Halflings: Fairfields

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The halfling village of Fairfield on the Blossom-Downs is an old settlement from about two centuries after the Plague, founded by a wandering farmer-turned-leader named Bolgo Greenhill and his followers as a peaceful refuge from the dangers of the world outside. It is situated in what the wizards say was once an enormous garden of the Ancient World. Though it had been abandoned for ages, it was still as lush and fertile as of old, and as Bolgo and his fellow halflings began to farm the land, it gave forth a rich bounty of fruit and grain and flax. The light forest and fertile land allowed the halflings a good life, and the inhabitants there eventually adapted archery and ambush rather than close-combat melee as their main form of defense. As a result, halflings are generally physically weaker than dwarves, though they are nearly unmatched in stealth and marksmanship. They are excellent cooks, carpenters, farmers and singers, and their food is homely and flavorful, perfect for refreshments after a hard day's work on the fields. They tend to prefer bright natural colors such as green and yellow, and are both inquisitive and talkative, though they tend to be cautious and wary of danger. Though well-fed and jolly, they are formidable fighters and remarkably difficult to daunt when it comes down to it.

[wanderingmagus]

The Founder:
Bolgo Greenhill was a quiet halfling, who desired nothing more than peace, quiet and good tilled earth. Due to the anarchy that filled the world during the second century after the Plague, of course, these wishes were little more than a dream, though the farmer gathered many friends and relatives with his homely speeches about settling down in some green meadow and turning holes into homes. Sheer luck brought him and his companions in contact with the wizards of the High Council, who advised them to search out the abandoned garden of the Ancients to the Southeast of the Great Sea. Heartened by the prospect of fertile land untouched by war, the halflings began their fabled journey to the bountiful hills of flowers that would in later ages be called the Blossom-Downs. Nestled among these ancient mounds, they found a hidden valley filled with wild grain and herbs, and upon viewing the place, Bolgo pronounced the valley and all the hills about to be the home of all his descendants from that day forward. Much may be said of the enormous task of transforming that valley into the Fairfields of today, or of the ordering of the Gedelves, but suffice it to say that Bolgo was the very model of a gentlehobbit towards which all his followers and descendants strive: skilled, cheerful and appreciative of the simple life, yet ready to fight for home and family.

[wanderingmagus]

Layout of Fairfields:

The villages of Fairfields on the Blossom-Downs are laid out naturally according to geographical feature, having sprung up as need or interest arose, but in terms of governance the area is divided, at least among the Halflings, into five areas. The four large areas within which most halflings live are called Gedelves, meaning Diggings and referring to the peculiar halfling habit of living in tunnels in the hills while farming in the open vale. At the center of the four Gedelves, each named after a constellation such as the Hunter or the Bear, is set the Methel-Steading, or Meeting-Place. Every five years the halflings gather for the Gemoot, the General Meeting, to discuss rules and boundaries and farming techniques. The whole of the Blossom-Downs is protected by a loose collection of fighters called Hunters, who often hail from the appropriately-named Huntagedelf. They have no particular leader besides the Chief Hunter, who is chosen by the Gemoot ffor five years to direct the other Hunters and then kept or replaced the next Gemoot. There is no uniform in particular, but Hunters can usually be found carrying a bow and wearing a plaid sash across his or her chest. Each Gedelf is independent, running its own affairs and minding its own business. Though borders are open between each region, halflings tend to stick to their hometowns and farmlands, seldom meddling in the affairs of others. In fact, halflings tend not to take notice of the world outside at all, though they are ever prepared should the outside start to take notice of THEM- it is a common trait among halflings to keep large supplies of food and tools and other useful things in their deep tunnels in preparation for some disaster or another. It is a habit carried over from the first decades, when supplies were scarce and goblins were a constant threat. Over the years, this peculiarity has lead to rather crowded homes and pantries, and inspired yet another trait unique to halflings- on birthdays, it is a common practice for the host to give presents to the guests rather than the other way around. Such gifts are often of the old and unused kind, such as preserves or some ancient tool whose use had long since been forgotten. Halflings don't like throwing away much of anything if it can be helped, and when some object or another truly has no use at all left in it, it is called a "heffy", and usually given to the Hefiganhus in Methel-Steading to be put on display as a curiosity or stored away until some time should arise for it to be useful again.

Methel-Steading, the Meeting-Place
This may not have been the oldest settlement in Fairfields, but most halflings agree that it was as close to the heart of the Blossom-Downs as one could get, and convenient enough of a location for meeting at. The town itself is small most of the time, with only a few stores, an old library, and typical well-stocked halfling tunnels full of supplies, but every five years when Gemoot arrives, the population spikes to thousands as farmers and craftsmen and hunters alike from every Gedelf gather before the Methel-Stone to discuss The Rules and how to keep them. The Methel-Stone is an unremarkable old boulder surrounded by smaller stones and logs in a shallow sandy depression just outside the town; during sessions the Gemoot sits on the stones or logs, while a chosen Elder stands on the Methel-Stone and picks speakers who want to have a say. Speakers would then stand on the stone, give their speech, and return to their seat afterwards. Besides the Methel-Stone, Methel-Steading is also somewhat notable for containing the Hefiganhus, where unwanted old curiosities from around the Blossom-Downs are put on display. Anything from shiny rocks and gems that don't glow to Ancient wonders that no longer function may be found here; on occasion dwarves and Wizards are known to purchase "heffys" from the place for some purpose or another.

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Huntagedelf, the Fighters
This region is rather forested and hilly, located in the Eastern reaches of the Blossom-Downs and much rougher than the other parts of the land. It was Fairfields' first defense during the Harrying in the midst of the Great War, and all the halflings of today owe much to the Hunters who hail from this Gedelf. The villages here are generally scattered and small, with only a few gardens nestled among depressions here and there. Much of the inhabitants here get their food by hunting in the woodlands that cover this place, and the families in these parts are well known for excellent leather and carpentry products, as well as for their skill with the bow. Homes here tunnel deep into the earth, but are often more horizontal than the homes elsewhere. Since there are few streams here, Huntagedelf halflings build miniature dams and ponds for collecting rain-water. They also have a closer relationship with dwarves who pass through from Orod Khazad to Thalassana, with both excellent carpentry work and leather trading for small mechanical wonders and the occasional gem. The Hunters who protect Fairfields against invasion, and occasionally keep the peace if necessary, hail mostly from this Gedelf.

Berangedelf, the Healers
This region is set mostly to the Northern side of Fairfields,

Ierthlingedelf, the Farmers
This Southern region is set among wide valleys with occasional hills

Leothgedelf, the Bards