After trying to finagle a halfling oracle into a HV game here, I've come to believe that halflings just aren't appropriate PC choices. Even being a 'good slip' means you will still be a slave at best to another PC and effectively be at their mercy. Get too talky or balk and you can be whipped or killed.
I do wonder why gnomes aren't officially shoved into the slip category since 3 feet tall and being skilled at crafts would make them 'They all look alike to me.' to Thrunites.
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Gnomes are a lot more independent and unpredictable than halflings, and they're kind of viewed more as "allies" of House Thrune thanks to "King" Thorn Drumfiddle's capering and toadying to them. The gnome settlement of Brastlewark IS the largest gnome population in the Inner Sea region.
And I have to disagree in regards to halflings being inappropriate. Part of me feels like a halfling character is "gaming the system," making themselves indispensable to House Thrune, which can put them even HIGHER than some humans. The backstory of Meliagaster, the iconic Mesmerist, paints the picture of a halfling who'd make a perfect Hell's Vengeance PC, a halfling embittered by how his masters treated him, but selfish enough that he cares more about using whatever skills or powers he has to improve his own lot in life than about using them to liberate other enslaved halflings.
It won't ever matter in the first book, because you are quickly given authority by the duke. The second book also does not matter, because it does not take place in a Thrune controlled area. The third book does not matter because by then you are a recognized agent of Thrune and it does not take place in an urban area. By the third book you are basically one of Abrogail's besties, and no sane person would openly give you grief about being a halfling.
I've seen complaints about being forced to start out as a petty thug and lowly mook, but you really really don't. A halfling agent of Thrune would have to work harder but she would get the respect she is due.
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>Be a NE halfling rogue in HV
>Rare free halfling
>Dedicated Thrune Agent
>Party members Jokingly refer to halfling as slave whenever anyone asks
>This happens for the 50th time when speaking to a registering official in Egorian, which results in me being listed as an official government owned slave.
>Won't be a joke when you don't wake up in the morning.
Talk s~!*, get hit.
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Gnomes are a lot more independent and unpredictable than halflings, and they're kind of viewed more as "allies" of House Thrune thanks to "King" Thorn Drumfiddle's capering and toadying to them. The gnome settlement of Brastlewark IS the largest gnome population in the Inner Sea region.
And I have to disagree in regards to halflings being inappropriate. Part of me feels like a halfling character is "gaming the system," making themselves indispensable to House Thrune, which can put them even HIGHER than some humans. The backstory of Meliagaster, the iconic Mesmerist, paints the picture of a halfling who'd make a perfect Hell's Vengeance PC, a halfling embittered by how his masters treated him, but selfish enough that he cares more about using whatever skills or powers he has to improve his own lot in life than about using them to liberate other enslaved halflings.
An evil halfling slave mind controlling an entire Chelish human noble house would be an epic boss fight for a Hell's Rebels side quest... :)
PCs fight the entire horrible evil Thrune sympathizer noble house, guards, family, patriarch and all, only to find a grinning halfling at the end... EVERYONE ROLLS A WILL SAVE!
Halflings in Cheliax are property. Even if you're a freed halfling, you're still looked down upon. That would probably include any judge if you end up in court. Kill someone, even if you belong to the government, will probably still get you in trouble if anyone makes a stink about it. This will cause problems if you question someone or try to impose your will (or authority) on someone. Granted, in the end, you will be in the "right", but getting to goal you're trying to achieve will take longer and possibly cause more problems. If you play a halfling in this AP, expect problems and nearly every turn. As far as anyone is concerned, you're a nobody. That can and will be an issue if you're trying to make someone do something WITHOUT having to beat them into submission. Plus, chances are, if a passerby sees a halfling beating on a human, they will probably assist the human, call a guard, or get a mob together.
Playing a halfling can be done, but expect to have a hard time... as hard a time as a newly freed slave will have among those who own slaves.
Not all Halflings are slaves in Cheliax, it's as hard as you or your GM make it.
I'm in fact currently playing a Halfling in Hell's Vengeance.
It won't ever matter in the first book, because you are quickly given authority by the duke. The second book also does not matter, because it does not take place in a Thrune controlled area. The third book does not matter because by then you are a recognized agent of Thrune and it does not take place in an urban area. By the third book, you are basically one of Abrogail's besties, and no sane person would openly give you grief about being a halfling.
I've seen complaints about being forced to start out as a petty thug and lowly mook, but you really really don't. A halfling agent of Thrune would have to work harder but she would get the respect she is due.
My group just started playing the campaign and we're in the middle of the third book. Although we have no halflings, a majority of the party are playing non-human characters including tieflings. So far, it has not been a hindrance to them and will concur with Armenius' insights so far.
With that said, the two human characters normally take the lead when speaking on behalf of the party and quickly remind anyone who does give them grief that they are Thrune agents and demand respect. Both took the campaign trait, Chelish Noble, which has been working out well. Of course, this is with dealing with those loyal to Thrune or when appropriate (not trying to infiltrate, use disguise, etc.).