Kenders are unique to Krynn. They are the halflings which many other worlds sport, but they are much more interesting than that. The Kender appears to be a small human child -- slight of build, beardless, about three and half to four feet tall -- and generally live for 100 years (or until their curiosity kills them).
Wanderlust is a common Kender trait; the fever which possesses young Kender and causes them to travel the world over. Kender wander for years, settling down after they feel they have wandered down all the roads their heart desires. Wanderlust usually lasts for about 10 years.
In regard to personal belongings, Kenderkind makes a relatively loose distinction between 'mine' and 'yours.' In a Kender home, a relic is anything that hasn't disappeared after three weeks. Kender have the unique 'handling' ability which allows them to "find" objects unconsciously. If a Kender were to walk through a crowd of people, that Kender would likely wind up on the other side with all his pouches bulging with the belongings of at least half the people there. If anyone cornered him and asked him about it, the Kender would innocently reply that "it must have fallen into my pouch." He might then truthfully add, "it's a good thing I found it or somebody else might have taken it." Because of their naivete in regards to personal belongings (especially how they came to possess those items which belong to other people), the worst name one could call a Kender is a 'cutpurse' or 'thief,' for they believe that they are neither -- it was an accident, remember?
Kenders are also entirely and notoriously fearless. While the rest of the party shies away from the edge of the bottomless gorge, the Kender will skip merrily along the edge, cross the rotting foot bridge and stop to smell the roses on the other side while being charged by an enraged minotaur. Everything is an adventure, including death, which, of course, is the last great adventure. This fearlessness might be interpreted as stupidity, but Kender are fiendishly clever in a child-like sort of way. There are certain situations where a Kender has been observed to get a "strange" feeling. This generally happens in the presence of something so evil that most rational people would by then have run away screaming. Tasslehoff Burrfoot made it all the way to the edge of the Shoikan Grove before turning back.
Perhaps the best example of the Kender's caviler attitude is Tanis Half-Elven's warning to Tasslehoff: ask yourself if this action will be condusive to long life. That particular piece of advice has saved Tas's life several times.
Since Kender are so small, some might think they are easily subdued by other races. However, as an adjunct to their fearlessness, Kenders show great aptitude at taunting their enemies. The taunt is usually highly personal, insulting the questionable lineage, appearance, intelligence and odor of the tauntee. The purpose is to throw the enemy into such a rage that it loses its control and attacks without thinking, allowing the Kender a victory. This particular weapon, while working out well to the Kender's advantage, is lamented long and often by the other races, the reason being that the Kender, naturally, never thinks to advise his companions that this is the weapon he will be employing. Understandably, the company is mildly surprised when, while up against a Raistlin-calibre magician and his pet red dragon, the Kender amongst them saunters out and begins insulting the both of them at great length. Usually, the company ends up almost killing the Kender themselves. Most of the time, they realize that both magican and dragon are paralyzed with rage, enabling them to charge the field and win the day. It does, however, tend to fray the nerves a bit.
The Kender's weapon of choice is the hoopak, a long stick with a fork at one end, which can be used as a quarterstaff or a slingshot. In addition, the hoopak makes a unique wailing noise when twirled, which is the universal Kender sign for danger.
As for all the other races, the universal sign of danger is when one hears a high-pitched, childlike voice say, 'oops...' It is at this point that seasoned, hardened warriors instantly turn into track stars.
Well, now that you know what a Kender is, you need to know how to say hello to one properly (to save hurt feelings). Hello!
Would you like to learn about a game that I was just taught? It's fun *G*.Go here.
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