Creature and Race Lore/Folklore

[Lanoi]

In a rather lengthy discussion with arathalion about the origins of gnomes and other things i ended up thinking that some of you might want to know a bit more about your favourite race, creature etc. other than the more commonly known lore..

I will try and find all and everything you ask for, even try to put in references to books, websites.. maybe even D&D Rulebooks if i'm able.. but be prepared for alot of either scandinavian, german or celtic folklore atleast until i find some more material.

~ Lanoi

[sirchet]

Ok, sounds good to me.

Can you fill me in about halflings, and their strange resemblence to kender?

[Lanoi]

Uh.. a tough one..

Well, it's likely that Halflings are.. A certain sir Tolkien's own original race (Hobbits) as I haven't been able to find any concrete folklore other than certain similarities to the Leprechaun, Nisse and Kobold (Irish, Scandinavian and German gnomes) and the scottish word hauflin which Shakespeare used to describe "men the size of a boy"..

As for Kender.. Again it's highly likely that they are a variant of the above mentioned..

I can't recommend anything specific to read.. try Wikipedia i guess..

~ Lanoi