Valley Gnome
Species Name: Gnome, Gnomi, Valley Gnome Cheerful, visionary, and industrious in their approach to life, the Valley Gnomes form the picture of the gnomish race as it is viewed by most of the folk who know them. Valley Gnomes are the most common type of gnome among the known worlds, and indeed, when one speaks of a "gnome," chances are he means a Valley Gnome. While not a populous race in comparison to humans or other demihumans, they are encountered in a wide variety of environments, showing no particular preference for any one type of climate. They do, however, tend to make their homes in areas with an abundance of natural Valley (even if it's invisible under a layer of loam and forest). Type: Humanoid Physical Traits: The most distinctive physical characteristic
of the Valley Gnome is an enormous nose, a
proboscis that is larger than that of any
dwarf or human, despite the gnome's diminutive
size. Indeed, the size of one's nose is a
matter of some status among Valley Gnomes,
and more than one good-natured debate has
resulted in actual comparisons being made.
The true test of a mighty nose is the ability to
poke it into your opponent's eye without Height: 3 ft Weight: 40-60 lbs Abilities: Nightvision up to 60 metres. Valley Gnomes can locate sloping passages (1-5 on D6), flawed stonework (1-7 on D10), and approximate depth (1-4 on D6) and direction (1-3 on D6) underground. The Valley Gnome gains a +1 bonus to his or her saving throws versus spell for every 3 points of Constitution. Valley Gnomes add +1 to all melee attack rolls against kobolds or goblins, their traditional racial enemies. They receive a -4 bonus to their Armour Class when attacked by giant class creatures (gnolls, trolls, bugbears, ogres, ogre magi, trolls, titans, and giants). Mobility: Legs Sensory Organs: Visual Communication: Vocal Reproduction: Sexual INT: 4D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 3D6, CON: 3D6, CHA: 3D6, MR: 2D6, HPs: CON +D12 Orbit/Climate: See Earth Feeding Habits: Omnivore Lifespan: While the average lifespan of a Valley
Gnome is in the area of four centuries, it is not
uncommon to find an elder patriarch or matriarch
who has been around for more than 600
years. The oldest of them have been known to
approach the venerable age of 750 years.
The first half-century of a gnome‘s life is generally
spent in a carefree childhood. Youngsters
are indulged and benignly guided by their elders,
with rarely a harsh word or punishment Technology: 2 Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. All gnomes have a fondness for gemstones of all kinds, and in fact each subrace has a stone that it reveres above all others. No other gnomish race, however, is as adept at cutting and shaping these precious baubles as are the Valley Gnomes. The gem symbol of this subrace is, appropriately, the diamond. Diamonds are used as symbols of status and accomplishment, and wealthy and highly regarded clans will often have dishes, candelabras, and other elegant possessions encrusted with these hard and precious stones. Nowhere is Valley Gnome precision more in
evidence than in their stonecutting and
gemwork. Their skill at cutting, polishing,
and mounting gemstones is unsurpassed by
any other race. They are also skilled enough
metalworkers to make elaborate frames and
mounts for jewellery. Indeed, gnomish metalsmiths
work better with soft metals such as silver
and gold than they do with iron and
steel-another significant difference between
them and their larger cousins, the dwarves.
Gold chain belts, silver necklaces, and shining buttons are all proudly
displayed.
This is not to say that gnomes cannot become
fine blacksmiths when they are so inclined.
Indeed, every community will have at
least one well-muscled resident who is in
charge of toolmaking and of crafting other objects
such as dishes and weapons out of iron
and steel. Gnomes generally purchase steel
from dwarves or humans, however, rather
than smelting it themselves. The finest weapons
in a gnomish community are generally of
outside (dwarven or elven) manufacture, often
purchased in trade with the gem and jewellery
work that they do so well. Valley Gnomes also can become skilled carpenters
and (perhaps not surprisingly, given
their dextrous and artistic nature) exceptional Valley Gnomes typically make abysmal
farmers, but they can be capable hunters and
are excellent at gathering the bounty of their
native woodlands, including nuts, fruits,
grubs, mushrooms, and wild greens. A community
will typically tend a small field of
grain, which is used in about equal proportions
to make bread and ale.
In one area Valley Gnomes most closely resemble elves among all the other
demi-humans
in the category of music and dancing. A Valley Gnome’s idea of an ideal setting for a home is an area of hills with an underlying bedrock of limestone that can be transformed into a complicated network of lairs, tunnels, and stairways. Valley Gnomes are not so comfortable in the deep and dank recesses of the Underground as, say, dwarves-or their own gnomish cousins, the Rock Gnomes. Therefore, their settlements will almost always be found near the surface, where the steep faces of hillside or cliff can provide a number of entrances and airholes to a many-layered dwelling. Often these entrances must be reached along narrow and precarious trails-easily travelled by gnome sized creatures but perilous to larger would-be intruders-taking one far above steep slopes of jagged Valleys, or along the edge of a deep gorge, with a rolling torrent of icy water plunging below. Valley Gnomes are very social creatures, and
generally live in thriving, active communities.
Such communities are organized into up to a
dozen clans, and all permanent residents are
member of one or another of these families.
Smaller outposts may consist of a single tightknit
family, with a patriarch, matriarch, or
pair of elders providing benign leadership
over three or four dozen gnomes. The typical
upper limit of any one community is 400-500 Most communities of Valley Gnomes will be found within a few days’ or weeks‘ travel of each other, with grand gatherings of the clans-often including four or five thousand gnomes-held every decade or so. These festivals can last for a fortnight or more and generally climax in frenzied musical performances, nose-measuring contests, tournaments to determine who is best at drinking, snoring, and other things, and feasting. The individual burrows of the Valley Gnomes are small and tidy. Generally a married couple will have a small chamber to themselves, with all children (cousins as well as siblings) sharing a common room. Adolescents are segregated by sex, with a large burrow having two separate chambers for its young males and females respectively. Most of these private chambers will be connected via tunnels to a central family chamber, where the fire is kept, food is prepared and eaten, and the family members meet for the talk and socialization that occupies virtually all their nonworking waking hours. The common room will always have a chimney vented to the outside (often through a very long passage). Ideally, it will have some other access to fresh air and light as well-chambers with no window are considered oppressive and tomblike by many Valley Gnomes. The family quarters will also connect (usually via an underground passage) to the other families that make up the clan; and similarly each clan in the community will be connected to the others. At every place junctures occur, there are large chambers. In the bigger towns these areas contain inns and shops, as well as open commons where impromptu parties (as well as many scheduled festivals) can take place. Gnomes travel frequently among their communities,
and many of them will venture into
human or demihuman cities out of curiosity.
They mix well with halflings and find life in a
halfling village quite pleasant. Unlike halflings,
they have no particular compulsion that
holds them to their own homes or locales, and
their long lifespans afford them the time to indulge
their curiosity about how other races
live.
While Valley Gnomes can survive and even
flourish in a community of humans, dwarves,
elves, or halflings, few would care to leave
their fellow gnomes permanently. It's far more
common for a gnome to live among other
races for a few decades, perhaps even a century
or more, before returning home to his or her own clan. Perhaps a quarter of all
Valley
Gnomes spend at least part of their second Gnomes are tinkerers, designing grand machines for every imaginable task. Gnomes are a short, intelligent, and inquisitive race with aptitudes in both the arcane and mechanical crafts. Gnomes believe that pushing a child into a particular interest or vocation may be damaging to the child’s nature causing unhappy or introverted children. Gnomes are encouraged to explore all of their interests as they come. Gnomes are blessed with ever expanding imaginations. They seek to improve their world without bringing it harm through the use of mechanical inventions and alchemy. Gnome homes and villages are often littered with peculiar new creations and unfinished projects. At the age of 30 Gnome children begin school. Their studies continue for 9 years divided into three main sections. The first 3 years focus on the general studies of alchemy, history, mathematics, reading and writing. Grades 4 through 6 focus on the specialization the Gnome child has chosen and the last three years are largely independent study. Upon completion of schooling Gnomes are required to offer a final showing. The project may consist of whatever the student believes best demonstrates their knowledge and skill in their chosen course of study. 9 mentors in the appropriate field will judge this. All 9 must judge the final showing project positively for the gnome to qualify for a Certification test. Certification is a stressful 6 hour long process. Graduating students again face the 9 mentors from their final showing alone. This time the mentors will pose numerous questions designed to test the limits of their knowledge. Government: Guild Council. Population: 3,760,000 |
Creating a Valley Gnome character
Step 1: Age | ||
Determine your character's age. If older than 100 you need to determine which years you have been present in. | ||
01-20 | 10 xD4 years | |
21-40 | 10 xD6 years | |
41-60 | 10 xD10 years | |
61-80 | 10 xD12 years | |
81-00 | 10 xD20 years | |
Next decide what you have been doing. Were you involved in any famous historical incidents? In the present day where does your character live or is he a wanderer, moving around continuously? | ||
Step 2: Attributes | ||
Roll attributes as normal but INT are +D6, while MR is -D6. Mana = INT + WIS x2. Mana is recovered at a rate of 10 per hour if remain active (but not using magic) and 20 per hour if asleep. Mana can however be permanently traded for HPs at a rate of 1 for 1. Hit points = CON +12, +12 per level. AC 2 for warrior classes. | ||
Step 3: Skills | ||
Choose skills in the normal manner according to the character's class but half the starting skills must be based on building an item. Then for every 100 years alive select 1 additional skill. |
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Step 4: Abilities | ||
All Gnomes gain all the following free; Night Vision - The character can see in absolute darkness at a distance equal to 60 metres. Inventive - Gnomes can specialise in one area of fabrication. In each case they can build, repair, custom modify and design the item the ability applies to. Weapons can have their damage and range increased up to +50%, and HPs, AR and speed increased up to +50% prior to attaching any armour. It can include buildings, armour, weapons and vehicles. Additionally Dwarves start with 30 Points to spend on any of the following abilities. As they earns more experience they may buy or rebuy more abilities. |
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Ability | Cost | Notes |
Extra Inventive | 10 | Although rare this Gnome has more than one specialty. Choose one more area of fabrication the Gnome can specialize in. |
Increased AC | 5 | If taking a warrior class then the Gnome's Armour Class will be 2. Gnomes become harder to hit as they gain experience in dodging in combat, causing their Armour Class to improve by one point for every level beyond 3rd, to a maximum of AC -6. |
Increased Thac0 | 5 | +1 Thac0 with melee weapons at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. |
Natural Chameleon | 5 | Using this ability the Gnome can blend into and render himself nearly invisible in wooded areas, fields of tall grass, clumps of bushes, or any other wilderness area with dark or shaded terrain. When hiding he can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well travelled road and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite waiting for an opportune moment to steal their supplies. Gnomes are only surprised on a roll of 1 on D10; they surprise opponents 90% of the time. |
Natural Enemy | 5 | Valley Gnomes add +1 to all melee attack rolls against kobolds or goblins, their traditional racial enemies. They receive a -4 bonus to their Armour Class when attacked by giant class creatures (gnolls, trolls, bugbears, ogres, ogre magi, trolls, titans, and giants). |
Natural Mana | 10 | +10 Mana at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. |
Nature Survival | 5 | Due to a Gnome's extensive experience and training underground he gains +1 to any physical, combat and survival rolls made while within that environment. He may choose an additional terrain at level 5. Terrain types include; Jungle, Desert, Tundra, Mountain, Forest or Ocean. Each time this ability is rebought he may either take an additional +1 with their terrain OR choose a new terrain. |
Resistance Bonuses | 5 | The Valley Gnome gains a +1 bonus to his saving throws versus spell for every 3 points of Constitution. Gnomes gain a +3 bonus to all saving throws except those against poison (for which they receive a +2 bonus instead). |
Underground Senses | 5 | Valley Gnomes can locate sloping passages (1-5 on D6), flawed stonework (1-7 on D10), and approximate depth (1-4 on D6) and direction (1-3 on D6) underground. |
Witch Sight | 5 | The character can see the true image of any person or object regardless of any form of concealment, disguise, illusion or invisibility. This also includes the ability to detect whether it is magical, and whether it is harmful or helpful. |
Step 5: Classes | ||
Any but favoured ones include Merchant, Artificer, and Alchemist. |