Dream Dwarf

Illus. by J. Nelson

• +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type: This bonus represents special training that chaos gnomes undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, it loses its dodge bonus, too. • +2 racial bonus on Listen checks: Chaos gnomes have keen ears. • Luck of Chaos (Ex): Once per day, a chaos gnome can reroll one roll that she has just made before the Dungeon Master declares whether the roll results in success or failure. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. • Immunity to confusion effects. • Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: any. • Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day— entropic shield. A chaos gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—daze, flare, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + chaos gnome’s Cha modifi er + spell level. • Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass chaos gnome’s sorcerer class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point pen alty for multi classing.

Many chaos gnomes are multiclass sorcerer/clerics with the

Luck domain. • Level adjustment +1. DREAM DWARF Dream dwarves feel the hills slumber beneath them. They see the world as a resting giant of inestimable power, and they are caught in the dreaming. While other dwarves shape metal and stone, dream dwarves contemplate and meditate. Wise and cautious, they understand nature in a way at once similar to and wholly alien to the understanding of druids and shamans of other races. Dream dwarves share a sort of collective subconscious with the world around them, a phenomenon they call the earth dream. The earth dream shapes many aspects of a dream dwarf’s life, and no discussion of dream dwarves

can be complete without at least some understanding of the earth dream. The earth dream is a powerful force, and members of other races can occasionally feel its pull and become earth dreamers (see page 110). Personality: Dream dwarves have little of the natural craftsmanship of other dwarves, and they instead spend many hours in somber contemplation of the earth dream. They are inquisitive, and they seek to supplement the information and wisdom they gain from the earth dream with personal experience. To those who don’t know them well, dream dwarves can seem shy or wary, but in truth they are merely reserved; they are more likely to utter one carefully chosen phrase than engage in a prolonged discussion. Physical Description: Dream dwarves stand about 4 feet tall and weigh about 10 to 15 pounds less than a typical dwarf. Their skin color ranges from dark gray to deep brown, and their hair is dark brown or black. They have pale eyes, usually green or blue in color but with the occasional lavender or pale red. Dream dwarves usually decorate their clothing with abstract symbols that represent important personal experiences within the earth dream. Relations: Dream dwarves get along well with other dwarves, who look up to them as shamans and prophets. They also get along well with gnomes, who share their love of the earth, and they even enjoy the company of halfl ings and elves. They are friendly with druids of any race, sharing the class’s love of nature and natural power. Their silent and mystical Dream dwarf demeanor can cause humans, halfelves, and half-orcs to think dream dwarves a little strange, but rarely causes signifi cant problems in relationships with members of these races. Alignment: Dream dwarves are most often neutral good. They share a bond with the earth and the earth dream, and this bond helps them see the power and energy inherent in a peaceful life. As a result, most dream dwarves remain kind and good-hearted even through adversity, and they value a balance between law and chaos. Dream Dwarf Lands: Dream dwarves almost always build their homes within or near those of other dwarves, and many members of other races don’t even realize that dream dwarves are a separate subrace. Their homes are often underground, embodying their love of the earth. Occasion-