@TheEdVerse In the original 1e FR boxed set, it says halflings “have a light covering of hairy down all over their bodies” but I’ve never seen that referenced elsewhere. Was that an aspect of your home Realms that was later dropped or overlooked in the published Realms?

WE ALL have a light covering of hairy down all over our bodies, if we're human and haven't removed it or suffered from a skin condition or radiation treatment. I presume that line was written in to make hin 'stand out' as a race. (?) I've never had editorial control over FR.

Right. I figured it had to be a notable amount fo hair since it was, well, noted. Speaking of small folk, how did you picture the gnomes of the home Realms? White hair, grey-to-blue eyes, & long wispy beards (as in Greyhawk)? Big long noses? Pointed ears? Human-like proportions?

2) ...and eye hues. Can grow beards but most don't as it gets in the way of craftwork/forgework/cooking/carpentry (and they're ALWAYS busy with their hands). Tiny backswept points to ears. Larger facial features than hin, but many can still "blend" among humans at casual glance.

Ah, very interesting. Thanks! Did gnomes having deep smile lines that give them a wood-carved appearance come from your original notes, or was that a feature added by someone at TSR (like hirsute halfling bods and gold flecks in moon elven eyes)?