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Halflings Without a Hearth | 5e Monsters
We present two new Halfling types. Nomad Halflings and Swamp Halflings.
Halflings Without a Hearth is a monster supplement for 5e that presents halflings not as pastoral villagers or comic relief, but as marginalized cultures shaped by exclusion and survival. Instead of relying on a single generic halfling stat block, this book provides two distinct and escalating NPC ladders: wandering nomad caravans and insular swampbound criminal families.
These are not alternate ancestries. They are alternate outcomes.
The intent of this product is social tension and environmental identity. Nomad halflings represent displacement, pacifism under pressure, and the constant search for belonging. Swamp halflings represent territorial adaptation, criminal opportunism, and uneasy pacts with murky powers. Each ladder escalates not simply in strength, but in responsibility, influence, and cultural weight.
Jurisdictions, geography, and history are intentionally undefined. These NPCs can represent roadside caravans driven from kingdom to kingdom, marsh-dwelling smugglers controlling contraband routes, or distant cousins whose shared ancestry fractured long ago. They are not meant to replace traditional halflings—they exist at the margins of society, where hearthfires burn low or not at all.
How sympathetic they are, how dangerous they become, and whether they can ever reclaim a home is left entirely in the GM’s hands.
Nomad Halfling Ladder
Nomad Halfling Child (CR 0): Noncombatant youth raised on the road, quick to hide and dependent on the protection of the caravan.
Nomad Halfling Wayfarer (CR 0): Caravan laborer, cook, and handler who keeps wagons moving and avoids direct confrontation whenever possible.
Nomad Halfling Watcher (CR 1/8): Night sentry and early-warning lookout who signals danger and withdraws rather than standing to fight.
Nomad Halfling Scout (CR 1/4): Pathfinder who rides ahead to locate safe camps and viable routes, skilled in concealment and retreat.
Nomad Halfling Caravan Guard (CR 1/2): Defensive protector who interposes between aggressors and the caravan, fighting only to delay pursuit and secure withdrawal.
Nomad Halfling Elder Guide (CR 1): Keeper of oral history and migration knowledge who steadies morale and advises when it is time to move on.
Nomad Halfling Trailwarden (CR 2): Veteran rear-guard specialist responsible for evacuation strategy and ensuring no one is left behind.
Nomad Halfling Hearthspeaker (CR 3): Cultural and spiritual anchor who preserves tradition and strengthens resolve during hardship.
Nomad Halfling Caravan Steward (CR 4): Recognized leader who negotiates settlements, commands defense, and decides when another attempt at belonging has failed.
Nomad Halfling Waykeeper (CR 5): Legendary figure who embodies generational endurance, organizing retreat and sustaining the people through loss.
Swamp Halfling Ladder
Swamp Halfling Whelp (CR 0): Marsh-born youth accustomed to rot and secrecy, already at home in mud and stagnant water.
Swamp Halfling Forager (CR 0): Scavenger and gatherer who harvests shellfish, roots, and carrion while navigating hidden swamp paths.
Swamp Halfling Mirewatcher (CR 1/8): Concealed lookout who monitors approaches and signals ambush when intruders enter their territory.
Swamp Halfling Snarehand (CR 1/4): Trap-layer and petty thief who entangles prey and lures targets into prepared ground.
Swamp Halfling Bogknife (CR 1/2): Dirty-fighting enforcer who strikes first and vanishes into fog and muck.
Swamp Halfling Rotbroker (CR 1): Black-market intermediary who trades in contraband, deception, and illicit swamp resources.
Swamp Halfling Mire Stalker (CR 2): Veteran ambusher who dominates difficult terrain and hunts from concealment.
Swamp Halfling Fen Hexer (CR 3): Swamp-touched spellcaster who binds minor spirits and spreads fear, fog, and subtle curses.
Swamp Halfling Mud Reaver (CR 4): Ruthless family head who controls smuggling routes and commands territorial retaliation.
Swamp Halfling Bog Sovereign (CR 5): Reclusive marsh ruler whose authority rests on fear, criminal dominion, and ancient swamp pacts.
Compatible Products
Either faction can be encountered in the wilderness.
Swamp Halflings are commonly found in swamp taverns.
Nomad Halflings are often encountered in caravan taverns.