Playable Races: Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings

Dwarves
Dwarves remain essentially unchanged from 1st Ed. and come in four varieties: Hill, Mountain, Grey, and Korobokuru. The sexes of Dwarves have been modified slightly: there are three sexes (Male, Female, and Neuter), and wearing a loincloth or anything more, they are indistinguishable from one another. Male and female Dwarves will establish child-rearing, property-sharing contracts with one another similar to marriage, but the closest thing they form to romantic relationships are with their shieldfriend—a Dwarf’s best friend and battle partner. Such partnerships are often formed in childhood and cemented during a young adult’s obligatory term in their community’s militia.
Hill and Mountain:
Most Dwarves reside in or beneath the North-Central region of Hubworld, or else in the lower levels of Hub Mountain (which they term “Dwarf Mountain”). They have a few surface kingdoms in the Rumple Mountains of Tirfinach.
Grey:
Grey Dwarves are rarely seen above ground except for in Vaqueria, where they have established a lucrative relationship with Humans, selling them guns and powder.
Korobokuru:
Korobokuru are native to the Sunset Crescent mountains (the eastern face name for the Golden Ray mountain range) and the jungles south of them. They often make their way into more civilised areas seeking adventure or rewarding employment.
All Dwarf types strongly prefer Warrior classes, but might also be Clerics, Skalds, or Mechanists.
Gnomes
Surface Gnomes and Deep Gnomes are unchanged from 1st Edition, but information has been added regarding their biology and society. Gnomes are sexless. The ones with beards get reflexively called “he” by other races, but Gnomes themselves are indifferent to pronoun choice—both translate to the same thing in Gnomish. Dwarvish uses the Neuter term, and Elvish has a word for Gnome-as-gender in addition to its word for Gnome-as-race.
The process of Gnome “birth” begins with excavation. Large balls of a sort of dense clay, 1’ in diameter, are discovered in the process of regular Gnomish mining activities. These “gneodes” are transferred to a pond in a sacred cave, where parts of the clay dissolve over several days, leaving the shape of a balled-up gnome, who gradually starts to uncurl into a sitting position, at which point the remaining clay is washed off, revealing a young adult gnome. Because of this unusual manner of birth, the Druids have declared Gnomes to be “Children of Ki” and a protected race. This means that Druids may not harm a Gnome unless the latter poses an immediate and certain threat to the environment. It also means that when push comes to shove, a Druid will save a Gnome over a Human or Martian. This is a great advantage to Gnomish Mechanists, since it means they can operate in the open without having to watch over their shoulder for Murtairs (Druidic Assassins). Normally, a high-level Mechanist (or any level Alchemist) would be a target for assassination once a Druidic cell became alerted to their activities. There are subterranean Gnomes all over the world, but only a few regions where they set out wandering above ground. Surface Gnomes are most commonly seen in the Spinal mountains, and at the north end of the range there is a large wealthy realm ruled by an ancient Gnomish king. Gnomish Merchants, Clerks, and Mechanists are common in Vaqueria and at least a few can be found in most of the world’s major trading centres, such as Philemammonia, Salumattu, and Dunpor.
Halflings
Halflings of each variety, Hairfoot, Stout, and Tallfellow, remain unchanged other than that their appearance now varies geographically in the same manner as Newmans. Halflings live mostly within and surrounding the Martian Empire, and to the east up to the edge of the Golden Desert. These Halflings are integrated into the Human and Elvish societies around them, although the odd all-Halfling village exists here and there. A population of Halflings also resides in the Spider Forest, independently of any other race. The remaining Halflings of the world live in Vaqueria among the Humans there.

ALIGNMENT
Hill Dwarf: Lawful Good
Mountain Dwarf: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral
Grey Dwarf: Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, Neutral
Kokobokuru: Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral
Surface Gnome: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good
Deep Gnome: Neutral, Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Good
Hairfoot Halfling: Lawful Good, Neutral Good
Tallfellow: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Neutral
Stout Halfling: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral

Basic Information

Growth Rate & Stages

	Adolescent	Young Adult	Mature	Middle Aged	Old	Venerable	Ancient
Hill Dwarf	17-34	35-50	51-150	151-250	251-350	351-450	451+
Mountain Dwarf	20-40	41-60	61-175	176-275	276-400	401-525	526+
Grey Dwarf	15-40	41-70	71-200	201-325	326-449	450-555	556+
Korobokuru	15-26	27-42	43-99	100-149	150-199	200-275	276+
Surface Gnome	na	na	0-300	301-450	451-600	601-750	751+
Deep Gnome	na	na	0-200	201-350	351-480	481-600	601+
Hairfoot Halfling	11-21	22-33	34-68	69-101	102-144	145-199	200+
Tallfellow	12-24	25-40	41-80	81-119	120-159	160-200	201+
Stout Halfling	15-30	31-50	51-89	90-132	133-179	180-220	221+

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dwarves are omnivorous but have little interest in vegetables, preferring meats and mushrooms from Underearth and grain-based foods purchased from Human societies. Like Elves, Dwarves may use alcohol and vinegar for hydration.
Gnomes eat fungus, lichen, and soil. They prefer hard or muddy water to clear, soft water.
Halflings are omnivorous and usually eat whatever the Humans, Elves, or Dwarves they live among are eating.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Hill Dwarf: North, Golden Plains, Hub, Underearth
Mountain Dwarf: North, Spinal Mountains, Hub, Underearth
Grey Dwarf: Grey Mountains, Vaqueria
Korobokuru: Dragon Empire, Empire of the Carp, Kingdom of the Snake, Kingdom of the Elephant, Ratlands, Ocean Endless
Surface Gnome: North, Hub, Golden Plains, Vaqueria, Underearth
Deep Gnome: Underearth
Hairfoot Halfling: North, Hub, Spinal Mountains, Golden Plains, Vaqueria
Tallfellow: North, Golden Plains, Hub, Spider Jungle
Stout Halfling: North, Hub, Spinal Mountains, Golden Plains, Underearth

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Dwarves: Detect slope or new construction (Hill, Mountain, Grey), Detect depth (Grey), Infravision (60' Hill, Mountain, 120' Grey, Korobokuru), 2x chance of having psionic ability (Grey)

Gnomes: Detect slope, direction, and structural integrity, Infravision (60' Surface Gnome, 120' Deep Gnome), Ultravision (30' Deep Gnome)

Halflings: Detect slope and direction, Infravision (30' Tallfellow, 60' Stout)