PHBR9 - The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings

Player's Handbook 2 n d Edition *

Rules Supplement

The
Complete Book of

Gnomes
Halflings

by Douglas Niles

TSR Inc.

Introduction: The Small To& .5 Chapter 4:
Cooperation ................... 5
The Invisibility Factor .......... 8 Gnome Character Kits . . . . . . . . 44
Fighting Small .......... . 8 Structure of the Kits .............44
Fighter Kits ..................... 45
GNOMES
Breachgnome .................45
Introduction:Gnome- ........................ 9 Goblinsticker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Gnomes in A D L P 2nd Edition ............10 Thief Kits .................................. 48
New Stuff About Gnomes ................. 10 Mouseburglar ............................ 48
Tumbler ................................. 49
Cha* I: Illusionist Kits ..... ...................50
Imagemaker .......................... 50
Myths of the Gnomes ........... 11 Vanisher ................................. 51
Gods of the Gnomedom .... ...... 14 MulticlassKits ............................. 52
Gar1 Glittergold ............ 14 Buffoon (T/I) ......................... 52
Baervan Wildwander ....... 14 Stalker (F/T) .......................... 53
Callarduran Smoothhands PriestKits .............................. 54
Flandal Steelskin .................... 14 Rocktender ........................... 54
Treetender ......... ................55
Segojan Earthcalla ........ 14

14

Urdlen. The Crawler Belov Id

21

Chapter 3: HALFLINGS
GnomishCulture ...............34
Festivals .......................34 Introduction: Halflings ..........59
Fires ........................... 35
MThaerrNiaogseeaKnndoFwasm.il.y.. ...... 35 Halflingsin AD&D@2nd Edition 60
.....
.......35 New Stuff About Halflings .....
Food and Drink ............................ 35
Gems ..................................... 36 Chapter I:
Craftsmanship ..........................
Trade ................ .. .... 36 Myths of the Halflings ........... 1
Taboos ............ .. 37
.... 37 The Story of Littleman ...........t
Emotions .......... . . . . . . . 38
Humor ............ .......39 A General History
Animal Friends ..... of the Halfling Race
0..
Gods of the Halflings
Warfare ................................. 4u
Magic ..................................... 41 r'ondalla the Provider .......
Wandering ................................. 42
Sheela Peryroyl .........
Cyrrollalee ..............

Arvoreen the Defender

Brandobaris ..........

. . . . .I . .. .... ..

. d. . ..... 9P..
Table of Contents

..

k-- Table of Contents

Chapter 2: Burglar ........................... 108
Smuggler .........................
Halfling Subraces ............... 66 Urchin ................................. 110
The Wanderings of Littleman ..... 67 Fighter/ThiefKits .......................... 112
Cartographer ........................ 113
Hairfoot ..................... 68 Trader ............................... 113
stout ......... ............ 69 Traveler ................................ 115
Tallfellow .................... 70 Cleric Kits ................................ 117
Kender .................................. 71 Healer ............................... 118
Athasian Halfling ......................... 73 Leaftender ........................... 118
Furchin .................................. 75 Oracle ........................ 119
12

Chapter 3:
Haffling Culture . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 5:
Lindendale
r II 'a*' The Name "Halflings" ........... -A Typical Halfling Village 121
The Hearth and the Burrow ...... 77
L-- The Family ..................... 79 Description of Lindendale . . . . ... 122
Growing Up .................... 80 Map of Lindendale ....... 123

Sustenance, and More .......................
The Village ................................ OL Appendix: Adventure Suggestions
Crafts, Labor, and Products .................. 82 for Gnome and Halfling Campaigns .. 126
Trade ..................................... 83
Society Norms and Taboos ................... 84 CREDITS
Joyand Humor ............................. n r Designer: Douglas Niles
Sorrow and Anger .......................... Editor: JohnD. Rateliff
Riddles .................................... 86 Color Artists: Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson,
Villages and Shires .......................... 87
Warfare ................................... 87 and Clyde Caldwell
Tactics .................................... 88 Black and White Artists: JamesCrabtree and Ned Dameron
Magic ...................................... 89 Additional Black and White Art: Larry Elmore, Brom, Jim
Why Most Halflings Are Homebodies .........
Why Some Halflings Pursue Adventure ........ 90 Holloway, Stephen Fabian
cartographer: Dave Sutherland
Typographer: Tracey Zamagne
Graphic Designer: Paul Hanchette

TSR, Inc.
201 Sheridan Springs Rd.
Lake Geneva,
I Chapter 4: W I 53147 Cambridge CBl3LB
Halfling Character Kits ....... U.S.A. United Kingdom
The Structure of the Kits ......... YL
Fighter Kits ..................... 93
The Archer ...................93 AD&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, DRAGONLANCP,
Forestwalker ................. 94 FORGOTTEN REALMS, MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM, AL-QADIM,
DARK SUN, DUNGEON MASTER, and SPELWAMMER are registered
Homesteader ............................. 96 trademarksowned by TSR, Inc. The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR,
Mercenary ............................... 98 Inc.
Sheriff .................................. 99 "1993 TSR, Inc. All Rlghts Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Third Printing,
Squire .................................. 101 February 1994.
Tunnelrat ............................... RandomHouseand its affiliate companies haveworldwide distributionrights
Thief Kits ................................. l U 3 in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc.
Bandit .................................. 103 Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR LW.
Bilker .................................. 106 Distributed to the toy and hobby market by regional distributors.
This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of
America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or art-
work printed herein is prohibitedwithout the express written permission of
TSR, Inc.

ISBN 1-56076-573-9

I.

4 Introduction

do gnomes and halflings have in common halflings, especially those that rdate to their
that warrants their inclusion in a tome to- size (which is small not just in comparison
gether? The answer to the second question with humans but most of the other intelligent
lies in the first, for it is the diminutive size of creatures with which they share their world).
both these popular races that is the most sig- These are the traits of the races that are most
nificant factor in the way they cope with useful to players, as well as important hall-
their environment. marks of any all-gnome or all-halfling
campaign.
The worlds of the AD&D@game can be
frighteningand overpowering even to charac- Cuoperation
ters broad of girth, potent of magic, and pos- Gnomes and halflings both have learned the
sessing strength great enough to face many of
those worlds’ challenges. Imagine how much value of cooperating with members of other,
greater the danger to beings of small stature, larger races. Halflings typically carry this in-
limited strength, and little or no magic. teraction farther than do their bearded cous-
ins, but gnomes, too, understand that
This is the environment faced by the gnome alliances and friendship make for more pros-
and the halfling. It is a world teeming with perous neighbors than do feuding and war.
larger races, each of whom claims its niche Members of both races are not inherently ad-
and jealously guards its prerogatives: prolific verse to making business deals with dwarves,
humanity, with its potent wizards and power- humans, and elves-or even humanoid mon-
ful clerics; dour dwarves, with their mighty sters, provided there is no inherent racial an-
fortresses and their doughty fighters; enchant- tipathy. Even where such enmity exists, as
ed elves, masters of the woods; not to mention between gnomes and kobolds or goblins, it is
the monsters-giants, trolls, goblins, ghosts, usually the result of competition for living
and dragons-that lurk everywhere. space; in settings where this traditional bone
of contention is absent (as in the AL-QADIM@
To counter these inherent disadvantages, setting of Zakhara), gnomes find it easy to be-
and to make and keep a place for themselves friend even these traditional enemies. Natu-
in a hard world, gnomes and halflings long rally, halflings and gnomes alike will be
ago developed several traits that allow them cautious regarding offers of mutual coopera-
not only to survive, but to flourish. Common tion from those who have been active enemies
to both races is an instinct for avoiding direct in the recent past, but at least they will give
conflict when possible. Just as valuable is a such offers a fair hearing.
gift for being unobtrusive. But most impor-
tant of all, perhaps, is the open-mindedness Alliances: The value of a military pact with
both halflings and gnomes show in their deal- a strong neighbor is an obvious one to any
ings with members of other racial groups. race. The trick, however, is to avoid the
smaller partner being dominated or swallow-
Despite the many traits they share, gnomes ed up by the larger. The small folk have devel-
are not halflings and halflingsare not gnomes: oped diplomacy into an art and are adept at
each race remains distinct unto itself. Conse- being able to negotiate mutually-beneficial
pacts with a variety of their neighbors. For ex-
quently, this book is divided into two major ample, elves and dwarves might ally them-
sections-one about gnomes and the other selveswith differentgroups of humans but not
about halflings. These sections contain all a with each other, while the humans probably
will have trouble getting along even among
player or DM needs to know about the socie-

ty, character, subraces, and kits of these di-
minutive demihumans.

Still, it’s worth thinking about a few con-

The Small Folk 5

themselves. Halfling or gnome communities from the humans' greed, and-if the friend-
in the same area are quite likely to have mutu- ship between the communities is main-
al assistance agreements worked out with the tained-the halflings will hope that in a few
above mentioned dwarves, elves, and several
years the human policy can be reversed.
of the human nations. Of course, these pacts In an extreme case, where the human ruler

will apply to outside threats only, as the small decides that the woods should be cut down
folk have no desire to get involved in the in- and the lumber used to build him or her a new
ternal power struggles of their neighbors. summer palace, the halflings might be driven

Even in cases where no military alliance is to more dire resistance. If the forest is really
formed, a community of the small folk will
strive mightily to maintain peace with its important to the community's survival and
neighbors. Halflings and gnomes will readily identity they may feel compelled to fight for
it. Rather than declaring war on their neigh-
suggest or agree to negotiation over points of bor, they will sabotage logging operations,
contention, and they are capable of carrying waylay small parties of loggers, and generally
make the project too time consuming and ex-
on these talks for a very long period of time. If pensive for the humans to continue.

a group of humans decides to resolve an issue In all cases of possible conflict, halflings
by force, the small folk will probably agree to will first try affability, progressing from there
the terms without violent resistance unless a to passive resistance, and only resorting to
matter of strong principle is at stake. How- guerilla warfare if all else fails. Gnomes (espe-
ever, even in acquiescence the halflings or cially Rock Gnomes) are somewhat more
gnomes might find a way to make the human quick to anger under mistreatment, but they
victory a hollow one. too will never be the aggressors and will glad-
ly end hostilities at the very first opportunity.
Say, for example, that a small patch of for- It's easy to underestimate the small folk, but
est forms a common border between a human they make tenacious foes to those who insist
town and a halfling village. The halflings will on becoming their enemies.
strive to see that the woods is preserved and
shared, even to the point of bestowing upon Intermingling To varying degrees both kinds
their neighbors gifts of game, mushrooms, of small folk are open to the cultures of other
races, whether this means individual gnomes
and nuts from the woods. If the humans sud- and halflings living amongst humans, dwarves,
and elves or accepting members of the "Big
denly claim the woods as their exclusiveprop- Folk" into their own communities. Between
erty, the halflings will spend a long time trying gnome and halfling, a member of one group will
be warmly welcomed and feel quite comfortable
to talk them out of this selfish notion-and living among or visiting the other.
they'll continue to use the woods as they al-
ways have for so long as the talks last. When gnomes or halflings live among an-
other race, say in a populous city, they are
If, however, the local human ruler issues an adept at retaining their old customs while
order barring halflings from the forest and sets adapting them to the traits and peculiarities of
guards around it to see that he or she is the people around them. The hearth, so essen-
obeyed, the halflings will probably resort to tial to the halfling, or the fire without which
discreet poaching, using their skills at moving no gnome dwellingwould be complete, will be
silently to evade the guards. Ironically, with-
out the tending of Forestwalkers and Leaften- found anywhere a member of the respective
ders (see the halfling kits), the forest will race calls home-even if "home" is a corner in
produce much less-and the humans proba- a crowded tenement and the hearth a mere
bly can't even find the mushrooms! Within a
short time, the woods will become a wilder,
more desolate place. Thus, both sides suffer

- Introduction



e nourished within a many a halfling or gnome has success-

he small folk will ven- ter. Halflings use the time thus gained for
e forth, sampling the city’s wonders, ex- some quick picking of pockets or other sleight
ploring its corners bright and dark, and as of hand and to escape from potentially sticky
likely as not making a few friends in the proc- situations, while gnomes use it to buy time
ess. Within a short time after their arrival, and to set up elaborate practical jokes.
chances are that they will be productive and
popular members of the urban communitv. ighting Small
When courtesy and elusiveness both fail
The Invwbility Factor
There isn‘t any magical vanishing act (with nd the small folk are forced into combat,
they are adept at using their size to their own
the exception of certain gnome illusionists), advantage. Whenever possible, halflings and
but both gnomes and halflings have inherent gnomes will choose to fight in an area where
talents at “blending into the woodwork,” so to larger creatures are hindered b y overgrowth,
speak-at least, in situations where they de- low ceilings, or narrow constricting passages.
sire not to be noticed. This is not so much a Gnomes are particularly skilled at fighting
matter of size as it is of skill; a skill they take giant-class creatures, using their small size
time to cultivate (it‘s significant that the favor-
ite game of both gnome and halfling children and nimbleness to gain the - 4 bonus to Ar-

”Hide and Seek”!). mor Class against them; halflings employ
their Dexterity in other ways and have
woodland settings, this trait is illustrated mastered the use of small missile weapons so
effectively by the halfling‘s ability to lit- that they can do battle with larger creatures

one approaching and take shelter before they cape route that is only large enough to let a
are discovered.
gnome or halfling squeeze through. If these
In more social circumstances, the small folk
are adept at directing attention away from crawlways are framed with sturdy stone en-
themselves, whether in a city street, crowded trances, they can effectively block pursuit b y
tavern, or elegant dinner party. By moving larger creatures-and even if they‘re merely
quickly and smoothly, the diminutive charac- dirt, the time and effort needed to expand the
ters will often cause a human or elf to react tunnels often allows the fleeing gnome or half-
ling family time to escape.
with “I could have sworn there was a gnome
there! Where‘d he go?” And when others are In any conflict, the rules the small folk rely
asked, it turns out that no one saw him leave on to survive are easily summed up: never
ory of his presencef Under most circumstanc- lose your head, take advantage of the Big
and, when all else fails, run awa

The full moon cast its pure illumination The file of figures marched steadily and si-
across a region of rocky hills, etching each Zently into the vale, gathering by village and
knob in coral light or black shadow. Fringes clan into its corners, settling themselves in
of forest clustered among the stone of cliff and grassy clearings or atop rocky outcrops. More
pinnacle, like shaggy hair trailing from the than a thousand were already here, and thou-
scalp and shoulders of granite-faced giants. sands more had yet to come.
Higher and higher the moon climbed into the
night sky, bringing more of the landscape into But enter they did, as the moon neared its
brilliant relief. zenith. Now the entire floor of the valley was
washed by the cool illumination, as the last of
Yet even that brilliancedid not penetrate the the littlefellows entered via the narrow crack.
shadowy realms of forest in the valley bot- They settled themselves comfortably, and
though the vale teemed with upraised faces,
toms, where dank cliffs glowered overhead no sound disturbed the still, midnight air.
and narrow tracks wound their way through
And then the moon began to fade.
inky shadow.
I t was here, on these invisible trails, that The sturdy but diminutive gnome is per-

small figures moved in steady progression. haps the most misunderstood of the tradition-
They came from everywhere, emerging from
narrow cave mouths in the rocky cliffs, or al AD&D@ game .character races. They’re kind
dark ravines in the depths of the forest glen- of
and even from gaps in craggy stumps, where like dwarves, of course.. but isn’t there’s
the hollowed shells of ancient trees provided
this small folk with access to their well con- more to it than that?
cealed abodes.
Indeed there is. Gnomes do share some
They remained in the shadows as they fol-
lowed the secret tracks. Each figure was short, traits with their longer bearded cousins: they
no more than half the height of a man, but
these little folk walked with a confidant and are exceptional miners, comfortable under-
steady march, as if they knew that nothing
would stand in their way on this night. Small ground, and resistant to magic. Yet, to the
beards, neatly trimmed around the chin, dis-
tinguished the faces of the males, while the shorter nosed dwarves, gnomes seem exces-
rounded cheeks of the femaleswere framed by
long, unbound locks of curling hair. sively frivolous, sometimes even weaklings.

Finally the marching columns came to a Gnomes are quite comfortable out of doors,
gathering of the trails, and here the path en-
tered a narrow slot between two sheer and well at home in a forest. The major rituals of
craggy cliffs. One after the other these small
folk marched into the crack, following the gnomish life all occur beneath the stars, and
twists and turns that would have blocked the
passage of a creature any taller or any wider. no cosmic symbol is as important to them as

Evmtually the enclosing walls spread away, an eclipse, in contrast to the dwarves, who
letting the glory of the moonlight reveal a rock-
walled valley. A pond of cool water reflected prefer nothing so much as solid rock overhead
the light in wind-rippled sparkles, while a nar-
row waterfall spumed like a column of ivory and care little for cosmic occurrences of any

down the face of a towering cliff. kind.

Gnomes are also cheerful and social crea-

tures, of good-tempered and tolerant disposi-

tion. They regard rudeness as a major fault-a

characteristicwhich in itself is enough to mark

them as very different from most dwarves!

Gnomes relish the company of other gnomes

and will eagerly compete in the telling of tales.

Their calendar is marked by many festivals,

each of which is an occasion of great feasting,

drinking, singing, and dancing.

Although gnomes are friendly, they are also

reticent; it is possible to know a gnome for

many years without learning much about hi omes in many ways, they are neverthelessa
(or her). When a gnome does become frien iistinct group, prefer& the habitat of wooded
with a member of another race. that Derson glades and deep meadows to the rock-and-dirt-
adopted by the gnome’s whole f a m i l y k some walled underground lairs of their more common
one they like and trust. Gnomes have much to kin.
fear from the larger creatures of the world
but they have not allowed this caution to be The section also includes a selection of play-
come a compelling paranoia. er character kits for gnomes, each of which
entails specific advantages and liabilities, al-
Very fond of good food, gnomes show little lowing players to tailor their characters to-
imagination in their recipes. They are skilled ward the specific desires of the PC’s campaign
with fire, and quite uncomfortable-even for- and background.
lorn-if circumstances prevent them from
having an evening blaze. The final chapter in this section briefly de-
scribes a typical gnomish village, designed so
Finally, the gnomes have raised the art of it will easily fit in any AD&D@ campaign
the illusionist to a cultural heritage that per world. This warren can serve as a suitable
meates many aspects of gnomish life and soci ’home base‘ from which to launch an all-
ety. The steadfast loyalty and useful skills of a gnomish campaign. Finally, the Appendix at
gnome character can provide fine additions to the end of the book contains several adven-
any group of adventurer
nomish PCs.
Gnomesin AD&D@2nd Edition

Gnomes as a player character race are intro
duced in the Player’s Handbook and the
DUNGEON M S T E R @Guide.

In addition, as NPCs they have been cov-
ered with an entry in the Monstrous Compen-
dium, Volume One. Two of the gnomish
subraces are also covered in Monstrous Com-
pendium entries-the Svirfneblin in the
FORGOTTEN REALMS@ Appendix (MC3)
and the Tinker Gnomes (Minoi) in the
DRAGONLANCE@Appendix (MC4).

New Stuff About Gnomes
This section of The Complete Book of

Gnomes and Halflings will attempt to flesh
out the gnome and his or her society. The way
these little people live and interact, the things
that motivate them to be brave, cautious, or
shy, and the kind of world they desire for
themselves and their offspring are all treated
in some detail.

In addition, the various subraces of gnomes

are distinguished-includmg the Rock Gnomes,
who are the typical gnomes of the campaign
world, as well as the Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)

- Introductic,,

I CHAPTER

Myths ot the Gnomes

The moon faded as the shadow of the world eyes gleaming like twin diamonds of incom-
slipped across its surface, until the natural am- prehensible size and value.
phitheater-recently so brilliantly illuminated
under the full circle of white glare-slipped in- Murmurs of appreciation and comprehen-
to darkm, deeper shadow. Finally, in nearly sion rippled through the assembled gnomes.
complete blackness, the masters stepped from They knew that this was the image of Gar1
their niches onto the stages of honor set around Glittergold,the patriarch of the gnomish pan-
the gathering. Each of these stages was a pinna- theon of deities from time immemorial. In
cle of rock, rising several dozen feet above the mute confirmation, the gleaming shape of a
heads of assembled gnornedom. huge, silver-bladed axe materialized in the
god's hands. This, they knew, was Arumdina
One of these masters raised his hands and the Justifier, the great battleaxe that would
muttered an incantation. Immediately the cleave the enemies of gnomedom as easily as
midnight air around him flared into a blossom she might slice through water. '
of red light, light that spilled like a shower of
liquid onto the floor of the valley. Another Other fountains of color spurted upward,
master spoke, and green illuminationgrew in and within them grew the shapes of additional
a spurting fountain around her. Soon other gods-the mischievous and merry face of
showers of light, in blues and whites and pale Baervan Wildwanderer;the calm, stoney fea-
yellows, spread across the darkened vale. The tures of CalladuranSmoothhands; the vibrant
rock walls reflected the magical flares until the metal-faced visage of Flandal Steelskin; Sego-
whole o f the bowl-shaped vale brightened un- jan Earthcaller's benign features-until the
der the illusionarymagic. whole cosmic family was represented in the
bright vale.
Then the circle of lights faded again, as a
file of stunted figures moved into the smooth Only then came the creepingwhite shadow,
clearing beside the lake. Abruptly, these reaching forward with steel-shod claws, its
gnomes raised their hands-and the tale of the shape like that of a blunt and blinded beast. I t
glowed like a corpse-candle, its illumination
gods began.... swallowing up all other light, its pale glare un-
mistakably pure evil.
Unlike most other civilized races, the
gnomes do not have a creation myth. Instead, The gnomes gasped collectively, and little
they view the world-and their place in it-as ones instinctively shrank beside their moth-
a constant within the flow of time, changing ers, for they all knew that this was Urdlen-
only in small and insignificant ways. In the the dark center of evil that remained, even
big picture, they assume that things will re- within gnomedom, always ready to flourish
main very much as they always have been. in the world.
Good and evil, chaos and law, exist in equilib-
rium, and the preservation of this balancing The gnomish outlook on life requires a very
act is the primary purpose of time. balanced view of the universe. Thus, while
gnomes consider themselves and their race to
A great wall of white light flickered into the be generally good, the force of evil in the
sky. A fountain of golden sparks appeared in world-and even within the gnomes them-
the midst of the pale illumination, and the selves-cannot be denied. Indeed, only b y ac-
whiteness encircled the gold like a mantle knowledging evil, by recognizing it as the
wrapping royal shoulders. Slowly a figure counterpoint of goodness, can the balance of
grew distinct-gnomish of form but enor- all things be maintained.
mous in size, covered with ripplinggolden, his
Like the gnomes themselves and the other
gods, Urdlen the Evil One is assumed to have

always been there, and to remain for all time fare-so extremely rare.
to come. Yet only in the steady struggle When they do occur, the practicers of vio-
against the creature and what it represents can
the truly happy and vital nature of these peo- lence (on both sides) are likely to face com-
ple be insured. plete ostracism until the conflict is resolved. It
is interesting to note that, once resolution is
The colors flowed and flamed. In their tow- achieved, the gnomes are usually quick to for-
ering pillars they told of the great battles of give and to welcome transgressors back into
life, as darkness ever strives to swallow light the fold. Their patience is not limitless, how-
but always the brightness breaks through. ever, and blatant aggressorsor bullies who re-
peatedly hector others are not likely to be
Thousands of gnomish throats first howled easily forgiven. Fortunately, such malefactors
with laughter, then groaned in collective grief, are quite rare.
as the images of the gods cavorted across the
epic stage. They watched in awe as Garl Glit- The image of the goldenskinned gnome,
surrounded by his entourage of lesser gods,
tergold raised his axe, chopping at imaginary cavortedfrom mountaintop to hillcrest, scam-
pering around the vale that held so many of
stantions of stone to bring a thunderous col-
lapse-this was the tale of Garl's triumph over his people. They laughed and roared at his an-
Kurtulmak the kobold god, in which Garl
brings down the cavern that Kurtulmak would tics, cheering as he and Baervan sat together
at a table and alternately stole a succulent
have made his prison upon his captor's head. haunch of roast back and forth from each oth-
er. The illusionary roast, which was the size of
Next the images of a thousand gnomes, ar- a small house, sizzled and sputtered, casting
rayed for war, marched from the cliff walls, the warmth of steam and the scent of its juices
striving toward each other with braying trum- enticingly across the gathering.
pets and drums that pounded like thunder. But
again came Garl Glittergold, the goldenskinned But then the crowd drew breath in hushed
anticipation as they saw, lurking in the hollow
giant of a gnome, and with a swipe of his axe he below GarlS golden image, the hideous bulk
of Urdlen, The Crawler Below. Reaching up-
cast glittering sparks of light all across the ward with steely claws, the hairless, blind
ground. Immediately the gnomish host threw beast groped for the higher gods, seeking to
down their arms, and the audience roared with strike and injure them in its spite and hate.
amusement as they scuttled about to collect the Small gnomish children, not yet initiated in
gems that their deity had scattered. By the time the scope of the tale, shouted warnings, their
the gathering was done, the weapons were lost squeaking voices rising above the hush and
and the trivial argument that had once pro- stillness of the vale.
pelled them to war had been forgotten.
Garl took no notice, however, instead
Central to the mythology and self aware- choosing that moment to perch on one foot
ness of the gnomes is a sense of the race's to- and do a wild, spinning dance for the edifica-
getherness-even among the different tion of the crowd. Ever upward crept the
subraces that make up the whole (see Chapter monstrous mole, until those steel talons
2). Indeed, one of Garl Glittergolds main reached almost to the great god's golden boot.
tasks in the world is to intercede in potential
gnome-to-gnome conflicts, usually by humor Suddenly, just as Urdlen prepared to lunge
and diversion. It is this awareness that makes at its apparently unsuspecting victim, Garl
conflicts among these folk-whether they be leapt into the air and did a double somersault
marital arguments, property disputes, disre- backwards over the creeping beast, finally
spectful youth, bitter clan rivalries, or war-

12 Chapter One 1

corning to rest on a hilltop a full quarter-mile gnome will apply himself or herself to it with
away. Hissing in hate and spite, the evil mole great good humor, even carrying his or her
reared u p to make a last desperate swipe at its joking wit and humorous outlook into the
escaping prey, only to overbalance in its haste subterranean depths of a mine or down the
and fall backward, rolling over and over like a forest trail.
runaway snowball as it slid down the slippery
slope, not stopping until it hit the bottom of But it is when the work is done that the true
the shaded vale between the two summits. A
moment later an avalanch nature of gnomehood becomes apparent. Nc
lodged in its fall buried it
one could mistake a boisterous gathering oi
And then, to the echo o
the relieved cheers of ten
the shadow slipped from

As brightness again fill

formance of the illusion
bration began.

The task of the gno
his or her place in the
important work and equally important play.
Whatever the nature of the job at hand, a

&1 Myths of the Gnomes 13

GodsofGmedoim the master of stone, worshipped primarily by
Gnomes are not a tremendously devout Svirfneblin. The Deep Gnomes consider him
equal in might to Garl Glittergold, though he
folk, but they do have a well-developed pan- is largely ignoredby the other subraces. It was
Calladuran who taught Svirfneblin how to
theon of deities, and they like to honor their summon and befriend earth elementals. He
gods with frequent ”observances”-rites that will often send his avatar to aid his people; his
tend to be performed, naturally, as wild and appearance is that of a wiry Svirfneblinminer,
raucous festivals. The major gods listed below indistinguishable from virtually any other
are described in more details on pages 33-37 Deep Gnome except for a golden ring with a
and 71 of DMGR4, Monster Mythology. star insignia he always wears.

Garl Glittergold (Greater God) is the patri- Flandal Steelskin (Intermediate God), with his
arch of the hierarchy and probably the most skin of mithril steel, eyes like flaming coals, and
approachable of all the Greater Gods. He of- beard of silver-blue, is the patron of gnomish
ten travels the worlds looking for mischief to smiths-not just blacksmiths but also gold-
get into. He appears as a gold-skinned gnome smiths, silvmmiths, and all other workers in
with gemstoneeyes that shift from sapphire to metal. He is physically the strongest of the
emerald to ruby. gnomish gods, and his uncanny ability to sniff
of the veins of metal that thread thro
A master of pranks, Garl is a good- earth makes him a patron of miners.
humored jokester who is nevertheless proud
and protective of his diminutive followers. Segojan Earthcaller (Intermediate G o
Hi3 chief concerns are twofold: to see that nature deity whose province is the creatures
gnomes everywhere cooperate and work to- who burrow through the earth; he taught the
gether and to remind them that while life may gnomes how to befriend moles, badgers, and
sometimes be hard, it‘s important to always other subterranean animals. He appears as a
keep a sense of humor. grey-skinned gnome clad in armor made from
grass and roots, accompanied by an intelli-
Garl carries his intelligent two-headed axe, gent stone golem.
Arumdina, everywhere he goes; she is more a
companion than a possession. Although he is Urdlen (Intermediate God)%form is that or a
a capable fighter, he prefers to use trickery white mole, hairless, sexless, and blind but
and illusions to accomplish his goals, and en-
courages his followers to do the same. with wicked claws of steel. A mindless force

Baervan Wildwanderer (Intermediate God) is of malicious evil and destruction, Urdlen
the most popular member of the pantheon af serves as a warning to every gnome to beware
ter his friend Garl, for he is the protecter of the the taint of greed that lies within the gnomish
forests and glades that are so important to delight in gems and jewelry. In keeping with
gnomish well-being. Even the Svirfneblin the importanceof a balance of forces, Urdlen’s
honor him as the ”Father of Fish and Fungus.” place in the pantheon is unquestioned, though
Baervan is also the patron of gnomish thieves the god is greatly feared and secretly reviled.
and a mischief-maker to rival Garl himself. He Its few worshippers destroy gems and works
is pictured as a spry old gnome with nut- of art to propitiate the god and thus are re-
brown skin and a jaunty beard. His friend and garded as immoral villains by the bulk of
constant companion in his escapades is a giant gnomish society.
raccoon named Chiktikka Fastpaws.

Callarduran Smoothhands (Greater God) is

14 Chapter One

The gnome subraces are very distinct “I’vehad some experience with the little fel-
groups of these diminutive demihumans. Two
of them, the typical gnome (also known as the lows, if I do say so myself... matter of fact, I
Rock Gnome) and the Deep Gnome, or
Svirfneblin, have been introduced and used in had a whole team of ‘em apprenticing in m y
smithy a while back. They were good work-
a number of AD&D@products. Hence, both ers, too-though not quite serious enough for
have long been known to players and DMs. m y taste. Too many jokes and pranks, not a
good idea around a hot forge! And those illu-
The third type, the Tinker Gnome or Minoi, sions! Never did know if it was a real fire I was
is a native of Krynn, encountered primarily in lookin’ at or just one of them bright spells.

DRAGOWANCP campaigns (though, dis- “Still,they caught on quick to everything 1
tried to teach ‘em. They could shovel coal
tressingly, they have been known to spread to good as any dwarf-well, good as some
other realms through the use of Spelljammers). dwarves-and they showed a real gift for
wielding the hammer and shaping the steel.
These bemgs are very much like typical gnomes ‘Course,they don’t have the patience to make
a real quality sword or axeblade, but they had
in appearance, but their personality and out- the technique down okay. They’d batter at it
look, and especially their overzealous love of awhile, then one of ’em would make a joke
technology, makes them very distinct as a sub- and the next thing you know the bellows’d be
race (and an extreme menace to themselves and idle and the metal would be gettin‘ cool.
their companions).
“Anotherthing, too-when it came to mak-
A fourth gnomish subrace, the Forest ing the hilt, that‘s where they really shined!
I‘ve never seen gemwork like those gnomes
Gnome, is introduced here. These shy folk are could do, working any kind o f stone into a
relatives of the Rock Gnome, though they do leather hilt, wrapping it onto the steel butt
not share their cousins‘ love of mining and ex- with scarcely a wauer or imperfection. You
cavation. The rarest of gnome subraces, the know, as long as they let a dwarf do the finish-
Forest Gnomes is most likely to be encoun- ing of the edge and the tempering of the blade,
tered in pristine woodlands and undisturbed those gnomes could put the finishing touches
wilderness. They tend this habitat with sur- on a weapon like you’ve never seen before!
prisingly fierce determination.
“When they were done with work-now
In keeping with the gnomes’ lack of a crea- that‘s another story. Showed no proper re-
spect for their teachers or elders. Sat around
tion myth, they have no folklore to describe and drank like fish, far as I could tell. And
the origin of the different subraces-the dif- those songs !Many’s the time I got up out o f a
ferent branches of the racial family are as- sound sleep and had to kick ‘em out o f the
sumed to have always been there. While place, just so I could get a little rest (I had to
there’s no hostility between the subraces (un- get the fire going before dawn, you know-
like the High Elves and the Drow, or the Hill that’sanother thing you couldn’t count on the
Dwarves and the Duergar), there is also little
contact. Each subrace keeps mostly to itself, gnomes to do!).
“Still,you know, I kind of miss ’em. Wo
and it is very rare to find mixed communities
have been glad to keep ’emon, too. A couple
of Rock Gnomes with Svirfneblin, Forest were skilled enough to be journeymen-might
Gnomes, or (Gar1 forbid!) Tinker Gnomes. have even made the mastership! But that
weren’t for them. Nope, instead they learned
Bib f, nose, p i c k with a laugh, cheerful, what they could and then, all in a pack, just

visionary, and industrious in their approach
to life, the Rock Gnomes form the picture of
the gnomish race as it is viewed bv most of the

r&r folk who know them.

1 Gnome Subraces 15

lil

up and left one day. I heard tell they went of all kinds, and in fact each subrace has a
stone that it reveres above all others. No other
buck to their grotto, but o f course I've never gnomish race, however, is as adept at cutting
been up there to check." and shaping these precious baubles as are the
Rock Gnomes. The gem symbol of this sub-
-Gwintroc Fanish, dwarf and master race is, appropriately, the diamond. Dia-
weaponsmith, on his experiences in monds are used as symbols of status and
working with Rock Gnomec accomplishment, and wealthy and highly re-
garded clans will often have dishes, candela-
Rock Gnomes are the most common type of bras, and other elegant possessions encrusted
gnome among the known worlds, and indeed, with these hard and precious stones.
when one speaks of a "gnome," chances are he
or she means a Rock Gnome. While not a pop- The most distinctive physical characteris-
ulous race in comparison to humans or other tic of the Rock Gnome is an enormous nose-
demihumans, they are encountered in a wide a proboscis that is larger than that of any
variety of environments, showing no particu- dwarf or human, despite the gnome's diminu-
lap preference for any one type of climate. tive size. Indeed, the size of one's nose is a
They do, however, tend to make their homes matter of some status among Rock Gnomes,
in areas with an abundance of natural rock and more than one good-natured debate has
(even if it's invisible under a layer of loam and resulted in actual comparisons being made.
forest). The true test of a mighty nose is the ability to
poke it into your opponent's eye without
All gnomes have a fondness for gemstones

having his nose do more than tickle the fringe approach the venerable age of 750 years.
of your beard (the use of the male pronoun is The first half-century of a gnome‘s life is gen-
not generic here; females pride themselves on
big noses too, but in addition to lacking erally spent in a carefree childhood. Youngsters
beards they are less prone to such boisterous are indulged and benignly guided by their el-
comparisons). ders, with rarely a harsh word or punishment
Rock Gnomes average about 3%’ in bet. employed against them. The children learn by
Unlike the burly dwarves, who tend to weigh as example and strive to please the adults around
much or more than the average human, Rock them. Sages attributethe fact that all gnomes re-
Gnomes are lightly-built. Their small frame is spond better to praise and encouragement than
deceptive, however, for despite their size these threats to this upbringing.
gnomes are as strong as most humans.
The eye color of a Rock Gnome is predomi- By the time he or she has reached 50 years
nantly blue, though shades of green and, rarely, of age, a gnome is expected to begin applying
yellow or brown are not unknown.Such unusu- himself or herself to the development of a use-
al eye colors are apparent from birth and is con- ful skill and to learn the basics of self-defense
sidered to signify either very good fortune or and weaponcraft. However, during this half-
very dire omens, dependmg on the traditions of century-long adolescence, gnomes are still not
that particular gnomish community. subjected to an array of responsibilities-in-
The brownish color of the Rock Gnomes stead, they are encouraged to experiment with
a variety of trades and activities until they
skin can be encountered in many shades, find those best suited to their own talents and
ranging from a light tan to nearly black. personality.
While the race does not avoid the sun, they
suffer no effects from exposure-they don’t The occasion of his or her hundredth birth-
sunburn or tan, so the shade of a gnome’s skin day is of great significance to a Rock Gnome,
has nothing to do with the proportion of his for it indicates that he or she has reached
or her life spent outdoors or underground. In adulthood. It is customary for his or her fami-
mature adults, the hair and beard are almost Iy to host a large party, with a gathering of
universally white or pale gray, but in young- any clans within traveling distance to cele-
sters and adolescents one will find as wide a brate the coming of age. Since the party itself
variety of hair color as among human-kind. is likely to run for a month or more, it is not
Only the males are bearded, with facial hair uncommon for gnomes to travel hundreds of
growing in near the beginning of the gnome’s miles for such a get-together1 Each clan will
second century of life. Unlike dwarves, how- bring a practical gift for the newly anointed
ever, gnome males keep their beards neatly adult, and it is a cause for great pride if the
brushed and trimmed, with a maximum present is judged to be the finest among the ar-
length of only about six inches. Sometimes the ray of gifts. However, the practical nature of
beard will be trimmed into fashionable shapes these tokens is inviolate-boots, a shield, a
such as a goatee, or brushed into a long, curl- sturdy tunic, even a weapon or tool are all ap-
ing point (or pair of points, in a real statement propriate. Gem-encrusted baubles, works of
of high fashion). art, or simple decorations, although highly
While the average lifespan of a Rock valued by gnomes, will not be given as com-
Gnome is in the area of four centuries, it is not ing-of-age gifts.
uncommon to find an elder patriarch or matri-
arch who has been around for more than 600 The industrious nature of gnomes is weli-
years. The oldest of them have been known to documented, and probably represents their
closest similarity to dwarves. Like dwarves,
gnomes will organize for a task, with each in-
dividual lending his or her talents where they

i Gnome Subrace I I

will be most useful. When digging a tunnel, from dwarves or humans, however, rather
for example, the strongest gnomes will work than smelting it themselves. The finest weap-
with picks to break up the rock in their path, ons in a gnomish community are generally of
while others-more nimble, if not so power- outside (dwarven or elven) manufacture, of-
ful-scamper among the flailing picks, scoop- ten purchased in trade with the gem and jew-
ing up the debris with shovels and pails. A elry work that they do so well.
third group of gnomes, those who are very
hardy and capable of great endurance, will Rock Gnomes also can become skilled car-
carry the crushed rock (often in wheelbar- penters and (perhaps not surprisingly, given
rows, but sometimes in leather sacks slung their dextrous and artistic nature) exceptional
over the shoulder) out of the tunnel to the woodcarvers. Though most gnomes do not
dumping grounds. devote a lot of attention to fabrics, those that
do are skilled tailors and embroiderers as well.
In their pursuit of mining, gnomes are not
so speedy to excavate as dwarves, but they are In the area of culinary skills gnomes are not
more careful with what they find. Indeed, so elaborate. In fact, their standards when
many a vein of ore that has been "played out" compared to halflings are downright plain.
by dwarven standards has been taken over by Their ideal meal is boiled or roasted meat, un-
gnomes and continued to yield its riches to the spiced, accompanied by potatoes and mush-
more meticulous gnomish miners. rooms. Also unlike halflings, Rock Gnomes
rarely keep cows, so they have little milk, but-
Even while they work, however, these ter, or cheese. Their bread is unleavened and
gnomes will pursue their tasks with high good relatively unpalatable to others with more re-
humor, bawdy stories, and a succession of fined tastes.
jokes of all types. Only rarely, however, will
this frivolity interfere with the effectivenessof In the area of brewing, Rock Gnomes be-
the group's work. lieve themselves to be every bit the match of
halflings and humans and insist that they
Nowhere is Rock Gnome precision more in make a much tastier beverage than the heavy
evidence than in their stonecutting and mead favored by dwarves; some gnomes even
gemwork. Their skill at cutting, polishing, champion their wares above the famed elvish
and mounting gemstones is unsurpassed by wines. Impartial judges pronounce gnomish
any other race. They are also skilled enough brews a distinctive but acquired taste. Gnom-
metalworkers to make elaborate frames and ish brewers make a variety of ales and are in-
mounts for jewelry. Indeed, gnomish metal- genious at finding ways to chill these
smiths work better with soft metals such as sil- beverages even in the height of summer. They
ver and gold than they do with iron and will employ underground storage caverns, of-
steel-another significant difference between ten sealed in ice which is brought down during
them and their larger cousins, the dwarves. colder months. In fact, many gnome com-
Gold chain belts, silver necklaces, and shining munities will have wooden piping systems in-
buttons are all proudly displayed by the well- stalled from these subterranean coolers so that
accoutred gnome. the amber fluid can be pumped to spigots on
the surface. Any gnomish innkeeper worth his
This is not to say that gnomes cannot be- or her salt (high praise indeed for a gnome!)
come fine blacksmiths when they are so in- will have such an arrangement in the cellar,
clined. Indeed, every community will have at and as a general rule, the better the chill on the
least one well-muscled resident who is in beverage, the higher the perceived quality of
charge of toolmaking and of crafting other ob- the establishment.
jects such as dishes and weapons out of iron
and steel. Gnomes generally purchase steel Rock Gnomes typically make abysmal

18 Chapter Two

I IIIL

farmers, but they can be capable hunters and slopes of jagged rocks, or along the edge of a
are excellent at gathering the bounty of their deep gorge, with a rolling torrent of icy water
native woodlands, including nuts, fruits, plunging below.

grubs, mushrooms, and wild greens. A com- Rock Gnomes are very social creatures, and
generally live in thriving, active communities.
munity will typically tend a small field of Such communities are organized into up to a
grain, which is used in about equal propor- dozen clans, and all permanent residents are
tions to make bread and ale. member of one or another of these families.
Smaller outposts may consist of a single tight-
In one area Rock Gnomes most closely re- knit family, with a patriarch, matriarch, or
semble elves among all the other demi-hu- pair of elders providing benign leadership
mans-in the category of music and dancing. over three or four dozen gnomes. The typical
Unlike dwarves, gnomes are very musical, upper limit of any one community is 400-500
and have designed and perfected a wide varie- gnomes, mainly due to limitations in the sur-
ty of instruments including flutes and horns, rounding food supply-not due to any desire
stringed instruments such as lutes and mando- for isolation from their neighbors.
lins, and a great assortment of percussion.
The latter range from concave rocks, rattles, Whatever the size of a Rock Gnome settle-
cymbals, and gongs to standard drums made ment, the chain of status will always culmi-
of hide stretched over a base of wood or nate in one unquestioned leader. To this chief
metal. The most talented gnomish musicians (who is usually, but not always, male) come
are famed for their skill and highly sought as all crucial decisions on matters of defense and
entertainers, and nearly every adult can play trade, as well as the arbitration of the rare in-
some sort of instrument; family gatherings of- stances of discord within the community.
ten climax in a cacophony of music-making When this chief makes a ruling or command,
and merriment. Unfortunately (for non- he or she is obeyed immediately, with a disci-
gnomish listeners, at any rate) their vocal pline that can instantly transform a pastoral
skills in no way come close to their instru- community into a determined work force or
ment-playing abilities, and since they insist on warlike army at need.
singing along to most every kind of music, the
resulting melodies are not necessarily pleasant Most communities of Rock Gnomes will be
to the non-gnomish ear. found within a few days’ or weeks‘ travel of
each other, with grand gatherings of the
A Rock Gnome’s idea of an ideal setting for a clans-often including four or five thousand
gnomes-held every decade or so. These festi-
home is an area of w d e d hills with an under- vals can last for a fortnight or more and gener-
lying bedrock of limestone that can be trans- ally climax in frenzied musical performances,
formed into a complicated network of lairs, nose-measuring contests, tournaments to de-
termine who is best at drinking, snoring, and
tunnels, and stairways. Rock Gnomes are not other things, and feasting.
so comfortable in the deep and dank recesses of
the Underdark as, say, dwarves-or their own The individual burrows of the Rock
Gnomes are small and tidy. Generally a mar-
gnomish cousins, the Svirfneblin. Therefore, ried couple will have a small chamber to
their settlements will almost always be found themselves, with all children (cousins as well
near the surface, where the steepfacesof hillside as siblings) sharing a common room. Adoles-
or cliff can provide a number of entrances and cents are segregated by sex, with a large bur-
airholes to a many-layered dwelling. Often row having two separate chambers for its
these entrances must be reached along narrow young males and females respectively. Most
and precarious trails-easily traveled b y
gnomesized creatures but perilous to larger
would-be intruders-taking one far above steep

Gnome Subraces 19

of these private chambers will be connected tend to find gnome cities claustrophobic,
via tunnels to a central familychamber, where while the furniture and passageways between
the fire is kept, food is prepared and eaten, rooms are usually too cramped for the aver-
and the family members meet for the talk and age dwarf. Halflings sometimes exchange ex-
socialization that occupies virtually all their tended visits to their gnome neighbors but it's
nonworking waking hours. The common a rare halfling who leave his or her own bur-
room will always have a chimney vented to row behind forever.
the outside (often through a very long pas-
sage). Ideally, it will have some other access to Table 1: Rock Gnome Ability Scores
fresh air and light as well-chambers with no
window are considered oppressive and tomb- Ability Minimum Maximum
like by many Rock Gnomes.
Strength 6 18
The family quarters will also connect (usu-
ally via an underground passage) to the other Dexterity 3 18
families that make up the clan; and similarly
each clan in the community will be connected Constitution 8 18
to the others. At every place junctures occur,
there are large chambers. In the bigger towns Intelligence 7 19
these areas contain inns and shops, as well as
open commons where impromptu parties (as Wisdom 3 17
well as many scheduled festivals) can take
place. Charisma 3 18

Gnomes travel frequently among their com- -Ability Score Adjustments:
munities, and many of them will venture into
human or demihuman cities out of curiosity. +1to Intelligence; 1to Wisdom
They mix well with halflings and find life in a
halfling village quite pleasant. Unlike half- Languages: Gnome, Common, Dwarf, Half-
lings, they have no particular compulsion that
holds them to their own homes or locales, and ling, Kobold, Goblin, and Burrowing Animal
their long lifespansafford them the time to in-
dulge their curiosity about how other races (the latter is a language of signs, grunts, and
live.
snorts that allows minimal communication
While Rock Gnomes can survive and even
flourish in a community of humans, dwarves, with moles, badgers, weasels, and similar
elves, or halflings, few would care to leave
their fellow gnomes permanently. It's far more creatures, including giant versions).
common for a gnome to live among other
races for a few decades, perhaps even a centu- Infravision: Yes (60')
ry or more, before returning home to his or
her own clan. Perhaps a quarter of all Rock Special Features: Rock Gnomes have a num-
Gnomes spend at least part of their second
century "seeing the world before returning to ber of special abilities. These are described on
take up his or her role in clan affairs.
page 22 of the Player's Handbook and are
Rock Gnomes will sometimes welcome
members of other races into their communi- summarized here for easy reference:
ties. However, humans and especially elves
Detect Underground Features-Like dwarves,

Rock Gnomes can locate slopingpassages (1-5

on ld6), flawed stonework (1-7 on Idlo), and

approximate depth (1-4 on ld6) and direction

(1-3on ld6) underground.
Saving Throw Bonus-The Rock Gnome
gains a +1bonus to his or her saving throws

versus spell for every 3.5 points of Constitu-

tion.
Combat Bonuses-Rock Gnomes add +1 to

all melee attack rolls against kobolds or gob-

lins, their traditional racial enemies. They re-

ceive a - 4 bonus to their Armor Class when

attacked by giant class creatures (gnolls,

trolls, bugbears, ogres, ogre magi, trolls, ti-

tans, and giants)..

20 Chapter Two

Svirfneblin (Deep Gnomes) “Withina f mhours it was over-not a single
To most surface dwellers the gnomes of this Deep Gnome remained alive within the walls of
Desselderekathe! We withdrew in triumph, and
race are mysterious denizens of the Underdark I myself was decorated by the matron mother of
about whom little is known. Those who judge our cityk greatest house! Yet within a decade we
b y appearance see them as stunted and heard reports that renegade Deep Gnomes had
gnarled creatures and believe them to be the moved into the abandoned ruins. Weset a garri-
Rock Gnomes’ evil counterparts, the gnomish son in the place, but they sufferedambush and
equivalent to the Drow and Duergar. In truth, other treachery-and it proved too expensiveto
they are no more evil than their more numer- station a full army in what was otherwise a
ous cousins; their sinister reputation is merely worthless shell. Though there were in fact some
the result of ignorance. The Deep Gnomes are gem-bearing rock formations in the region, the
the most reticent of all the gnomish subraces, excavation proved too troublesome to warrant
surviving in an extremely hostile environment the return. Seventy years ago we abandoned
entirely by their own wiles. Desselderekathe, and now I hear that the place
is again full of Svitfneblin! I suppose we’ll have
“Svirfneblin?I loathe them-they are fit on- to do it all again, and I know these runts will not
ly to die on the tip o f a Dark Elf’ssword! They allow us to simply repeat our first attack. We
scurry about the sunless realms with tenacity. shall have to devise a new tactic, one which
We kill them wherever we find them, and still may well be more costly in terms of Drow lives.
they return! They show no fear of our Drow And for what? Simply to insure our destiny,
mages, even when dozens of them perish at a and our right to live in peace.
time. Even the priestesses of Lolth, while they
slay the sniveling gnomes in mass, do not in- “You see now, I trust, why the Svirfneblin
spire enough terror to stop their malicious in- are fit only to be hated, loathed, and
trusion! despised?“

“And why do they come? The answer is -Fassyth Yssarial, Secondboy of H
gems. They thirst for precious baubles with a Twylleenimor, Imperial Drow City of
ferocity I have never seen. They will drive
their tunnels into the farthest corners o f the Qaucium.
Underdark, and this is what makes them a
threat to me and my people. These diminutive inhabitants of the Under-
dark are as tenacious at survival as the just-
“I give you a tale of Desselderekathe, a cited opinion b y their mortal enemies
great cavern network not so very farfrom my indicates. Unlike their Rock Gnome cousins,
own home. Its mere existence was naturally a they have no friendly neighbors to ally them-
threat to us, and thus-more than a century selves with, forcing them to become entirely
ago-we sent an army to destroy it. I myself self-reliant. Only the few who have won their
commanded a company of lizardriders in the trust know that they are in many ways as so-
assault. cial and artistic as other gnomes.

“Our Drow fQrces struck them from all W h y do they endure this frankly hostile en-
sides. M y own cavalry entered through the ca- vironment? The answer is simple: they are
vern ceiling and rode down the walls, striking drawn by the lure of gemstones, which is
into the heart of Desselderekathe before the more pronounced in the Deep Gnomes than in
foe knew they were attacked. Our mages cast any other subrace.
clouds of poison gas that settled into the city’s
low places, and into these we drove the
screaming little pests.

Gnome Subraces 21

\\ \\I I l l / I-
I
II ,,

The gem that most draws the interest and Like their cousins of the other gnomish sub-
devotion of the Svirfneblin is the ruby, which races, Svirfneblin have prominent noses.
is the predominant symbol of the race. The Otherwise their faces are much narrower.
Deep Gnomes view these crimson stones with
reverence approaching awe-so much so that Many males have completely hairless bodies;
they are never used for mundane practices most females have only thin and stringy hair,
such as ornamentation of garments, weapons, which they wear no longer than shoulder
or armor. Rubies are reserved for sacred pur- length. A Deep Gnome's skin is rock-colored,
poses and are often employed to decorate arti- predominantly brown or gray. Eye color is al-
facts that are dedicated to the Svirfneblin ways a shade of gray, sometimes so dark as to
be almost black.
gods. They are also favored by Deep Gnome
monarchs, so much so that a Svirfneblin king The Svirfneblin are not so long-lived as their
or queen might have a full ring of rubies
around his or her crown, with others of the surface-dwelling kin, living to an average old
precious stone set in the throne and sceptre. age of only about 250 years; a good number
meet a violent demise before this time is up.
Svirfneblin average between 3 and 3 l h ' in They mature relatively quickly, however, with
height, rarely exceeding this norm by more the first quarter century of life considered child-
than an inch or two. They are creatures of hood and the next two decades as a period of
wiry muscle and tough bones, slightly thinner disciplined adolescence. A Svirfneblin is as-
than their surface cousins but possessing as sumed to reach adulthood somewhere around
much strength as any other gnome. the age of 45 or 50, though this milestone is not
marked by any grand ceremony such as is per-

22 Chapter Two

formed by the Rock Gnomes. Indeed, the Deep munities are generally separated by great dis-
Gnomes don't even keep track of the passage of tances from any others of the same subrace,
days, so there is no way to record one's actual and thus they tend to be more insular than the
"birthday." towns of the gnomes who dwell on or near the
surface. Indeed, most Deep Gnomes live out
The most valued common skill among the their lives without ever seeing another
Svirfneblin is that of the miner, with perhaps Svirfneblin community beyond the one in
75% of any given community's adult males de- which they were born.
voting themselves to that pursuit. Svirfneblin
miners are exceptionally able with pick and Still, festivals and celebrations are as com-
shovel, capable of chiseling a passage through mon among these gnomes as they are on the
solid stone more quickly than Rock Gnomes or surface-it's just that the Svirfneblin don't trav-
el from far distances for the gatherings. Instead,
even dwarves. While mining is broken into spe- each community tends to have its own special
observances, and though the whole city will
cializations, such as choppers (who do the actu- turn out for many of them it is rare that any out-
al pickaxe work), scouts (who locate promising side guest would be admitted. Also, these cele-
veins for excavation), and haulers (who carry brations are not tied to recurring cosmic events,
the tailings away from the scene), a Deep such as solstices or eclipses; instead, they occur
Gnome miner will be reasonably proficient at when the city's priests declare that they are due.
all aspects of his trade. The most alluring target These instigations occur more for political and
of the Svirfneblin miner is, naturally, gems. psychological reasons than by any regular pas-
However, these diligent dggers will also pursue sage of time.
veins of metal, including gold and silver, and
they also occasionally gather a stockpile of coal In fact, it's worth noting that Svirfneblin
or iron ore-from which they make a very pass- don't even measure the passage of their lives
able steel. in years-after all, the cycle of seasonshas lit-
tle meaning amid the eternal chill of the
A smaller percentage of the Svirfneblin Underdark. However, if the priests notice that
work force (perhaps 10%) is engaged in the the production of the workers has begun to
lag, or tempers are growing short among the
processing and finishing of the gemstone ma- chieftains and warriors, they will act hastily
terial excavated by the miners. These include to initiate a grand festival full of pomp and
polishers, smelters, carvers, and smiths. song, good food and potent (one hesitates to
Though they lack a bit of the exceptional de- say 'good)beverage.
tail skill of the Rock Gnomes, in the other ar-
eas they are at least as proficient as their Svirfneblin festivals are often invoked to re-
surface-dwelling cousins. Indeed (and unlike call great events of the past, though again
Rock Gnomes), Svirfneblin blacksmiths can these recollections bear no calendar relation-
possess exceptional skill. Their weapons and ship to the occurrence being commemorated.
tools are generally made by Deep Gnome arti- However, if teams of miners are preparing to
sans, and these are nearly the equal of the embark on one of the periodic quests for new
products of the highest level of dwarven gems that propel so much of Svirfneblin activ-
craftsmanship or Drow weaponsmiths. ity, then the priests and illusionists will recall
stories of grand expeditions in the past, even
Perhaps because suitable habitat is harder trotting out sacred objects encrusted with the
to find in the Underdark than on the surface, jewelry made from the proceeds of these pre-
Deep Gnome communities tend to be larger vious missions. Similarly, if a war is being
than those of the Rock Gnomes. Generally the contemplated, or a raid against some maraud-
Svirfneblin live in thriving cities located in
deep cavern networks, often with more than a
thousand residents. However, these com-

Gnome Subraces * 23

ing monster becomes necessary, the warriors that a typical surfacedweller would find it quite
will be sent off with tales of great military
campaigns in the past. It’s interesting to note unpalatable.
that these war stories are not all tales of victo-
ry-the Svirfneblin, perhaps because of the As a beverage the Svirfneblin prefer for
many defeats they have suffered over the
years, have a keen interest in doomed causes daily use a pungent brew made (naturally)
and will draw considerable emotional support from fungi, fermented by a unique process
from the story of a dramatic last stand made that involves great amounts of salt and not a
by their forefathers. Even cautionary tales, little fish protein. It is highly intoxicating,
such as the obliteration of a city by treacher- tasting somewhat like an oversalted and wa-
ous Drow attack, are related at these celebra- tery fish chowder. It has been tasted by a few
courageous non-Svirfneblins who (when they
tions and used as a warning against future finally regain their voices) tend to decline a
lapses of vigilance. second serving.
Another unique aspect of Deep Gnome so-
ciety is that roles are far more rigidly deter- The Svirfneblin also distill a strange drink
mined b y sex than in any other gnomish known as Gogondy about which little is
culture. Males perform all of the mining and known other than it is deep red in color, kept
warrior work that occurs beyond the borders
of the community cavern, as well as most in wrought iron bottles, and potent beyond
types of jobs within the city as well. Females belief. It has been called the finest wine in the
concern themselves almost exclusively to the world and is said to grant strange visions to
vital tasks of raising and preparing food (in those who drink it, but more than one human
the great mushroom farms that are a part of who drank it has promptly fallen asleep for
every Deep Gnome city) and the care of the decades or died after the first glass with horri-
young. In fact, females venture out of their fied looks on their faces. The Deep Gnomes
cities so rarely that even the Drow have never prize Gogondy almost as much as rubies and
encountered any in the neutral territory of the will only give or trade it to their most trusted
Underdark. Both sexes wear nondescript friends, making it rare indeed.
clothing which, with their ability to stand ab-
solutely motionless, helps them avoid being The Svirfneblin survive in domains that are
spotted by enemies. populated by many implacable enemies. The
Besides the many types of that are the two most dire among these are the kuo-toa and
the Dark Elves, who continually seek to drive
staples of the Svirfneblin diet, Deep Gnomes these gnomes from territory they consider right-
sometimes maintain a small herd of rothe or fully theirs. Illithids (mind flayers) often attack
other underground mammals. They are also individual Deep Gnomes, considering them
fond of fish,and each city is likely to have sev- somethingof a delicacy, but never in such num-
eral shallow lakes where blind trout and other bers as might drive away such tasty prey.
subterranean delicacies are bred and captured. Svirfneblin rarely encounter surface-dwellii
Deep Gnome women are responsible for tend- gnomes, and the latter find them little less puz-
ing of all these food sources and serve as the zling than do those of other races.
fishers and cooks as well as the farmers and
herders. Also, salt is an important part of every The cities of the Deep Gnomes are vast and
Deep Gnome meal and is one of the most valued complex places. Many layers of caverns, tun-
commoditiesin the tradmg of the Underdark. In nels, and buildings are connected by narrow
fact, most Svirfneblin food is so heavily salted corridors and spiraling staircases. Generally,
however, at least the central part of the city
will occupy a single large cavern, with narrow
streets winding among tall stone buildings. If
large stalagmites are present, high-ranking
Svirfneblin will claim these and excavate the

24 Chapter Two

interiors for the private homes; most resi- -1 to Intelligence; -2 to Charisma
dences, however, are carved into the natural Languages: Deep Gnome; Gnome Common;
bedrock of the earth. Underworld Common; Drow; Kuo-toan;
earth elemental language (a curious "lan-
Because of the confined nature of the envi- guage'' without words consisting solely of
ronment, the home of the typical Svirfneblin vibrations; each different pitch conveys a dif-
family is more crowded than that of their sur- ferent message).
face-dwelling cousins. Parents and children Infravision: Yes (120')
will likely be crowded into a single, rather Special Features: Deep Gnomes have a num-
small, chamber. Families tend to be small, ber of special abilities detailed fully under the
however, so this is rarely more than a half- entry for Svirfneblin in the FORGOTTEN
dozen individuals. They are not so clannish as REALMS@ appendix to the MONSTROUS
the Rock Gnomes, so that the population of a COMPENDIUM@accessory (MC3):
city is generally an amalgamated mass of Detect Underground Features-Svirfnebiin
Deep Gnomes, with overriding clan structure are very good at determining slopes (1-5 on
dividing the city. ld6), depth (1-4 on ld6) and direction (1-3 on
ld6) underground, and unsafe stonework (1-7
However, they also tend to be rather quick- on Idlo).
tempered and fractious (again, by comparison Magic Resistance-Deep Gnomes have a base
to other gnomish subraces). Every Deep magic resistance of 20% and gain an extra 5%
Gnome city is ruled by both a king and a for every level beyond the 3rd.
queen, each independent of the other yet Saving Throw Bonuses-Svirfneblin gain a
equally powerful. The king's province is min- +3 bonus to all saving throws except those
ing and protecting the community; the queen against poison (for which they receive a +2
bonus instead).
controls the food supply and is responsible for Inherent Illusionist Powers-All Deep
the day-to-day lives of the citizens. Both posts Gnomes radiate non-detection. In addition,
are determined by popular choice: when a all have the innate ability to cast blindness,
monarch dies, a contest is held to select the blur, and change self once per day.
best possible replacement, with the winner be- Freeze in Place-Svirfneblin can remain abso-
coming the new ruler. lutely still for long periods, giving them a 60%

Svirfneblin worship the same pantheon as chance to remain undetected by any observer,
their Rock Gnomes cousins (although they even one with infravision.
conceive of these beings as Deep Gnomes). Surprise Bonuses-Deep Gnomes are only
Urdlen plays a large role in Deep Gnome my- surprised on a roll of 1on ld10; they surprise
thology, with cautionary tales of how he
snared many an unwary Deep Gnome being a opponents 90% of the time.
staple of any Svirfneblin's upbringing. Defense Bonus-The typical Svirfneblin war-
rior has a Armor Class of 2. Deep Gnomesbe-
Table 2: Deep Gnome Ability Scores come harder to hit as they gain experience in
dodging in combat, causing their Armor Class
Ability Minimum Maximum to improve by one point for every level be-
Strength 6 18 yond 3rd, to a maximum of AC -6.
Dexterity 6 19
aCombat Bonuses-Svirfneblin make and
Constitution 6 18
Intelligence 3 17 wield stun darts, throwing them to a range ol
Wisdom 4 18 40 feet with a +2 bonus to hit. Each dart r e
Charisma 3 16 leases small puff of gas when it strikes; an)

Ability Score Adjustments:
+1to Wisdom; +1to Dexterity;

Gnome Subraces 25

\\ I l l

creature inhaling the gas must save versus poi- The Tin and curi-
son or be stunned for 1round and slowed for ous bunch of gnomes, ahd Gladvdensnoot is no
the four following rounds. Elite warriors (3rd- doubt exaggerating when he suggests that
level and above) also often carry hollow darts their attainment of Spelljamming travel is ac-
with acid inside ( +2d4 to damage) and crystal
caltrop.s -wh- ich, when stepped on, release a cidental. Nevertheless, he provides a good ex-
powerful sleep gas. ample of the attitude held by those few other
gnomes who’ve encountered the Tinkers. O f
Timker Gmomes (Mlnoi) course, it’s not likely that the Tinker would
These uriyae Lleatures, native to the stop and take notice-he or she is probably
too busy working on the finishing touches of
DRAGONLANCE@world of Krynn, are his or her newest invention (in fact, many Tin-
kers spend the bulk of their lives working on a
among the most technologically.. .er, perhaps few such ‘finishing touches’)!
In one respect the Tinkers resemble the rest
we should say ’innovative’ creatures among of gnomedom-in the fact that they do value
the known worlds. Unfortunately, their keen various types of stones, attributing to them
and inventive motivation is not matched by
any particular talent-thus, a Tinker inven- great and supernatural powers. However,
tion is at least as likely to cause harmful or fa- whereas the other subraces seek gems, the
tal damage (probably to its creator) as it is to Tinkers hold a different substance as the
do what it‘s supposed to do. In spite of this,
Tinkers are a thriving subrace that have even grandest rock of all: coal. The Tinkers hold
managed to spread beyond their native world. that coal (also known as the ”Father of
Steam’’) is the most valuable substance of the
“They’renot real gnomes, of course-don’t world, and those places where it can be mined
know how anyone could think that they are! quickly become Tinker Gnome warrens.
’Course, they might look like us, and sound
like us-but that’s as far as it goes. There’snot In size and stature, the Tinkers resemble
an illusionist among ‘em, nor anyone else Rock Gnomes-so much so that the difference
who’sgot a useful skill to his name, far as I can is not immediately apparent, at least when
tell. Fact is, they’re a menace! based only upon appearance. Perhaps because
their numbers are fewer, there is not such a va-
“As f o r getting into space, that must have riety of hair and skin color among Tinkers as
been luck. One of ’em invented something is found in their more common cousins: their
that actually worked-a fluke, I assure you- hair is almost always white or a slightly col-
and launched ‘eminto the stars. The only rea- ored shade that is nearly white. Their skin
son they’re still up here is they haven’t figured tends toward brown, in ruddy and earthen
out how to get back down again. shades. Their eyes are blue or, less frequently,
violet, but the noses are every bit as promi-
“And if you ever see one of those ships of nent as those of any other gnomish subrace.
theirs, you’d know what I mean. It’sgot cata- The clothing of a Tinker is likely to be repre-
pults that shoot nothing but air, gears and sentativeof his or her travels andbackground-
propellers that spin to no good purpose, and if i.e., it will have parts of all kinds of things
you get close to it a blast of steam is liable to somehow attached together and providing a
shoot out and barbecue you before you can modicumof covering. As a rule, the more exotic
say ‘get me outta here!‘ ” the better, though the Tinker Gnomes tend to be
fastidious about cleanliness.
--Kappelheim Gladdensnoot, famed Rock Tinkers who live out their lives can attain
Gnome explorer and Spelljammer an age of 250 or 300 years, but it must be

26 Chapter Two

noted that this is a e occurrence among the tion and by far the largest community of these
members of this s ce. If one of his or her inventive creatures anywhere-there are
own inventions cloesn’t do a Tinker in, more than 150 active guilds. These include
chances are good tFat one of his or her neigh- virtually all areas of practical endeavor, and
bor’s gadgets will. quite a few impractical ones as well: Weapon
ry, Steam Power, Hydraulics, Mathematics
Even in childhoold, Tinkers are encouraged Agriculture, Warmaking, Animal Taming
to experiment with gadgets and gimmicks, Brewing, Carpentry, Astronomy, Ceramics
trying different means of making things to (Rockmaking), Air Utilization, Historia
perform tasks that could otherwise be easily Coalmining, Rockcarving, Vehicle Desig
done by hand. The Tinker reaches adulthood and Music.
at about the age of fifty (by which time per-
haps 10-15% of :hem have already suc- These guilds are not like the guilds comm
cumbed to the corimon fate of their kind). in many human and dwarven societies, how
Despite this high atyrition, it’s not until matu- ever; in the latter cases, the guilds purpose is
rity that a Tinker Gnome’s activities begin to generally to impart the knowledge of the mas-
get really dangerous. ters to a steadily growing crop of apprentices
and journeymen. The Tinker guilds have a
Upon reaching adulthood, the Tinker different philosophy dedicated to a right
Gnome must select a guild for himself or her- eously-held belief, to wit: whatever has been
done before can be done better with a new and
self. The number o.: guilds available varies by improved invention. Consequently, a Tinke

location, but in Mount Nevermind on
Krynn-which is tk.e center of Tinker c i v i l i w

Gnome Subraces 27

I

Gnome who enters the Music Guild, for exam- understanding (as much as is possible, given
ple, will spend the bulk of his or her life trying the esoteric nature of many discussions) each
to design a musical instrument with at least other even as they voice their own points of
one more moving part than the last instru- view. Those Tinkers who have had some ex-
ment designed by a guildmaster (it is not ad- perience interacting with other races have
visable to ask the guild for a learned to slow the pace of their communica-
performance-whole audiences have been tion but never quite overcome their frustra-
scalded by ruptured steam pipes or deafened tion with those who can't talk and listen at the
by ultrasonic waves of crushing sound). same time.

A good example of the Tinker Gnome ten- Despite the chaotic impression given by an
dency of not knowing when to stop is the infa- initial encounter with the Tinkers, these
mous Giant Space Hamster. Not content with gnomes have a highly-organized societal
this remarkable achievement, the Animal structure. Their culture is unusual, for
Breeders' Guild that created the creature gnomes, in that guilds are more important to
promptly began working on developing new most Tinkers than their clans; the typical Tin-
strains. The result include such monstrosities ker identifies himself or herself not by the
as the sabre-toothed giant space hamster, the family he or she was born into but the guild he
carnivorous flying giant space hamster ("a re- or she joined upon reaching adulthood. The
grettable if understandable line of inquiry"), community is ruled by a council made up of
the fire-breathing phase doppleganger giant the masters of the various guilds and the patri-
space hamster, and the miniature giant space archs of the various clans. The result is a para-
hamster (a dwarf variant the exact same size lyzed bureaucracy that nevertheless keeps
as the ordinary rodent). itself going with debate, argument, near reso-
lution, and subsequent disagreement. Follow-
However, Tinkers are nothing if not tena- ing long and careful consideration (sometimes
cious. After selecting a guild, each member of lasting for years, even decades) the various
the subrace settles upon a Life-quest. The ac- concerned parties go off and do whatever they
tual choice of the quest may take several dec- wanted to from the beginning.
ades, but once it has been decided, it becomes
the reason behind that Tinker's existence. The However, the debates themselves can be
Lifequest is an attempt to reach a perfect un- well-reasoned, extremely polite, and quite ex-
derstanding of some device (anything from a tensive. Just the recital of names at the begin-
spelljamming helm to a screw), a task at ning of a presentation can often take weeks,
which the Tinker very rarely succeeds. In- since the full and formal title of each gnome
deed, the best estimate is that less than 1%of involved is used-and remember, this is de-
these gnomes ever do fully grasp the nature of spite the fact that Tinker Gnomes speak very
the object that has occupied their attention for rapidly indeed! For those Tinkers who come
so much of their adult lives; the rest of these from extensive and well-documented ancestry
easily-distracted gnomes get hopelessly side- and have themselves lived long and eventful
tracked somewhere along the way. lives, the formal introduction can last the bet-
ter part of two days. Because of this inconven-
Despite the vagaries of their existence, the ience, an abbreviated form of a gnome's name
Tinkers are a fun-loving and generally socia- (usually taking less than a minute to recite) is
ble race. Their speech is unique in both its used in daily life.
speed and complexity. Two Tinkers can rattle
off information and opinion to each other in a Tinker Gnomes have the least involved
succession of thousand-word sentences, family life of any of the subraces, since all
speaking simultaneously and yet listening and adults are too involved with their Lifequests

28 Chapter Two

I ill;

to devote much time to the raising of their a far younger age than do any other gnomish
children. The youngsters learn mostly by ex- subrace).The shop should ideally be well-lit, by
ample, and of course are possessed of that in- candle, coal-oil lantern, or natural light. One of
satiable curiosity that seems to take the place the more successful gnome inventions is a net-
of so many other emotions in the lives of a work of mirrors aligned to reflect sunlight
Tinker. Tinker males and femalesaccept their through long tunnels so that it reaches caverns
Lifequests with equal obsession; there is no far underground. Despite its utility, this inven-
differencebetween the sexes in level of recog- tion is considered an abysmal failure by most
nition and attainment. For example, guild- Tinkers, due to its utter lack of moving parts.
masters and clan leaders are as likely to be
female as male. Tinker Gnomes do not worship the usual
gnomish pantheon, instead venerating the
Their communities are located under- Krynnish god Reorx, patron of blacksmiths,

ground, but always close to the surface, with crafters, and inventors. One of the oft-re-
plenty of access to fresh air. Their penchant peated pieces of evidence Rock Gnomes are
for burning coal to achieve steam makes good wont to put forward in their neverending at-
ventilation necessary-we needn’t dwell on tempts to prove that Tinkers aren’t “real”
gnomes is that “they haven‘t even heard of
the unfortunate results of those experimentsin Gar1 Glittergold!“
deep subterranean quarters amid caverns
warmed by vast, oxygen-devouringfurnaces. Additional details on the Tinker Gnomes
can be found under the entry for ”Gnome” in
The various chambers of a Tinker commu- the DRAGONLANCE@ appendix to the
nity will be connected by various means of MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM@accessory
transport, powered by steam, spring-power, (MC4).
wind, water, gravity, and any other means
available. Types include cars that run along Table 3: Tinker Gnome Ability Scores
rails or are suspended from cables and pul-
leys, soaring gliders, ’gnomeflingers’(i.e., cat- Ability Minimum Maximum
apults), elevators that run up and down
through shafts bored through rock, and inde- Strength 6 18
pendently-steered carts and cycles propelled
by various means. Needless to say, there is a Dexterity 8 18
high rate of attrition on gnomish transport-
generally a character stands about a 3% Constitution 8 18
chance per trip of suffering grievous injury
(usually about 1-12 hit points of damage). Intelligence 8 18

For private living quarters, Tinkers are in- Wisdom 3 12
clined to settle for any old niche in the wall
that can be closed off for a little privacy. They Charisma 3 18
like to sleep in absolute darkness but have ab-
solutely no trouble slumbering amid a thun- Ability Score Adjustments: +2 to Dexterity;
derous cacophony of noise.
-1to Strength; -1to Wisdom
Far more important than his or her bedroom,
to a Tinker, ishis or her workshop. This area will Languages: Tinker Gnome, Gnome Common,

be a private chamber, if the gnome is influential various human tongues
enough to warrant such a luxury, or if he or she
Infravision: Yes (60’)
inherits it from a deceased parent (for obvious
reasons, Tinkerstend to gain their inheritance at Special Features: Tinker Gnomes share many

of the same special abilities as their Rock

Gnome cousins, a fact which has led some

sagesto argue that Tinker Gnomedom is a cul-

ture rather than a true subrace. Whatever the

truth, all Tinkers have the following innate

abilities.

Detect Underground Features-Tinker Gnomes

can identify sloping passages (1-5 on ld6),

I Gnome Subraces

m*I **wed stonework (1-7 on Idlo), and amroxi- was unsurpassed, their deadly skill decisive.
mate depth (1-4on ld6) and direction ti-3 on A t last, after many lives lost, many villages
ld6) underground. burned, the Troll Tide was turned away.
Magic Resistance-The Tinker Gnome gains a
+1bonus to his or her saving throws versus “In its wake the forest was left in ruins, with
spell for every 3.5 points of Constitution. smoldering trunks stretching to the far hori-
Combat Bonuses-Tinker Gnomes receive a zons. Yet these shy gnomes-these tiny crea-
-4 bonus to their Armor Classwhen attacked tures whose aid had turned the balance of
by giant class creatures. battle-joined with us for the task at hand. It
was an effortthat took years, but during those
Forest Gnomes years we forged a lasting friendship.
This subrace is not so common as are the
“My people were stunned to learn that the
others, but its members fill an important niche Forest Gnomes had dwelled as our neighbors
in their environment. Forest Gnomes are shy since the very time of our arrival in the
and reclusive, and often the mere arrival of wood-and never had we so much as suspect-
human settlers within their wooded domain is ed their existence! Sadly, it took a war to
enough to send them migrating to a new, un breach the wall of their privacy.
spoiled home. Nevertheless, they have been
known to aid adventurers from other races “Butnow that struggle is in the past, and for
and are particularly friendly with elves. both our peoples we rest secure in the knowl-
edge that, whatever challenges the future
“Forthe longest time-and I speak of many holds, we shall face them with our allies at our
centuries-we didn’t even know they were side.”
there. Of course, the Wyndhome Wood is a
vast place, full of sheltered ravines and wide, -Kasseryth Oaltine, Elven Captainrider
and hero
hidden grottos... but we elves had always
The Forest Gnomes prefer a life in which no
prided ourselves on knowing every inch of the one knows who they are or where they live.
place. They dwell in large swaths of woodland, and-
unlike the other gnomish subraces-prefer to
“Thencame the years of the Troll Tide, and dwell in houses that are at least partially above
we thought that the forest was lost. All of the ground. They are creatures of nature far more
elven clans banded together, and we fought than any of their cousins, and to those rare folks
for each tree-indeed, not a blade of grass or who meet them (and pass through the walls of
meadow blossom was surrendered to that initial shyness) they can prove to be steadfastal-
horde without a fight-but it seemed that our lies and delightful companions.
defeat would be inevitable. There were too
many of the brutes, too few of us. However, this subrace has not totally aban-
doned the love of gemstones that is so inher-
“But then, when the situation had grown ent to all gnomes. The emerald is the favored
most dire, they came from those ravines, from gem of the Forest Gnomes, no doubt because
the shaded grottos and the darkest thickets, it most accurately reflects the healthy colors
and they lent their arrows and their courage to of their verdant homelands. While these
our cause. Short and frail we judged them- gnomes can make excellent gemsmiths and
harshly, I admit. But they‘re smaller even than jewelers, their work tends to be reverent im-
halflings, and so shy that it was painful even ages of the flowers, leaves, butterflies, and
to speak with them! birds that are such a key part of the Forest
Gnome’s environment.
“Yet they fought-and died, in great
Numbers-for Wyndhome, and their bravery

These are the smallest of the gnomish sub- a good life for their owner. Their hair color is
races, averaging from 2' to 2%' and peaking brown or black, often becoming gray or white
out at a few inches under three feet. They in old age.
share the stocky physique of the Rock and
Tinker Gnome and the bulbous nose which is The Forest Gnomes are a very long-lived
so characteristic of the race in general. They people, with an average life expectancy ap-
are the only gnomes inclined to wear beards proaching 500 years. Childhood and adoles-
and hair very long, and an older male is likely cence blend together in the growing process.
to have a beard that extends to within a few Since these gnomes do not generally embark
inches of the ground, and hair that, when un- upon a craft or apprenticeship as a life special-
bound, falls all the way to his waist. These ity, there is no need to differentiate a carefree
beards are a source of great pride to the vener- youngster from an equally happy-go-lucky
able males,and they often trim them to a fine youth. Adulthood is granted upon the hun-
point or curl them into hornlike spikesthat ex- dredth birthday, and this anniversary is a
tend to either side. cause for great celebration.

The skin of a Forest Gnome tends toward Shy and timid when it comes to relations
greenish cast of tan rather like bark, although ith other intelligent races, Forest Gnomes
often darkened and ruddy from exposure to are very determined caretakers of their wood-
weather. Their eyes are generally brown or ed domains. They are viewed with friendship
blue, but green eyes are not unheard of and by the animals of the forest and have devel-
are considered very attractive and the omen of oped a limited language of signs and sounds
(similar to the Rock Gnome's 'speech with

. Gnome Subraces 31

burrowing mammals) that allows them to Y
communicate with these creatures, though
without a great deal of detail. Thus a squirrel than in any other gnomish culture. Baervan
might chatter something about an intruder in Wildwanderer is the patron deity of most of
the forest and even indicate the general direc- these clerics and has blessed them with a num-
tion of the trespasser, but it can provide no in- ber of duties and tasks, most of which in-
formationas to the nature, size, or numbersof volved the protection and preservation of the
the possible enemy (as a rule of thumb, con- forests and the wild creatures found there.
sider all such communications to consist of a
single word only: i.e. "danger!" "food," "hap- The most hated enemies of the Forest
py," and the like). Gnomes are orcs, with troglodytes and lizard-
men close behind. These creatures will be
Forest Gnomes are also very adept at pro- ruthlessly attacked and ambushed whenever
tecting and caring for the plant life of their they are encountered. Despite their shyness,
woods. They gather the nuts, fruit, and other Forest Gnomes have made friends with elves
bounty of the woods for sustenance, taking and halflings, though they tend to distrust hu-
meat only infrequently-and always with a mans and dwarves, who in their experience
reverent ceremony to the spirit of the animal all-too-often view trees only as so much fire-
slain by the gnomish hunter. They despise the wood. Occasionally, with great courage, one
use of traps, never employing snares, pitfalls, of these smallest of gnomes will venture out of
or such traps themselves. When they encount- his or her forest domain in a quest to see the
er such devices set by humans or others, the world, though he or she will usually try to re-
Forest Gnomes have been known to rig the turn after a few years and will never be entire-
traps so that they capture (with a snare) or in- ly comfortable in a place that has no trees.
jure (as with a deadfall or pit trap) the trapper
when he or she comes along to check for The gnomes of this subrace tend to live in
game. Generally, the trapper receives the smaller communities than do their kin, largely
same effect that his or her trap would have in- because their numbers are so much fewer. A
flicted upon an animal. Forest Gnome village will average less than a
hundred residents, and the family homes that
Aside from meat, Forest Gnomes eat their make up the "village" may be hundreds of feet
food raw, though with a great deal of ceremo- apart. They are always located in a dense
ny and politeness. Even a nut or a berry is on- woods and are virtually invisible to anyone
ly consumed after the tree or bush that gave it who happens to wander through-even a vet-
life has been properly, albeit silently, thanked. eran woodsman might stroll down the main
Needless to say, meals among the Forest street of a Forest Gnome village without
Gnomes are very long, quiet affairs. knowing he or she was in anything other than
trackless wood. In part, this is because the for-
These diminutive beings are exceptional est gnomes disdain the use of tracks and
woodcarvers, far more skilled than any other trails-they are adept at moving through the
subrace at the working of this natural materi- underbrush while leaving no sign of their pas-
al. They can also be skilled carpenters, and sage. Also, their dwellings tend to be con-
their skills lean heavily toward natural-look- cealed within the trunks of large, hollow trees
ing renditions of their structures. A storage and, sometimes, into burrows that extend be-
shed, for example, might be built to resemble low the surface of the ground.
a clump of tightlytlustered pine trees, con-
cealing the fact that there is any kind of struc- The preferred house of a Forest Gnome,
ture there at all. however, is above the ground and within the
comfortable wooden enclosure of a tree
Priests have a higher status in this society trunk. These creatures prefer lairs of many
different levels since, even to these small

gnomes, most hollow trees don’t provide a lot any other gnomish subrace. The two races are
of floor space. Instead, the house will be a net-
work of cylindrical rooms, usually no more Ability Minimum Maximum
than four feet from floor to ceiling, connected
to the floors above and below by tiny trap- Strength 3 17
doors and rope ladders or, sometimes, spiral-
ing stairways carved into the wood of the tree. Dexterity 8 19
Each floor will have a few windows opening
to the outside, but these will be so cleverly Constitution 8 18
camouflaged on the outside by bark or limbs
as to be virtually invisible. Intelligence 3 17

Excavated chambers are used for the com- Wisdom 6 18
mons areas of the Forest Gnomes, so that when
a whole community gathers (as they do many Charisma 3 18
times a year, to observe this or that celebration)
they can do so in large, earthen caverns con- Ability Score Adjustments:
cealed underground. These chambers are con-
nected by dirt tunnels and are often quite large, +1to Dexterity; +1 to Wisdom;
with ceilings reinforced by timber and brace.
Forest Gnomes have no interest in excavating -1 to Strength; -1 to Intelligence
through stone, and though they will occupy a
natural cave if they find one conveniently lo- Languages: Forest Gnome; Gnome Common;
cated, they will never dig into bedrock to ex-
pand or shape their surroundings. Elf; Treant; forest mammal

A village of Forest Gnomes is organized Infravision: No
very much like a large family, with the oldest
patriarch or matriarch in the community gen- Special Features: The Forest Gnomes have
erally revered as the venerable leader. As far
several characteristics in common with their
as actual societal organization, there is very
little-when Forest Gnomes act as a group racial cousins, as well as several unique
(forexample, to defend their woodland or mi-
grate to a new homeland) they do so because abilities:
the necessity of action is obvious to every
member of the clans. Pass without Trace-A Forest Gnome can

Forest Gnomes are sometimesmistaken for pass through any kind of wooded terrain
brownies by those humans who catch a rare
glimpse of them, but the two races are not re- without leaving a sign of his or her passage.
lated. For one thing, brownies prefer rural set-
tings-farms and small human or halfling Saving Throw Bonus-The Forest Gnome
villages; the very environments Forest gains a +1bonus to his or her saving throws
Gnomes go out of their way to avoid-to the
forest. Despite their size, brownies are more versus spell for every 3.5 points of Constitu-
closely related to elves than any of the other
demihuman races. Also, brownies are highly tion.
magical, while Forest Gnomes distrust magic
andmake less use of it in their dailv lives than Hide in Woods-Like the halfling, a Forest

Gnome can make himself or herself virtually

invisible in wooded surroundings.

Combat Bonus-Due to size and quickness,

Forest Gnomes receive a -4 bonus to their

Armor Class whenever they fight man-sized

or larger creatures. Also, they get +1bonuses

on all attack and damage rolls when fighting

orcs, lizard men, or troglodytes, or any crea-

ture which they have directly observed dam-

aging woodlands (e.g., a woodman chopping

down a tree full of birds’ nests).

Gnome Subraces 3 3

Gnomish Culture

Soon the cool wash of moonlight illumi- occurrenceslike the solstice and equinox, and
nated the vale, the disk of shadow passing anniversaries-of birthdays, famous victories
across the lunar face. Brilliant in the glory of or discoveries, and even weather phenomena.
the summer solstice, the silvery orb outlined Rock Gnomes have been known to hold cele-
the thousands of gnomes in white light and brations to commemorate the date of a hor-
shadow. rendous cyclone that once ravished their
realm, the eruption of a volcano, or even a
Then the bonfires flared into life, dozens of notable blizzard; anything which might serve
them flickering into the sky, silhouetting rings as a good excuse for a party. The patterns can
of small, dancing figures. Soon the rugged CR- vary by subrace, since Svirfneblin don’t keep
dence o f chant and song, accompanied by the track of dates and the Tinkers often forget
wail of pipes and the strident beat of the what year it is, yet gnomesof all types seem to
drums, echoed from the looming cliffs. have a communal sense of when a gathering is
needed. When the time is right, they’ll get to-
Finally, the full brightness of the moon was gether.
restored; in the stark outline of light and dark,
the festival commemorating the moon> re- The truly major festivals, however, are of-
birth began. ten years apart. The festival commemorating
the total eclipse of the moon, for example, on-
Living for the most part isolated from the ly takes place about once per century. For
other cultures of their worlds, the gnomes Rock and Forest Gnomes, this is the most sig-
thrive and prosper. Their labors go unnoticed nificant occasion of all, and as such it calls for
b y mankind, their mines undiscovered by the the grandest festival. Svirfneblin reserve simi-
dwarves. The Forest Gnomes, in their dense lar festivities for the coronation of a new king
and tangled thickets, remain unseen even by or queen, while Tinkers celebrate the success-
their sylvan neighbors, the elves. ful design and completion of an invention-
now that’s rare! Likewise, a gnome‘s most
Who are these reclusive folk? H o w do they significant birthday in most subraces is con-
live, and what lure draws some of them from sidered his or her one hundredth.
their pastoral homes and onto the road lead-
ing to adventure and peril? Another trademark of the gnomish gala is

This chapter looks at several aspects of that they go on for a long time-the bigger the
gnomish life and culture. It addresses those occasion, the longer the celebration. Even the
traits that all gnomes have in common, since smaller festivals are generally two-day affairs,
the previous chapter was devoted to the dif- with the first day devoted to preparations
ferences between the subraces. Where excep- (such as rehearsals of performances and cook-
tions exist, these are noted where possible. ing the wide variety of food necessary for the
feast). The second day, beginning at dawn, is
Festivak likely to be a sequence of songs and perform-
All gnomes enjoy festivals. These celebra- ances, mixed with appropriate rituals and re-
membrances, and liberally spiced with many
tions typically involve much music, dancing, opportunities to eat and drink. Ale and wine,
feasting, storytelling, illusionary magic together with the music and revelry, flows
shows, drinking, and contests of strength and freely from dawn to dusk and throughout the
wit. While the actual festival observances following night.
vary somewhat by subrace, a given commu-
nity will generally gather for no less than 12to The greater festivals last many days or sev-
15 big celebrations every year.
eral weeks, with the most significant lasting a
These will be for many different occasions, full month or more. However long the cele-
including celebrations of harvests, seasonal

34 Chapter Three

bration, the gnomes are generally quite ready even considered odd. Gnomes marry for com-
to pitch back in to work as soon as the festivi- panionship as much as procreation, and a
ties are concluded. In the case of the longer couple will almost always remain happily
celebrations this is an especially good thing, married until one or the other of them passes
since a month of extreme partying can pretty away. Remarriage is rare, although it has been
much exhaust the food and drink reserves of a known to occur; divorce is unknown.
communit
Gnomish couples rarely have the numerous
Fires broods familiar to halflings and humans. A
Gnomes have a peculiar fascination with family with three children is considered large,
and only sizable clans will have five or six
flame and the light it brings into the darkness youngsters dwelling in the warren at any one
in which they would otherwise dwell. One time. Even in adulthood, gnomes retain deep
well-known gnomish nursery tale relates the bonds of friendship with their siblings and
story of Verpoolisch Popplepip, a typical parents. It is very common for brothers and
gnomish hero: sisters to join together in business endeavors,
for example.
A master illusionist and thief, Verpoolisch
The Nose Knows
crept into the halls of the gods and watched The big schnozzola is an important status
the deities labor at their forges. Becoming in-
trigued by the shower of sparks falling from symbol among all of the gnome subraces. Par-
their great hammers, he substituted an illu- ents proudly point out the size of their chil-
sionary brightness for a real spark and stole dren’s noses and make enthusiastic
the actual flame. By the time the gods realized prognostications about future growth. While
the deception, Popplepip had made it safely the practical applications of such a facial fea-
back to the world. There he nourished his ture are admittedly limited, gnomes will fre-
spark, and it became the father of fire. With quently embark on size contests, with heavy
typical generosity, the gnomes shared this wagers, between members of rival clans.
blessing with the rest of the world. Svirfneblin go so far as to make this a primary
determinant in the selection of a new king or
Every gnome has a place in his or her home queen!
for a small fire, and in pensive moments he or
she will be inclined to sit before the flame and Food and Drink
meditate. Gnomes enjoy feasting and drinking, bui

Madage and Family their diet and beverage selection reflects fa1
Weddings, perhaps surprisingly, are not big less variety than does that of the halfling or
even most communities of humankind. No
social occasions. Instead, they are private cer- gnomish subrace, for example, uses yeast in
emonies attended by the immediate familiesof the baking of bread nor in its brewing. They
the young couple-and even these guests soon don’t keep cows or make cheese or butter.
depart to leave the newlyweds with a chance Sugar is unknown in their diet, and gnomes
b get to know each other privately. tend to avoid sweets even when they travel to
places where cakes or candies are available.
Bride and groom have generally been Also,spices and sauces are rarely employed in
friends since childhood and have made the the preparation of gnomish cuisine.
match of their own free will. Marriage com-
monly occurs during the decades immediately However, those foods that gnomes do cook
following the coming of age period for mem- they cook well. They are excellent at prepar-
bers of that specific subrace, though gnomes
who choose not to wed are not ostracized or

Gnomish Culture 35

ing wild game and in using the natural stroking it when thoughtful or troubled. Every
products of their surrounding areas for salads gnomish village will have a few particularly
and hot dishes. All gnomes like salt, although splendid stones that belong to the community
the Deep Gnomes carry this to the greatest ex- as a whole, each with an accompanying
tremes. They cook their meat until it’s very legend, and enchanted gems are the favorite
well done. This tendency, coupled with the magical items of gnomish spellcasters.
liberal use of salt, insures that the food keeps
for a long time without spoiling. Craftsmanship
The single most artistic endeavor of the
The brewing skills of the gnomes are effec-
tive, even if the results are not exactly tempt- gnomish craftsman (excludingTinker Gnomes)
ing to humans and other demihumans. Heavy is, of course, the carving and mounting of pre-
meads and ales are favored. In areas where cious gems. These little folk are adept at every
fruit can be readily harvested (apples and aspect of the jeweler’s trade, including the
cherries are preferred) gnomes make passable, smelting and finishing of precious metals.
if somewhat astringent, cordials. While each subrace has a special affinity to a
certain type of stone (diamond, ruby, and em-
Gems erald respectively for the Rock, Deep, and For-
More than a medium of wealth, gems are est Gnomes; coal for the Tinkers), their
gemcarvers are capable of working with virtu-
cherished to a degree difficult for non-gnomes ally any type of stone.
to comprehend. Every gnome has a small gem
he or she will carry at all times, often feeling or This artisanship goes beyond mere rote skill.
Gnomish jewelers are capable of very creative
designs in jewelry and have developed the
most elegant royal crowns, sceptres, and deco-
rative sculptures known to demihuman-kind.
Stonecarving is another skill at which gnomes
excel, and in those caverns where they have
dwelt for many centuries intricate patterns
have been scrolled into many of the walls and
ceilings, enhancing the natural beauty of the
rock.

Their special affinity to stone makes
gnomes exceptional excavators, miners, and
tunnelers. Those gnomes who seek employ-
ment among other cultures might work as
gemsmiths if sufficiently skilled but are far
more likely to find work in the mines of hu-
mankind. Even dwarves, grudgingly, admit
that gnomes are almost as good at digging as
themselves. This is, in fact, an ungenerous
assessment-Rock Gnomes in particular are
every bit the equal of dwarves in this profes-
sion!

Beyond the working of stone, however, the
gnomes are somewhat limited in the tooling of
materials into useful products. As a general

36 Chapter Three

--

I. .
..

rule, gnomes find it hard to produce bility in freight-hauling, those who would sell
terialsbut easy to shape it. For example, they such bulk goods to them generally have to
do not weave, so all their clothing is either take responsibility for delivery as well. Hu-
made of leather or of materials bartered from man and demihuman traders know this, and
other folk. However, given the right fabrics, a many a human and halfling merchant has got-
gnomish tailor can create almost any kind of ten rich simply by carting loads of textiles or
garment, often with elaborate stitching and steel to the vicinity of a gnomish village. Of-
similar attention to detail characteristic of all ten, the trader will sell cart and pony at the
gnomish work. same time-after all, he or she doesn‘t need
much space to haul away a fortune in finely-
Carpentry is another skill that demon- cut gems!
strates the gnomish penchant for elaboration.
Whereas dwarves will hew timbers to shore Taboos
up a mine shaft and at need can make rough “bid you hear about Kasselwort Biddles-
tables, beds, and chairs for their own use,
gnomes have a compulsion to cover every tumpf? He brought some of that dwarvish
available inch with decoration which goes far black brandy to the Acorn Festival-and after
beyond utility. Thus gnome miners will often he drank it, it went straight to his tongue!
use their breaks to carve delicate designs into
the support timbers (taking care not to weak- “First he insulted his old grandfather,
en the beams!), often having friendly contests Wigglefount Biddlestumpf, who tried to re-
between different shifts as each continues the buke him for his behavior. Kassel was betting
other’s work. Gnomish furniture is a marvel on all the contests, showing around these little
of fine woodcarving, with a multitude of bloodstones as if they were rubies!
baroque detail.
“Then he got into a fight with Nucklereet
Trade Shtoomiss-he called old Nuck’ a “Shortnose
The primary stock-in-trade of the gnomish Blowhard,” and of course the poor fellow
couldn’t let that pass (we all know Shtoomiss’
folk, whether on the surface or under the nose leaves a little to be desired, but Kass’ had
ground, is naturally the gemwork that is such no call to be making fun of it)!
a trademark of the race. The urge to create is
so strong (in Tinker Gnomes, it has run “Butthat’s not the worst of it! Finally, when
amuck) that gnomes regularly trade finished they came down to the nut-eating contest,
jewelry for uncut gems, and gnomish gem Kass‘ bet on Graybeard Friggleheit to win, but
traders will sometimes travel great distances the old fellow choked on a husk and had to
in the course of their labors. quit the contest. And when it came time to
p a y up-believe it or not!-Kasselwort
However, gems aren‘t the only thing gnome Biddlestumpf refused to pay!
communities seek in trade. Salt is a necessity
to the gnomish diet, and if there is no natural “lt’ll be a long time before he can show his
source available gnomish traders will go to nose in this village again!”
great lengths to acquire it. Weapons, fabric,
and raw steel are generally not made by -Lillyllotta Glindlehome, gnomish matri-
gnomes but needed by the community. Delica- arch (and self-admitted gossip)
cies, such as tender meat, dark flour, and
strong liquor, are other items sometimes Gnomes are a fun-loving society, with a
gained by trade. great emphasis on personal freedom. How-
ever, a cornerstoneof this freedom is a respect
Since these folk have little interest or capa- for the rights of others-and those who tromp
on those rights are considered to have com-

Gnomish Culture 37

mitted a grave breach of gnomish etiquette. er who cheats gnomish clients by substituting
This cornerstone of individual responsibility inferior goods for those promised will be
is the key to understanding the gnomish marked for life; no gnome will ever trade with
culture. that individual again.

Some of the worst infractions of this per- Finally, while friendly insults are commonly
sonal code that a gnome can commit involve and frequently exchanged among gnomes,
the performance of his or her work. It is, how- one is expected never to criticize lack of nose
ever, a rare circumstance for a gnome to shirk size. Those gnomes who have been cursed
a duty or to perform it at anything less than with small noses (those that stick out less
his or her highest level of ability. Those few than, say, three or four inches from the face)
gnomes who refuse to work are generally, af- are assumed to suffer the curse of their shame
ter many chances to reform, cast out from inwardly. It is nothing more than needless CN-
their communities. They don't usually live too elty to ridicule this unfortunate lack of en-
long on their own. dowment.

It is a little more common for offending be- Emotions
havior to occur in social settings, often ac- Gnomes are very emotional creatures,
companied by the consumption of alcohol.
Virtually all gnomes enjoy drinking, and ale given to laughter and joy, weeping and sor-
and mead are important features of gnomish row, in loud and affecting displays. This ap-
festivals and clan gatherings. In most cases, plies to both work and play. Despite their
gnomes become quite jolly and carefree when physical resemblance to dwarves, a group of
they drink, singing, laughing, and joking- gnomish miners can easily be distinguished
the "mean d r u n k is not a familiar character in not only by their smaller size but by the laugh-
gnomish society. ter and song that accompanies them on their
task.
However, strong liquor is not a customary
drink among gnomes-their ales and fruit When given cause for sorrow, such as the
wines, while strong-tasting by human stand- death of a friend or relative, gnomes grieve
ards, are not the match of brandy or whiskey openly and loudly. Natural disasters or mali-
in potency (Svirfneblin fish beer and Gogon- cious acts from enemies are likewise cause for
dy excepted). When a gnome gets hold of wailing and crying-so much so that an ob-
something stronger, trouble has been known server might assume that an entire community
has just received a sentence of painful doom.
to result. When it does, the malefactor is sub- However, these moods pass quickly (perhaps
jected to stern criticism from the bulk of the because of the effusiveness of their grief) and
community-usually when he or she is in the many a boisterous party has resulted from
throes of the worst hangover of his or her life. what began as a funeral observance.

One such experience is generally enough to Very unlike dwarves (or elves, for that mat-
bring about a lifelong reform. ter), gnomes are quite open in displays of af-
fection and love. Hugs are frequent whenever
The contests that are an integral part of eve- friends, spouses, and relations meet. Parents
ry gnomish festival are another source of cuddle children, and the youngsters accept the
pride to these small demihumans, and the attention with no self-consciousness. While
honor of the participants is accepted and, for romantic couples are private with their inti-
the most part, taken for granted. Wagering is macy, husbands and wives will loudly and
a common practice, but one is not expected to publicly profess their affection and love.
bet more than he or she is prepared to lose.

Welching on a bet is a gross affront to a gnom-
ish sense of right and wrong. Similarly, a trad-

38 Chapter Three

Gnomes are famous, or perhaps infamous, -'- _ L _
for their sardonic sense of humor. All gnomes
love practical jokes, the more elaborate the Gnomish Culture 39
better. This can be very disconcerting when a
gnome decides to express friendship or affec-
tion to a non-gnome by making that individ-
ual a special target for a string of practical

jokes. As a rule, it's considered bad form to

devise a joke which actually hurts somebody;
the art comes from surprising the victim and
making him or her look ridiculous.

In a way, practical joking takes the place
filled by violence in many human cultures;
two gnomes who have a heated argument are
more likely to launch a feud of booby-traps to
prove who is the cleverest than come to
blows. Taking their cue from Gar1 Glittergold
himself, gnomes extend this attitude to their
military endeavors; it's considered a more
courageousact to make an enemy look foolish
in the eyes of his or her allies or followers than
it is to kill the same enemy.

Animal Friends
A warren of gnomes will typically be

guarded by several watchful mammals. In
the case of Forest Gnomes or Rock Gnomes,
these will be woods-dwelling or burrowing
creatures. Among the most popular compan-
ions are badgers, wolverines, and weasels-
in mundane as well as giant size. Svirfneblin
sometimes gain similar companionship from
moles, shrews, bats, and giant rats. In return
for kind treatment from the gnomes, these
creatures often take up residence nearby
gnome dwellings.

These creatures are not domesticated as hu-
mans understand the word; they are allies, not
pets. Still, they provide useful service as senti-
nels, quickly bringing word of any strangers
in the area, and if the community is attacked
the animal guardians will always fight sav-
agely in defense of their friends. Many villages
have tales of youngsters who have fallen into
a stream only to be plucked forth and saved

by the jaws of a giant weasel, for example, or tered by rocks or trees, where their size can
of young climbers who have gotten into trou- actually work to their advantage. In under-
ble on the steep and rocky slopes so common ground combat situations where they have
in gnomish habitat only to be carried to safety sufficient time to prepare, gnomes like to ex-
on the sturdy back of a climbing badger. cavate numerous low-ceilinged tunnels for
mobility of attack and retreat.
Warfare
“Dey come from da rocks of da ground, They are not so adept with missiles as are
halflings, but gnomish troops can nevertheless
everywhere attackin’ and killin’, what wit deliver a furious barrage of arrows and sling
dem bolts and dat majick! We din‘t see where stones when such a tactic is needed. Firing in
dey wuz or where dey went, but when dey an undisciplined fusillade, they continue to
wuz gone all m y pals wuz kilt. pepper their targets with this painful attacks
for as long as possible. They launch their ar-
“We had deez goblyns what wuz suzpozed rows from sturdy shortbows or solid, albeit
to watch dat side-but dey run away! Da small, crossbows.
lucky ones ran, dat iz. Lots a dem wuz kilt
too. Dem nomes, dey really whomped da Though many of them wield spears, they
prefer to use these as melee rather than missile
goblyns-din? like ’emtoo much at all, I cud weapons. Gnomes are adept (and very coura-
geous) at setting these spears to meet the
tell. Da goblyns wuz gonna turn to meet ’em,
but da nomes come on too fast. Dey din’t let charge of much larger attackers. They will al-
’em make da line or get o f f a shot. ’Course, so use their quickness to strike from ambush,
dat’s what you espect a‘goblyns. and when a force of gnomes can mingle
among the troops of a larger enemy, their
“DenI tought we ogres would stomp ‘em, small size allows them to inflict a lot of dam-

stomp ‘em good. But dey wudn’t fight fair, age. A favorite tactic, useable only when
wudn’t come out and let uz stomp ’em! Dey
sat dere and shot wit’ dem dung bolts, what gnomes gain complete surprise (such as that
poked out eyes and did all sorts a’ nasties. We provided by a mass invisibility spell), is to
run at dem but dey hid-we din? know where fearlessly dart among enemy horsemen, using
dey went, ‘till dey come up behind us and their sharp daggers to cut the straps holding
whomped us pretty good dat way too. the riders’ saddles onto their mounts. Such a
tactic, when successful, can go a long way to-
“Nope,sir, you kin tell me tu go but I ain‘t ward evening the odds of an unbalanced en-

g-oin’-I ain’t g-onna fi-ght no nomes no more!” gagement.
When marching to battle, most gnomes will
-from the battle diarv of B
carry a missile weapon as well as a hammer,
Delsuutor, Ogre keteran and brigade spear, or short sword, with a dagger reserved
commander for the final line of defense.

Like halfling-s, g-nomes Gnomes are also skilled at using deception,
and reluctant to wage war. However, also like diversion, camouflage, and disguise as battle
their diminutive cousins, they become savage tactics. Their natural talents at illusionary
and tenacious fighters when fully motivated magic help a great deal-gnomish illusionists
into battle. will frequently create the appearance of the
force in some unimportant area, while other
Because of their small size, gnomes try to spellcasters conceal the actual presence of the
avoid combat situations that place them in gnomes from enemy discovery. The sudden
open terrain where they must meet the head- appearance of a gnomish force, virtually in
on onslaught of much larger attackers. They
prefer instead to fight in rough terrain, shel-

An r h a n f m r T h r e e

i

the midst of the enemy, can be enough to -gic
throw the most veteran army into confusion. -'he primary sorcery of the gnomes, of
They are also good at using these spells to course, is illusionary magic. This is far more
conceal the true nature of the battlefield-ei- than a practical application of arcane powers,
ther to create the appearance of obstacles however-in gnome society, the casting of il-
where there are none or to conceal the loca- lusionsaffects all aspects of life from art to ro-
tion of hazardssuch as ravines, thickets, bogs, mance to celebration to war. A lover might
and streams. Many a thunderous charge has w o o his sweetheart with a message borne by a
been broken when the howling attackers sud- whispering wind spell, for example. For
denly find out that what looked like solid gnomes, illusionary magic is a way of life, not
ground is actually intersected by a twenty- something they use just to make life easier.
foot deep gully, its bottom lined with sharp Illusions are also constantly employed for
practical jokes among these fun-loving folk.
stakes. O f course, gnomes are more adept at recog-
Other uses of illusionary magic have nizing illusions than are most other creatures,
stretched the creative bounds of military so those illusionary pranks targeted against
imagination. In one famous battle, gnomish them must be subtly crafted and strategically
planned in order for them to succeed. Invisi-
illusionists concealed the actual location of bility, illusionary script, and wraithform
the sun and replace it with a duplicate, caus- spells are popular choices for this purpose.
ing the enemies' reinforcements to march five Illusionary magic is often used to comple-
miles to the east when they were supposed to ment the finest efforts of gnomish craftsmen.
be going west! They have also used images of A fine piece of jewelry, for example, might be
dragons, giants, beholdiers, and other horrors enhanced with a shower of light caused by a
to distract the attention'of their foes and keep phantasmal force, or even a hypnotic pattern,
in order to create a truly stunning work of art.
them guessing as to thr true nature of their O n the practical side, illusionary magic is
opponents. not usually employed to screen the location or
Another asset that d o m e s carry into battle nature of a gnomish community. Though such
is the lack of the hubris that can so often be arcane devices might prove effective at con-
the downfall of human cpr dwarven command- cealing them against mundane detection, the
ers. Gnomes show no hesitation when it emanation of magical power actually serves
comes to abandoning' a lost cause; when as a beacon to those who use spells such as de-
tect magic. The latter enemies are judged,
things start to go bad! the gnomes will run rightly, to be far more dangerousto a gnomish
away, preferring this Pragmatic tactic to a community than the former.
doomed stand motivated mainly by pride. However, on the battlefield or in other con-
The retreating gnomes quickly scatter and (if tests of might and skill, gnomes will pull out
apossible) disappear down holes into the all the stops. Hallucinatory terrain, the vari-
ous applications of invisibility, and illusion-
ground or vanish amo g the enclosing under- ary walls will be used to disguise the true
nature of the battlefield, while spells such as
brush of a forest. Even 'f the victorious oppo-
nents pursue ruthless1 they are unlikely to phantasmal force, fear, phantasmal killer,
kill or capture more $an a handful of the and shadow monster will be employed di-
gnomish survivors. O f 'course, this scattering rectly against the enemy troops.
means that it takes loqger to reassemble the
force and prepare to fi$ht again, but that is a
drawback that any ish commander will-
ingly accepts see his or her forces
annihilated.

-

er short folk, the halflings, enciship. Many a wide-
gnomes are often possessed b y a strong desire eyed gnomish youngster has listened to a
to wander. Their natural curiosity leads them human krught tell of great castles or a merchant
t o constantly wonder about what's beyond describe the wonders of a large city market.
the next hill, or across that sea... or even These gnomes typically grow up with the desire
down that dark hole in the mountainside. to see these places, and no one thinks it odd
when, after reaching adulthood, they pack up
A major compulsion for this wandering their belongings and head down the road.

among all gnomes is the desire to find the per- Another strain of this honest friendliness is
fect gem. Tales of rich veins of rubies, or a a deep-running loyalty to those the gnomes
wealth of diamonds or emeralds, will often consider friends. The suggestion that one of
draw an entire party of gnomes onto a long these kindred spirits is in trouble will also
and dangerous quest. Whether or not they've prove a strong motivation to bring a gnome
seen evidence of the find, their belief in its ex- onto the adventuring road.
istence will be strong, even unshakable, and
determined gnomes will brook no diversion in Finally, gnomes keep a close eye on their
their pursuit of this ultimate treasure. surroundings and are very familiar with the

Despitetheir reticent nature and the care with world in their general vicinity. If they notice
which they conceal their communities' exact lo-
cations, gnomes are quite willing to make things changing (for example, a village crop-
friends with those visitors who prove them- ping up on what used to be a wilderness
stream) they will be irresistibly drawn to the

42 t7--- 'er Three



CHAPTER

4

The kits introauced in this chapter allow to balance the advantages and disadvantages
players to define their characters with more with those presented here.
detail and precision than are determined sim-
ply by race and character class. The gnome Structure of the Kits
kits provide a selection of specializedPCs and Each kit begins with a general description of

NPCs, each designed for a specific character that character type, along with any back-
ground and ability scorerequirementsthat are
class or multi-class combination. Each kit has necessary to qualify for the kit. Further infor-
its own strengthsand weaknesses, and each is mation on the kits is broken down into these
tailored to illustratesome important aspect of categories:
gnomish life.
Role: The specific functions of this char
The kits are purely optional-no gnome ter type within gnomish society.
must use one. They can be incorporated into
characters already existing in the campaign, Secondary Skills: In campaigns using the
as long as the PC’s background makes sense
given the nature of the kit. Once a character secondary skills rules from the AD&D@ 2nd
has been assigned a kit, that selection remains Edition game, a charactermight be required to
for the life of the character. take a specific secondary skill.

These kits are specifically designed for Weapon Proficiencies: The character must
gnomes and should not be employed by char- take the proficiencies listed. Unless it is specif-
actersof other races. Gnomish characterswho ically stated otherwise, these required profi-
don‘t wish to use a kit from this book can se- ciencies do not increase the number of slots
lect a kit from another handbook that is appli- the character has available.
cable to their character class: The Complete
Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: A gnom-
Fighter‘s Handbook, The Complete Thief’s
ish character using a kit gains these proficien-
Handbook, The Complete Priest’sHandbook, cies for free-he or she is not required to
The Complete Wizard’s Handbook, and The spend a slot for any of them.
Complete Bard‘s Handbook all have kits that
Recommended Nonweapon Proficiencies:
are available to gnomish charactersof the ap- These proficiencies are not required of the
propriate class. character, but they do match up well with the
kit. They require a normal nonweapon pr
Gnomes can become clerics of up to 9th ciency slot(s) to be used for each one.
level, fighters of up to 11thlevel, thieves of up
to 13th level, and illusionists of up to 15th Thieving Skill Emphasis (thief, thi
level; exceptionally talented gnomes (those illusionist, and thief /fighter classes only;
with high scores in their prime requisites) can there are no thief/priest kits): The AD&D@
exceed these maximums by up to 4 additional 2nd Edition rules allow considerable flexibili-
levels. Multi-class combinations are also al- ty in a thief character‘s selection of thieving
lowed between any two classes available to abilities. Characters wishing become Stalkers
gnomes, with illusionist/thief being a favor- or Mouseburglarsusually choose to specialize
ite. Priests are not terribly common among in stealth-related skills such as M o v e Silently
gnomes-the Svirfneblin have the most, Tin-
ker Gnomes none at all-and multi-classed and Hide in Shadows. A gnomish thief who
combinations including them are the rarest of
all gnome character classes (and hence have needs to survive on city streets might prefer to
no kits devoted to them). focus on Pick Pockets and Open Locks. Each
kit comes with suggestedareas of skill concen-
Players and DMs may cooperate in the cre- tration for that character type. These are not
ation of original kits, as long as care is taken mandatory, nor do they grant any special bo-
nuses or confer any penalties.

Equipment:Any special equipmentneeds of

the character are listed. the fighter's art, from wrestling as a child to
Special Benefits: These are things a charac- mastering an assortment of weapons as the
charactergrows to adulthood. Often he or she
ter can do, or perhaps protections he or she will be taught by fighters of other races (hu-
gains, because of the kit. man and dwarf, in particular) as well as ac-
cepting the tutelage of a gnomish master.
Special Hindrances: These are requirements
or limitations placed upon the character by The Breachgnome must have a Strength of
the kit. at least 16.

Fighter Kits Role: This character is the one who steps
Breachgnome out of the crowd of gnomes to confront the
bullying ogre. Breachgnomes excel in defen-
This burly gnome takes a "heads up and sive fighting; if his or her warren is invaded by
face front" view to battle. Armed to the teeth
and armored to the eyeballs, he or she hoists enemies, the Breachgnomewill stand in a cor-
weapon, fully prepared to stand toe-to-toe ridor and hold the creatures at bay until the
with any attacker menacing home or ally. In rest of the villagers can escape. Only after all
some senses, this is the gnomish equivalent of have fled will the valiant defender (possibly)
the knight, mixed with a stubbornness and begin to think about his or her own safety.
tenacity suggestive of the most determined
dwarven heroes. The classic Breachgnomeis an epic figure in
gnomish battle lore. The tale of Maddi
A Breachgnomedevotes all his or her life to Gaddlroot is typical: Maddi supposedly held
off a whole army of ogres for an entire day,

Gnome Character Kits 45

standing before a cave mouth between two determine if both sides are protected-i.e., the
trees, where only one of the enemy could get Breachgnome can gain the double bonus when
at her at a time. Behind her, her city of a thou- standing between walls no more than 8' apart.
sand gnomes stood threatened, and during the This bonus is cumulative with any applicable
course of that day the young and infirm (to- size and Dexterity bonuses.
gether with most of the treasure) were hustled
through narrow tunnels into the depths of the Because of their single-mindednessin weap-
earth. on training, Breachgnomes gain weapon pro-
ficiency slots at the rate of one every two
Only after she had slain dozens of the levels (with the first extra proficiency slot be-
brutes did Maddi fall before the superior coming available at third level).
might of her attackers. Then the ogres lunged
into the lair, only to be met by a clever net- SpecialHindrances: When faced with a bat-
work of ambushes and illusionary traps-de- tle that he or she might be able to win-but
fenses which the Breachgnome's heroic companions or common sense that urge a
sacrifice had given her fellow gnomes time to withdrawal-the Breachgnome must make a
create. In the end, the attack was defeated, the Wisdom check. He or she can repeat the check
city saved, and the hero elevated to legendary every round, but the character cannot retreat
status among her people. Interestingly until it succeeds.
enough, virtually every gnome settlement
considers itself to be the one Maddi Gaddlroot Goblinsticker
died defending and will often point out to visi-
tors the site of her last stand! These gnomes are considered eccentric, if
not downright mad, by their more normal
Secondary Skills: The Armorer or Weapon- kin-Goblinstickers actually seem to enjoy
smith secondary skills are useful to the battle and will go so far as to seek out enemies
Breachgnome. for the purpose of wiping them out. The two
most common foes of the Goblinsticker are,
Weapon Proficiencies: The Breachgnome naturally, goblins and kobolds.
must have a proficiency in the use of the short
sword and either the hammer or axe. Often a Goblinsticker is propelled by some
dark event or tragedy in his or her past-a
Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: None wrong which cannot be righted but which he
Recommended Nonweapon Proficiencies: or she feels compelled to try and atone for or
The Breachgnomeshould consider the Armor- avenge for the rest of his or her days. A
er, Weaponsmith, Endurance, and Black- Goblinsticker is especially effective at fighting
smithing proficiencies. the particular foe which caused this tragedy
Equipment: The Breachgnome will typi- (often, but not always, goblins), often forgo-
cally carry at least two melee weapons, a ing treasure and other incentives to pursue his
shield, metal armor, and some type of missile or her revenge. "Goblinsticker" is a generic
weapon (crossbow and sling being preferred). term for this kit; there are also koboldstickers,
Special Benefits: Because of their short sue skeletonstickers, ogrestickers, et cetera, who
and gusty determination, all Breachgnomes differ only in the focus of their animosity.
gain bonuses to their Armor Class when they
can fight in a position with one or both flanks A character must have a Strength or Consti-
protected by solid objects such as trees, walls, tution score of at least 15 in order to choose
or support beams. If the gnome has such an ob- this kit.
ject within 3' of either side, he or she receives a
Role: Because they are virtually fearless,
-1bonus to AC; if both sides are protected, the these characters form the shock troops of any
gnomish assault against their chosen enemy.
bonus is -2. Assume the gnome is 2' wide to

46 Chapter Four

I

They are likely to choose a life of adventure, tion Sense, Blindfighting, Armorer, and
one that will put them on a collision course Weaponsmith proficiencies useful.
with their hated foe.
Equipment: Together with his or her weap-
Teams of Goblinstickers have been known ons and armor, the Goblinsticker traditionally
to work together, for adventure or pay. In ar- carries the tools of the dungeon-crawler-i.e.,
eas of monster infestation, Goblinstickers can ropes, hammer and spikes, oil, and several
frequently find employment as ”extermina- days’ rations.
tors”-especially in cases where the monsters
are small, such as goblins or kobold, and live Special Benefits: At first level the Goblin-
in dens where the size of human attackers sticker character must declare the hated foe of
would prove a drawback. his or her life. When engaged in battle against
this type of creature, the character receives a
Secondary Skills: The Weaponsmith and +1bonus on all rolls to hit and to determine
Armorer are appropriate secondary skills for damage inflicted. This bonus applies to both
this character. melee and missile weapons and is cumulative
with other gnome benefits, including the Rock
Weapon Proficiencies: The Goblinsticker Gnome‘s standard +1 attack bonus versus
must have a missile weapon proficiency and goblins and kobolds.
two melee weapon proficiencies.
Special Hindrances: When confronted with
Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: The an opportunity to attack or continue to fight
Goblinsticker gains no bonus proficiencies. his or her hated foe, the Goblinsticker must
make a successful Wisdom check or be unable
Recommended Nonweapon Proficiencies:
This character will find the Rope Use, Direc-

Gnome Character Kits 0’ 47

I

be modified or ignored based on circumstanc- A Mouseburglar must have both Dexteritv
es. For example; no Goblinsticker will break and Intelligencescores of 13 or better.
cover and blow an ambush to tromp on the
first goblin to appear when he or she knows Role: Mouseburglars, like other gnomish
thieves, rarely prey upon victims of their same
that a little patience will mean the chance to race. They will be much more inclined to look
bop a lot more of them. for targets among the settlements of clan ene-
mies, especially humanoids, or in anonymous
Thaef K b settingslike large cities.
Mouwburglar
In addition to their larcenous activities,
These stealthy characters are consummate Mouseburglarsalso serve as scouts and spies,
spies and sneak thieves who in some ways be- should there be a need for such reconnois-
have more like halflings than the average sance. Their emphasis on stealth and
gnome thief. Striving to be as quiet as mice, concealment-together with their generally
they infiltrate lairs, mansions, or enemy high Intelligence-makes them excellent
camps. They rely upon secrecy, disguise, and eavesdroppers. Many a gnomish military
silencein order to conceal their presence. Pre- campaign has been laid over the carefully
ferring very much to flee rather than fight, gathered reports of a Mouseburglar.
they consider a truly successful mission one
which is concluded before the victim even These characters also find great application
as adventurers, lending a lot of advantage to a
party of mixed races and classes. Their small

size coupled with their skills (and the fact that Tumbler
most have infravision) allow them to get into Tumblers employ size and energy as the
places that larger thieves can’t.
main assets of a thieving career. Quick and
Secondary Skills: Any secondary skill can nimble, they are able to use escape routes that
be appropriate to this kit. larger and clumsier pursuers find quite un-
manageable. Tumblers are part entertainer,
Weapon Proficiencies: The Mouseburglar part con artist, and part acrobat.
always chooses to specialize in weapons that
Comiw from a variety of backgrounds,
can be wielded silently, preferring the sling or Tumblers usually have been exposed to a num-
bow over the crossbow and the dagger or ber of different races and often perfect their
short sword over the hammer and axe. trade in some kind of urban environment. Of-
ten they will find work in a circus or carnival,
Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: Mouse- moonlighting after show hours to augment
burglarsreceive either Disguise or Rope Use as their honest income.
a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
The Tumbler must have a Dexterity score of
Recommended Nonweapon Proficienaes: at least 14.
This character can benefit by knowing addi-
tional languages (very important for one who Role: The Tumbler is a gnome who employs
intends to spy or eavesdrop!), as well as For- creative and vigorous means to get into plac-
gery, Reading Lips, and Tightrope Walking. es, meanwhile performing tricks and feats for
the edification of his or her fellow villagers.
Thief Skill Emphasis: The Mouseburglar is Adept at climbing and falling, the Tumbler
likely to find the M o v e Silently, Hide in can walk a rope stretched between two high
Shadows, and Open Locks skills to be particu- points, scale a sheer surface, and bob and
larly useful. A t first level he or she must di- evade his or her way through deadly com-
vide the 60 discretionary points between these bat-often rolling right between a larger op-
three abilities. ponent’s legs!

Equipment: The Mouseburglar will be sure Secondary Skills: Any of the secondary
to maintain a complete set of lockpicks. He or skills can be used by this character.
she prefers to wear dark clothes and soft boots
when on a job and will often have the materi- Weapon Proficiencies: The Tumbler is eligi-
als for one or two effective disguises concealed ble to use any weapon available to gnomish
somewhere on his or her person. thieves.

Special Benefits: A Mouseburglar gains an Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: The Tum-
bler character receives Tumbling as a free pro-
additional 5 % chance of success to both Open ficiency when first selecting this kit.
Locks and Move Silently at first level. For
each additional level he or she advances, the Recommended Nonweapon Proficiencies:
character receives another 5 % bonus that can The Tumbler must take Jumping, Juggling,
be applied to any one of the following scores: and Tightrope Walking in order to practice his
Open Locks, Move Silently, Find/Remove or her trade.
Traps, or Read Languages.
Thief Skill Emphasis: The Tumbler can find
Special Hindrances: The Mouseburglar so particular use in the Pick Pockets, Move
prefers stealth to combat that the character‘s
fighting skills suffer as a result. Specifically, Silently, and Climb Walls thieving skills. The

-the Mouseburglarreceives a 1penalty on all kit places no restriction on how he or she allo-
cates the discretionary points, however.
attack rolls made in melee combat (except
those delivered with the backstab benefit). Equipment: The Tumbler will always be
This does not affect damage inflicted. found with a coil of strong, lightweight

Gnome Characte 49