Halflings

The Halflings (S."Periannath") or Holbytlas (Rh."Hole-Dwellers") are a race closely related to Men and technically counting as Hildor (in the sense of "mortals" as unlike Elves or Dwarves).

The Halflings originally consisted of three different Tribes, the Fallohides, Stoors and Harfoots.

Those Halflings who moved into the shire and Breeland called themselves Hobbits.Those wild tribes living outside the shire were known as "Outsiders" and "Wild Hobbits" to them.

Outsiders were known to have lived in Rhudaur and along the borders of Dunland.

MERP

Although the Hobbits are thought to have awakened in Hildorien along with the larger Men, the first time halflings are actually mentioned in the records is the time three of theit tribes lived in the Glennen of Rhovanion.Most Halflings moved to Eriador with the rise of the Necromancer of Dol Guldur and settled in the Shire.

There are colonies of Outsiders in the Angle of Rhudaur in the village Reedhaven, another Group still lives in the Loeg Ningloron and is known as the River-Folk.Both groups are descendants of the Stoors.Other Groups of Wild Hobbits mentioned are the Periwott and small clans in Forochel.

LOTRO

One small group of Outsiders, descending from hoarfoots, resides in the Ettenmoors of Rhudaur, along river Hoarwell in a village called Hoarhallow.Another Group, remnants of the stoors, lives in a village called Maur Tulhau in the Gloomglens of Enedhwaith, near the border of Dunland.

Speculations

The Bugans of Enedhwaith, a tribe usually counted as goblin-kind, may be degenerated halflings, but the true origin of this race is not known.

Fan Modules

The Aegan, Karn Ord and Helcar Sael Module mentions a people akin to the Hobbits of the Shire known as the Fokirio, eastern Halflings native to a land they call Banakan.They are the descendants of Harfoots and a lost branch known as the Fairheads.

References

• Fan module: Aegan, Karn Ord and Helcar Sael
• MERP 2017 The Shire(1995)