Halfling Hand - Revision history

Bartley at 08:51, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T08:51:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:51, 25 January 2026
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	The Hand ~~is an inter-~~connected group of ~~fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in~~ [[~~Halfling~~]] ~~culture and society.~~		The Hand are a connected group of cross-tribal-and-national societies among [[Halflings]]

	==History==		==History==
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	==Hands==		==Hands==
	*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. A common refrain is that ''The [[Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.		*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. A common refrain is that ''The [[Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.
	*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-~~dated~~ the Concord.		*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-date the Concord.
	*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings. Some claim they are the only group that pre-~~dated~~ the Concord.		*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings. Some claim they are the only group that pre-date the Concord.
	*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be well-known among local non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and leaders and standard above the board traders.		*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be well-known among local non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and leaders and standard above the board traders.
	*Blue Hand: Going below the board, smugglers, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes. Some claim they are the only group that pre-~~dated~~ the Concord.		*Blue Hand: Going below the board, smugglers, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes. Some claim they are the only group that pre-date the Concord.
	*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.		*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.

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	==Tribal Leadership Roles==		==Tribal Leadership Roles==
	A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.		A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.

Bartley at 07:38, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T07:38:42Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:38, 25 January 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The Hand is ~~the name given to a~~ connected group of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[Halfling]] culture and society.		The Hand is an inter-connected group of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[Halfling]] culture and society.

	==History==		==History==
	Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] after the [[Ubrekti Empire\|Ubrekt]] conquest of the Halfling plains and the destruction of much of early Halfling culture. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and have helped to enforce and preserve a broad cross-cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes as they have spread across the length and breadth of the continent in the centuries since.		Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] after the [[Ubrekti Empire\|Ubrekt]] conquest of the Halfling plains and the destruction of much of early Halfling culture. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and have helped to enforce and preserve a broad cross-cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes as they have spread across the length and breadth of the continent in the centuries since.

	~~==Organization==~~
	Membership is a great honor recognized across cultural and national lines. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to suggest new members as well as to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba after they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand
	(EXAMPLE: Syren Flatfoot switched to signing all his contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after he was offered a "Hand up" and inducted as a Red Hand following his inheritance of the captainship of his family's 3-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])

	==Hands==		==Hands==
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	*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.		*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.

			==Organization==
			Membership is a great honor recognized across cultural and national lines and are explicitly non-inheritable. All Hands have varying procedures to suggest new members as well as to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba after they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand
			(EXAMPLE: Syren Flatfoot switched to signing all his contracts as Captain S. Redhand after he was offered a "Hand up" and inducted as a Red Hand following his inheritance of the captainship of his family's 3-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])

			==Tribal Leadership Roles==
	A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.		A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.

Bartley at 07:23, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T07:23:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:23, 25 January 2026
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	==Hands==		==Hands==
	*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. A common refrain is that ''The [[Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it. ~~They will claim they negotiated the Con~~		*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. A common refrain is that ''The [[Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.
	*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.		*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.
	*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings.		*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.
	*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be well-known among local non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and leaders and standard above the board traders.		*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be well-known among local non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and leaders and standard above the board traders.
	*Blue Hand: Going below the board, smugglers, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes.		*Blue Hand: Going below the board, smugglers, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.
	*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.		*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.

	A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.		A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.

Bartley at 07:11, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T07:11:12Z

Bartley at 06:23, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T06:23:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:23, 25 January 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The Hand ~~are an ancient set~~ of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[Halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the Halflings into the nations of the Humans. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten Halflings belong to a Hand. Membership is a great honor recognized across local and national lines. Members of a Hand are often the selected from the most widely-respected members of a tribes' leadership or at least those directly tied to important or high-ranking members. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba when they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand (for example Syren Flatfoot choosing to sign contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after offered a "hand up" (ex: when he took on the captainship of his family's 5-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])		The Hand is the name given to a connected group of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[Halfling]] culture and society.

	==~~hands~~==		==History==
			Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] after the [[Ubekti]] conquest of the Halfling plains and the destruction of much of early Halfling culture. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and have helped to enforce and preserve a broad cross-cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes as they have spread across the length and breadth of the continent in the centuries since.

			==Organization==
			Membership in these societies is very selective butMembership is a great honor recognized across local and national lines. Members of a Hand are often the selected from the most widely-respected members of a tribes' leadership or at least those directly tied to important or high-ranking members. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba when they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand (EXAMPLE: Syren Flatfoot switched to signing all his contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after he was offered a "Hand up" and inducted as a Red Hand following his inheritance of the captainship of his family's 5-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])

			==Hands==
	*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. They claim the right have have ended the the genocide by the [[Ubrekt]] and the maintaining the status quo for hundreds of years. A common refrain is that ''The [Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.		*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. They claim the right have have ended the the genocide by the [[Ubrekt]] and the maintaining the status quo for hundreds of years. A common refrain is that ''The [Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.
	*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.		*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.

Bartley at 05:42, 25 January 2026

2026-01-25T05:42:51Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{stub}}
+The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[Halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the Halflings into the nations of the Humans. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]].  These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten Halflings belong to a Hand. Membership is a great honor recognized across local and national lines. Members of a Hand are often the selected from the most widely-respected members of a tribes' leadership or at least those directly tied to important or high-ranking members. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba when they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand (for example Syren Flatfoot choosing to sign contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after offered a "hand up" (ex: when he took on the captainship of his family's 5-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])
-The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings and the youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the Alexandrian faith in the first century [[FI]].  These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership.
+==hands==
-*Black Hand: Scorpion Clan
+A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.

Bartley at 19:42, 27 May 2020

2020-05-27T19:42:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:42, 27 May 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{stub}}		{{stub}}

	The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings and the youngest Hand, the White, ~~dating~~ to the founding of the Alexandrian faith in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership.		The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings and the youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the Alexandrian faith in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership.

	*Black Hand: Scorpion Clan		*Black Hand: Scorpion Clan

Bartley at 02:02, 25 May 2020

2020-05-25T02:02:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:02, 25 May 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{stub}}		{{stub}}

	The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership~~. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious~~.		The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings and the youngest Hand, the White, dating to the founding of the Alexandrian faith in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership.

	Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes.		*Black Hand: Scorpion Clan

	~~The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian]] church by early halfling missionaries.~~

	*[[Black Hand]]: Scorpion Clan
	*Blue Hand: Hospitaliers, Smugglers, and War Profiteers		*Blue Hand: Hospitaliers, Smugglers, and War Profiteers
	*Red Hand: Dog Riders and Harriers		*Red Hand: Dog Riders and Harriers
	*Green Hand: Druids and the Druid Adjacent		*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent
	*Golden Hand: Merchants and Carnival Circuit Runners, Diplomats		*Golden Hand: Merchants and Carnival Circuit Runners, Diplomats
	*White Hand: Alexandrian ~~Clerics~~ and ~~adjacent~~		*White Hand: formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian]] church by early halfling missionaries. Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc.

			A halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Blue, and White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.

Bartley at 01:30, 25 May 2020

2020-05-25T01:30:33Z

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	The Hand are ~~the largest extended tribal/familial band~~ of ~~Road Halflings~~. ~~The~~ Hand ~~follow~~ a ~~matriarchal power structure~~. ~~They~~ are ~~subdivided into a number~~ of tribes ~~or extended family groups, such as~~ the Blue, ~~Green, White~~, and Red Hand~~. There is also rumored to exist~~ the ~~Black~~ Hand.		The Hand are an ancient set of fraternal organizations that are tremendously important in [[halfling]] culture and society. Membership in these societies is very selective: perhaps one in ten halflings belong to a Hand. It is also a great honor and members of a Hand are usually respected members of a tribes' leadership. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious.

			Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] and the assimilation of the halflings. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and helped bring cultural unity to the scattered halfling tribes.

			The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian]] church by early halfling missionaries.

			*[[Black Hand]]: Scorpion Clan
			*Blue Hand: Hospitaliers, Smugglers, and War Profiteers
			*Red Hand: Dog Riders and Harriers
			*Green Hand: Druids and the Druid Adjacent
			*Golden Hand: Merchants and Carnival Circuit Runners, Diplomats
			*White Hand: Alexandrian Clerics and adjacent

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2017-11-18T01:17:33Z

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{{stub}}

The Hand are the largest extended tribal/familial band of Road Halflings. The Hand follow a matriarchal power structure. They are subdivided into a number of tribes or extended family groups, such as the Blue, Green, White, and Red Hand. There is also rumored to exist the Black Hand.

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	==History==		==History==
	Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] after the [[~~Ubekti~~]] conquest of the Halfling plains and the destruction of much of early Halfling culture. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and have helped to enforce and preserve a broad cross-cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes as they have spread across the length and breadth of the continent in the centuries since.		Five of the six Hands date back to the breaking of the [[Wolfen-Khan]] after the [[Ubrekti Empire\|Ubrekt]] conquest of the Halfling plains and the destruction of much of early Halfling culture. The youngest Hand, the White, dates to the founding of the [[Alexandrian Church\|Alexandrian faith]] in the first century [[FI]]. These societies transcended the old blood and clan lines and have helped to enforce and preserve a broad cross-cultural unity to the scattered Halfling tribes as they have spread across the length and breadth of the continent in the centuries since.

	==Organization==		==Organization==
	Membership ~~in these societies is very selective butMembership~~ is a great honor recognized across ~~local~~ and national lines~~. Members of a Hand are often the selected from the most widely-respected members of a tribes' leadership or at least those directly tied to important or high-ranking members~~. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba ~~when~~ they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand (EXAMPLE: Syren Flatfoot switched to signing all his contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after he was offered a "Hand up" and inducted as a Red Hand following his inheritance of the captainship of his family's 5-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])		Membership is a great honor recognized across cultural and national lines. While memberships do often follow family/tribal lines memberships are explicitly non-inheritable and all Hands have varying procedures to suggest new members as well as to remove or censure members who violate norms or prove to be unworthy. Many members will change their title/name/dba after they accept membership such as dropping their family name to just a rank and the color of their Hand
			(EXAMPLE: Syren Flatfoot switched to signing all his contracts as Captain Syren Redhand after he was offered a "Hand up" and inducted as a Red Hand following his inheritance of the captainship of his family's 3-ship ferry service along the [[Grenrhusk River]])

	==Hands==		==Hands==
	*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants~~. They claim the right have have ended the the genocide by the [[Ubrekt]] and the maintaining the status quo for hundreds of years~~. A common refrain is that ''The [Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it.		*Golden Hand: Diplomats and the negotiators/adjudicators of both cross-Hand and Halfling vs non-Halfling disputes. They mostly include top merchants and most prosperous heads of the carnival circuit runners as well the top customs inspectors, messengers, record-keepers and many accountants. A common refrain is that ''The [[Concord of the Highways]] was written in ink but is enforced by Gold'' as they are responsible for negotiating those city and National payments and obligations of that treaty and settling any conflicts that arise from it. They will claim they negotiated the Con
	*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.		*Green Hand: [[Druids]] and the Druid-Adjacent. Many Halflings view them as the primary religious and magical authority. Few non-Halflings are ever aware of them beyond Druids/Rangers/non-Alexandrian types. Some claim they are the only group that pre-dated the Concord.
	*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings.		*Black Hand: "Scorpion Clan" types, killers for hire or spies and enforcers of last resort depending on perspective. The very existence of this Hand is usually explicitly denied or downplayed if mentioned by non-Halflings.
	*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be ~~welal~~-known among non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and as the ~~important local leaders~~.		*Red Hand: Captains of River barges/ferries, leaders of teams of dog-riders/harriers or the head shepherds of large migratory herds. Members of this Hand are the most likely to be well-known among local non-Halflings as the actual negotiators of contracts and leaders and standard above the board traders.
	*Blue Hand: ~~Smugglers~~, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes.		*Blue Hand: Going below the board, smugglers, war profiteers, hospitallers and traders of last resort. Any traders or transports who publicize membership in this Hand are implicitly saying they can get anything to anywhere as long as the requestor is willing to pay for carriage and required fees/bribes.
	*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[[[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind ~~as well as other [[Goodly Races]]~~. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.		*White Hand: The followers of the "new" religion. The White Hand was formed in the first century of the [[Alexandrian Church]] by early Halfling missionaries. It is comprised of Alexandrian clerics, evangelists, healers, acolytes, theologians, etc. While remaining dedicated to the Alexandrian faith membership in the White Hand is usually contingent on a focus of using those resources for the good of Halfling-kind and others. As such it has survived the collapse of the singular united central church post-[[War of Schism]] period and has in fact prospered as a cross-national and cross-sectarian network focused on magical aid and "humanitarian" assistance even when members might pledge loyalty to different leadership.

	A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.		A Halfling tribe - River and Road both - is almost always run by a member of one hand or the other. Usually the demeanor of that leader's hand will determine the nature of the tribe's operations. Obviously Golden, Red, Blue, or White Hands are the most represented among leadership positions. Tribes run by the other Hands are not unheard of, but are usually situational. The Black Hand do not operate openly, and are not even spoken of openly by the superstitious. Even in the rare cases where a Black Hand leads a band they usually do so under a cover identity or through a false-front cutout leader of a different Hand. A Red Hand-led band, for example, would basically be a skirmisher cavalry army. Usually not sustainable, but many may spring up in times of crisis or from time to time as small roving mercenary groups. The Green Hand almost always prefer to operate as advisors, though in a crisis they might be looked to as a steady hand to see a tribe through difficult times. The Green Hand are also usually the go-to for placeholder or closely-contested leadership bids as any group of Halflings large enough to have a leadership crisis almost certainly has druids who are widely respected.