Species Name: Brownie, Brounie, Urisk, Brùnaidh, Uruisg, Gruagach
A Brownie/brounie or urisk (Lowland Scots) or brùnaidh, ùruisg, or gruagach (Scottish Gaelic) is a legendary creature popular in folklore around Scotland and England (especially the north, though more commonly hobs have this role). It is the Scottish and Northern English counterpart of the Scandinavian tomte, the Slavic domovoi and the German Heinzelmännchen. In folklore, a Brownie resembles the hob, similar to a hobgoblin. Brownies are said to inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. However, they do not like to be seen and will only work at night, traditionally in exchange for small gifts of food. Among food, they especially enjoy porridge and honey. They usually abandon the house if their gifts are called payments, or if the owners of the house misuse them. Brownies make their homes in an unused part of the house. Folklorist John Gregorson Campbell distinguishes between the English Brownie, which lived in houses, and the Scottish ùruisg or urisk, which lived outside in streams and waterfalls and was less likely to offer domestic help. The ùruisg enjoyed solitude at certain seasons of the year. Around the end of the harvest, he became more sociable, and hovered around farmyards, stables and cattle-houses. He particularly enjoyed dairy products, and tended to intrude on milkmaids, who made regular libations of milk or cream to charm him off, or to gain his favour. He was usually seen only by those who possessed second sight, though there were instances when he made himself visible to ordinary people as well. He is said to have been jolly and personable, with flowing yellow hair, wearing a broad blue bonnet and carrying a long walking staff. Every manor house had its ùruisg, and in the kitchen, close by the fire was a seat, which was left unoccupied for him. One house on the banks of the River Tay was even until the beginning of the twentieth century believed to have been haunted by such a sprite, and one room in the house was for centuries called "Seòmar Bhrùnaidh" (Brownie’s room).
Type: Micro Humanoid
Physical Traits: Brownies resemble small Elves with brown hair and bright blue eyes. Their brightly coloured garments are made from wool or linen with gold ornamentation. They normally carry leather pouches and tools for repairing leather, wood, and metal.
Height: 1-2' feet
Weight: 4-15lbs
Abilities: Since their senses are so keen, it is impossible to surprise Brownies. They are superb at blending into their surroundings and can become all but invisible when they choose. This, combined with their great agility, gives them an AC of 3.
Nightvision up to 90 metres.
Mobility: Legs
Sensory Organs: Visual
Communication: Vocal
Reproduction: Sexual
INT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 2D6 +2, DEX: 3D6 +1, CON: 3D6, CHA: 3D6 +1, MR: 2D6, HPs: CON +D4, AC: 3
Orbit/Climate: See Earth
Feeding Habits: Brownies eat fruit and grain
Lifespan: 300 years
Technology: 2
Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. Brownies prefer not to engage in combat, and only do so if threatened. Angry Brownies rarely meet their foes in hand to hand combat, relying instead on magic. Brownies use spells to harass and drive away enemies. If cornered and unable to employ any spells, Brownies attack with short swords. Brownies live in rural areas, making their homes in small burrows or abandoned buildings. They often live close to or on farms, as they are fascinated by farm life. Brownies live by harvesting wild fruits and gleaning grain from a farmer’s field. Being honest to the core, a Brownie always performs some service in exchange for what is taken. One might milk a farmer’s cows and take only a small amount. Some Brownies go so far as to become house Brownies. They observe the families in a given area, and if one meets their high moral standards, these Brownies secretly enter the household. At night, while the residents are asleep, they perform a variety of helpful tasks; spinning, baking bread, repairing farm implements, keeping foxes out of the hen house, mending clothes, and performing other household tasks. If a thief creeps silently into the house, they will make enough noise to awaken the residents. Watchdogs and domestic animals consider Brownies friendly and never attack or even bark at them. All Brownies ask in exchange for their labour is a little milk, some bread, and an occasional bit of fruit. Etiquette demands that no notice be taken of them. If the residents boast about the presence of a Brownie, the Brownie vanishes. Brownies are not greedy, but they do have small hoards of treasure which they have taken from evil monsters or received as gifts from humans. A Brownie sometimes leaves his treasure in a location where a good person in need is bound to find it. Strangers and outsiders are constantly watched by the Brownies of the community until their motives are established. If the Brownies decide that a stranger is harmless, he is left in peace. If not, the Brownies unite and drive the intruder out. Brownies know every nook and cranny of the areas where they live, and thus make excellent guides. If asked politely, there is a 50% chance that a Brownie will agree to act as a guide. Brownies are basically vegetarians who live very comfortably on the gleanings of agricultural life. They make efficient use of leftovers that are too small for humans to notice. When Brownies glean from fields, they do so after harvest, gathering grains and fruits which might otherwise be wasted.
Government: None
Population: 6,631,350