Global Halfling History
by Francesco DefferrariWhat would be interesting is to expand the history of this halfling communities..
For example, some Shires and Ierendian halflings could consider traitors those living in Thyatis.
From where and when those living in Alphatia and Norwold came?
Those in the Adri Varma could be escaped from Glantri in the year of infamy..
Let's draft a tentative global halfling history, my hypothesis in blue:
As we know there were halfling in Davania and Skothar before the Great Rain of Fire. Halflings could have colonized several parts of the world since remote times.. and some could have lived in the area of Alphatia and Bellisaria... now the halflings of Davania and Skothar should have their particular culture very different from the ones in Brun...
1500 BC Some halflings leave Davania, stop at Thanegia, some could have reached western Brun from there. (This early migration is mentioned in Champions of Mystara: the resulting clans could now live in western Brun, some also in the Savage Coast well before those who came in 900 BC).
1400 BC: Start of the Varellyan-halflings wars. Several halfling clans probably migrate to other places of Davania.
1300 BC The main halfling migration reach the Shires.
1254 BC Wogar's red orcs attack the Shires but are repulsed.
Around 1000 BC Grey orcs conquer the Shires, Gentle folks disappear and the halfling have four centuries of wars and rebellions against orcs, dwarves and humans. (In these troubled times a lot of halflings emigrate.. A clan reaches Haven in 971 BC, another reach Traladara shortly after, some probably go to Darokin. It's also probable that there are some halflings that do cooperate with the invaders, and those will be forced to leave the Shires after the defeat of their masters).
572 BC: The hin formally organise their land into five semiautonomous Shires, each ruled by an elected Sheriff.
385-290 BC Usamigaras the halfling wizard rule over Cynidicea. (The Fan gazeeter says he had magic from a wish and he was alone, but what if he belonged to a small clan that used magic? they could have been later invited to Alphatia)
98 BC Cynidicea falls. (Some halfling could have gone to the Ylauruam coast, Thyatis and the Island of Dawn from here)
360 AC: Minroth traders carry slaves for Thyatian Empire; halfling slaves are introduced to the Isles of Dread. (One interesting clan should live here).
570 AC: First settlement is started on the Island of Ierendi by cast-offs from the Five Shires. The island is already inhabited by small tribes of native aboriginal peoples. (As this seems to be a time of halfling expansion, some could have gone to several nations of the Known World or even to Norwold).
586 AC: The Thyatians, in need of funds and resources, conquer the Ierendi islands and seize the shipbuilding facilities there. The halflings retaliate with piratical raids on Thyatian shipping. (Again some halflings however could have been allied of the thyatians, and later be therefore exiled to Thyatis).
700 AC Largest orc horde in modern history defeated in the Five Shires. The Immortal Korotiku adds hin (halfling) and human pirates from the Ierendi islands to the area he calls the Merry Pirate Seas. (HW)
900 AC: With Thyatian, Ylauruam and Yavdlom settlers also few halflings arrive on the Savage Coast, and are absorbed into local cultures. (They were probably thyatian halflings that were disattisfied with the empire).
944 AC: Most recent orc horde to invade Five Shires defeated in Eastshire.
989 AC: Black Eagle Barony invades Eastshire in the Five Shires in search of slaves; is repelled. Attacks continue for two decades.
As you can see there are several times and reasons why the halflings could have reach Alphatia, the Isle of Dawn and Norwold.. that could also be very useful to differentiate halfling society (A ierendian halfling and a thyatian halfling will not love each other much, particularly if the latter tolerate slavery).
Simone Neri supposes that the halfling of Leeha came originally as nithian slaves around 970 BC and other former nithian slave reached them from Soderfjord, with the aid of Usamigaras, around 350 BC.
Those of Oceansend would be from Leeha and the Known World, some came from the Northern Reaches between 50 and 300 AC.
He also list halfling living in Alfheim (900, some descended from adventurers that aided against the Shadow elves in 560 AC), in Rockhome (1000, I'd say descended from the allies of Loktal), Darokin (10.420, could have come in different periods), Ierendi (15.130), Karameikos (3.000), Minrothad (30.400), Thyatis (6.690, 20% of which are slaves), Wendar (500, escaped from Glantri).
That's really inspiring to come up with some interesting halfling clans