Fantasy Races: [3/4] Halflings by Dyemelikeasunset on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

WOW THIS TOOK LIKE TWO WEEKS? Well maybe more like 4 days overall, since I only worked on them over the weekends.
BUT YO, REMEMBER THE FANTASY CHARACTERS I POSTED A WHILE AGO

I'll probably be making more (as well as environments and creatures), but first I wanted to explore the races I had in mind for the world me and *Ai-Bee are building for this.
This project is currently unnamed, but it's something I've wanted to do ever since I was in middle school.

A lot of High Fantasy is very overdone and all the designs are inbred, so as a kid I wanted to see a fantasy world that was more diverse, but used a lot of familiar things from the genre.
I realize I'm taking a lot of liberties with the typical interpretations of High Fantasy...but it's fucking fantasy, dude.
What's fantasy without imagination? I always thought the "rules" some people ascribe to were bullshit anyway.
(sorry any Tolkien/D&D-die-hards, this project probably isn't for you)

Disclaimers:
I reference a lot of cultures and plan to mix them with more typical fantasy elements, but if anyone who belongs to the cultures that inspired me, by all means please let me know if I've done anything seriously wrong or offensive and I will look into it and fix it as best as I can. And yes, I know where the names I'm using came from.

No body shaming will be tolerated. (ʘ‿ʘ✿)

So without any further ado, here is some thought-vomit on each of the races and sub-races!

Halflings

Dwarves: Infamous for pillaging and pirating, these stout, powerful warriors are dignified sailors, hunters, and musicians. They typically live in small villages within a larger clan, where younglings are promoted to either apprentice under their parents’ occupation or become warriors. As a customary coming of age ceremony, young Dwarves are often taken on big “Hunts” where they find and slay giant monsters from the neighboring seas or woodlands, which they bring home for tanning and food. Though in-fighting is common among the clans, the Dwarves are surprisingly friendly with most other races. However, they once had wonderful relations with the Goblins before the slave trade began in the West, so they tend to dislike most of the other Western races.
Inspirations and notes: Viking/Nordic and Celtic cultures. Thick, muscular bodies, tallest Halfling race. Lion-inspired hair and tails. North European features

Gnomes: Professional, fast-paced, and ambitious, the Gnomes are straight-forward and business-minded, known for their amazing inventions, clockwork, and weapons market. They hold technological advancement in the highest regard, working in a closely-knit society dedicated to the next scientific break-through. Because of their work-oriented lives, families are rarely heard of and children are usually raised by caretakers (usually Goblins) rather than birth-parents. While Goblin-rights are slowly making progress in their society, Gnomes are still the worst perpetrators of low-income employment. Their industries can be rather cutthroat and dog-eat-dog, but to them, that’s the excitement of life.
Inspirations and notes: Renaissance era Italian culture and clockpunk. Portly, fluffy bodies. Kangaroo rat ears and tail. Mediterranean/Slavic features

Fae: Elusive and mysterious, the Fae are a very secretive, almost cultish, people who live deep within the forest-marshes of the East. They value mortal humility and discipline, believing the acknowledgement of weakness is the first step to enlightenment. Most of their society is religious, congregating around monasteries grown out of the tree roots. Their religion has spread throughout the East, influencing the Garuda most, who they see as students or a sibling-culture for them to guide— though they are very picky about the ones they allow into their haven. They are very in-tune with nature and magic, and shun many of the other races. As a result, they’re not very well-known for anything, and most knowledge of them is actually hearsay.
Inspirations and notes: Ancient Inca culture. Petite, short, and thin; deer tails. Central to South American features.

Kobolds: Known as some of the most beautiful people in the south, the Kobolds are a collection of small tribes and villages that populate the Southern Plains. A simple people, they are generally peaceful and light-hearted among their own communities, but can be defensive and closed-off to outsiders. They don’t interact much with Giants and Djinni who live in the neighboring Great Desert, but they do trade frequently with the the Gorgons; having very good relations with their culture. Kobolds are amazing hunters and pride themselves in their pelts, animal ornamentation, jewelry, and basket-weaving. Their lifestyle is fairly simple, led by village elders, witch doctors, and mystical seers. Though not particularly religious, their superstitions and faith in their spiritual leaders often go unquestioned.
Inspirations and notes: Himba culture, with a mix of general southern African cultures. Muscular, short, jackal ears and tail. South African features.

The other races:

To see more of this world, please visit this gallery!