River Gnome

An oddity of their kind, the river gnomes are very open with their lives. They do not seek to hide away from other races as their rock and forest cousins do, but instead build small villages amongst their family groups and closest friends along the banks of the rivers for which they are named. They are friendly and welcoming, and tend to be seen as a good omen for travelers.
River gnomes have a great adoration of sapphires for which they feel truly encompass the beauty of the babbling brooks and rushing rivers they love so much. Unlike many others, river gnomes are not especially known for their gemcrafting, however, and instead are known for their great skill when it comes to swimming and being river guides. When they do carve gems, it tends to bear images of waves or be cut into the shapes of fish, ships, or similar aquatic features.
These are some of the largest of the gnomes, often standing from 3 to 4 feet tall and having a slightly bluish tinge to their skin that is noticeable under close inspection. They are thinner and more lithe than the rock gnomes, but share the grand nose that marks their races. They have a tendency to swim on their back, letting their noses stick from the water like the dorsal fin of a great fish. They tend to keep their hair and beards relatively short as it has a tendency to slow them or get caught while they swim through the rivers. Despite this, they do enjoy styling their beards, and some even carve patterns into their hair and beard, though this is most common amongst the eldest of the river gnomes who do it as a status symbol of sorts. Their hair tends to be brown or black, though very quickly turns white amongst both males and females.
Outgoing and adventurous, river gnomes quickly befriend others who stumble upon their homes or their rivers. They often offer to help guide ships along rivers out toward sea or to other river gnome villages along the river that they know of. Those skilled in magic often learn spells that help to increase swimming and sailing speeds, helping ships pass through much quicker and safer from potentially harmful creatures that may prowl the banks.
An oddity amongst gnomes, river gnomes are able to communicate simple ideas not with mammals, but with fish and small water-dwelling creatures. This is primarily through motions and signs rather than verbal sounds and can only communicate very simple ideas similarly to a forest gnome communicating with a mammal.
Despite their seemingly carefree nature, river gnomes are stalwart protectors of their waterways. If someone is seen to be abusing it, whether from overfishing or worse, attacking other travelers in the river way, it is not uncommon for them to suddenly be besieged in the night, overtaken by numerous tiny figures that emerge from the water and escape back into it afterward, never to be seen. Given the gnome’s helpful nature, these claims of gnome assault are rarely taken seriously if they even get reported in the first place. They rarely kill others, but will steal, set captured animals free, or puncture ships in shallower waterways.
While they are less skilled in the ways of carving gems or wood, river gnomes excel in stone carving and both weaving and tailoring. They are extremely skilled when it comes to making fabrics that hold up to the wear and tear of swimming for hours on end, and their clothing is favored by river traders who often buy it either for themselves or to sell in areas that swimming is common.
The most hated foes of the river gnomes are the menaces of the streams and ocean. Among these are sharks, piranhas, and dragon turtles whom they often find themselves needing to contend with when they travel in certain rivers or out in the open waters of the ocean. They are not especially fond of dwarves, who have a natural dislike of water due to their dense bodies making them sink like the stones they carve, but they enjoy the company of elves and humans who see traveling through water as just another part of the journey.
River gnomes very often leave their villages to go out into other rivers, the ocean, or simply to see the world. Their natural wanderlust drives them forward constantly, pushing them to swim every river of the world or to seek out magical and mystical places of water, ranging from the mighty sky islands to the deep and mysterious underdark oceans. However, they do find places without much water to be extremely uncomfortable to be in, and so avoid deserts and similar locations at all costs.
The villages of the river gnomes are the smallest of all the gnomish peoples, even moreso than the small forest gnome communities. This is largely due to them having a much easier time traveling amongst their own villages to visit each other due to the waterways connecting them and their ease of swimming through them. Due to this, their villages, which are rarely more than 20 individual gnomes, are spaced apart along the sides of rivers. This gives them some sense of self while also allowing easy access to family and friends for parties. Some of these villages, particularly those of less trusting river gnome communities, are actually under the ground, only accessible through swimming to the bottom of the river and through claustrophobic tunnels filled with water until reaching a central cavern with hidden air holes too small to allow anyone in. These places are often larger than the built up communities of the typical river gnome, and have a tendency to breed the most aggressive of the gnomes who take retribution on those that would abuse their rivers.

This is a stub

This article will be expanded upon in the future

This is a

Good Article

Table of Contents

Game Statistics

Custom System

Ability Score Adjustment

+1 Strength

Racial Skills

You gain a +2 Racial bonus to Athletics checks.

Natural Swimmer

You gain a Swim speed of 25 feet, and you can hold your breath for up to 1 minute per point of positive Constitution modifier rather than 30 seconds with a minimum of 1 minute instead of 30 seconds.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write River Gnomish.

5th Edition

To Be Made

4th Edition

To Be Made

3.5th Edition

To Be Made

2nd Edition

Ability Score Adjustment

The initial ability scores are modified by a +1 to Strength and Intelligence, but a -1 to Wisdom and Charisma.

Ability	Minimum	Maximum
Strength	6	18
Dexterity	3	18
Constitution	8	18
Intelligence	6	19
Wisdom	3	17
Charisma	3	18

Class	Maximum
Fighter	11
‎ ‎ ‎Paladin	—
‎ ‎ ‎Ranger	—
‎ ‎ ‎Barbarian	—
Mage	10
‎ ‎ ‎Specialist	151
‎ ‎ ‎Warlock	9
Cleric	9
‎ ‎ ‎Druid	—
‎ ‎ ‎Monk	—
‎ ‎ ‎Shaman	6
Thief	13
‎ ‎ ‎Assassin	12
‎ ‎ ‎Bard	—
Psionicist	9

¹River Gnomes can be Illusionists of up to 15th level

Special Advantages

River gnomes inhabit streams, rivers, and other winding bodies of water, as well as the land just adjacent to them. Due to this, they have proficiency in Swimming, even if the optional Proficiency rules are not used. In addition to this, they have a Swimming speed of 15.

A river gnome can hold its breath for up to ten minutes at a time.

A river gnome can impart its swimming speed onto another creature, so long as it is holding that creature in some way with one of his or her hands. A single gnome can only impart this speed to one other creature at a time.

In melee, ice gnomes add +1 to their rolls to hit and damage sharks, piranhas, or dragon turtles.

Special Hindrances

None

Role-Playing Suggestions

River gnomes are kindly and carefree most of the time, but will not let an insult slide.

Languages

River Gnome, Gnomish, Halfling, Forest Halfling, Dwarvish, Elvish, Common

Pathfinder 2e

To Be Made

Encompassed species

• Gnome