ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

2nd Edition Player's Handbook Rles S!!le"ent

#$e Co"!lete %ook o& Gno"es & Hal&lin's
by Do'las Niles
CRED(#S
Designer: Douglas Niles
Editor: John D. Rateliff
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*a$le of Contents
-ntrodu"tion: *he &mall (olk
Coo'eration
*he -n)isi$ility (a"tor
(ighting &mall
,N89E&
-ntrodu"tion: ,nomes
,nomes in AD6D@ .nd Edition
Ne &tuff A$out ,nomes
Cha'ter 0:
9yths of the ,nomes
,ods of the ,nomedom
,arl ,littergold
!aer)an #ildander
Callarduran &moothhands
(landal &teelskin
&egoAan Earth"aller
5rdlen, *he Craler !elo

Cha'ter .:
,nome &u$ra"es
Ro"k ,nomes
&)irfne$lin BDee' ,nomesC
*inker ,nomes B9inoiC
(orest ,nomes
Cha'ter 2: ,nomish Culture
(esti)als
(ires
9arriage and (amily
*he Nose Knos
(ood and Drink
,ems
Craftsmanshi'
*rade
*a$oos
Emotions
%umor
Animal (riends
#arfare
9agi"
#andering
Cha'ter 3:
,nome Chara"ter Kits
&tru"ture of the Kits
(ighter Kits
!rea"hgnome
,o$linsti"ker
*hief Kits
9ouse$urglar
*um$ler
-llusionist Kits
-magemaker
7anisher
9ulti"lass Kits
!uffoon B*D-C
&talker B(D*C
Priest Kits
Ro"ktender
*reetender
Cha'ter 1: ,ranitehome
::A *y'i"al ,nomish 7illage
Des"ri'tion of ,ranitehome
9a' of ,ranitehome
%AL(L-N,&
-ntrodu"tion: %alflings
%alflings in AD6D@ .nd Edition
Ne &tuff A$out %alflings
Cha'ter 0:
9yths of the %alflings
*he &tory of Littleman
A ,eneral %istory
of the %alfling Ra"e
,ods of the %alflings
Eondalla the Pro)ider
&heela Peryroyl
Cyrrollalee
Ar)oreen the Defender
!rando$aris
Cha'ter .:
%alfling &u$ra"es
*he #anderings of Littleman
%airfoot
&tout
*allfello
Kender
Athasian %alfling
(ur"hin
Cha'ter 2:
%alfling Culture
*he Name F%alflingsF
*he %earth and the !urro
*he (amily
,roing 5'
&ustenan"e, and 9ore
*he 7illage
Crafts, La$or, and Produ"ts
*rade
&o"iety Norms and *a$oos
Joy and %umor
&orro and Anger
Riddles
7illages and &hires
#arfare
*a"ti"s
9agi"
#hy 9ost %alflings Are %ome$odies
#hy &ome %alflings Pursue Ad)enture
Cha'ter 3:
%alfling Chara"ter Kits
*he &tru"ture of the Kits
(ighter Kits
*he Ar"her
(orestalker
%omesteader
9er"enary
&heriff
&Guire
*unnelrat
*hief Kits
!andit
!ilker
!urglar
&muggler
5r"hin
(ighterD*hief Kits
Cartogra'her
*rader
*ra)eler
Cleri" Kits
%ealer
Leaftender
8ra"le
Cha'ter 1:Lindendale
:: A *y'i"al %alfling 7illage
Des"ri'tion of Lindendale
9a' of Lindendale
A''endi?: Ad)enture &uggestions
for ,nome and %alfling Cam'aigns
-ntrodu"tion: *he &mall (olk
#hy a $ook for the small folkH And hat do gnomes and halflings ha)e in
"ommon that arrants their in"lusion in a tome togetherH *he anser to the se"ond
Guestion lies in the first, for it is the diminuti)e si>e of $oth these 'o'ular ra"es that is the
most signifi"ant fa"tor in the ay they "o'e ith their en)ironment.
*he orlds of the AD6D@ game "an $e frightening and o)er'oering e)en to
"hara"ters $road of girth, 'otent of magi", and 'ossessing strength great enough to fa"e
many of those orldsI "hallenges. -magine ho mu"h greater the danger to $eings of
small stature, limited strength, and little or no magi".
*his is the en)ironment fa"ed $y the gnome and the halfling. -t is a orld teeming
ith larger ra"es, ea"h of hom "laims its ni"he and Aealously guards its 'rerogati)es:
'rolifi" humanity, ith its 'otent i>ards and 'oerful "leri"sJ dour dar)es, ith their
mighty fortresses and their doughty fightersJ en"hanted el)es, masters of the oodsJ not
to mention the monsters::giants, trolls, go$lins, ghosts, and dragons::that lurk e)ery
here.
*o "ounter these inherent disad)antages, and to make and kee' a 'la"e for
themsel)es in a hard orld, gnomes and halflings long ago de)elo'ed se)eral traits that
allo them not only to sur)i)e, $ut to flourish. Common to $oth ra"es is an instin"t for
a)oiding dire"t "onfli"t hen 'ossi$le. Just as )alua$le is a gift for $eing uno$trusi)e.
!ut most im'ortant of all, 'erha's, is the o'en:mindedness $oth halflings and gnomes
sho in their dealings ith mem$ers of other ra"ial grou's.
Des'ite the many traits they share, gnomes are not halflings and halflings are not
gnomes: ea"h ra"e remains distin"t unto itself. ConseGuently, this $ook is di)ided into
to maAor se"tions::one a$out gnomes and the other a$out halflings. *hese se"tions
"ontain all a 'layer or D9 needs to kno a$out the so"iety, "hara"ter, su$ra"es, and kits
of these diminuti)e demihumans.
&till, itIs orth thinking a$out a fe "onsiderations that a''ly to $oth gnomes and
halflings, es'e"ially those that relate to their si>e Bhi"h is small not Aust in "om'arison
ith humans $ut most of the other intelligent "reatures ith hi"h they share their
orldC. *hese are the traits of the ra"es that are most useful to 'layers, as ell as
im'ortant hallmarks of any all:gnome or all:halfling "am'aign.
Coo'eration
,nomes and halflings $oth ha)e learned the )alue of "oo'erating ith mem$ers
of other, larger ra"es. %alflings ty'i"ally "arry this intera"tion farther than do their
$earded "ousins, $ut gnomes, too, understand that allian"es and friendshi' make for more
'ros'erous neigh$ors than do feuding and ar. 9em$ers of $oth ra"es are not inherently
ad)erse to making $usiness deals ith dar)es, humans, and el)es::or e)en humanoid
monsters, 'ro)ided there is no inherent ra"ial anti'athy. E)en here su"h enmity e?ists,
as $eteen gnomes and ko$olds or go$lins, it is usually the result of "om'etition for
li)ing s'a"eJ in settings here this traditional $one of "ontention is a$sent Bas in the AL:
;AD-9@ setting of +akharaC, gnomes find it easy to $efriend e)en these traditional
enemies. Naturally, halflings and gnomes alike ill $e "autious regarding offers of
mutual "oo'eration from those ho ha)e $een a"ti)e enemies in the re"ent 'ast, $ut at
least they ill gi)e su"h offers a fair hearing.
Allian"es: *he )alue of a military 'a"t ith a strong neigh$or is an o$)ious one to
any ra"e. *he tri"k, hoe)er, is to a)oid the smaller 'artner $eing dominated or
salloed u' $y the larger. *he small folk ha)e de)elo'ed di'loma"y into an art and are
ade't at $eing a$le to negotiate mutually:$enefi"ial 'a"ts ith a )ariety of their
neigh$ors. (or e?am'le, el)es and dar)es might ally themsel)es ith different grou's
of humans $ut not ith ea"h other, hile the humans 'ro$a$ly ill ha)e trou$le getting
along e)en among themsel)es. %alfling or gnome "ommunities in the same area are Guite
likely to ha)e mutual assistan"e agreements orked out ith the a$o)e mentioned
dar)es, el)es, and se)eral of the human nations. 8f "ourse, these 'a"ts ill a''ly to
outside threats only, as the small folk ha)e no desire to get in)ol)ed in the internal 'oer
struggles of their neigh$ors.
E)en in "ases here no military allian"e is formed, a "ommunity of the small folk
ill stri)e mightily to maintain 'ea"e ith its neigh$ors. %alflings and gnomes ill
readily suggest or agree to negotiation o)er 'oints of "ontention, and they are "a'a$le of
"arrying on these talks for a )ery long 'eriod of time. -f a grou' of humans de"ides to
resol)e an issue $y for"e, the small folk ill 'ro$a$ly agree to the terms ithout )iolent
resistan"e unless a matter of strong 'rin"i'le is at stake. %oe)er, e)en in a"Guies"en"e
the halflings or gnomes might find a ay to make the human )i"tory a hollo one.
&ay, for e?am'le, that a small 'at"h of forest forms a "ommon $order $eteen a
human ton and a halfling )illage. *he halflings ill stri)e to see that the oods is
'reser)ed and shared, e)en to the 'oint of $estoing u'on their neigh$ors gifts of game,
mushrooms, and nuts from the oods. -f the humans suddenly "laim the oods as their
e?"lusi)e 'ro'erty, the halflings ill s'end a long time trying to talk them out of this
selfish notion::and theyIll "ontinue to use the oods as they alays ha)e for so long as
the talks last.
-f, hoe)er, the lo"al human ruler issues an order $arring halflings from the forest
and sets guards around it to see that he or she is o$eyed, the halflings ill 'ro$a$ly resort
to dis"reet 'oa"hing, using their skills at mo)ing silently to e)ade the guards. -roni"ally,
ithout the tending of (orestalkers and Leaftenders Bsee the halfling kitsC, the forest
ill 'rodu"e mu"h less::and the humans 'ro$a$ly "anIt e)en find the mushroomsK #ithin
a short time, the oods ill $e"ome a ilder, more desolate 'la"e. *hus, $oth sides suffer
from the humansI greed, and::if the friendshi' $eteen the "ommunities is maintained::
the halflings ill ho'e that in a fe years the human 'oli"y "an $e re)ersed.
-n an e?treme "ase, here the human ruler de"ides that the oods should $e "ut
don and the lum$er used to $uild him or her a ne summer 'ala"e, the halflings might
$e dri)en to more dire resistan"e. -f the forest is really im'ortant to the "ommunityIs
sur)i)al and identity they may feel "om'elled to fight for it. Rather than de"laring ar on
their neigh$or, they ill sa$otage logging o'erations, aylay small 'arties of loggers,
and generally make the 'roAe"t too time "onsuming and e?'ensi)e for the humans to
"ontinue.
-n all "ases of 'ossi$le "onfli"t, halflings ill first try affa$ility, 'rogressing from
there to 'assi)e resistan"e, and only resorting to guerrilla arfare if all else fails. ,nomes
Bes'e"ially Ro"k ,nomesC are somehat more Gui"k to anger under mistreatment, $ut
they too ill ne)er $e the aggressors and ill gladly end hostilities at the )ery first
o''ortunity. -tIs easy to underestimate the small folk, $ut they make tena"ious foes to
those ho insist on $e"oming their enemies.
-ntermingling: *o )arying degrees $oth kinds of small folk are o'en to the
"ultures of other ra"es, hether this means indi)idual gnomes and halflings li)ing
amongst humans, dar)es, and el)es or a""e'ting mem$ers of the F!ig (olkF into their
on "ommunities. !eteen gnome and halfling, a mem$er of one grou' ill $e armly
el"omed and feel Guite "omforta$le li)ing among or )isiting the other.
#hen gnomes or halflings li)e among another ra"e, say in a 'o'ulous "ity, they
are ade't at retaining their old "ustoms hile ada'ting them to the traits and 'e"uliarities
of the 'eo'le around them. *he hearth, so essential to the halfling, or the fire ithout
hi"h no gnome delling ould $e "om'lete, ill $e found any here a mem$er of the
res'e"ti)e ra"e "alls home::e)en if FhomeF is a "orner in a "roded tenement and the
hearth a mere "andle or a tiny flame nourished ithin an oil'ot.
At the same time, the small folk ill )enture forth, sam'ling the "ityIs onders,
e?'loring its "orners $right and dark, and as likely as not making a fe friends in the
'ro"ess. #ithin a short time after their arri)al, "han"es are that they ill $e 'rodu"ti)e
and 'o'ular mem$ers of the ur$an "ommunity.
*he -n)isi$ility (a"tor
*here isnIt any magi"al )anishing a"t Bith the e?"e'tion of "ertain gnome
illusionistsC, $ut $oth gnomes and halflings ha)e inherent talents at F$lending into the
oodork,F so to s'eak::at least, in situations here they desire not to $e noti"ed. *his is
not so mu"h a matter of si>e as it is of skillJ a skill they take time to "ulti)ate BitIs
signifi"ant that the fa)orite game of $oth gnome and halfling "hildren is F%ide and
&eekFKC.
-n oodland settings, this trait is illustrated most effe"ti)ely $y the halflingIs
a$ility to literally disa''ear among the under$rush. #hile gnomes arenIt Guite so ade't at
this, their keen sense of hearing and e)erF'resent diligen"e generally allos them to hear
someone a''roa"hing and take shelter $efore they are dis"o)ered.
-n more so"ial "ir"umstan"es, the small folk are ade't at dire"ting attention aay
from themsel)es, hether in a "ity street, "roded ta)ern, or elegant dinner 'arty. !y
mo)ing Gui"kly and smoothly, the diminuti)e "hara"ters ill often "ause a human or elf
to rea"t ith F- "ould ha)e sorn there as a gnome thereK #hereId he goHF And hen
others are asked, it turns out that no one sa him lea)e or arri)e, $ut they all ha)e some
)ague memory of his 'resen"eK 5nder most "ir"umstan"es, itIs 'ossi$le for a gnome or
halfling to sli' aay ith little or no arning.
8ne skill de)elo'ed $y $oth of these ra"es is the art of di)ersion, often in )ery
su$tle forms. #ith a Gui"k glan"e off to the side, a slight idening of the eyes, or shar'
intake of $reath, many a halfling or gnome has su""essfully di)erted the attention of
another "hara"ter. %alflings use the time thus gained for some Gui"k 'i"king of 'o"kets or
other sleight of hand and to es"a'e from 'otentially sti"ky situations, hile gnomes use it
to $uy time and to set u' ela$orate 'ra"ti"al Aokes.
(ighting &mall
#hen "ourtesy and elusi)eness $oth fail and the small folk are for"ed into
"om$at, they are ade't at using their si>e to their on ad)antage. #hene)er 'ossi$le,
halflings and gnomes ill "hoose to fight in an area here larger "reatures are hindered
$y o)ergroth, lo "eilings, or narro "onstri"ting 'assages. ,nomes are 'arti"ularly
skilled at fighting giant:"lass "reatures, using their small si>e and nim$leness to gain the
:3 $onus to Armor Class against themJ halflings em'loy their De?terity in other ays and
ha)e mastered the use of small missile ea'ons so that they "an do $attle ith larger
"reatures $efore those hulking $rutes get "lose enough to gra''le.
-n their homes, )illages, $urros, and arrens, the small folk ill often 're'are
an es"a'e route that is only large enough to let a gnome or halfling sGuee>e through. -f
these "ralays are framed ith sturdy stone entran"es, they "an effe"ti)ely $lo"k
'ursuit $y larger "reatures::and e)en if theyIre merely dirt, the time and effort needed to
e?'and the tunnels often allos the fleeing gnome or halfling family time to es"a'e.
-n any "onfli"t, the rules the small folk rely on to sur)i)e are easily summed u':
ne)er lose your head, take ad)antage of the !ig (olkIs $ulk and "lumsiness here
'ossi$le, and, hen all else fails, run aay.
,nomes
The full moon cast its pure illumination across a region of rocky hills, etching
each knob in coral light or black shadow. Fringes of forest clustered among the stone of
cliff and pinnacle, like shaggy hair trailing from the scalp and shoulders of granite-faced
giants. Higher and higher the moon climbed into the night sky, bringing more of the
landscape into brilliant relief.
Yet even that brilliance did not penetrate the shadowy realms of forest in the
valley bottoms, where dank cliffs glowered overhead and narrow tracks wound their way
through inky shadow.
It was here, on these invisible trails, that small figures moved in steady
progression. They came from every where, emerging from narrow cave mouths in the
rocky cliffs, or dark ravines in the depths of the forest glen--and even from gaps in craggy
stumps, where the hollowed shells of ancient trees provided this small folk with access to
their well concealed abodes.
They remained in the shadows as they followed the secret tracks. ach figure was
short, no more than half the height of a man, but these little folk walked with a confidant
and steady march, as if they knew that nothing would stand in their way on this night.
!mall beards, neatly trimmed around the chin, distinguished the faces of the males, while
the rounded cheeks of the females were framed by long, unbound locks of curling hair.
Finally the marching columns came to a gathering of the trails, and here the path
entered a narrow slot between two sheer and craggy cliffs. "ne after the other these
small folk marched into the crack, following the twists and turns that would have blocked
the passage of a creature any taller or any wider.
ventually the enclosing walls spread away, letting the glory of the moonlight
reveal a rock-walled valley. # pond of cool water reflected the light in wind-rippled
sparkles, while a narrow waterfall spumed like a column of ivory down the face of a
towering cliff.
The file of figures marched steadily and silently into the vale, gathering by village
and clan into its corners, settling themselves in grassy clearings or atop rocky outcrops.
$ore than a thousand were already here, and thousands more had yet to come.
%ut enter they did, as the moon neared its &enith. 'ow the entire floor of the
valley was washed by the cool illumination, as the last of the little fellows entered via the
narrow crack. They settled themselves comfortably, and though the vale teemed with
upraised faces, no sound disturbed the still, midnight air.
#nd then the moon began to fade.
*he sturdy $ut diminuti)e gnome is 'erha's the most misunderstood of the
traditional AD6D@ game "hara"ter ra"es. *heyIre kind of like dar)es, of "ourse . . . $ut
isnIt thereIs more to it than thatH
-ndeed there is. ,nomes do share some traits ith their longer $earded "ousins:
they are e?"e'tional miners, "omforta$le underground, and resistant to magi". Eet, to the
shorter nosed dar)es, gnomes seem e?"essi)ely fri)olous, sometimes e)en eaklings.
,nomes are Guite "omforta$le out of doors, ell at home in a forest. *he maAor rituals of
gnomish life all o""ur $eneath the stars, and no "osmi" sym$ol is as im'ortant to them as
an e"li'se, in "ontrast to the dar)es, ho 'refer nothing so mu"h as solid ro"k o)erhead
and "are little for "osmi" o""urren"es of any kind.
,nomes are also "heerful and so"ial "reatures, of good:tem'ered and tolerant
dis'osition. *hey regard rudeness as a maAor fault::a "hara"teristi" hi"h in itself is
enough to mark them as )ery different from most dar)esK ,nomes relish the "om'any
of other gnomes and ill eagerly "om'ete in the telling of tales. *heir "alendar is marked
$y many festi)als, ea"h of hi"h is an o""asion of great feasting, drinking, singing, and
dan"ing.
Although gnomes are friendly, they are also reti"entJ it is 'ossi$le to kno a
gnome for many years ithout learning mu"h a$out him Bor herC. #hen a gnome does
$e"ome friends ith a mem$er of another ra"e, that 'erson is ado'ted $y the gnomeIs
hole family as someone they like and trust. ,nomes ha)e mu"h to fear from the larger
"reatures of the orld, $ut they ha)e not alloed this "aution to $e"ome a "om'elling
'aranoia.
7ery fond of good food, gnomes sho little imagination in their re"i'es. *hey are
skilled ith fire, and Guite un"omforta$le::e)en forlorn::if "ir"umstan"es 're)ent them
from ha)ing an e)ening $la>e.
(inally, the gnomes ha)e raised the art of the illusionist to a "ultural heritage that
'ermeates many as'e"ts of gnomish life and so"iety. *he steadfast loyalty and useful
skills of a gnome "hara"ter "an 'ro)ide fine additions to any grou' of ad)enturers.
,nomes in AD6D@ .nd Edition
,nomes as a 'layer "hara"ter ra"e are introdu"ed in the (layer)s Handbook and
the *+',"' $#!T-. ,uide .
-n addition, as NPCs they ha)e $een "o)ered ith an entry in the $onstrous
/ompendium, 7olume 8ne. *o of the gnomish su$ra"es are also "o)ered in $onstrous
/ompendium entries::the &)irfne$lin in the (8R,8**EN REAL9&@ A''endi? B9C2C
and the *inker ,nomes B9inoiC in the DRA,8NLANCE@ A''endi? B9C3C.
Ne &tuff A$out ,nomes
*his se"tion of The /omplete %ook of ,nomes and Halflings ill attem't to flesh
out the gnome and his or her so"iety. *he ay these little 'eo'le li)e and intera"t, the
things that moti)ate them to $e $ra)e, "autious, or shy, and the kind of orld they desire
for themsel)es and their offs'ring are all treated in some detail.
-n addition, the )arious su$ra"es of gnomes are distinguished::in"luding the Ro"k
,nomes, ho are the ty'i"al gnomes of the "am'aign orld, as ell as the Dee' ,nomes
B&)irfne$linC and the *inkers. A ne su$ra"e, the (orest ,nome, is also introdu"ed here.
Close to Ro"k ,nomes in many ays, they are ne)ertheless a distin"t grou', 'referring
the ha$itat of ooded glades and dee' meados to the ro"k:and:dirt:alled underground
lairs of their more "ommon kin.
*he se"tion also in"ludes a sele"tion of 'layer "hara"ter kits for gnomes, ea"h of
hi"h entails s'e"ifi" ad)antages and lia$ilities, alloing 'layers to tailor their "hara"ters
toard the s'e"ifi" desires of the PCIs "am'aign and $a"kground.
*he final "ha'ter in this se"tion $riefly des"ri$es a ty'i"al gnomish )illage,
designed so it ill easily fit in any AD6D@ "am'aign orld. *his arren "an ser)e as a
suita$le Fhome $aseF from hi"h to laun"h an all:gnomish "am'aign. (inally, the
A''endi? at the end of the $ook "ontains se)eral ad)enture suggestions for gnomish PCs.
Cha'ter 8ne: 9yth of the ,nomes
The moon faded as the shadow of the world slipped across its surface, until the
natural amphitheater--recently so brilliantly illuminated under the full circle of white
glare--slipped into darker, deeper shadow. Finally, in nearly complete blackness, the
masters stepped from their niches onto the stages of honor set around the gathering.
ach of these stages was a pinnacle of rock, rising several do&en feet above the heads of
assembled gnomedom.
"ne of these masters raised his hands and muttered an incantation. Immediately
the midnight air around him flared into a blossom of red light, light that spilled like a
shower of li0uid onto the floor of the valley. #nother master spoke, and green
illumination grew in a spurting fountain around her. !oon other showers of light, in blues
and whites and pale yellows, spread across the darkened vale. The rock walls reflected
the magical flares until the whole of the bowl-shaped vale brightened under the
illusionary magic.
Then the circle of lights faded again, as a file of stunted figures moved into the
smooth clearing beside the lake. #bruptly, these gnomes raised their hands--and the tale
of the gods began . . .
5nlike most other "i)ili>ed ra"es, the gnomes do not ha)e a "reation myth.
-nstead, they )ie the orld::and their 'la"e in it::as a "onstant ithin the flo of time,
"hanging only in small and insignifi"ant ays. -n the $ig 'i"ture, they assume that things
ill remain )ery mu"h as they alays ha)e $een. ,ood and e)il, "haos and la, e?ist in
eGuili$rium, and the 'reser)ation of this $alan"ing a"t is the 'rimary 'ur'ose of time.
# great wall of white light flickered into the sky. # fountain of golden sparks
appeared in the midst of the pale illumination, and the whiteness encircled the gold like a
mantle wrapping royal shoulders. !lowly a figure grew distinct--gnomish of form but
enormous in si&e, covered with rippling golden, his eyes gleaming like twin diamonds of
incomprehensible si&e and value.
$urmurs of appreciation and comprehension rippled through the assembled
gnomes. They knew that this was the image of ,arl ,littergold, the patriarch of the
gnomish pantheon of deities from time immemorial. In mute confirmation, the gleaming
shape of a huge, silver-bladed a1e materiali&ed in the god)s hands. This, they knew, was
#rumdina the 2ustifier, the great battlea1e that would cleave the enemies of gnomedom as
easily as she might slice through water.
"ther fountains of color spurted upward, and within them grew the shapes of
additional gods--the mischievous and merry face of %aervan 3ildwanderer4 the calm,
stoney features of /alladuran !moothhands4 the vibrant metal-faced visage of Flandal
!teelskin4 !ego5an arthcaller)s benign features--until the whole cosmic family was
represented in the bright vale.
"nly then came the creeping white shadow, reaching forward with steel-shod
claws, its shape like that of a blunt and blinded beast. It glowed like a corpse-candle, its
illumination swallowing up all other light, its pale glare unmistakably pure evil.
The gnomes gasped collectively, and little ones instinctively shrank beside their
mothers, for they all knew that this was +rdlen--the dark center of evil that remained,
even within gnomedom, always ready to flourish in the world.
*he gnomish outlook on life reGuires a )ery $alan"ed )ie of the uni)erse. *hus,
hile gnomes "onsider themsel)es and their ra"e to $e generally good, the for"e of e)il in
the orld::and e)en ithin the gnomes themsel)es::"annot $e denied. -ndeed, only $y
a"knoledging e)il, $y re"ogni>ing it as the "ounter'oint of goodness, "an the $alan"e of
all things $e maintained.
Like the gnomes themsel)es and the other gods, 5rdlen the E)il 8ne is assumed
to ha)e alays $een there, and to remain for all time to "ome. Eet only in the steady
struggle against the "reature and hat it re'resents "an the truly ha''y and )ital nature of
these 'eo'le $e insured.
The colors flowed and flamed. In their towering pillars they told of the great
battles of life, as darkness ever strives to swallow light but always the brightness breaks
through.
Thousands of gnomish throats first howled with laughter, then groaned in
collective grief, as the images of the gods cavorted across the epic stage. They watched
in awe as ,arl ,littergold raised his a1e, chopping at imaginary stantions of stone to
bring a thunderous collapse--this was the tale of ,arl)s triumph over 6urtulmak the
kobold god, in which ,arl brings down the cavern that 6urtulmak would have made his
prison upon his captor)s head.
'e1t the images of a thousand gnomes, arrayed for war, marched from the cliff
walls, striving toward each other with braying trumpets and drums that pounded like
thunder. %ut again came ,arl ,littergold, the goldenskinned giant of a gnome, and with
a swipe of his a1e he cast glittering sparks of light all across the ground. Immediately the
gnomish host threw down their arms, and the audience roared with amusement as they
scuttled about to collect the gems that their deity had scattered. %y the time the gathering
was done, the weapons were lost and the trivial argument that had once propelled them
to war had been forgotten.
Central to the mythology and self aareness of the gnomes is a sense of the ra"eIs
togetherness::e)en among the different su$ra"es that make u' the hole Bsee Cha'ter .C.
-ndeed, one of ,arl ,littergoldIs main tasks in the orld is to inter"ede in 'otential
gnome:to:gnome "onfli"ts, usually $y humor and di)ersion. -t is this aareness that
makes "onfli"ts among these folk::hether they $e marital arguments, 'ro'erty dis'utes,
disres'e"tful youth, $itter "lan ri)alries, or arfare::so e?tremely rare.
#hen they do o""ur, the 'ra"ti"ers of )iolen"e Bon $oth sidesC are likely to fa"e
"om'lete ostra"ism until the "onfli"t is resol)ed. -t is interesting to note that, on"e
resolution is a"hie)ed, the gnomes are usually Gui"k to forgi)e and to el"ome
transgressors $a"k into the fold. *heir 'atien"e is not limitless, hoe)er, and $latant
aggressors or $ullies ho re'eatedly he"tor others are not likely to $e easily forgi)en.
(ortunately, su"h malefa"tors are Guite rare.
The image of the goldenskinned gnome, surrounded by his entourage of lesser
gods, cavorted from mountaintop to hillcrest, scampering around the vale that held so
many of his people. They laughed and roared at his antics, cheering as he and %aervan
sat together at a table and alternately stole a succulent haunch of roast back and forth
from each other. The illusionary roast, which was the si&e of a small house, si&&led and
sputtered, casting the warmth of steam and the scent of its 5uices enticingly across the
gathering.
%ut then the crowd drew breath in hushed anticipation as they saw, lurking in the
hollow below ,arl)s golden image, the hideous bulk of +rdlen, The /rawler %elow.
-eaching upward with steely claws, the hairless, blind beast groped for the higher gods,
seeking to strike and in5ure them in its spite and hate. !mall gnomish children, not yet
initiated in the scope of the tale, shouted warnings, their s0ueaking voices rising above
the hush and stillness of the vale.
,arl took no notice, however, instead choosing that moment to perch on one foot
and do a wild, spinning dance for the edification of the crowd. ver upward crept the
monstrous mole, until those steel talons reached almost to the great god)s golden boot.
!uddenly, 5ust as +rdlen prepared to lunge at its apparently unsuspecting victim,
,arl leapt into the air and did a double somersault backwards over the creeping beast,
finally coming to rest on a hilltop a full 0uarter-mile away. Hissing in hate and spite, the
evil mole reared up to make a last desperate swipe at its escaping prey, only to
overbalance in its haste and fall backward, rolling over and over like a runaway
snowball as it slid down the slippery slope, not stopping until it hit the bottom of the
shaded vale between the two summits. # moment later an avalanche of gems it had
dislodged in its fall buried it from sight.
#nd then, to the echo of ,arl)s laughter and the relieved cheers of ten thousand
gnomes, the shadow slipped from the face of the moon. #s brightness again filled the
vale, the performance of the illusions faded . . . and the celebration began.
*he task of the gnome, as he or she )ies his or her 'la"e in the orld, is a
mi?ture of im'ortant ork and eGually im'ortant 'lay. #hate)er the nature of the Ao$ at
hand, a gnome ill a''ly himself or herself to it ith great good humor, e)en "arrying
his or her Aoking it and humorous outlook into the su$terranean de'ths of a mine or
don the forest trail.
!ut it is hen the ork is done that the true nature of gnomehood $e"omes
a''arent. No one "ould mistake a $oisterous gathering of singing, dan"ing gnomes for a
hard:orking $un"h of dar)es. -ndeed, the humor that 'ossesses them "omes to the fore
in these days of "ele$ration. (or e?am'le, the festi)al of the Lunar E"li'se des"ri$ed in
this "ha'ter runs until the ne?t full moon. (or a full month, the gnomes set their "ares and
"hores aside, using the "osmi" o""asion as an e?"use to gather from far and ide,
s'ending their days and nights in a loud and $oisterous "ele$ration of themsel)es and
their role in life.
,ods 8f ,nomedom
,nomes are not a tremendously de)out folk, $ut they do ha)e a ell:de)elo'ed
'antheon of deities, and they like to honor their gods ith freGuent Fo$ser)an"esF::rites
that tend to $e 'erformed, naturally, as ild and rau"ous festi)als. *he maAor gods listed
$elo are des"ri$ed in more details on 'ages 22:24 and 40 of D9,R3, $onster
$ythology .
,arl ,littergold B,reater ,odC is the 'atriar"h of the hierar"hy and 'ro$a$ly the most
a''roa"ha$le of all the ,reater ,ods. %e often tra)els the orlds looking for mis"hief to
get into. %e a''ears as a gold:skinned gnome ith gemstone eyes that shift from sa''hire
to emerald to ru$y.
A master of 'ranks, ,arl is a good:humored Aokester ho is ne)ertheless 'roud
and 'rote"ti)e of his diminuti)e folloers. %is "hief "on"erns are tofold: to see that
gnomes e)ery here "oo'erate and ork together and to remind them that hile life may
sometimes $e hard, itIs im'ortant to alays kee' a sense of humor.
,arl "arries his intelligent to:headed a?e, Arumdina, e)ery here he goesJ she is
more a "om'anion than a 'ossession. Although he is a "a'a$le fighter, he 'refers to use
tri"kery and illusions to a""om'lish his goals, and en"ourages his folloers to do the
same.
!aer)an #ildanderer B-ntermediate ,odC is the most 'o'ular mem$er of the 'antheon
after his friend ,arl, for he is the 'rote"ter of the forests and glades that are so im'ortant
to gnomish ell:$eing. E)en the &)irfne$lin honor him as the F(ather of (ish and
(ungus.F !aer)an is also the 'atron of gnomish thie)es and a mis"hief:maker to ri)al
,arl himself. %e is 'i"tured as a s'ry old gnome ith nut:$ron skin and a Aaunty $eard.
%is friend and "onstant "om'anion in his es"a'ades is a giant ra""oon named Chiktikka
(ast'as.
Callarduran &moothhands B,reater ,odC is the master of stone, orshi''ed 'rimarily $y
&)irfne$lin. *he Dee' ,nomes "onsider him eGual in might to ,arl ,littergold, though
he is largely ignored $y the other su$ra"es. -t as Calladuran ho taught &)irfne$lin ho
to summon and $efriend earth elementals. %e ill often send his a)atar to aid his 'eo'leJ
his a''earan"e is that of a iry &)irfne$lin miner, indistinguisha$le from )irtually any
other Dee' ,nome e?"e't for a golden ring ith a star insignia he alays ears.
(landal &teelskin B-ntermediate ,odC, ith his skin of mithril steel, eyes like flaming
"oals, and $eard of sil)er:$lue, is the 'atron of gnomish smiths::not Aust $la"ksmiths $ut
also goldsmiths, sil)ersmiths, and all other orkers in metal. %e is 'hysi"ally the
strongest of the gnomish gods, and his un"anny a$ility to sniff of the )eins of metal that
thread through the earth makes him a 'atron of miners.
&egoAan Earth"aller B-ntermediate ,odC is a nature deity hose 'ro)in"e is the "reatures
ho $urro through the earthJ he taught the gnomes ho to $efriend moles, $adgers, and
other su$terranean animals. %e a''ears as a grey:skinned gnome "lad in armor made
from grass and roots, a""om'anied $y an intelligent stone golem.
5rdlen B-ntermediate ,odCIs form is that of a hite mole, hairless, se?less, and $lind $ut
ith i"ked "las of steel. A mindless for"e of mali"ious e)il and destru"tion, 5rdlen
ser)es as a arning to e)ery gnome to $eare the taint of greed that lies ithin the
gnomish delight in gems and Aeelry. -n kee'ing ith the im'ortan"e of a $alan"e of
for"es, 5rdlenIs 'la"e in the 'antheon is unGuestioned, though the god is greatly feared
and se"retly re)iled. -ts fe orshi''ers destroy gems and orks of art to 'ro'itiate the
god and thus are regarded as immoral )illains $y the $ulk of gnomish so"iety.
Cha'ter *o: ,nome &u$ra"es
*he gnome su$ra"es are )ery distin"t grou's of these diminuti)e demihumans.
*o of them, the ty'i"al gnome Balso knon as the Ro"k ,nomeC and the Dee' ,nome,
or &)irfne$lin, ha)e $een introdu"ed and used in a num$er of AD6D@ 'rodu"ts. %en"e,
$oth ha)e long $een knon to 'layers and D9s.
*he third ty'e, the *inker ,nome or 9inoi, is a nati)e of Krynn, en"ountered
'rimarily in DRA,8NLANCE@ "am'aigns Bthough, distressingly, they ha)e $een
knon to s'read to other realms through the use of &'ellAammersC. *hese $eings are )ery
mu"h like ty'i"al gnomes in a''earan"e, $ut their 'ersonality and outlook, and es'e"ially
their o)er>ealous lo)e of te"hnology, makes them )ery distin"t as a su$ra"e Band an
e?treme mena"e to themsel)es and their "om'anionsC.
A fourth gnomish su$ra"e, the (orest ,nome, is introdu"ed here. *hese shy folk
are relati)es of the Ro"k ,nome, though they do not share their "ousinsI lo)e of mining
and e?"a)ation. *he rarest of gnome su$ra"es, the (orest ,nomes is most likely to $e
en"ountered in 'ristine oodlands and undistur$ed ilderness. *hey tend this ha$itat
ith sur'risingly fier"e determination.
-n kee'ing ith the gnomesI la"k of a "reation myth, they ha)e no folklore to
des"ri$e the origin of the different su$ra"es::the different $ran"hes of the ra"ial family
are assumed to ha)e alays $een there. #hile thereIs no hostility $eteen the su$ra"es
Bunlike the %igh El)es and the Dro, or the %ill Dar)es and the DuergarC, there is also
little "onta"t. Ea"h su$ra"e kee's mostly to itself, and it is very rare to find mi?ed
"ommunities of Ro"k ,nomes ith &)irfne$lin, (orest ,nomes, or B,arl for$idKC *inker
,nomes.
Ro"k ,nomes
!ig of nose, Gui"k ith a laugh, "heerful, )isionary, and industrious in their
a''roa"h to life, the Ro"k ,nomes form the 'i"ture of the gnomish ra"e as it is )ieed $y
most of the larger folk ho kno them.
7I)ve had some e1perience with the little fellows, if I do say so myself . . . matter of
fact, I had a whole team of )em apprenticing in my smithy a while back. They were good
workers, too--though not 0uite serious enough for my taste. Too many 5okes and pranks,
not a good idea around a hot forge8 #nd those illusions8 'ever did know if it was a real
fire I was lookin) at or 5ust one of them bright spells.
7!till, they caught on 0uick to everything I tried to teach )em. They could shovel
coal good as any dwarf--well, good as some dwarves--and they showed a real gift for
wielding the hammer and shaping the steel. )/ourse, they don)t have the patience to make
a real 0uality sword or a1eblade, but they had the techni0ue down okay. They)d batter at
it awhile, then one of )em would make a 5oke and the ne1t thing you know the bellows)d
be idle and the metal would be gettin) cool.
7#nother thing, too--when it came to making the hilt, that)s where they really
shined8 I)ve never seen gemwork like those gnomes could do, working any kind of stone
into a leather hilt, wrapping it onto the steel butt with scarcely a waver or imperfection.
You know, as long as they let a dwarf do the finishing of the edge and the tempering of
the blade, those gnomes could put the finishing touches on a weapon like you)ve never
seen before8
73hen they were done with work--now that)s another story. !howed no proper
respect for their teachers or elders. !at around and drank like fish, far as I could tell.
#nd those songs 8 $any)s the time I got up out of a sound sleep and had to kick )em out of
the place, 5ust so I could get a little rest 9I had to get the fire going before dawn, you
know--that)s another thing you couldn)t count on the gnomes to do8:.
7!till, you know, I kind of miss )em. 3ould have been glad to keep )em on, too. #
couple were skilled enough to be 5ourneymen--might have even made the mastership8 %ut
that weren)t for them. 'ope, instead they learned what they could and then, all in a pack,
5ust up and left one day. I heard tell they went back to their grotto, but of course I)ve
never been up there to check.7
::,intro" (anish, darf and master ea'onsmith, on his e?'erien"es in
orking ith Ro"k ,nomes
Ro"k ,nomes are the most "ommon ty'e of gnome among the knon orlds, and
indeed, hen one s'eaks of a Fgnome,F "han"es are he or she means a Ro"k ,nome.
#hile not a 'o'ulous ra"e in "om'arison to humans or other demihumans, they are
en"ountered in a ide )ariety of en)ironments, shoing no 'arti"ular 'referen"e for any
one ty'e of "limate. *hey do, hoe)er, tend to make their homes in areas ith an
a$undan"e of natural ro"k Be)en if itIs in)isi$le under a layer of loam and forestC.
All gnomes ha)e a fondness for gemstones of all kinds, and in fa"t ea"h su$ra"e
has a stone that it re)eres a$o)e all others. No other gnomish ra"e, hoe)er, is as ade't at
"utting and sha'ing these 're"ious $au$les as are the Ro"k ,nomes. *he gem sym$ol of
this su$ra"e is, a''ro'riately, the diamond. Diamonds are used as sym$ols of status and
a""om'lishment, and ealthy and highly regarded "lans ill often ha)e dishes,
"andela$ras, and other elegant 'ossessions en"rusted ith these hard and 're"ious stones.
*he most distin"ti)e 'hysi"al "hara"teristi" of the Ro"k ,nome is an enormous
nose::a 'ro$os"is that is larger than that of any darf or human, des'ite the gnomeIs
diminuti)e si>e. -ndeed, the si>e of oneIs nose is a matter of some status among Ro"k
,nomes, and more than one good:natured de$ate has resulted in a"tual "om'arisons
$eing made. *he true test of a mighty nose is the a$ility to 'oke it into your o''onentIs
eye ithout ha)ing his nose do more than ti"kle the fringe of your $eard Bthe use of the
male 'ronoun is not generi" hereJ females 'ride themsel)es on $ig noses too, $ut in
addition to la"king $eards they are less 'rone to su"h $oisterous "om'arisonsC.
Ro"k ,nomes a)erage a$out 2 0D. I in height. 5nlike the $urly dar)es, ho tend
to eigh as mu"h or more than the a)erage human, Ro"k ,nomes are lightly:$uilt. *heir
small frame is de"e'ti)e, hoe)er, for des'ite their si>e these gnomes are as strong as
most humans.
*he eye "olor of a Ro"k ,nome is 'redominantly $lue, though shades of green
and, rarely, yello or $ron are not unknon. &u"h unusual eye "olors are a''arent from
$irth and is "onsidered to signify either )ery good fortune or )ery dire omens, de'ending
on the traditions of that 'arti"ular gnomish "ommunity.
*he $ronish "olor of the Ro"k ,nomesI skin "an $e en"ountered in many
shades, ranging from a light tan to nearly $la"k. #hile the ra"e does not a)oid the sun,
they suffer no effe"ts from e?'osure::they donIt sun$urn or tan, so the shade of a gnomeIs
skin has nothing to do ith the 'ro'ortion of his or her life s'ent outdoors or
underground. -n mature adults, the hair and $eard are almost uni)ersally hite or 'ale
gray, $ut in youngsters and adoles"ents one ill find as ide a )ariety of hair "olor as
among human:kind. 8nly the males are $earded, ith fa"ial hair groing in near the
$eginning of the gnomeIs se"ond "entury of life. 5nlike dar)es, hoe)er, gnome males
kee' their $eards neatly $rushed and trimmed, ith a ma?imum length of only a$out si?
in"hes. &ometimes the $eard ill $e trimmed into fashiona$le sha'es su"h as a goatee, or
$rushed into a long, "urling 'oint Bor 'air of 'oints, in a real statement of high fashionC.
#hile the a)erage lifes'an of a Ro"k ,nome is in the area of four "enturies, it is
not un"ommon to find an elder 'atriar"h or matriar"h ho has $een around for more than
L// years. *he oldest of them ha)e $een knon to a''roa"h the )enera$le age of 41/
years.
*he first half:"entury of a gnomeIs life is generally s'ent in a "arefree "hildhood.
Eoungsters are indulged and $enignly guided $y their elders, ith rarely a harsh ord or
'unishment em'loyed against them. *he "hildren learn $y e?am'le and stri)e to 'lease
the adults around them. &ages attri$ute the fa"t that all gnomes res'ond $etter to 'raise
and en"ouragement than threats to this u'$ringing.
!y the time he or she has rea"hed 1/ years of age, a gnome is e?'e"ted to $egin
a''lying himself or herself to the de)elo'ment of a useful skill and to learn the $asi"s of
self:defense and ea'on"raft. %oe)er, during this half:"entury:long adoles"en"e,
gnomes are still not su$Ae"ted to an array of res'onsi$ilities::instead, they are en"ouraged
to e?'eriment ith a )ariety of trades and a"ti)ities until they find those $est suited to
their on talents and 'ersonality.
*he o""asion of his or her hundredth $irthday is of great signifi"an"e to a Ro"k
,nome, for it indi"ates that he or she has rea"hed adulthood. -t is "ustomary for his or her
family to host a large 'arty, ith a gathering of any "lans ithin tra)eling distan"e to
"ele$rate the "oming of age. &in"e the 'arty itself is likely to run for a month or more, it
is not un"ommon for gnomes to tra)el hundreds of miles for su"h a get:togetherK Ea"h
"lan ill $ring a 'ra"ti"al gift for the nely anointed adult, and it is a "ause for great
'ride if the 'resent is Audged to $e the finest among the array of gifts. %oe)er, the
'ra"ti"al nature of these tokens is in)iolate::$oots, a shield, a sturdy tuni", e)en a ea'on
or tool are all a''ro'riate. ,em:en"rusted $au$les, orks of art, or sim'le de"orations,
although highly )alued $y gnomes, ill not $e gi)en as "oming:of:age gifts.
*he industrious nature of gnomes is ell:do"umented, and 'ro$a$ly re'resents
their "losest similarity to dar)es. Like dar)es, gnomes ill organi>e for a task, ith
ea"h indi)idual lending his or her talents here they ill $e most useful. #hen digging a
tunnel, for e?am'le, the strongest gnomes ill ork ith 'i"ks to $reak u' the ro"k in
their 'ath, hile others::more nim$le, if not so 'oerful::s"am'er among the flailing
'i"ks, s"oo'ing u' the de$ris ith sho)els and 'ails. A third grou' of gnomes, those ho
are )ery hardy and "a'a$le of great enduran"e, ill "arry the "rushed ro"k Boften in
heel$arros, $ut sometimes in leather sa"ks slung o)er the shoulderC out of the tunnel
to the dum'ing grounds.
-n their 'ursuit of mining, gnomes are not so s'eedy to e?"a)ate as dar)es, $ut
they are more "areful ith hat they find. -ndeed, many a )ein of ore that has $een
F'layed outF $y dar)en standards has $een taken o)er $y gnomes and "ontinued to yield
its ri"hes to the more meti"ulous gnomish miners.
E)en hile they ork, hoe)er, these gnomes ill 'ursue their tasks ith high
good humor, $ady stories, and a su""ession of Aokes of all ty'es. 8nly rarely, hoe)er,
ill this fri)olity interfere ith the effe"ti)eness of the grou'Is ork.
Nohere is Ro"k ,nome 're"ision more in e)iden"e than in their stone"utting
and gemork. *heir skill at "utting, 'olishing, and mounting gemstones is unsur'assed
$y any other ra"e. *hey are also skilled enough metalorkers to make ela$orate frames
and mounts for Aeelry. -ndeed, gnomish metal:smiths ork $etter ith soft metals su"h
as sil)er and gold than they do ith iron and steel::another signifi"ant differen"e $eteen
them and their larger "ousins, the dar)es. ,old "hain $elts, sil)er ne"kla"es, and shining
$uttons are all 'roudly dis'layed $y the ell:a""outred gnome.
*his is not to say that gnomes "annot $e"ome fine $la"ksmiths hen they are so
in"lined. -ndeed, e)ery "ommunity ill ha)e at least one ell:mus"led resident ho is in
"harge of toolmaking and of "rafting other o$Ae"ts su"h as dishes and ea'ons out of iron
and steel. ,nomes generally 'ur"hase steel from dar)es or humans, hoe)er, rather
than smelting it themsel)es. *he finest ea'ons in a gnomish "ommunity are generally of
outside Bdar)en or el)enC manufa"ture, often 'ur"hased in trade ith the gem and
Aeelry ork that they do so ell.
Ro"k ,nomes also "an $e"ome skilled "ar'enters and B'erha's not sur'risingly,
gi)en their de?trous and artisti" natureC e?"e'tional ood"ar)ers. *hough most gnomes
do not de)ote a lot of attention to fa$ri"s, those that do are skilled tailors and
em$roiderers as ell.
-n the area of "ulinary skills gnomes are not so ela$orate. -n fa"t, their standards
hen "om'ared to halflings are donright 'lain. *heir ideal meal is $oiled or roasted
meat, uns'i"ed, a""om'anied $y 'otatoes and mushrooms. Also unlike halflings, Ro"k
,nomes rarely kee' "os, so they ha)e little milk, $utter, or "heese. *heir $read is
unlea)ened and relati)ely un'alata$le to others ith more refined tastes.
-n the area of $reing, Ro"k ,nomes $elie)e themsel)es to $e e)ery $it the
mat"h of halflings and humans and insist that they make a mu"h tastier $e)erage than the
hea)y mead fa)ored $y dar)esJ some gnomes e)en "ham'ion their ares a$o)e the
famed el)ish ines. -m'artial Audges 'ronoun"e gnomish $res a distin"ti)e $ut a"Guired
taste. ,nomish $reers make a )ariety of ales and are ingenious at finding ays to "hill
these $e)erages e)en in the height of summer. *hey ill em'loy underground storage
"a)erns, often sealed in i"e hi"h is $rought don during "older months. -n fa"t, many
gnome "ommunities ill ha)e ooden 'i'ing systems installed from these su$terranean
"oolers so that the am$er fluid "an $e 'um'ed to s'igots on the surfa"e. Any gnomish
innkee'er orth his or her salt Bhigh 'raise indeed for a gnomeKC ill ha)e su"h an
arrangement in the "ellar, and as a general rule, the $etter the "hill on the $e)erage, the
higher the 'er"ei)ed Guality of the esta$lishment.
Ro"k ,nomes ty'i"ally make a$ysmal farmers, $ut they "an $e "a'a$le hunters
and are e?"ellent at gathering the $ounty of their nati)e oodlands, in"luding nuts, fruits,
gru$s, mushrooms, and ild greens. A "ommunity ill ty'i"ally tend a small field of
grain, hi"h is used in a$out eGual 'ro'ortions to make $read and ale.
-n one area Ro"k ,nomes most "losely resem$le el)es among all the other demi:
humans::in the "ategory of musi" and dan"ing. 5nlike dar)es, gnomes are )ery
musi"al, and ha)e designed and 'erfe"ted a ide )ariety of instruments in"luding flutes
and horns, stringed instruments su"h as lutes and mandolins, and a great assortment of
'er"ussion. *he latter range from "on"a)e ro"ks, rattles, "ym$als, and gongs to standard
drums made of hide stret"hed o)er a $ase of ood or metal. *he most talented gnomish
musi"ians are famed for their skill and highly sought as entertainers, and nearly e)ery
adult "an 'lay some sort of instrumentJ family gatherings often "lima? in a "a"o'hony of
musi":making and merriment. 5nfortunately Bfor non:gnomish listeners, at any rateC their
)o"al skills in no ay "ome "lose to their instrument:'laying a$ilities, and sin"e they
insist on singing along to most e)ery kind of musi", the resulting melodies are not
ne"essarily 'leasant to the non:gnomish ear.
A Ro"k ,nomeIs idea of an ideal setting for a home is an area of ooded hills
ith an underlying $edro"k of limestone that "an $e transformed into a "om'li"ated
netork of lairs, tunnels, and stairays. Ro"k ,nomes are not so "omforta$le in the dee'
and dank re"esses of the 5nderdark as, say, dar)es::or their on gnomish "ousins, the
&)irfne$lin. *herefore, their settlements ill almost alays $e found near the surfa"e,
here the stee' fa"es of hillside or "liff "an 'ro)ide a num$er of entran"es and airholes to
a many:layered delling. 8ften these entran"es must $e rea"hed along narro and
're"arious trails::easily tra)eled $y gnome:si>ed "reatures $ut 'erilous to larger ould:$e
intruders::taking one far a$o)e stee' slo'es of Aagged ro"ks, or along the edge of a dee'
gorge, ith a rolling torrent of i"y ater 'lunging $elo.
Ro"k ,nomes are )ery so"ial "reatures, and generally li)e in thri)ing, a"ti)e
"ommunities. &u"h "ommunities are organi>ed into u' to a do>en "lans, and all
'ermanent residents are mem$er of one or another of these families. &maller out'osts
may "onsist of a single tight:knit family, ith a 'atriar"h, matriar"h, or 'air of elders
'ro)iding $enign leadershi' o)er three or four do>en gnomes. *he ty'i"al u''er limit of
any one "ommunity is 3//:1// gnomes, mainly due to limitations in the surrounding food
su''ly::not due to any desire for isolation from their neigh$ors.
#hate)er the si>e of a Ro"k ,nome settlement, the "hain of status ill alays
"ulminate in one unGuestioned leader. *o this "hief Bho is usually, $ut not alays, maleC
"ome all "ru"ial de"isions on matters of defense and trade, as ell as the ar$itration of the
rare instan"es of dis"ord ithin the "ommunity. #hen this "hief makes a ruling or
"ommand, he or she is o$eyed immediately, ith a dis"i'line that "an instantly transform
a 'astoral "ommunity into a determined ork for"e or arlike army at need.
9ost "ommunities of Ro"k ,nomes ill $e found ithin a fe daysI or eeksI
tra)el of ea"h other, ith grand gatherings of the "lans::often in"luding four or fi)e
thousand gnomes::held e)ery de"ade or so. *hese festi)als "an last for a fortnight or
more and generally "lima? in fren>ied musi"al 'erforman"es, nose:measuring "ontests,
tournaments to determine ho is $est at drinking, snoring, and other things, and feasting.
*he indi)idual $urros of the Ro"k ,nomes are small and tidy. ,enerally a
married "ou'le ill ha)e a small "ham$er to themsel)es, ith all "hildren B"ousins as
ell as si$lingsC sharing a "ommon room. Adoles"ents are segregated $y se?, ith a large
$urro ha)ing to se'arate "ham$ers for its young males and females res'e"ti)ely. 9ost
of these 'ri)ate "ham$ers ill $e "onne"ted )ia tunnels to a "entral family "ham$er,
here the fire is ke't, food is 're'ared and eaten, and the family mem$ers meet for the
talk and so"iali>ation that o""u'ies )irtually all their nonorking aking hours. *he
"ommon room ill alays ha)e a "himney )ented to the outside Boften through a )ery
long 'assageC. -deally, it ill ha)e some other a""ess to fresh air and light as ell::
"ham$ers ith no indo are "onsidered o''ressi)e and tom$:like $y many Ro"k
,nomes.
*he family Guarters ill also "onne"t Busually )ia an underground 'assageC to the
other families that make u' the "lanJ and similarly ea"h "lan in the "ommunity ill $e
"onne"ted to the others. At e)ery 'la"e Aun"tures o""ur, there are large "ham$ers. -n the
$igger tons these areas "ontain inns and sho's, as ell as o'en "ommons here
im'rom'tu 'arties Bas ell as many s"heduled festi)alsC "an take 'la"e.
,nomes tra)el freGuently among their "ommunities, and many of them ill
)enture into human or demihuman "ities out of "uriosity. *hey mi? ell ith halflings
and find life in a halfling )illage Guite 'leasant. 5nlike halflings, they ha)e no 'arti"ular
"om'ulsion that holds them to their on homes or lo"ales, and their long lifes'ans afford
them the time to indulge their "uriosity a$out ho other ra"es li)e.
#hile Ro"k ,nomes "an sur)i)e and e)en flourish in a "ommunity of humans,
dar)es, el)es, or halflings, fe ould "are to lea)e their fello gnomes 'ermanently.
-tIs far more "ommon for a gnome to li)e among other ra"es for a fe de"ades, 'erha's
e)en a "entury or more, $efore returning home to his or her on "lan. Perha's a Guarter
of all Ro"k ,nomes s'end at least 'art of their se"ond "entury Fseeing the orldF $efore
returning to take u' his or her role in "lan affairs.
Ro"k ,nomes ill sometimes el"ome mem$ers of other ra"es into their
"ommunities. %oe)er, humans and es'e"ially el)es tend to find gnome "ities
"laustro'ho$i", hile the furniture and 'assageays $eteen rooms are usually too
"ram'ed for the a)erage darf. %alflings sometimes e?"hange e?tended )isits to their
gnome neigh$ors $ut itIs a rare halfling ho lea)e his or her on $urro $ehind fore)er.
*a$le 0: Ro"k ,nome A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength L 0M
De?terity 2 0M
Constitution M 0M
-ntelligen"e 4 0=
#isdom 2 04
Charisma 2 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments:
N0 to -ntelligen"eJ :0 to #isdom
Languages: ,nome, Common, Darf, %alfling, Ko$old, ,o$lin, and !urroing Animal
Bthe latter is a language of signs, grunts, and
snorts that allos minimal "ommuni"ation ith moles, $adgers, easels, and similar
"reatures, in"luding giant )ersionsC.
-nfra)ision: Ees BL/IC
&'e"ial (eatures: Ro"k ,nomes ha)e a num$er of s'e"ial a$ilities. *hese are des"ri$ed
on 'age .. of the (layer)s Handbook and are summari>ed here for easy referen"e:
*etect +nderground Features ::Like dar)es, Ro"k ,nomes "an lo"ate slo'ing 'assages
B0:1 on
0dLC, flaed stoneork B0:4 on 0d0/C, and a''ro?imate de'th B0:3 on 0dLC and dire"tion
B0:2 on 0dLC underground.
!aving Throw %onus ::*he Ro"k ,nome gains a N0 $onus to his or her sa)ing thros
)ersus s'ell for e)ery 2.1 'oints of Constitution.
/ombat %onuses ::Ro"k ,nomes add N0 to all melee atta"k rolls against ko$olds or
go$lins, their traditional ra"ial enemies. *hey re"ei)e a :3 $onus to their Armor Class
hen atta"ked $y giant "lass "reatures Bgnolls, trolls, $ug$ears, ogres, ogre magi, trolls,
titans, and giantsC.
&)irfne$lin BDee' ,nomesC
*o most surfa"e dellers the gnomes of this ra"e are mysterious deni>ens of the
5nderdark a$out hom little is knon. *hose ho Audge $y a''earan"e see them as
stunted and gnarled "reatures and $elie)e them to $e the Ro"k ,nomesI e)il "ounter'arts,
the gnomish eGui)alent to the Dro and Duergar. -n truth, they are no more e)il than
their more numerous "ousinsJ their sinister re'utation is merely the result of ignoran"e.
*he Dee' ,nomes are the most reti"ent of all the gnomish su$ra"es, sur)i)ing in an
e?tremely hostile en)ironment entirely $y their on iles.
7!virfneblin; I loathe them--they are fit only to die on the tip of a *ark lf)s
sword8 They scurry about the sunless realms with tenacity. 3e kill them wherever we find
them, and still they return8 They show no fear of our *row mages, even when do&ens of
them perish at a time. ven the priestesses of <olth, while they slay the sniveling gnomes
in mass, do not inspire enough terror to stop their malicious intrusion8
7#nd why do they come; The answer is gems. They thirst for precious baubles
with a ferocity I have never seen. They will drive their tunnels into the farthest corners of
the +nderdark, and this is what makes them a threat to me and my people.
7I give you a tale of *esselderekathe, a great cavern network not so very far from
my own home. Its mere e1istence was naturally a threat to us, and thus--more than a
century ago--we sent an army to destroy it. I myself commanded a company of
li&ardriders in the assault.
7"ur *row forces struck them from all sides. $y own cavalry entered through the
cavern ceiling and rode down the walls, striking into the heart of *esselderekathe before
the foe knew they were attacked. "ur mages cast clouds of poison gas that settled into the
city)s low places, and into these we drove the screaming little pests.
73ithin a few hours it was over--not a single *eep ,nome remained alive within
the walls of *esselderekathe8 3e withdrew in triumph, and I myself was decorated by the
matron mother of our city)s greatest house8 Yet within a decade we heard reports that
renegade *eep ,nomes had moved into the abandoned ruins. 3e set a garrison in the
place, but they suffered ambush and other treachery--and it proved too e1pensive to
station a full army in what was otherwise a worthless shell. Though there were in fact
some gem-bearing rock formations in the region, the e1cavation proved too troublesome
to warrant the return. !eventy years ago we abandoned *esselderekathe, and now I hear
that the place is again full of !virfneblin8 I suppose we)ll have to do it all again, and I
know these runts will not allow us to simply repeat our first attack. 3e shall have to
devise a new tactic, one which may well be more costly in terms of *row lives. #nd for
what; !imply to insure our destiny, and our right to live in peace.
7You see now, I trust, why the !virfneblin are fit only to be hated, loathed, and
despised;7
::(assyth Essarial, &e"ond$oy of %ouse *ylleenimor, -m'erial Dro City of
;au"ium.
*hese diminuti)e inha$itants of the 5nderdark are as tena"ious at sur)i)al as the
Aust:"ited o'inion $y their mortal enemies indi"ates. 5nlike their Ro"k ,nome "ousins,
they ha)e no friendly neigh$ors to ally themsel)es ith, for"ing them to $e"ome entirely
self:reliant. 8nly the fe ho ha)e on their trust kno that they are in many ays as
so"ial and artisti" as other gnomes.
#hy do they endure this frankly hostile en)ironmentH *he anser is sim'le: they
are dran $y the lure of gemstones, hi"h is more 'ronoun"ed in the Dee' ,nomes than
in any other su$ra"e.
*he gem that most dras the interest and de)otion of the &)irfne$lin is the ru$y,
hi"h is the 'redominant sym$ol of the ra"e. *he Dee' ,nomes )ie these "rimson
stones ith re)eren"e a''roa"hing ae::so mu"h so that they are ne)er used for mundane
'ra"ti"es su"h as ornamentation of garments, ea'ons, or armor. Ru$ies are reser)ed for
sa"red 'ur'oses and are often em'loyed to de"orate artifa"ts that are dedi"ated to the
&)irfne$lin gods. *hey are also fa)ored $y Dee' ,nome monar"hs, so mu"h so that a
&)irfne$lin king or Gueen might ha)e a full ring of ru$ies around his or her "ron, ith
others of the 're"ious stone set in the throne and s"e'tre.
&)irfne$lin a)erage $eteen 2 and 2 0D. I in height, rarely e?"eeding this norm $y
more than an in"h or to. *hey are "reatures of iry mus"le and tough $ones, slightly
thinner than their surfa"e "ousins $ut 'ossessing as mu"h strength as any other gnome.
Like their "ousins of the other gnomish su$ra"es, &)irfne$lin ha)e 'rominent
noses. 8therise their fa"es are mu"h narroer. 9any males ha)e "om'letely hairless
$odiesJ most females ha)e only thin and stringy hair, hi"h they ear no longer than
shoulder length. A Dee' ,nomeIs skin is ro"k:"olored, 'redominantly $ron or gray. Eye
"olor is alays a shade of gray, sometimes so dark as to $e almost $la"k.
*he &)irfne$lin are not so long:li)ed as their surfa"e:delling kin, li)ing to an
a)erage old age of only a$out .1/ yearsJ a good num$er meet a )iolent demise $efore this
time is u'. *hey mature relati)ely Gui"kly, hoe)er, ith the first Guarter "entury of life
"onsidered "hildhood and the ne?t to de"ades as a 'eriod of dis"i'lined adoles"en"e. A
&)irfne$lin is assumed to rea"h adulthood somehere around the age of 31 or 1/, though
this milestone is not marked $y any grand "eremony su"h as is 'erformed $y the Ro"k
,nomes. -ndeed, the Dee' ,nomes donIt e)en kee' tra"k of the 'assage of days, so there
is no ay to re"ord oneIs a"tual F$irthday.F
*he most )alued "ommon skill among the &)irfne$lin is that of the miner, ith
'erha's 41O of any gi)en "ommunityIs adult males de)oting themsel)es to that 'ursuit.
&)irfne$lin miners are e?"e'tionally a$le ith 'i"k and sho)el, "a'a$le of "hiseling a
'assage through solid stone more Gui"kly than Ro"k ,nomes or e)en dar)es. #hile
mining is $roken into s'e"iali>ations, su"h as "ho''ers Bho do the a"tual 'i"ka?e orkC,
s"outs Bho lo"ate 'romising )eins for e?"a)ationC, and haulers Bho "arry the tailings
aay from the s"eneC, a Dee' ,nome miner ill $e reasona$ly 'rofi"ient at all as'e"ts of
his trade. *he most alluring target of the &)irfne$lin miner is, naturally, gems. %oe)er,
these diligent diggers ill also 'ursue )eins of metal, in"luding gold and sil)er, and they
also o""asionally gather a sto"k'ile of "oal or iron ore::from hi"h they make a )ery
'assa$le steel.
A smaller 'er"entage of the &)irfne$lin ork for"e B'erha's 0/OC is engaged in
the 'ro"essing and finishing of the gemstone material e?"a)ated $y the miners. *hese
in"lude 'olishers, smelters, "ar)ers, and smiths. *hough they la"k a $it of the e?"e'tional
detail skill of the Ro"k ,nomes, in the other areas they are at least as 'rofi"ient as their
surfa"e:delling "ousins. -ndeed Band unlike Ro"k ,nomesC, &)irfne$lin $la"ksmiths "an
'ossess e?"e'tional skill. *heir ea'ons and tools are generally made $y Dee' ,nome
artisans, and these are nearly the eGual of the 'rodu"ts of the highest le)el of dar)en
"raftsmanshi' or Dro ea'onsmiths.
Perha's $e"ause suita$le ha$itat is harder to find in the 5nderdark than on the
surfa"e, Dee' ,nome "ommunities tend to $e larger than those of the Ro"k ,nomes.
,enerally the &)irfne$lin li)e in thri)ing "ities lo"ated in dee' "a)ern netorks, often
ith more than a thousand residents. %oe)er, these "ommunities are generally se'arated
$y great distan"es from any others of the same su$ra"e, and thus they tend to $e more
insular than the tons of the gnomes ho dell on or near the surfa"e. -ndeed, most
Dee' ,nomes li)e out their li)es ithout e)er seeing another &)irfne$lin "ommunity
$eyond the one in hi"h they ere $orn.
&till, festi)als and "ele$rations are as "ommon among these gnomes as they are on
the surfa"e::itIs Aust that the &)irfne$lin donIt tra)el from far distan"es for the gatherings.
-nstead, ea"h "ommunity tends to ha)e its on s'e"ial o$ser)an"es, and though the
hole "ity ill turn out for many of them it is rare that any outside guest ould $e
admitted. Also, these "ele$rations are not tied to re"urring "osmi" e)ents, su"h as
solsti"es or e"li'sesJ instead, they o""ur hen the "ityIs 'riests de"lare that they are due.
*hese instigations o""ur more for 'oliti"al and 'sy"hologi"al reasons than $y any regular
'assage of time.
-n fa"t, itIs orth noting that &)irfne$lin donIt e)en measure the 'assage of their
li)es in years::after all, the "y"le of seasons has little meaning amid the eternal "hill of
the 5nderdark. %oe)er, if the 'riests noti"e that the 'rodu"tion of the orkers has
$egun to lag, or tem'ers are groing short among the "hieftains and arriors, they ill
a"t hastily to initiate a grand festi)al full of 'om' and song, good food and 'otent Bone
hesitates to say IgoodIC $e)erage.
&)irfne$lin festi)als are often in)oked to re"all great e)ents of the 'ast, though
again these re"olle"tions $ear no "alendar relationshi' to the o""urren"e $eing
"ommemorated. %oe)er, if teams of miners are 're'aring to em$ark on one of the
'eriodi" Guests for ne gems that 'ro'el so mu"h of &)irfne$lin a"ti)ity, then the 'riests
and illusionists ill re"all stories of grand e?'editions in the 'ast, e)en trotting out sa"red
o$Ae"ts en"rusted ith the Aeelry made from the 'ro"eeds of these 're)ious missions.
&imilarly, if a ar is $eing "ontem'lated, or a raid against some marauding monster
$e"omes ne"essary, the arriors ill $e sent off ith tales of great military "am'aigns in
the 'ast. -tIs interesting to note that these ar stories are not all tales of )i"tory::the
&)irfne$lin, 'erha's $e"ause of the many defeats they ha)e suffered o)er the years, ha)e
a keen interest in doomed "auses and ill dra "onsidera$le emotional su''ort from the
story of a dramati" last stand made $y their forefathers. E)en "autionary tales, su"h as the
o$literation of a "ity $y trea"herous Dro atta"k, are related at these "ele$rations and
used as a arning against future la'ses of )igilan"e.
Another uniGue as'e"t of Dee' ,nome so"iety is that roles are far more rigidly
determined $y se? than in any other gnomish "ulture. 9ales 'erform all of the mining
and arrior ork that o""urs $eyond the $orders of the "ommunity "a)ern, as ell as
most ty'es of Ao$s ithin the "ity as ell. (emales "on"ern themsel)es almost
e?"lusi)ely to the )ital tasks of raising and 're'aring food Bin the great mushroom farms
that are a 'art of e)ery Dee' ,nome "ityC and the "are of the young. -n fa"t, females
)enture out of their "ities so rarely that e)en the Dro ha)e ne)er en"ountered any in the
neutral territory of the 5nderdark. !oth se?es ear nondes"ri't "lothing hi"h, ith their
a$ility to stand a$solutely motionless, hel's them a)oid $eing s'otted $y enemies.
!esides the many ty'es of fungi that are the sta'les of the &)irfne$lin diet, Dee'
,nomes sometimes maintain a small herd of rothe or other underground mammals. *hey
are also fond of fish, and ea"h "ity is likely to ha)e se)eral shallo lakes here $lind
trout and other su$terranean deli"a"ies are $red and "a'tured. Dee' ,nome omen are
res'onsi$le for tending of all these food sour"es and ser)e as the fishers and "ooks as
ell as the farmers and herders. Also, salt is an im'ortant 'art of e)ery Dee' ,nome
meal and is one of the most )alued "ommodities in the trading of the 5nderdark. -n fa"t,
most &)irfne$lin food is so hea)ily salted that a ty'i"al surfa"e deller ould find it
Guite un'alata$le.
As a $e)erage the &)irfne$lin 'refer for daily use a 'ungent $re made
BnaturallyC from fungi, fermented $y a uniGue 'ro"ess that in)ol)es great amounts of salt
and not a little fish 'rotein. -t is highly into?i"ating, tasting somehat like an o)ersalted
and atery fish "hoder. -t has $een tasted $y a fe "ourageous non:&)irfne$lins ho
Bhen they finally regain their )oi"esC tend to de"line a se"ond ser)ing.
*he &)irfne$lin also distill a strange drink knon as ,ogondy a$out hi"h little
is knon other than it is dee' red in "olor, ke't in rought iron $ottles, and 'otent
$eyond $elief. -t has $een "alled the finest ine in the orld and is said to grant strange
)isions to those ho drink it, $ut more than one human ho drank it has 'rom'tly fallen
aslee' for de"ades or died after the first glass ith horrified looks on their fa"es. *he
Dee' ,nomes 'ri>e ,ogondy almost as mu"h as ru$ies and ill only gi)e or trade it to
their most trusted friends, making it rare indeed.
*he &)irfne$lin sur)i)e in domains that are 'o'ulated $y many im'la"a$le
enemies. *he to most dire among these are the kuo:toa and the Dark El)es, ho
"ontinually seek to dri)e these gnomes from territory they "onsider rightfully theirs.
-llithids Bmind flayersC often atta"k indi)idual Dee' ,nomes, "onsidering them
something of a deli"a"y, $ut ne)er in su"h num$ers as might dri)e aay su"h tasty 'rey.
&)irfne$lin rarely en"ounter surfa"e:delling gnomes, and the latter find them little less
'u>>ling than do those of other ra"es.
*he "ities of the Dee' ,nomes are )ast and "om'le? 'la"es. 9any layers of
"a)erns, tunnels, and $uildings are "onne"ted $y narro "orridors and s'iraling
stair"ases. ,enerally, hoe)er, at least the "entral 'art of the "ity ill o""u'y a single
large "a)ern, ith narro streets inding among tall stone $uildings. -f large stalagmites
are 'resent, high:ranking &)irfne$lin ill "laim these and e?"a)ate the interiors for the
'ri)ate homesJ most residen"es, hoe)er, are "ar)ed into the natural $edro"k of the earth.
!e"ause of the "onfined nature of the en)ironment, the home of the ty'i"al
&)irfne$lin family is more "roded than that of their surfa"e:delling "ousins. Parents
and "hildren ill likely $e "roded into a single, rather small, "ham$er. (amilies tend to
$e small, hoe)er, so this is rarely more than a half:do>en indi)iduals. *hey are not so
"lannish as the Ro"k ,nomes, so that the 'o'ulation of a "ity is generally an
amalgamated mass of Dee' ,nomes, ith o)erriding "lan stru"ture di)iding the "ity.
%oe)er, they also tend to $e rather Gui"k:tem'ered and fra"tious Bagain, $y
"om'arison to other gnomish su$ra"esC. E)ery Dee' ,nome "ity is ruled $y $oth a king
and a Gueen, ea"h inde'endent of the other yet eGually 'oerful. *he kingIs 'ro)in"e is
mining and 'rote"ting the "ommunityJ the Gueen "ontrols the food su''ly and is
res'onsi$le for the day:to:day li)es of the "iti>ens. !oth 'osts are determined $y 'o'ular
"hoi"e: hen a monar"h dies, a "ontest is held to sele"t the $est 'ossi$le re'la"ement,
ith the inner $e"oming the ne ruler.
&)irfne$lin orshi' the same 'antheon as their Ro"k ,nomes "ousins Balthough
they "on"ei)e of these $eings as Dee' ,nomesC. 5rdlen 'lays a large role in Dee'
,nome mythology, ith "autionary tales of ho he snared many an unary Dee' ,nome
$eing a sta'le of any &)irfne$linIs u'$ringing.
*a$le .: Dee' ,nome A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength L 0M
De?terity L 0=
Constitution L 0M
-ntelligen"e 2 04
#isdom 3 0M
Charisma 2 0L
A$ility &"ore AdAustments:
N0 to #isdomJ N0 to De?terityJ
:0 to -ntelligen"eJ :. to Charisma
Languages: Dee' ,nomeJ ,nome CommonJ 5nderorld CommonJ DroJ Kuo:toanJ
earth elemental language Ba "urious FlanguageF ithout ords "onsisting solely of
)i$rationsJ ea"h different 'it"h "on)eys a different messageC.
-nfra)ision: Ees B0./IC
&'e"ial (eatures: Dee' ,nomes ha)e a num$er of s'e"ial a$ilities detailed fully under
the entry for &)irfne$lin in the (8R,8**EN REAL9&@ a''endi? to the
98N&*R85& C89PEND-59@ a""essory B9C2C:
*etect +nderground Features:: &)irfne$lin are )ery good at determining slo'es B0:1 on
0dLC, de'th B0:3 on 0dLC and dire"tion B0:2 on 0dLC underground, and unsafe stoneork
B0:4 on 0d0/C.
$agic -esistance ::Dee' ,nomes ha)e a $ase magi" resistan"e of ./O and gain an e?tra
1O for e)ery le)el $eyond the 2rd.
!aving Throw %onuses:: &)irfne$lin gain a N2 $onus to all sa)ing thros e?"e't those
against 'oison Bfor hi"h they re"ei)e a N. $onus insteadC.
Inherent Illusionist (owers ::All Dee' ,nomes radiate non-detection. -n addition, all
ha)e the innate a$ility to "ast blindness, blur, and change self on"e 'er day.
Free&e in (lace ::&)irfne$lin "an remain a$solutely still for long 'eriods, gi)ing them a
L/O "han"e to remain undete"ted $y any o$ser)er, e)en one ith infra)ision.
!urprise %onuses ::Dee' ,nomes are only sur'rised on a roll of 0 on 0d0/J they sur'rise
o''onents =/O of the time.
*efense %onus ::*he ty'i"al &)irfne$lin arrior has a Armor Class of .. Dee' ,nomes
$e"ome harder to hit as they gain e?'erien"e in dodging in "om$at, "ausing their Armor
Class to im'ro)e $y one 'oint for e)ery le)el $eyond 2rd, to a ma?imum of AC :L.
/ombat %onuses ::&)irfne$lin make and ield stun darts, throing them to a range of 3/
feet, ith a N. $onus to hit. Ea"h dart releases a small 'uff of gas hen it strikesJ any
"reature inhaling the gas must sa)e )ersus 'oison or $e stunned for 0 round and slowed
for the four folloing rounds. Elite arriors B2rd:le)el and a$o)eC also often "arry hollo
darts ith a"id inside BN.d3 to damageC and "rystal "altro's hi"h, hen ste''ed on,
release a 'oerful slee' gas.
*inker ,nomes B9inoiC
*hese uniGue "reatures, nati)e to the DRA,8NLANCE@ orld of Krynn, are
among the most te"hnologi"ally . . . er, 'erha's e should say Iinno)ati)eI "reatures
among the knon orlds. 5nfortunately, their keen and in)enti)e moti)ation is not
mat"hed $y any 'arti"ular talent::thus, a *inker in)ention is at least as likely to "ause
harmful or fatal damage B'ro$a$ly to its "reatorC as it is to do hat itIs su''osed to do. -n
s'ite of this, *inkers are a thri)ing su$ra"e that ha)e e)en managed to s'read $eyond
their nati)e orld.
7They)re not real gnomes, of course--don)t know how anyone could think that they
are8 )/ourse, they might look like us, and sound like us--but that)s as far as it goes.
There)s not an illusionist among )em, nor anyone else who)s got a useful skill to his name,
far as I can tell. Fact is, they)re a menace8
7#s for getting into space, that must have been luck. "ne of )em invented
something that actually worked--a fluke, I assure you--and launched )em into the stars.
The only reason they)re still up here is they haven)t figured out how to get back down
again.
7#nd if you ever see one of those ships of theirs, you)d know what I mean. It)s got
catapults that shoot nothing but air, gears and propellers that spin to no good purpose,
and if you get close to it a blast of steam is liable to shoot out and barbecue you before
you can say )get me outta here8)7
::Ka''elheim ,laddensnoot, famed Ro"k ,nome e?'lorer and &'ellAammer
e?traordinaire
*he *inkers are a )ery "ourageous and "urious $un"h of gnomes, and
,laddensnoot is no dou$t e?aggerating hen he suggests that their attainment of
&'ellAamming tra)el is a""idental. Ne)ertheless, he 'ro)ides a good e?am'le of the
attitude held $y those fe other gnomes hoI)e en"ountered the *inkers. 8f "ourse, itIs
not likely that the *inker ould sto' and take noti"e::he or she is 'ro$a$ly too $usy
orking on the finishing tou"hes of his or her neest in)ention Bin fa"t, many *inkers
s'end the $ulk of their li)es orking on a fe su"h Ifinishing tou"hesICK
-n one res'e"t the *inkers resem$le the rest of gnomedom::in the fa"t that they do
)alue )arious ty'es of stones, attri$uting to them great and su'ernatural 'oers.
%oe)er, hereas the other su$ra"es seek gems, the *inkers hold a different su$stan"e as
the grandest ro"k of all: "oal. *he *inkers hold that "oal Balso knon as the F(ather of
&teamFC is the most )alua$le su$stan"e of the orld, and those 'la"es here it "an $e
mined Gui"kly $e"ome *inker ,nome arrens.
-n si>e and stature, the *inkers resem$le Ro"k ,nomes::so mu"h so that the
differen"e is not immediately a''arent, at least hen $ased only u'on a''earan"e.
Perha's $e"ause their num$ers are feer, there is not su"h a )ariety of hair and skin "olor
among *inkers as is found in their more "ommon "ousins: their hair is almost alays
hite or a slightly "olored shade that is nearly hite. *heir skin tends toard $ron, in
ruddy and earthen shades. *heir eyes are $lue or, less freGuently, )iolet, $ut the noses are
e)ery $it as 'rominent as those of any other gnomish su$ra"e.
*he "lothing of a *inker is likely to $e re'resentati)e of his or her tra)els and
$a"kground::i.e., it ill ha)e 'arts of all kinds of things someho atta"hed together and
'ro)iding a modi"um of "o)ering. As a rule, the more e?oti" the $etter, though the *inker
,nomes tend to $e fastidious a$out "leanliness.
*inkers ho li)e out their li)es "an attain an age of .1/ or 2// years, $ut it must
$e noted that this is a rare o""urren"e among the mem$ers of this su$ra"e. -f one of his or
her on in)entions doesnIt do a *inker in, "han"es are good that one of his or her
neigh$orIs gadgets ill.
E)en in "hildhood, *inkers are en"ouraged to e?'eriment ith gadgets and
gimmi"ks, trying different means of making things to 'erform tasks that "ould otherise
$e easily done $y hand. *he *inker rea"hes adulthood at a$out the age of fifty B$y hi"h
time 'erha's 0/:01O of them ha)e already su""um$ed to the "ommon fate of their kindC.
Des'ite this high attrition, itIs not until maturity that a *inker ,nomeIs a"ti)ities $egin to
get really dangerous.
5'on rea"hing adulthood, the *inker ,nome must sele"t a guild for himself or
herself. *he num$er of guilds a)aila$le )aries $y lo"ation, $ut in 9ount Ne)ermind on
Krynn::hi"h is the "enter of *inker "i)ili>ation and $y far the largest "ommunity of
these in)enti)e "reatures anyhere::there are more than 01/ a"ti)e guilds. *hese in"lude
)irtually all areas of 'ra"ti"al endea)or, and Guite a fe im'ra"ti"al ones as ell:
#ea'onry, &team Poer, %ydrauli"s, 9athemati"s, Agri"ulture, #armaking, Animal
*aming, !reing, Car'entry, Astronomy, Cerami"s BRo"kmakingC, Air 5tili>ation,
%istorians, Coalmining, Ro"k"ar)ing, 7ehi"le Design, and 9usi".
*hese guilds are not like the guilds "ommon in many human and dar)en
so"ieties, hoe)erJ in the latter "ases, the guildIs 'ur'ose is generally to im'art the
knoledge of the masters to a steadily groing "ro' of a''renti"es and Aourneymen. *he
*inker guilds ha)e a different 'hiloso'hy dedi"ated to a righteously:held $elief, to it:
hate)er has $een done $efore "an $e done $etter ith a ne and im'ro)ed in)ention.
ConseGuently, a *inker ,nome ho enters the 9usi" ,uild, for e?am'le, ill s'end the
$ulk of his or her life trying to design a musi"al instrument ith at least one more mo)ing
'art than the last instrument designed $y a guildmaster Bit is not ad)isa$le to ask the guild
for a 'erforman"e::hole audien"es ha)e $een s"alded $y ru'tured steam 'i'es or
deafened $y ultrasoni" a)es of "rushing soundC.
A good e?am'le of the *inker ,nome tenden"y of not knoing hen to sto' is
the infamous ,iant &'a"e %amster. Not "ontent ith this remarka$le a"hie)ement, the
Animal !reedersI ,uild that "reated the "reature 'rom'tly $egan orking on de)elo'ing
ne strains. *he result in"lude su"h monstrosities as the sa$re:toothed giant s'a"e
hamster, the "arni)orous flying giant s'a"e hamster BFa regretta$le if understanda$le line
of inGuiryFC, the fire:$reathing 'hase do''leganger giant s'a"e hamster, and the miniature
giant s'a"e hamster Ba darf )ariant the e?a"t same si>e as the ordinary rodentC.
%oe)er, *inkers are nothing if not tena"ious. After sele"ting a guild, ea"h
mem$er of the su$ra"e settles u'on a Life:Guest. *he a"tual "hoi"e of the Guest may take
se)eral de"ades, $ut on"e it has $een de"ided, it $e"omes the reason $ehind that *inkerIs
e?isten"e. *he LifeGuest is an attem't to rea"h a 'erfe"t understanding of some de)i"e
Banything from a s'ellAamming helm to a s"reC, a task at hi"h the *inker )ery rarely
su""eeds. -ndeed, the $est estimate is that less than 0O of these gnomes e)er do fully
gras' the nature of the o$Ae"t that has o""u'ied their attention for so mu"h of their adult
li)esJ the rest of these easily:distra"ted gnomes get ho'elessly sidetra"ked somehere
along the ay.
Des'ite the )agaries of their e?isten"e, the *inkers are a fun:lo)ing and generally
so"ia$le ra"e. *heir s'ee"h is uniGue in $oth its s'eed and "om'le?ity. *o *inkers "an
rattle off information and o'inion to ea"h other in a su""ession of thousand:ord
senten"es, s'eaking simultaneously and yet listening and understanding Bas mu"h as is
'ossi$le, gi)en the esoteri" nature of many dis"ussionsC ea"h other e)en as they )oi"e
their on 'oints of )ie. *hose *inkers ho ha)e had some e?'erien"e intera"ting ith
other ra"es ha)e learned to slo the 'a"e of their "ommuni"ation $ut ne)er Guite
o)er"ome their frustration ith those ho "anIt talk and listen at the same time.
Des'ite the "haoti" im'ression gi)en $y an initial en"ounter ith the *inkers,
these gnomes ha)e a highly:organi>ed so"ietal stru"ture. *heir "ulture is unusual, for
gnomes, in that guilds are more im'ortant to most *inkers than their "lansJ the ty'i"al
*inker identifies himself or herself not $y the family he or she as $orn into $ut the guild
he or she Aoined u'on rea"hing adulthood. *he "ommunity is ruled $y a "oun"il made u'
of the masters of the )arious guilds and the 'atriar"hs of the )arious "lans. *he result is a
'araly>ed $ureau"ra"y that ne)ertheless kee's itself going ith de$ate, argument, near
resolution, and su$seGuent disagreement. (olloing long and "areful "onsideration
Bsometimes lasting for years, e)en de"adesC the )arious "on"erned 'arties go off and do
hate)er they anted to from the $eginning.
%oe)er, the de$ates themsel)es "an $e ell:reasoned, e?tremely 'olite, and
Guite e?tensi)e. Just the re"ital of names at the $eginning of a 'resentation "an often take
eeks, sin"e the full and formal title of ea"h gnome in)ol)ed is used::and remem$er, this
is des'ite the fa"t that *inker ,nomes s'eak )ery ra'idly indeedK (or those *inkers ho
"ome from e?tensi)e and ell:do"umented an"estry and ha)e themsel)es li)ed long and
e)entful li)es, the formal introdu"tion "an last the $etter 'art of to days. !e"ause of this
in"on)enien"e, an a$$re)iated form of a gnomeIs name Busually taking less than a minute
to re"iteC is used in daily life.
*inker ,nomes ha)e the least in)ol)ed family life of any of the su$ra"es, sin"e all
adults are too in)ol)ed ith their LifeGuests to de)ote mu"h time to the raising of their
"hildren. *he youngsters learn mostly $y e?am'le, and of "ourse are 'ossessed of that
insatia$le "uriosity that seems to take the 'la"e of so many other emotions in the li)es of
a *inker. *inker males and females a""e't their LifeGuests ith eGual o$sessionJ there is
no differen"e $eteen the se?es in le)el of re"ognition and attainment. (or e?am'le,
guildmasters and "lan leaders are as likely to $e female as male.
*heir "ommunities are lo"ated underground, $ut alays "lose to the surfa"e, ith
'lenty of a""ess to fresh air. *heir 'en"hant for $urning "oal to a"hie)e steam makes
good )entilation ne"essary::e neednIt dell on the unfortunate results of those
e?'eriments in dee' su$terranean Guarters amid "a)erns armed $y )ast, o?ygen:
de)ouring furna"es.
*he )arious "ham$ers of a *inker "ommunity ill $e "onne"ted $y )arious means
of trans'ort, 'oered $y steam, s'ring:'oer, ind, ater, gra)ity, and any other means
a)aila$le. *y'es in"lude "ars that run along rails or are sus'ended from "a$les and
'ulleys, soaring gliders, PgnomeflingersI Bi.e., "ata'ultsC, ele)ators that run u' and don
through shafts $ored through ro"k, and inde'endently:steered "arts and "y"les 'ro'elled
$y )arious means. Needless to say, there is a high rate of attrition on gnomish trans'ort::
generally a "hara"ter stands a$out a 2O "han"e 'er tri' of suffering grie)ous inAury
Busually a$out 0:0. hit 'oints of damageC.
(or 'ri)ate li)ing Guarters, *inkers are in"lined to settle for any old ni"he in the
all that "an $e "losed off for a little 'ri)a"y. *hey like to slee' in a$solute darkness $ut
ha)e a$solutely no trou$le slum$ering amid a thunderous "a"o'hony of noise.
(ar more im'ortant than his or her $edroom, to a *inker, is his or her orksho'.
*his area ill $e a 'ri)ate "ham$er, if the gnome is influential enough to arrant su"h a
lu?ury, or if he or she inherits it from a de"eased 'arent Bfor o$)ious reasons, *inkers
tend to gain their inheritan"e at a far younger age than do any other gnomish su$ra"eC.
*he sho' should ideally $e ell:lit, $y "andle, "oal:oil lantern, or natural light. 8ne of
the more su""essful gnome in)entions is a netork of mirrors aligned to refle"t sunlight
through long tunnels so that it rea"hes "a)erns far underground. Des'ite its utility, this
in)ention is "onsidered an a$ysmal failure $y most *inkers, due to its utter la"k of
mo)ing 'arts.
*inker ,nomes do not orshi' the usual gnomish 'antheon, instead )enerating
the Krynnish god Reor?, 'atron of $la"ksmiths, "rafters, and in)entors. 8ne of the oft:
re'eated 'ie"es of e)iden"e Ro"k ,nomes are ont to 'ut forard in their ne)erending
attem'ts to 'ro)e that *inkers arenIt FrealF gnomes is that 7they haven)t even heard of
,arl ,littergold8F
Additional details on the *inker ,nomes "an $e found under the entry for
F,nomeF in the DRA,8NLANCE@ a''endi? to the 98N&*R85& C89PEND-59@
a""essory B9C3C.
*a$le 2: *inker ,nome A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength L 0M
De?terity M 0M
Constitution M 0M
-ntelligen"e M 0M
#isdom 2 0.
Charisma 2 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: N. to De?terityJ
:0 to &trengthJ :0 to #isdom
Languages: *inker ,nome, ,nome Common, )arious human tongues
-nfra)ision: Ees BL/IC
!pecial Features= *inker ,nomes share many of the same s'e"ial a$ilities as their Ro"k
,nome "ousins, a fa"t hi"h has led some sages to argue that *inker ,nomedom is a
"ulture rather than a true su$ra"e. #hate)er the truth, all *inkers ha)e the folloing
innate a$ilities.
*etect +nderground Features ::*inker ,nomes "an identify slo'ing 'assages B0:1 on
0dLC, flaed stoneork B0:4 on 0d0/C, and a''ro?imate de'th B0:3 on 0dLC and dire"tion
B0:2 on 0dLC underground.
$agic -esistance ::*he *inker ,nome gains a N0 $onus to his or her sa)ing thros
)ersus s'ell for e)ery 2.1 'oints of Constitution.
/ombat %onuses ::*inker ,nomes re"ei)e a :3 $onus to their Armor Class hen
atta"ked $y giant "lass "reatures.
(orest ,nomes
*his su$ra"e is not so "ommon as are the others, $ut its mem$ers fill an im'ortant
ni"he in their en)ironment. (orest ,nomes are shy and re"lusi)e, and often the mere
arri)al of human settlers ithin their ooded domain is enough to send them migrating to
a ne, uns'oiled home. Ne)ertheless, they ha)e $een knon to aid ad)enturers from
other ra"es and are 'arti"ularly friendly ith el)es.
7For the longest time--and I speak of many centuries--we didn)t even know they
were there. "f course, the 3yndhome 3ood is a vast place, full of sheltered ravines and
wide, hidden grottos . . . but we elves had always prided ourselves on knowing every inch
of the place.
7Then came the years of the Troll Tide, and we thought that the forest was lost. #ll
of the elven clans banded together, and we fought for each tree--indeed, not a blade of
grass or meadow blossom was surrendered to that horde without a fight--but it seemed
that our defeat would be inevitable. There were too many of the brutes, too few of us.
7%ut then, when the situation had grown most dire, they came from those ravines,
from the shaded grottos and the darkest thickets, and they lent their arrows and their
courage to our cause. !hort and frail we 5udged them--harshly, I admit. %ut they)re
smaller even than halflings, and so shy that it was painful even to speak with them8
7Yet they fought--and died, in great numbers--for 3yndhome, and their bravery
was unsurpassed, their deadly skill decisive. #t last, after many lives lost, many villages
burned, the Troll Tide was turned away.
7In its wake the forest was left in ruins, with smoldering trunks stretching to the
far hori&ons. Yet these shy gnomes--these tiny creatures whose aid had turned the
balance of battle--5oined with us for the task at hand. It was an effort that took years, but
during those years we forged a lasting friendship.
7$y people were stunned to learn that the Forest ,nomes had dwelled as our
neighbors since the very time of our arrival in the wood--and never had we so much as
suspected their e1istence8 !adly, it took a war to breach the wall of their privacy.
7%ut now that struggle is in the past, and for both our peoples we rest secure in
the knowledge that, whatever challenges the future holds, we shall face them with our
allies at our side.7
:: Kasseryth Daltine, El)en Ca'tainrider and hero
*he (orest ,nomes 'refer a life in hi"h no one knos ho they are or here
they li)e. *hey dell in large saths of oodland, and::unlike the other gnomish
su$ra"es::'refer to dell in houses that are at least 'artially a$o)e ground. *hey are
"reatures of nature far more than any of their "ousins, and to those rare folks ho meet
them Band 'ass through the alls of initial shynessC they "an 'ro)e to $e steadfast allies
and delightful "om'anions.
%oe)er, this su$ra"e has not totally a$andoned the lo)e of gemstones that is so
inherent to all gnomes. *he emerald is the fa)ored gem of the (orest ,nomes, no dou$t
$e"ause it most a""urately refle"ts the healthy "olors of their )erdant homelands. #hile
these gnomes "an make e?"ellent gemsmiths and Aeelers, their ork tends to $e re)erent
images of the floers, lea)es, $utterflies, and $irds that are su"h a key 'art of the (orest
,nomeIs en)ironment.
*hese are the smallest of the gnomish su$ra"es, a)eraging from .I to . 0D. I and
'eaking out at a fe in"hes under three feet. *hey share the sto"ky 'hysiGue of the Ro"k
and *inker ,nome and the $ul$ous nose hi"h is so "hara"teristi" of the ra"e in general.
*hey are the only gnomes in"lined to ear $eards and hair )ery long, and an older male
is likely to ha)e a $eard that e?tends to ithin a fe in"hes of the ground, and hair that,
hen un$ound, falls all the ay to his aist. *hese $eards are a sour"e of great 'ride to
the )enera$le males, and they often trim them to a fine 'oint or "url them into hornlike
s'ikes that e?tend to either side.
*he skin of a (orest ,nome tends toard a greenish "ast of tan rather like $ark,
although often darkened and ruddy from e?'osure to eather. *heir eyes are generally
$ron or $lue, $ut green eyes are not unheard of and are "onsidered )ery attra"ti)e and
the omen of a good life for their oner. *heir hair "olor is $ron or $la"k, often
$e"oming gray or hite in old age.
*he (orest ,nomes are a )ery long:li)ed 'eo'le, ith an a)erage life e?'e"tan"y
a''roa"hing 1// years. Childhood and adoles"en"e $lend together in the groing
'ro"ess. &in"e these gnomes do not generally em$ark u'on a "raft or a''renti"eshi' as a
life s'e"iality, there is no need to differentiate a "arefree youngster from an eGually
ha''y:go:lu"ky youth. Adulthood is granted u'on the hundredth $irthday, and this
anni)ersary is a "ause for great "ele$ration.
&hy and timid hen it "omes to relations ith other intelligent ra"es, (orest
,nomes are )ery determined "aretakers of their ooded domains. *hey are )ieed ith
friendshi' $y the animals of the forest and ha)e de)elo'ed a limited language of signs
and sounds Bsimilar to the Ro"k ,nomeIs Is'ee"hI ith $urroing mammalsC that allos
them to "ommuni"ate ith these "reatures, though ithout a great deal of detail. *hus a
sGuirrel might "hatter something a$out an intruder in the forest and e)en indi"ate the
general dire"tion of the tres'asser, $ut it "an 'ro)ide no information as to the nature, si>e,
or num$ers of the 'ossi$le enemy Bas a rule of thum$, "onsider all su"h "ommuni"ations
to "onsist of a single ord onlyJ i.e. FdangerKF Ffood,F Fha''y,F and the likeC.
(orest ,nomes are also )ery ade't at 'rote"ting and "aring for the 'lant life of
their oods. *hey gather the nuts, fruit, and other $ounty of the oods for sustenan"e,
taking meat only infreGuently::and alays ith a re)erent "eremony to the s'irit of the
animal slain $y the gnomish hunter. *hey des'ise the use of tra's, ne)er em'loying
snares, 'itfalls, or su"h tra's themsel)es. #hen they en"ounter su"h de)i"es set $y
humans or others, the (orest ,nomes ha)e $een knon to rig the tra's so that they
"a'ture Bith a snareC or inAure Bas ith a deadfall or 'it tra'C the tra''er hen he or she
"omes along to "he"k for game. ,enerally, the tra''er re"ei)es the same effe"t that his or
her tra' ould ha)e infli"ted u'on an animal.
Aside from meat, (orest ,nomes eat their food ra, though ith a great deal of
"eremony and 'oliteness. E)en a nut or a $erry is only "onsumed after the tree or $ush
that ga)e it life has $een 'ro'erly, al$eit silently, thanked. Needless to say, meals among
the (orest ,nomes are )ery long, Guiet affairs.
*hese diminuti)e $eings are e?"e'tional ood"ar)ers, far more skilled than any
other su$ra"e at the orking of this natural material. *hey "an also $e skilled "ar'enters,
and their skills lean hea)ily toard natural:looking renditions of their stru"tures. A
storage shed, for e?am'le, might $e $uilt to resem$le a "lum' of tightly:"lustered 'ine
trees, "on"ealing the fa"t that there is any kind of stru"ture there at all.
Priests ha)e a higher status in this so"iety than in any other gnomish "ulture.
!aer)an #ildanderer is the 'atron deity of most of these "leri"s and has $lessed them
ith a num$er of duties and tasks, most of hi"h in)ol)ed the 'rote"tion and
'reser)ation of the forests and the ild "reatures found there.
*he most hated enemies of the (orest ,nomes are or"s, ith troglodytes and
li>ard:men "lose $ehind. *hese "reatures ill $e ruthlessly atta"ked and am$ushed
hene)er they are en"ountered. Des'ite their shyness, (orest ,nomes ha)e made friends
ith el)es and halflings, though they tend to distrust humans and dar)es, ho in their
e?'erien"e all:too:often )ie trees only as so mu"h fireood. 8""asionally, ith great
"ourage, one of these smallest of gnomes ill )enture out of his or her forest domain in a
Guest to see the orld, though he or she ill usually try to return after a fe years and
ill ne)er $e entirely "omforta$le in a 'la"e that has no trees.
*he gnomes of this su$ra"e tend to li)e in smaller "ommunities than do their kin,
largely $e"ause their num$ers are so mu"h feer. A (orest ,nome )illage ill a)erage
less than a hundred residents, and the family homes that make u' the F)illageF may $e
hundreds of feet a'art. *hey are alays lo"ated in a dense oods and are )irtually
in)isi$le to anyone ho ha''ens to ander through::e)en a )eteran oodsman might
stroll don the main street of a (orest ,nome )illage ithout knoing he or she as in
anything other than tra"kless ood. -n 'art, this is $e"ause the forest gnomes disdain the
use of tra"ks and trails::they are ade't at mo)ing through the under$rush hile lea)ing
no sign of their 'assage. Also, their dellings tend to $e "on"ealed ithin the trunks of
large, hollo trees and, sometimes, into $urros that e?tend $elo the surfa"e of the
ground.
*he 'referred house of a (orest ,nome, hoe)er, is a$o)e the ground and ithin
the "omforta$le ooden en"losure of a tree trunk. *hese "reatures 'refer lairs of many
different le)els sin"e, e)en to these small gnomes, most hollo trees donIt 'ro)ide a lot
of floor s'a"e. -nstead, the house ill $e a netork of "ylindri"al rooms, usually no more
than four feet from floor to "eiling, "onne"ted to the floors a$o)e and $elo $y tiny
tra'doors and ro'e ladders or, sometimes, s'iraling stairays "ar)ed into the ood of the
tree. Ea"h floor ill ha)e a fe indos o'ening to the outside, $ut these ill $e so
"le)erly "amouflaged on the outside $y $ark or lim$s as to $e )irtually in)isi$le.
E?"a)ated "ham$ers are used for the "ommons areas of the (orest ,nomes, so
that hen a hole "ommunity gathers Bas they do many times a year, to o$ser)e this or
that "ele$rationC they "an do so in large, earthen "a)erns "on"ealed underground. *hese
"ham$ers are "onne"ted $y dirt tunnels and are often Guite large, ith "eilings reinfor"ed
$y tim$er and $ra"e. (orest ,nomes ha)e no interest in e?"a)ating through stone, and
though they ill o""u'y a natural "a)e if they find one "on)eniently lo"ated, they ill
ne)er dig into $edro"k to e?'and or sha'e their surroundings.
A )illage of (orest ,nomes is organi>ed )ery mu"h like a large family, ith the
oldest 'atriar"h or matriar"h in the "ommunity generally re)ered as the )enera$le leader.
As far as a"tual so"ietal organi>ation, there is )ery little::hen (orest ,nomes a"t as a
grou' Bfor e?am'le, to defend their oodland or migrate to a ne homelandC they do so
$e"ause the ne"essity of a"tion is o$)ious to e)ery mem$er of the "lans.
(orest ,nomes are sometimes mistaken for $ronies $y those humans ho "at"h
a rare glim'se of them, $ut the to ra"es are not related. (or one thing, $ronies 'refer
rural settings::farms and small human or halfling )illagesJ the )ery en)ironments (orest
,nomes go out of their ay to a)oid::to the forest. Des'ite their si>e, $ronies are more
"losely related to el)es than any of the other demihuman ra"es. Also, $ronies are highly
magi"al, hile (orest ,nomes distrust magi" and make less use of it in their daily li)es
than any other gnomish su$ra"e. *he to ra"es are friendly, $ut their 'aths seldom "ross.
*a$le 3: (orest ,nome A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 2 04
De?terity M 0=
Constitution M 0M
-ntelligen"e 2 04
#isdom L 0M
Charisma 2 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments:
N0 to De?terityJ N0 to #isdomJ
:0 to &trengthJ :0 to -ntelligen"e
Languages: (orest ,nomeJ ,nome CommonJ ElfJ *reantJ forest mammal
-nfra)ision: No
&'e"ial (eatures: *he (orest ,nomes ha)e se)eral "hara"teristi"s in "ommon ith their
ra"ial "ousins, as ell as se)eral uniGue a$ilities:
(ass without Trace ::A (orest ,nome "an 'ass through any kind of ooded terrain
ithout lea)ing a sign of his or her 'assage.
!aving Throw %onus ::*he (orest ,nome gains a N0 $onus to his or her sa)ing thros
)ersus s'ell for e)ery 2.1 'oints of Constitution.
Hide in 3oods ::Like the halfling, a (orest ,nome "an make himself or herself )irtually
in)isi$le in ooded surroundings.
/ombat %onus ::Due to si>e and Gui"kness, (orest ,nomes re"ei)e a :3 $onus to their
Armor Class hene)er they fight man:si>ed or larger "reatures. Also, they get N0
$onuses on all atta"k and damage rolls hen fighting or"s, li>ard men, or troglodytes, or
any "reature hi"h they ha)e dire"tly o$ser)ed damaging oodlands Be.g., a oodman
"ho''ing don a tree full of $irdsI nestsC.
Cha'ter 2: ,nomish Culture
!oon the cool wash of moonlight illuminated the vale, the disk of shadow passing
across the lunar face. %rilliant in the glory of the summer solstice, the silvery orb
outlined the thousands of gnomes in white light and shadow.
Then the bonfires flared into life, do&ens of them flickering into the sky,
silhouetting rings of small, dancing figures. !oon the rugged cadence of chant and song,
accompanied by the wail of pipes and the strident beat of the drums, echoed from the
looming cliffs.
Finally, the full brightness of the moon was restored4 in the stark outline of light
and dark, the festival commemorating the moon)s rebirth began.
Li)ing for the most 'art isolated from the other "ultures of their orlds, the
gnomes thri)e and 'ros'er. *heir la$ors go unnoti"ed $y mankind, their mines
undis"o)ered $y the dar)es. *he (orest ,nomes, in their dense and tangled thi"kets,
remain unseen e)en $y their syl)an neigh$ors, the el)es.
#ho are these re"lusi)e folkH %o do they li)e, and hat lure dras some of
them from their 'astoral homes and onto the road leading to ad)enture and 'erilH
*his "ha'ter looks at se)eral as'e"ts of gnomish life and "ulture. -t addresses
those traits that all gnomes ha)e in "ommon, sin"e the 're)ious "ha'ter as de)oted to
the differen"es $eteen the su$ra"es. #here e?"e'tions e?ist, these are noted here
'ossi$le.
(esti)als
All gnomes enAoy festi)als. *hese "ele$rations ty'i"ally in)ol)e mu"h musi",
dan"ing, feasting, storytelling, illusionary magi" shos, drinking, and "ontests of strength
and it. #hile the a"tual festi)al o$ser)an"es )ary somehat $y su$ra"e, a gi)en
"ommunity ill generally gather for no less than 0. to 01 $ig "ele$rations e)ery year.
*hese ill $e for many different o""asions, in"luding "ele$rations of har)ests,
seasonal o""urren"es like the solsti"e and eGuino?, and anni)ersaries::of $irthdays,
famous )i"tories or dis"o)eries, and e)en eather 'henomena. Ro"k ,nomes ha)e $een
knon to hold "ele$rations to "ommemorate the date of a horrendous "y"lone that on"e
ra)ished their realm, the eru'tion of a )ol"ano, or e)en a nota$le $li>>ardJ anything
hi"h might ser)e as a good e?"use for a 'arty. *he 'atterns "an )ary $y su$ra"e, sin"e
&)irfne$lin donIt kee' tra"k of dates and the *inkers often forget hat year it is, yet
gnomes of all ty'es seem to ha)e a "ommunal sense of hen a gathering is needed. #hen
the time is right, theyIll get together.
*he truly maAor festi)als, hoe)er, are often years a'art. *he festi)al
"ommemorating the total e"li'se of the moon, for e?am'le, only takes 'la"e a$out on"e
'er "entury. (or Ro"k and (orest ,nomes, this is the most signifi"ant o""asion of all, and
as su"h it "alls for the grandest festi)al. &)irfne$lin reser)e similar festi)ities for the
"oronation of a ne king or Gueen, hile *inkers "ele$rate the su""essful design and
"om'letion of an in)ention::no that)s rareK Likeise, a gnomeIs most signifi"ant
$irthday in most su$ra"es is "onsidered his or her one hundredth.
Another trademark of the gnomish gala is that they go on for a long time::the
$igger the o""asion, the longer the "ele$ration. E)en the smaller festi)als are generally
to:day affairs, ith the first day de)oted to 're'arations Bsu"h as rehearsals of
'erforman"es and "ooking the ide )ariety of food ne"essary for the feastC. *he se"ond
day, $eginning at dan, is likely to $e a seGuen"e of songs and 'erforman"es, mi?ed ith
a''ro'riate rituals and remem$ran"es, and li$erally s'i"ed ith many o''ortunities to eat
and drink. Ale and ine, together ith the musi" and re)elry, flos freely from dan to
dusk and throughout the folloing night.
*he greater festi)als last many days or se)eral eeks, ith the most signifi"ant
lasting a full month or more. %oe)er long the "ele$ration, the gnomes are generally
Guite ready to 'it"h $a"k in to ork as soon as the festi)ities are "on"luded. -n the "ase of
the longer "ele$rations this is an es'e"ially good thing, sin"e a month of e?treme 'artying
"an 'retty mu"h e?haust the food and drink reser)es of a "ommunityK
(ires
,nomes ha)e a 'e"uliar fas"ination ith flame and the light it $rings into the
darkness in hi"h they ould otherise dell. 8ne ell:knon gnomish nursery tale
relates the story of 7er'oolis"h Po''le'i', a ty'i"al gnomish hero:
A master illusionist and thief, 7er'oolis"h "re't into the halls of the gods and
at"hed the deities la$or at their forges. !e"oming intrigued $y the shoer of s'arks
falling from their great hammers, he su$stituted an illusionary $rightness for a real s'ark
and stole the a"tual flame. !y the time the gods reali>ed the de"e'tion, Po''le'i' had
made it safely $a"k to the orld. *here he nourished his s'ark, and it $e"ame the father
of fire. #ith ty'i"al generosity, the gnomes shared this $lessing ith the rest of the orld.
E)ery gnome has a 'la"e in his or her home for a small fire, and in 'ensi)e
moments he or she ill $e in"lined to sit $efore the flame and meditate.
9arriage and (amily
#eddings, 'erha's sur'risingly, are not $ig so"ial o""asions. -nstead, they are
'ri)ate "eremonies attended $y the immediate families of the young "ou'le::and e)en
these guests soon de'art to lea)e the nelyeds ith a "han"e to get to kno ea"h other
'ri)ately.
!ride and groom ha)e generally $een friends sin"e "hildhood and ha)e made the
mat"h of their on free ill. 9arriage "ommonly o""urs during the de"ades immediately
folloing the "oming of age 'eriod for mem:$ers of that s'e"ifi" su$ra"e, though gnomes
ho "hoose not to ed are not ostra"i>ed or e)en "onsidered odd. ,nomes marry for
"om:'anionshi' as mu"h as 'ro"reation, and a "ou'le ill almost alays remain ha''ily
married until one or the other of them 'asses aay. Remarriage is rare, although it has
$een knon to o""urJ di)or"e is unknon.
,nomish "ou'les rarely ha)e the numerous $roods familiar to halflings and
humans. A family ith three "hildren is "onsidered large, and only si>a$le "lans ill ha)e
fi)e or si? youngsters delling in the arren at any one time. E)en in adulthood, gnomes
retain dee' $onds of friendshi' ith their si$lings and 'arents. -t is )ery "ommon for
$rothers and sisters to Aoin together in $usiness endea)ors, for e?am'le.
*he Nose Knos
*he $ig s"hno>>ola is an im'ortant status sym$ol among all of the gnome
su$ra"es. Parents 'roudly 'oint out the si>e of their "hildrenIs noses and make
enthusiasti" 'rognosti"ations a$out future groth. #hile the 'ra"ti"al a''li"ations of
su"h a fa"ial feature are admittedly limited, gnomes ill freGuently em$ark on si>e
"ontests, ith hea)y agers, $eteen mem$ers of ri)al "lans. &)irfne$lin go so far as to
make this a 'rimary determinant in the sele"tion of a ne king or GueenK
(ood and Drink
,nomes enAoy feasting and drinking, $ut their diet and $e)erage sele"tion refle"ts
far less )ariety than does that of the halfling or e)en most "ommunities of humankind. No
gnomish su$ra"e, for e?am'le, uses yeast in the $aking of $read nor in its $reing. *hey
donIt kee' "os or make "heese or $utter. &ugar is unknon in their diet, and gnomes
tend to a)oid seets e)en hen they tra)el to 'la"es here "akes or "andies are
a)aila$le. Also, s'i"es and sau"es are rarely em'loyed in the 're'aration of gnomish
"uisine.
%oe)er, those foods that gnomes do "ook they "ook ell. *hey are e?"ellent at
're'aring ild game and in using the natural 'rodu"ts of their surrounding areas for
salads and hot dishes. All gnomes like salt, although the Dee' ,nomes "arry this to the
greatest e?tremes. *hey "ook their meat until itIs )ery ell done. *his tenden"y, "ou'led
ith the li$eral use of salt, insures that the food kee's for a long time ithout s'oiling.
*he $reing skills of the gnomes are effe"ti)e, e)en if the results are not e?a"tly
tem'ting to humans and other demihumans. %ea)y meads and ales are fa)ored. -n areas
here fruit "an $e readily har)ested Ba''les and "herries are 'referredC gnomes make
'assa$le, if somehat astringent, "ordials.
,ems
9ore than a medium of ealth, gems are "herished to a degree diffi"ult for non:
gnomes to "om'rehend. E)ery gnome has a small gem he or she ill "arry at all times,
often feeling or stroking it hen thoughtful or trou$led. E)ery gnomish )illage ill ha)e
a fe 'arti"ularly s'lendid stones that $elong to the "ommunity as a hole, ea"h ith an
a""om'anying legend, and en"hanted gems are the fa)orite magi"al items of gnomish
s'ell"asters.
Craftsmanshi'
*he single most artisti" endea)or of the gnomish "raftsman Be?"luding *inker
,nomesC is, of "ourse, the "ar)ing and mounting of 're"ious gems. *hese little folk are
ade't at e)ery as'e"t of the AeelerIs trade, in"luding the smelting and finishing of
're"ious metals. #hile ea"h su$ra"e has a s'e"ial affinity to a "ertain ty'e of stone
Bdiamond, ru$y, and emerald res'e"ti)ely for the Ro"k, Dee', and (orest ,nomesJ "oal
for the *inkersC, their gem"ar)ers are "a'a$le of orking ith )irtually any ty'e of stone.
*his artisanshi' goes $eyond mere rote skill. ,nomish Aeelers are "a'a$le of
)ery "reati)e designs in Aeelry and ha)e de)elo'ed the most elegant royal "rons,
s"e'tres, and de"orati)e s"ul'tures knon to demihuman:kind. &tone"ar)ing is another
skill at hi"h gnomes e?"el, and in those "a)erns here they ha)e delt for many
"enturies intri"ate 'atterns ha)e $een s"rolled into many of the alls and "eilings,
enhan"ing the natural $eauty of the ro"k.
*heir s'e"ial affinity to stone makes gnomes e?"e'tional e?"a)ators, miners, and
tunnelers. *hose gnomes ho seek em'loyment among other "ultures might ork as
gemsmiths if suffi"iently skilled $ut are far more likely to find ork in the mines of
humankind. E)en dar)es, grudgingly, admit that gnomes are almost as good at digging
as themsel)es. *his is, in fa"t, an ungenerous assessment::Ro"k ,nomes in 'arti"ular are
e)ery $it the eGual of dar)es in this 'rofessionK
!eyond the orking of stone, hoe)er, the gnomes are somehat limited in the
tooling of materials into useful 'rodu"ts. As a general rule, gnomes find it hard to
'rodu"e ra materials $ut easy to sha'e it. (or e?am'le, they do not ea)e, so all their
"lothing is either made of leather or of materials $artered from other folk. %oe)er,
gi)en the right fa$ri"s, a gnomish tailor "an "reate almost any kind of garment, often ith
ela$orate stit"hing and similar attention to detail "hara"teristi" of all gnomish ork.
Car'entry is another skill that demonstrates the gnomish 'en"hant for ela$oration.
#hereas dar)es ill he tim$ers to shore u' a mine shaft and at need "an make rough
ta$les, $eds, and "hairs for their on use, gnomes ha)e a "om'ulsion to "o)er e)ery
a)aila$le in"h ith de"oration hi"h goes far $eyond utility. *hus gnome miners ill
often use their $reaks to "ar)e deli"ate designs into the su''ort tim$ers Btaking "are not to
eaken the $eamsKC, often ha)ing friendly "ontests $eteen different shifts as ea"h
"ontinues the otherIs ork. ,nomish furniture is a mar)el of fine ood"ar)ing, ith a
multitude of $aroGue detail.
*rade
*he 'rimary sto"k:in:trade of the gnomish folk, hether on the surfa"e or under
the ground, is naturally the gemork that is su"h a trademark of the ra"e. *he urge to
"reate is so strong Bin *inker ,nomes, it has run amu"kC that gnomes regularly trade
finished Aeelry for un"ut gems, and gnomish gem traders ill sometimes tra)el great
distan"es in the "ourse of their la$ors.
%oe)er, gems arenIt the only thing gnome "ommunities seek in trade. &alt is a
ne"essity to the gnomish diet, and if there is no natural sour"e a)aila$le gnomish traders
ill go to great lengths to a"Guire it. #ea'ons, fa$ri", and ra steel are generally not
made $y gnomes $ut needed $y the "ommunity. Deli"a"ies, su"h as tender meat, dark
flour, and strong liGuor, are other items sometimes gained $y trade.
&in"e these folk ha)e little interest or "a'a$ility in freight:hauling, those ho
ould sell su"h $ulk goods to them generally ha)e to take res'onsi$ility for deli)ery as
ell. %uman and demihuman traders kno this, and many a human and halfling
mer"hant has gotten ri"h sim'ly $y "arting loads of te?tiles or steel to the )i"inity of a
gnomish )illage. 8ften, the trader ill sell "art and 'ony at the same time::after all, he or
she doesnIt need mu"h s'a"e to haul aay a fortune in finely:"ut gemsK
*a$oos
7*id you hear about 6asselwort %iddlestumpf; He brought some of that dwarvish
black brandy to the #corn Festival--and after he drank it, it went straight to his tongue8
7First he insulted his old grandfather, 3igglefount %iddlestumpf, who tried to
rebuke him for his behavior. 6assel was betting on all the contests, showing around these
little bloodstones as if they were rubies8
7Then he got into a fight with 'ucklereet !htoomiss--he called old 'uck) a
7!hortnose %lowhard,7 and of course the poor fellow couldn)t let that pass 9we all know
!htoomiss) nose leaves a little to be desired, but 6ass) had no call to be making fun of it:8
7%ut that)s not the worst of it8 Finally, when they came down to the nut-eating
contest, 6ass) bet on ,raybeard Friggleheit to win, but the old fellow choked on a husk
and had to 0uit the contest. #nd when it came time to pay up--believe it or not8--
6asselwort %iddlestumpf refused to pay8
7It)ll be a long time before he can show his nose in this village again87
::Lillyllotta ,lindlehome, gnomish matriar"h Band self:admitted gossi'C
,nomes are a fun:lo)ing so"iety, ith a great em'hasis on 'ersonal freedom.
%oe)er, a "ornerstone of this freedom is a res'e"t for the rights of others::and those
ho trom' on those rights are "onsidered to ha)e "ommitted a gra)e $rea"h of gnomish
etiGuette. *his "ornerstone of indi)idual res'onsi$ility is the key to understanding the
gnomish "ulture.
&ome of the orst infra"tions of this 'ersonal "ode that a gnome "an "ommit
in)ol)e the 'erforman"e of his or her ork. -t is, hoe)er, a rare "ir"umstan"e for a
gnome to shirk a duty or to 'erform it at anything less than his or her highest le)el of
a$ility. *hose fe gnomes ho refuse to ork are generally, after many "han"es to
reform, "ast out from their "ommunities. *hey donIt usually li)e too long on their on.
-t is a little more "ommon for offending $eha)ior to o""ur in so"ial settings, often
a""om'anied $y the "onsum'tion of al"ohol. 7irtually all gnomes enAoy drinking, and ale
and mead are im'ortant features of gnomish festi)als and "lan gatherings. -n most "ases,
gnomes $e"ome Guite Aolly and "arefree hen they drink, singing, laughing, and Aoking::
the Fmean drunkF is not a familiar "hara"ter in gnomish so"iety.
%oe)er, strong liGuor is not a "ustomary drink among gnomes::their ales and
fruit ines, hile strong:tasting $y human standards, are not the mat"h of $randy or
hiskey in 'oten"y B&)irfne$lin fish $eer and ,ogondy e?"e'tedC. #hen a gnome gets
hold of something stronger, trou$le has $een knon to result. #hen it does, the
malefa"tor is su$Ae"ted to stern "riti"ism from the $ulk of the "ommunity::usually hen
he or she is in the throes of the orst hango)er of his or her life. 8ne su"h e?'erien"e is
generally enough to $ring a$out a lifelong reform.
*he "ontests that are an integral 'art of e)ery gnomish festi)al are another sour"e
of 'ride to these small demihumans, and the honor of the 'arti"i'ants is a""e'ted and, for
the most 'art, taken for granted. #agering is a "ommon 'ra"ti"e, $ut one is not e?'e"ted
to $et more than he or she is 're'ared to lose. #el"hing on a $et is a gross affront to a
gnomish sense of right and rong. &imilarly, a trader ho "heats gnomish "lients $y
su$stituting inferior goods for those 'romised ill $e marked for lifeJ no gnome ill e)er
trade ith that indi)idual again.
(inally, hile friendly insults are "ommonly and freGuently e?"hanged among
gnomes, one is e?'e"ted never to "riti"i>e la"k of nose si>e. *hose gnomes ho ha)e
$een "ursed ith small noses Bthose that sti"k out less than, say, three or four in"hes from
the fa"eC are assumed to suffer the "urse of their shame inardly. -t is nothing more than
needless "ruelty to ridi"ule this unfortunate la"k of endoment.
Emotions
,nomes are )ery emotional "reatures, gi)en to laughter and Aoy, ee'ing and
sorro, in loud and affe"ting dis'lays. *his a''lies to $oth ork and 'lay. Des'ite their
'hysi"al resem$lan"e to dar)es, a grou' of gnomish miners "an easily $e distinguished
not only $y their smaller si>e $ut $y the laughter and song that a""om'anies them on their
task.
#hen gi)en "ause for sorro, su"h as the death of a friend or relati)e, gnomes
grie)e o'enly and loudly. Natural disasters or mali"ious a"ts from enemies are likeise
"ause for ailing and "rying::so mu"h so that an o$ser)er might assume that an entire
"ommunity has Aust re"ei)ed a senten"e of 'ainful doom. %oe)er, these moods 'ass
Gui"kly B'erha's because of the effusi)eness of their griefC and many a $oisterous 'arty
has resulted from hat $egan as a funeral o$ser)an"e.
7ery unlike dar)es Bor el)es, for that matterC, gnomes are Guite o'en in dis'lays
of affe"tion and lo)e. %ugs are freGuent hene)er friends, s'ouses, and relations meet.
Parents "uddle "hildren, and the youngsters a""e't the attention ith no self:
"ons"iousness. #hile romanti" "ou'les are 'ri)ate ith their intima"y, hus$ands and
i)es ill loudly and 'u$li"ly 'rofess their affe"tion and lo)e.
%umor
,nomes are famous, or 'erha's infamous, for their sardoni" sense of humor. All
gnomes lo)e 'ra"ti"al Aokes, the more ela$orate the $etter. *his "an $e )ery dis"on"erting
hen a gnome de"ides to e?'ress friendshi' or affe"tion to a non:gnome $y making that
indi)idual a s'e"ial target for a string of 'ra"ti"al Aokes. As a rule, itIs "onsidered $ad
form to de)ise a Aoke hi"h a"tually hurts some$odyJ the art "omes from sur'rising the
)i"tim and making him or her look ridi"ulous.
-n a ay, 'ra"ti"al Aoking takes the 'la"e filled $y )iolen"e in many human
"ulturesJ to gnomes ho ha)e a heated argument are more likely to laun"h a feud of
$oo$y:tra's to 'ro)e ho is the "le)erest than "ome to $los. *aking their "ue from ,arl
,littergold himself, gnomes e?tend this attitude to their military endea)orsJ itIs
"onsidered a more "ourageous a"t to make an enemy look foolish in the eyes of his or her
allies or folloers than it is to kill the same enemy.
Animal (riends
A arren of gnomes ill ty'i"ally $e guarded $y se)eral at"hful mammals. -n
the "ase of (orest ,nomes or Ro"k ,nomes, these ill $e oods:delling or $urroing
"reatures. Among the most 'o'ular "om'anions are $adgers, ol)erines, and easels::in
mundane as ell as giant si>e. &)irfne$lin sometimes gain similar "om'anionshi' from
moles, shres, $ats, and giant rats. -n return for kind treatment from the gnomes, these
"reatures often take u' residen"e near$y gnome dellings.
*hese "reatures are not domesti"ated as humans understand the ordJ they are
allies, not 'ets. &till, they 'ro)ide useful ser)i"e as sentinels, Gui"kly $ringing ord of
any strangers in the area, and if the "ommunity is atta"ked the animal guardians ill
alays fight sa)agely in defense of their friends. 9any )illages ha)e tales of youngsters
ho ha)e fallen into a stream only to $e 'lu"ked forth and sa)ed $y the Aas of a giant
easel, for e?am'le, or of young "lim$ers ho ha)e gotten into trou$le on the stee' and
ro"ky slo'es so "ommon in gnomish ha$itat only to $e "arried to safety on the sturdy
$a"k of a "lim$ing $adger.
#arfare
7*ey come from da rocks of da ground, everywhere attackin) and killin), what wit
dem bolts and dat ma5ick8 3e din)t see where dey wu& or where dey went, but when dey
wu& gone all my pals wu& kilt.
73e had dee& goblyns what wu& su&po&ed to watch dat side--but dey run away8
*a lucky ones ran, dat i&. <ots a dem wu& kilt too. *em nomes, dey really whomped da
goblyns--din)t like )em too much at all, I cud tell. *a goblyns wu& gonna turn to meet )em,
but da nomes come on too fast. *ey din)t let )em make da line or get off a shot. )/ourse,
dat)s what you espect a) goblyns.
7*en I tought we ogres would stomp )em, stomp )em good. %ut dey wudn)t fight
fair, wudn)t come out and let u& stomp )em8 *ey sat dere and shot wit) dem dang bolts,
what poked out eyes and did all sorts a) nasties. 3e run at dem but dey hid--we din)t
know where dey went, )till dey come up behind us and whomped us pretty good dat way
too.
7'ope, sir, you kin tell me ta go but I ain)t goin)--I ain)t gonna fight no nomes no
more87
::from the $attle diary of !arkan Delsuutor, 8gre )eteran and $rigade "ommander
Like halflings, gnomes are slo to anger and relu"tant to age ar. %oe)er,
also like their diminuti)e "ousins, they $e"ome sa)age and tena"ious fighters hen fully
moti)ated into $attle.
!e"ause of their small si>e, gnomes try to a)oid "om$at situations that 'la"e them
in o'en terrain here they must meet the head:on onslaught of mu"h larger atta"kers.
*hey 'refer instead to fight in rough terrain, sheltered $y ro"ks or trees, here their si>e
"an a"tually ork to their ad)antage. -n underground "om$at situations here they ha)e
suffi"ient time to 're'are, gnomes like to e?"a)ate numerous lo:"eilinged tunnels for
mo$ility of atta"k and retreat.
*hey are not so ade't ith missiles as are halflings, $ut gnomish troo's "an
ne)ertheless deli)er a furious $arrage of arros and sling stones hen su"h a ta"ti" is
needed. (iring in an undis"i'lined fusillade, they "ontinue to 'e''er their targets ith this
'ainful atta"ks for as long as 'ossi$le. *hey laun"h their arros from sturdy short$os or
solid, al$eit small, "ross$os.
*hough many of them ield s'ears, they 'refer to use these as melee rather than
missile ea'ons. ,nomes are ade't Band )ery "ourageousC at setting these s'ears to meet
the "harge of mu"h larger atta"kers. *hey ill also use their Gui"kness to strike from
am$ush, and hen a for"e of gnomes "an mingle among the troo's of a larger enemy,
their small si>e allos them to infli"t a lot of damage. A fa)orite ta"ti", usea$le only
hen gnomes gain "om'lete sur'rise Bsu"h as that 'ro)ided $y a mass invisibility s'ellC,
is to fearlessly dart among enemy horsemen, using their shar' daggers to "ut the stra's
holding the ridersI saddles onto their mounts. &u"h a ta"ti", hen su""essful, "an go a
long ay toard e)ening the odds of an un$alan"ed engagement.
#hen mar"hing to $attle, most gnomes ill "arry a missile ea'on as ell as a
hammer, s'ear, or short sord, ith a dagger reser)ed for the final line of defense.
,nomes are also skilled at using de"e'tion, di)ersion, "amouflage, and disguise
as $attle ta"ti"s. *heir natural talents at illusionary magi" hel' a great deal::gnomish
illusionists ill freGuently "reate the a''earan"e of the for"e in some unim'ortant area,
hile other s'ell"asters "on"eal the a"tual 'resen"e of the gnomes from enemy dis"o)ery.
*he sudden a''earan"e of a gnomish for"e, )irtually in the midst of the enemy, "an $e
enough to thro the most )eteran army into "onfusion.
*hey are also good at using these s'ells to "on"eal the true nature of the
$attlefield::either to "reate the a''earan"e of o$sta"les here there are none or to "on"eal
the lo"ation of ha>ards su"h as ra)ines, thi"kets, $ogs, and streams. 9any a thunderous
"harge has $een $roken hen the holing atta"kers suddenly find out that hat looked
like solid ground is a"tually interse"ted $y a tenty:foot dee' gully, its $ottom lined ith
shar' stakes.
8ther uses of illusionary magi" ha)e stret"hed the "reati)e $ounds of military
imagination. -n one famous $attle, gnomish illusionists "on"ealed the a"tual lo"ation of
the sun and re'la"e it ith a du'li"ate, "ausing the enemiesI reinfor"ements to mar"h fi)e
miles to the east hen they ere su''osed to $e going estK *hey ha)e also used images
of dragons, giants, $eholders, and other horrors to distra"t the attention of their foes and
kee' them guessing as to the true nature of their o''onents.
Another asset that gnomes "arry into $attle is the la"k of the hu$ris that "an so
often $e the donfall of human or dar)en "ommand:ers. ,nomes sho no hesitation
hen it "omes to a$andoning a lost "auseJ hen things start to go $ad, the gnomes ill
run aay, 'referring this 'ragmati" ta"ti" to a doomed stand moti)ated mainly $y 'ride.
*he retreating gnomes Gui"kly s"atter and Bif 'ossi$leC disa''ear don holes into the
ground or )anish among the en"losing under$rush of a forest. E)en if the )i"torious
o''onents 'ursue ruthlessly, they are unlikely to kill or "a'ture more than a handful of
the gnomish sur)i)ors. 8f "ourse, this s"attering means that it takes longer to reassem$le
the for"e and 're'are to fight again, $ut that is a dra$a"k that any gnomish "ommander
illingly a""e'ts rather than see his or her for"es annihilated.
9agi"
*he 'rimary sor"ery of the gnomes, of "ourse, is illusionary magi". *his is far
more than a 'ra"ti"al a''li"ation of ar"ane 'oers, hoe)er::in gnome so"iety, the
"asting of illusions affe"ts all as'e"ts of life from art to roman"e to "ele$ration to ar. A
lo)er might oo his seetheart ith a message $orne $y a whispering wind s'ell, for
e?am'le. (or gnomes, illusionary magi" is a ay of life, not something they use Aust to
make life easier.
-llusions are also "onstantly em'loyed for 'ra"ti"al Aokes among these fun:lo)ing
folk. 8f "ourse, gnomes are more ade't at re"ogni>ing illusions than are most other
"reatures, so those illusionary 'ranks targeted against them must $e su$tly "rafted and
strategi"ally 'lanned in order for them to su""eed. Invisibility , illusionary script, and
wraithform s'ells are 'o'ular "hoi"es for this 'ur'ose.
-llusionary magi" is often used to "om'le:ment the finest efforts of gnomish
"raftsmen. A fine 'ie"e of Aeelry, for e?am'le, might $e enhan"ed ith a shoer of light
"aused $y a phantasmal force, or e)en a hypnotic pattern, in order to "reate a truly
stunning ork of art.
8n the 'ra"ti"al side, illusionary magi" is not usually em'loyed to s"reen the
lo"ation or nature of a gnomish "ommunity. *hough su"h ar"ane de)i"es might 'ro)e
effe"ti)e at "on"ealing them against mundane dete"tion, the emanation of magi"al 'oer
a"tually ser)es as a $ea"on to those ho use s'ells su"h as detect magic. *he latter
enemies are Audged, rightly, to $e far more dangerous to a gnomish "ommunity than the
former.
%oe)er, on the $attlefield or in other "ontests of might and skill, gnomes ill
'ull out all the sto's. Hallucinatory terrain, the )arious a''li"ations of invisibility, and
illusionary walls ill $e used to disguise the true nature of the $attlefield, hile s'ells
su"h as phantasmal force, fear, phantasmal killer, and shadow monster ill $e em'loyed
dire"tly against the enemy troo's.
#andering
5nlike the other short folk, the halflings, gnomes are often 'ossessed $y a strong
desire to ander. *heir natural "uriosity leads them to "onstantly onder a$out hatIs
$eyond the ne?t hill, or a"ross that sea . . . or e)en don that dark hole in the
mountainside.
A maAor "om'ulsion for this andering among all gnomes is the desire to find the
'erfe"t gem. *ales of ri"h )eins of ru$ies, or a ealth of diamonds or emeralds, ill often
dra an entire 'arty of gnomes onto a long and dangerous Guest. #hether or not theyI)e
seen e)iden"e of the find, their $elief in its e?isten"e ill $e strong, e)en unshaka$le, and
determined gnomes ill $rook no di)ersion in their 'ursuit of this ultimate treasure.
Des'ite their reti"ent nature and the "are ith hi"h they "on"eal their
"ommunitiesI e?a"t lo"ations, gnomes are Guite illing to make friends ith those
)isitors ho 'ro)e themsel)es orthy of that friendshi'. 9any a ide:eyed gnomish
youngster has listened to a human knight tell of great "astles or a mer"hant des"ri$e the
onders of a large "ity market. *hese gnomes ty'i"ally gro u' ith the desire to see
these 'la"es, and no one thinks it odd hen, after rea"hing adulthood, they 'a"k u' their
$elongings and head don the road.
Another strain of this honest friendliness is a dee':running loyalty to those the
gnomes "onsider friends. *he suggestion that one of these kindred s'irits is in trou$le
ill also 'ro)e a strong moti)ation to $ring a gnome onto the ad)enturing road.
(inally, gnomes kee' a "lose eye on their surroundings and are )ery familiar ith
the orld in their general )i"inity. -f they noti"e things "hanging Bfor e?am'le, a )illage
"ro':'ing u' on hat used to $e a ilderness streamC they ill $e irresisti$ly dran to
the s"ene to find out hatIs going on.
Cha'ter 3: ,nome Chara"ter Kits
*he kits introdu"ed in this "ha'ter allo 'layers to define their "hara"ters ith
more detail and 're"ision than are determined sim'ly $y ra"e and "hara"ter "lass. *he
gnome kits 'ro)ide a sele"tion of s'e"iali>ed PCs and NPCs, ea"h designed for a s'e"ifi"
"hara"ter "lass or multi:"lass "om$ination. Ea"h kit has its on strengths and
eaknesses, and ea"h is tailored to illustrate some im'ortant as'e"t of gnomish life.
*he kits are 'urely o'tional::no gnome must use one. *hey "an $e in"or'orated
into "hara"ters already e?isting in the "am'aign, as long as the PCIs $a"kground makes
sense gi)en the nature of the kit. 8n"e a "hara"ter has $een assigned a kit, that sele"tion
remains for the life of the "hara"ter.
*hese kits are s'e"ifi"ally designed for gnomes and should not $e em'loyed $y
"hara"ters of other ra"es. ,nomish "hara"ters ho donIt ish to use a kit from this $ook
"an sele"t a kit from another hand$ook that is a''li"a$le to their "hara"ter "lass: The
/omplete Fighter)s Handbook, The /omplete Thief)s Handbook, The /omplete (riest)s
Handbook, The /omplete 3i&ard)s Handbook, and The /omplete %ard)s Handbook all
ha)e kits that are a)aila$le to gnomish "hara"ters of the a''ro'riate "lass.
,nomes "an $e"ome "leri"s of u' to =th le)el, fighters of u' to 00th le)el, thie)es
of u' to 02th le)el, and illusionists of u' to 01th le)elJ e?"e'tionally talented gnomes
Bthose ith high s"ores in their 'rime reGuisitesC "an e?"eed these ma?imums $y u' to 3
additional le)els. 9ulti:"lass "om$inations are also alloed $eteen any to "lasses
a)aila$le to gnomes, ith illusionistDthief $eing a fa)orite. Priests are not terri$ly
"ommon among gnomes::the &)irfne$lin ha)e the most, *inker ,nomes none at all::and
multi:"lassed "om$inations in"luding them are the rarest of all gnome "hara"ter "lasses
Band hen"e ha)e no kits de)oted to themC.
Players and D9s may "oo'erate in the "reation of original kits, as long as "are is
taken to $alan"e the ad)antages and disad)antages ith those 'resented here.
&tru"ture of the Kits
Ea"h kit $egins ith a general des"ri'tion of that "hara"ter ty'e, along ith any
$a"kground and a$ility s"ore reGuirements that are ne"essary to Gualify for the kit.
(urther information on the kits is $roken don into these "ategories:
Role: *he s'e"ifi" fun"tions of this "hara"ter ty'e ithin gnomish so"iety.
&e"ondary &kills: -n "am'aigns using the se"ondary skills rules from the AD6D@
.nd Edition game, a "hara"ter might $e reGuired to take a s'e"ifi" se"ondary skill.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he "hara"ter must take the 'rofi"ien"ies listed. 5nless it
is s'e"ifi"ally stated otherise, these reGuired 'rofi"ien"ies do not in"rease the num$er of
slots the "hara"ter has a)aila$le.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: A gnomish "hara"ter using a kit gains these
'rofi"ien"ies for free::he or she is not reGuired to s'end a slot for any of them.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *hese 'rofi"ien"ies are not reGuired of
the "hara"ter, $ut they do mat"h u' ell ith the kit. *hey reGuire a normal nonea'on
'rofi"ien"y slotBsC to $e used for ea"h one.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis Bthief, thiefDillusionist, and thiefDfighter "lasses onlyJ
there are no thiefD'riest kitsC: *he AD6D@ .nd Edition rules allo "onsidera$le
fle?i$ility in a thief "hara"terIs sele"tion of thie)ing a$ilities. Chara"ters ishing $e"ome
&talkers or 9ouse$urglars usually "hoose to s'e"iali>e in stealth:related skills su"h as
9o)e &ilently and %ide in &hados. A gnomish thief ho needs to sur)i)e on "ity streets
might 'refer to fo"us on Pi"k Po"kets and 8'en Lo"ks. Ea"h kit "omes ith suggested
areas of skill "on"entration for that "hara"ter ty'e. *hese are not mandatory, nor do they
grant any s'e"ial $onuses or "onfer any 'enalties.
EGui'ment: Any s'e"ial eGui'ment needs of the "hara"ter are listed.
&'e"ial !enefits: *hese are things a "hara"ter "an do, or 'erha's 'rote"tions he or
she gains, $e"ause of the kit.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *hese are reGuirements or limitations 'la"ed u'on the
"hara"ter $y the kit.
(ighter Kits
!rea"hgnome
*his $urly gnome takes a Fheads u' and fa"e frontF )ie to $attle. Armed to the
teeth and armored to the eye$alls, he or she hoists ea'on, fully 're'ared to stand toe:to:
toe ith any atta"ker mena"ing home or ally. -n some senses, this is the gnomish
eGui)alent of the knight, mi?ed ith a stu$$ornness and tena"ity suggesti)e of the most
determined dar)en heroes.
A !rea"hgnome de)otes all his or her life to the fighterIs art, from restling as a
"hild to mastering an assortment of ea'ons as the "hara"ter gros to adulthood. 8ften
he or she ill $e taught $y fighters of other ra"es Bhuman and darf, in 'arti"ularC as ell
as a""e'ting the tutelage of a gnomish master.
*he !rea"hgnome must ha)e a &trength of at least 0L.
Role: *his "hara"ter is the one ho ste's out of the "rod of gnomes to "onfront
the $ullying ogre. !rea"hgnomes e?"el in defensi)e fightingJ if his or her arren is
in)aded $y enemies, the !rea"hgnome ill stand in a "orridor and hold the "reatures at
$ay until the rest of the )illagers "an es"a'e. 8nly after all ha)e fled ill the )aliant
defender B'ossi$lyC $egin to think a$out his or her on safety.
*he "lassi" !rea"hgnome is an e'i" figure in gnomish $attle lore. *he tale of
9addi ,addlroot is ty'i"al: 9addi su''osedly held off a hole army of ogres for an
entire day, standing $efore a "a)e mouth $eteen to trees, here only one of the enemy
"ould get at her at a time. !ehind her, her "ity of a thousand gnomes stood threatened,
and during the "ourse of that day the young and infirm Btogether ith most of the
treasureC ere hustled through narro tunnels into the de'ths of the earth.
8nly after she had slain do>ens of the $rutes did 9addi fall $efore the su'erior
might of her atta"kers. *hen the ogres lunged into the lair, only to $e met $y a "le)er
netork of am$ushes and illusionary tra's::defenses hi"h the !rea"hgnomeIs heroi"
sa"rifi"e had gi)en her fello gnomes time to "reate. -n the end, the atta"k as defeated,
the "ity sa)ed, and the hero ele)ated to legendary status among her 'eo'le. -nterestingly
enough, )irtually e)ery gnome settlement "onsiders itself to $e the one 9addi ,addlroot
died defending and ill often 'oint out to )isitors the site of her last standK
&e"ondary &kills: *he Armorer or #ea'onsmith se"ondary skills are useful to the
!rea"hgnome.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !rea"hgnome must ha)e a 'rofi"ien"y in the use of
the short sord and either the hammer or a?e.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: None
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !rea"hgnome should "onsider the
Armorer, #ea'onsmith, Enduran"e, and !la"ksmithing 'rofi"ien"ies.
EGui'ment: *he !rea"hgnome ill ty'i"ally "arry at least to melee ea'ons, a
shield, metal armor, and some ty'e of missile ea'on B"ross$o and sling $eing
'referredC.
&'e"ial !enefits: !e"ause of their short si>e and gusty determination, all
!rea"hgnomes gain $onuses to their Armor Class hen they "an fight in a 'osition ith
one or $oth flanks 'rote"ted $y solid o$Ae"ts su"h as trees, alls, or su''ort $eams. -f the
gnome has su"h an o$Ae"t ithin 2I of either side, he or she re"ei)es a :0 $onus to ACJ if
$oth sides are 'rote"ted, the $onus is :.. Assume the gnome is .I ide to determine if
$oth sides are 'rote"ted::i.e., the !rea"hgnome "an gain the dou$le $onus hen standing
$eteen alls no more than MI a'art. *his $onus is "umulati)e ith any a''li"a$le si>e
and De?terity $onuses.
!e"ause of their single:mindedness in ea'on training, !rea"hgnomes gain
ea'on 'rofi"ien"y slots at the rate of one e)ery to le)els Bith the first e?tra
'rofi"ien"y slot $e"oming a)aila$le at third le)elC.
&'e"ial %indran"es: #hen fa"ed ith a $attle that he or she might $e a$le to in::
$ut "om'anions or "ommon sense that urge a ithdraal::the !rea"hgnome must make a
#isdom "he"k. %e or she "an re'eat the "he"k e)ery round, $ut the "hara"ter "annot
retreat until it su""eeds.
,o$linsti"ker
*hese gnomes are "onsidered e""entri", if not donright mad, $y their more
normal kin::,o$linsti"kers a"tually seem to enAoy $attle and ill go so far as to seek out
enemies for the 'ur'ose of i'ing them out. *he to most "ommon foes of the
,o$linsti"ker are, naturally, go$lins and ko$olds.
8ften a ,o$linsti"ker is 'ro'elled $y some dark e)ent or tragedy in his or her
'ast::a rong hi"h "annot $e righted $ut hi"h he or she feels "om'elled to try and
atone for or a)enge for the rest of his or her days. A ,o$linsti"ker is es'e"ially effe"ti)e
at fighting the 'arti"ular foe hi"h "aused this tragedy Boften, $ut not alays, go$linsC,
often forgoing treasure and other in"enti)es to 'ursue his or her re)enge. F,o$linsti"kerF
is a generi" term for this kitJ there are also ko$oldsti"kers, skeletonsti"kers, ogresti"kers,
et "etera, ho differ only in the fo"us of their animosity.
A "hara"ter must ha)e a &trength or Constitution s"ore of at least 01 in order to
"hoose this kit.
Role: !e"ause they are )irtually fearless, these "hara"ters form the sho"k troo's
of any gnomish assault against their "hosen enemy. *hey are likely to "hoose a life of
ad)enture, one that ill 'ut them on a "ollision "ourse ith their hated foe.
*eams of ,o$linsti"kers ha)e $een knon to ork together, for ad)enture or 'ay.
-n areas of monster infestation, ,o$linsti"kers "an freGuently find em'loyment as
Fe?terminatorsF::es'e"ially in "ases here the monsters are small, su"h as go$lins or
ko$old, and li)e in dens here the si>e of human atta"kers ould 'ro)e a dra$a"k.
&e"ondary &kills: *he #ea'onsmith and Armorer are a''ro'riate se"ondary skills
for this "hara"ter.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he ,o$linsti"ker must ha)e a missile ea'on 'rofi"ien"y
and to melee ea'on 'rofi"ien"ies.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he ,o$linsti"ker gains no $onus 'rofi"ien"ies.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *his "hara"ter ill find the Ro'e 5se,
Dire"tion &ense, !lindfighting, Armorer, and #ea'onsmith 'rofi"ien"ies useful.
EGui'ment: *ogether ith his or her ea'ons and armor, the ,o$linsti"ker
traditionally "arries the tools of the dungeon:"raler::i.e., ro'es, hammer and s'ikes, oil,
and se)eral daysI rations.
&'e"ial !enefits: At first le)el the ,o$linsti"ker "hara"ter must de"lare the hated
foe of his or her life. #hen engaged in $attle against this ty'e of "reature, the "hara"ter
re"ei)es a N0 $onus on all rolls to hit and to determine damage infli"ted. *his $onus
a''lies to $oth melee and missile ea'ons and is "umulati)e ith other gnome $enefits,
in"luding the Ro"k ,nomeIs standard N0 atta"k $onus )ersus go$lins and ko$olds.
&'e"ial %indran"es: #hen "onfronted ith an o''ortunity to atta"k or "ontinue to
fight his or her hated foe, the ,o$linsti"ker must make a su""essful #isdom "he"k or $e
una$le to de"line the $attle. *he "he"k "an, hoe)er, $e modified or ignored $ased on
"ir"umstan"es. (or e?am'le, no ,o$linsti"ker ill $reak "o)er and $lo an am$ush to
trom' on the first go$lin to a''ear hen he or she knos that a little 'atien"e ill mean
the "han"e to $o' a lot more of them.
*hief Kits
9ouse$urglar
*hese stealthy "hara"ters are "onsummate s'ies and sneak thie)es ho in some
ays $eha)e more like halflings than the a)erage gnome thief. &tri)ing to $e as Guiet as
mi"e, they infiltrate lairs, mansions, or enemy "am's. *hey rely u'on se"re"y, disguise,
and silen"e in order to "on"eal their 'resen"e. Preferring )ery mu"h to flee rather than
fight, they "onsider a truly su""essful mission one hi"h is "on"luded $efore the )i"tim
e)en learns that the gnome has $een there.
A 9ouse$urglar must ha)e $oth De?terity and -ntelligen"e s"ores of 02 or $etter.
Role: 9ouse$urglars, like other gnomish thie)es, rarely 'rey u'on )i"tims of their
same ra"e. *hey ill $e mu"h more in"lined to look for targets among the settlements of
"lan enemies, es'e"ially humanoids, or in anonymous settings like large "ities.
-n addition to their lar"enous a"ti)ities, 9ouse$urglars also ser)e as s"outs and
s'ies, should there $e a need for su"h re"onnoissan"e. *heir em'hasis on stealth and
"on"ealment::together ith their generally high -ntelligen"e::makes them e?"ellent
ea)esdro''ers. 9any a gnomish military "am'aign has $een laid o)er the "arefully
gathered re'orts of a 9ouse$urglar.
*hese "hara"ters also find great a''li"ation as ad)enturers, lending a lot of
ad)antage to a 'arty of mi?ed ra"es and "lasses. *heir small si>e "ou'led ith their skills
Band the fa"t that most ha)e infra)isionC allo them to get into 'la"es that larger thie)es
"anIt.
&e"ondary &kills: Any se"ondary skill "an $e a''ro'riate to this kit.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he 9ouse$urglar alays "hooses to s'e"iali>e in
ea'ons that "an $e ielded silently, 'referring the sling or $o o)er the "ross$o and
the dagger or short sord o)er the hammer and a?e.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: 9ouse$urglars re"ei)e either Disguise or Ro'e
5se as a $onus nonea'on 'rofi"ien"y.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *his "hara"ter "an $enefit $y knoing
additional languages B)ery im'ortant for one ho intends to s'y or ea)esdro'KC, as ell
as (orgery, Reading Li's, and *ightro'e #alking.
*hief &kill Em'hasis: *he 9ouse$urglar is likely to find the 9o)e &ilently, %ide
in &hados, and 8'en Lo"ks skills to $e 'arti"ularly useful. At first le)el he or she must
di)ide the L/ dis"retionary 'oints $eteen these three a$ilities.
EGui'ment: *he 9ouse$urglar ill $e sure to maintain a "om'lete set of
lo"k'i"ks. %e or she 'refers to ear dark "lothes and soft $oots hen on a Ao$ and ill
often ha)e the materials for one or to effe"ti)e disguises "on"ealed somehere on his or
her 'erson.
&'e"ial !enefits: A 9ouse$urglar gains an additional 1O "han"e of su""ess to
$oth 8'en Lo"ks and 9o)e &ilently at first le)el. (or ea"h additional le)el he or she
ad)an"es, the "hara"ter re"ei)es another 1O $onus that "an $e a''lied to any one of the
folloing s"ores: 8'en Lo"ks, 9o)e &ilently, (indDRemo)e *ra's, or Read Languages.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he 9ouse$urglar so 'refers stealth to "om$at that the
"hara"terIs fighting skills suffer as a result. &'e"ifi"ally, the 9ouse$urglar re"ei)es a :0
'enalty on all atta"k rolls made in melee "om$at Be?"e't those deli)ered ith the
$a"ksta$ $enefitC. *his does not affe"t damage infli"ted.
*um$ler
*um$lers em'loy si>e and energy as the main assets of a thie)ing "areer. ;ui"k
and nim$le, they are a$le to use es"a'e routes that larger and "lumsier 'ursuers find Guite
unmanagea$le. *um$lers are 'art entertainer, 'art "on artist, and 'art a"ro$at.
Coming from a )ariety of $a"kgrounds, *um$lers usually ha)e $een e?'osed to a
num$er of different ra"es and often 'erfe"t their trade in some kind of ur$an
en)ironment. 8ften they ill find ork in a "ir"us or "arni)al, moonlighting after sho
hours to augment their honest in"ome.
*he *um$ler must ha)e a De?terity s"ore of at least 03.
Role: *he *um$ler is a gnome ho em'loys "reati)e and )igorous means to get
into 'la"es, meanhile 'erforming tri"ks and feats for the edifi"ation of his or her fello
)illagers. Ade't at "lim$ing and falling, the *um$ler "an alk a ro'e stret"hed $eteen
to high 'oints, s"ale a sheer surfa"e, and $o$ and e)ade his or her ay through deadly
"om$at::often rolling right $eteen a larger o''onentIs legsK
&e"ondary &kills: Any of the se"ondary skills "an $e used $y this "hara"ter.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *um$ler is eligi$le to use any ea'on a)aila$le to
gnomish thie)es.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *um$ler "hara"ter re"ei)es *um$ling as a
free 'rofi"ien"y hen first sele"ting this kit.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *um$ler must take Jum'ing,
Juggling, and *ightro'e #alking in order to 'ra"ti"e his or her trade.
*hief &kill Em'hasis: *he *um$ler "an find 'arti"ular use in the Pi"k Po"kets,
9o)e &ilently, and Clim$ #alls thie)ing skills. *he kit 'la"es no restri"tion on ho he or
she allo"ates the dis"retionary 'oints, hoe)er.
EGui'ment: *he *um$ler ill alays $e found ith a "oil of strong, lighteight
ro'e::generally at least a L/I length.
&'e"ial !enefits: ,nomish *um$lers re"ei)e all the normal $enefits of the
*um$ling 'rofi"ien"y. *um$ling a$ility and small si>e "om$ine to gi)e *um$lers a :L
$onus to AC in rounds in hi"h the *um$ler ins initiati)e and ele"ts to forgo all other
a"tions than e)ading enemy atta"ks.
Against larger than human:si>ed "reatures, the gnomish *um$ler "an try a s'e"ial
maneu)er: rolling $eteen the "reatureIs legs. A su""essful De?terity "he"k means the
*um$ler di)es $eteen the o''onentIs legs, rolls to safety, and $oun"es to his or her feet
$ehind the enemy. -f the De?terity "he"k fails, hoe)er, the gnome "an $e atta"ked ith
no s'e"ial $onus to Armor Class. -f the *um$ler su""essfully 'erforms this maneu)er and
ins initiati)e on the ne?t round, he or she "an $a"ksta$ that o''onent.
At first le)el, *um$lers also re"ei)e a N0/O $onus to their "han"es to su""essfully
Clim$ #allsJ this $onus in"reases $y N.O 'er le)el thereafter.
&'e"ial %indran"es: !e"ause of the $oisterous nature of this s'e"ialty, *um$lers
are limited in some of the other areas of thie)ing skills. &'e"ifi"ally, their $ase s"ores to
8'en Lo"ks and Dete"t Noise $egin at /, not at the le)els B0/O and 01O, res'e"ti)elyC
listed on *a$le .L on 'age 2= of the (layer)s Handbook. *he $onuses and 'enalties
s'e"ified on *a$les .4:.= are not affe"ted $y this 'ro)ision.
-llusionist Kits
-magemaker
*his is the maestro of the gnomish orld. %is or her ser)i"es are in demand at
e)ery gnomish festi)alJ his or her skills knon far and ide, sought $y humans, dar)es,
and others $eyond the ken of gnome so"iety. *he -magemaker is an artist in the art of
illusion ho "an "reate s'e"ta"les and is "a'a$le of draing audien"es to the edge of ae
and $eyond ith soaring images, thunderous sound effe"ts, and realisti" "reations.
Any gnomish illusionist "an ele"t to $e an -magemaker.
Role: *he -magemakerIs role in gnomish so"iety e?tends far $eyond his or her
a$ility to tell tales and "reate 'i"tures. 8n the $attlefield, -magemakers are the 'rimary
sour"e of the di)ersionary illusions that gnomish for"es use so ell to $alan"e the odds
against them. &in"e they s'e"iali>e in the "reation and mani'ulation of )ery realisti"
illusions, they "an $e )ery useful to ad)enturing 'arties::for e?am'le, $y "reating
du'li"ate images of the 'arty to distra"t a 'oerful enemy. And, of "ourse, no gnomish
"eremony ould $e "om'lete ithout the sound and s'e"ta"le of the -magemakerIs art.
&e"ondary &kills: Any ill ork, though the ,am$ler and &"ri$e se"ondary skills
"an ha)e 'arti"ularly useful a''li"ations.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he -magemaker gains the 7entriloGuism
'rofi"ien"y Bnormally a)aila$le only to roguesC as a free 'rofi"ien"y as soon as this kit is
sele"ted.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Artisti" A$ility is a useful
a""om'animent to the -magemakerIs skill, as are 'rofi"ien"ies in An"ient %istory,
Astrology, and &inging.
EGui'ment: An -magemaker likes to ha)e se)eral me"hani"al tools a)aila$le to
augment his or her s'ellork, in"luding smoke'ots, flash$alls, and 'ro$a$ly a musi"al
instrument. &moke'ots must $e lit $y a fuse, hi"h "an $e set for 0:0/ roundsJ u'on
igniting they $el"h out a 0/I diameter "loud of "olored smoke, $lo"king all )isi$ility. *he
"loud dis'erses in one round out of doors or in a large en"losed s'a"eJ in more
"onstri"ting Guarters it lasts for .:1 rounds. (lash$alls eru't ith a $right flash of flame
hen they are thron Bor dro''edC and strike a solid o$Ae"t su"h as stone or metal. #hen
used in darkness they ill effe"ti)ely blind Bfor 0:L roundsC a "hara"ter ho itnesses the
flash.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he -magemaker has 'erfe"ted the use of s'e"ifi" kinds of
illusions::s'e"ifi"ally, those that "reate the image of something from nothing. *he )arious
phantasmal force s'ells, minor creation, the shadow monster s'ells, programmed
illusion, and shades are e?am'les of s'ells that fall ithin this s'e"ialtyJ invisibility,
vacancy, and seeming are s'ells that do not.
*he 'i"tures, sounds, and smells "reated $y the -magemaker are es'e"ially
realisti". *herefore, any 'layer attem'ting disbelieve them does so ith a :. 'enalty. -n
addition, all "reatures::e)en those not normally sus"e'ti$le to illusion::"an $e taken in $y
the "reations of the -magemaker. %oe)er, "reatures that ould not normally $e fooled
$y illusions do not suffer the :. 'enalty hen they attem't to dis$elie)e.
-n addition, the -magemakerIs skill is su"h that the images he or she "reates last
longer than those "ast $y a non:s'e"iali>ing illusionist. -llusions that do not reGuire
"on"entration ha)e their duration dou$led hen "ast $y an -magemaker. -llusions
reGuiring "on"entration last for .:0. rounds after the "aster "eases "on"entrating. -n the
latter "ase, of "ourse, the o$Ae"t ill not $e a$le to res'ond to s'e"ifi" e)ents, $ut it "an
"ontinue to re'eat mo)ements or 'atterns esta$lished hen the "aster as "on"entrating.
&'e"ial %indran"es: !e"ause of intense s'e"iali>ation, the -magemaker suffers
additional restri"tions on s'ells he or she "an learnJ s'e"ifi"ally, -magemakers "annot
learn s'ells from the greater di)ination or "onAuringD summoning s"hools of magi".
7anisher
*he 7anisher is an illusionist ith the s'e"iali>ation of making things disa''ear::
in that sense, he or she is the o''osite of the -magemaker. -n)isi$ility is sto"k:in:trade,
$ut the 7anisher is also ade't at s'ells that alter and disguise the a''earan"e of
something, eGually ready to re'la"e the )anished o$Ae"t or "reature ith an alternate as to
make it disa''ear entirely.
Any gnomish illusionist "an ele"t to $e a 7anisher.
Role: *he 7anisher is the )alued "ounter'art to the -magemaker, hether on the
$attlefield or in a dungeon. !y "on"ealing the e?isten"e of a 'arty he or she "an insure
them the ad)antage of sur'rise, hi"h is alays useful. %is or her skills "an also $enefit
re"onnoissan"e or retrie)al missions.
&e"ondary &kills: Any "an $e useful, though &"ri$e and Na)igator skills
'referred.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he 7anisher has no restri"tion on ea'on 'rofi"ien"ies.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he 7anisher re"ei)es ReadingD#riting skill
ithout e?'ending a slot.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *hese in"lude &'ell"raft, %eraldry,
!lindfighting, Dire"tion &ense, #eather &ense, and Na)igation.
EGui'ment: *he 7anisher likes to kee' a )ial of dust of disappearance handyJ see
&'e"ial !enefits, $elo.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he 7anisher gains e?tra skills ith any s'ell in)ol)ing
invisibility, as ell as other s'ells of the illusionD'hantasm s"hool that allo the "aster to
alter the a''earan"e of a "reature or o$Ae"t or to im'air the sense of an o$ser)er. &ome of
the latter in"lude blindness and deafness s'ellsJ s'ells hi"h alter a''earan"es in"lude
blur, change self, fool)s gold, illusionary script, <eomund)s trap, 'ystul)s magic aura, and
vacancy.
#hen "asting one of these s'e"ialty s'ells, the 7anisher gains se)eral $enefits.
*he duration of the s'ell is dou$led. &a)ing thros against the effe"ts of these s'ells
suffer a :. 'enalty. Chara"ters or "reatures that "ould normally see in)isi$le o$Ae"ts must
make a su""essful -ntelligen"e "he"k, ith a :3 'enalty to the roll, $efore they "an see
o$Ae"ts s"reened $y a 7anisher.
Also, at the se"ond le)el of e?'erien"e the 7anisher gains the a$ility to make a
sim'le form of dust of disappearance from flour and a modi"um B0// g' orthC of
"rushed diamond. -t takes the 7anisher a full hour and a su""essful -ntelligen"e "he"k to
'erform this task, hi"h "an $e attem'ted on"e 'er day. *his homemade dust of
disappearance retains its 'oten"y for to eeks.
&'e"ial %indran"es: Like the -magemaker, the 7anisherIs de)otion to mastering
illusions is su"h that it 're"ludes his or her learning any s'ells from the greater di)ination
or "onAuringDsummoning s"hools of magi".
9ulti"lass Kits
!uffoon B*hiefD-llusionistC
*he name of this "hara"ter kit is in no ay a refle"tion on the intelligen"e of the
"hara"ter ho 'lays the role. -t does, hoe)er, refle"t the ay the non:gnomish orld
)ies him or her::it is a gentle de"e'tion that "an "onsistently "ause enemies and other
NPCs to underestimate or e)en ignore the "hara"ter. -ndeed, the !uffoon "arefully
"ulti)ates this role, often e)en to the 'oint of "on"ealing the fa"t that he or she 'ossesses
illusionist skills.
-n order to use this kit, a "hara"ter must ha)e an -ntelligen"e s"ore of at least 01.
Role: !uffoons are tra)elers, entertainers, gossi's, 'ranksters, and gadflies. *hey
make friends e)eryhere they go and enAoy using their skills to aid those friends in a
multitude of "auses. !uffoons make themsel)es figures of fun and then use this as a
means of making fun of others::usually ith Aust the right element of shar'ness in their
it. An em'ress, for e?am'le, ill not $e su$Ae"ted to the ridi"ule that, say, a "ity guard
might merit::at least not in her 'resen"eK !uffoons are alert and o$ser)ant, Gui"k to
dis"ern ho are safe targets, "urrently out of fa)or ith the 'oers that $eJ su"h
unfortunates often $e"ome the $utt of a !uffoonIs Aests.
(a)orite !uffoon ta"ti"s in"lude "omi"al imitations of the "hara"ter $eing
lam'ooned and Guestions designed to tra' the unfortunate )i"tim in a no:in Guandary::
e.g., F%a)e you sto''ed o)erta?ing the 'easants yetHF E)ery !uffoon is ade't at kee'ing
the "rod on his or her side, $ut it is said that e)ery good !uffoon kee's one eye on the
e?it, ready to $eat a hasty retreat should the mood of the onlookers suddenly turn nasty.
*he !uffoon is an a)ari"ious $ut "a'a$le ad)enturer, alays on the lookout for
gems of any sha'e, "olor, and si>e. %e or she doesnIt kee' these in a horde, instead
'referring to $arter them for goods Bor goodillC hene)er 'assing through a gnomish
"ommunity. *he !uffoon is Guite likely to find good friends in any gnomish )illage along
his or her trail and also among the gnomish "iti>ens of larger "ities and tons.
&e"ondary &kills: Jeeler is a 'o'ular se"ondary skill for the !uffoon, as are
Na)igator and ,am$ler.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !uffoon likes to kee' se)eral daggers "on"ealed a$out
his or her 'erson and ill $e ade't at using them $oth as missile ea'ons and hand:to:
hand.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: All !uffoons gain a knoledge of EtiGuette as a
$onus 'rofi"ien"y::not that they 'ra"ti"e it, $ut their natural sensiti)ity hel's them Audge
hat is and is not "onsidered a''ro'riate in a gi)en situations Band tailor their $ar$s
a""ordinglyC.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: %istory and Disguise, as ell as
Juggling, Li' Reading, *um$ling, and 7entriloGuism are all useful "om'lements to the
!uffoonIs art.
*hief &kill Em'hasis: *he !uffoon may ish to em'hasi>e %ide in &hados,
Dete"t Noise, and (indDRemo)e *ra'sJ the kit 'la"es no restri"tions on his or her "hoi"es.
EGui'ment: *he !uffoon generally tra)els ith a )ariety of "omi"al gimmi"ks,
in"luding horns and $ells, histles and Auggling $alls, and a full makeu' kit that often
in"ludes igs and false $eards.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he !uffoon $enefits from an a$ility to distra"t and entertain.
8ften a !uffoon "an $reak the "on"entration of a s'ell"aster ith a rude Ai$e or irritating
'un. *he gnomish "hara"ter must s'eak a language in "ommon ith the s'ell"aster and
must in initiati)e on the round. -f $oth of these are met, he or she "an say something
BD9s are en"ouraged to reGuire role'laying of the remarkC "le)er and distra"ting to the
s'ell"aster. *he "aster is alloed a #isdom "he"k to ignore the distra"tionJ failure means
his or her "on"entration has $roken and the s'ell is asted. *he D9 may, at his or her
o'tion, allo the differen"e $eteen the !uffoonIs and s'ell"asterIs le)els to $e used as a
modifier BN or :C to the #isdom "he"k.
*he !uffoon also has to $ard:like a$ilities: (irst, he or she "an entertain NPCs
ith Auggling, Ai$es, and $uffoonery. *his has the same effe"t as the $ardIs a$ility to
influence reactions Be?'lained on 'age 3. of the (layer)s Handbook C. &e"ond, he or she
"an "ounter the effe"ts of songs and 'oetry used as magi"al atta"ks Bsee 'age 33 of the
(layer)s Handbook C.
&'e"ial %indran"es: %e or she has to alk around looking ridi"ulous.
&talker B(ighterD*hiefC
#hether in oodland meado or dungeon 'it, the &talker is a s'e"ialist in Guiet
mo)ement and stealthy 'ursuit folloed $y shar' and deadly "om$at::on hate)er terms
the foe demands.
*he &talker must ha)e &trength and De?terity s"ores of at least 02.
Role: *he &talker is ade't at hunting and tra"king, $oth a$o)e and $elo ground.
%e or she is a skilled fighter $ut 'refers to rea"h his or her o$Ae"ti)es $y Gui"kness and
stealth here)er 'ossi$le. &talkers ear light, Guiet armor and ha)e a keen eye ith a
missile ea'on $ut donIt shirk from a toe:to:toe sord fight hen "ir"umstan"es reGuire.
&e"ondary &kills: Any.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he &talker must $e 'rofi"ient in $oth a missile and a
melee ea'on.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: !e"ause of a lifelong interest in ild 'la"es, the
&talker gains a $onus 'rofi"ien"y in either *ra"king or &et &nares Bnot $othC.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: 5seful 'rofi"ien"ies for this "hara"ter
in"lude (ire !uilding, (ishing, %unting, &ur)i)al, and Disguise.
*hief &kill Em'hasis: 9o)e &ilently and Dete"t Noise are the to skills hi"h
re"ei)e most of the &talkerIs em'hasisJ at first le)el he or she must di)ide his or her
dis"retionary 'oints $eteen these to.
EGui'ment: -n addition to his or her ea'ons, the &talker 'refers leather armor
and disdains the use of a shield. 9ost &talkers 'ossess a "lim$ing ro'eJ some "arry a set
of thiefIs lo"k'i"ks.
&'e"ial !enefits: #hen using a missile ea'on, the &talker gains a N0 on all
atta"k and damage rolls.
-n addition, the &talker "an $lend into under$rush, disa''earing as effe"ti)ely as a
halfling hen out of doors. -n an underground setting, non&)irfne$lin &talkers "an free&e
in place e?a"tly like &)irfne$lin Bsee 'age .1CJ a Dee' ,nome stalkerIs "han"e of su""ess
ith this ta"ti" is M/O Bnot L/OC.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he &talker "annot use a shield or ear any ty'e of metal
armor Bnot e)en el)en "hainC.
Priest Kits
Ro"ktender
*his underground:delling gnomish 'riest is a s'e"ialist in understanding and
relating to the fundamental 'oers of stone and ro"k. 9ost Ro"ktenders are &)irfne$linJ
a fe may $e found among Ro"k ,nomes. *hey )enerate not the deities of earth and
stone $ut the )ery ro"k itself, hi"h they "on"ei)e of as a $enefi"ent, li)ing entity.
Ro"ktenders are not a)erse to mining and e?"a)ation $ut stri)e to ensure that su"h
a"ti)ities are "arried out ith a''ro'riate re)eren"e.
Role: *he Ro"ktender is a 'riest literally in tou"h ith the orld around him or
her. #hile a"ti)e in the "ommunity, a Ro"ktender s'ends mu"h of his or her time alone,
ins'e"ting, studying, and meditating u'on the strong $edro"k of the orld. %e or she is
keenly in tune ith that ro"k, e)en to the 'oint of $eing a$le to 'redi"t earthGuakes and
)ol"ani" eru'tions, and $e"omes a master at the orking of stone into useful or $eautiful
sha'es.
&e"ondary &kills: 9ason or 9iner are a''ro'riate.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he Ro"ktender ill ne)er use metalli" ea'ons,
'referring hammers and "lu$s ith stone heads, slings ith stone $ullets, and s'ears or
arros ith flint or o$sidian ti's.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: None.
EGui'ment: *he Ro"ktender ill only $ear ea'ons of stone. %e or she "an use a
ooden shield and leather or 'added armor $ut ill not ear metal armor nor "arry a
metalli" shield.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he Ro"ktender "an dete"t underground features ith 'erfe"t
a""ura"y Bslo'ing 'assages, faulty stoneork, and the likeC in most "ases. #here the
flas or features are )ery su$tle, the D9 "an allo u' to a 0 in 0/ "han"e of failure, $ut
no greater.
!e"ause of his or her intuiti)e link ith the surrounding stone, a Ro"ktender "an
$e"ome aare of im'ending ro"k:$ased "on)ulsions $efore they o""ur. *hese in"lude
ro"kfalls, earthGuakes, and )ol"ani" eru'tions. *he "hara"ter is alloed a #isdom "he"k
to see if 'remonitions of the disaster for"e their ay into his or her "ons"iousnessJ
su""ess ill 'ro)ide 0:0. hours of arning for Guakes and eru'tions or 0:L hours of
arning $efore a ro"kslide or "olla'se of stoneork.
-n addition, these "hara"ters ha)e a s'e"ial affinity to "reatures from the elemental
'lane of earth. -f a Ro"ktender summons an earth elemental, he or she ill alays get the
largest 'ossi$le ty'e, and the elemental ill $e e?"e'tionally loyal to the Ro"ktender.
&'e"ial %indran"es: A Ro"ktender "an only "ast s'ells or use one of his or her
s'e"ial a$ilities hen he or she is in dire"t "onta"t ith unhen ro"k.
*reetender
Delling in the oods, often knoing ea"h stum' and mossy $ole ith "areful
're"ision, the *reetender de"lines the "om'anionshi' of his or her fello gnomes in fa)or
of a nearly hermit:like e?isten"e in the oods.
Role: Although they rarely intera"t ith other gnomes on a daily $asis, these
nature 'riests are highly res'e"ted for hel'ing to 'reser)e the en)ironment in hi"h their
fellos li)e. Like the druid of humankind, the *reetender takes a fier"e interest in his or
her domain and ill )igorously stri)e to 'rote"t it against all threats. %e or she is not a
"om'lete re"luse, hoe)er, and ill usually make it to a lo"al )illage for all the maAor
festi)als, as ell as hel'ing gnomes Band, sometimes, halflingsC ho 'ass through his or
her oods.
&e"ondary &kills: (orester is the se"ondary skill of "hoi"eJ Na)igator is also good.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *reetenders s'e"iali>e in ea'ons made of ood, though
they are not a)erse to using stone heads on long ooden shafts. 5nlike most 'riests,
*reetenders "an use $os.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *reetender gains an innate &et &nares skill.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: (ire !uilding, #eather &ense,
Dire"tion &ense, and %ealing are all useful skills in oodland en)ironments.
EGui'ment: -n addition to ea'ons, a *reetender "arries a sele"tion of her$s and
roots hi"h he or she "an use to make a potion of healing. 9aking the 'otion reGuires L:
0. turns, and it must $e "onsumed immediately.
&'e"ial !enefits: All *reetenders ha)e the a$ilities to identify 'lants, animals, and
'ure ater and to 'ass through o)ergron areas ithout lea)ing a tra"e. At third le)el he
or she gains immunity to charm s'ells "ast $y oodland "reatures. Also starting at third
le)el, the *reetender gains one additional oodland language 'er le)el Bi.e., one a 2rd
le)el, to at 3th le)el, three at 1th, "C.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he *reetender "annot ear metal armor or ield ea'ons
here more than 0/O of the eight is metal.
Cha'ter 1: ,ranitehome:: A *y'i"al ,nomish 7illage
Lo"ated among a series of hea)ily forested ridges, this "ommunity of some three
hundred and fifty gnomes is organi>ed into se)en "lans, ea"h ith its on large
underground arren. *hough it is ty'i"al of a Ro"k ,nome a$ode, a (orest ,nome
"ommunity ould $e )ery similar Balthough mu"h more s'read out and less densely
'o'ulatedC::and if it as mu"h farther underground, the general layout is not unlike a
'ortion of a Dee' ,nome "ity.
8n the surfa"e, nothing of the "ommunity is )isi$le::e)en the entran"es leading
into the arrens are ell:"amouflaged, s"reened $y $rush, disguised in the trunks of large
trees, or hidden $eneath flat $oulders hinged from $elo.
0. %igh #arren
*his series of e?"a)ated "ham$ers ser)es as a gathering 'la"e for the "ommunity.
&e)eral stone:alled inns and gemsho's line the alls of a )ast "a)ern. *he "entral
"ham$er::a 'o'ular setting for festi)als::is $ol:sha'ed, ith rings of seats that "an hold
nearly a thousand gnomes. Ato' the knoll, through an entran"e rea"hed $y a high,
s'iraling stair, is a large "learing here the gnomes hold out:of:doors gatherings.
.. Ka''elkourt Clanhold
*hese "ham$ers are the homes and orksho's of the maAor gem"utting "lan in the
ton. *he "lan has some thirty mem$ers.
2. Lafftalligon Clanhold
*his "lan s'e"iali>es in stone"ar)ingJ it has some forty mem$ers.
3. Astrola"yll Clanhold
*he se)enty:fi)e mem$ers of this family do a great deal of foodgathering and
'atrolling of the forest. *raditionally, most of the )illageIs 'riests ha)e $een from this
"lan.
1. 9ines
*hese "onne"ting tunnels and "a)erns hold the "urrently:orked )eins of
gemstones in the ,ranitehome area. *he entran"e to the tunnel is hidden in an inno"uous
room ith a se"ret door to hel' "on"eal the mines from any intruders into the )illage.
L. Pi'histlion Clanhold
*hese family of eighty 'ro)ides the $ulk of the "ommunityIs miners.
4. Killiti"utti Clanhold
*his 'ros'erous "lan s'e"iali>es in hunting and herdingJ they tend a small herd of
shee' and rothe in their "a)erns. *here are some si?ty ell:fed, 'lum' Killiti"uttis.
M. 9asta"alatl Clanhold
*he tenty:fi)e mem$ers of this small $ut ealthy "lan s'e"iali>e in fishing. *his
family has also 'rodu"ed the most famous ad)enturers in )illage history, se)eral of hom
ha)e "ome home to retire.
=. !ara"kathal Clanhold
*his "lan of forty souls ha)e small noses Bfor gnomesC $ut great "ourageJ they are
res'onsi$le for defense of the arren.
0/. #arehouse and &e"ret E?it
*hese "ham$ers, "on"ealed $y se"ret doors and many tra's, are ke't sto"ked ith
'lentiful su''lies of food and drinkJ in a des'erate situation, they ill ser)e as a last
$astion of the )illageIs defense.
%alflings
7!it with me for a while, young sprouts, while these coals soothe my aged bones.7
7Your bones aren)t old, ,randmother87 piped up the youngest of the brood--6epli,
a tiny cherub not two feet tall. He glared at his mother)s mother)s mother, as if
challenging the venerable halfling to dispute her scion)s faith.
7"h, you)re right about that, <ittle 6ep--I could still dance a step or two8 3hy, I
remember the night of the Twenty Year Festival, a do&en years back . . .7
7Tell us, ,randmother--please87 implored a chorus of voices.
%ut instead, the oldster held up her hand and shook her white head, hair tied in a
neat bun at the back of her neck. #mple 5owls 5ostled amiably as she chuckled at the
youngsters) enthusiasm. 7#nother time, sprouts . . . you)ll hear about that, all right. %ut
tonight, you)ll have a different tale.7
The old halfling settled into her soft chair, ad5usting her well-padded form amid
the worn cushions, pulling back the comforter on her left, where she faced the fire.
7You see, the story I)ll tell you now is one I had from my own grandmother, when I
was not much older than (edderee here.7 !he ruffled the coppery curls of a beaming little
girl. (edderee turned proudly to her siblings and cousins, but their attention remained
riveted on the seated figure of the matriarch.
7#nd it)s my true hope,7 she continued, 7that when one of you sits in this chair
here--many, many years from now--you)ll remember, and share it with your own little
sprouts.7
73e will, ,randmother8 3e promise87 yes wide, faces serious, the young
halflings pledged their attention. They already understood that, tonight, it was no
ordinary story they would hear.
*he diminuti)e halfling has $e"ome as ar"hety'i"al a "hara"ter in heroi" fantasy
as the stalart knight in shining armor or the ro$ed i>ard fum$ling ith his s'ell$ooks.
Perha's it is $e"ause, in stature and a''earan"e, halflings is so unheroi" that they ha)e
on their ay into our hearts and our ad)enturing "ons"iousness.
8f "ourse, for most halflings, the life of ad)enture seems a slightly mad "hoi"e of
lifestyle::a road one takes out of dire ne"essity or $e"ause of 'rofound misfortune.
&ometimes sim'le e""entri"ity or mental im$alan"e is attri$uted as the reason for a friend
or relati)eIs lea)ing his or her hearth $ehind, ith the tonsfolk Guietly "lu"king their
tongues and sym'atheti"ally agreeing that the ad)enturer as Fne)er Guite right in the
head, that one.F
*he halfling ra"e, $y and large, "herishes a 'astoral e?isten"e full of "omfort. As a
'eo'le, they are remarka$ly la"king in am$ition, "ontent to dell in a snug, ell:
furnished $urro, enAoying a 'i'e of ri"h to$a""o and a filling, multi:"ourse meal at
dinner. *he ty'i"al halfling ould look askan"e at the meager trail fare of the a)erage
'arty of ad)enturers. 8ur ell:'added &tout or *allfello, likeise, ould $e horrified
$y the rude, "hill, and drafty slee'ing a""omodations a)aila$le on a ro"ky forest floor or
in the sheltered re"esses of dim "a)erns and dungeonsK
Eet, for a ide )ariety of reasons, a fe mem$ers of this Guiet ra"e do "hoose to
em$ark on the 'ath of danger, ad)enture, and 'ossi$le ealth. -ndeed, it is the latter
"onsideration that $rings many halflings onto the ad)enture road::the "omforts of life that
make li)ing so enAoya$le are not alays "hea' or easily attainedK Also, halflings all ha)e
a strong sense of duty, and a Aust "ause in the name of a friend ill often 'ry a relu"tant
halfling from his or her $urro hen nothing else ould.
Des'ite their short stature, halflings ho "hoose the life of ad)enture "an $e
s'lendid assets to a 'arty. (or one thing, the generally "heerful outlook of halflings,
together ith their a$ility to make friends ith mem$ers of a ide )ariety of different
ra"es, "an $e 'oerful, if intangi$le, assets to the grou'Is morale. (aithful and
trustorthy to their friends, one of the &mall (olk "an often 'ro)ide a fo"al 'oint of trust
and e)en leadershi' ithin a 'arty of mu"h larger "hara"ters.
8n the more 'ra"ti"al side, halflingsI nim$le fingers are famed for a de?terity that
is the en)y of many a human thief::and donIt make the mistake of "onfusing small si>e
ith 'hysi"al frailty or eakness. *hough they admittedly eigh mu"h less than most of
their likely o''onents, halflings ha)e found that their s'eed and their its are more than
am'le re'la"ements for $rute si>e. An unaggressi)e ra"e, halflings ha)e ne)er $een
knon to ar ith others of their kind, and they resort to organi>ed arfare against other
ra"es only in "ases of dire need. At su"h times, their ta"ti"s lean toard am$us"ade and
the use of s"reening terrain, rather than frontal "lashes here the greater eight of any
o''onentIs troo's ould likely 'ro)e de"isi)eJ gi)en the "hoi"e, they ould rather dri)e
a foe aay than slaughter it.
*he small si>e of the halfling has 'ro)en to $e a lifesa)er on more than one
o""asion. -ndeed, a 'arty "onsisting entirely of halflings "an in)estigate dens, "a)erns,
and $urros here humans, el)es, and dar)es ould $e fatally "onstri"ted $y s'a"e.
%alfling so"iety, too, is a fle?i$le and forgi)ing stru"ture, easily "a'a$le of
alloing indi)iduality and freedom. A halfling ho lea)es his or her home in sear"h of
fortune and fame ill almost "ertainly $e sure of a arm el"ome on that 'erha's distant
day hen he or she at last returns. At the )ery least, su"h a tra)eler is likely to return ith
interesting stories . . .
!ut to all halflings, tra)elers and home$odies alike, there is something "om'elling
and desira$le a$out the solid stone hearth of his or her on $urro. E)en the most ell:
tra)eled halflings are likely to e)entually return to the 'la"e of their $irth hen they are
ready to settle don and remem$er.
%alflings in AD6D@ .nd Edition
%alflings are $riefly des"ri$ed in the AD7ANCED D5N,E8N& 6 DRA,8N&@
.nd Edition (layer)s Handbook. *he three most "ommon su$ra"es B%airfoot, *allfello,
and &toutC are detailed in the $onstrous /ompendium, 7olume 8ne, hile the feral
halflings of Athas are des"ri$ed in the DARK &5N@ Rule !ook as ell as in the DARK
&5N 98N&*R85& C89PEND-59 a''endi? B9C0.C. (inally, 'layers of "am'aigns
set in the DRA,8NLANCE@ orld of Krynn ill find that the u$iGuitous Kender has
finally $een ranked Bfor $etter or orseC among the offi"ial halfling su$ra"es.
Ne &tuff A$out %alflings
*he folloing "ha'ters 'ro)ide mu"h greater detail on halflings than any
're)iously 'u$lished rule$ook. *his information is intended for 'layers ho enAoy
running halfling PCs and for D9s ho ish to "reate more interesting NPCs to em'loy
in their "am'aigns.
*he 'rimary halfling "hara"ter in a ty'i"al AD6D "am'aign is the %airfootJ this
$ook in"ludes additional detail on not Aust the %airfeet $ut all the halfling su$ra"es::
in"luding a nearly unknon )ariety, the (ur"hin Bhitherto featured only in a single
&PELLJA99ER@ ad)entureC. Ea"h su$ra"e is differentiated not Aust $y $a"kground $ut
$y s'e"ial a$ilities and "hara"teristi"s. %alfling so"iety, too, is detailed in all its fa"ets. A
)ariety of halfling "hara"ter kits are in"luded to allo 'layers to tailor their indi)idual
halfling PCs into s'e"ialists, ea"h ith its on strengths and eaknesses. A ty'i"al
halfling )illage, suita$le for any AD6D@ "am'aign orld, is gi)en in some detail to
'ro)ide a starting 'la"e for an all:halfling "am'aign, and the A''endi? "ontains se)eral
ad)enture suggestions aimed at halfling PCs.
Cha'ter 0: 9yths of the %alflings
%alflings "an $e found on almost all the orlds inha$ited $y demihumans and
human:kind::and, in at least one "ase, ha)e settled a orld ithout any human or el)en
inha$itants. *hough they resem$le their larger human "ousins in 'hysi"al "hara"teristi"s
as ell as geogra'hi" lo"ale, the halfling ra"e differs signifi"antly in the "ommon tale of
its origin.
#hereas humans throughout the knon orlds ha)e "ountless legends, tales, and
myths to e?'lain their arri)al and 'resen"e there, halfling "ultures all share a "ommon
story: the &tory of Littleman. 8f "ourse, the "ommon tale is ine)ita$ly fla)ored ith lo"al
"ustom::for e?am'le, the role of the goddess Eondalla )aries de'ending on hoIs telling
the story. Eet its "ore is alays the same: the story of a small 'erson andering in the
midst of "haoti", 'o'ulous lands, fa"ing a thousand diffi"ulties and trium'hing o)er them
all through lu"k, "ourage, its, and 'ersisten"e.
*he &tory of Littleman
7There, (etrilly--be a dear child and fill my teacup. !urely thanks. "h, and 5ust a
wee splash from the bottle to give it some character. 3ell done, lass.7
7The story, ,randmother--tell us the story87 yes wide, the youngsters waited
impatiently until the old halfling)s tea was properly mi1ed. !he sipped, and smacked her
lips, and then began.
7Yes... the story of <ittleman. %ut it)s not 5ust a story of the first halfling--it)s a
story of the gods, as well. The gods of the %ig Folk and the %ad Folk, humans and
goblins, who dwell up in the !even Heavens and look out over the worlds and watch out
for their followers.7
7#nd Yondalla, ,randmother; !he)s there too, isn)t she;7
7$ercy, child8 3here else would she be; #ll you little ones know she)s the great
(rotector of all halflings. "f course she lives there8 In fact, the tale)s not 5ust about
<ittleman, but about Yondalla as well. %ut in those days, when our story begins, she was
not yet our protector. Indeed, back then Yondalla was held by most of her fellows to be an
unimportant goddess and was little heeded by the great lords of Human and lf, *warf
and $onster.
7'ot that she was weak, or meek, mind you--0uite the contrary. Yondalla was bold
and brave, and 0uick to speak her mind when the gods met together in one of their great
councils. %ut alas, since she had no faithful worshippers, her wise words were often
ignored by the other gods, deities who boasted of their multitude of followers like
peacocks showing off their pretty tailfeathers. Then, too, there was the matter of her
si&e--gods are like too many people I could mention and are 0uicker to give respect to the
huge and awesome than the small and clever, and Yondalla barely reached to the knee of
many of the mightier lords.7
7%ut, but, ,randmother...;7 6epli spoke tentatively. 7Yondalla)s a mighty
goddess--isn)t she;7
7#ye, !prout--that she is. %ut even in those days, many other gods already had the
weight of worshipping legions to support them and cause others to listen to their words.
Yondalla had none, and thus many of the greater lords ignored her, especially after she
was banned from their councils for a time . . .7
7%ut why would they do that to someone as nice as Yondalla;7 (etrilly wanted to
know.
7!imple, lass. !he)d often heard various of the gods boast that they were the
wisest, or strongest, or most popular deity of them all. "ne time when all the gods were
gathered in council, she asked )3hich of you is the greatest;) >uickly the responses grew
heated, and the argument that followed lasted for a long, long time4 by the time it was
over 5ust about everybody was mad at 5ust about everybody else. #nd they decided to
blame it all on poor Yondalla for bringing it up in the first place--isn)t that 5ust like %ig
Folks;
7%ut it wasn)t 5ust that4 her 0uestions had gotten her in the soup before, and not
listening to the big gods making long speeches and trying to impress one another was
hardly punishment in her mind. I think it was more that she was tired of being ignored. It
seemed to her that even those gods and goddesses who were her friends often treated her
with condescension, as if her si&e meant she had no more sense than a child8 Humph8
7#lso, Yondalla is a kind and tolerant goddess. !he admires kindness and
generosity--not traits that the other gods held in abundance. %ut remember, my little
ones, Yondalla is also a clever god. !he saw the power that followers gave to the other
gods, and she determined that she would have followers of her own. Finally, the goddess
decided there was nothing for it but to find some worshippers of her own.7
76epli, the fire needs another log--#h8 there)s a good lad.
7Yondalla left the !even Heavens and came to the 3orlds %elow, where she
searched for a long time, looking for the perfect worshipper. %ut it was a long, hard
search= most of the folks she came across already had gods of their own. !he could have
tried to steal away the other gods) worshippers, of course, but that would have meant
trouble, and it was never Yondalla)s way to stir up trouble when there was an easy way of
avoiding it. "ther folk had no gods, but watching them Yondalla saw that they were cruel
and savage, hurting one another for no reason. !he wanted followers she wouldn)t have
to scold every ten minutes, and decided to continue her search.
7I don)t know how long she searched--my old grandmother used to say it was )a
day and a year and a year and a day)--but surely it was a long weary time. Then one day
she saw <ittleman sitting on a riverbank, fishing, and at that moment her search was
over.7
The old matriarch stopped. There was a long, thoughtful pause as her audience
considered the story. +nnoticed, (edderee refilled the venerable halfling)s empty cup.
Finally 6epli broke the silence= 7,randmother; 3here did <ittleman come from; 3hat
was he doing before Yondalla found him;7
7#h, child, who knows; -emember, this was in the %ad "ld *ays, before our folk
had farms, and villages, and shires of our own. %ack then we were scattered like mice
when the owls are out. ach family kept to itself and had its own hidden burrow. It was a
hard life= sneaking, and hiding, and getting by on gleanings and scraps, always listening
for enemies at the door.
7%ut <ittleman, he wasn)t afraid like the rest. He used to boast there wasn)t a
monster in the whole forest he couldn)t outsmart, and he proved time and again that his
0uick wits were more than a match for brute strength by leading enemies into trap after
trap as they chased him, until finally they)d given up and decided to leave him alone.
Thanks to his carrying on so, his folk were safer than they had been in a long day, for
none of the %ad Folk wanted to mess with any halfling they came across, in case it turned
out to be <ittleman.
7Yondalla watched <ittleman for a long time and decided she liked what she saw.
Here was a potential worshipper who was clever, brave, kind-hearted, and full of
mischief. %est of all, he was 5ust the right si&e. !o one day she revealed herself to him and
made him a bargain= if <ittleman would gather all his scattered people into villages and
communities, in return for their worship Yondalla would protect them from all their many
enemies and give them a life of plenty and peace.
7'ow, <ittleman thought this over and decided it sounded fair, so he said )*one8)
#nd from that day to this, Yondalla has watched over our folk and guarded our
prosperity, and we have been her people.7
7#nd <ittleman, ,randmother; 3hat became of him;7 (edderee asked.
73hy, child, she sent him on his wanderings, to all the worlds where any of the
small folk lived,7 chuckled the white-haired matriarch. 7%ut that)s a tale for another
night.7
A ,eneral %istory of the %alfling Ra"e
*he myth of Littleman is re'eated in )irtually all halfling "ultures of the mortal
realms. %oe)er, the details of the story differ ith e)ery teller. -n some )ersions of the
tale, Eondalla "reates Littleman out of essen"es she has stolen from the humans, gnomes,
dar)es, and el)es. -n others, she said to ha)e "reated halflings long $efore LittlemanIs
time $ut then left them alone for an age to see ho theyId turn out, like a farmer ho
'lants seeds and then lea)es them $e until the young 'lants ha)e s'routed. 8thers gi)e no
e?'lanation of ho halflings "ame into the orld $ut sim'ly start ith EondallaIs
meeting ith Littleman.
All )ersions agree, hoe)er, that $efore re"orded history $egan, halflings ere a
shy and fugiti)e 'eo'le li)ing as hunter:gatherers on the edges of "i)ili>ation, hiding in
isolated $urros from the humanoids and monsters that 'reyed u'on them. *he "i)ili>ed
ra"es::el)es, humans, dar)es, and gnomes::took little if any noti"e of them, hile to the
humanoids they ere merely tasty, if elusi)e, meals. *hen, for reasons hi"h these ra"es
ha)e ne)er fully understood, the small folk suddenly "ame out of hiding, gathered
together, and "reated small agri"ultural settlements for themsel)es a"ross the fa"e of the
knon orlds Bthe halflings themsel)es attri$ute the im'etus to their mythi"al "ultural
hero, Littleman, and the goddess EondallaC. At any rate, it is "lear that halflings arri)ed
on the s"ene after humans and ell $ehind the longer:li)ed dar)es, el)es, and gnomes.
*he halflings seem to ha)e made a 'oint of not "om'eting ith the $ranier neigh$ors,
instead sele"ting regions of loland or dense thi"ket hi"h they industriously drained
and "leared, forming the 'astoral shires inherited $y their des"endants.
%alfling so"ieties ha)e de)elo'ed among most of the lands that ha)e seen
signifi"ant human settlement. &ometimes the small folk li)e among the humans, sharing
their "ities Bthough many ill $e gathered in a ell:defined F%alfling ;uarterFC or
farming $eside their larger "ousins. 9ore often, hoe)er, halflings ill li)e in small
en"la)es on the fringes of human realms. As a rule, halflings do not dis'lay the urge to
e?'and their frontiers that so "hara"teri>es humanityJ they are on the hole an easy:going
and unam$itious 'eo'le. 8n"e e)ery do>en generations or so some restless halfling ill
gather a grou' of like:minded souls and forge into ilderness to "lear ne lands, $ut like
their an"estors they ill a)oid areas already inha$ited $y others Bhether human,
demihuman, or humanoidC. *here is no re"ord of halflings e)er in)ading an area for the
'ur'ose of dri)ing its inha$itants out and settling there themsel)es, although they are
ade't at mingling ith hate)er inha$itants they find already there.
%alflings stri)e to form the most neigh$orly of so"ieties here)er they li)e. *he
ra"e has a gift for getting along ith dar)es, el)es, humans, and gnomes in all "limes
and en)ironments. La"k of 'reAudi"e is a noted halfling "hara"teristi"::one hi"h allos
them to el"ome all ty'es of strangers into their "ommunities and to mingle "omforta$ly
in the "ities and tons of larger ra"es. *y'i"ally, halflings ill "oo'erate ith their
neigh$ors for the defense of a larger area. *hus they gain an allian"e ith larger troo's,
and the ally el"omes "om'anies of su'er$ missile troo's.
*he ,ods of the %alflings
Like the uni)ersal story of Littleman, halflings ha)e a "ommon 'antheon hi"h
undergoes a great deal of lo"al )ariation. Community indi)idualism runs ram'ant among
halfling 'o'ulationsJ thus, e)ery )illage ill honor the same gods $ut 'ro$a$ly "all them
$y a different name. Among the halflings of the 9oonshae -slands in the (orgotten
Realms, for e?am'le, Eondalla is knon as Perissa and is held to ha)e made Littleman on
one of those faerie isles. *hose halflings ho li)e along the &ord Coast to the south of
#aterdee' Bnot terri$ly far from the 9oonshaesC refer to Eondalla as Dallillia and hold
that her origins are as the )illage goddess of a small oodland "ommunity. *he halflings
of Lurien far to the south insist in turn that their land is LittlemanIs original home. And of
"ourse ea"h halfling 'i"tures Eondalla as $elonging to his or her on su$ra"e Bunlike
Littleman, ho is "on"ei)ed of as sharing "hara"teristi"s of all the su$ra"es rather than
$elonging to any single oneC.
-tIs im'ortant to remem$er that this distin"tion e?tends farther than sim'ly among
the su$ra"es. %alfling )illages s"ar"ely to do>en miles a'art might ea"h ha)e a different
name for Eondalla, and the "iti>ens of ea"h might $elie)e that this goddess is a lo"al
deity, "on"erned far more ith the single )illage than ith the ra"e of halflings as a
hole.
*his refle"ts an im'ortant fa"t of halfling mentality: the only really im'ortant
things are those that ha''en "lose to home. *heyIre far more interested in orshi''ing an
immediate and $enefi"ent deity::one hose res'onsi$ilities are to them, and no one else::
rather than an a$stra"t goddess ho is 'resumed to o)erlook the entire ra"e. *he
remoteness of most human deities $eilders many halflings, as does the deferen"e human
orshi''ers sho to their deities. -tIs not that halflings are irreligiousJ itIs Aust that hile
they treat Eondalla and her "om'anions ith res'e"t, theyIre far less in ae of her than is
the norm $eteen god or goddess and folloer.
As halflings see it, they ha)e a $argain ith the gods: in return for their orshi',
the gods 'romised to take "are of them. %alfling "leri"s e?ist to see that $oth sides of the
$argain are ke't::to remind halflings to gi)e the gods their due and to remind the gods
that they are res'onsi$le for the safety and "omfort of their loyal folloers. Although this
sounds like a "old:$looded $usiness arrangement, it is not: stories of the F!ad 8ld DaysF
remind all halflings of ho mu"h they oe Eondalla, and the a)erage halfling feels $oth
gratitude and affe"tion toard her for her gifts.
-n addition, halflings ill orshi' a )ast num$er of )ery s'e"iali>ed minor
deities, )ariously "alled Fthe small godsF and Fthe thousand home gods.F Ea"h house
"ommonly has a 'rote"tor of its on hearth, often ins'ired $y some matriar"h or
'atriar"h in the "lanIs history. *he %omesteader ho starts a small "ommunity might ell
$e a""orded a similar status in later years::that is, his or her s'irit might $e in)oked on
matters relating to the health and 'ros'erity of the )illage. Littleman is idely )ieed B$y
nonhalflingsC as a "om'osite of a multitude of these forgotten "ultural heroes into one
ar"hety'i"al figure.
%alflings are in"lined to see e)iden"e of these small lo"al gods in many as'e"ts of
their surroundings. A 'atron deity of $aking might $e "redited for the ay a 'arti"ularly
good $at"h of $read "omes out, for e?am'leJ if the game is 'lentiful, the god of the
neigh$oring oods Boften 'i"tured as a hare or fo?C ill $e thanked ith small offerings.
%alflings ho fish "ommonly re)ere )enera$le ri)er deni>ens, su"h as an an"ient and
$attle:s"arred trout. -n the latter "ase, a halfling ho hooks or nets the great one ill
almost "ertainly let him go::you donIt see mounted fish or animal heads on the all of a
halfling $urroK
A full detailing of the most "ommon halfling 'antheon is detailed in D9,R3,
$onster $ythology. *he listing here is intended as an introdu"tion, summary, and Gui"k
referen"e.
*he small folk ha)e a )ery matriar"hal )ie of religion: all their 'rimary deities
are female. *he goddesses are all "on"erned ith the most im'ortant as'e"ts of halfling
lifeJ the male gods are )ieed almost as sideki"ks, ruling o)er 'eri'heral Bif ne"essaryC
as'e"ts of life.
*he a)atar listed for ea"h deity is a tem'orary in"arnation, the form in hi"h that
goddess or god is most likely to $e en"ountered during 'lay. 8f "ourse, these a)atars are
not intended as NPCs to $e "ommonly en"ountered $y the 'layer "hara"ters::rather, they
"an $e used as $eings of more or less normal a''earan"e $ut great, almost unlimited,
'oer. Perha's they a''ear to offer the PCs a arning or to suggest a "ourse of a"tion.
Littleman has no a)atar, $eing not a god $ut a legendary Band 'ossi$ly mythi"alC folk
hero.
*he folloing are the great halfling gods, uni)ersal to the ra"e Bthough under
many guises and namesC. *he real for"e of daily orshi', hoe)er, is mu"h more likely
to $e dire"ted to one of the Fsmall gods,F a lo"ally famous deity ho "an influen"e the
su""ess or failure of mundane tasks and sim'le, "reature "omforts.
Eondalla the Pro)ider B,reater ,oddessC
Eondalla is a goddess of nature, 'lants, and groth. &he is )ieed as the "hief
matriar"h in the halfling 'antheon, res'onsi$le for the ra"eIs "reation and for $lessing
them ith 'ea"e, "omfort, and 'lenty. &he is also )ieed as the ra"eIs "hief 'rote"torJ
although $enign and gentle in most of her in"arnations, ith a a)e of her hand she "an
age or wither any ho ha)e ronged her faithful "hildren. %er sym$ol is a shield $earing
a "ornu"o'ia, re'resenting her dual roles as Pro)ider and Prote"tor.
A)atar: Eondalla a''ears as a 'roud, )i$rantly attra"ti)e halfling ith long golden
hair, a skirt of forest green, and a stout ooden shield.
&heela Peryroyl B-ntermediate ,oddessC
*he goddess of agri"ulture, nature, and eather, the image of &heela is often
mi?ed, almost inter"hangea$ly, ith Eondalla herselfJ some hold that &heela and
Eondalla are different as'e"ts of the same goddess. Just as "on"erned ith 'reser)ing
ilderness as tilling fields, she guards the $alan"e $eteen the to. &heela is also held
res'onsi$le for feasting and "ele$ration and, 'erha's most im'ortantly, roman"eJ her
maAor festi)als are held at har)est time.
A)atar: A''earing as a 'retty young halfling maiden ith $rilliant floers in her
hair, &heela is usually laughing and Aust generally delighted $y life. *hough she a''ears
nai)e, e)en sim'le, she "an ield great 'oers of nature magi".
Cyrrollalee B-ntermediate ,oddessC
*his goddess is the o)erseer of many of the mundane and day:to:day as'e"ts of
halfling life, "hiefly "on"erned ith the $urro and the hearthJ again, some $elie)e her to
$e a 'ersona of Eondalla rather than a se'arate entity. (riendshi' among her orshi''ers
is "onsidered the highest 'raise one "an raise to her nameJ she is most dis'leased ith
those ho fail to dis'lay 'ro'er hos'itality and good felloshi'.
A)atar: Cyrrollalee often takes the form of a stoo'ed halfling of indeterminate
years, orn $y 'o)erty and ork into a frail shell. -n this guise, she often )isits halfling
$urros to see if the inha$itants are truly hos'ita$leJ oe to the family that turns her
aayK
Ar)oreen the Defender B-ntermediate ,odC
A god of stern defense and aggressi)e at"hfulness, Ar)oreen is the 'atron of
at"hful diligen"e, not ar. %e is more serious than the ty'i"al halfling Bor halfling deityC
and ser)es as a reminder that the safety they "urrently enAoy as hard:on and "an $e
easily lost.
A)atar: Ar)oreen a''ears as a handsome young halfling arrior, mus"ular of
$uild and generally )ery lightly "lothed. %e "ommonly "arries a short sord and often a
gleaming metal shield.
!rando$aris BLesser ,odC
*his is the god of ad)enture Band misad)entureC, a fa)orite among halfling
ad)enturers Bes'e"ially thie)esC. %e has a $ady sense of humor and little sense of
'ro'riety. !rando$aris is alays ready ith a Aoke or a Aug, yet he is su"h a friendly
ra's"allion that he rarely makes an enemy. %e is a good friend of ,arl ,littergold and
!aer)an #ildanderer.
A)atar: -n a)atar form !rando$aris a''ears as a 'lum' and Aolly halfling. %eIs
alays )ery ell:dressed and ready ith a smart re'ly to any attem't at "on)ersation.
Cha'ter .: %alfing &u$ra"es
*hree halfling su$ra"es::the %airfoot, the &tout, and the *allfello::are
introdu"ed in the (layer)s Handbook and detailed in 98N&*R85& C89PEND-59@
7olume 8neJ additional information on all three is in"luded here. *hese three su$ra"es
e?ist almost e)eryhere halflings are found, freGuently in mi?ed "ommunities. %airfeet
are $y far the most numerous of these three su$ra"es, making u' a$out 41O of most
orldsI halfling 'o'ulation, ith &touts a$out 01O and *allfellos only a$out 0/O.
Rumor 'ersists that the original sto"k from hi"h these three deri)e still e?ists in remote
dee' forests, $ut no sighting has e)er $een relia$ly "onfirmedJ if a fe rare feral halfling
"lans do sur)i)e in odd "orners, these Fild halflingsF guard their 'ri)a"y so "arefully as
to $e )irtually undete"ta$le $y mem$ers of any other ra"e. -n most "ases, these so:"alled
Fild halflingsF are 'ro$a$ly %airfeet, *allfellos, or &touts hose homes ha)e $een
destroyed $y ar or some other disaster and ha)e re)erted to a 'rimiti)e an"estral
lifestyle.
*hree other su$ra"es are less "ommonJ ea"h originated on a single orld and is
found 'rimarily only on its home 'lanet. *he Kender are nati)e to Krynn and ha)e $een
featured in numerous DRA,8NLANCE@ 'rodu"ts, in"luding Tales of the <ance and the
DRA,8NLANCE 9C a''endi? B9C3C. 8riginally found only on Krynn, their insatia$le
"uriosity has led many to sto aay a$oard s'ellAamming shi's, s'reading indi)iduals to
many odd 'la"es. *he information here is for those 'layers and D9s rash enough to
allo them into their nonDRA,8NLANCE@ "am'aigns::or unfortunate enough to do so
$efore they ha)e a full gras' of the "onseGuen"esK
*he Athasian halfling from the DARK &5N@ "am'aign orld is des"ri$ed in the
original DARK &5N $o?ed set and the DARK &5N 9C a''endi? B9C0.CJ so far as is
knon, no mem$er of this su$ra"e has e)er $een en"ountered anyhere $esides Athas
itself.
(inally, the e?tremely rare Polar %alflings, or (ur"hin, ha)e s'read $eyond their
desolate homeorld $y s'ellAamming shi's, al$eit not $y "hoi"e, and "an no $e found
on the Ro"k of !ral and in many other 'la"es here s'ellAammers "ongregate.
All halflings, hate)er their su$ra"e, are highly resistant to magi" and 'oisonsJ
for e)ery 2 0D. 'oints of Constitution, a halfling gains N0 to his or her sa)ing thros )s.
s'ells, rods, sta)es, ands, and 'oisons. %alflings also enAoy e?"e'tional agility, gaining
N0 to all their atta"k rolls in)ol)ing missile ea'ons. &urefooted and stealthy, they are
a$le to mo)e )ery, )ery silently, gi)ing them an e?"ellent "han"e to sur'rise o''onents
Bearing metal armor naturally negates this a$ilityC. (inally, halflings are Gui"k to 'i"k
u' languagesJ in addition to their on language and the "ommon tongue, most halflings
ill kno at least a fe ords of gnome, elf, darf, go$lin, and or" Bthe a"tual num$er
of additional languages knon $eing determined $y the "hara"terIs -ntelligen"e, as
des"ri$ed in the (layer)s Handbook, 'age 0LC.
*he #anderings of Littleman
7'ow, <ittleman set to work, and gathered his people together, and showed them
how to outsmart their enemies, frightening most away and banding together to defeat the
rest. !oon there was a small village along the riverbank. True to her word, Yondalla
showered her blessings upon them and gave them a comfort and contentment they had
never known before. There was enough to eat, and safe places to sleep4 friends to visit,
and a fire in every home.
7That was the greatest of all her gifts, the greatest treasure to show her love for
her new people= the hearth you)ll find today, my sprouts, in every halfling home, no
matter how humble, no matter how small. Its fire kept the halflings warm, and cooked
their food, and brightened their burrows, a constant reminder of Yondalla)s gifts.
7!o great was their love of their new life that most of <ittleman)s people wanted to
remain always beside their hearths, till the %ad "ld *ays faded to a distant memory, a
reminder to help them cherish their new way of life all the more.7
The venerable ancestor coughed for a moment, and took another sip of her potent
tea. !ighing contentedly, she leaned back in the soft chair. 6epli had climbed into her
lap, and she patted the youngster)s head absently.
7#nd what of <ittleman, ,randmother; *id he settle down with the rest;7
demanded (edderee, sticking out her tongue at her privileged brother.
73ell, strange to say, all the changes that had come over his fellow halflings,
changes he)d caused, didn)t affect <ittleman much. He was the same merry scamp he)d
always been, and when he)d finished the task Yondalla had set him would have gone back
to his old carefree ways, had she not had other plans for him.
7Yondalla was well pleased with her <ittleman, and wanted him to do the same
for halflings everywhere as he)d done for those of the ,reen Fields. #nd <ittleman, he
was full of wanderlust, and agreed, thinking it)d be a fine thing to travel the world and
see all there was to see. !o he set out on his travels, and for years he went from forest to
forest, anywhere there were any of our people, and showed them how to put their fear
aside and make places for themselves in the world alongside the %ig Folk. #nd when he
was done with that, Yondalla showed him how to travel the paths to other worlds, paths
known only to the gods.
7!o <ittleman went on his way, traveling to all the worlds that were, looking for
the scattered homes of our people. He noticed how people are more apt to like those who
have a lot in common with them, so when he found some of our folk living nearby
settlements of the %ig (eople, he taught them how to adopt some of the %ig (eople)s
ways. If he found some of the small people living in a deep forest ruled by elves, by the
time he left a village of Tallfellows prospered in a nearby forest glen. 3here a few
families had been driven into the hills not far from a dwarven underground city, a
homestead of !touts sprang up.
7#nd everywhere he went, <ittleman found humans. It seemed that humans could
live anywhere. ven in those days their numbers were far greater than those of the
dwarves or elves. He watched the humans carefully, for of all the %ig Folk they seemed
the closest to the small folk in nature. He saw them in many guises, in many places.
3hereas the elves kept to their forests and the dwarves their mountains, humankind dwelt
in temperate plains, amid lofty mountains and forbidding glaciers--even in steaming
5ungles and parched desert. $ost of the places <ittleman found any of our people
dwelling, their nearest neighbors were human farmers or pioneers. Hence the Hairfeet
came into being, and the long friendship between our folk and the %ig Folk begun.7
7#nd <ittleman, ,randmother; !urely Yondalla rewarded him for all his work;7
wondered /alkin.
7#ye, lad, that she did--but in her own way, and her own time. For a very long
time <ittleman traveled the worlds, meeting new people and seeing strange and
wonderful sights, marvels beyond belief. $any of the folk in the villages he founded
invited him to stay with them, but always he refused and set out again to see what lay
beyond the ne1t bend in the road.
7Then one day he climbed a hill and looked down into a valley, and it seemed to
him that he)d never seen a fairer sight. # shady river wound its way along through well-
tended fields surrounded by friendly forest. It was a small village of our folk, and 5ust as
<ittleman was thinking how he)d like to sit along that riverbank and fish, he saw that it
was the very river he used to fish in all those years ago8 He found his old burrow, kept
clean and snug all the time he)d been away by his neighbors, and sat down contentedly
by his own hearth once again. He)d come back to his own home at the end of all his
wanderings, and if he)s not gone away I )spect he)s there still.7
!ilence settled over the room, and the children wondered if the old halfling had
fallen asleep--so comfortable did she seem, sunk in her chair by the fire. This time it was
(edderee who dared to ask the 0uestion.
7,randmother . . . is it true that you yourself traveled the 3ide !ea once . . . and
even into the skies, and beyond;7
# twinkle of firelight reflected from a half-opened eye--an eye that gleamed with
delightful memories.
7#ye, child . . . that I did. #nd a fine time I had of it, too8 %ut that)s a story that)ll
have to wait for another time.7
%airfoot
*his most "ommon of halflings is found throughout lands that ha)e $een settled
$y humans Bith the nota$le e?"e'tion of Krynn, here this role is filled $y the KenderC.
*hey li)e mu"h as humans do $ut 'refer rural settings and )illages to tons and "ities.
*heir "rafts tend toard the ordinary and 'ra"ti"al::farmers, millers, innkee'ers, ea)ers,
$reers, tailors, $akers, and mer"hants are "ommon in %airfoot so"iety.
A)eraging a$out 2I in height, %airfeet are slightly sto"kier in $uild than is ty'i"al
for humankind. *heir "om'le?ions run the gamut from 'ale to )ery dark, ith hair "olor
"orres'ondingly $lond to $la"k and eyes that are $ron or ha>el. *hey rarely ear shoes
Bonly in $ad eather and $itter "oldC and "an $e easily distinguished $y the thi"k 'at"hes
of hair groing ato' ea"h foot. *hey ha)e no fa"ial hair B$esides eye$ros and eyelashes,
of "ourseC. *hey ear $rightly:"olored, "omforta$le "lothes, su"h as trousers and shirts or
dresses, ith a )est, Aa"ket, hat, sash, or $onnet added as a flourish. *heir fa"es are round
and )ery e?'ressi)e, often a''earing "hild:like to humans.
%airfeet are slightly longer:li)ed than humans, a)eraging 0// years::though a fe
'atriar"h and matriar"hs ha)e rea"hed ages of 03/ and $eyond. (ull adulthood is
generally re"ogni>ed at a$out .1 years of age.
%airfeet are only moderately industrious, $ut they tend to make u' in talent for
hat they la"k in dri)e. A %airfoot farmer may tend a small 'lot in the morning, for
e?am'le, and s'end the afternoon lying in the shade::yet his or her irrigation dit"h ill $e
so "le)erly aligned that his or her field yields a "ro' eGual to that of a mu"h larger
human:tended farm. A %airfoot:o)en tuni" ill ha)e a finer ea)e and $e less s"rat"hy
than a similar human 'rodu"t, thus fet"hing a "onsidera$ly higher 'ri"e.
%airfeet are the halflings most "losely integrated into human so"iety. *hey ill
ork for human em'loyers or hire human la$orers, and many a %airfoot mer"hant has
made his or her fortune $y a''ealing to the human elite of a "ityIs 'o'ulation. #hile they
ill dell in $uildings in human neigh$orhoods, %airfeet do 'refer to li)e among others
of their on ra"e Bthough not ne"essarily their on su$ra"eC hen this is 'ossi$le.
A %airfootIs 'referred ty'e of house is the "om$ined a$o)e and $elo ground
$urro. *he u''er 'ortion is almost alays ood:framed, ith se)eral doors and
indos and a $right, airy feel::though the "eilings are ty'i"ally no more than 1I a$o)e
the floors. *he loer 'ortion ill "ontain the fire'la"e and se)eral small, "o>y rooms.
La"king the time, 'ro'erty, or means to $uild a traditional home, hoe)er, a
%airfoot ill "heerfully o""u'y a human house, a sheltered "a)e, or e)en a sha"k or tent.
#here)er he or she li)es, a %airfoot ill find a 'la"e to ha)e a fire and gather for so"ial
"on)ersation.
*a$le 1: %airfoot A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 2 04
De?terity M 0=
Constitution 0/ 0M
-ntelligen"e L 0M
#isdom 2 0M
Charisma 4 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: :0 to &trength, N0 to De?terity
Languages: Any one human language in addition to normal halfling tongues.
-nfra)ision: No
&'e"ial (eatures: %airfeet are )ery good at getting along ith humansJ this translates into
a N. $onus to all their Rea"tion Rolls in)ol)ing human NPCs.
&tout
&touts are not as "ommon as their "ousins, the %airfeet, $ut they are nonetheless a
'o'ulous and ides'read su$ra"e. *hey are a$out the same height as %airfeet, a)eraging
an in"h or to $elo 2I, $ut mu"h sto"kier::indeed, a ty'i"al &tout eighs half again as
mu"h as the a)erage %airfootK *his girth is not all fat, hoe)er::&touts are more
mus"ular than any other halfling and tend to regularly $est their kin in the restling
"ontest that are a fa)orite &toutish entertainment.
Ruddier in "om'le?ion than the other su$ra"es, &touts tend to $lush easily hen
'leased or em$arrassed and flush $right red hen angry. *heir hair "olor tends to $e on
the light side, ith $londs and sandy reds 'redominatingJ their eyes are $lue, grey, and
green. 5nlike %airfeet and *allfellos, male &touts "an gro some fa"ial hair, although
not full $eardsJ usually it takes the form of unusually thi"k side$urns or mutton"ho's.
9ousta"hes are rare, and the fe a$le to gro them are often inordinately 'roud of their
a""om'lishment.
&touts fa)or sturdy gar$, "ommonly made of ell:"ured leather. *hey 'refer
'ra"ti"ality to a''earan"e, and thus the mem$ers of a "ommunity tend to dress ith an
almost dra$ sameness. %oe)er, a &tout ill try to make a 'oint of ha)ing a $rightly
"olored outfit of e?oti" material Bsu"h as "otton, ool, or, rarely, silkC, for use on s'e"ial
o""asions. *hey often ear $oots, hi"h are really more like thi"k mo""asins that offer
good 'rote"tion from the ro"ky or marshy ground ty'i"ally under &toutish feet.
*hese halflings tend to segregate themsel)es from human so"iety more than do
%airfeet, 'referring the "om'any of dar)es. &touts and dar)es mi? )ery readily, and
their "ommunities ill often $e lo"ated near to ea"h other. 9ilitary and defensi)e
allian"es $eteen the to ra"es are "ommon, and 'ros'erous trading is also the norm.
&toutish )illages ill generally $e in hilly or ro"ky regions near good fishing
aters and ell:atered fields. *hey are the only halflings ith any affinity to mining,
$ut they are Guite good at it and ill often de)elo' a $ustling $usiness from the
e?"a)ation of minerals. &touts "an also $e skilled Aeelers, stone:masons, $uilders,
smiths, $oatmen, and "ar)ers. *hey are la"kluster farmers at $est, e?"e't here
mushrooms are "on"erned, and as mer"hants they e?"el 'rimarily at selling the 'rodu"ts
of the a$o)e trades.
Preferring underground ha$itation more than any other halfling su$ra"e, a &tout
ill ty'i"ally li)e in a fully:e?"a)ated $urro. %e or she ill ha)e se)eral round,
shuttered indos 'la"ed in a fe alls to let in light and air, $ut the o)erall 'la"e ill
$e "ooler, darker, and somehat dam'er than a %airfoot home.
*he most industrious of halflings, a &tout "an a""om'lish a great deal of ork in a
short time. *hey make doughty soldiers, and their infra)ision BL/I rangeC gi)es them a
great ad)antage in night:fighting. *hey are skilled simmers and $oatmen and ha)e used
small, slender "anoes ith great effe"t in night atta"ks against larger )essels.
#ith a ty'i"al life e?'e"tan"y of more than 02/ years, &touts are not "onsidered
adults until they rea"h 2/ years of age. *he eldest of the ra"e ha)e $een knon to e?"eed
to "enturies in age.
*a$le L: &tout A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 1 04
De?terity M 0=
Constitution 0/ 0=
-ntelligen"e L 0M
#isdom 2 0M
Charisma 1 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: :0 to &trengthJ N0 to either De?terity or Constitution
Languages: Any dar)en tongue in addition to the normal starting languages for
halflings.
-nfra)ision: Ees BL/IC
&'e"ial (eatures: &touts ha)e a 41O "han"e to dete"t slo'ing 'assageays and a 1/O
"han"e of determining dire"tion hen underground.
*allfello
*his su$ra"e of halflings is not so "ommon as the &tout or %airfoot $ut e?ists in
signifi"ant num$ers in many areas of tem'erate oodland. A)eraging a little o)er 3I in
height, *allfellos are slender and light:$oned, eighing little more than the a)erage
%airfoot. *hey ear their hair long, often to''ed $y a small $rightly:"olored "a'.
*he longest:li)ed of all halfling su$ra"es, *allfellos ha)e an a)erage life
e?'e"tan"y of 0M/ years, ith the eldest e?"eeding .1/ years. Like %airfeet, *allfellos
shun footear. *heir "hara"teristi" foot:fur is somehat s'arser and finer than that of
their "ousins.
*allfellos fa)or oodland shades of $ron, yello, and green and ha)e
de)elo'ed se)eral )i$rant shades of the latter "olor through uniGue dyes. *hey enAoy the
"om'any of el)es, and most *allfello )illages ill $e found near$y 'o'ulations of that
syl)an folk, ith a flourishing trade $eteen the to 'eo'les.
Preferring to li)e a$o)e ground, *allfellos often dell in s'a"ious houses of
ood, ith many indos. -ndeed, the "eiling of a *allfello house ill ty'i"ally $e
nearly LI a$o)e the floorK *hough the house ill often ha)e a "ellar, this ill $e used
'rimarily for storage. %oe)er, during days of hot summer *allfellos ill often retire to
their underground "ham$ers for a long e)eningIs "on)ersation and slee'.
*allfellos dis'lay the greatest affinity toard orking ith ood of any
halfling. *hey make s'lendid "ar'enters Boften $uilding $oats or agons for human
"ustomersC, as ell as loggers, "ar)ers, 'i'esmiths, musi"ians, she'herds, li)erymen,
dairymen, "heese:makers, hunters, and s"outs. *hey are $etter farmers than &touts
Balthough not as good as %airfeetC and more ade't than any other su$ra"e at har)esting
natural $ounties of $erries, nuts, roots, and ild grains.
*he only halflings ho enAoy mu"h 'rofi"ien"y at riding, *allfellos fa)or small
'onies. -ndeed, many uniGue $reeds of diminuti)e horse ha)e $een $red among
*allfello "lans: fast, shaggy:maned, nim$le mounts ith great enduran"e. -n a "harge,
of "ourse, they la"k the im'a"t of a human:mounted arhorseJ nonetheless, *allfello
"om'anies ha)e ser)ed admira$ly as light lan"ers and horsear"hers during many a hard:
fought "am'aign.
8n foot, *allfellos ield s'ears ith rare skill. *hey are ade't at forming
$ristling P'or"u'ineI formations ith these ea'ons, "reating su"h a mena"ing array that
horses and footmen alike are deterred from atta"king. *his is one of the fe halfling
formations "a'a$le of standing toe:to:toe ith a larger o''onent in the o'en field.
*a$le 4: *allfello A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 2 04
De?terity M 0=
Constitution 0/ 0M
-ntelligen"e L 0M
#isdom 4 0=
Charisma 1 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: :0 to &trengthJ N0 to either De?terity or #isdom
Languages: Any one el)en language in addition to the normal halfling starting languages.
-nfra)ision: No
&'e"ial (eatures: Like el)es, a *allfello "an re"ogni>e a se"ret door on a roll of 0 on a
dL. All *allfellos re"ei)e a N. $onus to sur'rise rolls hen in forest or ooded terrain.
Kender
*he fa$led Kender is a "urious e?am'le of "on)ergent e)olution. *heir nati)e
orld of Krynn is one of the fe ith no true halflings of its on, yet this Fe"ologi"al
ni"heF is filled $y another ra"e hi"h, though unrelated, is similar in si>e, a''earan"e,
and "ulture: the Kender. %airfeet, &touts, and *allfellos ho ha)e $een to Krynn or
ha)e met Kender anderers on other orlds ha)e ado'ted them as honorary "ousins,
des'ite misgi)ings a$out the KenderIs "om'lete la"k of the 'ri>ed halfling )irtue of
"ommon sense.
An e?tensi)e des"ri'tion of the Kender is 'ro)ided in the *-#,"'<#'/.
#dventures hard"o)er rule$ook and in the Tales of the <ance $o?ed set. *he information
gi)en here fo"uses on 'laying Kender in a general AD6D@ "am'aign::i.e., Kender ho
ha)e strayed from the DRA,8NLANCE@ game setting into other orlds. -t should $e
noted that it is entirely u' to a D9 hether he or she ishes to allo Kender into his or
her on "am'aign::and he or she is en"ouraged to "onsider )ery "arefully $efore
agreeingK
Kender are somehat taller than an a)erage %airfoot or &tout, a)eraging 2I4F.
*hey are mu"h more slender than true halflings, and they tend to sho their age more::a
fifty year old Kender ill look like a forty year old human, hereas a %airfoot ill
'ro$a$ly retain his or her youthful looks e)en into old age. Kender "om'le?ions are light,
$ut they tan easily. *hey tend to ear their hair )ery long, ith a "hara"teristi" to'knot
and long, trailing tail. *hey ear shoes most of the time, sin"e unlike true halflings, they
"om'letely la"k foot:fur.
Kender are the most "urious of all halfling:kin, the most illing to de'art from
their hearth and home to em$ark on a life of ad)enture. 9ost Kender are infused ith
anderlust a$out the time they rea"h adulthood Bin their early tentiesC and are likely to
s'end se)eral de"ades in an e?'loration of the orld around them, only to feel an eGually
"om'elling urge to return home and settle don as they $egin to age Bmid:fifties to early
si?tiesC. Kender are a$solutely and utterly fearless::e)en to the 'oint of immunity to
magi"ally indu"ed fear::and as a result are illing to tra)el literally anyhere and try
almost anything.
*he life e?'e"tan"y of a Kender is similar to %airfootIs Ba$out a "enturyC $ut it
must $e noted that, due to their "uriosity and fearlessness, Kender are far more likely than
any other halfling su$ra"e to meet ith a sudden and )iolent demise. *hey are not
sui"idal, $ut they do get "arried aay.
*a$le M: Kender A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength L 0L
De?terity M 0=
Constitution 0/ 0M
-ntelligen"e L 0M
#isdom 2 0L
Charisma L 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: N. to De?terity Bto a ma?imum of 0=CJ :0 to &trength.
Languages: Kender, Krynn Common, and any otherBsC alloed $y -ntelligen"e.
-nfra)ision: Ees B2/IC
&'e"ial (eatures: Kender ho are not thie)es ha)e a $ase 1O "han"e to 'erform any
thie)ing skill e?"e't Read Languages Bno "han"eC and Clim$ #alls B3/O "han"eC.
De?terity modifiers do a''ly, $ut these a$ilities ne)er in"rease as the Kender goes u' in
le)el.
Kender are totally immune to the effe"ts of $oth magi"al and nonmagi"al fear, hether
"aused $y monsters like the mummy or li"h or $y s'ells su"h as scare and symbol of fear.
*he *aunt: Kender are ade't at the art of taunting an enemy until that foe loses all a$ility
for rational thought or restraint and is goaded into an un"ontrolled atta"k. -f the )i"tim
"an understand the KenderIs s'ee"h, he, she, or it must make a sa)ing thro )ersus s'ells
B#isdom $onuses a''lyC. -f it fails, the )i"tim ill atta"k the Kender ildly for 0d0/
rounds, suffering a :. 'enalty to all atta"k rolls and a N. 'enalty to Armor Class.
Athasian %alfling
*his su$ra"e of halflings is en"ountered only on the orld of Athas, $eneath the
Dark &un. -ts mem$ers 'rimarily inha$it the Aungles along the ridgeline of the Ringing
9ountains, the most ell:atered terrain on all of Athas. *hey esta$lish their )illages in
the dense tangle of the rain forest and Aealously guard their territory against intrusion.
*he Athasian halfling is $y far the least so"ial of all halfling su$ra"es: "lannish,
sus'i"ious, and distrustful of strangers. *heir ha$it of eating intruders ho )enture into
their territory makes them a danger to all unary tra)elers. *he Athasian halfling is
uniGue among halfling "ultures in this horrifying dietary trait Bsignifi"antly, they do not
"onsider themsel)es "anni$als, sin"e they donIt eat ea"h other, only mem$ers of other
ra"esC.
*he )illages of these essentially nomadi" folk are ea"h "entered around a great
stone 'yramid, ith a s"attering of small stone $uildings around it. *he )illage is the
residen"e of a "hief and a fe of his or her folloers. *he rest of the halflings roam a
ell:defined 'at"h of forest:land, though all the "lans ill gather at the )illage on"e
e)ery hundred days.
Athasian halflings a)erage a$out 2I2F in height. *heir skin "olor )aries idely in
tone, though e)en the 'aler shades tend to $e ell:$ron>ed $y the sun::sin"e this is a
su$ra"e that, as a rule, shuns "lothing. !oth males and females ear their hair in long,
unkem't manes, aside from 'riests, ho usually sha)e their headsJ otherise, their
$odies are "om'letely hairless.
Ade't at negotiating all ty'es of forested terrain, in"luding dense sam's, thorny
thi"kets, mangro)es, and so on, Athasian halflings utili>e this natural "o)er to s"reen their
)illages from larger folk. A netork of 'athays, ea"h less than 3I high, ill 'ass
throughout the huge, densely )erdant forest.
Athasian halflings thri)e in terrain here other so"ieties might ha)e a hard time
sur)i)ing. -n 'art, this is $e"ause they are so self:suffi"ient, sharing many skills among
the mem$ers of a single "lan. #ood"ar)ing, ea)ing, hunting and snaring, tanning,
'ottery, her$al medi"ine, al"hemy Bin"luding the 're'aration of deadly or 'araly>ing
'oisonsC, farming and herding, Aeelry, and feather:ork are all "ommon 'rofi"ien"ies
among the Athasian halflings.
*hough they ill "autiously o'en trading arrangements ith near$y "ultures,
hate)er their ra"e, these halflings tend to "ondu"t all transa"tions in a neutral lo"ation or
in the other 'artyIs "ommunity::foreign traders are not alloed into their )illages. *his
arrangement is satisfa"tory to the other ra"es as ell, sin"e these traders reali>e that
theyIre taking their li)es in their hands $y )enturing into the halflingsI Aungles::e)en
large, ell:armed 'arties are su$Ae"t to raids and thie)ery $y these halflings.
%alflings of Athas ill treat mem$ers of their on su$ra"e from other tri$es ith
res'e"t, generosity, and friendshi'::e)en if those halflings are a""om'anying enemies of
the "lan Ba fe renegade "lans, hoe)er, refuse to re"ogni>e the "ommon kinshi', and
tra)eling halflings are ad)ised to a)oid falling into their "lut"hesC.
As ith all halfling su$ra"es, a fe Athasian halflings are )ery "urious a$out the
"ustoms and traits of other "ultures outside the $oundaries of their on Aungles and ill
$e"ome ary anderers. #hile they find it hard to o)er"ome sus'i"ions that the folk they
meet on their tra)els are only aiting for their guard to dro' $efore trying to kill and eat
them, these $old anderers ill e?'eriment ith different ty'es of $eha)ior and sho
great o'enness in trying ne forms of food, entertainment, and other e?'erien"es.
*he only halfling su$ra"e to sho any in"lination for "lim$ing trees, some
halflings of Athas e)en make their homes in the $ran"hes of 'arti"ular ty'es of forest
giants. *he homes of su"h a )illage are "onne"ted $y hanging $ridges, often leading
don s'iraling ladders to additional $uildings on the forest floor. A more ty'i"al "am' is
lo"ated in a "learing $eside a steady su''ly of "lean ater. A thorny $arrier, gron like a
hedge to a height of 0/I or more, 'rote"ts the entire )illage e?"e't for a single, endlessly:
guarded gate.
-n "om$at, halflings of Athas 'refer short $os, slings, and daggers. &in"e there is
little metal on Athas, most of their ea'onry is made of ood and $one. *he su$ra"e is
also ade't at the use of a )ery a""urate $logun hi"h "an silently fire darts u' to L/I.
*hese darts are ty'i"ally "oated ith one of the )irulent to?ins or fast:a"ting 'aralyti"s
distilled $y the tri$eIs al"hemists.
*a$le =: Athasian %alfling A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 2 0M
De?terity 0. ./
Constitution 1 ./
-ntelligen"e 1 ./
#isdom 4 ./
Charisma 1 ./
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: N. to De?terityJ N. to #isdomJ :. to &trengthJ :0 to
ConstitutionJ :0 to Charisma
Languages: *he halflings of Athas ha)e a language of their on $ased u'on the sounds of
forest animals Bhoots, hols, "hir's, histles, and the likeC. 9ost halflings s'eak this
language and no other. %oe)er, a tri$eIs "hiefs ill usually kno the languages of their
neigh$ors as ell in order to handle trade. #anderers "an 'i"k u' any language alloed
$y the indi)idualIs -ntelligen"e s"ore.
-nfra)ision: No
&'e"ial (eatures: -n addition to the usual 'riest, fighter, and thief "lasses, Athasian
halflings "an $e druids, gladiators, rangers, illusionists, and 'sioni"ists Ball in their DARK
&5N@ setting )ariationsC.
Also, in kee'ing ith the orld of Athas "am'aign, these halflings $egin 'lay as 2rd Bnot
0stC le)el "hara"ters.
(ur"hin BPolar %alflingC
*his rarest su$ra"e of halflings originated on (alakyr Bhi"h sim'ly means Fthe
#orldF in the (ur"hin tongueC, a frigid orld of i"e, mountain, and gla"ier. *he (ur"hin
are the dominant intelligent ra"e there, though dar)es also inha$it some of (alakyrIs
underground regionsJ humans, el)es, and gnomes are not found on (alakyr.
*he (ur"hin ould 'ro$a$ly still e?ist in $lissful isolation, had not an e)il
s'ellAamming i>ard "ome a"ross their orld in his tra)els and de"ided these $earded
halflings ould make good sla)es. ConseGuently, many ere "a'tured and taken to
different orlds $y the i>ardIs shi's. &ome es"a'ed in )arious 'orts and eluded
re"a'ture until their shi' had de'artedJ thus, hile they are e?tremely rare, (ur"hin "an
"on"ei)a$ly $e met ith in any "am'aign setting.
*he most distinguishing feature of this su$ra"e is the full, long $eard that s'routs
from the "hin of the mature males. *hese $eards are a matter of great 'ride, and in older
(ur"hin often e?tend as far as the aist. *he ra"e fa)ors arm "lothing, o)en of animal
hair or lined ith fur. *hey regularly ear snoshoes and $oots.
(ur"hin halflings resem$le &touts in $oth height and girth, though their a)erage
life e?'e"tan"y BM/ yearsC is "onsidera$ly shorter, no dou$t due to their harsher nati)e
en)ironment. %air and skin "olor )ary idely, $ut tend to $e 'ale, though eyes are usually
dark. *hose fe (ur"hin $orn ith green eyes are a""orded mu"h status::they are
$elie)ed to $e emissaries of the gods and are treated to a life of near:royal 'ri)ilege.
-n their on en)ironment, the Polar %alflings are 'rimarily nomadi", ranging
a"ross i"y gla"iers and $arren tundra, folloing great herds of migrating animals. *hey
ha)e $e"ome ade't at sur)i)ing in these )ery harshest of "onditions.
*he (ur"hin dell in small "lans, usually no more than thirty indi)iduals in a
"ommunity. -n summer they li)e in tents of leatherJ in inter they make small, domed
shelters of i"e. *heir "lothing is made of fur, their eGui'ment from leather, $one, and
i)oryJ ood is almost unknon on (alakyr. *ri$al leaders often ield metal ea'ons and
tools a"Guired through trading ith the dar)es inha$iting (alakyrIs interior.
%a)ing de)elo'ed a num$er of s'e"iali>ed skills, the (ur"hin halflings are among
the most ade't demihumans in e?isten"e at sur)i)ing in their grueling en)ironment::and
seemingly ha)ing a good time hile theyIre doing itK -n general, the (ur"hin are a good:
humored 'eo'le ho enAoy 'ra"ti"al Aokes, funny stories, and $ady songs. !oth 'arents
"are for the young ith great toleran"e and tenderness, tea"hing their "hildren early on
the se"rets of sur)i)ing in their harsh "lime.
&trangers::es'e"ially those ho $ring gifts, o$Ae"ts for trade, or interesting stories
to tell::ill $e el"omed $y the (ur"hin ith arm hos'itality. Although their li)es are
hard, they are an unselfish 'eo'le and ill treat )isitors ith kindness and generosity
Bunless gi)en reason to do otheriseC.
9em$ers of this su$ra"e are )ery 'rofi"ient in s'e"iali>ed skills suited to their
en)ironment, some of hi"h ill "arry o)er Guite effe"ti)ely into other lo"ations. *hey
are among the most 'atient tra''ers in the knon orlds and skilled hunters, tanners, and
leatherorkers as ell. *heir "hara"teristi" $oat is a miniature kayak, a )irtually ater:
tight shell of leather "o)ering a sturdy $one frame. #hile only one of their skilled
$oatrights "an "raft these )essels, )irtually all adult (ur"hin are ade't at 'iloting them.
#hen hunting, the (ur"hin use leather slings for small game and long, $ar$ed
s'ears for more formida$le foesJ a strong line "an $e atta"hed to the s'ear to allo it Band
hate)er it has im'aledC to $e dran $a"k toard the laun"her. -n melee "om$at Bhi"h
they a)oid if at all 'ossi$leC, the (ur"hin use short handled a?es and daggers. !e"ause of
their small num$ers and an a$sen"e of 'otential foes, the mem$ers of this su$ra"e are
unused to ar and ha)e de)elo'ed no ta"ti"s for fighting an organi>ed formation of
soldiers.
-n the realm of hunting and stalking, hoe)er, the (ur"hin are se"ond to none.
8""asionally, a fe (ur"hin led $y an e?'erien"ed arrior ill em$ark on an mission to
slay some dangerous threat to the tri$e::su"h as a $and of yetis or a frost giant. *hrough
"le)er use of terrain and di)ersion, as ell as 'atiently 'lanned and e?e"uted am$ush,
these halflings ha)e $een knon to )anGuish foes many times their on si>e. -n this
res'e"t, o$)iously, they are not so different from their "ousins ho li)e in armer "limes.
*a$le 0/: (ur"hin A$ility &"ores
A$ility 9inimum 9a?imum
&trength 2 04
De?terity M 0=
Constitution 0/ 0=
-ntelligen"e L 0M
#isdom 2 04
Charisma 4 0M
A$ility &"ore AdAustments: N0 to ConstitutionJ N0 to De?terityJ :0 to &trengthJ :0 to
#isdom
Languages: (ur"hin and Dar)en
-nfra)ision: No
&'e"ial (eatures: All (ur"hin automati"ally re"ei)e a 'rofi"ien"y in Cold:#eather
&ur)i)al. -n addition, they enAoy a N3 $onus to all sa)ing thros )ersus "old:$ased
atta"ks, hether magi"al or nonmagi"al, in addition to any other $onuses due to
Constitution.
!e"ause of their nim$leness at e)asion, all (ur"hin re"ei)e a :3 $onus to Armor Class
hen fighting giant:"lass "reatures and a :. $onus to Armor Class against atta"ks from
man:si>ed "reatures. *he to $onuses are not "umulati)e.
Cha'ter 2: %alfling Culture
A "ulture of harmony and 'ea"e, a arm emotional atta"hment to family and
friends::in"luding a illingness to look $eyond 'hysi"al differen"es to the "ommon $ond
$eneath::and an a''re"iation of the finer things in life... these are the hallmarks of
halfling e?isten"e. #hereas Cha'ter . looked at the differen"es $eteen the halfling
su$ra"es, this "ha'ter fo"uses instead on the things all halflings ha)e in "ommon::their
gregarious nature, trustorthy "hara"ter, and delight in hate)er 'hysi"al "omforts their
surroundings 'ro)ide.
No "ulture has dis'layed su"h a illingness, e)en enthusiasm, in mingling ith
mem$ers of other ra"es. And halflings, ith their generally "heerful demeanor, more or
less honest a''roa"h to life, and hel'ful ingenuity, ha)e $een sin"erely el"omed into
"ommunities of humans, el)es, dar)es, gnomes, and e)en treants, giants, and BrarelyC
go$linoids.
!ut des'ite this illingness to di)ersify::or, 'erha's, because of it::halflings of
all "ultures feel a strong identity ith their e?tended familiesJ the "om'any of other
halflings is im'ortant to mem$ers of this small ra"e. (amilies remain "lose, hoe)er
large they gro in si>e, and many adult halflings ill "onsult ith their $rothers, sisters,
gron "hildren, or 'arents "on"erning im'ortant de"isionsJ if no kinfolk are a$out, they
ill turn to friends and e)en mere a"Guaintan"es, so long as they are fello halflings.
E)en if ad)i"e is not taken, halflings feel a sense of "omfort in knoing that other small
folk ha)e $een 'ri)y to the de"ision.
*he Name F%alflingsF
-t should $e noted that, so far as halflings themsel)es are "on"erned, the name
FhalflingF is a misnomer. *hey donIt "onsider themsel)es half the si>e of anythingJ in
their o'inion, itIs e)ery$ody else hoIs o)ersi>ed. *heir on name for their ra"e
translates sim'ly as Ithe folkI or Ithe small folkI Ba term hi"h sometimes in"ludes gnomes
as ellCJ humans, el)es, and dar)es are "olle"ti)ely referred to as Ithe !ig (olk.I *he
halflings also ha)e a slang term they use to refer to humans hi"h translates as Itoo:talls.I
*he %earth and the !urro
7!ee the fire, there, sprouts . . . how he settles in his bed, snug and warm. He has
no flame for us now--but we don)t need it. If anything, his coals are even warmer.7
73arm enough for a story, ,randmother;7 in0uired (edderee, 0uickly taking the
coveted lap position while her sister (etrilly as well as 6epli, /alkin, and the others
settled around the stone hearth, snuggling into thick fur rugs.
7You know me too well, <ittle 6itten. Tonight, you pick4 what story do you want to
hear;7
73ell . . . last time you told us about how <ittleman came home again after all his
wanderings. 3hat was his burrow like;7
7#h, but that)s a 0uestion you could answer for yourself if you thought for a
minute, <ittle "ne. You see, when <ittleman returned to ,reen Fields, Yondalla was
determined to see that he would never leave again. %efore he)d left, his burrow had 5ust
been a place to sleep, or a refuge to hide from enemies in. !he decided to make it a place
that would draw him like the sun draws the dew from the grass, a home so perfect that no
place in all the worlds could lure him away. 'ow, children... what things would she look
for;7
73ater87 s0ueaked 6epli. 7# flowing stream to chuckle in the night and soothe
him with its song.7
7,ood, lad--very good. #nd water deep and clean enough for a cool bath, wide
enough to shelter plump trout. #lso, a small waterfall, beautiful to watch and hear.7
7Flowers too;7 asked (edderee, tentatively. 7"r a hillside of soft grass or clover
to lie on in the sunny afternoons;7
7%oth, lass--and bushes and trees as well. <ittleman loved growing things, and
wild things as well, so outside his windows Yondalla placed a perfect meadow. His
burrow was on a hillside, facing the south so that it warmed to the sun in autumn and
winter--with an overhanging fringe of grass to shade the doors and windows in
summertime when the sun was high. Flowers bla&ed in the meadow from spring to fall,
and tall trees surrounded it--hardwoods, with broad, shady boughs, and tall pines, green
for all the year )round.7
7#nd the burrow, ,randmother--surely it had a fireplace;7
7#ye, /alkin, you)ve put your finger on it there. You see, sprouts, the hearth is the
heart of any burrow--it)s the place where you should dream now of where you)ll go and
what you)ll do when you grow up . . . and then, in later years, the place where you)ll sit
and savor your memories . . .7
The old halfling stared into the fire, a faraway look in her half-closed eyes. For a
moment the children wondered if she was drifting off to sleep--but she merely took a brief
stroll down the paths of her own memories.
*o the halfling the 'rimary sym$ol of the im'ortan"e of home, family, and
"ommunity is the $urro and its e)er:'resent hearth. No halfling delling ill $e
ithout some sort of fire'la"e, and e)en halflings ho li)e a$o)e:ground tend to refer to
their delling as a I$urro,I e)en if itIs only a room in a inn.
#hile $urros ill naturally )ary somehat de'ending on the "limate and
terrain::a (ur"hinIs i"ehouse ill, for e?am'le, differ signifi"antly from an Athasian
halflingIs tree house::all halfling dellings ha)e some features in "ommon. -f at all
'ossi$le, there ill $e indos, hi"h ill $e o'en during all $ut the "hilliest of days::
halflings ne)er "onfuse PsnugI ith Pstuffy.I *allfellos "arry this fondness for fresh air
the farthest, 'ositioning their homes to take ad)antage of hate)er gentle $ree>es aft
through the area, hile &touts re'resent the o''osite e?treme and might ell ha)e only a
fe small 'ort indos.
Although ell:)entilated, the $urro ill $e shielded against drafts $y shutters of
ood or leather that "an $e tightly "losed and sealed against gusts and storms. 5nlike
dar)es, halflings kee' their homes $rightly lit, ith lam's in e)ery room, yet shutters
and doors ill $e so ell:set in their frames that not a glimmer of illumination ill sho
on the outside hen the $urro is lo"ked u' tight.
*he fire'la"e ill $e $uilt ith as mu"h stone as 'ossi$le, gi)en materials at hand,
and "a''ed ith a large ooden mantle. -t ill ha)e a ide mouth and a ell:designed
"himney to dra smoke u' and out of the room. -n "older "limates, ela$orate fire'la"es
are sometimes "onstru"ted ith their on air:inlet du"ts "onne"ting to the outside of the
$urro, alloing the house "an $e snugly sealed ithout suffo"ating the fire, hile other
du"ts "hannel the heated air aay. Con)ersely, in )ery arm lo"ales halflings enAoy
gathering around "ommunal outdoor fires for an e)eningIs "on)ersation and felloshi'::
yet e)en so, ea"h indi)idual $urro ill alays ha)e its on homefire as ell.
-t is not un"ommon in a halfling $urro for a single fire to last for years, e)en
de"ades or generations, ithout a se"ond kindling. E)en in )ery arm "limes here it is
alloed to die don to "oals during the daylight hours, the em$ers are "oa?ed $a"k to life
at nightfall. #ell:seasoned hardoods are a fa)orite fuel, $ut here)er they li)e,
halflings ill Gui"kly learn the $est fuels for 'rodu"ing a arm, steady heat. %alflings are
ade't at using different lo"al fireoods Bhi"kory, mesGuite, a''leood, et".C to Fseeten
the airF or season the food they "ook.
A halfling fire'la"e usually has se)eral ra"ks $eside it, so that a )ariety of
"auldrons and kettles "an $e sung o)er the "oals. -n this ay dinners are "ooked, milk
"urdled into "heese, and "lay 'ottery fired $y the steady heat. 8ften a large o)en nestles
in one "orner of the "oal $ed, for use in $aking the $read that forms the "enter'ie"e of the
halfling diet.
# la&y man sits in his old chair all day en5oying the sunshine, while an
industrious man labors to earn the money to buy a fine new chair he may sit in someday.
I ask you, who is the fool;
:: %airfoot Philoso'hy
%alflings ha)e $een "alled "onnoisseurs of "omfort, and the interior of a $urro
ill $e furnished as "o>ily as the inha$itantBsC "an afford. *he floor ill $oast se)eral
rugs, mats, or "ar'ets. E)ery halfling, hoe)er 'oor, has a ta$le and a fe stools, and at
least one ell:'added "omfy "hair. *he $ed ill $e small $ut snug, its mattress filled ith
"lean stra or sometimes don, ith se)eral soft 'illos.
*he mantle'ie"e ill feature a )ariety of de"orations::most 'ra"ti"al, like dishes
and "andlesti"ks, a fe ornamental or e?oti". *he latter ill often $e among their onerIs
'ri>ed 'ossessions, e)en if he or she hasnIt a "lue as to hat the things are, 'ro)ided they
look interesting enough. Paintings and statuary are rare, as halflings generally 'refer their
treasures to $e useful as ell as 'retty to look at.
*he (amily
7(edderee, when your mother was a little girl she had those same curls dangling
by her cheeks--she was my first granddaughter, you know, and I couldn)t have been
prouder8 #nd you, /alkin--your dad was my second nephew on my brother Theadric)s
side. He had Theadric)s stubborn 5aw, and--if you don)t mind me saying so--I see that
same firm set of the chin in you87
A single $urro ill $e o""u'ied $y mem$ers of one family. De'ending on the
si>e of $oth $urro and family, the delling "ould ha)e as many as tenty:fi)e residents
or as fe as one. A 'o'ulous $urro ill ha)e a 'atriar"h or matriar"h Bo""asionally
$othC ho 'resides o)er the $rood ith genial authority. (our generations of a family
li)ing in a $urro is not at all un"ommon, although sometimes a Aust:married "ou'le ill
de"ide they ant a $urro of their on. 8""asionally an older halfling ill de"ide that he
or she ould like a 'ri)ate $urro, $ut su"h indi)iduals are )ieed as e""entri"s $y their
families and neigh$ors::it is hard for most of these gregarious folk to imagine anyone
wanting to $e alone.
%alflings res'e"t e?'erien"e and isdom and defer to their elders out of affe"tion
and trust. Aside from the )enera$le head of a family, adult halflings of different
generations Be)en 'arents and "hildrenC )ie ea"h other as eGuals. 8nly the youngest
halflings, not yet adults, are su$Ae"t to rules and restraints im'osed $y authorityJ all
gron halflings li)ing in the $urro ill $e there $e"ause they ant to $e.
Parenting duties are shared $y all the adult mem$ers of the familyJ fathers,
mothers, aunts, un"les, grand'arents, and older si$lings all share in the u'$ringing of
youngsters. -t is a rare halfling ho gros u' as the only "hild in a householdJ it is more
"ommon to $e one of a num$er of $rothers and sisters and "ousins ho 'lay and e?'lore
together.
*hough family $onds are felt armly, they are not a "ause of e?"lusi)ity. (euds
$eteen "lans are rare, sin"e most dis'utes are $lamed on the dis'uters themsel)es, not
their families. (or e?am'le, a halfling ho gets into a fight Ba rare, $ut not unheard of,
o""urren"eC is likely to $e "riti"i>ed soundly $y his or her on family for his or her la"k
of self:"ontrol::thereIs no FLetIs go and hu' them guys hat $eat on my $rudderKF
mentality.
Although disagreements are naturally ine)ita$le in these "roded li)ing
"onditions, halflings rarely engage in outright $i"kering or argument. (or one thing, the
'resen"e of to 'eo'le arguing in a $urro se)eral do>en 'eo'le "all home is "onsidered
a maAor intrusion into the 'ri)a"y of the others and hen"e a se)ere $rea"h of etiGuette $y
those engaged in the fra"as.
9any of the traditional "auses of su"h fights among humans are remo)ed $y the
halflingIs "ommunal outlook on life. &u''er is 're'ared $y e)eryone ho has a free hand,
and those ho didnIt "ook ill 'it"h in the "leaning u' or hel' entertain the youngsters
after the meal. 8nly hen all the "hores are done is an indi)idual mem$er free to go
a$out his or her on $usiness. !e"ause of their ready:to:hel' nature, tasks like "ooking
and "leaning u' donIt take )ery long, so this still lea)es family mem$ers ith 'lenty of
time to get their feet u' and their eyelids don.
-n "ases of dee'er dis'utes, su"h as a "ou'leIs disagreement on hether to mo)e
out and find a 'la"e of their on, the dis"ussion ill generally $e aged Guietly, o)er a
'eriod of months or e)en years. 8ne mem$er might make a friendly remark, after a
"roded dinner around a small ta$le, ho 'leasant it ould $e to ha)e enough room to
stret"h out his el$os at the ta$le. A eek later his s'ouse might re'ly, in an eGually
'leasant tone, ho ni"e it is that there as su"h an interesting "on)ersationQFso many
'oints of )ieF::around that same ta$le on a different e)ening. Naturally, it takes a long
time to resol)e an issue like this::$ut hen itIs resol)ed, the de"ision is far more likely to
ha)e $een mutually arri)ed at than it ould ha)e $een among a human "ou'le.
,roing 5'
8ffs'ring are a sour"e of great 'ride and Aoy to their 'arents. %alflings enter the
orld as hel'less as human infants, reGuiring similar "are for the early 'art of their li)es.
(or the first ten years, a halflingIs relati)e groth 'retty ell 'arallels a humanIs::
i.e., a ten year old human and halfling ill look mu"h the same age, although not in si>e,
and ill ha)e a$out the same le)el of maturity. Children of $oth se?es and many different
ages "ommonly 'lay together, folloing rules "reated $y the older youths that still allo
the youngest a measure of freedom and de"ision:making in the game.
-t is during these formati)e years that young halflings 'ra"ti"e those traits that
ill form some of their $asi" skills hen they gro u'. %ide and &eek is a fa)orite game
among halflings and is almost alays 'layed out of doors. *hus the youngsters $e"ome
ade't at "on"ealing themsel)es in all sorts of natural "o)er::in 'at"hes of $rush, $ehind
tree:trunks, and e)en amid $eds of floers. Eoung halfling Gui"kly de)elo' the "alm
'atien"e that allos them to remain still for long 'eriods of time, sin"e they learn o)er
and o)er that it is the one ho mo)es that is seen first.
Another fa)orite game is "alled Kno"k the !lo"k, in hi"h a small o$Ae"t su"h as
a $lo"k of ood, or 'erha's a tin 'ot or iron kettle, is 'la"ed some distan"e aay, and the
young halflings take turns throing things at it, re"ording 'oints for hits. *he game is
sometimes 'layed ith slings and stones Bamong older youthsC. (or s'e"ial tournaments
and im'ortant mat"hes, "lay targets are used, ith the inner determined $y hoe)erIs
shot strikes hard enough to shatter the o$Ae"t. *his "ommon game is 'resuma$ly one
reason hy so many halflings gro u' to $e so ade't ith missile ea'ons.
(rom the age of ele)en or so on to adulthood, halfling de)elo'ment slos in
"om'arison ith the !ig (olk. A halflingIs adoles"en"e lasts for a$out a de"ade and a half
Bmore in the "ase of the longer:li)ed su$ra"esC. %oe)er, the 'eriod is "hara"teri>ed $y a
lot less angst than is ty'i"ally felt $y a human::'erha's $e"ause of the arm, su''orti)e,
non"om'eting en)ironment 'ro)ided $y family, $urro, and "ommunity.
%alfling artisans and "raftsmen do not follo a formal a''renti"eshi' 'rogram::
indeed, adoles"ents are en"ouraged to e?'eriment ith a ide )ariety of 'ursuits. *he
"heesemaker, for e?am'le, ill $e hel'ed $y )irtually e)ery )illage youth o)er the "ourse
of se)eral years. *hose ho find that they enAoy the ork ill s'end more and more time
ith the Pmaster,I until $y adulthood the youth has learned e)erything the "heesemaker
"an tea"h a$out the trade.
Another reason, 'erha's, for the rela?ed adoles"en"e of the ty'i"al halfling is that
male:female friendshi's are as "ommon as friendshi's $eteen mem$ers of the same se?,
often lasting from "hildhood through adulthood. 9any of these lifelong friendshi's
"ulminate in marriage.
&ustenan"e, and 9ore
In another moment the old matriarch)s eyes flashed open, and she grinned at the
eager faces around the hearth.
73hat else, ,randmother;7 in0uired 6epli. 7How did Yondalla keep <ittleman
home in his burrow;7
7!he kept him there with the other things he loved . . . with bread hot from the
oven, and fresh butter and cheese. 3ith the tangy scent of meat cooked 5ust right, and
good drink to nourish the meal along--wines sweet and dry, and cold milk, and even
colder beer. !he made stout and mead for him, to help the fires of his hearth keep him
warm.7
%alflings enAoy eating and drinking in 'lentiful Guantities::indeed, des'ite the
differen"e in si>e, the ty'i"al halfling ill eat as mu"h if not more than a human ti"e his
or her si>eJ this is $e"ause halflings ha)e a )ery high meta$olism. 9ost halflings eat three
large meals a day, inters'ersed ith three si>a$le sna"ks: $reakfast, $run"h, lun"h,
teatime, su''er, and $edtime sna"k. Although they enAoy an o""asional meal of meat,
es'e"ially 'oultry or ildfol Broast 'heasant is "onsidered a great deli"a"yC, the short
folk rely e?tensi)ely on $read, fruit, and "heese.
%alfling $akers are famed for their a$ilities ith dough, making all ty'es of seet
or salty, light or hea)y $reads. Cheesemaking is another skill in hi"h many halflings are
'rofi"ient, and here, too, )ariety is a 'rime hallmark::ea"h indi)idual "heesemaker ill
ty'i"ally s'e"iali>e in one kind of "heese, no to of hi"h ill $e alike, alloing a
halfling "ommunity to offer a )ariety of shar' and mild, hard and soft "heeses.
%alflings are $orn gardeners, far e?"eeding any other ra"e in their kna"k for
groing foodstuffs. Any halfling ith a""ess to a 'lot of ground ill usually maintain a
garden, herein he or she ill "arefully nurture fruits and )egeta$les of all ty'es
a''ro'riate to the "limate. E)en in a small garden, a halfling ill generally 'lant at many
different times during the s'ring, assuring a "ontinuing har)est from early summer
through late autumn. %alflings do not fa)or a lot of s'i"e in their foods, hoe)er, so fe
raise 'e''ers or other strongly:fla)ored "ro's unless a near$y ready market for them
e?ists. 8nions are a nota$le e?"e'tion::many halflings lo)e them and ha)e e)en $een
knon to mun"h them ra, mu"h as a human might eat an a''le.
%alfling $reers are ell:knon and their 'rodu"ts 'o'ular ith humans as ell
as other halflings. As ith "heesemaking, a $reer ill s'e"iali>e in a single $e)erage.
*hese "an )ary from hea)y stout Bhalflings often Aokingly hand a first:time human
drinker a knife and fork ith the glassC to light and "reamy ales. (ruit ines are also
'o'ular, ith halfling )intners s'e"iali>ing in using hate)er fruit is near to hand.
-t should $e noted that, though halflings fa)or many sorts of ines and ales, they
rarely get drunk, due no dou$t to their high meta$olism. Rather, the al"ohol tends to
make them 'leasantly drosy, and a grou' of halflings that share a $ottle of 'otent stuff
ill ty'i"ally $e"ome Guite rela?ed, Guiet, and "ontented as the e)ening ears on.
*he 7illage
*he key to the )illage is the halflingIs desire for the ma?imum of "omfort ith the
minimum of effort. *hese 'ragmati" folk long ago learned that, though one halfling might
learn to gro and "ook and se and $uild and so forth, s'e"iali>ation in these tasks
"reates a mu"h higher le)el of Guality all around. *hus, e see the "oo'erati)e roots of
the halflingIs 'i"ture of "ommunity.
-ndeed, this "oo'eration e?tends to all as'e"ts of life. *he $readmaker ill gi)e
his or her loa)es to the other )illagers, as ill the "heesemaker ith his or her "heese and
the $reer ith his or her $e)erage. Perha's the $akerIs family gets the $est loaf from a
'arti"ular $at"h, $ut e)eryone gets a fair share.
!urro e?"a)ation and house:$uilding o'erates under the same 'attern::the most
e?'erien"ed $uilder in the ton ill su'er)ise a legion of orkers, so that the initial
'ortions of the task "an $e a""om'lished in a fe days. As to the furnishing of the
$urro, the o""u'ants see to that themsel)es.
*hough halflings mingle ell ith human so"iety, this does not mean they ha)e
de'arted from the "on"e't of the )illage::rather, it is an indi"ation of their $road )ision,
for nohere is it ritten that the )illagers must $e fello halflings. A halfling ho dells
in a "ity ill treat his or her neigh$ors as fello )illagers::this is hat makes halflings
su"h good neigh$ors. *hey are Gui"k to re"ogni>e hen their generosity is not
re"i'ro"ated, hoe)er, and thus ill soon narro their "ir"le of P)illagersI to those ho
feel a similar sense of "oo'eration and friendshi'.
Crafts, La$or, and Produ"ts
%alflings are ade't at utili>ing lo"al resour"es in their la$ors. Although only the
&touts are )ery effe"ti)e at mining, all su$ra"es ill $e intimately familiar ith the
surfa"e features of their surroundings. -f they li)e in an area ith a lot of trees, "ar)ers
ill kno e)erything a$out ea"h )ariety of ood a)aila$le. -f the en)ironment is ro"ky,
e?'erien"ed stone:masons ill 'redominate. *he most dramati" e)iden"e, 'erha's, of this
ada'ta$ility is the fa"t that the (ur"hin ha)e de)elo'ed a high le)el of skill at orking the
ra materials in their nearly oodless and stoneless en)ironment: they make e)erything
from their homes to their tools, ea'ons and "lothing out of leather, $one, and i"e. *he
s'e"ifi" skills likely to $e found in a halfling "ommunity )ary $y su$ra"e Bsee Cha'ter .C.
*he Guality of halfling ork is )ery "onsistent. #hile rarely the eGual of the
greatest artisans in the orld::dar)es make $etter a?e$lades, el)es $etter ine::on the
a)erage it is $etter than the a)erage a)aila$le elsehere.
Areas here halfling "raftsmen truly e?"el in"lude many tasks in)ol)ing de?terity
and great detail. *he small folk make s'lendid Aeelers, engra)ers, lo"ksmiths,
ood"ar)ers::indeed, artists of all ty'es. *hey lo)e "olors, and on"e again the 'ro'ensity
for detail allos a halfling 'ainter to $ring a s"ene to $right and )i)id life. -f "lo"ks are
knon to a orld Be.g., if its te"hnology is suffi"iently ad)an"edC, then it is likely that the
finest "lo"kmakers ill $e halflings.
Also, $e"ause of their 'ro"li)ity for entertaining gossi' and nes of all kinds,
halflings make great storytellers. &ome of them ha)e a gift for musi", and halfling
musi"ians and storytellers are in great demand at any )illage feast or festi)al.
%alflings are ill:suited for Ao$s reGuiring si>e and strength, su"h as $la"ksmithing,
o"ean sailing, or "argo hauling. *hough a halfling )illage ill usually ha)e a smith ho
makes nails and horseshoes, his or her ork ill not $e u' to the le)el of most human
smiths and ill 'ro$a$ly $e for lo"al "onsum'tion onlyJ the same is true of halfling
teamsters.
*rade
7They cleaned me out8 3hat)s even more ama&ing, they made me feel like I was
having a good time while they did it8
7'ow, I)ve taken my wagon of goods into many a village before, and always I
came away with a little more than I took in. This trip I had it all= bright copper kettles,
some 5eweled necklaces and bracelets--trinkets, really--and an assortment of good
hammers and knives.
7I)d no sooner rolled into town than I smelled bread baking. I think that was the
start of it--I didn)t reali&e how hungry I was. The baker came out and gave me a piece--
free8 %est crust I ever tasted, too.
7Then there was the innkeeper, who brought me over a mug of sweet ale. 3hy,
before I knew it they were givin) me a bit of this and a taste of that, and I 5ust sort of
started doing the same thing back.
7Fact is, though, you can)t make it in this business if you trade a steel knife for a
glass of beer, or a copper kettle for a loaf of bread. 3hy, the liveryman took such good
care of my horses--they positively gleamed in the morning8--that I paid his bill with a
smile.
7,ave him one gold for each horse, I did. You know, I can)t even remember when
I)ve forked over that much to put myself up for the night87
:: ,rantan"rous Jute, %uman *inker and *radesman
!arter is a ay of life to the halfling::though in more "ases than not it is the
uns'oken, unre"orded $arter of )illage life. %oe)er, halflings also trade among
themsel)es on a more formal $asis and are skilled at intera"ting ith human su''liers and
"ustomers. *hey ha)e a keen eye for detail and are generally Gui"k to s'ot "ounterfeit or
lo:Guality goods, all the hile 'ro"laiming the good 'oints of hate)er they are
offering in return.
9ost trade $eteen halfling )illages, and $eteen halflings and other folk, is
"arried on $y 'rofessional halfling mer"hants "alled *raders Bsee Cha'ter 3: Chara"ter
KitsC. *hese halfling mer"hants trans'ort sur'lus goods from one )illage to trade for the
'rodu"ts of another. #hile halfling mer"hants ill "ertainly take gold and other "oinage
as 'ayment, they are also illing Bmore so than human or dar)en traders, "ertainlyC to
a""e't goods in return for goods. Pragmati" here as elsehere, hoe)er, *raders
generally donIt take goods unless they feel that they ill $e a$le to sell or $arter those
same goods at one of their ne?t fe sto's.
&in"e they enAoy the gi)e:and:take of a good $artering session, a ty'i"al halfling
mer"hant ill offer far less for the goods he or she desires than they are a"tually orth,
hile at the same time asking an e?or$itant 'ri"e for his or her on. *he small folk )ie
$artering as something of a game and sometimes forget ho mu"h $etter they are at it
than most of the !ig (olk. %oe)er, a halfling ho $elatedly dis"o)ers that he or she has
unittingly talked a human into $uying goods at "onsidera$ly more than their )alue ill
often sal)e his or her "ons"ien"e $y throing in a P$onusI on"e the deal is "losed to
"om'ensate the 'oor $argainer.
&o"iety Norms and *a$oos
7#s pleasant as his burrow was, <ittleman often felt there was something missing
as he sat alone by his hearth. It wasn)t long before he reali&ed that he was lonely, and it
wasn)t long after that till he knew he)d found the perfect person to cure his loneliness--
$elindy, the fairest maiden among all his neighbors, she of the plump, red cheeks,
bouncing curls, and smoothest downy fur on the tops of her feet. %ut, as luck would have
it, she was already being courted by another--stolid ,enrill, a farmer and herdsman of
good wealth and solid standing in the community.
7'aturally, ,enrill ob5ected to his newfound rival but--alas for him--$elindy)s
heart was swept away by the dashing <ittleman, with his tales of travel and adventure,
his ready laugh, and his warm smile.7
7%ut ,randmother--did ,enrill not fight for his love; *idn)t he bash <ittleman
over the head . . . or something;7 wondered 6epli.
7(osh, child--you talk like a human8 "f course he didn)t. $elindy made known
her choice, and she became <ittleman)s bride. ,enrill himself provided the roast beast
for the wedding feast87
*hough they ha)e no la"k of "ourage, halflings shun )iolent or aggressi)e
$eha)ior in so"ial settings. *hey are slo to anger and alays ready to seek a negotiated
solution to any dis'ute.
A halfling feels no sense of shame if he or she "hooses to lea)e the 'resen"e of
some o$no?ious $ully rather than getting in)ol)ed in a fight::e)en a fight the halfling
thinks he or she "an in. (ortunately, $e"ause of their "ommunal )illage u'$ringing, fe
halflings are this rude, and su"h situations mainly arise hen the halfling mi?es "om'any
ith humans, dar)es, or go$linoids.
Personal insults deli)ered to a fello )illager are "onsidered lo "lass, refle"ting
more 'oorly on the one ho makes the insult than the target. Politeness is mu"h admired,
and one ho shos toleran"e to a neigh$or ho has ronged him is "onsidered to $e the
e'itome of a "lass a"t.
Parties among halflings are "ommon and ill $e gi)en for a )ariety of reasons.
!irthdays are alays "ause for "ele$ration, and ith so many family mem$ers li)ing
together itIs rare for a month to go $y ithout se)eral $irthdays in it. Ea"h "ommunity
ill also ha)e many annual holidays. *hese )ary $y "ulture::there are no su"h holidays
o$ser)ed $y halflings e)eryhere. 8ften the &mall (olk ill "ele$rate hate)er festi)als
are 'o'ular among their human and demihuman neigh$ors, soon gi)ing these
o$ser)an"es a "hara"ter all their on.
*he hosts of a 'arty are e?'e"ted to 'ro)ide food and drink::$ut mu"h of this ill
$e "ontri$uted $y neigh$ors 'rior to the e)ent. *hus, none of the guests sho u' ith
anything to "ontri$ute, $ut theyI)e all 'ro)ided a $ottle, a edge of "heese, loaf of $read,
or the like $eforehand. -ndeed, this is one ay halflings get in)ited to 'arties::if you find
out that your neigh$or is "ele$rating his $irthday, for e?am'le, take o)er a small Aug of
ale in the morning and he "an hardly turn you aay hen the festi)ities "ommen"e in the
afternoonK
*here is little sense of so"ial status among the halflings in a )illage, aside from
the amused toleran"e shon $y adults to "hildren and the general res'e"t for the elderly.
#ealthy halflings are e?'e"ted to thro $igger 'arties and to generally sho generosity
to those less fortunate::yet they are not a""orded any Iu''er "lassI standing $e"ause of
this. *he )illagers may ell ele"t a sheriff, mayor, or "onsta$le and gi)e this indi)idual
nominal authority to arrest trou$lemakers. Ram$un"tious $eha)ior is rare among
halflings themsel)es, hoe)er, so the sheriffIs main "on"ern ill $e to "ontrol the
$eha)ior of humans, dar)es, and other 'ossi$le trou$lemakers ho "ome through the
"ommunity.
Joy and %umor
%alflings are a folk ho "an deri)e 'leasure from many sim'le things and are not
afraid to sho it::a halfling ho is ha''y laughsJ one ho feels affe"tion or lo)e ill
e?'ress himself or herself ith ords or deeds.
*he small folk lo)e to tell and hear stories and ill generally $e attenti)e and
silent hen anyone s'ins a tale. Not sur'risingly, they es'e"ially lo)e stories in hi"h the
small and "le)er trium'h o)er those ho are 'hysi"ally larger and stronger $ut "lumsier
and less Gui"k:itted.
%alflings also ha)e a frank a''re"iation for $ady humor and 'ra"ti"al Aokes.
*hey ha)e the a$ility to laugh at themsel)es, though one 'rank often leads to another in
retaliation, and so on. &u"h good:natured e?"hanges ha)e $een knon to "ontinue,
re"i'ro"ated $a"k and forth, for de"ade after de"ade.
&orro and Anger
7There came a time of troubles to the ,reen Fields. In the first year, bitter winds
blasted from the highlands, drying out the fields and leaving no grain and no fruit to
harvest in the fall.
7%ut <ittleman turned to his bride, $elindy, and he said?)we)ve still got our
sheep, and our pony, and our plow. 3e)ll have a good crop ne1t year8) #nd she smiled at
him, and they waited.
7Then, when spring came, it brought the rains in a flood, and with them came a
sickness of flies across the land. They bit the animals, and the sheep and the ponies all
got the evil sickness. They wasted away and died, even before the crop got in the ground.
7!o <ittleman turned to $elindy and he said?)be happy, my wife. 3e still have
our stream, and our flowers.) #nd again she smiled at him, and they waited for the flies to
go.
73hich they did, but only when the frosts came to free&e everything across the
land. The stream dried away, caught in the highlands in a grip of ice, and all the flowers
and even the grass withered away and died.
7This time <ittleman turned to his wife and he soothed her fears= )*on)t worry, my
dear--we have our hearth, and our burrow to shelter us.)
7%ut ne1t came the storms, with such wind, such power, that the very roof was
torn from the burrow, and the stones of the hearth fell down into a great pile, nearly
crushing the two of them before they could flee from the broken wreckage of their home.
#t last they stood outside, shivering and desolate, with no food, no animals, and not even
a shelter over their heads.7
7Then what, ,randmother;7 asked 6epli, wide-eyed and sorrowful. 7Then did
<ittleman know sorrow and grief;7
7You might think so, !prout--but you)d be wrong. For even then, with all of his life
in ruins around him, he turned to $elindy, and he said= )%e happy, my love--all we have
lost we shall regain, in years to come. #nd for now, we still have each other.)
*he small folk kno the same griefs as humankind::death and illness, 'artings,
natural disasters, and other tragedies. *hough they, as a 'eo'le, are dee'ly affe"ted $y
su"h misfortune, halflings tend not to dis'lay their grief as o'enly as do humans. %alfling
)illagers ho ha)e Aust lost se)eral neigh$ors and friends to marauding $andits ill
shuffle around as if they are in sho"k::there ill $e fe tears, little ailing or "rying.
E)en more sur'rising, there ill $e fe e?'ressions of outright anger or hostility.
Re)enge is not a great dri)e to most halflings, though o""asionally a rong ill $e
Audged so heinous, so unforgi)a$le, that retri$ution is reGuired Bdeli$erate murder is a
'rime e?am'leC. Loss of 'ossessions, hoe)er::hether due to a""ident or the mali"ious
a"ts of others::tends to $e greeted ith a more rela?ed attitude of Ieasy "ome, easy go.I
-n their day:to:day li)es, halflings are remarka$ly im'er)ious to frustration and
de'ression. 9em$ers of the small folk sho a remarka$le a$ility to ada't to the
"ir"umstan"es of their surroundings. -f the "ro's fail and food is short, they deri)e that
mu"h more 'leasure from the meager fare that they eat. -f the roof "a)es in and the family
has no 'la"e to slee', they ill remark ho fortunate they ere that no one as seriously
hurt::and theyIll mean itK
Riddles
7*id you ever try to get a straight answer out o) one of the little maggots; I know
I have, and I ain)t succeeded yet8 3hy, they)ll answer a 0uestion with another 0uestion
sure as the sun goes down at night8 $ost irritatin) thing I ever done was ask a halfling
for directions8
7)3here can I find the mayor;) I said, straightforward-like.
7)3hich mayor is that;) says the little runt.
7)The mayor o) this town, o) course,) I told the dummy, nice as you please.
7)3hy, do you want to see her;))says the dang fool.
7)/ourse I do8) I said, trying to resist the urge to wring his scrawny neck. )3hy
else would I be askin);)
7)*on)t you know;) he has the gall to ask me8
7I tell you friend, if the mayor hadn)t come walkin) down the street that very
moment, I think that scene might have ended in bloodshed87
:: Dar)en ayfarer, des"ri$ing his unitting 'arti"i'ation in the ;uestion
,ame.
A fa)orite form of "ontest among halflings of all su$ra"es is the e?"hange of
riddles. *hese "an )ary from sim'le Guestions and ansers to "om'le? 'u>>les in)ol)ing
"lues )ague and o$tuse. -tIs not un"ommon for a halfling to s'end an hour or more
'ondering su"h a 'ro$lem in silen"e 'un"tuated only $y his or her freGuent admonitions:
FdonIt tell me the anserKF
E)en more $affling to nonhalflings is the ;uestion ,ame, a "ontest in hi"h ea"h
'arti"i'ant must anser a Guestion ith another Guestion. Ea"h res'onse must $e a
"om'lete senten"e, rele)ant to the one that 're"eded it, and deli)ered ithin ten se"onds,
or the 'layer loses a 'oint. E?'erien"ed 'layers "an "ontinue the game for hoursJ one
legendary $rother:and:sister team are rumored to ha)e "arried a game on e)ery time they
met for the last tenty years of their li)es. &ome halfling enthusiasts of the game ill
treat e)ery Guestion addressed to them as an in)itation to 'lay, ith sometimes regretta$le
results
7illages and &hires
%alfling settlements for the most 'art tend to remain small::they ill li)e in
tons and shires s"attered throughout a human em'ire, for e?am'le, or they might
o""u'y se)eral small )illages in a forest ruled $y an el)en king. -n a fe "ases, halfling
holdings ha)e e?'anded to the si>e of a kingdom::$oth the (orgotten Realms and Krynn
$oast nations 'o'ulated and ruled entirely $y halflings. !ut e)en here, they ha)e la$ored
to maintain 'ea"ea$le relations ith the realms that share their $orders.
#arfare
*hough they a$hor ar, halflings ne)ertheless ha)e 'ro)en to $e tena"ious
fighters in defense of their homes or in the ser)i"e of an allian"e. *he folloing letter,
ritten $y ,eneral Krastarian of Keltar u'on the e)ent of his defeat at the hands of an
outnum$ered halfling militia, 'erha's $est des"ri$es their ta"ti"s:
The little devils stayed out of the open country--undoubtably they knew that our
horsemen would have trampled them like rabbits8 They gave us their towns and farms in
the plain, while they fell back to the accursed wood. #nd there I, the con0ueror, would
follow with my footmen--though in truth I knew there to be ten of them to every one of my
own men.
$y companies vanished in the tangle, breaking ranks and thrashing blindly
ahead. #nd then, across the length of the front, came a murderous shower--a thousand
deadly arrows piercing the flesh of my men, while the vermin archers remained invisible.
I swear, Your $a5esty, they swarmed through the brush like mos0uitoes8
Thousands of them, on all sides8 verywhere we turned, little figures skulked--arrows
flew with uncanny accuracy, piercing eyes and necks, dropping even armored men in
their tracks8 3e charged and they scattered, vanishing into the thicket as if they had
never been--only the bodies of my men told otherwise.
#t last I determined to fire the wood--the wind favored our advance--and gave
orders to do so. The bla&es took hold with great effect, but again that hellish place
betrayed the logic of war. The brush e1ploded like tinder, and the bla&e swept not only
with the wind--but back into our faces8
$any fine men perished in that inferno--a bla&e I believe to have been
sorcerously altered by the enemy. $inutes after my own very narrow escape, my scouts
reported the bulk of the enemy force slipping from the brush while we fled the bla&e.
I re0uest, 1cellency, that we return to <urien with sufficient forces to deal with
this pestilent threat--perhaps two legions, and a full column of horse. I reali&e that this
will stretch the defense of your borders in a tenuous manner, but I believe there to be no
other way for the forces of 6eltar to prevail against this pervasive foe.
-t makes an interesting histori"al footnote to add that the general "ommanded
some eighteen hundred men, in"luding "om'anies of elite guards, long$omen, and light
lan"ers. Ne)er did the halfling for"e o''osing him num$er e)en a thousandK %e as
su$seGuently remo)ed from "ommand through the sim'le e?'edient of remo)ing his head
from his shouldersJ the halflings of Lurien ere left alone for many de"ades to follo.
*hough this is an heroi" in"ident in the annals of halfling military history Band
admittedly, a more 'atient and imaginati)e "ommander may ell ha)e found the human
for"e suffi"ient for the "onGuestC, it is illustrati)e of the ta"ti"al finesse and "ourage
dis'layed $y the small folk hen they are moti)ated for $attle.
Another feature has also "ontri$uted to the halflingsI fine re'utation as allies: the
small folk traditionally ha)e demonstrated a illingness to honor the terms of a
longstanding allian"e. *hey ill 'ro)ide the troo's they 'romised, hen and here they
are reGuired::and those troo's dis'lay almost as mu"h determination in su''orting an
allian"e as they ould in defense of their on $urros. %oe)er, they must ha)e some
strong moti)ation $efore resorting to )iolen"e to sol)e a dis'ute. Almost alays this
moti)ation is defensi)e in nature::either the halflings or their friends are atta"ked $y
some aggressor. 8""asionally the small folk might 'arti"i'ate in an offensi)e "am'aign,
$ut only hen it is a 'reem'tory strike against a foe ho has already "ommitted enough
$loody a"ts to arrant retri$ution and is "urrently gathering for"es for an atta"k on the
halflings or their allies.
%oe)er, hen the need is "lear, halflings are s'eedy and resolute to anser the
"all to arms. -ndeed, this trait is one that makes halflingDhuman treaties attra"ti)e to the
rulers of the latter. Also, the deadly a""ura"y of halfling $omen and slingers is knon to
all ho ha)e fa"ed them::and fe of those desire to do so againK
*a"ti"s
As already noted, halflings 'refer to a)oid ar if at all 'ossi$le. A "ommunity of
the small folk ill $e illing to negotiate e?tensi)ely, and e)en yield to a "ertain amount
of e?tortion, in order to a)oid $loodshed.
%oe)er, hen 'ressed to the 'oint of no return, halfling troo's make determined
fighters ith a num$er of effe"ti)e ta"ti"s at their "ommand. -n most "ases, only a$out
half the adults ill fight, the remainder remaining $ehind to 'rote"t the elderly and
"hildren. -n "ases of dire need::here the )ery sur)i)al of the "ommunity is at stake::
e)ery a$le:$odied adult may ell $e drafted into the "ause.
%alflings ha)e a re'utation for $eing easy:going and somehat la>y, $ut this does
not mean they "annot fight effe"ti)ely if they need to::the legends of the !ad 8ld Days
remind e)ery halfling of hat life as like $efore they had )illages and lands of their
on, and they ill fight ith sur'rising tena"ity, e)en fero"ity, to kee' from sli''ing
$a"k into that fugiti)e e?isten"e. *hus ea"h halfling has something that "an $e used as a
ea'on in his or her $urro, no matter ho 'ea"eful the area. -f the )illage has had to
fight in the re"ent 'ast, then ea"h resident might ha)e a short sord and shield as ell as
a $o and arros or a sling and $ullets. E)en if $attle is rare or )irtually none?istant,
)illagers ill $e a$le to arm themsel)es ith a missile ea'on a'ie"e B$o, sling, or
'erha's dartsC and at least a long knife or s'ear for melee "om$at::a fa"t in)aders
e?'e"ting to find them easy 'rey ha)e dis"o)ered time and again, to their sur'rise and
regret.
%alfling "om'anies are almost alays irregular::i.e., they donIt fight in neat ranks
and lines. *hey ill $e Guite "a'a$le of firing )olleys of missile fire u'on "ommand, and
they ill ad)an"e and ithdra on the orders of their "a'tains::$ut they ould ha)e a
hard time fa"ing, for e?am'le, a tight rank of armored human infantry or or"ish sords.
-nstead, the halflings fa)or $attles in ooded or otherise o$stru"ted terrain.
*heir s"attered formation is ideal for ea"h fighter finding his or her on sour"e of "o)er,
though they are far more ade't than humans at holding their "om'anyIs unity e)en in
thi"kets here )isi$ility and mo$ility are se)erely limited. *he fa$led a$ility of halflings
to )irtually disa''ear in under$rush is ne)er more useful than at moments like this.
A fa)ored ta"ti" of a halfling for"e, hen fighting in this ty'e of "on"ealing
terrain, is to "reate a loud di)ersion. A fe )eteran arriors ill thrash through the $rush,
firing many arros, gi)ing the im'ression that they num$er s"ores of times more than
they a"tually do. *hen, if the o''onentIs for"e turns to fa"e this imaginary onslaught, the
real halfling "om'any s"reened $y the oods atta"ks the enemyIs flank.
-f a halfling for"e is atta"ked in unfa)ora$le Bi.e., o'enC terrain $y a for"e of large
"reatures, the small folk might try to stand off the atta"k if they feel they ha)e a "han"e of
su""ess. -f they are atta"ked $y horsemen or are out:num$ered $y ell:armored infantry,
hoe)er, the entire formation ill usually s"atter, Aoining u' again at a 'la"e offering
more "on"ealment and 'rote"tion.
%alflings rarely fight mounted, though *allfellos are a nota$le e?"e'tion,
o""asionally riding into $attle on small 'onies or, )ery rarely, $easts su"h as dire ol)es.
#hen halflings fight as mem$ers of an allian"e, they are often used as missile troo's.
#ell:s"reened $ehind formations of human or dar)en foot:soldiers, halfling ar"hers and
slingers "an shoer the enemy ith a deadly rain of arros and $ullets.
Another "ommon s'e"ialty of halfling troo's is tunneling and underground
o'erations. *hey are not 'arti"ularly ade't at digging su"h 'assages::that task is $etter
left to dar)es::$ut halfling troo's "an negotiate mu"h smaller 'assages than "an most of
their allies. *hus, if "om$at is e?'e"ted in "lose Guarters or $eneath a lo "eiling, halfling
troo's are often sele"ted to lead the ay.
9agi"
7I could tell that they feared me when I came into their village and demanded a
place to sleep for the night. ,ave me a nice room, they did, too.
7%ut when I woke up, everything I had in my pockets, my pouches--even my wand
and the rings from my fingers--all were gone8 "nly my spellbook was left--though how
they knew about the runes I)d put on it to fry anyone who touched it besides me I)ll never
know.
7I spent the whole morning negotiating for most of my e0uipment back. Then,
when I would have turned to whole nest of them into an anthill, something made me think
the better of it. # couple of them might have stuck me with arrows before I could finish
the spell--not a pleasant prospect.
7!o I left, and brother, let me tell you it)ll be a long time before I sub5ect myself to
halfling hospitality again87
::Par>emon the 9ighty, #i>ard of *hay
&or"ery is one area of 'oer here halfling skills are la"king. *heir inherent
resistan"e to magi" 'rote"ts them against many of the 'oer:"ra>ed s'ell"asters in the
orld, $ut it also 're)ents them from mastering those for"es for themsel)es: no halfling
has learned mu"h a$out the ielding of ar"ane 'oer Balthough "omi" tales a$out
$um$ling $ut ell:intentioned halfling a''renti"es are 'o'ular in many 'la"esC. 5nlike
many humans and dar)es, they do not regard magi" as 'arti"ularly threateningJ trust in
their innate resistan"e ena$les halflings to e?tend to s'ell"asters the ty'i"ally friendly
greeting they gi)e to all strangers::a fa"t hi"h no dou$t e?'lains the fondness some
i>ards ha)e for the ra"e.
#hy 9ost %alflings Are %ome$odies
Almost all halflings suffer to some degree from feelings hi"h resem$les the
"ondition humans "all agora'ho$ia::a fear of unknon or o'en 'la"es. -tIs not that
halflings are literally afraid, merely that they $e"ome )ery un"omforta$le hene)er
theyIre too far aay from their )illages and $urros or in unfamiliar 'la"es. #hether this
is one of EondallaIs Igifts,I designed to kee' them "lose to home and hearth, or a holdo)er
from the !ad 8ld Days hen enemies lurked $ehind e)ery tree and $ush, none "an say.
!ut it has $een o$ser)ed that the sym'toms in"rease ith age::halfling "hildren freely
range far and ide, hile the )ery old rarely ste' outside their $urros. Not that the
halflings see this as a $ad thing: to them, itIs sim'ly the ay things are and ought to $e::
youth is the time to gada$out, age the time for rest and refle"tion.
#hy &ome %alflings Pursue Ad)enture
-f his or her $urro and its attendant "om'any and "omforts are the most
im'ortant features of a halflingIs life, hy then ould any halfling lea)e this 'erfe"tion
for a life of short rations, "rude lodging, e?'osure to $ad eather, danger, and 'ossi$le
)iolen"eH
*hatIs the Guestion asked $y most of the rest of a )illage hen a young halfling
'a"ks his or her tote $ag and a)es good$ye to his or her 'arents. %is or her neigh$ors
ill often gather to see the ould:$e ad)enturer off, at"hing the already small form
gro smaller in the distan"e, knoing thereIs a good "han"e that theyIll ne)er see their
friend again.
*here are nearly as many ansers to this Guestion as there are halflings ho ha)e
alked don that road. &ome do so relu"tantly, out of a sense of duty. 8thers find the
tem'tations of e?"itement, ad)enture, and treasure too great to ignore. 8ne thing almost
all of them share in "ommon, hoe)er, is that they la"k the "hara"teristi" halfling dread
of faraay 'la"es.
(or reasons hi"h on"e again are unknon halflings "all it Ithe lega"y of
LittlemanI::a fe rare halflings are $orn entirely free of the "ondition hi"h kee's their
fellos tied to their homes. -nstead, they are filled ith an endless "uriosity to see ne
'la"es, ne 'eo'le, and ne things. 5sually this anderlust fades later in life and the
homing instin"t reasserts itself, $ut a fe halflings remain anderers for the rest of their
days Bsee the *ra)eler kit in the ne?t "ha'terC. *hese restless indi)iduals are "onsidered
Ie""entri"I $y their fello halflings, $ut their e?'loits are often admired Aust the same.
&ome e?am'les of the s'e"ifi" "allings of halflings ho lea)e their )illages
$ehind are dis"ussed in the ne?t "ha'ter.
Cha'ter 3: %alfling Chara"ter Kits
Des'ite the fa"t that halflings are defined $y their su$ra"e and their "hara"ter
"lass, many 'layers enAoy a little more distin"tion in their PCs. *he halfling kits 'resent a
)ariety of different frameorks for 'laying a "hara"ter of the small folk, ea"h ith its
on strengths and eaknesses::$ut more im'ortantly, ea"h ith a s'e"ifi" ni"he in his or
her so"iety.
Kits are o'tional::no halfling must follo one. *hey "an $e in"or'orated into
"hara"ters already e?isting in a "am'aign, as long as the PCIs $a"kground is "onsistent
ith the "hara"ter ty'e of the kit. %oe)er, a "hara"ter ho is assigned one kit "an ne)er
e?"hange that kit for another.
*he kits in this "ha'ter are designed for halfling "hara"ters and should not $e
em'loyed ith PCs of other ra"es. -t should $e noted that halflings "an use many of the
kits introdu"ed in other rule$ooks, in"luding the /omplete Fighter)s Handbook, the
/omplete Thief)s Handbook, the /omplete (riest)s Handbook, the /omplete (sionics
Handbook, and The /omplete !pacefarer)s Handbook. -ndeed, one kit usa$le only $y
halflings, the #histler, a''ears in The /omplete %ard)s Handbook.
Ea"h of the four "hara"ter "lasses a)aila$le to halflings Bfighter, thief,
fighterDthief, and "leri"C is gi)en se)eral kits. A "hara"ter may only take a kit suited to his
or her "hara"ter "lass. All "hara"ters are limited to a single kit. %alflings may $e"ome
"leri"s of u' to Mth le)el, fighters of u' to =th le)el, thie)es of u' to 01th le)el, and
fighterDthie)es of u' to =th and 01th le)el, res'e"ti)ely. At the D9Is o'tion, e?"e'tionally
talented halflings Bthose ith s"ores of 01 or a$o)e in their 'rime reGuisiteC "an e?"eed
these ma?imums $y u' to 3 additional le)els.
*he &tru"ture of the Kits
Ea"h kit $egins ith a general des"ri'tion of the "hara"ter ty'e, in"luding any
$a"kground reGuirements that might $e ne"essary. (olloing this, additional information
is organi>ed into these "ategories:
Roads to Ad)enture: *his "ategory, uniGue to the halfling kits, suggests se)eral
reasons hy the "hara"ter might $e moti)ated to do su"h a rash thing as lea)e his or her
hearth and $urro for a life on the road.
Role: *he s'e"ifi" fun"tions of this "hara"ter ithin halfling so"iety and $eyond.
&e"ondary &kills: -n a "am'aign that uses the se"ondary skills rules from the
AD6D: &e"ond Edition game, taking a 'arti"ular kit might reGuire the "hara"ter to take a
s'e"ifi" se"ondary skill.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he listed 'rofi"ien"ies must $e among those taken $y a
halfling "hara"ter at first le)el. 5nless the entry s'e"ifi"ally states otherise, they do not
in"rease the num$er of 'rofi"ien"ies a)aila$le $ut must $e taken out of the standard
allotment of slots.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: A halfling "hara"ter using a kit gains these
'rofi"ien"ies free::the PC is not reGuired to s'end a slot for any of them.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *hese 'rofi"ien"ies are not reGuired of
the "hara"ter, $ut they do mat"h u' ell ith the kit. *hey reGuire normal nonea'on
'rofi"ien"y slots $e e?'ended for ea"h one.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: B(or thief and fighterDthief "hara"ters only.C *he
AD6D: &e"ond Edition thief rules allo "onsidera$le fle?i$ility in a "hara"terIs sele"tion
of thie)ing a$ilities. A "hara"ter may ish to s'e"iali>e in the stealth:related skills su"h
as 9o)e &ilently and %ide in &hados if he or she is a s'y or "at $urglar. A thief ho
needs to sur)i)e on "ity streets might 'refer im'ro)ed s"ores in Pi"k Po"kets and 8'en
Lo"ks. *his entry lists a''ro'riate skills for ea"h kit. *hey are not mandatory, nor do they
grant any $onuses or "onfer any 'enalties $eyond hat they ould grant any thief
"hara"ter.
EGui'ment: Any s'e"ial eGui'ment needs of the "hara"ter are detailed here.
&'e"ial !enefits: *hese are things a "hara"ter "an do Bor 'rote"tions he or she
gainsC $e"ause of the kit.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *hese are limitations 'la"ed u'on the "hara"ter $y the kit.
(ighter Kits
*he Ar"her
An Ar"her is a halfling arrior ho de)otes nearly all of his or her time and
energy to the de)elo'ment of skill ith a missile ea'on. FAr"herF is the generi" name
for this kit: a FslingerF )ersion of the kit also e?ists and is nearly as 'o'ular as the Ar"her
itself, hile halflings ho li)e in Aungle regions Blike the ild halflings of AthasC ha)e
de)elo'ed a $logun )ariant. -n those rare "am'aigns here firearms are alloed, this
kit "an $e used to "reate a halfling shar'shooter Bassuming the firearms are small enough
for a halfling to ieldJ i.e., muskets rather than arGue$usesC.
An Ar"her must ha)e a De?terity s"ore of at least 01.
8ften an Ar"her "omes from a $a"kground as a hunter, though mem$ershi' in the
lo"al militia is another 'ossi$le a)enue into the kit.
Roads to Ad)enture: Ar"hers are likely to $e dran into ad)enture for se)eral
reasons. *he "hallenge of "om'etition is strong::the $est Ar"her in the )illage ill
naturally $e tem'ted to test his or her skill against small folk, other demihumans, and
human ar"hers. !e"ause their skill is so easily measura$le, halfling Ar"hers are
'arti"ularly sus"e'ti$le to this urge to go out and test their a$ilities against the toughest
"om'etition they "an find. Alternately, a halfling Ar"her may $e )igorously re"ruited $y
other ad)enturers ho re"ogni>e the )alue of a skilled $oman.
Also, the Ar"herIs skill hel's to make him or her an a""om'lished hunter, and
many an ad)enture "an $egin during a long stalk through the tra"kless forest. At the same
time, his or her likely status as a 'rominent mem$er of the )illageIs defense militia makes
the ar"her a likely "andidate for any res"ue 'arty or guard duty that might de)elo'.
Role: *he Ar"her is a res'e"ted figure among a ra"e here missile skill is the
norm::he or she is the $est of the $est. -n a small )illage he or she ill $e one of the
'rimary hunters. Ar"hers ork ell ith (orestalkersJ it is often the Ar"herIs task to
$ring don the game the (orestalker has tra"ked.
*he Ar"her also forms a staun"h 'illar of the "ommunity defense for"e::often, a
skilled Ar"her ill $e 'la"ed in "ommand of a "om'any of halfling $omen.
&e"ondary &kills: An Ar"her should ha)e the !oyerD(let"her se"ondary skill.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *hree of the Ar"herIs initial ea'ons 'rofi"ien"y slots
must $e used for missile ea'ons. -f the ea'ons s'e"iali>ation o'tional rules are used,
the Ar"her "an s'e"iali>e in one "hosen missile ea'on $y e?'ending to Bnot three, as is
the normC slots for the ea'on of s'e"iali>ation.
!onus Non:#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: All Ar"hers automati"ally re"ei)e the
!oyerD(let"her 'rofi"ien"y.
Re"ommended Non:#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he "hara"ter should "onsider taking
%unting, (ire$uilding, *ra"king, and #eather &ense.
EGui'ment: *he Ar"herIs most essential 'ie"e of eGui'ment is his or her $o or
sling. At the start of his or her "areer this is likely to $e a non:magi"al Balthough ell:
madeC ea'on, $ut throughout his or her ad)entures the "hara"ter ill "ontinually sear"h
for the 'erfe"t $o. All Ar"hers "arry a 'lentiful su''ly of ammunition::usually at least
ti"e the usual Gui)erfull of arros.
As often as not, halflings ith this kit ill "olle"t a )ariety of s'e"ial missile
ty'es for use in s'e"ial situations. (or e?am'le, an Ar"her might ha)e a fe $lunt:headed
arros Bfor stunning, rather than killing, targetsC, $ar$ed arros ith thin lines atta"hed
Bena$ling him or her to retrie)e small game sim'ly $y reeling in the string after a hitC and
fire arros Be?tra:long arros ith rags ra''ed around their headsJ hen soaked ith
oil and ignited, these missiles fly half the distan"e of regular arros $ut ha)e an e?"ellent
"han"e to ignite any flamma$le su$stan"e that they strikeC. A slinger ill likeise ha)e a
sele"tion of s'e"ial sling $ullets::some s'iked, others hollo and filled ith skunk oil,
slee'ing gas, or a num$er of other no?ious su$stan"es.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he Ar"her "an "hoose to make a called shot, earning additional
$onuses on his or her missile atta"ks in "ertain "ir"umstan"es. !y ele"ting to take "areful
aim, he or she gains a N. $onus on his or her atta"k roll for that arro. %oe)er, this
reGuires that he or she forgo initiati)e Bi.e., the shot must $e the last a"t of a melee roundC.
Also, the Ar"her must "on"entrate on the shot, meaning he or she "an only make one shot
that round. (inally, any su""essful atta"k against the Ar"her ill naturally $reak his or her
"on"entration and "ause the $enefit to $e lost, although in this "ase the shot still has a
normal "han"e to hit. *he N. $onus is in addition to any other atta"k $onuses the
"hara"ter might ha)e due to De?terity, ea'on s'e"iali>ation, bless s'ells, or magi"al
ea'onry.
-n outdoor melee, the same 'ro"edure Bsingle shotJ last a"t in the roundC "an $e
used to in"rease the range of the shot instead of gaining the atta"k $onus Bi.e., the Ar"her
"an "hoose to make a "alled shot ith in"reased a""ura"y or e?tended range, $ut not $oth
at the same timeC. *he e?tra range is eGual to the ea'onIs medium range added to the
long rangeJ the atta"k is modified ith the long range 'enalty to hit.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he Ar"her "an gain normal 'rofi"ien"y in only one melee
ea'on. %e or she "an s'end 'rofi"ien"y slots on others $ut ill alays ield them ith
a :0 'enalty on all atta"k rolls. (or e?am'le, su''ose #illem the Ar"her learns to use a
short sord as ell as his $o, sling, and throing kni)es. -f he later de"ides to use a
'rofi"ien"y for hand:to:hand knife:fighting, he "an do so Bassuming he has the
'rofi"ien"y slot to s'areC $ut he ill suffer a :0 'enalty on his melee atta"k rolls ith the
knife.
(orestalker
*he (orestalker is the halfling )ersion of the &"out, ade't at mo)ing through the
oodlands, tra"king 'rey and tres'assers. (orest:alkers are )ery 'rote"ti)e of their
oods and tend to $e loners, although they are far from $eing hermits. -ndeed, a (orest:
alker is ha''y to share his or her "am'fire ith guests and ill often "ome to the aid of
tra)elers ho treat the oods ith due res'e"tJ many are the tales of ad)enturing 'arties
lost in the oods res"ued $y a friendly (orestalker.
#hereas most halflings "onsider a single $urro or $uilding their home, for the
(orestalker the hole forest in hi"h he or she li)es is Fhome.F *he (orestalker is
likely to maintain se)eral shelters in the 'arti"ular oods he or she has "laimed for his or
her on. *hese might range from "ram'ed ni"hes in hollo tree stum's, 'ro)iding little
more than $are shelter from the elements, to ela$orate $urros in small "a)es or earthen
holes e?"a)ated $eneath a sheltered $ank. *hough the halfling "annot $e said to li)e in
any single one of these, he or she is likely to kee' them all ell:sto"ked ith food, fuel,
"andles, $lankets or furs, and 'erha's a Aug or to. -f at all 'ossi$le, ea"h shelter ill
ha)e some kind of fire'la"e::in some "ases, a sim'le "ir"le of stonesJ in others, a ell:
$uilt hearth "om'lete ith "himney or )ent to "arry the smoke aay. #here no fire'la"e
is 'ossi$le, the (orestalker ill seek "onsolation in a 'i'e of to$a""o.
*he (orestalker must ha)e a #isdom s"ore of at least 02. 9ost, $ut not all,
(orestalkers are *allfellos.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he (orestalker is e?tremely 'rote"ti)e of his or her oods
and ill seek retri$ution against any for"e that hurts the forestJ he or she ill $e illing
to go to great lengths Band tra)el great distan"esC to see Austi"e done in su"h a "ase. *his
retri$ution might $e seen as e?"eeding the ty'i"al halfling non"halan"e regarding
re)enge. -tIs not, though::the (orestalker thinks of his or her ood as a li)ing $eing, not
a thing. ConseGuently, any affront against the forest is treated like an atta"k on a friend,
not like the theft of a 'ossession.
*he "uriosity that lies latent in so many halflings $u$$les near the surfa"e of the
(orestalker::a sim'le lo)e of e?'loring ill often dra him or her aay on long
e?'editions. %e or she delights in folloing the "ourse of streams and ri)ers and in
analy>ing the )arious drainage 'atterns in a atershed. *he o''ortunity to en"ounter ne
ty'es of trees and ma' out hitherto unknon regions of forest and oodland is often
enough to tem't a (orestalker into Aoining an ad)enturing 'arty on a short:term $asis,
$ut he or she ill alays return to his or her home forest e)entually.
Role: *he (orestalker is the 'rote"tor of the oods: the guardian of game, fire
marshal, and an im'ortant s"out against enemy in"ursion into a halfling realm. %e or she
is a res'e"ted figure in the )illage and is more likely than not to ha)e a family and
"omforta$le $urro amid the dellings of his or her neigh$ors. %oe)er, $eteen a
sense of duty and sheer anderlust, a ty'i"al (orestalker ill rarely s'end more than
one day in ten ith s'ouse and offs'ring, a situation his or her family res'e"t and a""e't.
*he (orestalker also tends to $e one of the more skillful hunters of a halfling
"ommunity. *hus, hen he or she does "ome in to ton, it is often ith a large "a"he of
fresh meat::a trait hi"h further endears him or her to these feast:lo)ing folk. 8ften the
(orestalker "an $arter for all the other essentials of life, sim'ly through knoing ho to
gain the $ounty of the oods.
!esides hunting, (orestalkers are also ade't at finding nuts, edi$le $erries and
other fruits, her$s, roots, and::$est of all, from a halflingIs 'oint of )ie::mushrooms.
9any are fine "ooks, a$le to ser)e u' sa)ory sou's and ri"h stes that ould $e the en)y
of any fine restaurant.
&e"ondary &kills: *he %unter and either the *ra''erD(urrier or (isher se"ondary
skills fit in ell ith this "hara"terIs lifestyle.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he (orestalker must s'end an initial 'rofi"ien"y slot on
a missile ea'on, and another on a ea'on that "an $e made from ood, su"h as a "lu$
or a small Guarterstaff.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he (orestalker gains &ur)i)al B#oodlandC
and *ra"king Bthe latter ith a N. to all 'rofi"ien"y "he"ks made in oodland settingsC,
'lus any one of the folloing B'layerIs "hoi"eC: (ire$uilding, (ishing, and %unting.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: #hi"he)er of the a$o)e not taken as
$onus 'rofi"ien"ies are re"ommendedJ the Animal Lore, &et &nares, and !oyerD(let"her
'rofi"ien"ies "an also $e of daily use to the (orest:alker. Artisti" A$ility is also 'o'ular,
as hittling and ood"ar)ing are "ommon 'astimes among (orestalkers.
EGui'ment: -n addition to his or her ea'ons, the (orestalker ill rarely $e
found ithout flint and tinder for firemaking, a large aterskin, and a hea)y "loak or
$lanket that "an dou$le as a $edroll. %e or she ill alays ha)e a knife, e)en if it is too
small to 'ro'erly $e "onsidered a ea'on, for marking trails, skinning small game, and
hittling.
&'e"ial !enefits: -n addition to the normal halfling $enefit of $eing hard to s'ot in
natural terrain, the (orestalker "an mo)e at his or her full mo)ement rate through
tangled undergroth BF$orn and $red in the $riar 'at"h, !rer (o?KFC. -f he or she "hooses
to slo don to the normal mo)ement rate, hoe)er, he or she "an 9o)e &ilently
through su"h terrain Bno a$ility "he"k ne"essaryC.
(orestalkers are also ade't at hiding tra"ks. !y sloing his or her mo)ement
rate to half that alloed for the terrain ty'e, a (orestalker "an "on"eal all tra"e of his or
her 'assage and, if he or she is alking in the rear of a 'arty, a num$er of "om'anions as
ell. *o determine if the trail of a large 'arty is effe"ti)ely "on"ealed, the 'layer must
make a su""essful *ra"king 'rofi"ien"y "he"k ith a :0 'enalty for ea"h non:
(orestalker in the 'arty B :. for ea"h horse, mule, or other four:footed animals
a""om'anying the 'artyC. -f the 'rofi"ien"y "he"k is su""essful, the tra"k ill $e in)isi$le
e)en to a skilled tra"ker. Note that e)en though some "hara"ters may $e riding instead of
alking, this does not im'ro)e the (orestalkerIs "han"es to "o)er their tra"ks, as the
added eight makes the mountIs trail more diffi"ult to "on"eal. *he halfling ill kno
hether or not his or her efforts ha)e met ith su""ess.
&'e"ial %indran"es: (orestalkers may only ear leather armor, and many
es"he armor altogether. &in"e metal makes so mu"h noise in the oods, they ill a)oid
"arrying mu"h of it on their 'erson and ill not use any metal ea'on larger than an
arrohead, hat"het, or knife.
*he (orestalker is a $it of a loner and "onseGuently may $e a little slo to learn
of $ig nes that see's through the "ommunity and the realm. Also, (orestalkers tend
not to $e terri$ly skilled in the so"ial gra"es and suffer a :. 'enalty to NPC Rea"tion
rolls from non:halflings B :3 hen the setting "alls for good manners andDor elegant
dressC.
%omesteader
*his is a doughty $rand of halfling that, $y his or her )ery nature, re'resents a
de'arture from the halfling norm. 8ften a young and unatta"hed indi)idual, either male
or female, the %omesteader is a halfling ho sets out to found a ne farmstead in a
region of ilderness or a$andoned land. Another "ommon homesteading situation
in)ol)es a young "ou'le, re"ently married and 're)iously li)ing in a )ery "roded
$urro. &u"h small folk, if ad)enturous enough in s'irit, "an find immediate reards to
homesteading.
Rarely ill a %omesteader "hallenge an esta$lished authority o)er an area::if
humans or or"s ha)e laid "laim to a fertile )alley, for e?am'le, the %omesteader ill
'ro$a$ly look elsehere for his or her 'lot.
9any halfling )illages ha)e gron around the indi)idual 'lot of a $ra)e
%omesteader::and indeed, unlike many human frontiersmen, the halfling %omesteader
el"omes the "om'any of his or her fellos and ill a"ti)ely re"ruit other halflings to
li)e near$y.
*he %omesteader is a hardy halfling, illing to ork harder than the a)erage
farmer and to a""e't a "ertain redu"tion in the "omforts of his or her life::at least,
tem'orarily. %is or her ideal, hoe)er, is to ha)e a "omforta$le $urro and "heerful
$at"h of neigh$ors $y the time he or she rea"hes old age.
*he halfling %omesteader must ha)e a &trength of at least 0. and an -ntelligen"e
or #isdom of at least 0..
Roads to Ad)enture: *he %omesteaderIs most "ommon route to ad)enture is in the
ena"ting of his or her goal: seeking out free land, "learing it, and defending it against any
ho might "are to take it aay. %oe)er, on"e the farm is esta$lished, the %omesteader
is likely to em$ark on a long Aourney, )isiting many farflung halfling "ommunities in the
attem't to re"ruit other settlers to "ome and Aoin him or her. -ndeed, this Aourney "an
in)ol)e se)eral years of tra)el and often forms the seeds of an e'i" tale that $e"omes the
"ornerstone of the "ommunityIs history::if the "ommunity sur)i)es, that is.
Also, the )ery trek in)ol)ed in rea"hing the homestead "an form a grand
ad)enture for the $ra)e halflings ho seek unsettled land. !y nature "urious, the
%omesteader might 'ass through a lot of different lo"ales in the sear"h for the 'erfe"t
steading. *he ad)entures and o$sta"les of su"h an e'i" Aourney "an easily "reate the
foundation of a great "hara"ter history.
Role: %omesteaders are res'onsi$le for mu"h of the e?'ansion of the ra"e a"ross
the knon orlds. 9ost halfling )illages "an tra"e their history $a"k to a hardy
%omesteader "ou'le, and these indi)iduals tend to $e re)ered $y the generations ho
ha)e folloed in their footste's. *his matriar"h or 'atriar"h ill $e honored and feted in
his or her old age and regarded as a 'rime sour"e of interesting stories. *his is regarded
as nothing less than a Aust reard for one ho took su"h risks and endured su"h hardshi's
in order to $ring another halfling "ommunity into $eing.
Commonly, a halfling that sets out on a homesteading ad)enture ill take at least
one stone from his or her family fire'la"e along on the Aourney. *hen, hen he or she
finally $uilds his or her on 'la"e, this stone ill $e used as a key 'art of the ne hearth.
&e"ondary &kills: (arming is the se"ondary skill most ne"essary to the
homesteader.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he %omesteader should $e 'rofi"ient in either the short
$o or the sling and should also ha)e a melee ea'on 'rofi"ien"y ith the knife or short
sord.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Agri"ulture or Animal %andling is a $onus
'rofi"ien"y to all "hara"ters ho sele"t the %omesteader kit. -n addition, the "hara"ter
"an sele"t either %unting or (ishing as an additional $onus 'rofi"ien"y.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *his "hara"ter has need of a ide
)ariety of skillsJ some of the more useful in"lude Car'entry, Ro'e 5se, #eather &ense,
and &ur)i)al. 8thers "an $e tied to the ty'e of farming the %omesteader intends to do: a
she'herd "an $enefit from #ea)ing, a dairyman from Cheesemaking, any herdsman has a
use for Leatherorking, and a grain:groer "an 'rofit from a knoledge of !aking or
!reing, for e?am'le.
EGui'ment: *here is no s'e"ifi" item of eGui'ment uni)ersal to halfling
%omesteaders. 9any of them ill ha)e a hand"art or small agon, hoe)er, to "arry
their $elongings on the Guest for the 'erfe"t 'lot of land. Additionally, a $east of $urden
su"h as a 'ony or mule or animals that 'rodu"e something useful Ba fe du"ks, "hi"kens,
or geeseJ a dairy "o or goatJ a fe shee'C "an $e orth their eight in gold. Animals
large and steady enough to 'ull the "art "an 'ro)e of dou$le )alue hen the homestead is
finally rea"hed.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he %omesteader ho "arefully sele"ts his or her land, orks
hard at tending it, and then tra)els far and ide to re"ruit settlers is likely to end u' a )ery
ealthy halfling, ha)ing earned the res'e"t of the ne "ommunity and a 'la"e in the lo"al
histories. -n effe"t, he or she e?"hanges a lot of hard ork and diffi"ulties at a young age
for the "han"e to $e treated )ery ell hen he or she gros old. 8ther intangi$le $enefits
"an in"lude su"h grandiose attainments as ha)ing a ton named after you, or the sim'le
satisfa"tion of seeing ell:'loed fields and a thri)ing )illage here there as none
$efore.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he 'rimary hindran"e to the hardy %omesteader is that he or
she has to do Aust a$out e)erything on his or her on::he or she does not ha)e a
"ommunity of skilled neigh$ors to dra u'on for hel', $arter, and ad)i"e.
9er"enary
*he halfling 9er"enary is a $it of a rare $ird::one of the small folk 'rofi"ient
enough as a fighter to earn a 'la"e alongside arriors of larger and more aggressi)e
ra"es, and one ho doesnIt mind the diffi"ulties of "am'aign life or the terror and
"onfusion of $attle.
Note that this sto's ell short of saying:
FA 9er"enary lo)es to fight and kill.F
A halfling 9er"enary must ha)e a$ility s"ores of at least 02 in to of these
"ategories: &trength, De?terity, and Constitution.
Roads to Ad)enture: -t ould $e a rare halfling ho ould ado't the 9er"enary
lifestyle $y "hoi"e. 9er"enaries are almost alays out"asts ho for some reason or
another ha)e $een disoned $y their families and dri)en from their )illages, for"ed into a
life of )iolen"e and danger. 9any of them are, not sur'risingly, Guite $itter a$out this
in)oluntary e?ile. #hether or not the indi)idual as a"tually guilty of the "rime of hi"h
he or she is a""used is irrele)antJ the effe"t is the same in either "ase. #hate)er misdeed
or misfortune dro)e the halfling to $e"ome a 9er"enary, it tends to $e a 'ri)ate matter,
Aealously guarded.
Role: *he 9er"enary is an out"ast from halfling so"iety ho is for"ed to mingle
ith humans, el)es, dar)es, e)en go$linoids::and "onseGuently, o)er time he or she ill
$egin to a"Guire some of the "hara"teristi"s of those ra"es. No and then in his or her
anderings, a 9er"enary might enAoy an o''ortunity to )isit a friendly $urro and sit $y
the hearth of a fello halfling for the night or to, $ut soon he or she ill $e anting to
mo)e on, 'erha's 'ro'elled $y the froning looks of neigh$ors less o'en:minded than
his or her host.
&e"ondary &kills: &in"e no halfling 'lans to gro u' and $e"ome a 9er"enary, he
or she "ould ha)e almost any se"ondary skill to re'resent his or her former 'rofession.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he halfling 9er"enary must $e 'rofi"ient ith at least
one melee and one missile ea'on. -f the o'tional ea'on s'e"iali>ation rules are used,
the "hara"ter must ha)e a ea'on s'e"iali>ation $y the time he or she rea"hes se"ond
le)el of a$ility Bsee &'e"ial !enefits, $eloC.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: None.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: %alfling 9er"enaries ha)e $een knon
to find the folloing 'rofi"ien"ies useful: Car'entry, Riding, Armorer, !lindfighting,
!oyerD (let"her, *ra"king, and #ea'onsmithing.
EGui'ment: *he 9er"enary ill ty'i"ally $e offered de"ent ea'ons and armor
$y his or her em'loyer::nothing s'e"ial, $ut eGual to the eGui'ment of the rest of the
"om'any. Anything su'erior to this has to $e 'ro)ided $y the 9er"enary himself or
herself.
&'e"ial !enefits: Due to his or her "ontinual e?'osure to arriors::and ty'i"al
&mall (olk Gui"k:ittedness::the halfling 9er"enary re"ei)es to e?tra ea'on
'rofi"ien"y slots u'on rea"hing se"ond le)el. *he slots must $e used to 'ur"hase a
ea'on s'e"iali>ation, if he or she does not already ha)e one. Like the Ar"her, the
halfling 9er"enary "an s'e"iali>e in the $o or other missile ea'on at a "ost of only
to 'rofi"ien"y slots Bnot threeC.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *his is not generally "onsidered a so"ially a""e'ta$le "areer
for a halfling. *hus, a halfling 9er"enary is likely to $e gi)en Guite the hairy eye$all $y
others of his or her ra"e::at least, those ho kno hat the "hara"ter does for a li)ing.
*his translates into a :. 'enalty on Rea"tion Rolls.
&heriff
*he halfling &heriff is really more of a $enign "onsta$le than a tough enfor"er, $ut
he or she does re'resent the long arm of the la Bso to s'eakC among the )illagers and
)isitors in his or her "ommunity. *he 'osition is, for the most 'art, an honorary one::
sin"e halflings donIt ha)e a lot of trou$lemakers among their on ranks and donIt run the
kind of esta$lishments that tend to dra humans ruffians. &till, the 'ost re'resents the
faith and "onfiden"e of a good num$er of )illagers, and the res'onsi$ility tends to $e
taken )ery seriously $y the halfling ho holds it.
A halfling &heriff must ha)e a Charisma of at least 02 Bmost ha)e Charismas
hi"h are mu"h higherC and a &trength of at least 00.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he sol)ing of a "om'le? "rime "an ser)e admira$ly to dra
a halfling &heriff into an ad)enture. *hough his or her 'rimary duty alays lies ith the
halflings of his or her )illage or shire, the &heriff is illing to range far and ide in
'ursuit of those ho ha)e ronged those neigh$ors. -n kee'ing ith halfling )alues,
hoe)er, this dogged 'ursuit e?tends only to those ho ha)e "aused $odily harm::the
&heriff is not likely to make a )igorous 'ursuit merely to re"o)er lost 'ro'erty. *hus a
&heriff may turn a $lind eye on the doings of !andits and &mugglers in the area, $ut
ruffians ho $eat u' an elderly farmer ill soon find the same &heriff leading an angry
'osse in hot 'ursuit.
Role: #ithin the )illage, the halfling &heriff has a small offi"e::often a "orner of
his or her on $urro::here he or she "an usually $e found hen not out Fkee'ing an
eye on things.F Jails are not "ommon in halfling )illages, $ut if there is a lo"ku' it ill $e
near$y. -t ill, hoe)er, ha)e its on se'arate entran"e, se"ured $y a stout door and lo"k.
9ost of the &heriffIs time is s'ent in seeing that all goes as it should and in
looking out for signs of trou$le BF8dd that 8ld 9istress Elder$erry didnIt "ome to market
this morningJ she hardly e)er misses a dayFC. Although he or she doesnIt maintain a
regular I$eat,I the &heriff does s'end a lot of time am$ling through the )illage and ill try
to find an e?"use to )isit outlying farms and isolated families at least on"e a eek to see
that all is ell ith their inha$itants.
8ften he or she is 'olitely nosy, asking Guestions a$out things that ha)e "hanged,
dis'laying interest in e)erything going on in the "ommunity or "anton. A &heriff knos
all the lo"al "iti>ens $y name and is familiar enough ith their normal ha$its to take note
of any $reak in routine::su"h as the $aker not firing u' her o)en in the morning, or the
farmer lea)ing his irrigation gate "losed. -n these instan"es, the &heriff ould make a
friendly "he"k to make sure nothing is amiss.
Among halflings there are not a lot of las that reGuire the attention of la
enfor"ement. *hie)ery is one, and so is )iolent assault and of "ourse murder. None of
these "rimes are likely to $e "ommitted $y one )illager against another::in the rare "ase
here this o""urs and "an $e 'ro)en, a thief is for"ed to make restitution, hile a halfling
guilty of deli$erately harming another is $anished from the "ommunity for life Bmany of
these $e"ome 9er"enariesJ see the 're"eding kitC. 9ore "ommon are $oundary dis'utes,
"om'laints from halfling fathers a$out o)er>ealous suitors ho 'ursue their daughters, or
"harges of unfair trading. *he &heriff usually resol)es all of these ith "alm di'loma"y,
and it is not un"ommon for e)en the loser to "ome aay from a settlement feeling that he
or she has re"ei)ed )ery fair treatment.
*he &heriff also ty'i"ally has the authority to "all u' the &mall (olk in times of
"risis, "rying for a muster of all ho "an $ear arms. *he 'ost does not ne"essarily entitle
him or her to "ommand of the "om'any hen it assem$lesJ su"h leadershi' is more often
a matter of 'ast e?'erien"e and age.
!eing &heriff of a halfling )illage, es'e"ially if itIs a smaller "ommunity, is not
ne"essarily a full time Ao$, so it is Guite likely that this "hara"ter ill run a small farm or
'ra"ti"e some sort of trade as ell. Running a small store is a "ommon 'ra"ti"e among
&heriffs, sin"e it allos them to remain at their 'ost most of the time and also 'ro)ides
intera"tion ith the )illage "iti>enry.
&e"ondary &kills: Any.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he &heriff should $e 'rofi"ient in the use of the short
sord, the "lu$, and the knife.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: None.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *ra"king skill and knoledge of an
e?tra language or to are 'rofi"ien"ies that "an make a &heriffIs Ao$ a lot easier.
EGui'ment: A &heriffIs arms and armor usually "ome ith the Ao$, so the "hara"ter
doesnIt ha)e to 'ur"hase these. -t is not unlikely that he or she ill also ha)e a""ess to a
'ony, should the need for a mount arise.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he authority of res'e"ta$le halfling so"iety is the 'rimary
$enefit of the &heriff. %e or she re"ei)es a N. $onus on all NPC Rea"tion Rolls made for
halfling NPCs Bas long as the other "hara"ter knos of the &heriffIs rankC.
&'e"ial %indran"es: All &heriffs ha)e a strong sense of duty and ill res'ond at
on"e hen "alled u'on::i.e., hene)er anyone in the )illage has a need for his or her
ser)i"es. *his "an often entail long hours and rude interru'tions in the &heriffIs
enAoyment of life.
&Guire
%alfling fighters ha)e $een knon to form strong friendshi's ith fighters,
rangers, and 'aladins of other ra"es::most nota$ly human, $ut not disalloing dar)en,
el)en, and other more e?oti" folk Bone "haoti" e)il halfling is said to ha)e formed a
'artnershi' ith a red dragonKC. &in"e su"h ad)enturing 'airs ty'i"ally en"ounter most of
their e?"itement in nonhalfling so"ieties, the halfling 'artner is often regarded B$y the
mem$ers of that other so"ietyC as an a''renti"e, sGuire, or sideki"k to the arrior of lo"al
origin. &u"h an assum'tion, naturally, is )ery far from the truthJ the to are in fa"t full
'artners.
%oe)er, the halfling arrior does ser)e a num$er of useful fun"tions that ould
'ro)e diffi"ult for the larger 'artner to a""om'lish on his or her on. &Guires make
mar)elous s"outs and s'ies, sin"e they s'e"iali>e in a"ting dum$ and nonthreatening.
*he si>e of the halfling, together ith the a$ility to hide in $ushes and
undergroth, makes him or her an e?"e'tionally )alua$le "om'anion hen it "omes to
gathering information. -tIs e)en 'ossi$le for a &Guire to disguise himself or herself as a
human "hild to gain a""ess to 'la"es here adult ad)enturers fear to tread.
*he &Guire needs to minimum attri$ute s"ore: a 0/ for &trength and a 0. for
Charisma.
Roads to Ad)enture: (or the &Guire, friendshi' is a strong enough indu"ement to
dra him or her aay from the ty'i"al halfling "omforts. -n this "ase, anything that
"om'els the first mem$er of the 'air ill dra the halfling "hara"ter along as ell.
*he &Guire is often moti)ated $y genuine friendshi' for his or her 'artner,
sometimes "ou'led ith a sense of gratitude for something that has ha''ened in the 'ast,
or a mutual goal B'erha's e)en a GuestC that the 'air ha)e em$arked u'on together.
Role: #hen among strangers, the halfling &Guire often 'lays the role of
sim'leminded ser)antJ this in"reases his or her "han"es to ea)esdro' and usually "auses
'otential enemies to underestimate the danger he or she 'oses. All &Guires are ade't at
o$ser)ing nearly e)erything that goes on around them and often a"t as am$assadors to
other ra"es::'arti"ularly those ho might $e hostile to the &GuireIs 'artner.
-t is im'ortant to reali>e that, in reality, the &Guire and his 'artner are full eGuals::
the halfling is not a sGuire in the traditional sense of a''renti"e or ser)ant. E)en if the
to a"t out a false relationshi' for a''earan"esI sake, the &Guire and his 'artner remain
together $e"ause of trust and affe"tionJ there is no room for one or the other to $e the
$oss.
&e"ondary &kills: A &Guire should ha)e the ,room se"ondary skill.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *his "hara"ter should ha)e a 'rofi"ien"y in at least one
melee and one missile ea'on. A 'rofi"ien"y that mat"hes his or her 'artnerIs "an
'ro)ide e?tra $enefits Bsee &'e"ial !enefits, $eloC.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he &Guire "hara"ter re"ei)es either the Animal
%andling or the Riding BLand$asedC 'rofi"ien"y as a $onus. -n addition, the halfling "an
gain 'rofi"ien"ies knon to his or her 'artners, sim'ly through the 'rogress of their
"oo'erati)e ad)entures, as follos:
#hen the halfling goes u' in le)el and at least half the ne"essary e?'erien"e
'oints to gain the ne le)el ere earned from tasks that the &Guire 'erformed ith his or
her 'artner, the halfling "an add one 'rofi"ien"y slot, filling it ith a 'rofi"ien"y that his
or her 'artner holds and used during the "ourse of the 're)ious ad)entures.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: %eraldry and (oreign Languages are
'rofi"ien"ies that often 'ro)e useful in a &GuireJ also, the Armorer, !oyerD(let"her, and
#ea'onsmithing skills "an $e hel'ful.
EGui'ment: A &GuireIs "om'anion ill try to 'ro)ide a suita$le steed for his or her
'artner, as ell as ea'ons and armor for the halfling, if he or she has the means.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he &Guire $e"omes )ery familiar ith the ha$its and
"hara"teristi"s of his or her 'artnerIs ra"eJ thus, he or she gains a N. $onus to NPC
Rea"tion Rolls made for mem$ers of that ra"e.
-n addition, the &Guire "an ad)an"e to slightly higher le)els than "an other
halfling arriors. *he &Guire "an rea"h a total of to le)els higher than he or she ould
otherise $e alloed Bsee 'age =.CJ hoe)er, he or she "annot 'ass the le)el of his or her
'artner $y this means.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he loss is mostly intangi$le, $ut the halfling &Guire is for"ed
to do ithout the "omforts of hearth and $urro that are so fundamental to his or her
kind. -n effe"t, he or she "hooses to re'la"e his or her family ith the 'artnerJ a &Guire
ho loses that 'artner to death or other mis"han"e is a lonely halfling indeed.
*unnelrat
*his is a dirty:under:the fingernails halfling ith an unusual amount of "ourage
and a s"ra''y attitude toard dangerous and 'oerful foes. *he "heerful, matter:of:fa"t,
$loodthirsty attitude of these 'rofessionals usually "omes as a great sur'rise to humans
and others ho think of all halflings as Aolly farmer:ty'es. *he *unnelrat s'e"iali>es in
underground sear"h:and:destroy missions, es'e"ially in areas here "onstri"ted s'a"e or
lo "eilings ould 'ut larger arriors at a signifi"ant disad)antage.
*he *unnelrat must ha)e a &trength s"ore of at least 02 and a Constitution s"ore
of 00 or greater.
Roads to Ad)enture: 9ost *unnelrats are dran to this deadly "alling $y some
dire e)ent in the 'ast::usually nothing less than a life:shattering trauma ill suffi"e to
dri)e a normally 'ea"eful halfling into su"h gritty and dangerous ork, as hen a
halfling ho has lost lo)ed ones to the de'redations of go$lins or ko$olds $e"omes an
im'la"a$le enemy to those e)il "reatures. 8""asionally, of "ourse, the dri)e is not due to
su"h dark "auses::the lure of easy money, sim'le talent, or mental insta$ility might
'ro'el a sturdy halfling into a "areer as a *unnelrat. After all, this is one of the fe areas
B'erha's the only oneC here small si>e is not only not a lia$ility $ut a $asi" 'rereGuisite.
Role: *he *unnelrat s'e"iali>es in rooting out smallish humanoid monsters ho
make their lairs underground. ,o$lins, Duergar and ko$olds are the most "ommon of
these enemies, though many other ty'es are 'ossi$le::in"luding ly"anthro'es, undead,
and animal monsters like giant rats, giant easels, and "arrion "ralers.
*unnelrats generally seek out the dens of their enemies, atta"king them for
hate)er 'rofit they "an find there::and, more im'ortantly, for the satisfa"tion of
eliminating an enemy of their 'eo'le. *unnelrats sometimes ork together as a team and
ill sometimes $and together ith gnomish ,o$linsti"kers on a Aoint mission, es'e"ially
if the to grou's share the same foe. -n the latter "ase, the gnomish 'resen"e 'ro)ides a
)ery useful "om'lement to the halflings::ithout any in"rease in si>e. *unnelrats ill
sometimes Aoin for"es ith dar)es as ell, $ut sin"e a ty'i"al darf is signifi"antly
larger than a gnome or halfling, this se)erely restri"ts the si>e of tunnels that the 'arty "an
in)estigate.
&e"ondary &kills: No 'arti"ular se"ondary skill is reGuired for the *unnelrat.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *unnelrat should $e 'rofi"ient in the use of the short
sord, hand a?e, or ar hammer, as ell as either the "ross$o, short $o, $logun, or
darts. -f ea'on s'e"iali>ation is used in the "am'aign, the *unnelrat must ha)e a melee
ea'on s'e"iali>ation $y the time he or she rea"hes third le)el.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *unnelrat automati"ally re"ei)es
!lindfighting in addition to any other 'rofi"ien"y. Also, he or she "an sele"t one of the
folloing languages in addition to any the "hara"ter ould normally kno: go$lin, or",
ko$old, and Duergar.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Ro'e 5se, &imming, and
9ountaineering Bfor s"aling underground "liffsC are all useful to the *unnelrat.
EGui'ment: *he *unnelrat is ty'i"ally eGui''ed ith a generous "oil of thin $ut
strong ro'e, flasks of oil, flint and steel, at least one lantern, and metal "lim$ing s'ikes.
%is or her ea'ons ill $e slung from $elts and stra's, readily rea"ha$le ith either
hand. Also, he or she ill $e sure to "arry a 'lentiful su''ly of ammunition for his or her
missile ea'on.
&'e"ial !enefits: *unnelrats ho are not &toutish ill gradually de)elo' an
infra)ision:like a$ility to see in the dark. *he range of this sight Bhi"h orks e?a"tly
like infra)isionC is eGual to 0/I 'er le)el of the *unnelrat Bto a ma?imum of L/IC.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *unnelrats are "onsidered sho"kingly "rude and more than a
little mad $y most other halflings::hy ould anyone choose to root around in dirty
holes after dangerous monstersH *herefore, the *unnelrat suffers a :. 'enalty on
Rea"tion Che"ks made for NPC halflings.
*hief Kits
!andit
*he halfling !andit is a far "ry from his or her human or or"ish "ounter'art.
#hile the $asi" a''roa"h to thie)ery is the same, he or she 'ulls off ro$$eries ith more
'ana"he. *he target is "onfronted ith a "hoi"e: hand o)er your goods or suffer $odily
harm::yet the halfling !andit alays retains a "ertain amount of sym'athy for his or her
)i"tims and ill ne)er $ully someone sim'ly for the 'leasure of it.
!andits tend to ork in small grou's, though not all thie)es in the $and need $e
mem$ers of this kit::or e)en halflings. *hey ill ha)e a headGuarters in some remote
lo"ation, almost alays s"reened $y forest Bin"luding forested sam'landC. *rails to the
lair are ell hidden, and if the entire $and is "om'osed of halflings itIs likely that in many
'la"es these a""ess 'aths ill 'ass under lo:hanging $ran"hes, through "lose and thorny
thi"kets, and e)en under stone ar"hes only .I to 2I tall. De'ending on the si>e of the
!andit $and, one or to lookouts ill 'ro$a$ly $e on duty at all times along the most:
tra)eled of these o$s"ure 'aths.
A !andit PC should ha)e a Charisma of at least 0. and a &trength or Constitution
of at least 02.
Roads to Ad)enture: &ome halflings $e"ome $andits $e"ause they ant to 'ut a
healthy distan"e $eteen themsel)es and the nearest authoritiesJ others "hoose this
'rofession for the fun of the thing. (or e?am'le, a halfling ho stands u' to a lo"al dukeIs
ra'a"ious ta? "olle"tor and dri)es him out of the )illage ill 'ro$a$ly ant to "onsider a
)ery long )a"ation as soon as she "alms don. 8n"e she has fled to the oods,
esta$lished a hideout, and made a re'utation for herself $y harassing more of the human
lordIs agents, other halflings may flo"k to her $anner::some $e"ause they $elie)e in her
"ause, some $e"ause the lifestyle a''eals to them.
*he !andit has a "urious standing in halfling so"iety::offi"ially he or she is
disa''ro)ed of, and the lo"al &heriff ill often send the areaIs ruler long re'orts
lamenting his or her ina$ility to sto' the holdu's. Pri)ately, the same &heriff might $e a
friend of the !andit leader::indeed, he or she may ha)e relati)es $elonging to the $and::
and remain "ontent to lea)e them alone so long as they a)oid )iolen"e and donIt ro$
mem$ers of their on ra"e. 9ost of their fello halflings ill regard them ith amused
toleran"e, shading to frank en)y and hero:orshi' $y the young and young:at:heart. A
lo"al !andit gang might trade o""asionally ith halfling )illagers in the surrounding area.
-n this ay, the !andits "an maintain most of the "omforts of the hearth and $urro and
also ha)e the $enefit of a Ao$ here they donIt ha)e to ork too hard.
ConseGuently, young halflings from these neigh$oring )illages $e"ome
a"Guainted ith the !andits, and at least a fe of them are dran to that a''arently
idylli" forest life::and thus the ranks of the $and are re'lenished. 8thers ho ha)e
$e"ome fugiti)es through the same "auses as the original !andit "an find safe ha)en and
Aoin the "auseJ many of them may "hoose to remain e)en after the original inAusti"e is
e)entually re"tified.
&ometimes an entire halfling "ommunity is dri)en to $anditry::as hen a human
lord for"es halflings from their homes to make ay for human setters, or hen ars and
in)asion see' a"ross the land. -n su"h "ases, !andits ha)e $een knon to $e"ome the
$a"k$one of the halfling defense, harassing enemies and su''orting friends until the
"risis 'asses. -tIs memories of times like these that e?'lain the forgi)ing attitude of the
ty'i"al halfling toard these "arefree rogues.
Role: !andits "onsider themsel)es eGuali>ers of ealth. After all, a Gui"k look
around ill sho that some folks ha)e Aust too mu"h money::and the !andit takes it u'on
himself or herself to "orre"t this ineGuity.
%alfling !andits ill a)oid )iolen"e, in so far as they "an hile still
a""om'lishing their o$Ae"ti)es. *hey ill not use )iolent am$ush Bsu"h as an arro
$arrageC to halt a mer"hant 'arty, for e?am'le::though nets and 'it tra's are 'o'ular
ta"ti"s. 5tili>ing the halfling a$ility to "on"eal themsel)es in under$rush, !andits delight
in suddenly a''earing around a daydreaming trader and his or her $odyguards. !y the
time the )i"tims "an rea"t, itIs usually too late. 8ften, one or more halflings skilled in
Ro'e 5se ill lurk ahead and $ehind the am$ush, ready to lasso any of the intended
)i"tims ho might make an aggressi)e mo)e or a $reak for freedom.
*hose )i"tims ho ha)e the good sense to Guietly surrender ill $e 'olitely
relie)ed of the $etter 'art of their ealth and alloed to go their ay. *hose ho 'ut u' a
fight ill $e su$Ae"ted to a "ertain amount of indignity::the $etter to tea"h them to $eha)e
ne?t time, a""ording to the !anditIs admittedly "on)oluted )ersion of Austi"e. (or
e?am'le, !andits traditionally ill lea)e a )i"tim his or her horses and agons Bif anyC
and enough of his or her goods or money to get started again in the ne?t ton. -ndeed, a
)ery $elie)a$le tale of hardshi' BF#hatK #ll of you are or'hansH Poor fellosKFC might
'ossi$ly su""eed in "ausing the !andit to let the 'oor unfortunateBsC 'ass unmolestedK
%oe)er, a target ho "hooses to $e Fdiffi"ultF and is nonetheless "a'tured ill
$e treated mu"h more se)erely. %is or her mount ill $e taken, along ith all his or her
goodsJ the unfortunate )i"tim ill $e left to make his or her ay $a"k to ton on foot,
'ro$a$ly ha)ing $een relie)ed of e)en his or her outer garmentsK
&e"ondary &kills: (orester is a useful se"ondary skill to the !anditJ hoe)er, any
se"ondary skill is a""e'ta$le.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !andit should $e 'rofi"ient in the short $o or hand
"ross$o, as ell as at least one melee ea'on.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !andit "an "laim one of the folloing as a
$onus nonea'on 'rofi"ien"y: Dire"tion &ense, (ishing, Ro'e 5se, or Disguise.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: -n addition to those listed a$o)e,
&imming, #eather &ense, (orgery, &et &nares, and *ightro'e #alking "an all 'ro)e
useful to a $andit.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: Any.
EGui'ment: !andits "an eGui' themsel)es in hate)er fashion they "hoose
Bithin reasonC.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he !andit usually enAoys a "onsidera$le amount of su''ort
from the halflings in the lo"al 'o'ulation BFlo"alF $eing ithin a$out three or four daysI
tra)el of the $andit lairC. *his ty'i"ally translates into ad)an"e arning of any attem't to
seek out and destroy the lair $y militia, men:at:arms, or hired 'arties of ad)enturers.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *hereIs alays the "han"e that the !andits ill 'i"k on the
rong )i"tim::a 'oerful i>ard ho only looks like a 'lum' mer"hant, or an arrogant
young lord or lady ho determines to ha)e re)enge at all "osts. -n the latter "ase, the full
eight of the lo"al ruler, hether king, du"hess, or $aron, "ould ell $e thron into an
effort to root out the !andit lair.
!ilker
*he !ilker is a "le)er halfling thief ho entertains his or her )i"tims e)en as he or
she steals from them::and, as often as not, the target of the "rime doesnIt e)en reali>e he
or she has $een ro$$ed until the !ilker has tra)eled on to the ne?t ton. !ilkers are
unusually lar"enous for halflings, although it is only fair to 'oint out that the !ilker tends
to regard his or her a"ti)ities as a grand game, and the 'rofits thereof as a Aust fee for the
entertainment he or she has 'ro)ided. %e or she is a diminuti)e "on artist ho likes to
lea)e Iem laughing::$ut also to lea)e Iem far $ehind, and Gui"kly.
A !ilker must ha)e Charisma and De?terity s"ores of 02 or higher.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he !ilker is for"ed onto the road, you might say, $e"ause he
or she tends to outlast his or her el"ome rather Gui"kly sim'ly $y 'ra"ti"ing his or her
trade. Like other halfling thie)es, he or she ill generally a)oid )i"timi>ing fello
halflings. 5nfortunately for all "on"erned, the !ilkerIs definition of F)i"timi>eF doesnIt
alays mat"h u' ith the )i"timIs. (or e?am'le, a !ilker ill not "onsider it theft to
gam$le ith the innkee'er for free drinks e)ery night::the innkee'er, after losing for
se)en straight nights, may $eg to differ.
Naturally, a fresh su''ly of targets is essential to the !ilkerIs a"ti)ities. A !ilker
ho orks smaller tons and )illages must of ne"essity $e 're'ared to stay on the mo)e
to kee' one ste' ahead of his or her former "ustomers. A !ilker ho de"ides to e?er"ise
his or her talents in a large "ity might $e a$le thri)e for a "onsidera$le hile, $ut
e)entually a gradual in"rease in the num$er of )i"tims ill ine)ita$ly 'ressure the
halfling to mo)e on. 8$)iously, a fine sense of timing is im'ortant for any !ilker ho
does not ish to end his or her "areer at the hands of an angry mo$. E)er o'timisti", he or
she often tells friends a$out a onderful o''ortunity that has Aust arisen to sam'le the life
in some far distant lo"ale::immediately $efore de"am'ing ith the goodsK
Role: *he !ilker is a "urious fello::undenia$ly a s"oundrel, s"allyag, and all:
around ras"al, yet also a thoroughly likea$le 'erson hose 'oers of 'ersuasion "an
make him or her a )alua$le asset to any ad)enturing 'arty. 9any a !ilker has used his or
her sil)er tongue to get friends out of a sti"ky situation, only to "heat them out of their
'o"ket money the ne?t night. (ello halflings "an almost alays see through a !ilkerIs
s"hemes and )ie the gulli$ility of !ig (olk ith amused dis$elief.
A !ilker tra)els from ton to ton::usually $y himself or herself, sometimes in
the "om'any of a grou' of "om'anions. %is or her tri"ks "an range from sim'le gam$ling
games intended to earn enough to 'ay for his or her room and $oard to "om'le? s"hemes
in)ol)ing the e?"hange of )alua$le treasures. &ometimes these are e)en legitimate
transa"tions in hi"h the !ilker has someho gotten in)ol)ed and out of hi"h he or she
has engineered a 'er"entage of the 'rofits::'erha's from ea"h 'artyK::in return for his or
her ser)i"es. 8n other o""asions, the transa"tion might $e an out:and:out fraud, here the
'ur"hasers a"Guire something that has $een "ounterfeited. &u"h "om'le? s"hemes "an
in)ol)e 'ro'erty deeds, rare o$Ae"ts of art, $ogus treasure ma's, or $eautiful and )alua$le
Aeelry that ill $e re"ogni>ed as stolen the first time the unary $uyer ears it in
'u$li".
&e"ondary &kills: ,am$ling is the se"ondary skill most a''ro'riate to the $ilker.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !ilker should $e ade't at the use of the knife. *he
hand "ross$o, often "on"ealed under a "loak or inside a hat, is a fa)ored missile ea'on
of !ilkers e)eryhere.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: ,aming.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: A knoledge of Disguise, Lo"al
%istory, A''raising, and 7entriloGuism "an all 'ro)e useful to the enter'rising !ilker.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: 9anual de?terity is essential to the !ilkerIs sleight of
hand gamesJ hen"e, Pi"k Po"kets is a fa)orite. %ear Noise also often "omes in handy.
EGui'ment: *he !ilker is a "autious soulJ he or she usually a''ears unarmed in
order to disarm sus'i"ion, hile "arrying a ea'on or to "on"ealed somehere on his
or her 'erson. Also, he or she ill ne)er $e found ithout the tools of his or her trade::a
'a"k of "ards, some di"e, a fe shells, and knu"kle$ones. After all, you ne)er kno hen
you might $e a$le to get a friendly game togetherK
&'e"ial !enefits: *he !ilker is ade't at 'resenting an a"Guaintan"e Bthe Fsu"kerF
or FmarkFC ith an interesting gaming o''ortunity. *he game in)ol)es the a"Guaintan"e
guessing a$out some a''arently random "han"e::hi"h shell is the 'e$$le under, or hat
num$er ill "ome u' on the knu"kle$oneH *he su"ker is usually alloed to in a round
or to, $ut $y the time the game is o)er, the !ilker ends u' holding the "oins.
5se the folloing 'ro"edure to resol)e these attem'ts, on"e the !ilker has found
an a''ro'riate NPC mark:
*he $et usually "enters around a single "oin::sil)er or gold, most likely, $ut
)arying $y the standards of the surrounding esta$lishment. *he !ilker "an automati"ally
lose any round he or she "hooses. A fair game "an $e 'layed $y rolling 0d0/ for the
!ilker and another for the NPC, ith a tie going to the mark.
-f the !ilker ants to rig the game, his or her De?terity s"ore is su$tra"ted from
the markIs #isdom s"ore Bto a minimum #isdom of /C. *he )i"tim must then roll that
num$er or less on 0d./. -f the "he"k fails, the !ilker ins the $et. -f it su""eeds, the mark
reali>es he or she is $eing hoodinked, and an intriguing role'laying en"ounter may
o""ur.
*he !ilker "an re'eat the attem't as many times as he or she ants::hoe)er, for
ea"h attem't, the )i"tim gains a N0 $onus to his or her roll. *hus, a ise !ilker knos
hen to "all it a night.
!ilkers also ha)e the additional a$ility hi"h hel's them sometimes talk their ay
out of trou$le. #hen "onfronted $y a 'otentially hostile 'erson or 'ersons, a !ilker may
attem't to smoothtalk the other 'arty Bnaturally, the attem't is only 'ossi$le if $oth
'arties s'eak a "ommon language, and the a$ility ill not ork if "om$at has already
$een AoinedC. *he !ilkerIs Charisma s"ore is su$tra"ted from the )i"timIs #isdom s"ore,
and the )i"tim must then roll under the resulting num$er or he or she Bor itC ill find
himself:herself:itself nodding in agreement ith hate)er the !ilker is 'ro'osing.
Naturally, truly outrageous 'ro'osals ill gi)e the )i"tim a hefty $onus BN0 to N1,
de'ending on the nature of the suggestionC. *he )i"tim also gains a "umulati)e N0 $onus
for ea"h 're)ious time the !ilker has used this a$ility on him or her. &till, this a$ility is
)ery useful to hel' get a !ilker and his or her friends out of a tight s'ot. Alas, the effe"t is
tem'orary, lasting only a minute or to, so a !ilker soon learns to get hile the getting is
good.
A !ilkerIs larger s"hemes and s"ams should $e are left to the 'layer "hara"ter to
"reate and ena"t. *he D9 should take a''ro'riate 're"autions for hate)er NPC fa"es
$ilking.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he !ilker is a fun "hara"ter to ha)e around, $ut he or she
usually lea)es $ad tem'ers $ehind hen he or she de'arts. %is or her o''ortunisti"
$eha)ior makes it diffi"ult for the halfling to make longterm friendshi's or kee' allies,
e)entually lea)ing the "hara"ter to fa"e the oes of his or her on making alone. *he
longer a !ilker 'lies his or her trade, the more numerous his or her former )i"tims
$e"ome, making it almost ine)ita$le that one day, hen the !ilker least e?'e"ts it, his or
her 'ath ill "ross that of an Fold friend.F 8ften, the 're)ious )i"tim is )ery glad to find
the halfling thief ho made him or her feel like a fool and alked off ith a goodly
amount of his or her money. *he !ilker, naturally, might not $e so delighted ith the
reunion.
!urglar
*he halfling !urglar is a $enign s'e"ialist at retrie)ing o$Ae"ts of )alue from those
ho ha)e "ome $y them rongly::at least, thatIs the ay the !urglar sees it Badmittedly,
the one ho has $een $urgled tends to disagreeC. Ade't at stealthy mo)ement,
lo"k'i"king, re"ogni>ing tra's, and remo)ing them, the !urglar as'ires to a life of
"omfort sim'ly $y )irtue of his or her talents::the ultimate in halfling a""om'lishment.
A !urglar must ha)e a De?terity s"ore of at least 01.
Roads *o Ad)enture: !urgling in)ol)es skills that most halflings learn at a young
age::"hildren are fore)er sneaking into ea"h otherIs rooms, $orroing ea"h otherIs toys,
and s'ying on their si$lings. As the youngsters mature, a fe of them $egin to "onsider
the 'otential 'rofita$ility of their skills, turning their attention toard more lu"rati)e and
dangerous targets. As ith many kinds of thie)ery, $urglaring has a $uilt:in indu"ement
to tra)el::if the lo"al authorities $egin to gro sus'i"ious, the life of a sim'le !urglar "an
$e"ome )ery "om'li"ated indeed.
8ther moti)ations "an in"lude the re"o)ery of 'ro'erty that has $een rongfully
taken from the !urglar or his or her friends. Naturally, the !urglar onIt fa"e "ertain
death sim'ly to re"o)er stolen goods, $ut if the "hara"ter thinks he or she "an get aay
ith it, he or she might deri)e a "ertain amount of satisfa"tion from setting matters right.
&ometimes the sim'le "hallenge of sli''ing into a great fortress or $urglaring a ell:
defended treasure is enough to dra a !urglarIs interest::not so mu"h for the )alue of the
goods as for the test of skills in)ol)ed.
Like the Ar"her, the !urglar is the $est of the $est, a halfling ho has de)elo'ed
to 'erfe"tion skills all halflings 'ossess to some degree::stealth, nim$leness, and
uno$trusi)e mo)ement. As su"h, he or she is highly res'e"ted $y the halfling "ommunity
for his or her e?'ertise. #hereas an a""om'lished human thief usually tries to hide his or
her 'rofession, a !urglarIs trade ill $e ell:knon $y his or her halfling neigh$ors and
his or her a""om'lishments highly:regarded::indeed, it is a sour"e of "i)i" 'ride for a
)illage to $e home to a really first:"lass !urglar, something for the ton as a hole to
$oast a$out. *his a""e'tan"e orks to the "ommunityIs $enefit, sin"e most !urglars ill
$e illing to hel' out in times of "risis $y using their talents for s'ying or gathering
information that might 'ro)e useful to the )illage as a hole.
Role: *he $urglar is the master of se)eral thiefly arts, most nota$ly 9o)e &ilently
and 8'en Lo"ks, though skill at finding and remo)ing tra's "an $e another lifesa)ing
talent. !urglars "an $e found in all areas of halfling so"iety, in"luding the "omforta$ly
ealthy as ell as the most destitute.
9ost !urglars "ongregate in areas of larger "ommunities, here they "an mingle
ith mem$ers of other ra"es. Like most halfling thie)es, the !urglar tends to a)oid
halfling )i"tims, 'referring the treasures of humanoid monsters and humans a$o)e all
others. 8""asionally a !urglar ill "hoose to use his or her skills to aid fello halflings
ho ha)e suffered inAusti"esJ su"h !urglars "an rise to the status of folk hero.
&e"ondary &kills: 9any !urglars ha)e skills at *rading and !artering.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: !urglars 'refer ea'ons that "an $e ielded Gui"kly and
in relati)e silen"e. Daggers and short sords are 'referred for melee, though some
s'e"iali>e in other ea'ons. *he sling is a 'o'ular missile ea'on for a !urglar, as are
darts and, in areas here they are knon or used, the $logun and hand "ross$o.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he !urglar gains a nonea'on 'rofi"ien"y for
A''raisal.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Ro'e 5se, Disguise, and *ightro'e
#alking are all useful to a !urglar.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: 9o)e &ilentlyJ %ide in &hadosJ 8'en Lo"ksJ (ind and
Remo)e *ra's.
EGui'ment: A ro'e and a set of lo"k'i"ks are the standard tools of the !urglar. %e
or she ill often s"orn the use of armor altogether, and in any "ase ill ear nothing
hea)ier than leather, delighting in dark, silent "lothing.
&'e"ial !enefits: At first le)el the !urglar gains an additional 0/O to 8'en Lo"ks
or 9o)e &ilently. Ea"h time he or she gains a ne le)el, the !urglar re"ei)es a N1O
$onus that "an $e a''lied to either of the a$o)e to talents or to (ind and Remo)e *ra's.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he !urglar de)otes so mu"h of his or her time to de)elo'ing
the skills of stealth that he or she is at something of a disad)antage in fa"e:to:fa"e
"om$at, suffering a :0 'enalty on all atta"k rolls in melee. %oe)er, atta"ks made as a
backstab are not affe"ted $y this 'enalty.
&muggler
*he &muggler is a halfling thief ho gi)es e)ery a''earan"e of $eing an honest
trader. -n fa"t, he or she ould prefer to $e a straight:forard and u'right mer"hant, $ut
Bgenerally s'eakingC the im'ossi$le situation "reated $y ta?es and tolls of intrusi)e
humans, dar)es, and el)es dri)es him or her to more underhanded dealings. *hus, he or
she im'orts and e?'orts many things from many 'la"es::most of hi"h are not su''osed
to $e lea)ing or arri)ing at these s'e"ifi" lo"ations.
*he reasons for smuggling goods )ary "onsidera$lyJ the folloing are the most
"ommon among them:
E?"essi)e *a?ation. A lo"al go)ernment may ish to retain a mono'oly on a lo"al
'rodu"t Bine from the dukeIs )ineyard, for e?am'leC and so sei>es or stam's a high tariff
on any "om'eting goods $rought into the du"hy.
!elligerent &tatus. *o ri)al states in)ol)ed in a $order dis'ute ill often 'rohi$it
trade ith the enemy. Lo"al farmers and tradesmen, hoe)er, donIt alays gras' the
isdom of a 'oli"y that "uts them off from their "ustomers::thus, the aid of a &muggler
"an kee' the e"onomy ali)e.
Contra$and. A 'arti"ular "ommodity might $e $anned outright, ith 'enalties of
)arying se)erity for those ho )iolate the 'rohi$ition. -f a ri)al religious se"t, for
e?am'le, )alues $loodstones in its rituals, the entren"hed state religion might $ar that
stone from the realm, de"reeing that anyone "aught ith a $loodstone $e 'ut to death.
#hate)er the nature of the "ontra$and, "han"es are that it is )ery )alua$le to someone::
and "onseGuently, thereIs a great deal of 'rofit in"enti)e for the $old &muggler.
A &muggler must ha)e a Charisma or -ntelligen"e s"ore of at least 02.
Roads to Ad)enture: &mugglers almost alays $egin as traders, trans'orting
goods from one lo"ation to another, turning a small 'rofit, and $ringing something ne
$a"k to the 'oint of origin. &ooner or later, as he or she e?'ands his or her routes and the
orld "hanges, su"h a trader runs afoul of one of the a$o)e 'rohi$itions::and the
'ragmati" halfling doesnIt see hy su"h a minor detail should "hange the ay he or she
"ondu"ts $usiness. *hus, the mer"hant "ontinues to do hat he or she has alays done::
$ut ith a little more risk, and a little more 'rofit.
*ied into the &mugglerIs normal ay of life "an $e any num$er of s'e"ial
missions::tasks hi"h allo the &muggler to em'loy his or her skills in the name of a
higher "ause. Res"ue of a 'risoner is one, or the deli)ery of a message or item of great
im'ortan"e. A &muggler "an fun"tion as a )ery effe"ti)e s'y, re'orting $a"k on the mood
of the lo"al 'eo'le as ell as more ty'i"al information on land features and defensi)e
're'arations.
Role: *he &muggler is a )ital "og in the unoffi"ial e"onomy of )irtually any
region in a "i)ili>ed orld::for ithout him or her, a far greater 'ro'ortion of the ealth
ould remain in the hands of those ho hold the reins of 'oer. 9any goods that ould
otherise ha)e no outlet find their ay to "ustomers thanks to the intre'id &muggler.
#hether he or she "arts it don rural highays or $arges it along 'la"id streams, the
&muggler ill, Guietly and relia$ly, see that his or her "argo rea"hes its destination.
&mugglers $uild a netork of loyal friends and "om'anions Bhi"h is hy high
Charisma is su"h an assetC and treat these a""om'li"es ell in return for 'rote"tion and
hel'.
*he )alue of the goods smuggled is de'endent on to fa"tors: the market for
those goods at their destination Bsu''ly and demandC and the diffi"ulties and dangers
endured $y the smuggler in trans'orting them. &omething hi"h is )alua$le to $egin ith
that no "arries the threat of death ill $ring many times its normal orth to the
&muggler.
&e"ondary &kills: Either the *raderD!arterer or *eamsterD(reighter se"ondary
skills are a''ro'riate for the &muggler.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: Any.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: All &mugglers gain the Lo"al %istory
'rofi"ien"y for areas on their regular routes. Also, &mugglers 'i"k u' languages during
their tra)els, gaining the a$ility to s'eak and understand an additional language e)ery
other le)el, starting at se"ond le)el. Naturally, the ne language must $e one he or she
has had "onta"t ith during the "ourse of the 're)ious to le)els of e?'erien"e.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Riding, A''raising, Disguise, and
(orgery "an all hel' a &muggler in his or her ork.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: 9o)e &ilently hel's a &muggler a)oid attra"ting
unanted attention, hile %ear Noise often alerts him or her to unanted "om'any.
EGui'ment: 5nless he or she trans'orts )ery small Guantities, the &muggler needs
some ay to haul "argo. #agons and "arts are easy to tra"e, so &mugglers 'refer either
some form of $oat Be.g., "anoe, ri)er raft, or small sail$oatC or a 'a"k animal Bsu"h as a
mule, 'ony, donkey, or large houndC. -n general, a &muggler ill only use a heeled
)ehi"le hen he or she has a )ery good road to follo and is "ertain his or her smuggling
a"ti)ities ha)e gone unsus'e"ted.
&'e"ial !enefits: A &muggler ho 'ossesses the Lo"al %istory 'rofi"ien"y for an
area gains a N3 $onus to NPC rea"tion "he"ks in that area. %e or she ill also ha)e full
knoledge of any hidden 'athays or se"ret trails along his or her regular route.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he inherent risks of "hallenging authority, in"luding threat
of im'risonment or orse, are the 'rimary dra$a"ks to the &mugglerIs "areer.
5r"hin
*he 5r"hin is a s'e"iali>ed halfling thief ho attem'ts to 'ass as a human "hild.
9any an unsus'e"ting )i"tim has tried to "ollar the annoying $rat, only to learn that the
a''arently fee$le "hild ho ro$$ed him or her is in fa"t an adult ith all the skills of an
a""om'lished thief.
5r"hins are en"ountered almost e?"lusi)ely in "ities and large tons, here
'eo'le donIt kno all their neigh$ors. Roaming the "haoti" netork of a "ityIs streets and
alleys, the 5r"hin $lends in to the lo"al 'o'ulation, kee'ing se)eral es"a'e routes and
hiding holes ready to hand at all times. Li)ing mostly on the street, the 5r"hin takes
shelter here he or she "an find it::as often as not among the 'oor and destitute of the
"ommunity.
*he 5r"hin must ha)e a Charisma s"ore of at least 00.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he 5r"hin "hara"ter is ty'i"ally a kit "hosen $y ne"essity::a
halfling "omes to a "ity alone and finds no market for his or her skills. At the same time,
he or she gros tired of sneering $ullies, some of hom 'i"k on the halfling merely
$e"ause of his or her si>e. (inding it easier to es"a'e unanted attention $y $lending in
than $y flight, he or she finds el"ome anonymity in a life of disguise.
Role: *he 5r"hin ty'i"ally orks alone, though he or she may ell $e a mem$er
of a small grou'J ur$an thie)esI guilds made u' entirely of halflings ha)e $een knon to
e?ist, most of hose mem$ers ill $e either 5r"hins or !urglars. &ometimes a halfling
5r"hin $e"omes the leader of a gang of "hildren, $oth human and demihuman. -n this
"ase the 5r"hin ill take a )ery 'rote"ti)e, almost 'arental "are ith his or her young
"harges.
Dressing in Au)enile "lothes, ith a hair"ut similar to those of lo"al "hildren, the
5r"hin ill ander a$out the "ity like any "hild ith a free day. %oe)er, he or she is
ade't at 'i"king 'o"kets and alays has se)eral es"a'e routes memori>ed, ready at any
moment for a Gui"k getaay.
Di)ersions and distra"tions are a 'art of the 5r"hinIs ty'i"al routine. -f he or she
"an to''le::or $etter yet, get someone else to to''le::a fruit )endorIs "art, for e?am'le,
the resulting "onfusion ill result in a situation ri'e ith 'ossi$ilities for 'rofit.
&e"ondary &kills: Any or none.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he 5r"hinIs dou$le life 're)ents the "hara"ter from
o'enly earing ea'ons "hildren ould normally not "arry BF&ay::hatIs that kid o)er
there doing ith that "ross$oHFC. %en"e 5r"hins tend toard easily:"on"ealed or
disguised ea'ons Bdagger, darts, sling, GuarterstaffC.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: !e"ause his or her )ery e?isten"e de'ends u'on
'laying a role, the 5r"hin Gui"kly de)elo's a kna"k for disguise. At first le)el, the 5r"hin
"an effe"ti)ely disguise himself or herself as a human. 5'on rea"hing se"ond le)el, the
5r"hin gains the Disguise 'rofi"ien"y in full.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: (orgery, !lindfighting, *um$ling, and
7entriloGuism "an all ha)e their uses to the 5r"hin.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: 5r"hins are "onsummate 'i"k'o"kets Bsee &'e"ial
!enefits, $eloCJ Clim$ #alls and %ide in &hados are hel'ful hen it "omes to
getaays.
EGui'ment: Aside from ea'ons and 'erha's a set of lo"k'i"ks, the 5r"hin needs
no s'e"ial eGui'ment.
&'e"ial !enefits: #ith 5r"hins, 'i"king 'o"kets is $oth a ho$$y and a ay of life.
!e"ause of "onstant 'ra"ti"e, 5r"hins de)elo' unusual skill in this 'arti"ular as'e"t of
thie)ery. *his translates into a N1O $onus 'er le)el to their Pi"k Po"kets rolls, starting at
se"ond le)el Bi.e., N1O at .nd le)el, N0/O at 2rd le)el, ".C.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he lo"al guardsmen and "ity offi"ials "an take a real dislike
to the a"ti)ities of an 5r"hin, "ausing no end of trou$le for the 'oor 'layer "hara"ter.
(ighterD*hief Kits
Cartogra'her
*his "hara"ter is an e?'lorer and ma'maker ho sets out to see the orld and
ants to return ith a good a""ount of his or her ad)entures. Although su"h a "alling is
unusual among halflings Be?"e't among Kender, many of hom $elie)e themsel)es to
ha)e great talent along these linesC, the Cartogra'her e?ists among all halfling su$ra"es,
hoe)er rare he or she may $e. -ndeed, his or her e?'loits form the great 'art of many
'o'ular legends among the small folk.
Cartogra'hers are, $y their nature, )ery interested in the land and its features.
*hey are in"lined to take little note of the o""u'ants of those lands, unless for"ed to do
so. *o a Cartogra'her, a "ityIs setting on a high ri)erside $luff ill seem far more
'rofound than the fa"t that the guards of that same "ommunity ha)e Aust arrested him or
her under sus'i"ion of $eing a s'y or Aust generally $eing a stranger.
A Cartogra'her must ha)e an -ntelligen"e s"ore of at least 02.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he Cartogra'her is dran to the road for no other 'ur'ose
than "uriosity of hat lies o)er the ne?t hill::though many a Cartogra'her has $e"ome
entangled in e)ents along the ay that resulted in fame and fortune.
-f the Cartogra'her enAoys e?'loring and ad)enturing for its on sake, he or she
also enAoys kee'ing re"ords of his or her e?'erien"es Bto reminis"e o)er in his or her old
age, assuming the "hara"ter sur)i)es to ha)e oneC::'rimarily $y ma''ing out e)eryhere
he or she goes. %e or she has a great interest in ne 'la"es and ill often Aourney far out
of his or her ay sim'ly to in)estigate some uniGue feature he or she has heard a$out.
Cartogra'hers tend to ignore o$sta"les "reated $y an areaIs inha$itants Bhen"e,
Cartogra'hers ha)e a high mortality rateC $ut ill $e ell aare of the diffi"ulties
in)ol)ed in "rossing "ertain geogra'hi" "hallenges, su"h as deserts, mountain ranges,
seas, and sam's.
Role: *he Cartogra'her is a ha''y anderer, as "omforta$le under the en"ir"ling
lim$s of a thi"k 'ine as in a goosedon $ed. *he eariness of the trail may eigh don
his or her feet, $ut "uriosity ill still 'ro'el the tra)eler o)er one more hill, around
another $end.
*he Cartogra'her doesnIt go looking for trou$le Bi.e., ad)entureC, $ut it seems to
ha)e a ay of finding him or her, due no dou$t to his or her ine?hausti$le "uriosity. 8ften
a halfling Cartogra'her ill $e found ma''ing a trade route through a ar >one or tra"ing
the 'ath folloed $y an an"ient e?'edition through a forgotten dungeon, o$li)ious to the
arros flying around him or herK
Cartogra'her rarely hold any sort of offi"ial 'ositions as "ourt ma'makers, ith
the ironi" result that many a tra"kless land lies )irtually unknon to its human or
dar)en o)erlord hile some retired halfling Cartogra'her has a 'erfe"tly good ma' of
the 'la"e ta"ked u' a$o)e his or her hearth. (ortunately Cartogra'hers are often illing::
e)en eager::to sho others their ma'sJ ad)enturers illing to listen 'atiently to the
halfling tell at length of his or her Aourneys ill often gain mu"h )alua$le information for
their trou$le.
5nfortunately, it must also $e noted that Aust $e"ause a ma' as dran $y a
halfling Cartogra'her, thereIs no reason to assume that a ma' is entirely a""urate. Any
feature the Cartogra'her has seen for his or her self ill $e Aust as it is dranJ hoe)er,
some Cartogra'hers are trusting souls and ill in"or'orate features into their ma's that
they ha)e only heard a$out se"ond: hand. -n su"h "ases, the se"ond:hand information is
only as relia$le as the sour"e. Kender ma's are notoriously unrelia$le, $e"ause a Kender
Cartogra'her ill e?aggerate hat he or she sees in order to make a more interesting
ma': mountains $e"ome taller, ri)ers ider, distan"es farther a'art, and the like. *hus
Kender ma's are entertaining $ut relati)ely uselessJ a grain of truth ill lie $ehind them,
$ut it may $e somehat diffi"ult to e?tra"t.
&e"ondary &kills: Any B'layerIs "hoi"eC.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he Cartogra'her is a ell:rounded "hara"ter, 'rofi"ient in
at least one missile and one melee ea'on. &hort $os and short sords are the most
'o'ular, though the sling:staff is another fa)orite. Kender Cartogra'hers ill of "ourse
s'e"iali>e in their national ea'on, the hoo'ak.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Cartogra'hers gain Dire"tion &ense as a $onus
'rofi"ien"y hen the "hara"ter is "reated.
5'on rea"hing se"ond le)el, halflings using this kit gain a uniGue 'rofi"ien"y:
Cartogra'hy. *he Cartogra'hy 'rofi"ien"y allos a "hara"ter to a""urately render on
'a'er or 'ar"hment the distan"es and dire"tions of features that he or she has 'ersonally
seen. -f a Cartogra'her sails along a "oastline, for e?am'le, he or she ill $e a$le to "hart
its $ays, 'oints, reefs, and inlets, as ell as gi)e a general im'ression of the shoreline::is
it forest or meado, mountain or 'lainH %oe)er, he or she ill not kno the sha'e of
inland features su"h as )alleys or the "ourse of ri)ers and streams.
Cartogra'hers ho s'end time "hatting ith lo"al folk ill $e a$le to learn a$out
more than the 'la"es they see themsel)es. &u"h se"ond:hand ma's, hoe)er, are only as
a""urate as their sour"e::and e)en then they ill la"k a le)el of detail that the
Cartogra'her "an add from the s"enery $efore his or her on eyes. *hus, se"ondhand
ma's tend to ha)e more imaginary or ina""urately:des"ri$ed features.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: A "hara"ter desiring to $e a
Cartogra'her must take the Na)igation 'rofi"ien"y. -n addition, 9odern Language "an
'ro)e )ery useful in asking dire"tions, hile #eather &ense and &ur)i)al "an hel' kee'
the Cartogra'her ali)e in the ild.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: Read Languages skills ena$le a Cartogra'her to
resear"h old ma's and hel' 'lan his or her AourneysJ Clim$ #alls "an hel' o)er"ome
o$sta"les on the ay.
EGui'ment: *he Cartogra'her feels lost ithout his or her ma'making kit: 'a'er
or 'ar"hment, Guills, and ink. %e or she ill im'ro)ise in a 'in"h, using )irtually any
material that "omes to hand Bleather, $ark, driftood, et".C, $ut ill transfer su"h "rude
ma's to more 'ermanent form as soon as the "han"e 'resents itself.
&'e"ial !enefits: Cartogra'hers almost ne)er get lost, e)en in 'la"es they ha)e
ne)er $een $efore, a$o)e ground or $elo. -f "onfronted ith a Guestion like F#hi"h ay
$a"k to tonHFor
F#hi"h of these "orridors leads toard the surfa"eHF a Cartogra'her "an make an
-ntelligen"e "he"kJ su""ess means that he or she kno the anser and failure means that
he or she doesnIt kno and reali>es the fa"t. 8'tionally, the D9 "an rule that on a fum$le
Ba result of ./ on 0d./C the Cartogra'her thinks he or she knos the ay $ut starts out in
the rong dire"tion.
&'e"ial %indran"es: None to s'eak of.
*rader
*he halfling *rader is a legitimate )ersion of the &muggler::an honest mer"hant
ho s'ends more time in legal a"ti)ities and has a little more fighting a$ility ith hi"h
to 'rote"t his or her "argo Band, in"identally, his or her self as ellC. *raders generally
stake out a territory and a regular route and donIt range too far afieldJ only a "han"e to
dramati"ally in"rease his or her 'rofits ill tem't a ty'i"al *rader into de)iating from the
esta$lished routine. A *rader is )ery likely to ha)e a $urro in a lo"al "ommunity, and
though he or she may $e a$sent for se)eral days at a time he or she is alays glad to
return home again.
A *rader must ha)e a Charisma s"ore of at least 00.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he *rader is a natural target for thie)esJ fortunately, his or
her "om$ination of "hara"ter "lasses makes this hard:orking halfling mer"hant ell
eGui''ed to )igorously defend his or her "argo.
!y the nature of his or her $usiness, the *rader has the "han"e to make many
friends and $e"ome a"Guainted ith the 'ro$lems in many different areas. 9oti)ated $y a
strong sense of right and rong, together ith the strength of his or her influen"e, the
*rader ill often take a leadershi' role in situations that "all for dramati" and de"isi)e
a"tion.
Role: *rading among halflings $egins as a )ery sim'le, need:$ased 'ro"ess. *he
*rader finds some high Guality "ommodity, usually from his or her on )illage, hi"h is
in large su''ly. *y'i"al goods, es'e"ially for starting *raders, in"lude "heese, 'rodu"e,
ine and $eer, 'ottery or "loth, shellork, uniGue s'i"es or fla)orings, and
ood"ar)ings. 8ften, in fa"t, the lo"al sour"e of these goods ill IfrontI the *rader for his
or her first "argo, in anti"i'ation of mu"h in"reased $usiness. *his is only done, hoe)er,
if the young *rader is a lo"al lad or lass knon to $e a so$er and res'onsi$le indi)idual.
Ne?t the *rader determines another area, here he or she anti"i'ates a demand for
those goods and de"ides hat he or she ill trade for in return. *he *rader ty'i"ally starts
small, ith a limited and regular route u'on hi"h he or she tries to esta$lish a
'rofessional re'utation. -f the enter'rise 'ros'ers, he or she might sho a Bgenerally
"onser)ati)eC tenden"y to e?'and $usinessJ sin"e he or she is a halfling, any ne sto's
along the route usually means the *rader ill $e making ne friends there as ell.
&e"ondary &kills: *he *raderD!arterer is the ty'i"al se"ondary skill of this kit.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: Any.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *rader "an sele"t either A''raising or Lo"al
%istory as a $onus 'rofi"ien"y at the onset of his or her "areer.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Dire"tion &ense, Animal %andling, and
#eather &ense are all useful 'rofi"ien"ies for anyone ho s'ends a lot of time on the
road.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: Dete"t Noise hel's the *rader anti"i'ate am$ushes,
hile Read Languages is useful for $ookkee'ing.
EGui'ment: *he *rader ill ty'i"ally ha)e a "art or agon to haul his or her
goods and some $east of $urden::a 'ony, donkey, draft horse, or o?. Ri)er:$ased *raders
ill ha)e a small, easily:managed $oat ith 'lenty of "argo s'a"e. 5nlike &mugglers,
*raders kee' to ell:tra)eled Band ell:guardedC highays and hen"e 'refer agons to
'a"k animals.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he *rader is a ell:knon and 'o'ular "hara"ter, 'ri)y to the
lo"al nes all along his or her trade routes, often the first to $ring nes and gossi' from
)illage to )illage. %e or she is Gui"k to learn of ne and interesting dis"o)eries and to
determine hat goods and "ommodities are in demand in )arious lo"ales. Additionally, he
or she has a mar)elous o''ortunity to get ri"h.
&'e"ial %indran"es: -n a ord, thie)es.
*ra)eler
*his 'o'ular "hara"ter is the halfling eGui)alent of the $ard, a musi"ian and
storyteller tra)eling a$out out of "uriosity and a general lo)e of life. %is or her
anderings gi)e the "hara"ter grist for the tales and legends $y hi"h he or she earns a
li)ing. Like the Cartogra'her, he or she is "urious a$out the ide orld, $ut it is 'eo'le,
not 'la"es, that dra a *ra)elerIs attention. Nothing makes a *ra)eler ha''ier than
meeting 'eo'le from a ide )ariety of "ultures, and this enthusiasm translates into a
remarka$le a$ility to understand and ada't to lo"al "ustoms.
A *ra)eler must ha)e a Charisma s"ore of at least 01.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he *ra)eler is another of those rare Bsome ould say ImadIC
halflings for hom the "omforts of hearth and $urro are sim'ly not enough. -t $egins
almost alays in "hildhood ith the feeling that the fair in the ne?t )illage must $e Aust a
little grander than the one at home. A""om'lished *ra)elers "an $e"ome the "onfidants of
kings and Gueens, the emissaries of earls, the entertainers of no$les and sages.
Role: *he *ra)eler does mu"h the same ork as a $ard $ut takes himself or
herself far less seriously. %e or she is an a""om'lished ordsmith, "a'a$le of s'inning a
yarn on the s'ur of the moment that "an redu"e an audien"e to tears or hel'less laughter.
All *ra)elers 'lay a musi"al instrument, $ut it ill alays $e a sim'le, homey instrument
like a $anAo, harmoni"a, or fiddle rather than one of the more so'histi"ated instruments
fa)ored $y $ards. *ra)elers are also fond of entertaining "hildren ith sim'le sleight:of:
hand tri"ks, and one ill often 'ut on a s'e"ial sho Aust for "hildren hen he or she
"omes to ton.
A *ra)elerIs 'erforman"es are almost alays informal, homes'un affairs::
sa''ing stories and sharing a Aug ith the old folks around a hearthfire, 'laying the
fiddler and $eing the "aller for "ourting "ou'les at the lo"al hoedon and sGuare dan"e,
thrilling youngsters ith monster stories enli)ened $y s'e"ial sound effe"ts. *ra)elers are
masters of the ;uestion ,ame and enAoy mat"hing their skill against that of the lo"al
"ham's. !e"ause of their genuine enAoyment of 'eo'le, *ra)elers are Gui"k to make
friends. As a rule, they are el"omed nearly e)eryhere they go and remem$ered fondly
hen they de'art.
&e"ondary &kills: 9ost *ra)elers ill a)oid se"ondary skills on 'rin"i'le.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *ra)eler "an use any ea'onJ usually he or she ill
try to sele"t something uniGue. *ra)elers are 'arti"ularly fond of ea'ons that donIt look
like ea'ons::for e?am'le, a alking sti"k hi"h is a"tually a sordsti"k, or ooden
Auggling $alls that "an $e used as missile ea'ons.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he *ra)eler re"ei)es 9usi"al -nstrument as a
$onus 'rofi"ien"y.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: Dan"e, Disguise, EtiGuette, Juggling,
*um$ling, and 7entriloGuism are all useful 'rofi"ien"ies for a *ra)eler.
*hie)ing &kill Em'hasis: *ra)elers do )ery little a"tual stealing, as a rule, $ut the
Pi"k Po"kets skill "omes in handy in their sleight:of:hand shos.
EGui'ment: Aside from his or her musi"al instrument, ea'ons, and the "lothes he
or she ears, a *ra)eler ill ha)e fe 'ossessions, no more than he or she "an easily
"arry. ,old has a tenden"y to tie a $ody don, in his or her o'inion, and the "hara"ter is
likely to lea)e any e?"ess ealth that "omes his or her ay on the door of some orthy
ido or or'han as he or she lea)es ton, light of heart and em'ty of 'o"ket.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he *ra)eler has se)eral $ard:like a$ilities: he or she re"ei)es a
N. to all Rea"tion Rolls due to the "hara"terIs innate goodill to all and friendly
demeanor. A *ra)eler ho has time to tell friends and allies an ins'iring story $efore they
enter a "om$at gi)es them the same atta"k and sa)ing thro $onuses as a bless s'ell.
(inally, his or her musi" offers immunity to song:$ased charm atta"ks Bfor e?am'le, a
har'yIs singingC to all ithin earshot, $ut only so long as the *ra)eler "an kee' 'laying
non:sto'.
&'e"ial %indran"es: As noted a$o)e, all *ra)elers are 'oor, $y "hoi"e. -t has $een
said that a *ra)eler has a million friends and no home, and this is trueJ hile his or her
folksy manner and homes'un ays in the "hara"ter a el"ome e)eryhere he or she
goes, he or she has no family or $urro to return to. *ra)elers are essentially so"ia$le
loners ho dread the day hen old age ill for"e them to sto' their andering at last.
Cleri" Kits
%ealer
*he %ealer is the "ommunity 'hysi"ian, "ounselor, and s'iritual ad)iser for his or
her fello halflings Bthough not e)ery )illage or ton is fortunate enough to ha)e oneC.
%ealers must ha)e an alignment of good or neutral and s'e"iali>e in the $enign arts of
tending inAuries, "uring diseases, midifery, and general 'u$li" health.
*he %ealer must ha)e a #isdom s"ore of at least 0..
Roads to Ad)enture: *y'i"ally, the %ealer gets dran into ad)enture not $e"ause
of any all:"onsuming dri)e to see the orld or to gain fame and fortune, $ut $e"ause he
or she feels that he or she ill genuinely $e a$le to hel' his or her friends::ho for some
reason the healer "annot fathom are seeking fame, fortune, and e?"itement.
%ealers are )ery "onfident in their a$ilities and those of their friends and are thus
"omforting to ha)e around. *hey tend to $e righteous, e)en a tad stodgy, in their $eliefs,
$ut loyal to a fault Be)en to those ho might not feel a similar loyalty in returnC and )ery
determined hen in 'ursuit of a orthy goal.
Role: *he %ealer is fond of reminding his or her "om'anions that he or she is
FAust a sim'le "ountry do"tor,F a 'hrase hi"h rarely does this highly "om'etent "leri"
Austi"e. %e or she has )ery little a'titude for "om$at, 'referring instead to let more
)igorous allies handle the tasks of )iolen"e. Naturally enough, the %ealer s'e"iali>es at
re'airing the damage infli"ted $y su"h $attles after they are o)er::or, sometimes, hile
they rage around him or her.
%ealers also often fun"tion as Fthe )oi"e of reasonF in a 'artyJ they gi)e ad)i"e
freely, hether it is asked for or not, and are not afraid of s'eaking their minds::hether
to defend an underdog, 'raise an un'o'ular de"ision, or "riti"i>e an e)il arlord to his or
her fa"e.
&e"ondary &kills: *he %ealerIs "alling is a full:time Ao$ in itself, lea)ing no time
for any se"ondary o""u'ation.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he %ealer only re"ei)es one ea'on 'rofi"ien"y slot at
first le)elJ he or she "an sele"t any ea'on eligi$le for a "leri".
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he %ealer automati"ally re"ei)es the %ealing
'rofi"ien"y, ithout any 'enalty to his or her 'rofi"ien"y "he"ks.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he %ealer "an $enefit from a
knoledge of Agri"ulture, %er$alism, and ReadingD#riting.
EGui'ment: A %ealer ill ne)er $e ithout his or her $ag, hi"h "ontains
s"al'els, $andages, ah:sti"ks, and )arious her$s, $arks, and roots useful in the e)ent he or
she needs to hi' u' a Gui"k 'oulti"e or ointment.
&'e"ial !enefits: *he %ealer gains a N0 hit 'oint $onus 'er die rolled to all cure
wounds s'ells he or she "asts.
&'e"ial %indran"es: %ealers refuse to ear armor in all $ut the most dire
"ir"umstan"es. A %ealerIs famed la"k of ta"t "an also "ause 'ro$lems in some situations.
Leaftender
*he Leaftender is similar in many ays to the druid::he or she is a 'riest ho
li)es in and at"hes o)er the ild 'la"es that are so im'ortant to the halfling ra"e.
Des'ite the fa"t that his or her home and $urro is lo"ated dee' in the oods, the
Leaftender is not antiso"ial::halfling )isitors ill alays find a arm el"ome and $e
in)ited in to share a "u' of a tea, a $it of "on)ersation, and a arm fire. Nonhalflings ill
meet ith a similar re"e'tion on"e the Leaftender has as"ertained that they offer no threat
to his or her treasured domain.
5nlike the (orestalker, ho is de)oted to kee'ing the forest the ay it is, and
the %omesteader, ho ishes to turn it into farmland or 'asture, the Leaftender orks to
sloly tame a forest ithout destroying it. %e or she ill 'lant nut trees and $erry $ushes
to 'ro)ide more food for the lo"al ildlife, tend si"k trees, and generally make the oods
he or she dells in a healthier, friendlier 'la"e.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he Leaftender is like a ilderness gardener. Anything that
threatens to undo his or her ork $y endangering the 'ea"e or health of the trees, ater,
or animal life in his or her oods ill dra the ire of the Leaftender::and "om'el him or
her to take ste's to "ounter that threat.
Role: *he Leaftender is more integrated into his or her so"iety than is the druid::
he or she is not a hermit, e)en though he or she may li)e some distan"e aay from the
"ommunity. &in"e the ild and $eautiful 'la"es are so im'ortant to halflings as a hole,
the "ommunity tends to $e )ery su''orti)e of this "leri"Is a"ti)ities.
#hen a Leaftender )isits near$y halfling "ommunities Bhi"h he or she ill do
far more often than ould, say, a druidC he or she ill $ring gifts of the oodsI $ounty::
$erries, mushrooms, and her$s::to add )ariety and s'i"e to the )illage menus. Alone of all
halflings, Leaftenders are )egetarians and eat no animal 'rodu"ts.
&e"ondary &kills: Agri"ulture is a 'ossi$le, though not a ne"essary, se"ondary
skill for a Leaftender.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he Leaftender is limited to the folloing ea'on ty'es
Blisted in order of 'referen"eC: sling, si"kle, s'ear, s"ythe, dagger, staff, "lu$, and dart.
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he Leaftender re"ei)es %er$alism and
&ur)i)al B#oodlandsC as $onus 'rofi"ien"ies.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: #eather &ense and Dire"tion &ense "an
'ro)e )ery useful, as ell as Animal Lore, &imming, and (ire$uilding.
EGui'ment: *he Leaftender ill assem$le hate)er materials he or she needs to
"arry out his or her ork of tending the forest.
&'e"ial !enefits: As they ad)an"e in le)el, Leaftenders $e"ome in"reasingly
attuned to their en)ironment, granting them the folloing a$ilities:
At .nd le)el, the Leaftender "an 'ass through o)ergron areas at his or her
normal mo)ement rate ithout lea)ing a trail.
At 2rd le)el, he or she "an identify 'lants, animals, and 'ure ater ith 'erfe"t
a""ura"y.
At 1th le)el, he or she $e"omes immune to charm s'ells "ast $y oodland
"reatures su"h as dryads and ni?ies.
&'e"ial %indran"es: Leaftenders "annot use metal armor and ill not use leather
armor. *hey may, hoe)er, use ooden shields.
8ra"le
*he 8ra"le is the halfling "leri" ho deals ith s'iritual matters, the ill of the
gods, auguries and 'ro'he"ies, and the like. #hereas the %ealerIs em'hasis is on s'ells
that affe"t his or her 'eo'le dire"tly, the 8ra"le is more "on"erned ith inter'reting the
godsI ill to the 'eo'le.
Roads to Ad)enture: *he 8ra"le "an $e dran into a Guest $y a 'ro'he"y that he
or she inter'rets as the ill of the godsJ alternately, like the %ealer, he or she ill
a""om'any his or her "om'anions on their on ad)entures out of a sin"ere $elief that,
ithout his or her hel', they are doomed.
9ore than any other halfling ty'e, the 8ra"le is dri)en $y a "onsuming desire to
learn, to anser great Guestions, to "om'lete some great Guest. *he dri)e for su"h
a"ti)ities originates as a s'iritual "alling, $ut the 8ra"le ith ty'i"al halfling "ommon
sense ill follo u' su"h moti)ations ith )ery 'ra"ti"al determination and dri)e.
Role: *he 8ra"le seeks to $e an inter'reter ho looks for signs of the godsI ill
and then tea"hes his or her 'eo'le hat they should do. As 'art of that role, he or she
"asts s'ells designed to "ommuni"ate ith those deities. %e or she ill usually $e "hosen
to 'reside o)er the "ommunityIs o""asional religious "eremonies and festi)ities.
&e"ondary &kills: *he &"ri$e se"ondary skill is useful to the 8ra"le.
#ea'on Profi"ien"ies: An 8ra"le "an use any ea'on alloed for the standard
"leri".
!onus Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: *he 8ra"le re"ei)es Astrology as a $onus
'rofi"ien"y.
Re"ommended Nonea'on Profi"ien"ies: %eraldry, An"ient %istory, Religion,
and &'ell"raft are re"ommended for the 8ra"le.
EGui'ment: Any he or she desires.
&'e"ial !enefits: #hen the 8ra"le 'erforms any s'ell of the s'here of di)ination,
he or she ill re"ei)e Bfrom the D9C unusually relia$le and a""urate information. *he
s'e"ifi"s of this $enefit )ary $y s'ell, of "ourse.
8ra"les also o""asionally re"ei)e )isions dire"tly from their deitiesJ hoe)er,
these )isions are usually "ry'ti", reGuiring time and thought to unra)el their signifi"an"e.
&'e"ial %indran"es: *he 8ra"le is )ery unilling to "om'romise::he or she is
more stu$$orn than the ty'i"al halfling. %e or she treats e)ery mission as a Guest and ill
ne)er a$andon a task no matter ho many diffi"ulties stand in the ay.
Cha'ter 1: Lindendale:: A *y'i"al %alfling 7illage
Lindendale is a small "ommunity, a ton of halflings that "ould e?ist in almost
any "am'aign orld. -t is 'resented here for to reasons: B0C it 'ro)ides a look at a
ty'i"al halfling )illage, ith e?am'les of households and the )arious trades and skills
re'resented there, and B.C it "an $e used as a home $ase for laun"hing an all:halfling
"am'aign, as it "an easily $e dro''ed into any ongoing "am'aign.
*he )illage is ma''ed on 'age 0.2. -t lies in a sheltered )alley on the south side
of a long, forested ridge. A$out a mile to the south of the ma', a maAor road runs from
east to est. A small dirt tra"k leads from this highay to the )illage.
A 'la"id stream, the Linden$rook, inds along the $ase of the ridge. #hile no
more than three or four feet dee', the "reekIs silty $ottom makes fording diffi"ult.
0. -nn of the !rass *ankard
*his homey 'la"e is the first $uilding a )isiter sees u'on a''roa"hing Lindendale.
-t is a to:story stru"ture of hiteashed ood ith $ron shutters and a round,
o)ersi>ed door. *he "ommon room is large enough for humans $ut still "o>y to halflings.
*he guest rooms "ome in to si>es, for !ig (olk Bu''er le)elC or small folk Bloer le)elC,
ith a''ro'riately:si>ed furniture in ea"h.
*he innkee'er, ,iston &horti"k, li)es here ith his ife Lu"retia, their four
daughters, and Lu"retiaIs elderly motherJ the family Guarters are in a $urro at the south
end of the inn. &e)eral other halflings ork here as sta$lehands and aitresses, $ut they
li)e in the )illage ith their families.
.. 9ill and !akery
Dottery Dale is a $ady halfling en"h ho runs the )illage mill and also $akes
fa$ulous $read and "akes. &he has to $rothers and a sister ho li)e here as ell, ea"h of
them married ith se)eral "hildren::$ut the unmarried Dottery is unGuestioned head of
the household.
*he 9ill$ridge is atta"hed to the great ooden $uilding and is the only dry means
of "rossing the Linden$rook for more than a mile in either dire"tion.
2. Cheese (a"tory
%offlik Kaese is the master "heesemaker here. %e takes all the milk that the lo"al
dairies "an 'ro)ide and turns it into a shar', hite "heese B"alled FLinden$rookFC that is
highly 'ri>ed ithin the lo"al area and $eyond. -t is the )illageIs maAor e?'ort.
%offlik, a $a"helor, li)es in a small set of rooms $eside his fa"tory. *o small
"om'artments ithin the sho' itself 'ro)ide Guarters for the one to four full:time
a''renti"es B$oth male and femaleC heIs likely to ha)e orking ith him at any one time.
3. Dairies
*hese three 'ros'erous "on"erns ea"h on a do>en or more "os and gra>e them
in these distin"t 'astures. *he animals are sheltered in neat, lo:"eilinged $arns. Ea"h
herd in"ludes a half:do>en "al)esJ a great $ull o""u'ies his on 'en on the Kalliart
farm north of the stream.
*he "lans that run these dairies are friendly ri)als, stri)ing to outdo ea"h other in
milk 'rodu"tion::most of hi"h is $artered or sold to the "heese fa"tory.
3a. Kalliart (arm, the largest of the three, is managed $y ,len)ius and !lythi
Kalliart, ho re"ently "ele$rated a "om'lete "entury of marriage. *en "hildren and their
s'ouses, tenty:to grand"hildren, and fi)e great:grand"hildren make u' the rest of the
household. *he family is knon for its slightly ram$un"tious youngsters::they are
"harismati" and 'o'ular, $ut 'rone to $e trou$lemakers. *he farm $oasts tenty:to milk
"os and the )illageIs only $ull.
3$. !andaa? (arm, ith its fifteen "os, is tended $y a smaller "lan ith a
re'utation for thrift, e)en tightfistedness. ,ammer !andaa? is a )enera$le matriar"h
ho kee's tight "ontrol o)er the family 'urse strings. %er fi)e daughters and their
hus$ands, together ith fourteen grand"hildren, li)e in a s'raling, multi:roomed
$urro.
3". Lily %e"tare, the third farm, is here the Jallisall family tends a herd of
tel)e "os. A trio of $rothers, all idoers, head the family, sharing the house ith a
do>en des"endants. *he farm is most noted for the gorgeous floer$eds that surround not
only the house $ut the $arn and 'asture as ell.
1. *rading &tum'
*he ar"hed $ridge des"ends from the mill into a small gro)e of toering oaks.
Among them is "entered the hut of (il$ert the *rader. !efore his ramsha"kle delling is a
flat stum', more than four feet in girth, here a tree stru"k $y lightning as "ut don.
%ere, in the shade of the ar"hing $ran"hes, the ily halfling mer"hant sits and $arters
ith his many "ustomers.
(il$ert 8ldfur is a ell:tra)eled halfling, a former ad)enturer and a famous
"hara"ter in the )illage. %is home s'rals through se)eral underground tunnels around
his sho', and he shares his $urro ith se)en nie"es and ne'hes, and a )i)a"ious
Fhousekee'erF named 9illi"iny. *his attra"ti)e halfling lass returned to the )illage ith
(il$ert folloing one of his tra)els and has $een the sour"e of "onsidera$le gossi' and
raised eye$ros among the good "iti>ens of Lindendale.
(il$ert maintains a regular sto"k of the )illageIs maAor 'rodu"ts, in"luding
Linden$rook "heese, Amster$o"k ale, and Daleside red ine. %e also offers sam'les of
Dil"ath !atelIs ood"ar)ings, in"luding ell:turned "u's and $ols.
*he trader also kee's a num$er of goods of human, dar)en, and el)en make in
sto"k, in"luding metal 'ots, 'ans, utensils, tools, arroheads, and kni)esJ salt, s'i"es,
to$a""oJ ines, ales, and "heeses from surrounding )illagesJ and an e?tensi)e "olle"tion
of fa$ri"s, in"luding ool, "otton, and e)en $olts of $right silk.
L. 9ayorIs 9ansion
*his large $urro $elongs to (aireather 9ontaAay, LindendaleIs esteemed
mayor. An ad)enturer in her youth, she li)ed for ten years in a large "ity not too far aay.
A first:"lass !urglar, she e)entually rose to $e"ome head of the lo"al *hie)esI ,uild
$efore retiring and returning to her home ton. %er "lan is numerous, in"luding her
hus$and Ashorthy Bhom she met in the "ity and $rought $a"k to LindendaleC, fi)e
"hildren and their s'ouses, and fifteen grand"hildren.
4. &heriff ,reens'anIs !urro
*he 'rimary for"e for la and order in Lindendale is this sto"ky arrior ith
graying hair and gri>>led side$urns. %e and his ife li)e in this "omforta$le $urro,
together ith their si? "hildren, to daughters:in:la, and their first grand"hild Bho is
'erha's a trifle s'oiledC.
*he sheriff is a "alm fello ho enAoys the "omforts of life, slo to res'ond in an
emergen"y $ut le)el:headed and de'enda$le in a "risis. %is "hief se"ret in kee'ing the
'ea"e is to alays allo e)ery$ody to ha)e his or her say $efore 'assing Audgment. Just
donhill from the family home he and his sons ha)e "onstru"ted a small, 'artially $uried
shed. %e uses this for storage, $ut it "an $e se"urely $arred on the outside if itIs ne"essary
to lo"k someone u'.
M. Carissa Candlemaker
*he elderly Carissa is a ido famed for her stu$$orn determination and
unillingness to "om'romise. &he is kind:hearted $ut "ranky, unusually "rot"hety for a
halfling. &he li)es her ith to sisters Balso idoedC and a do>en "hildren and
grand"hildren. *he $urro is surrounded $y "lo)er, as the family maintains a ro of
$eehi)es from hi"h they har)est honey and a?. *hey $arter ith the honey and use the
a? to make fine "andles hi"h are 'ri>ed throughout the )illage.
=. !enden &ire, Lo"ksmith
*his halfling is something of a hermit. %e is also the ealthiest halfling in
Lindendale, ha)ing made a fortune designing the lo"ks to 'rote"t an em'erorIs hoard that
foiled the attem'ts $y heads of three thie)esI guilds to 'i"k them. %is $urro is e?tensi)e
and mostly underground, ith stout shutters o)er the indos and an iron:$arred door of
hea)y 'lanks. !enden li)es here alone, ne)er ha)ing married and $eing totally a$sor$ed
in the 'ursuit of his artJ he s'ends almost all his time orking on his dream of "reating a
lo"k that "annot $e 'i"ked. *o test his "reations, he has amassed the finest "olle"tion of
lo"k'i"ks for many miles around.
0/. AmsterIs !reery
*his hardorking family of se)en $res the dark ale "alled Amster$o"k here. *he
$usiness as started $y a famous an"estor, Al$erti AmsterJ today, his granddaughter Jess
"arries on the family tradition, added $y se)eral "ousins. *his $e)erage is one of
LindendaleIs most 'o'ular 'rodu"ts, alloing Jess and her "ousins to li)e Guite
"omforta$ly, although rumor has it that she has su""um$ed to the ad)enturing $ug and
may soon head out into the orld to seek her fortune.
00. #ood"ar)erIs sho'
Dil"ath !atel is the 'remier ood"ar)er of Lindendale, li)ing in this $urro
near the fringe of forest a$o)e the ton. %e is a $enign 'atriar"h, still skilled ith his
knife, though mu"h of the hea)ier ork Bood"utting and "ar'entryC is no done $y his
four sons. *hey are all married, and three grand"hildren li)e here, ith the fourth on the
ay.
0.. 7intners
Pally and Dorith ;uettory are a "heerfully ro$ust "ou'le, middle:aged and
"hildless, ho ha)e de)oted their energies to the see'ing )ineyards hi"h "o)er the
hillside $elo their front door. *heir 'rimary )intage is "alled Daleside Red, though they
make a rarer Pale )ersion that is also highly 'ri>ed.
02. *he (let"hery
*his ne $urro is inha$ited $y #ally and &ass *al$ot, a young "ou'le ho only
re"ently married and got a home of their onJ they are no e?'e"ting their first "hild.
Comforta$le if not ostentatious, it is "roded ith arros finished and unfinished
B#allyIs handiorkC and &assIs latest $o. &ass only makes $os to order, "arefully
"rafting ea"h one for the 'erson ho "ommissioned itJ so ell made is her handiork
that the original oner re"ei)es a N0 $onus to his or her "han"e to hit hen using it.
03. (arms
*hese nine $urros range from modest to "a'a"ious and are the home to the
families of farmers ho tend the fields surrounding Lindendale: the !aldorfs, !yttnis,
Dudleys, %eathertoes, Neters, 8stgoods, *rills, *u"ks, and #eather$ees.
A''endi? Ad)enture &uggestions for ,nome and %alfling
Cam'aigns
-t is im'ortant to remem$er hen 'laying a gnome or halfling "hara"ter that
halflings are not short humans, nor are gnomes s"rany dar)es: ea"h is an entirely
different ra"e, ith different 'ers'e"ti)es on the orld and different moti)ations.
8''ortunities that might $ring human or dar)en "hara"ters $ounding to their
feet, eyes gleaming in anti"i'ation, "an $ring Guite a different res'onse from a halfling::
e.g., F&o hat if the old "astleIs full of treasureH -I)e got a arm fire, a Aug half:full of ale,
and my $readIs almost done risingKF %oe)er, the same halfling might "hange his or her
tune u'on learning that the only knon "o'y of a legendary "hefIs "ook$ook as
rumored to $e in the "astle as ell. Likeise, hereas the !ig (olk ould a)oid a tom$ if
at all 'ossi$le on"e they learned it as hea)ily:tra''ed, a gnome might ell ant to
e?'lore it for the same reason in order to see ho the tra's ork and em'loy the same
'rin"i'les in his or her ne?t 'ra"ti"al Aokes.
-n any ad)enture in)ol)ing a gnome or halfling "hara"ter, the 'layer must ask
himself or herself F#hy is my "hara"ter hereHF ,nomes lo)e gems like halflings lo)e
good food, and most gnomeGuests ill in)ol)e sear"hing for fa$led gems and lost mines.
A halfling ill $e more likely to Aoin an ad)enture out of a sense of duty Be.g., an old
friend is in trou$leC or 'ure "uriosity than from greed for treasure or a desire to go out and
fight monsters.
*he folloing outlines are kernels for ad)entures s'e"ifi"ally designed for an all:
gnomish or all:halfling "am'aign. *hey "an easily $e ada'ted to almost any AD6D@
"am'aign orld and le)el of e?'erien"e.
,nome Ad)entures
,o$lin -nfestation: *his $egins as isolated and mysterious atta"ks against lone
gnomes, ho are either killed or otherise una$le to des"ri$e their assailants. During
these raids the go$lins "a'ture something )ery )alua$le, hether itIs the "ommunityIs
'ri>ed gemstone artifa"t or a ell:liked gnome NPC.
*he "hara"ters must anti"i'ate here the atta"kers ill strike ne?t, lay illusionary
$ait for them, and then follo the raiders $a"k to their lair. 8n"e theyI)e lo"ated the
atta"kerIs home $ase, they must infiltrate it, res"ue the missing treasure or hostages, find
a ay to disru't the go$lins so $adly that it ill 'ut an end to the am$ushes, and es"a'e.
(esti)al of the &tarmelt: *he "lans are s"heduled to gather for an im'ortant, on"e:
in:a:de"ade o$ser)ation. An old and e)il dragon gets ind of the 'lans and de"ides to
make an atta"k against the assem$lage ith the aid of a tri$e of ko$olds. ,nomish
ad)enturers must dis"ern the 'lan from "a'ti)e ko$olds and then take ste's to "onfuse or
di)ert the dragon $efore the festi)al $egins.
City of -llusions: ,nome illusionists $egin to find that sometimes their s'ells
donIt ork, hile at other times they $eha)e in une?'e"ted ays. -n)estigation ill
e)entually tra"e the sour"e of the 'ro$lem to a strange )illage 'eo'led entirely $y
intelligent illusions "reated for "om'any $y a sin"e:de"eased master -magemaker. *hey
resent the Fin)oluntary ser)itudeF of their fello illusions and are trying to nudge them
into re$ellious sentien"e, ith some su""ess. *he PCs must find a ay to 'la"ate the
angry illusion:'eo'leJ ith lu"k and ta"t, they may gain some unusual allies in the
'ro"ess.
,emGuest: A strange gnome "omes to the )illage, $adly ounded $y some $i>arre
and magi"al for"e. %e "olla'ses and dies, $ut not $efore he dro's a huge and stunningly
$eautiful gem of a ty'e none of the gnomes ha)e e)er seen $efore, together ith a
gas'ed:out des"ri'tion of a F9ount CrystalF that lies somehere in the distan"e. -n truth,
the gemstone is an intelligent 'arasiti" Guart>ite "reature from the elemental 'lane of
earth that sa''ed his strength ith its $aneful magi", $ut not $efore he ser)ed as the $ait
to lure more gnomes into its tra'.
,nomes ho make the Aourney ill find 9ount Crystal, a shining hill of hite
Guart>. -nside, they find a$andoned mines holding an in"redi$le ealth of gems of all
ty'es::unknon to them, more of the "reatures. Ea"h "reature forms a $ond ith a single
gnome and drains 0d3 'oints of his or her Constitution 'er day. *he "hara"ters must
reali>e hat is going on, find a ay to $reak the "harm hi"h 're)ents ea"h gnome from
throing aay his or her on stone, and make a des'erate $reak for freedom.
%alfling Ad)entures
9eddlesome 8ffi"ialdom: A near$y human lord de"ides to "harge the small folk a
toll for using a road, $ridge, or ri)er 'assing through their ton, as ell as a ta? on all
transa"tions, sending guards and ta? "olle"tors to make sure that his "ommands are
folloed. *he halflings must find a ay to a)oid 'aying the tariffs and e)entually rid
themsel)es of the 'estering 'resen"e ithout resorting to )iolen"e.
*he !ully: A tough human knight, or 'erha's e)en an ogre, troll, or giant, takes
u' residen"e near$y. %e or she a''oints himself or herself the )illageIs F'rote"torF and
demands food and drink, and e)entually treasure, from the small folk in return. %e or she
is too strong for the )illagers to defeat in "om$at, for"ing the halflings to use their its to
"ome u' ith a "le)er 'lan to "hase the $rute aay.
Kidna''ed: All the human "hildren from a near$y "ommunity are "a'tured $y
go$lins or ko$olds and taken to the humanoidIs lair::a lair ith "eilings too lo and
'assages too narro for adult humans to enter. *he humans a''roa"h the halflings and
$eg them to res"ue the "hildren, offering hate)er indu"ements they "an to gain the aid
of a $ra)e $and of small folk.
A *inker Comes to *on: A strange 'eddler rolls into the )illage ith a agon
full of ondrous ge:gas and trinkets. %e or she sells many of these and gi)es others
aay. &hortly after the stranger lea)es, the )illagers start to "hange their lifelong 'atterns
of $eha)ior::some $e"ome short:tem'ered or de'ressedJ others fri)olous and
irres'onsi$le.
*he trinkets are not the "ause of the "hanges, hoe)er. *hereIs an e)il i>ard at
ork, and the tinkerIs gifts are "harms against her en"hantments. *he halflings must first
find out hatIs going on, and then find a means to dri)e the i>ard aay.
9onster De'redation: A tri$e of monsters, su"h as gnolls or or"s, $egins to ra)age
the area. 8nly if halflings and their human and demihuman neigh$ors unite do they stand
a "han"e to defeat the mena"e. *he halflings must "on)in"e ri)al grou's of humans,
dar)es, and el)es to ork together in a "ommon "ause. #hen it "omes to a"tually
fa"ing the foe, the halflings should try to defeat them through "le)erness and de"e'tion
rather than an outright atta"k.
*he (orest Plague: A mysterious malady $egins to affe"t the surrounding oods,
"ausing trees to ither and die, "ro's to fail, and a general $light to settle a"ross the land.
After some in)estigation Bhi"h "an $e an ad)enture in itselfC, the halflings
determine that the 'lague results from losses suffered $y lo"al treants and dryads due to
indis"riminate logging. *he small folk must then find a ay to deter the ood"utters until
the 'eo'le of the trees ha)e a "han"e to re"o)er, hile at the same time a)oid "ausing the
ood"utters from losing their li)elihood.