while a very skilled halfling who has 
  dedicated their life to the culinary arts (not 
  typically adventuring halflings) are able to 
  craft Perfect Meals, often composed of 
  mushrooms, apple pies and home-brewed 
  ale. These amazing meals are resilient to 
  both age and exposure. They will not spoil 
  for up to one year and are immune to any 
  magical or mundane affects that would 
  spoil or poison them. As such, this food is 
  highly valued by adventuring companies 
  because of this property. However, 
  halflings are only able to craft it once in a 
  great while and only offer it as rewards to 
  those who have done a great service to 
  their community.
  15
  
  Chapter Three
  Foolish Behavior
  (Halfling Adventurers)
  Heroes of the Small Folk
  Even with their lack of concern for 
  old lore, halflings have great pride in a few 
  heroes who have risen to prominence. In a 
  matter of odd coincidence, almost all 
  halfling villages share the same ancient 
  heroes and almost every family of small 
  folk claims to be a related in some distant 
  fashion to one of these great heroes. While 
  it lends some strength to the belief that all 
  halflings may have dwelt in one great 
  village, it is more likely that stories have 
  passed from village to village, clan to clan, 
  with the stories quickly being adapted to 
  fit any given community. Listed below are 
  a few heroes remembered by almost all 
  halfling cultures.
  Bandoras Fortunefoot
  Famous among young and 
  adventurous hobbits as one who went out 
  into the world in search of great adventure 
  and returned home some years later rich 
  beyond compare, Bandoras Fortunefoot is 
  most famous for his slaying of the dragon 
  known as Sculbus and saving his clan 
  from total destruction. Upon retiring, 
  Bandoras supposedly buried the remains 
  of his vast fortune in some far off land and 
  more than once an adventurous halfling 
  has gone off in search of these lost riches.
  He is remembered for his free-
  spirited nature and the generosity he 
  showed with his riches.
  Yucca Bracerbelt
  A simple dairy farmer with a deep 
  love of fine food, Yucca was rare among 
  her fellow halflings for two reasons. Very 
  few halfling girls ever leave their 
  community in search of adventure and in 
  an even greater rarity, Yucca always 
  returned home - especially for festivals. 
  She never forgot the simple joy of halfling 
  life and legends say she died at a ripe old 
  age and surrounded by a large, loving 
  family.
  She is remembered for her love of 
  the earthy pleasures of halfling life and 
  endless optimism.
  Siltho Banks
  A simple guardsman, Siltho Banks 
  never became a sheriff in his own right. 
  Indeed, he was never an adventurer. 
  Instead he is recalled as being slow and 
  methodical. He is often depicted as a 
  curmudgeonly old halfling who is a stout 
  defender of traditional halfling values. 
  Legends say he fell defending the 
  Gathering House of his community against 
  a massive pack of dire wolves. Most 
  Gathering Houses hold him in a place of 
  great honor and each claims to have the 
  'real' spear of Siltho Banks.
  Siltho is remembered for his 
  reverence of tradition and his steadfast 
  determination in the face of overwhelming 
  odds.
  16
  
  Stergo Single-Eye
  Unlike other halflings of legend on 
  this list, Stergo is recalled more as a 
  cautionary tale. In his youth, Stergo was 
  the greatest archer and slinger in his 
  community. Legends say he could strike a 
  starling from fifty yards and fell a deer 
  from twice that distance with only one 
  arrow. But when he took his pride and his 
  bow out into the world, he was 
  overwhelmed by the dangers beyond his 
  community. Different stories say that he 
  suffered a terrible blindness in a fire, or he 
  had his eye plucked out by an evil spirit. 
  Some even say he was partner of Bandoras 
  Fortunefoot and lost his eye when he 
  attempted to betray Bandoras and seize the 
  treasure of the dragon Sculbus.
  Whatever the truth is behind the 
  legend of Stergo Single-Eye, the tales of 
  his pride, recklessness and greed are often 
  told to young halflings to caution them 
  against leaving their communities to go on 
  adventures.
  Relics of Renown 
  The items listed below are unique in the 
  world. They are quite magical in nature, 
  but more because of the legends and 
  bearers who once carried them than any 
  direct enchantment on the part of a magic 
  user. Only one of each relic exists in the 
  world and they are never part of a random 
  treasure horde. They are always placed 
  into the campaign by the Labyrinth Lord.
  Fortunefoot's Lucky Coin: 
  Fortunefoot was aptly named for he had 
  uncanny luck. He was often known for 
  handing out coins to small halflings some 
  time after his retirement. It was said that 
  he carried one particular coin that granted 
  him particular luck when searching for 
  riches. When carried by a halfling who has 
  chosen to become a Treasure-Seeker, that 
  character may double the range of their 
  daily use of Locate Object as well as 
  receive a +10% bonus to all Thief skills.
  Bracerbelt's Flower Seeds: Yucca 
  Bracerbelt was known for her love of 
  flowers and hearty food and the fine seeds 
  come from her gardens. It is said that the 
  absent-minded Yucca let several of these 
  seeds spill out of her bag as she traveled 
  and they remain scattered and hidden 
  across the world. When a hand-full are 
  kept in a backpack or pouch that contains 
  any food or beverage of a non-magical 
  nature then those things will never spoil, 
  nor can they be poisoned either by 
  mundane or magical means.
  The Spear of Banks: While almost 
  every Gathering House claims to house the 
  Spear of Banks, there is only one such 
  spear and no one knows where it is. 
  Normally it functions as a Spear +2 but in 
  the hands of a Stoutheart, it becomes a 
  Spear +4. When wielded by a Stoutheart 
  who is fighting a wolf, dire wolf, or 
  werewolf it becomes a Spear +8.
  Stergo's Eye-Patch: While Stergo 
  was arrogant, it was not always without 
  merit. He was quick witted and always 
  seemed to have the right tool or trick up 
  his sleeve. Stergo's famous eye-patch has a 
  unique magical property. Any small object 
  (such as dagger or large gem) can be 
  touched to the eye patch when it is worn 
  and the object will disappear into an extra-
  dimensional pocket where it can be stored 
  indefinitely.. It will then reappear when the 
  17
  
  wearer of Stergo's Eye-Patch touches it the 
  eye-patch again. It cannot store more than 
  one item, though it can store magical 
  items.
  Alternate Rules Available at 8th Level:
  Listed below are several alternatives 
  for halflings who reach 8th level. Instead of 
  buidling a stronghold, gathering followers 
  and becoming a sheriff, a halfling may 
  elect one of the options below at the 
  Labyrinth Lord's discretion. Once this 
  choice is made, it cannot be changed.
  Treasure Seekers:
  Instead of establishing a stronghold 
  an 8th level halfling of Neutral or Chaotic 
  alignment may instead choose to become 
  known as a Treasure Seeker. These 
  halflings find themselves drawn to a life of 
  adventure and develop a 
  keen interest in wealth 
  and magical treasure, as 
  commonly out of 
  curiosity as greed. They 
  develop several unique 
  abilities that facilitate 
  further adventures. 
  A Treasure Seeker 
  may cast Detect Magic 
  once per turn as a magic-
  user, but may only use 
  this ability on objects 
  they touch and and examine in detail, thus 
  potentially exposing them to any curses 
  that can plague the lost treasures of the 
  world.
  A Treasure Seeker may cast Locate 
  Object once per day with a range of 120'.
  A Treasure Seeker may Find & 
  Remove Traps as a 5th level Thief (33%).
  A Treasure Seeker may Pick Locks 
  as a 5th level Thief (35%).
  Stout-Heart: 
  At 8th level a Lawful halfling may, 
  instead of establishing a settlement and 
  choosing to become a Sheriff, declare 
  himself to be a Stoutheart. These brave 
  protectors of both halfling communities 
  and their fellow adventuring companions 
  have several unique abilities that make 
  them far more tenacious than resilient than 
  even the hardiest of adventurers. Yet it is 
  not a physical gift that drives them to 
  lengths, merely a strength of spirit and 
  resolve.
  Any time a Stoutheart is affected by 
  a Cause Fear or Energy Drain spell or 
  spell-like ability, whether 
  it be from a magic-user 
  spell or monster ability, 
  they receive a saving 
  throw vs. Spells and 
  Spell-like Abilities even 
  though these effects do 
  not regularly grant such 
  saving throws. If the 
  source of these effects is a 
  monster or trap and a 
  saving throw is offered to 
  resist the effect in the 
  description, then a Stoutheart recieves a +4 
  bonus to this saving throw. They also 
  receive a +4 bonus to their saving throw to 
  resist the effects of the Death Spell.
  Stouthearts may attempt to rally 
  their allies as if casting Bless as the Cleric 
  spell on their allies up to 3 times a day.
  18
  
  Stouthearts do not die automatically 
  if reduced to 0 hit points. Instead they may 
  make a saving throw vs. Death. If 
  successful, they are rendered unconscious 
  and remain at 0 hit points for 2d4 rounds 
  before truly dying. During this time they 
  may be healed by a magical potion, Cure 
  spell, or other restorative means that can 
  be administered by their allies. This ability 
  may only be used once per month.
  Lucky Fools: 
  At 8th level a Neutral or Chaotic 
  halfling may, instead of establishing a 
  settlement and choosing to become a 
  Sheriff, take the road of the Lucky Fool. 
  While they share some similarities with 
  the Treasure Seeker, they do not adventure 
  for love of gold and treasure - they travel 
  the wilds of the world for the simple thrill 
  of adventure and to experience whatever 
  excitement the road brings them. Their 
  free-spirited nature and uncanny luck 
  grants them a few unique abilities.
  When the Lucky Fool fails a saving 
  throw of any type, they may re-roll that 
  saving throw and take the second result 
  instead. This ability may be used once per 
  day.
  When the Lucky Fool fails an attack 
  roll, they may re-roll that attack roll and 
  take the second result instead. They may 
  use this ability once per day.
  When the Labyrinth Lord makes the 
  roll for a Lucky Fool's attempts to hide in 
  wilderness or underground environment 
  and that roll fails, the Labyrinth Lord may 
  re-roll that ability check and take the 
  second result instead. This ability may be 
  used once per day.
  When using any of these abilities 
  the Lucky Fool must accept the results of 
  the re-roll, even if they are worse than the 
  original die roll. Good luck isn't the only 
  kind of luck, after all.
  19
  
  Chapter Four
  Friends and Fiends
  (Monsters and NPCs)
  Boogan
  No Enc.: 
  2d4 (6d10)
  Alignment:
  Chaotic
  Movement:
  90' (30')
  Armor Class:
  6
  Hit Dice:
  1 - 1
  Attacks:
  1d6 or by weapon
  Save:
  H1
  Morale:
  7
  Hoard Class:
  III (XX)
  XP:
  10
  Not all stories that halflings tell are 
  merry and bright. Legends speak of a 
  creature known only as a Boogan. No one 
  knows where they came from. Some of the 
  elder halflings claim that they are some 
  terrible crossbreed of goblin and halfling, 
  while others claim them to be ancestors of 
  present halflings who made some kind of 
  deal with the dark powers of the world in 
  return for foul gifts. No halfling will deny 
  that there is some ancestoral link between 
  halflings and boogans.
  From a distance they appear to be 
  halflings, if they are even seen. However, 
  when they draw close to their foes it is 
  clear from their razor sharp teeth and fiery, 
  heartless gaze that they are no longer 
  creatures who care for the world. They 
  often hide in wilderness areas, possessing 
  all the abilities of halflings and all the 
  ferocity of goblins. They typically ambush 
  their foes by singling out a single target 
  and swarming him. Like halflings they can 
  hide with 90% ability in wilderness or 
  outdoor environments.. They can also hide 
  in shadows or behind other forms of cover 
  when underground in labyrinths or caverns 
  on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6, but they must be 
  silent and motionless. Boogans also gain a 
  +1 bonus to initiative. Their sharp eyes 
  and keen aim that grants them +1 on any 
  missile attacks. Because they are of similar 
  size to halflings they have a lower armor 
  class (-2) when attacked by creatures 
  greater than human sized. All boogans 
  have a particular hatred of halflings and 
  receive a +1 to both attack and damage 
  when fighting a halfling.
  Most Boogans are lead by a Shaman 
  who attacks as a 3 HD monster and may 
  20
  
  cast spells as a 3rd level Cleric. The 
  Shaman is typically protected by 2d4 
  bodyguards, who may attack as 2HD 
  monsters and receive a +3 bonus to their 
  hit points. 
  Legends speak of entire halfling 
  communities slaughtered by boogans. 
  These empty villages are often taken over 
  by these terrible marauders, with the 
  Shaman taking up residence in the 
  Gathering House. When these villages are 
  found in day light, the boogans are 
  typically hidden in the homes and trees. 
  There is a 90% that any non-halflings 
  passing through the village will believe it 
  to be abandoned, unless they enter a 
  building. Because of their knowledge of 
  old stories and their keen senses, halflings 
  have only a 20% chance of falling for 
  these deceptions and even then, only if 
  they have never encountered a boogan 
  previously in their adventuring career. At 
  this point, the boogans typically spring 
  clever traps that they have often built to 
  disable their foes so that they can then 
  swarm and devour them.
  21
  
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