Chapter 1 - Class - Character Kits - Halfling Kits
Forestwalker
The Forestwalker is the halfling version of the Scout, adept at moving through the woodlands, tracking prey and trespassers. Forestwalkers have an appreciation for the Green World but this does not have them automatically on friendly footing with them. Forestwalkers are very protective of their woods and tend to be loners, although they are far from being hermits. Indeed, a Forest-walker is happy to share his or her campfire with guests and will often come to the aid of travelers who treat the woods with due respect; many are the tales of adventuring parties lost in the woods rescued by a friendly Forestwalker.
Whereas most halflings consider a single burrow or building their home, for the Forestwalker the whole forest in which he or she lives is "home." The Forestwalker is likely to maintain several shelters in the particular woods he or she has claimed for his or her own. These might range from cramped niches in hollow tree stumps, providing little more than bare shelter from the elements, to elaborate burrows in small caves or earthen holes excavated beneath a sheltered bank. Though the halfling cannot be said to live in any single one of these, he or she is likely to keep them all well-stocked with food, fuel, candles, blankets or furs, and perhaps a jug or two. If at all possible, each shelter will have some kind of fireplace--in some cases, a simple circle of stones; in others, a well-built hearth complete with chimney or vent to carry the smoke away. Where no fireplace is possible, the Forestwalker will seek consolation in a pipe of tobacco.
The Forestwalker must have a Wisdom score of at least 13. Most, but not all, Forestwalkers are Tallfellows.
Roads to Adventure: The Forestwalker is extremely protective of his or her woods and will seek retribution against any force that hurts the forest; he or she will be willing to go to great lengths (and travel great distances) to see justice done in such a case. This retribution might be seen as exceeding the typical halfling nonchalance regarding revenge. It's not, though--the Forestwalker thinks of his or her wood as a living being, not a thing. Consequently, any affront against the forest is treated like an attack on a friend, not like the theft of a possession.
The curiosity that lies latent in so many halflings bubbles near the surface of the Forestwalker--a simple love of exploring will often draw him or her away on long expeditions. He or she delights in following the course of streams and rivers and in analyzing the various drainage patterns in a watershed. The opportunity to encounter new types of trees and map out hitherto unknown regions of forest and woodland is often enough to tempt a Forestwalker into joining an adventuring party on a short-term basis, but he or she will always return to his or her home forest eventually.
Role: The Forestwalker is the protector of the woods: the guardian of game, fire marshal, and an important scout against enemy incursion into a halfling realm. He or she is a respected figure in the village and is more likely than not to have a family and comfortable burrow amid the dwellings of his or her neighbors. However, between a sense of duty and sheer wanderlust, a typical Forestwalker will rarely spend more than one day in ten with spouse and offspring, a situation his or her family respect and accept.
The Forestwalker also tends to be one of the more skillful hunters of a halfling community. Thus, when he or she does come in to town, it is often with a large cache of fresh meat--a trait which further endears him or her to these feast-loving folk. Often the Forestwalker can barter for all the other essentials of life, simply through knowing how to gain the bounty of the woods.
Besides hunting, Forestwalkers are also adept at finding nuts, edible berries and other fruits, herbs, roots, and--best of all, from a halfling's point of view--mushrooms. Many are fine cooks, able to serve up savory soups and rich stews that would be the envy of any fine restaurant.
Weapon Proficiencies: The Forestwalker must spend an initial proficiency slot on a missile weapon, and another on a weapon that can be made from wood, such as a club or a small quarterstaff.
Bonus nonweapon proficiencies: The Forestwalker gains Survival (Woodland) and Tracking (the latter with a +2 to all proficiency checks made in woodland settings), plus any one of the following (player's choice): Firebuilding, Fishing, and Hunting.
Recommended nonweapon proficiencies: Whichever of the above not taken as bonus proficiencies are recommended; the Animal Lore, Set Snares, and Bower/Fletcher proficiencies can also be of daily use to the Forestwalker. Artistic Ability is also popular, as whittling and woodcarving are common pastimes among Forestwalkers.
Equipment: In addition to his or her weapons, the Forestwalker will rarely be found without flint and tinder for firemaking, a large waterskin, and a heavy cloak or blanket that can double as a bedroll. He or she will always have a knife, even if it is too small to properly be considered a weapon, for marking trails, skinning small game, and whittling.
Special Benefits: In addition to the normal halfling benefit of being hard to spot in natural terrain, the Forestwalker can move at his or her full movement rate through tangled undergrowth ("born and bred in the briar patch, Brer Fox!"). If he or she chooses to slow down to the normal movement rate, however, he or she can Move Silently through such terrain (no ability check necessary).
Forestwalkers are also adept at hiding tracks. By slowing his or her movement rate to half that allowed for the terrain type, a Forestwalker can conceal all trace of his or her passage and, if he or she is walking in the rear of a party, a number of companions as well. To determine if the trail of a large party is effectively concealed, the player must make a successful Tracking proficiency check with a -1 penalty for each non-Forestwalker in the party ( -2 for each horse, mule, or other four-footed animals accompanying the party). If the proficiency check is successful, the track will be invisible even to a skilled tracker. Note that even though some characters may be riding instead of walking, this does not improve the Forestwalker's chances to cover their tracks, as the added weight makes the mount's trail more difficult to conceal. The halfling will know whether or not his or her efforts have met with success.
Special Hindrances: Forestwalkers may only wear leather armor, and many eschew armor altogether. Since metal makes so much noise in the woods, they will avoid carrying much of it on their person and will not use any metal weapon larger than an arrowhead, hatchet, or knife.
The Forestwalker is a bit of a loner and consequently may be a little slow to learn of big news that sweeps through the community and the realm. Also, Forestwalkers tend not to be terribly skilled in the social graces and suffer a -2 penalty to NPC Reaction rolls from non-halflings ( -4 when the setting calls for good manners and/or elegant dress).
