Etymology

Melnys Vale (MEL-niss) is named for the near legendary halfling Melnys Farstrider who, according to legend, discovered the bounty of the vale and settled there.

Geography

Melnys Vale is a fertile stretch of farm and pasture lands nestled in the valley formed by the Uralda Mountains and The Riftpeaks. Running into the heart of the land is the Melnys River, an off-shoot of the larger Iamari River.

Cities and Places of Interest

Halflings have settled throughout the Vale in small, independent farming communities. The largest settlement, Valeton, lies at the heart of the Vale at the end of the Melnys River. This si the site of an annual harvest faire that gathers halflings from across the land in fellowship and mild competitions. It is also the site of the primary temple to Rosaela, the halfling goddess.

History

Halflings have occupied and settled in Melnys Vale since early in The Scattering. According to legend, Melnys Farstrider discovered the lands to the south of the Saelfsidhedal at the end of his many travels and established the settlement of Valeton. Nevertheless, the halfling race is a race of wanderers and many leave the Vale to find adventure or work in the lands of the other races.

Most Vale Folk pride themselves on going unnoticed by other races-—which has lead to many Halflings excelling at thievery and trickery. If noticed, most go out of their way to be forthright and friendly with “larger” races. Halflings live well with humans and respect the Elves and Dwarves. Only Half-Orcs are generally shunned, due to that race’s violent and intimidating nature.

Laws and Governance

Halflings are often referred to as “The Vale Folk” due to their holdings in Melnys Vale. Here they have a few independent townships with no central government. Most communities make decisions based on consensus or by referring to the wisdom of elders.

Economy

The Vale economy is based primarily on farming and barter. Many halflings leave the Vale to find work and adventure with which to fund a comfortable house and hearth for their families.

Money System

The Vale does not mint its own coin and accept the coin of all civilized nations.

*CP = Copper Piece, SP = Silver Piece, GP = Gold Piece, and PP = Platinum Piece

Racial Characteristics

Halflings rise to a humble height of 3’. They prefer to walk barefoot, leading to the bottoms of their feet being roughly calloused. Tufts of thick, curly hair warm the tops of their broad, tanned, feet. Their skin tends towards rich almond color and their hair toward light shades of brown. A Halfling’s ears are pointed, but proportionately, not much larger than those of a human.

Languages

Valish is the primary dialect of the Vale, a practical language with both elven and human influences. Most halflings are also fluent in Tradespeak.

Popular Names

• Male: Albo, Antal, Benold, Boram, Evan, Jamir, Hodo, Hugold, Kaleb, Lem, Miro, Sumak, Tobo

• Female : Adra, Anafa, Bellis, Benina, Etune, Everwisa, Filiu, Haldia, Lissa, Marra, Mila, Rillka, Sistra, Yamyra

Religions

Halflings tend to favor gods that value small, tight-knit communities—be they good or evil. They are also large believers in the power of comfort. The only true god of the halflings is Rosaela. Otherwise, halflings will worship the gods of the communities in which they live (human or elven).

Sorcery and Wizardry

Halflings of the Vale tend to be indifferent to sorcery and wizardry—neither fearing it nor holding it in awe. They do find it fascinating and a novelty and often question practitioners incessantly about its workings.

Culture

Optimistic and cheerful by nature, blessed with uncanny luck and driven by a powerful wanderlust, Halflings (or The Vale Folk) make up for their short stature with an abundance of bravado and curiosity. At once excitable and easy-going, Halflings like to keep an even temper and a study eye on opportunity, and are not as prone as some of the more volatile races to violent or emotional outbursts. Even in the jaws of catastrophe, a Halfling almost never loses his sense of humor.

The Vale Folk are inveterate opportunists. Unable to physically defend themselves from the rigors of the world, they know when to bend with the wind and when to hide away. Yet a Halfling’s curiosity often overwhelms his good sense, leading to poor decisions and narrow escapes.

Though their curiosity drives them to travel and seek new places and experiences, Halflings possess a strong sense of house and home, often spending above their means to enhance the comforts of home life.

Music

Vale music tends to be lively and merry, with much use of flute and pipe.

Cuisine

Halflings love hearty comfort foods such as breads, dumplings, shepherd’s pies, and the like. They are also known to have voracious appetites, eating at several meals per day whenever possible.

Clothing

Vale folk tend to dress in comfortable, rustic garb in subdued colors such as maroon, forest green, and brown.