Gnomes

(In Flan: *Noniz*)

Gnomes, also known as rock gnomes (distinct from Deep Gnomes) stand around 3' tall, and are built solid and muscular. They are brown skinned with blue eyes and light hair, with male gnomes having a tendency towards baldness and light beards. Gnome facial features seem slightly exaggerated compared to humans, with rough skin, large noses and ears and eyebrows. Deep gnomes are instead hairless and wiry-limbed, with greyish skin.

Originally rock gnomes were hunters and trappers in the hills, forests and valleys of the Flanaess. Their smaller size allowed them to crawl into burrows while their prey slept or was away, to kill it or lay traps for its return. The gnomes were expansionist, but with smaller members needing less space and food, they only expanded southward a few centuries before the Twin Cataclysms. When they came into contact with other races, gnome lairds and chieftains deferred to elven and dwarven rulers, but discouraged mingling of the races until human refugees and migrations forced them into cooperation with the other races.

Gnome homelands are almost entirely hidden below trees, hills and valleys. Whereas halflings build their homes in hills and their villages above ground, gnome villages are entirely beneath the surface.

Deep gnomes live similarly, but deeper, in a miles deep cavern that is part of a continent spanning cave and tunnel network known as the Underdark. They are ruled by a brooding, benevolent monarch.

Gnomes have sly clever humours, and are raised on earthy wisdom. They are skilled gem cutters and engineers, and have a love for practical jokes. They have long traditions of wood-, stone- and leatherworking.

Gnomes dress in dark and earth tones, with a strong like for stripes and bright coloured hats, belts and boots. Males wear high collared shirts, double-breasted vests or jackets, with loose trousers or kilts and boots. Females wear high- or V-necked blouses, with ruffled or pleated skirts, often with purses or satchels slung over their shoulder. Deep gnomes wear simple clothing in dark colours, but are seldom seen not wearing dark leather armour.

Gnomes are known as great illusionists and artificers, famed for combining the two arts to produce wondrous toys and clothes.

### Gnome Racial Traits

* +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength.
* Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits ¾ those of Medium characters.
* A gnome’s base land speed is 20 feet.
* Low-light vision
* Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
* +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
* Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
* +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids (including goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears).
* +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls, and Hill Giants).
* +2 racial bonus on Listen checks.
* +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.
* Speak with burrowing mammals--gnomes can speak with animals at will, but only with burrowing mammals.
* Automatic Languages: Common, Gnome. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc.
* Spell-Like Abilities: A gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
* Favored Class: Bard and illusionist.

### Deep Gnome Racial Traits

These racial traits are in addition to rock gnome traits except where noted.

* -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. These adjustments replace the rock gnome’s ability score adjustments.
* Stonecunning: This ability grants deep gnomes a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework. A deep gnome who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as though actively searching, and can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A svirfneblin can also intuit depth, sensing the approximate distance underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
* Darkvision out to 120 feet and low-light vision.
* Spell resistance equal to 11 + class levels.
* +2 racial bonus on all saving throws (figured into the statistics for the character presented here). This trait replaces the rock gnome’s racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
* Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by svirfneblin. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
* +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids.
* +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all creatures (figured into the statistics for the character presented here). This trait replaces the rock gnome’s dodge bonus against giants.
* Automatic Languages: Undercommon, Gnome, Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, Terran. This trait replaces the rock gnome’s automatic and bonus languages.
* Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—blindness/deafness (typical save DC 13), blur, disguise self. Caster level equals the svirfneblin’s class levels. The save DC is Charisma-based and include a +4 racial modifier. This trait replaces the rock gnome’s spell-like abilities.
* Nondetection (Su): A svirfneblin has a continuous nondetection ability as the spell (caster level equal to class levels).
* +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) and Listen checks.
* +2 racial bonus on Hide checks, which improves to +4 underground.
* Favored Class: Rogue or Fighter.
* Level adjustment +3.

## Common Gnomish Regional Feat

**Deepseer** *Deep Gnome--* You have better vision in darkness than others of your race.

**Expert Dungeoneer** *Deep Gnome--* Your experience and study of dungeons have given you insight on common trapsetting techniques, granting you a bonus on saves against traps.

**Gnomelore** *Rock Gnome--* You've memorized a staggering array of trivia, jokes, bawdy stories, and legends collected throughout the ages by gnomes and passed orally to each new generation, granting you a bonus on all Perform and Knowledge checks.

**Mercantile Background** *Gnome--* You come from a family that excels at a particular trade and knows well the value of any kind of trade good or commodity, granting you a bonus on Appraise checks and the Craft or Profession check of your choice.

**Noble Soul** *Deep Gnome--* Your strength of spirit and forthrightness bolsters your resolve and draws others toward you, granting you a bonus on Will saves and Diplomacy checks.

**Rapscallion** *Rock Gnome--* Your stunning wit improves the credulity of your lies and bluffs, allowing you to add your Intelligence bonus to your Bluff checks.

**Rustic Charm** *Rock Gnome--* Others tend to underestimate you due to your rural upbringing, meaning you do not suffer penalties Diplomacy checks related to social class, and others suffer a penalty on Sense Motive checks against you.