Bastic Gnome

These gnomes have taken to living above ground in the Wild Land known as the Sebaste. They typically paint their bodies green and yellow to blend in to their environment and have developed a number of guerrilla-war survival techniques to survive. These gnomes have a tenuous relationship with the Sebastites - they maintain positive relations with both elves and humans - which keeps them on the outskirts of both civilizations for fear of welcoming the enemy. Both civilizations, however, see them as “children” of the forest and are, as such, protective of their welfare, even if they don’t need it.

Role

These gnomes are the ultimate jungle guerrilla warriors. What they lack in strength and size they make up for in stealth and preparation. They always avoid direct, frontal attacks, weakening enemies through attrition and attacks against weak or isolated individuals. They almost never show themselves in battle, fading like ghosts into the jungle. They also rely on rumors spread about them that breed morale-destroying fear in their enemies.

Distinctive Appearance

None

Bastic Gnomes are very agile and so have a +1 to their initial scores for Dexterity.

They Move Silently and Hide in Shadows like Rangers two levels higher than they (or like rangers three levels higher if in the jungle). This does not include bonuses associated with camouflage paint that is used to further blend into the jungle (+10% to hiding in woodlands of any sort).

They surprise foes with the same chances that elves have.

They may brew poisons for their blowguns and arrows (one type of insinuative poison, rolled randomly from the list in the DMG, per level).

Special Hindrances

Bastic Gnomes are not very large and thus suffer a -1 to their initial Strength score (or -10% if exceptional Strength is rolled, with negative-number results meaning that Strength is reduced to 17).