Pondle is a halfling, being equal parts human and elf. His mother’s elven decent brought Pondle qualities of infravision, stealth, dexterity, and determination. Unfortunately, his human side passed along to him greed and stubbornness, two things that swayed him to become a thief.
At a young age, Pondle realized that he could quietly steal small things – coins, jewelry, and items of interest – rather easily. His mostly human friends would dare him to try to steal things from others, each time the risk becoming greater and greater. Though adults caught him several times, they were more amazed at how the young boy succeeded in his thievery, rather than to punish him.
As he became an adolescent, Pondle became more arrogant. He began stealing larger items in exchange for gold, amassing quite a take before finally being caught. At the young age of fourteen, Pondle took on his greatest heist — the bounty of the mayor, some 10,000 gold pieces. Unbeknownst to him, the whole arrangement was a setup. Several townsfolk had their belongings stolen and were convinced that Pondle was the burglar. An unknown number of townspeople watched the mayor’s residence and, when Pondle tried to sneak off with the loot, they quickly apprehended him.
Knowing that Pondle was only a boy, the mayor decided to give him a scare, rather than imprisonment. After a night in jail, the sheriff ordered Pondle out of his cell. With his hands chained behind his back, the local authorities paraded the young lad down the main street. All the townsfolk had lined the streets, cheering the mayor and his men for rounding up the menacing boy. At the center of town, they erected a makeshift staging with a hanging post. The sheriff’s men led Pondle to the stage and placed a bag over his head. The young boy then felt the noose around his neck. The mayor led the crown in a count to three, but instead of opening the trap door to hang Pondle, he removed the cover from his head. The mayor told Pondle he would spare him that day, but if the authorities ever found him stealing again, they would hang him for real.
The sheriff removed the handcuffs, and Pondle ran away in embarrassment. Though he has never lost his skills for thievery, Pondle no longer robs for a living.