Scores of halfling tribes dwell in the jungle. These halflings are an ancient people with a rich culture, far removed from their reputation as primitive cannibals living in squalor. The halflings of the Forest Ridge hold a special reverence for the primal spirits of the land—which are more numerous and aware here than anywhere else on Athas—and see themselves as the protectors of the forest. In every tribe, powerful shamans and druids stand close to the chieftain.
Halflings are not all bloodthirsty cannibals. Some tribes consist of murderous savages who gleefully devour travelers, but others are open to trading with lowlanders who treat them with respect. Most halflings are wary of outsiders and jealous of their territory (sometimes lethally so). A typical tribe has little contact with people from beyond its forest refuge, so it regards uninvited travelers who blunder into its territory as fair game for the stewpot.
Usually, the halflings seek to capture intruders alive and present the exotic catch to their village and king. The more reasonable tribes give their prisoners a chance to explain why they shouldn’t be eaten; the more savage ones torture their captives for sport.