The Heart of the Halfling

 After addressing why Clerics aren't present in The Hero's Journey, Second Edition it got me thinking about another commonly asked question concerning my favorite lineage in the game: Halflings. Most folks who read the game seem surprised that halflings can advance to maximum level as a Yeoman and not as a Burglar. The logic of this seemed obvious to me at the time of writing the game, but continues to be another commonly asked question, so again, I wanted to address it.

First, let's start with how the assumption that halflings should be expert burglars came about. The answer is pretty obvious from both a rules standpoint and when one looks at the source material. The iconic halfling , especially when it comes to burglars is none other than the esteemed Bilbo Baggins, protagonist of The Hobbit. He's even literally called a burglar in the book - though he prefers the term expert treasure hunter. Fantasy roleplaying games, practically from the beginning, seem to have presented halflings as being quintessentially stealthy and rogue-like, so it makes sense that they'd be the most buglarious. Even in The Hero's Journey their high Finesse, natural stealth, and innate skill with ranged weapons seems to make them ideal burglars.

So why then, are they given maximum advancement in Yeoman and not Burglar?

The answer is simple: It's not about what they're good at. It's about who halflings are and what matters to them deep in their heart. Halflings value simple things: Family, home, food, simple comforts. They are, to my mind, the personification of the ordinary and its importance, even when on grand adventures. Halflings show their mettle when confronted with impossible danger, especially when in defense of those they love. They face these challenges with heart and hope. They are determined, dedicated, and resolved to give every last ounce of themselves to protect the small joys of the world. 

Most halflings aren't cunning, clever little thieves. They're not mighty warriors, nor are they uncanny arcanists. Yes, in some stories they can take up such roles - but it's not who they are. They're ordinary people, defending the ordinary world and ordinary joys. And in the end, they know just how important the ordinary truly is. They stand up for friendship, family, a fine meal, and the little happinesses that make life worth living - and they'll give their last breath to ensure that such things endure.

Why There Are No Clerics in THJ2e

The single most common question I get from people reading The Hero's Journey 2e is "How come there are no clerics or healing magic?" It's a fair question given that THJ2e has its roots in a long line of fantasy roleplaying games where a holy spell casting class is at the foundation of those games. This simple question has a bit of a complex answer, so I'll go down the list of reasons one-by-one.

Reason One: The Hero's Journey, Second Edition is not Dungeons and Dragons

Clerics have existed in Dungeons and Dragons since its earliest days, with Mike Carr playing the first cleric in Arneson's Blackmoor campaign. Arneson has said the rules surrounding clerics were based on holy warriors and the Peter Cushing portrayal of Abraham Van Helsing in the Hammer Horror films. D&D is, at its roots, a game built upon a foundation of pulp sword and sorcery. The works of authors like Vance and Howard, along with the stories they told, were key inspirations in its creation. Though not quite the same fantasy pulp stories as that literature, the Hammer Horror films are most certainly pulp. Clerics in that game were created as a kind of balance point between the Fighting Man and the Magic-User. They had spells, similar to Magic-Users - though not nearly as many nor were they as directly focused on combat. They had an array of weapons and armor, but were denied access to magical swords - which were the most powerful in the game at the time. After all, back in that time, starting Clerics didn't even earn the use of these spells until they reached 2nd level.

The Hero's Journey 2e is most definitely rooted and inspired by the early era rules of Dungeons and Dragons, few of the works that inspired THJ2e are found in the vaulted Appendix N. In addition to the fact that the majority of material featured in the THJ2e core book having been released after Appendix N was published, the THJ2e material has distinctively different themes and tone than what is found in Appendix N. Both D&D and THJ2e are fantasy roleplaying games, but their inspirations are vastly different and thus the implied way the game is played and what the game will focus on are vastly different.

Reason Two: The Hero's Journey, Second Edition is a low-magic setting

Clerics are walking miracle workers. Literally. Cleric spells are nothing short of miracles. Think about it. In a world where the average human being has 3-4 hit points and the lowest level cleric spell can heal 1d6+1 damage, that almost guarantees returning someone to full health with a brief prayer and a touch. Imagine the impact it would have on a world where someone who is in a coma (i.e. at 0 HP) can be restored to full and robust health with a six second prayer and a touch. The magnitude of power like that cannot be over-stated. Clerics, in my mind, have been less "wandering healers" that they are often seen as in the current popular culture of the hobby and more as living, breathing saints akin to someone like Joan of Arc. Similar to Joan of Arc, I also see them as absolutely devoted religious zealots. That kind of overt spiritual dedication and living, breathing proof of the existence of divine forces actively influencing the events of the world is simply too obtuse for The Hero's Journey. 

That's not to say The Hero's Journey needs to be completely absent of religion. Again, look to the inspirational works. Lord of the Rings hints at the presence and influence of a benevolent divine entity, but there is only one obvious religious/spiritual act taken by humans in that trilogy. Even the Dragonlance Chronicles novels begin in a world where the gods (and clerical magic) are "gone." But for me, personally, the strength of spirituality comes from the struggle of the individual trying to keep their faith. It's pretty hard to deny the will of the divine when an armored warrior with a mace comes into town and seals wounds with a touch. 

Reason Three: The support role of the Cleric is filled through a more thematically appropriate Archetype

Clerics are often called "heal bots" or "walking band-aids." In most campaigns I played in over the years, people playing the cleric often feel marginalized or obligatory. However, I recognize the importance of having characters who provide general support to the rest of the player characters. The Hero's Journey is a game about the bonds of friendship in the face of overwhelming adversity. Having an outside divine force undo or undermine threats in a game goes directly against that idea in my opinion. So, instead of having a walking and talking first aid kit, I provided the Yeoman. This Archetype is designed to be the ultimate support character that fits thematically with what THJ2e is all about. You need only look to the likes of Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings or Meegosh from Willow to see examples of this Archetype and its role as a support character as shown through a loyal friend. 

Reason Four: Clerics reduce the true danger of combat

As I've said in other blog posts, combat in THJ2e is deadly. If weapons get drawn, there's a good chance someone may lose their life. To that end, when you have a character who's job is to push someone back up the sliding scale with the wave of hand, that makes combat implicitly less of a threat. Sure, you may only be able to take 15 more damage, but if you know that every round the healer who goes just before you initiative can slap you on the back and heal 5 or more of any damage you take, that makes that pack of snarling wargs or that lindworm a lot less threatening. Clerics pull the "death" out of a life-and-death situation all too often.

Reason Five: The presence of the divine is the purview of those playing the game, not the creator

The core rule book of THJ2e makes reference to both the Celestial and Infernal Realms, but never details them. This is intentional. It implies the existence of these planes of existence and a potential cosmology, or at least the general belief in such a thing - but it's never out-and-out stated. Religion is meant to be as present or absent in a legendarium as the Narrator and players wish it to be. The most overtly religious element in THJ2e is an optional camp action found in the Hero's Companion: Pious Devotion. But even that camp action is described the character performing the action to be finding strength in themselves from their own faith and convictions - not through direct divine intervention. By not having an Archetype that specifically draws its power from a divine source this allows both the player and the Narrator to create characters who are free to claim and believe such things as suits their individual legendariums instead of it being mandated and woven directly into the rules set.

The omission of the Cleric from The Hero's Journey was a specific and intentional on my part. It was not meant to be commentary on religion, spiritual belief, or religious organizations. It was done because in the end, the game's focus is meant to be on the bonds of loyalty and friendship between the player characters in the game and not a single character taking up the role of a walking first aid kit.