Certainly not Rusk, he's a mystery. A ninja halfling though, I'm liking the way you think.
LoDW:
Tomba, during melee, all combatants are considered to be aware of each other unless there is some manner of magical concealment such as invisibility. So, even if there were abundant shadows to be had (as you've requested), you wouldn't be able to hide in them during combat.
To my mind I was leaning more on the being small and insignificant and hopefully overlooked as opposed to requesting shadows but same same and I expected no more than I got.
It was also me looking to see what I can get away with. :o)
I've gamed ADND for 40 years and in all that time I've never played a halfling, and no thieves either. If I play things dumb, it might be the character since he's a little simple, or it might just be me, whose gonna know.