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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/gnome

Name:
	Gnome  (Demihuman)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 4-12
	Climate/Terrain: Hills
	Frequency      : Rare
	Organization   : Clans
	Activity Cycle : Any
	Diet           : Omnivore

Description:
	Small cousins of the dwarves, gnomes are friendly but reticent, quick
	to help their friends but rarely seen by other races unless they want
	to be. They tend to dwell underground in hilly, wooded regions where
	they can pursue their interests in peace. Gnomes can be fighters or
	priests, but most prefer to become thieves or illusionists instead.
	Multi-class characters are more common among the gnomes than any other
	demihuman race.

	Gnomes strongly resemble small, thin, nimble dwarves, with the excep-
	tion of two notable facial features: gnomes prefer to keep their beards
	short and stilishly trimmed, and they take pride in their enormous no-
	ses (often fully twice the size of any dwarf or human's). Skin, hair,
	and eye color vary somewhat by subrace: the most common type of gnome,
	the rock gnome, has skin ranging from a dark tan to a woody brown
	(sometimes with a hint of gray), pale hair, and eyes any shade of blue.

	Gnomish clothing tends toward leather and earth tones, brightened by a
	bit of intricately wrought jewelry or stitching. Rock gnomes have an
	average life span of around 450 years, although some live to be 600
	years or more.

	Gnomes speak their own language, and each subrace has its own distinc-
	tive dialect. Many gnomes learn the tongues of humans, kobolds, gob-
	lins, halflings, and dwarves in order to communicate with their neigh-
	bours, and some rock gnomes are able to communicate with burrowing mam-
	mals via a basic language of grunts, snorts, and sings.

Combat:
	Gnomes possess infravision to 60 feet, and the ability to detect slo-
	ping passages (80%), unsafe stonework (70%), approximate depth (60%),
	and direction (50%) underground. They are highly resistant to magic,
	unfortunately, this also means that there is a 20% chance that any ma-
	gical item a gnome attempts to use will malfunction (armour, weapons,
	and illusionary items exempted).

	Gnomes prefer the use of strategy over brute force in combat and will
	often use illusions in imaginative ways to 'even the odds'. Their great
	hatred of kobolds and goblins, their traditional enemies, gives them a
	+1 on their attack rolls when fighting these beings. They are adept at
	dodging the attacks of large opponents, forcing all giant class crea-
	tures (gnolls, bugbears, ogres, trolls, giants, etc.) to substract 4
	from their attack rolls when fighting gnomes.

	Gnomes can use any weapon that matches their size and often carry a se-
	cond (or even a third) weapon as a back-up. Short swords, hammers, and
	spears are favourite melee weapons, with short bows, crossbows, slings,
	and darts coming into play when distance weapons are called for; vir-
	tually every gnome will also carry a sharp knife somewhere on his or
	her person as a final line of defense.

	A typical rock gnome will wear studded leather armour and use a small
	shield. Their leaders will have chain mail, and any gnome above 5th
	level has plate mail. There is a 10% chance for each level above 5th
	that the gnome's armour and/or weapon is magical. Spell casters have a
	10% chance per level of having 1-3 magical items usable by their cha-
	racter class.

Habitat/Society:
	Gnomes live in underground burrows in remote hilly, wooded regions.
	They are clannish, with friendly rivalries occurring between neighbou-
	ring clans. They spend their lives mining, crafting find jewelry, and
	enjoying the fruits of their labours. Gnomes work hard, and they play
	hard. They observe many festivals and holidays, which usually involves
	games, nose measuring contents, and swapping of grand tales. Their so-
	ciety is well organized, with many levels of responsibility, cumula-
	ting in a single chief who is advised by clerics in matters directly
	relating to their calling.

	A gnomish lair is home to some 40-400 gnomes, one quarter of them
	children. For every 40 adults there is a fighter of 2nd to 4th level.
	If 160 or more are encountered there is also a 5th-level chief and a
	3rd-level lieutenant. If 200 or more are met, there is a cleric or il-
	lusionist of 4th to 6th level. If 320 or more are present, add a 6th-
	level fighter, two 5th-level fighters, a 7th-level cleric, four 3rd-
	level clerics, a 5th-level illusionist, and two 2nd-level illusionists,
	gnomes often befriend burrowing mammals, so 5-30 badgers (70%), 3-12
	giant badgers (20%), or 2-8 wolverines (10%) will be present as well.
	These animals are neither pets nor servants, but allies who help guard
	the clan.

Ecology:
	Gnomes are very much a magical part of nature, existing in harmony with
	the land they inhabit. They choose to live underground but remain near
	the surface in order to enjoy its beauty.